First movie to be filmed in Yuma likely was in 1914

Editor’s Note: The

Yuma Sun is reprinting articles from past newspapers throughout the year as part of the Yuma Sun’s 150th anniversary, honoring Yuma’s unique history. This column is one in a series written by local historian Frank Love that appeared periodically in the newspaper.

Movies first came to this city over 100 years ago. This popular form of entertainment began here on March 16, 1905. The Thresher and Hannas Motion Picture Company showed a film for the first time to local residents at the Masonic Hall on that Friday. With street scenes shot in such foreign countries as Brazil, Africa, Russia and China, Yumans who attended paid a fee of 25 or 50 cents to see it.

The first time a movie was made here was probably in 1914, but it is possible that two others could have been filmed here a year or two earlier.

The only written evidence this writer could find of the first movie being filmed here was of one made in January of 1914. The possibility there were two others a year or so earlier exists because of an article which appeared in a Yuma newspaper, The Examiner.

The newspaper suggested the movie made in 1914 was the third. It is difficult to prove or disprove this because newspaper files in the library for 1912 and 1913 are limited to the Arizona Sentinel and the Yuma Examiner. Upon searching those papers, this writer couldn’t find a report of a movie being filmed here in either of those years.

The firm which produced the 1914 movie was the Capital Film Company. Setting up its headquarters in Bard at the Hendrick’s Ranch, it was there for several weeks. A three-reel film resulted with the title “Father Garces’ Mission.” Based on the story of Catholic missionary Francisco Garces who helped bring Christianity to the Indians of this region, it featured actor George Larkin in the leading role as a Spanish officer and J.P. Swickard in the role of the famed missionary.

It seems likely that not everyone in Yuma thought motion pictures were a good form of entertainment in 1914. The Sun reported it received an anonymous letter signed “Firebug” six months after the film company left here. There had been fires at both the Zeller Theater and the Yuma Theater earlier for which the writer took credit. Blaming a failure to destroy the Yuma Theater as a reason, the unknown writer announced he or she was leaving town. Adios “Firebug.”

Three movies were produced here in 1915. All were the work of a firm calling itself The Nichols-Taylor Film Company. It was owned by W.J. and Charlotte Nichols and J.O. Taylor. The only information this writer could find about the trio appeared in Yuma’s Weekly Sun reporting that Nichols owned the “Steamer” which ran between Yuma and Somerton. The vehicle may have been a steam-driven bus.

The first film made here in 1915 by the Nichols firm had the title “Natalie.” The company described the movie in its ads as “A Picture of Great Pathos.” Two Yuma doctors, Clymer and Knotts, had roles in the film along with several hundred local Indians.

Another movie made here by the same firm in 1915 was a documentary. With the title “Queen of the Yuma Project,” it was about agricultural progress being made in this area using irrigation. It portrayed the creation of Laguna Dam, the Yuma Irrigation Project and farming in the area. Several

hundred local residents saw the film when it was shown here at the Casino Theater in November.

The Nichols Taylor Company produced a third Yuma movie in December of 1915. With the title “When the Heart Was Blind,” it was a love story featuring Hollywood actress Bunnie Howland. Local scenes were filmed at Dr. Clymer’s home on Orange Avenue, on Prison Hill and at “the old Stofella place” which may have been where the Old Yuma Store existed before it was closed. The site was a building once owned by John Stofella.

Most of the actors in the movie were local residents. They included Father

John Maiztegui, a priest at Immaculate Conception Church. Upon completion, it was shown for the first time to a Yuma audience in January of 1916.

The film was directed by Paul Smith with J.O. Taylor who was operating a camera he built to use here. The Sun described it as especially adapted for “taking views in this section of the county, owing to the exceeding dry atmosphere, in which there is a super abundance of static electricity.”

Taylor told a reporter that he couldn’t film here with the usual brass-lined cameras because of our dry climate. He said that the camera he was using had a steel lining instead of the earlier ones which were lined with brass.

A crew from Fox Films came to Yuma in June of 1916 to photograph scenes for “Beauty and the Beast.” Actress Anna Luther had the role of Beauty from the well-known story, and several local Indians were in its scenes.

What has become of the movies filmed in and around Yuma over 100 years ago? Do any of them still exist? If they do, they contain scenes from Yuma which are an interesting historical record.