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Les origines (1854-1895)

Né à Londres, il est enfant de chœur et chante à l'occasion du mariage (1863) du futur Edouard VII. De 1871 à 1873, il est caporal dans la 19^e division du Surrey, British Volunteers, et en 1875 il arrive à Brooklyn. En 1878, il ouvre une imprimerie sur Adams St. En 1882, il épouse Mary L. Matheson. En 1889, il intègre le célèbre Eden Museum dont il est élu président, en 1895, et le restera jusqu'à la fermeture de la salle en 1915.

Robert L. Bracklow, Eden Musee (c. 1900) [D.P.]
Sources: New York Historical Society

Catalogue of the Eden Musée

L'intérêt de Rich. Hollaman pour les images animées remonte, selon ses souvenirs, à l'automne 1894. À cette époque, il s'agit de vues présentées grâce à un kinetoscope des frères Latham et qui vont durablement l'impressionner :

You ask me how I first got interested in motion pictures. Well, the first motion picture I saw was given in a store on Park Row in the late 1894. Il was a picture of two men wresting, a most imperfect and altogether miserable exhibition as compared with the motion pictures of to-day. With all its crudeness, I saw the possibilities if the pictures could be properly taken and projected. I hunted up the owner and inventor of the machine, who was a certain Mr. Latham. I called on him and had an interesting chat, but did not accept his proposition to go in to exploit the business, preferring to wait until he had improved his machine.

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A Visit and a Chat with Mr. Rich. G. Hollaman, of the Eden Musee, 1908: 231-132.

En novembe 1896, dans le jardin d'hiver, on a installé un appareil stéréoscopique :

The gallery of the winter garden at the Eden Musée now holds a fresh lot of stereoscopi views.

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The Sun, New York, dimanche 22 novembre 1896, p. 15.

Le cinématographe (1896-1906)

Vers la fin du mois de décembre 1896, l'Eden Musée va présenter un cinématographe Lumière. Les séances commencent le 20 décembre :

The Lumière cinématographe is still on view at the Eden Musée, Thirty-five views are shown. Exhibitions are given every hour. What with the wax works, the chamber of horrors, and Koevesay's Band, the Musée entertainment is one of extraordinary variety and merit.

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The New York Times, New York, dimanche 27 décembre 1896, p. 11.

The New York Times, New York, lundi 21 décembre 1896, p. 7.

Les projections se prolongent jusqu'au [18] février. À peine trois jours plus tard, on annonce la prochaine installation prochaine d'un cinématographe Joly :

Another new apparatus for displaying  instantaneous photographs in life size and with the effect of reproducing the original action, comes from Paris to become a permanent feature at the Eden Musée. It is called Jolly's cinematographe, and very accurate reproductions are promised from it.

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The Sun, New York, dimanche 21 février 1897, p. 21.

Pendant plusieurs semaines, le cinématographe Joly projette des vues animées dont on ignore le titre.

The Sun, New York, lundi 22 février 1897, p. 10.

À peine est publiée la dernière annonce, le 13 avril, qu'un nouvel appareil est installé à l'Eden Musée. Il s'agit, dans ce cas, de l'American Cinematograph.

The Sun, New York, mercredi 14 avril 1897, p. 10.

De façon tout à fait exceptionnelle, la presse indique le titre ou le contenu de certaines vue présentées :

The cinematograph at the Eden Musée is exhibiting some very interesting pictures. One of them represents a watermelon-eating contest, which never fails to cause laughter. Another view shows horses jumping hurdles. After being shown correctly the view is reversed and the horses appear to jump over the hurdles backward. The Winter Garden concerts and the exhibition of French posters are continued.

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The New York Times, New York, dimanche 2  mai 1897, p. 14.

