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Les origines (<1897)

C'est vers 1895 que George W. Jones intègre la société The Magic Introduction Company (New York), fondé en 1890 et qui se consacre à la mise sur le marché d'appareils bretevés. L'un d'eux est The Photoret dû à Herman Casler. Jones va y faire la rencontre d'Elias Bernard Koopman, l'un des directeurs de la société.

The American Mutoscope Company ([1895]-1897)

En 1895, Elias Bernard Koopman fonde avec trois de ses amis, Harry Marvin, Herman Casler et W.K.L. Dickson, l'American Mutoscope Company (1895). C'est presque dès les débuts de la nouvelle entreprise que George W. Jones intègre la société. En 1897, il part pour la Grande-Bretagne afin d'installer le Biograph au Palace Theatre de Londres où la première présentation privée a lieu le 18 mars. Il en est l'opérateur pendant quelques semaines. Il va se rendre ensuite en Australie afin de manipuler l'appareil cinématographique pour la London Vaudeville Company que dirige Harry Rickards. Il commence sa tournée par Melbourne (novembre-décembre 1897), puis il continue par Adelaide (décembre 1897-janvier 1898). Si l'on en croit un court article qu'il fait passer dans la presse, son rôle ne se limite +a projeter des vues animées, il serait également le représentant de la Biograph Company :

THE BIOGRAPH
TO THE EDITOR.
Dear Sir-The Biograph is an instrument of America invention, which is the sole property of the Biograph Company, whose interests I represent in Australia. This Company has entered into an agreement with Mr. Harry Rickards, giving him the sole and exclusive right of exhibiting the Biograph in the Australasian Colonies for a period of six months, a term which has yet to expire.
It has long been arranged that Mr. Rickards shall present the Biograph in conjunction with the London Vaudeville Company in your city, opening on Monday, December 27, and in justice to his interests and for the protection of the public, who might otherwise be deceived by similarity of names, I would ask you to publish this explanation in the columns of your widely read paper.
Faithfully yours,
GEO. W. JONES.

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Evening Journal, Adelaide, mercredi 8 décembre 1897, p. 4.

Cette mise au point à pour but de bien préciser que le Biographe n'a rien à voir avec le Biolographe qui circule alors, également, en Australie. Le responsable de ce dernier appareil, Alfred Silvester exerce, le lendemain, son droit de réponse :

THE BIOLOGRAPHE.
TO THE EDITOR.
Sir-I notice in your issue of the 8th inst. a letter signed by a "George W. Jones, Bijou Theatre, Melbourne," who asserts that he represents the interesests of the "American" Biograph Company, and seems somewhat hurt at the announcement of our "Biolographe" season in Adelaide, prior to the Biograph, and furthermore makes a feeble attempt to condemn it as an "ordinary" cinematographe. However, the public of South Australia have had a surfeit of "American" 'scripes and 'graphes, and for the edification of George W. Jones allow me to inform him that the Biolographe is an English invention and a vast impreovement upon the Biograph, and the exclusive rights of this superior instrument have been purchased for the Australasian colonies, nuf sed.
I am, Sir, &c.,
ALFRED SILVESTER
Director and Manager Biolographe Co.,
Victoria Hall, Gawler-place.

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Evening Journal, Adelaide, jeudi 9 décembre 1897, p. 3.

et Perth (janvier-février 1898).

1899

In connection with this visit to Australia, it is interesting, in view of correspondence which has ensued in various papers, to state that Mr. Jones gave an exhibition of moving pictures on board the P. & O. liner "Oceanic," in the middle of the Indian Ocean, thirteen years ago.

Upon his return from Australia, Mr. Jones was connected with the British Mutoscope and Biograph Company, and amongst other contracts he obtained one for continuing the exhibition at the Palace Theatre, and this he held until other arrangements were made two years ago.

During the course of his extensive travels during the previous thirteen years Mr. Jones had obtained a very wide experience of the moving picture business, and on August 1, 1908, he launched the London Cinematograph Company upon a successful career. The firm produced films, had an extensive hiring business, which they carried on until July 1st of this year, when the Co-operative Cinematograph Company was formed, and which bought out the film hiring and producing interests of the former Company. They have fitted up their new premises in palatial style; in fact, many people say that their building is the finest in the moving picture business.

Mr. Jones has several times shown moving pictures before Royalty, notably at Balmoral ten or eleen years ago, when the late Queen Victoria and nearly all the members of the Royal Family were present. He has also appeared at Sandringham before the late before the late King upon no fewer than four occsions, and was lucky enough a year or two ago to spend a week on board the German Emperor's yacht, at Kiel, taking pictures for the use of the Emperor. Upon the occasion of one of his exhibitions at Sandringham, Mr. Jones accomplished a smart piece of "topical" work, which was highly praised by King Edward. The occasion was the annual sale of cattle at Wolferton, and Mr. Jones tooks some pictures of the show, including some views of the King inspecting the cattle. The film was sent to London, developed, and a print taken and shown before the King the following evening.

