Animated Weekly: Titanic Disaster - April 1912

Movie Poster Announcing the Release of Titanic Disaster Moving Picture from Animated Weekly Motion Picture Distributing & Sales Company. The Moving Picture News (20 April 1912) p. 2. GGA Image ID # 1013ccba64

Chas. K. Hall, Camera Man, Scores for Animated Weekly - First of the Photographers to Reach the Wreck of the $10,000,000 Gigantic Titanic.

With a single stroke of enterprise, and in having a camera man who knew his business, The Animated Weekly has scored a singular triumph in beating its rivals to the biggest news story of the day—the Titanic, wrecked by an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland.

Possibly some luck held the cards for Hall, but his quick wit and daring came in for their share of the glory, permitting The Animated. Weekly—which is called “The most famous film in the whole world"—to score the biggest kind of a scoop on the newspaper photographers of Boston and New York.

Hall had been sent to Sydney, Cape Breton, there to await a steamer that would take him to St. Johns, New foundland, where certain inaugural ceremonies were to be motion pictured.

There was a delay and in order to reach St. Johns in time Hall had to charter a big sea going tug. He was about to start for St. Johns when news of the Titanic wreck was flashed to Sydney–Hall heard of it and within twenty minutes his tug was pounding the high seas, nosing its way to the disabled Titanic.

From a wireless received by Hall to-day it appears that he started within a few minutes of the time that New York heard the news. As it takes thirty-six hours to reach Halifax from New York, it is expected that Hall's films will reach New York by the time the press and other photographers get to the vessel's side at sea.

This film should create a sensation the country over. Clamors for news of the wreck and the pictures first to be shown on the Animated Weekly will probably score the biggest of any scene in months.

With this latest scoop in “getting there" first, The Animated Weekly adds further honors to its short career the recent wreck of the New York Central train at Poughkeepsie and the burning of the steamer Ontario were also shown first by the Animated. In almost every corner of the globe there are Animated Weekly camera men, and there is still room for a few more of the best ones.

The Animated Weekly proved popular from the beginning—its subjects selected from over the entire world are most interesting and timely. Over eight thousand exhibitors are showing The Animated Weekly.

Special Messenger with Wreck Pictures to Europe

Animated Weekly Sends Western Union Man on Mauretania with Exclusive Film of the Titanic Disaster Incidents.

As still another evidence of the Animated Weekly's determination to be ultra-progressive, the Sales Company sent the Titanic Wreck Special by messenger aboard the Mauretania April 24th, bound for Fishguard.

The pictures, which have been playing to capacity houses at Weber's Theatre, New York, were the first shown in America; in fact, the only views incidental to the wreck that was taken. Europe, too, will see them shortly.

The package of films was placed in the hands of a special uniformed messenger. As soon as the steamer reaches Fishguard, he will board the train and proceed immediately to headquarters.

Within a day the Animated Weekly has sprung into worldwide demand. Exhibitors throughout the country realize the importance of this film, and it is sought everywhere.

No expense is being spared to make the Weekly a record of current events wherever they happen.

Cameramen were detailed this week to watch the homecoming of Harry Payne Whitney, who has been for some months seal hunting on the coast of Labrador.

Another series soon to be shown is the building of the Pan-American Exposition in San Francisco, for which special exclusive rights were granted to the Weekly. Many prominent and interesting subjects taken in Europe are announced for new coming release in the Animated Weekly.

"Chas. K. Hall, Camera Man, Scores for Animated Weekly." in The Moving Picture News, New York: The Cinematograph Publishing Company, Vol. V, No. 16, Saturday, 20 April 1912, p.29.

"Special Messenger with Wreck Pictures to Europe", in The Moving Picture News, New York: The Cinematograph Publishing Company, Vol. V, No. 19, Saturday, 11 May 1912, p. 24