Film exchange

A film exchange was a business in film distribution that rented out movies to theaters. They opened up all over the U.S. to handle film reels during the silent film era.[1]

Film exchanges were often a separate business from production. Buildings were constructed for film exchange operations and "film rows" of different company's exchanges developed in some cities.[2] Designs for film exchanges included buildings with vented vaults.[3] Fire prevention was a concern.[4]

Eugene Cline was a major figure in Chicago's fast developing film exchange business. William Fox, who had Nickelodeon businesses, established a film exchange in Brooklyn.[5] The Imperial Film Exchange in New York City was established in 1908 and grew to be one of the largest in the United States.[6] Harry Weiss' Hybar Film Exchange was one of the largest in the southern U.S.[7]

J. D. Williams was involved in the film exchange business in the Pacific Northwest.[8] Metro's film exchange business in Chicago grew to supply hundreds of theaters.[9]

References
  1. Alvarez, Max Joseph (December 12, 2005). "The origins of the film exchange". Film History: An International Journal. 17 (3): 431–465. doi:10.2979/FIL.2005.17.4.431. S2CID 191986272 – via Project MUSE.
  2. Aronson, Michael (January 1, 2010). Nickelodeon City: Pittsburgh at the Movies, 1905-1929. University of Pittsburgh Pre. ISBN 9780822973867 – via Google Books.
  3. Program, Writers (April 24, 1985). Film As Industry. Kraus International Publications. ISBN 9780527293345 – via Google Books.
  4. "Architectural Record". Record and Guide. November 24, 1929 – via Google Books.
  5. Musser, Charles (May 4, 1994). The Emergence of Cinema: The American Screen to 1907. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520085336 – via Google Books.
  6. Patents, United States Congress House Committee on (November 24, 1912). "Townsend Copyright Amendment: Complete File of Arguments Before the Committee on Patents, House of Representatives, on H.R. 15263 and H.R. 20596, Commencing January 24, 1912". U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.
  7. "Motography". November 24, 1915 – via Google Books.
  8. Bertrand, Ina (November 24, 1989). Cinema in Australia: A Documentary History. NSWU Press. ISBN 9780868400754 – via Google Books.
  9. "Motography". November 24, 1916 – via Google Books.
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