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Introducing Lois Weber

Introducing Lois Weber. English 345: Women Filmmakers. Lois Weber: Early Career. Born 1882 in Alleghany City, PA Ran away from home when parents discouraged plans to study voice Streetcorner evangelist in Pittsburgh (Christian Home Missionary, 1890s)

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Introducing Lois Weber

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  1. Introducing Lois Weber English 345: Women Filmmakers

  2. Lois Weber: Early Career • Born 1882 in Alleghany City, PA • Ran away from home when parents discouraged plans to study voice • Streetcorner evangelist in Pittsburgh (Christian Home Missionary, 1890s) • Began career as actress, working with Phillips Smalley, who had hired her for his traveling road show in 1905 • Married Smalley in 1905 • Began directing for Gaumont Talking Pictures in 1908

  3. Lois Weber: Mid Career • Began working for Rex, division of Universal, in 1912, teaming with Smalley • Universal funds studio for Weber in 1915 • Weber funds own studio, Lois Weber Productions, in 1917 • Directed social problem films on drug addiction, capital punishment, religious intolerance, and contraception. Suspense, 1913

  4. Lois Weber: Mid Career, cont’d • Work aimed at middle-class audiences, with goal of involving them in social uplift projects. Film as catalyst for social awareness and action. • Contracts with Famous-Players/Laskey for $50,000 per/picture distribution deal in 1920 • Deal dropped 1921 after 3 unprofitable pictures From Hypocrites (1915)

  5. Lois Weber: End Career • Content/style of films (“heavy dinners”) became less popular in the 1920s • Weber lost company in 1921 (divorced alcoholic Smalley and had “nervous breakdown”) • Last film, White Heat, 1934 • Died 1939, in poverty With Billie Dove on the set of The Sensation Seekers (1927)

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