En 1897, Elias Koopman arriva d'Amérique au Royaume-Uni, suivi de William Dickson, pour commercialiser les films Biograph et le Mutoscope. Les films biographiques ont eu leur première au Palace Theatre de Londres le 18 mars 1897, où ils occuperont une place continue à l'affiche jusqu'en décembre 1902. Le 21 juillet 1897, le Mutoscope and Biograph Syndicate Ltd fut constitué.

WHO SAHARET IS
[...]
The above picture is from one taken on the Biograph by Mr. George W. Jones, of New York, superintendent of the American Mutoscope Company, and who manipulates the Biograph recently appearing at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, and who travelled on the same steamer to London as Saharet, and gave the information as to who this mysterioius dancer really is.

Sunday Times, Sydney, dimanche 7 novembre 1897,p. 2.

The biograph pictures which had only been landed a day or two previously irom America were exhibited and admired, even more than those which had been shown at the theatre during the last couple of weeks, and it is saying a good deal, considering the attraction which the first series of views proved. " The acrobatic dance of Saharet," Condensed milk," "Off Boston Harbour," "In the surf," "Hudson River steamboats," "French Cuirassiers charging," "Cavalry charging a battery," and " The Gordon Highlanders marching into camp," were all live and spirited pictures admirably manipulated by Mr. G. Jones, the operator, and were loudly cheered by those present. The same programme will be repeated to-night.

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The West Australian, Perth, lundi 7 février 1898, p. 5.

In 1908 Lauste was enabled to secure the needed financial backing from Mr. George W. Jones, who was then the General Manager of the London Cinematograph Company, and in that year he visited Ernst Ruhmer in Berlin, with whom he had been corresponding for some time. He wished to study at close range the characteristics of Ruhmer's Photographophone and to ascertain whether the great German technician had made any further discoveries in the art of recording and reproducing sound. He soon satisfied himself that Ruhmer's method of recording and reproducing sound, using the so-called "singing arc ' would never be suitable for talking pictures. Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, vol. XVII, nº 4, octobre 1931, p. 638.

Jone's account of the race was published in Photography, vol, 11, nº 546, 27 avril 1899, p. 284.

HOW THE GRAND NATIONAL WAS TAKEN TO LONDON
How the Grand National was photographed at Liverpool at half-past three in the afternoon and shown in the biograph the same night in London, is described fully in "Photography." The arrangements were in the hands of Mr. W. K. L. Dickson and his assistant, Mr. George W. Jones. "We went to Liverpool the day before the Grand National was run," said Mr. Jones. "We took the necessary steps to have the camera and everything taken out to the racecourse in a L. and M. W. railway van, and arranger with a man who said be bad.Scarborough Evening News, samedi 29 avril 1899, p. 3.