L'intérêt du responsable de l'Eden Musee pour le cinématographe va le conduire à produire, avec Edison, un projet ambitieux : le tournage de la célèbre Passion de la ville bavaroise d'Oberammergau. Il s'agit de profiter du succès obtenu par The Horitz Passion Play, tournée à l'été 1897 en Bohême. Toutefois cette grandiose représentation n'a lieu que tous les dix ans et la prochaine édition n'est prévue que pour 1900. Décision est prise alors d'organiser le tournage de The Passion Play of Oberammergau sur le toit du Grand Central Palace de New York. La prise de vue est alors confiée à William Paley comme le rapporte Rich Hollaman lui-même :

A Visit and a Chat with Mr. Rich. G. Hollaman, of the Eden Musee.
[...]
“Having given the matter considerable thought and seeing the vast possibilities in ‘The Passion Play’ production, I got into communication with the late Albert Eaves, who was interested with the late Henry E. Abbey in the proposed production of ‘The Passion Play’ at Booth's Theater in 1885. This was the celebrated Salmi Morse version, the rehearsals for which were under his immediate direction in an old church building on the site now occupied by Keith & Proctor’s Twenty-third Street Theater. These rehearsals went on for months, the costumes were all made for the production and at the last minute, almost, the mayor prohibited the performance of this sublime drama that was proposed to take place on the stage of Booth’s Theater, Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue, now occupied by McCreery’s Dry Goods Store.
“Mr. Eaves had all these costumes in storage, as well as the manuscript of the play. We engaged the late Henry C. Vincent, stage manager, to supervise the production, painting the scenery, making the properties, and to secure artists to rehearse the play. I also engaged Mr. William Paley to take the pictures and entered into a contract with Mr. Gilmore and Mr. Edison, of the Edison Manufacturing Company, to print the films.
“I arranged to use the roof of the Grand Central Palace as our stage, and rehearsals were commenced in the first week of November, 1897. It took us six weeks, in all sorts of weather, before the last scene was finished. The Edison Manufacturing Company delivered the first films about a month later and on January 31, 1898, the first production of ‘The Passion Play’ ever seen in this country was produced on the screen in the Winter Garden of the Eden Musee, one week before Mr. Hurd showed his version at Daly’s Theater. This is the story of the first great cinematograph production taken in America.

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The Moving Picture World, vol. 2, nº 8, 22 février 1908, p. 132.

Par la suite, et durant des mois et des années, l'Eden Musée va proposer ses projections animées. C'est semble-t-il en 1899 que Frank Cannock rejoint la salle dirigée par Richard Hollaman :

About the year 1900, Frank Cannock, a mechanical expert, thoroughly versed in the use of motion picture machines, had constructed a new model which embodied many features never before used, and placed one of these machines in the Eden Musee, Twenty-third street, New York City. The Eden Musee is famous throughout the country, having been in existence many years, and from the beginning of the public exhibition of motion pictures it has made a specialty of them.
Among the features used in the Edengraph in 1900 when placed in position in the Eden Musee, and which is embodied in the present machine almost without change, is a dust-tight oil box in which are placed the shaft, cam and star wheel which actuate the intermittent sprocket.
The Eden Musee has projected motion pictures on an average of ten times daily since 1900. Mr. Cannock states that the original oil box containing the original shaft, cam and star are still in use, have never been changed, regulated or altered. Richard G. Hollaman, general manager and chief owner of the Eden Musee confirms this statement.

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"The Story of the Edengraph", The Nickelodeon, 1^er août 1910, vol. IV, nº 3, p. 69.

En 1900, il est recensé avec sa famille à Brooklyn (New York).

Et après... (1907-1929)

La collaboration entre Richard Hollaman et Frank Cannock se prolonge jusqu'en 1907. À cette date, il effectue un voyage en Grande-Bretagne. À cette date, le nom de l' "Edengraph" ("moving-picture mechanism") est divulgué dans la presse new-yorkaise et les deux hommes vont s'associer pour constituer la société Edengraph Manufacturing Company :

BROOKLYN INVESTORS
(Special to the Eagle.)
[...]
Richard W. Hallaman [sic] of Brooklyn is a director of the Edengraph Manufacturing Company of New York City, formed with the State Department, with a capital of $33,000.

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The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 13 novembre 1907, p. 3.

