Alice Guy-Blaché
from Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France
from Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France
Alice Guy-Blaché (July 1, 1873 – March 24, 1968) is generally considered to be the world's first female director. French-born Alice Guy entered the film business as a secretary at Gaumont-Paris in 1896. The next year Gaumont changed from manufacturing cameras to producing movies, and Guy became one of its first film directors. She impressed the the company so much with the output (she averaged two two-reelers a week) and quality of her productions that by 1905 she was made the company's production director, supervising the company's other directors. In 1907 she married Herbert Blaché, an Englishman who ran the company's British and German offices. The pair soon went to the U.S. to set up the company's operations there. In 1910 she set up her own production company in New York and built a studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After a period of critical and financial success, her company's fortunes declined and she eventually shut down the studio. Although she secured work directing films for several major Hollywood studios, she returned to France in 1922 after her divorce from Blache. She was never able to secure any directorial jobs there, and never made a film again. In 1964 she returned to the U.S. and lived in Mahwah, New Jersey - not far from where her original studios were - with her daughters, where she died in 1968.
Cinematography
Director
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Self (archive footage)
Self (archive footage)
Butterfly Dances
Director
Director
Self (archive footage)
Producer
Director
Director
Writer
Writer
Director
Director
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Producer
Director
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Producer
Director
Writer
Producer
Screenplay
The Monster and the Girl
Director
Producer
Writer
Director
Producer
Producer
Director
Director
Director
Burstup Homes
Director
Napoleon
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Producer
Kelly from the Emerald Isle
Writer
Producer
Director
The Rogues of Paris
Producer
A Solax Celebration
The Cause
Someone's Luck Society
Director
Producer
Director
Director
Director
Mignon
Director
Mrs. Cranston's Jewels
Director
Director
Director
Hubby Does the Washing
Producer
God Disposes
Director
Director
Blighted Lives
Director
Writer
Child of the Tenements
Director
Producer
The Reformation of Mary
Producer
The Wooing of Alice
Director
Director
Director
Writer
Director
Director
Director
Director
The Equine Spy
Producer
Phantom Paradise
Director
Director
Director
Producer
Director
Treasures on the Wing
Director
The Love of the Flag
Director
Producer
Director
Producer
The New Love And The Old
Producer
Producer
The Face at the Window
Director
Director
Producer
Hearts Unknown
Director
The Woman Behind the Man
Director
Director
Director
From the Valley of Shadows
Director
Director
Director
Producer
Executive Producer
Director
Director
Director
The Violin Maker of Nuremberg
Director
Director
Herself, the director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Mireille
Director
Les Druides
Director
Director
Writer
L'Honneur du Corse
Director
Director
Writer
Course de taureaux
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Director
Writer
Director
Director
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Director
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Writer
Self - Presenter
Director
Faust
Director
Director
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Director
Director
Director
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Director
Director
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Director
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Director
Director
The Fairy of Spring
Director
Director
The Sock
Director
The First Cigarette
Director
Director
The Crime on Temple Street
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Danse fantaisiste
Director
La Gigue
Director
Les malabares: Les acrobats
Director
Producer
Director
Director
Director
Director
Danse du papillon
Director
Gavotte directoire
Director
Director
Director
Director
Writer
Director
Director
Coucher d'une Parisienne
Director
Director
Director
Director
Entrée Et Sortie De La Mine
Director
Director
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Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director of Photography
Herself
Shadows of the Moulin Rouge
Producer
Director