Essanay Studios
Essanay Studios (aka The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company) was a prominent film studio of the silent era founded in Chicago in 1907 by George K. Spoor and Gilbert M. Anderson. Originally founded under the name the Peerless Film Manufacturing Company, it was changed to its well-known name shortly after. Later on, they opened a branch up in Niles, California and is the only film studio operated outside of New York City. Under the studio, their films had some of the biggest stars to come from the era, including Ben Turpin and Charlie Chaplin. After some financial struggles, they formed a distribution pact with Vitagraph Studios, Lubin Manufacturing Company, and Selig Polyscope Company called V-L-S-E, Incorporated. The studio would later shut down and what remained of them would be absorbed by Warner Bros. in 1925.
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Opening variant (1909-1911) -
Opening variant (1911-1918) -
Broncho Film Company variant
Visuals: On a black background, there is a drawing of a head of a stereotypical Native American (complete with warbonnet) facing left. Underneath, there is the stylized word "Essanay".
Opening Titles:
- 1909-1911: Similar to the regular logo, but the Native American head is now smaller and positioned at the top part of the screen. Below it is the film's title in quotations. Below the title, there is a copyright notice accompanied by two small white circles located at the bottom left and right corners of the screen. Each of these circles contain the text "S&A", with the smaller word "FILMS" beneath it.
- 1911-1918: There is a frame on a black background, with the top right and top left corners of the frame curved to form a circle. With an outline of the Native American head inside the two circles. Sometimes the bottom left and right corners are also curved and have the Native American head inside them. The stylized "Essanay" text is also visible in the top middle part of the screen, replacing a part of the frame. The title of the film is shown inside the frame. And on the bottom part of the inside is a copyright notice.
Variants:
- Sometimes, the head is stylized a bit and the text is flatter.
- On The Ball Player and the Bandit, the Native American head in shown in black inside a white circle, with the letters "S&A" below it. On the left side of the logo is the logo for Broncho Film Company, with the two logos, being at the center of the screen.
Technique: A painting filmed by a camera.
Audio: None.
| Media Title | Date of Release | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Neighbors' Kids IMDb | January 6, 1909 | Debut appearance |
| Mr. Flip IMDb | May 12, 1909 | |
| The Greater Call | December 20, 1910 | |
| The Temptress IMDb | May 4, 1911 | |
| Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner IMDb | December 23, 1911 | |
| Broncho Billy and the Schoolmistress IMDb | February 3, 1912 | |
| The Ball Player and the Bandit IMDb | November 27, 1912 | |
| The Tramp IMDb | April 12, 1915 | |
| Triple Trouble IMDb | July 28, 1918 | Latest appearance |