The Moving Picture World propose un article assez détaillé où il est question, en particulier des origines de l'edengraph :

THE "EDENGRAPH"
This new projecting machine, which was referred to in our columns of February 22, will be offered to the trade early next month. Mr. Frank Cannock is the inventor, and, as the name implies, it is the machine that made moving pictures popular at the Eden Musee.
It is claimed by the Edengraph Manufacturing Company, who are makint these machines, that this is the most perfect projecting apparatus ever constructed. Built like a watch, parts interchangeable ana absolutely fireproof as well as foolproof. Compact in design, quick to thread, flicker reduced to a minumum, are some of the claims of the inventor.
This is note a tranformed machine, but an invention, the result ot twelve years experience in cinematograph apparatus, both in making machines and in projecting to the public. Mr Cannock has been chief operator as well as machinist at the Eden Musee for the past ten years, and the reputation ot moving pictures at this popular place of amusement is due to the perfectness of the projecting apparatus and improvements made from time to time by him.
The first Edengraph will be finished in about ten days, when it will be delivered at the office of the Department of Gas and Electricity for their approval. Due notice will be given by advertisement in the Moving Picture World when the machine is ready for the trade.
We are requested by Mr. Cannock to thank the writers of tne many letters sent him inquiring for machines since the article published in this paper February 22, and he desires us to say that in a short time all correspondence will be answered through the company’s office.

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The Moving Picture World, vol. 2, nº 13, 28 mars 1908, p. 264.

The Moving Picture World, vol. 2, nº 17, 25 avril 1908, p. 373.

“EDENGRAPH” SALES AGENCY.
Mr. George Kleine made a flying trip from Chicago early in the week to finish negotiations that were pending between his firm and the Edengraph Manufacturing Company. Papers have been signed and Mr. Kleine has acquired by purchase the sole and exclusive Western sales agency for the Edengraph. Many expert operators visited the Edengraph office during the past week and all were delighted with the sample machine, admitting the inventor’s claim that it is the “King of all Projecting Machines.”

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The Moving Picture World, vol. 2, nº 22, 30 mai 1908, p. 474.

[...]
Shortly afterward a company was formed called the Edengraph Manufacturing Company for the purpose of manufacturing and exploiting this machine. The chief stockholders were Mr. Hollaman and Mr. Cannock. The inventor transferred to the company his patents embodied in the Edengraph model, other patents then applied for, and agreed to assign to the Edengraph Company

Pendant de nombreuses années, Hollaman organise des expositions, participe à l'inauguration de spectacles tels que l'exposition florale, l'exposition marine et autres. En 1905, il est recensé avec sa famille à New York. En 1910, il est recensé avec sa famille à New York. En mai 1913, il rentre des Bermudes avec sa famille et en août il est de retour de Liverpool.

The Moving Picture World, vol. 2, nº 8, 22 février 1908, p. 132.

Au moment de sa mort, il était directeur général de l'Exposition Antique. Il a également exposé aux Expositions universelles de Chicago, Buffalo, Paris et Saint-Louis. Longtemps figure éminente de la vie sociale de cet arrondissement, le défunt showman fut membre du Cosmopolitan Lodge, 2585. F & A. M., pendant 50 ans et pendant un quart de siècle, fut président du comité d'animation du Montauk Club. Son épouse, l'ancienne Mary L. Matheson, une fille de Brooklyn qu'il épousa le 2 août 1882, est décédée en 1926.

Richard G. Hollaman, president of the Eden Musee, sailed on the Adriatic yesterday for London, Paris, Brussels and a visit to the Exposition at Ghent. He will bring back with him many of the latest cinematograph subjects taken in Europe this summer for the fall exhibition at the Musee, Frank B. Cannock, the inventor, will accompany him on a six weeks' tour through Europe.The Brooklyn Citizen, Brooklyn, vendredi 18 juillet 1913, p. 5.

"Rich G. Hollaman, the head of the famous old Eden Musee, who produced the "Passion Play" and made motion picture history with the first pretentious studio production of the industry. He went into it as a matter of commercial rivalry of the day and now it proves to be important screen history."
Photoplay, vol. XXII, nº 5, octobre 1922, p. 57.

En 1925, il réside toujours à Brooklyn.

En 1928, il voyage avec son fils Frederic et sa belle-fille à Trinidad (Cuba) où il retourne l'année suivante en août.

"Showman Dies. Rich. G. Hollaman"
Times Union, New York, jeudi 3 octobre 1929, p. 22.

Sources

"A Visit and a Chat with Mr. Rich. G. Hollaman, of the Eden Musee", Moving Picture World, vol. 2, nº 8, 22 février 1908, p. 131-134.

"Hollaman, musee Showman, is dead", Times Union, New York, jeudi 3 octobre 1929, p. 22.

"The Story of the Edengraph", The Nickelodeon, 1^er août 1910, vol. IV, nº 3, p. 69-70.

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