Gaston Méliès

Gaston Méliès

Known for: Directing
Biography: 1852-02-12
Deathday: 1915-04-09 (63 years old)

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Biography

Gaston Méliès (French: [gastɔ̃ meljɛs]; February 12, 1852 – April 9, 1915) was a French film director who worked primarily in the United States. He was the brother of the film director Georges Méliès. Gaston and the third and elder Méliès brother, Henri, ran the family shoe factory in Paris. They landed a contract with the French War Ministry that looked to make them both wealthy. Unfortunately, the price of leather increased sharply, and they were unable to meet their costs. The factory shut down and the Méliès brothers lost their business.Georges Méliès had produced films in France, which had become popular around the world. Some distributors began infringing Méliès work, especially in the United States. Georges Méliès asked his brother Gaston to go the United States and guard Georges's copyrights.

Gaston Méliès arrived in New York City in 1902, formed the American branch of the Star Film Company, and began distributing his brother's films. By 1903, Gaston began making films himself, mostly documentaries. The films were not successful. In the summer of 1907, Gaston Méliès returned to France to take care of some business with Georges. On September 11, 1907, he married Hortense-Louise de Mirmont, an elder sister of Lucien Reulos' wife, who was one of Georges Méliès' first collaborators. The new couple left Paris a few days after their marriage and travelled from Le Havre to New York on the ship La Savoie, where they arrived September 28, 1907.

In need of warmer winters to allow for year-round film production, Méliès moved the Star Film Company to San Antonio, Texas, and leased twenty acres including a two-story house and large barn that became the "Star Film Ranch" movie studio. He acted in two of his movies playing a priest in The Immortal Alamo (1911) and The Kiss of Mary Jane (1911).

In April, 1911, Gaston moved the company to Santa Paula, California, following the trend of other movie studios to relocate in California.

In 1912 and 1913 Méliès travelled around Asia Pacific with his family and a film crew of close to 20 people, with whom he filmed in French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Tahiti, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia and Japan in search of exotic subjects. During this trip which lasted from July 1912 to May 1913, Gaston Méliès filmed 64 movies, sending the footage back to his son Paul in New York, but this footage was often damaged or unusable. Gaston was no longer able to fulfill Star Film's obligation to Thomas Edison's company. Gaston lost $50,000 and had to cease production. He went to California, sold the American branch of Star Films to Vitagraph Studios, and then returned to Europe. He and his brother Georges (who blamed Gaston for his own financial difficulties) never spoke to one another again.

Méliès and his wife moved to Corsica in the winter of 1913. He died in Corsica on April 9, 1915 of "shellfish poisoning." He was buried on April 14, 1915 in Saint-Vincent Cemetery in Montmartre, Paris, in a tomb belonging to his second wife's family, De Mirmont.

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Filmography

all 78

Movies 78

Producer 61

Director 13

self 1

Writer 1

Self
Gaston Méliès and his Wandering Star Film Company

Gaston Méliès and his Wandering Star Film Company (2005)

Movie
Producer
The Poisoned Darts

The Poisoned Darts (1913)

Movie
Director
The Voyage of M. Bourrichon

The Voyage of M. Bourrichon (1913)

Movie
Director
The Outlaw and the Baby

The Outlaw and the Baby (1912)

Movie
Director
A Western Girl

A Western Girl (1911)

Movie
Producer
In the Right of Way

In the Right of Way (1911)

Movie
Producer
Honor of the Flag

Honor of the Flag (1911)

Movie
The Priest
The Kiss of Mary Jane

The Kiss of Mary Jane (1911)

Movie
Producer
When the Tables Turned

When the Tables Turned (1911)

Movie
Producer
Her Spoiled Boy

Her Spoiled Boy (1911)

Movie
Producer
In Time for Press

In Time for Press (1911)

Movie
Producer
The Immortal Alamo

The Immortal Alamo (1911)

Movie
Producer
The Redemption of Rawhide

The Redemption of Rawhide (1911)

Movie
Producer
The Spring Round-Up

The Spring Round-Up (1911)

Movie
Producer
Mary's Stratagem

Mary's Stratagem (1911)

Movie
Producer
The Reformation of Jack Robins

The Reformation of Jack Robins (1911)

Movie
Producer
An Unwilling Cowboy

An Unwilling Cowboy (1911)

Movie
Producer
Jack Mason's Last Deal

Jack Mason's Last Deal (1911)

Movie
Producer
Her Faithful Heart

Her Faithful Heart (1911)

Movie
Producer
The Warrant for Red Rube

The Warrant for Red Rube (1911)

Movie
Producer
Sir Percy and the Punchers

Sir Percy and the Punchers (1911)

