Niles: Bay Area Hollywood brings silent films to life

A1 Digital India News: Niles houses its collection of silent films at the Essanay Silent Film Museum, which displays footage, props and early film equipment.

FREMONT, California - Perhaps at the time of the emergence of the film industry in Los Angeles, silent films were being made in abundance in the small town of Niles, located in the hills above San Francisco Bay. It is affectionately known as the "Hollywood of the Bay Area."

Long before Clint Eastwood and John Wayne dominated the Western genre, Bronco Billy was the top cowboy. His real name was Gilbert Anderson and he was not only a silent film star but also the co-owner of the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, Northern California's largest production company from 1912 to 1916.

"It's very rare that a co-owner is also a producer, writer, director and star," said David Keehan, president of Essanay's Silent Film Museum, which preserves film memorabilia from bygone eras.

"Every week they would do Bronco, Billy Western and Snake Field Comedy, a western comedy series." Keane laughs. The Essanay Film Company did most of its filming in the small town of Niles, outside Fremont, California, because it was always sunny there and the valleys were the perfect backdrop for western movies.

"They spent $52,000 on a state-of-the-art studio, built 10 houses for the cast and crew," Keane said. Essanay made hundreds of films in Niles, including some for rising stars like Charlie Chaplin, who made 5 films there, including the very popular comedy "The Tramp."

"Unfortunately, talking films, starting with The Jazz Singer in 1927, were the beginning of the end for silent movies," Keane said. Like many production companies, the Essanay Film Company never made the move to sound film and by 1930 the company was no longer in operation and its studio collapsed.

"Essen made about 2,000 films in total and only about 260 have survived," said Keehan. The good news is that many of Essen's films have survived and about 5,000 other silent films are preserved at the museum along with vintage film props and vintage cameras that Hollywood still uses today.

"We actually rented one of our historic cameras to filmmakers in Amsterdam. Margo Robbie shot the film with this camera. It shut down and booted at the same time," said Keehan.

The film industry has come a long way from the flickering silent films, but if you ask Keehan, there's still a lot to learn from them. "I think it gives you a little insight into how things can be different but people stay the same," said Keehan.

The Silent Film Museum Essen regularly shows screenings of silent films inside their theater. Check out their show times below. Want to see Bartel's Backroads Adventures? Discover Calaveras County's Natural Bridges: A Hidden Cave Worth Saving