Richard Willis (October 15, 1876 - April 8, 1945)[1] was a publicist, agent, general manager, screenwriter, scenario editor, actor and poet.[2][3][4] By 1912 he was scenario editor for the Nestor Motion Picture Company in Los Angeles.[5] When Nestor merged into Universal, Willis became scenario editor for Universal. He left Universal in 1913[6] and joined with W. A. (Gus) Inglis to found Willis & Inglis,[7] an agency offering publicity, representation, management and bookings within the motion picture industry. Willis & Inglis later claimed they were "the first to do personal publicity for the photoplayers in the west" and "the first agency on the west coast to become established as an institution negotiating business between producers and artists." Among the many screen artists represented by Willis & Inglis were actors Mary Pickford, John Gilbert, Charles Ray, Norma Talmadge, Lon Chaney Sr., and directors D. W. Griffith, Henry King, Frank Borzage, and William Desmond Taylor.[8][9] During 1914-1917 Richard Willis wrote columns and articles published in the New York Clipper, Photoplay, Movie Pictorial, Motion Picture Magazine, and other publications, sometimes writing under the name Dick Willis, Dick Melbourne, or Wil.[10] In 1917, Willis & Inglis bought the old Kalem Studio at 1425 Fleming St., Los Angeles, and produced several Fay Tincher comedies for World Film Company,[11] then leased the studio to producer Jesse D. Hampton.[12] In 1920 the studio was taken over by Charles Ray Productions,[13] with Richard Willis as Vice-President and General Manager.[14] Willis also served as treasurer of the Photoplay Authors League[15] and the Screen Writers Guild.[16] He died in Los Angeles on April 8, 1945.
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References
edit- ^ "IMDB". IMDb. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
- ^ Smith, Russell (March 1915), "The Authors of the Photoplays", The Book News Monthly, Philadelphia, PA, p. 331, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Richard Willis, well-known photoplay author..." (PDF), The New York Dramatic Mirror, New York City, p. 29, June 3, 1914, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "WILLIS, Richard, member Willis and Inglis", Motion Picture News Studio Directory and Trade Annual 1918, New York City, p. 331, 1918, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Market Notes: Nestor Film Co.", Moving Picture World, New York City, p. 40, July 6, 1912, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Doings at Los Angeles: Changes in Universal Staff", Moving Picture World, New York City, p. 582, May 10, 1913, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Rites for W. A. Inglis, Film Pioneer, Scheduled", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, pp. A6, August 6, 1952
- ^ "Willis & Inglis In Broader Field", Los Angeles Evening Express, Los Angeles, California, June 25, 1921
- ^ "Rites for W. A. Inglis, Film Pioneer, Scheduled", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, pp. A6, August 6, 1952
- ^ "Richard Willis", Taylorology, Issue 59, Los Angeles, California, November 1997, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Willis & Inglis Build Studio", Moving Picture World, New York City, p. 65, January 5, 1918, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Kerrigan Leases Studio", Moving Picture World, New York City, p. 396, September 7, 1918, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Ray Studios Opened", Wid's Daily, New York City, p. 2, June 26, 1920, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Charles Ray Productions, Inc.", Motion Picture Studio Directory and Trade Annual 1921, New York City, p. 391, June 26, 1920, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ Grau, Robert (1914), "The Photoplay Authors' League was...", The Theatre of Science: A Volume of Progress and Achievement in the Motion Picture Art, New York City, p. 98, retrieved 11 September 2012
- ^ "Screen Writers' Elections", The Film Daily, New York City, p. 6, May 9, 1924, retrieved 11 September 2012