Astra Film Corp

Not to be confused with British film company Astra Films.

Astra Film Corp was an American film production company that produced silent films.^[1] Louis J. Gasnier was the company's president. George B. Seitz co-founded it. It was making films by 1916. It became Louis J. Gasnier Productions after Seitz left.^[2]

Astra Film Corp

Industry	Silent films
Founded	1916; 108 years ago (1916) in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Founder	Louis J. Gasnier George B. Seitz
Defunct	March 1920 (March 1920)
Fate	The company became Louis J. Gasnier Productions from 1920-1940, then Monogram Pictures acquired the studio in 1941.
Successor	Louis J. Gasnier Productions (1920-1940)
Headquarters	United States

The Naulahka poster

Ad for The Hunting of the Hawk

The studio operated in Jersey City, New Jersey before expanding to Fort Lee, New Jersey.^[3]

The Fort Lee studio site at 1 Congress Street was acquired from Pathé in 1916.^[4] The company distributed its films with Pathé. Rolin Studio in Los Angeles also worked with Pathé.^[5]

The company's Hands Up serial included a storyline featuring the Inca.^[6]

The studio produced Pathé's photoplay films including Stranded in Arcady. It was an adaptation of a story by Francis Lynde and starred Irene Castle. It was directed by Frank Hall Crane.^[5]

The company also produced The Fatal Ring and The Seven Pearls serials.^[5]

Arthur Miller worked for the company.^[when?] Grace Darmond left Selig to work for the company.^[when?]

Filmography

• At Bay (1915)
• Via Wireless (1915)^[4]
• Pearl of the Army (1916), a serial
• The Shielding Shadow (1916)
• The Romantic Journey (1916)
• The Black Orchid (1916), starring Grace Darmond
• Arms and the Woman (1916)
• May Blossom (1917)^[7]
• The Seven Pearls (1917), a serial
• The Fatal Ring (1917), a 19-chapter serial
• The Hidden Hand (1917), a serial
• Kick In (1917)
• The Cigarette Girl (1917)
• The Mystery of the Double Cross (1917)
• Caleb Piper's Girl (1917), starring Helene Chadwick^[8]
• The Hunting of the Hawk (1917)
• Vengeance Is Mine (1917)
• Stranded in Arcady (1917)^[9]
• Hands Up (1918), a serial
• The Yellow Ticket (1918)
• The House of Hate (1918)
• The Honest Thief (1918)
• The Mystery of the Doublecross (1918)
• The Naulahka (1918)
• The Hillcrest Mystery (1918)
• The House of Hate (1918), a serial
• A Japanese Nightingale (1918)
• The Adventures of Ruth (1919)
• The Cry of the Weak (1919)
• Out Better Selves (1919)
• The Tiger's Trail (1919), a serial
• The Lightning Raider (1919)
• The Pleasant Devil (1919)
• Daredevil Jack (1920)
• The Phantom Foe (1920)
• Pirate Gold (1920), a serial
• The Third Eye (1920), a serial
• Trailed by Three (1920)

References

1. "The Moving Picture World". World Photographic Publishing Company. November 7, 1916 – via Google Books.
2. "Silent Wierdness". silentwierdness.blogspot.com.
3. Koszarski, Richard (March 2, 2005). Fort Lee: The Film Town (1904-2004). Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780861969425 – via Google Books.
4. "Pathé Fort Lee – The Movie Studios". themoviestudios.com.
5. "Motography". August 17, 1917.
6. "Motography". November 7, 1918 – via Google Books.
7. "Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Pamphlets, leaflets, contributions to newspapers or periodicals, etc.; lectures, sermons, addresses for oral delivery; dramatic compositions; maps; motion pictures". U.S. Government Printing Office. November 7, 1917 – via Google Books.
8. "Caleb Piper's Girl". cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org.
9. "Irene Castle and Frank Hall Crane on a film set. | Photograph". Wisconsin Historical Society. December 1, 2003.