In March the Grand National and the Oxford and Cambridge University boat racewere filmed. We have a graphic account of the filming of the National from Dickson'sassistant, George W. Jones:'We went to Liverpool the day before the Grand National was run and saw Mr. Gladstone,the manager of the racecourse. We arranged with him that we should go there the morning ofthe race and take a picture of it. When we arrived in Liverpool the night before we took thenecessary steps to have the camera and everything taken out to the racecourse in a L. andN. W. railway van, and arranged with a man who said he had the fastest horse in Liverpool totake us back to catch the train when the race was over. We reached the ground about teno'clock, and at once saw Mr Gladstone, who told us where to go - just opposite the finishingpost. Upon asking how we were to get on to the course without being molested, we were to ldto see Chief Inspector Cross, of the Liverpool police. This officer detailed a guard ofpolicemen to go with us just where we wanted to go. This enabled us to set our camera almostin the centre of the steeplechase course - about one hundred and fifty yards away from tliewater jump (shown in the picture) (73).We had previo usly arranged with the railway company to put on a special car, which wepartitioned off at one end as a dark room, and there we had all the usual paraphernalia fordeveloping the picture. This van went down to Liverpool by the same train as ourselves, andwas shunted up the platform to be ready for us next day. We also arranged that morning withthe L. and N .W. Railway Co. to delay the train five minutes , and, if absolutely necessary, theywould have waited ten minutes. This , of course, meant delay for one of their express trains, sothat we had to take care not to lose time.Now as to the race itself. After we had seen several races run Mr. Gladstone came over to usand said, "This race is going to be twenty-five minutes late." This we thought, settled thewhole business. The train was to leave at 4.5 p.m. and as the race was going to be run at 3.55instead of 3.30, it would not be over till the time of the departure of the express. In any case,however, we had m~ade arrangements that if this train was missed the L. and N.W. Co. wouldhave a special engine ready for us, and this engine would have taken us with the van as far asCrewe. There we should have caught the first express from Holyhead, and have got toLondon in any event but a little later. We asked Mr Gladstone if there was not some way toget through. He said he would see, and we went over to the paddock and saw the jockeys, andbegged them to try and get on the field in time, and we actually got it all so arranged that,instead of at 3.55 , they were on the track exactly at 3.30, and the race was started at 3.35. Wetook the picture as they came round and were coming over the water jump, and as soon asthat was finished I at once opened the carrier, pulled the film out, put in into a bag, and MrDickson and myself started for a hard run across the track. Just outside the gate we had theman with the fast horse and a light waggon with rubber tyres awaiting us, he having ahandkerchief round his arm so that we could the more easily identify him in the crowd ofother drivers. We jumped in, and started at 3.45 for Lime Street, leaving us twenty mintues inwhich to do the fi ve miles. I held my watch in my hand, and we kept timing the different stages of the route to see whether we were gaining or losing, and the driver put on more speed if weof the route to see whether we were gaining or losing, and the driver put on more speed if welost at any particular stage. A crowd of considerable dimensions awaited our arrival at thesta tion , and wagers were being laid as to wheth er we should catch the train or not However,we got there at 4.7, thus delaying the train only two minutes.We had two men on the train- our rfg ular developer and his assista nt. We handed the filmto him, and he had the developer ready in the tank. The fi lm was wound on the big drum , andstarted developing. Pretty soon the film was developed. This had then to be taken out of thetank, and the tank washed out and the hypo put in , and fixed. Then this had to be put out andwashed . The railway company had put in for us two six feet tanks - in fact, we hadeverything just as if we had been in our own fac tory. This film was developed there, andbrought out into the other compartment, and put on a big wooden drum , and continua llyturned until it was dry. We had a big furniture van to meet us at London , and into this welifted the drum just as it was, although not quite dry. We stood it on end, and away we wentfor Great Windmill Street. I may say the train got in at 8.15 instead of 8.20, thus beating itsown time. We got it into our printing machines, and printed the positive from the negati ve, and then developed and dried it, and showed it at the Palace Theatre at 11.10 that night.and then developed and dried it, and showed it at the Palace Theatre at 11.10 that night.We started again the next morning to take the Oxford and Cambridge boat race from theumpire's boat, and showed that on Saturday night. '40

Et après...

London Cinematograph Company. The Bioscope, vendredi 18 septembre 1908, p. 28.

KINEMATOGRAPH NOTES.
The London Cinematograph Company , Limited , have started in business at 154 , Charing Cross Road, with a well-varied programme. First, this firm is going in largery for the hiring business, and are prepared to enter into negotiations with any showman who is not making a success in this line to run his business for him. They are interested in the electric theatres, which are opening up in all parts of England , for exhibiting films and song pictures. Our representative was informed also that the company are supplying films to the London Pavilion for a two and a-half hours' matinée performance , to be held daily. Last , but not least, under the able directorship of Mr. Jones late of the Palace, they propose to produce pictures as well. The first one, to be published on Thursday, is entitled "The Lady or the Lions." and although the title does not suggest it , it is a comic film, in which real lions and a real lion-tamer play important parts. We are not able to supply full details of this picture this week, but hope to give a full description next.play parts . AVe are not able to supply full details of this picture this wee . k , but hope to a description next.The Stage, jeudi 24 septembe 1908, p. 14.

 1910: manager de la Co-operative Cinematograph Company Limited.

Servicio Especiale de Exportacion.
Motograph House Upper St. Martin' s Lane , London, W.C.2.
El Departamento de Exportacion de la Compania Phillips, Ltd., o sea el nucleo de sus vastas actividades actuales en lo de arrendar y distribuir peliculas, hallase a cargo de Mr. G. W. Jones, cuyo señor estuvo liasta hace poco con la Cia. M.P. Sales.
En Mr. Jones hemos a uno de los vendedores más experimentados en este ramo, puesto que sus relaciones con el mismo se extienden hasta los dias del mercado abierto, en cuya época era gerente de la London Cinematograph Company.
Habiéndose añadido varias peliculas interesantes a la lista para exportación de la Cia. Phillips, Mr. Jones ha estado ocupadisimo desde que comenzó sus tareas en Motograph House. Anuncia pedidos procedentes de casi todo país europeo para "The Stars as They Are." Chaplin, Fairbanks, Pickford y los otros gozan de tanta popularidad allende el Canal de la Mancha como entre nosotros mismos, por cuyo motivo es ya evidente que estas películas, revelando su vida privada, recreos, etc., habrán de ser distribuidas en grande escala. Ofrécense doce rollos sueltos.Kinematograph Weekly, Export Supplement, nº 662, vol. 35, p. jeudi 1er janvier 1920.

Kinematograph Weekly, Export Supplement, nº 662, vol. 35, p. jeudi 1er janvier 1920.

Sources

"Views and Interviews. nº8. Mr. Geo. W. Jones.", The Bioscope, 18 août 1910, p. 7.

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