Movie
Producer
The 'Schoolmarm' of Coyote County

The 'Schoolmarm' of Coyote County (1911)

Movie
Producer
The Snake in the Grass

The Snake in the Grass (1911)

Movie
Producer
In the Hot Lands

In the Hot Lands (1911)

Movie
Producer
My Prairie Flower

My Prairie Flower (1911)

Movie
Producer
Billy and His Pal

Billy and His Pal (1911)

Movie
Producer
Tony, the Greaser

Tony, the Greaser (1911)

Movie
Producer
Only a Sister

Only a Sister (1911)

Movie
Producer
How Mary Met the Cowpunchers

How Mary Met the Cowpunchers (1911)

Movie
Producer
Changing Cooks

Changing Cooks (1911)

Movie
Producer
The Owner of L.L. Ranch

The Owner of L.L. Ranch (1911)

Movie
Producer
Fire! Fire! Fire!

Fire! Fire! Fire! (1911)

Movie
Producer
The Crimson Scars

The Crimson Scars (1911)

Movie
Producer
In the Tall Grass Country

In the Tall Grass Country (1910)

Movie
Producer
A Western Welcome

A Western Welcome (1910)

Movie
Producer
Old Norris' Gal

Old Norris' Gal (1910)

Movie
Producer
What Great Bear Learned

What Great Bear Learned (1910)

Movie
Producer
Pals

Pals (1910)

Movie
Producer
Cowboys and Bachelor Girls

Cowboys and Bachelor Girls (1910)

Movie
Producer
His Sergeant's Stripes

His Sergeant's Stripes (1910)

Movie
Director
A Mountain Wife

A Mountain Wife (1910)

Movie
Producer
Generous Customers

Generous Customers (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Birthday Cigars

The Birthday Cigars (1910)

Movie
Director
Uncle Jim

Uncle Jim (1910)

Movie
Director
Out for Mischief

Out for Mischief (1910)

Movie
Producer
Billy's Sister

Billy's Sister (1910)

Movie
Director
A Plucky American Girl

A Plucky American Girl (1910)

Movie
Director
Salt on the Bird's Tail

Salt on the Bird's Tail (1910)

Movie
Director
In the Mission Shadows

In the Mission Shadows (1910)

Movie
Director
Baseball, That's All

Baseball, That's All (1910)

Movie
Producer
Won in the Fifth

Won in the Fifth (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Romance of Circle Ranch

The Romance of Circle Ranch (1910)

Movie
Producer
Her Winning Way

Her Winning Way (1910)

Movie
Producer
Return of Ta-Wa-Wa

Return of Ta-Wa-Wa (1910)

Movie
Producer
Mrs. Bargainday's Baby

Mrs. Bargainday's Baby (1910)

Movie
Producer
A Woman in the Case

A Woman in the Case (1910)

Movie
Producer
A Postal Substitute

A Postal Substitute (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Golden Secret

The Golden Secret (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Little Preacher

The Little Preacher (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Ruling Passion

The Ruling Passion (1910)

Movie
Producer
White Doe's Lovers

White Doe's Lovers (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Stranded Actor

The Stranded Actor (1910)

Movie
Director
A Texas Joke

A Texas Joke (1910)

Movie
Producer
Love's C.Q.D.

Love's C.Q.D. (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Padre's Secret

The Padre's Secret (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Paleface Princess

The Paleface Princess (1910)

Movie
Director
A Rough Night on the Bridge

A Rough Night on the Bridge (1910)

Movie
Producer
A Race for a Bride

A Race for a Bride (1910)

Movie
Producer
Speed Versus Death

Speed Versus Death (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Debt Repaid

The Debt Repaid (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Seal of the Church

The Seal of the Church (1910)

Movie
Producer
The Newly Born

The Newly Born (1910)

Movie
Producer
Branding a Thief

Branding a Thief (1910)

Movie
Producer
Cyclone Pete's Matrimony

Cyclone Pete's Matrimony (1910)

Movie
Director
The Gipsy's Warning

The Gipsy's Warning (1907)

Movie
Writer
A Desperate Crime

A Desperate Crime (1906)

Movie
Un joueur de cartes
Playing Cards

Playing Cards (1896)

Movie
Producer
Bessie's Ride

Bessie's Ride

Movie

Ratings

Average 1.02
Based on 1.87 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1896
1910
1910
1910
2005
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Information

Known For
Directing

Gender
Male

Birthday
1852-02-12

Deathday
1915-04-09 (63 years old)

Birth Place
Paris, France

Siblings
Georges Méliès

Citizenships
France

Also Known As
G. Méliès


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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