Richard COLLIER

(Londres, 1867-Londres, 1930)

collier richard portrait

Jean-Claude SEGUIN

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Richard "Roy" Collier (Londres, 1867-Londres, 15/07/1930) épouse (Londres, 15/04/1891) Annie Rebecca Williams (Woodbridge, 08/06/1865-Pinner, 20/10/1948). Descendance:

  • Lionel William Collier (Londres, 05/09/1892-Tonbridge, 01/1969) épouse (Kensington, 11/06/1921) Marjory Vyse Williams (Londres, 21/02/1895-Tonbridge, 01/1956).

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D'origine incertaine, il vit dès 1871 (recensement de 1871) avec ses grands parents. Les recensements suivants ne parviennent pas à éclairer sa situation (recensement de 1881; recensement de 1891). Après son mariage, il exerce la profession de "Merchant (Shirt & Collar)" [Marchant (Chemise et collier)] (recensement de 1901). 

Pathé Frères (Londres) (1904-1906)

Richard Collier travaille déjà pour la société Pathé, secteur des phonographes, en 1903 comme le montre le suivant entrefilet : 

Pathe Freres.-This firm advise us that the results of the competition for the three best records made on their blanks were:-First Prize, £20, Mr. Henry Turnpenny; Second Prize, £10, Miss Cecile Vicars; Third Priza, Grand Concert Phonograph, Mr. Roy Collier.


Talking Machine News, vendredi 1er mai 1903, p. 15.

À l'époque, le responsable du secteur est Jellings Blow et la presse publie de nombreuses publicités uniquement consacrées aux phonographes Pathé et autres appareils sonores.

blow jellings portraitJellings Blow

Il existe cependant un "dépôt" de films qui ne semble pas encore structuré en filiale. mais qui est déjà sous la responsabilité de Richard Collier:

SOME NEW FILMS
OF A WELL-KNOWN FIRM.
Among makers of cinematographs and films, a very prominent place is occupied by Messrs. Pathe Freres. They have gained a truly enviable reputation for excellence and reliability in mechanical construction, and they are constantly placing upon the market spectacular films of an entirely original character. The London depôt of the firm is quite a hive of industry. Besides an extensive film and machine department, a large portion of the building is devoted to phonographs and their many accessories. Messrs. Pathe cater especially and intelligently for showmen. For their convenience they have, at the top of their premises, erected a cinematograph room in which, either by day or night, all their latest films may by exhibited to prospective customers. It is, really, a splendidly-fitted up apartment. The cinematograph itself is entirely shut away behind a wall, in which there is an aperture for the lens to shine upon a screen at the opposite side of the miniature hall.
Most of the Pathe films are actually " manufactured " in a large open-air theatre near Paris ; but they have operators as well in all countries where interesting pictures may be secured. This is instanced in one of the most recent of the firm's spectacular efforts—an illustrated tour through Italy. This is the sort of film that should prove interesting to any audience in any town. People who have been through Italy will be delighted by pretty glimpses of familiar scenes ; those who have not will find it instructive, and, at the same time, interesting. Messrs. Pathe achieve some very beautiful results by colouring their films. One short picture illustrates a trip, by gondola, up the principal canals of Venice, and under the Bridge of Sighs. Subdued tinting of the water, and the stately buildings upon the sides of the canals, has a really charming effect. It has been so cleverly done that the realism of the scene is in no way destroyed ; it is, in fact, materially improved. The same treatment is accorded a picture of Vesuvius in the distance, again with capital results. Then the spectator is brought close up to the crater of the mountain. He is, in fact, practically looking down it. An impressive red tint is thrown upon the picture. Jets of steam, and every now and then a torrent of stones and lava, are seen issuing from the crater. Mr. Collier, part of whose duty it is to show the films to visitors, states emphatically that there is not the suspicion of "fake" in this particular film. It is, really, a triumph of realism.


Music Hall and Theatre Review, vendredi 30 septembre 1904, p. 6.

En outre, Roy Collier enregistre quelques cylindres: Join the NavyThe Ladies of St. James'sSoldiers, Sailors, Volunteers . C'est finalement en août 1906 que la situation de l'entreprise londonienne va évoluer. D'une part, elle est désormais sous la responsabilité de M. Courant, assisté de Roy Collier. D'autre part, l'entreprise, jusqu'alors indépendante, fusionne avec la maison mère :

UNDOUBTEDLY the trade news of the month was the amalgamation of Pathé Frères with the parent house of the same name at Paris, and, the consequent reduction in price of Pathé films. The evident intention of Mr. Courant, the new manager, who has had many years experience of the trade in France, is to secure as much as possible of the English trade, and with the assistance of Mr. Roy Collier, who needs no introduction to English exhibitors, there is no doubt that he will succeed in still further popularising the Pathé products over here.


Kinematograph Weekly, mercredi 15 août 1906, p. 182.

En outre, un département cinématographique est finalement fondé sous la responsabilité de Roy Collier:

Pathé Frères, London.
The business of Pathé Frères (London), Limited, has been acquired by the company exploiting Pathé goods in Paris, and will be continued under the above name in London. Mr. H. Courant, for many years connected with the French company, will be in charge, and he will have the assistance in the kinematograph department, of Mr. Roy Collier as before. We are informed that all Pathé films (other than coloured ones) will in future be sold at the uniform rate of 4d. per foot.


Kinematograph Weekly, mercredi 15 août 1906, p. 186.

Désormais, la presse va annoncer régulièrement les nouveautés cinématographiques.

1906 08 16 pathe the era
The Era, Londres, samedi 18 août 1906, p. 30.

Roy Collier, pour des raisons non connues, quitte quelques jours plus tard la nouvelle filiale Pathé. Il est remplacé par Cedric Ivatts.

Personal.
Mr. Collier, late of Pathé Frères, has taken up a position with the Walturdaw Co. The kinematograph department of Pathé Frères will be under the management of Mr. Courant and Mr. C. Ivatts. As already announced, the former has been associated with the French parent company, which has taken over the business of Pathé Frères (London) Limited, while the latter will already be known to most members of the trade.


Kinematograph Weekly, Londres, samedi 15 septembre 1906, p. 216. 

Et après (1906-1930)

La Walturdaw a été fondée en 1904 par James D. Walker,  Edward G. TurnerHarry Dawson et Ernest Howard. Elle se consacre alors à la commercialisation d'appareils cinématographiques dont deux modèles de projecteurs. La société a commencé à produire des films dès avril 1905, mais la production est assez discontinue. L'arrivée de Roy Collier permet clairement de renforcer l'entreprise :

The Walturdaw Co.
Changes have been more in evidence in connection with this firm than with probably any other and the increase in their business speaks eloquently of the ever growing importance of living pictures. A notable development at Dean Street has been in connection with the sales department which has lately received more attention than ever before. Mr. R. Collier joined the firm from Pathés about a year ago and now attends to this part of the business, in connection with which we understand he has arranged for the agency of some of the leading American and Continental maker's films. Walturdaw have just recently opened additional premises for the development more particularly of topical subjects. They now take every event of importance and supply a large proportion of the topical subjects shown at the Palace. It should also be mentioned that Mr. Howse has recently returned from a trip round the world on their behalf, resulting in many good pictures which have not yet been put on the market, while the machine department continues to make good sales of the Walturdaw projectors and fittings.


The Kinematograph and Lantern Weekly, 19 septembre 1907.

Il prend ainsi en charge le département qui gère la vente des films, mais il reste moins de deux ans avant d'intégrer la société Walter Tyler Ltd :

Mr. Roy Collier
who has been in charge of the film sales department of the  Walturdaw Co., Ltd., for some time back has joined Messrs. Walter Tyler, Ltd. His knowledge of the trade (gained partly with Pathé Frères) should be of great assistance in making a success of the department which Messrs. Tyler have opened for the sale of films.


Kinematograph Weekly, Londres, jeudi 2 juillet 1908, p. 186.

La Walter Tyler Ltd. a commencé ses activités en [1905]. Après avoir commercialisé des vues fixes et des lanternes, elle s'est lancée dans l'exploitation et vente d'appareils cinématographiques et de films. L'arrivée de Roy Collier constitue un renforcement pour cette société qui diffuse en particulier la production de la société Éclair. Il a pour rôle de lancer la production :

Tyler's to Manufacture.
The trade generally will be interested to hear that Messrs. Walter Tyler, Ltd., have decided to enter the ranks of film manufacturers, Mr. Collier, of this firm, tells us that they have already commenced securing negatives, and very probably the first subject will be offered to the trade next week.


Kinematograph Weekly, Londres, jeudi 23 juillet 1908, p. 239.

En 1910, la société est restructurée et devient la "Tyler Film Co.". Richard Collier en devient l'un des deux directeurs avec H. R. Bishop :

Walter Tyler, Ltd.—lmportant Development.
This company has been making rapid progress during the last few years, and since they removed their film department to the "Film House," Gerrard Street, some nine months ago, this branch of the business has made phenomenal strides. The film department is to be organised into a separate existence under the title "Tyler Film Co., Ltd.," with a capital of E 15,000. Two of the directors of Walter Tyler, Ltd., Mr. H. R. Bishop and Mr. E. H. Bishop, are on the board of the new company, and Mr. Richard Collier, who has managed Messrs. Tyler's film department with such marked success, is appointed managing director.


Kinematograph Weekly, Londres, jeudi 13 janvier 1910, p. 523.

En 1911, il est toujours recensé à Londres.  

collier r 1911 bioscope
Picture Personnalities: MR. R. COLLIER.
Mr. R. Collier is the well-known managing-director of the Tyler Film Company, Limited. Our artist has depicted him, after the "Fall of Troy," seeking new fields to conquer.
The Bioscope (supplement), 27 juillet 1911, p. 180.

En 1914, il quitte l'entreprise et démissionne également de ses mandats d'administrateur des sociétés Cosmopolitan et Gerrard Film : 

Mr. Richard Collier has been so long identified with the Tyler Film Company that it will come as a surprise to most people conversant with the Trade that he has severed his connection therewith. Nevertheless, it is a fact that Mr. Collier resigned his position as managing director of the company, and also his directorships of the Cosmopolitan and Gerrard Film Companies as and from Thursday last. Joining the firm as manager soon after its initiation in 1908, Mr. Collier became managing director in the following year, and it is largely due to his efforts that this house has attained its eminent position. It is some fifteen years since Mr. Collier became actively engaged in the industry. For three years he was manager for Messrs. Paths Freres in this company, and subsequently controlled the film department of Walturdaws when this company conducted their business in Lambs Conduit Street. Mr. Collier's many friends will unite in wishing him success in his next venture.


The Bioscope, 13 août 1914, p. 623.

Il reprend par la suite la société Cineproductions qui existe déjà en 1917 :

Mr. R. COLLIER (Cineproductions, Ltd.),
9, Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road, W.C. 2,
requires a partner with small capital to replace one now retired to invest in Film Agency Business.
Appointment can be made by letter, or phont Regent 5724.


The Bioscope, 15 juillet 1920, p. 17.

Dans The Bioscope, il figure comme l'un des vétérans de la cinématographie britannique :

Collier, Roy.-On the original staff of Pathé Frères; later founded and became a director of the Tyler Film Company, and introduced the original "Foolshead" Comedies in this country; also the splendid Itala productions exhibited here.


The Bioscope, 11 décembre 1924, p. 40.

Il décède en 1930 :

I AM extremely sorry to have to record the death, on Tuesday, of one of the Trade's earliest members—Roy Collier. As one of the best-known of the veterans, Mr. Collier's illness has been watched by many old friends with the deepest concern, but its hopelessness was realised some weeks ago. He was a man who carried his years wonderfully well up to very recent days, and his personal charm was such that a host of friends—dating back, some of them, to the days of Eclaire and " Cabiria "—will unite in mourning his loss.


Kinematograph Weekly, Londres, jeudi 17 juillet 1930, p. 30.

Un autre notice nécrologique complète l'information :

Roy Collier, for many years associated with the renting side of the film business, and latterly with P.D.C., passed away on Tuesday last after an illness lasting less than a fortnight. Meningitis was the secondary cause of death. Much sympathy will be extended to the family of the deceased, which includes Lionel Collier (son), editor of the Picturegoer, and well known throughout the trade as a contributor to the Film Section of our esteemed contemporary, The Kine.


The Bioscope, Londres, mercredi 23 juillet 1930, p. 17.

Sources

"The Pathe cinematograph. The Achievements and its Possibilities", Music Hall and Theatre Review, vendredi 16 décembre 1904, p. 388.

"Novelties at Walter Tyler's", Kinematograph Weekly, jeudi 15 octobre 1908, p. 8.

"The Tyler Industries", The Bioscope, jeudi 16 janvier 1913, p. 164.

"Cinema Veterans' Re-Union. Old Brigade meets in London", The Bioscope, 11 décembre 1924, p. 33-43.

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