Episode 7: Transcript

Fame, Planes, and Automobiles: New Industries Emerge In the Land of Sunshine.

Last time on: The Story Los Angeles

William Mulhulland delivers much needed water to Los Angeles with his mega aqueduct-project bringing explosive growth to Southern California while devastating farming in the Owen’s Valley. And labor rights activists blow up the anti-union Los Angeles Times, leaving 21 killed and over 100 injured in the Crime of the Century.

Opening

The early 1900s in the United States was a time of immense and rapid change. Industrialization had swept across the country igniting struggles between the working class and wealthy business owners while access to resources continued to challenge city leaders and engineers, especially in the drought prone and fast-growing cities of the west.

But with these challenges came incredible opportunities. In Los Angeles, the irrigation of the outlying areas of the county allowed for neighborhoods to thrive. Where dry-desert conditions once prevailed agriculture blossomed and thousands sought refuge from the cold cities of the north-east in Southern California’s stunning and moderate year-round climate. This pleasant and attractive weather marked by consistent temperatures and minimal rain allowed new spawning industries to take foot.

The decades leading up to 1910 saw the introduction of the automobile, airplane, and silent film, the gifting of Griffith Park along with early plans for a public observatory on Mount Hollywood, the building of a bike path from Downtown to Pasadena - the predecessor to the modern freeway , the founding of the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, the development of Venice Beach by Abbott Kinney and much more as the population tripled from 100,000 in 1900 to 320,000 by 1910. The city was exploding with innovation and newcomers yet again.

But to truly understand the magnitude of impact on the Southland, we have to go further back in time to the previous century where many of the novelties of the day turned into necessities for LA’s future economy.

This is The Story: Los Angeles

Episode 7: Fame, Planes, and Automobiles: New Industries Emerge In the Land of Sunshine.

Part 1: The Lumière brothers, Edison, and the birth of the Nickelodeon

Towards the end of the 1800s, many inventors and engineers were playing with the idea of movement oriented photography. For many centuries, the act of storytelling had taken a variety of forms from shadow puppetry, to sequential images painted on cave walls and pottery, oral traditions, stage and musical performances and more. By the 1850s, artists experimented with spinning discs containing slight variations in a sketch that created the illusion of motion. If spun fast enough and when translated to photography, the concept of stop-motion was born.

In the decades that followed, dozens of devices and inventions showcasing the possibilities of animated photography were created with names like the Stroboscope, Stereophoroskop, the zoetrope, the flip book, and the praxinoscope. Developed primarily by scientists and photographers, these early successes fueled the idea that realistic and lifelike replications of events could be represented as moving, almost living photographs of the past. Though not understood by the general public, the potential of its cultural impact was clear to those experimenting in the field.

By 1877 a young Thomas Edison had already demonstrated a similar concept by recording and replaying audio on his invention the phonograph. Immediately, the scientific community was buzzing with dreams of pairing photographic moving images with recorded audio in order to “carry the illusion of real presence” according to an article in Scientific American.

Just 4 years later in 1891 - Edison and his employee William Dickson unveiled his Kinetoscope shortly followed by the Kinetophone. These two devices, when paired, allowed a single viewer to observe the early predecessors to the motion picture that would soon take over the world. But the Kinetoscope was limited in its capabilities. While popular, only one individual could view the films at a time. Arcades or galleries of multiple devices had to be set up for owners to make money from the paying public and ultimately, the devices were not scalable, limited to short films and costly to maintain.

That’s where the Lumiere brothers come into play. Avid photographers, the brothers were actually focused on creating the first color photographs, but they also dabbled in motion photography. Their invention, the cinematograph focused light passing through a water filled glass onto a spool of semi transparent film. Using a hand crank, the operator would spin the spool containing a series of photographs, projecting the illusion of motion onto a flat surface and allowing a large audience to view the motion picture simultaneously. It was with this advancement that the true possibilities of motion photography ignited a firestorm of imagination and creativity.

As Cinematographs became popular throughout the world Edison modified and patented a modified version of his Kinetograph to compete. By 1906 the first nickelodeon theaters had appeared in New York and Chicago using these technologies to entertain patrons for 5 cents catering to broad audiences throughout the working-class. Most films at the time covered a variety of styles and subjects and were often accompanied by Vaudeville style song and dance acts or as part of a larger performance.

But on the East Coast Thomas Edison's Motion Picture Patents Company tightly controlled the film industry and filmmakers were often sued to stop their productions. To escape this, filmmakers began moving out west, where Edison's patents could not be enforced. And the 1910s saw the origins of Hollywood take shape as the center of the American film industry relocated from New York to California. By 1912, major motion-picture companies had set up production near or in Los Angeles. Moving to California allowed independent filmmakers to escape patent restrictions, expensive property, and mafia style extortion and innovate freely in this new artform. Companies like Nestor Studios, Selig Polyscope, and Universal Studios opened shop in Los Angeles. By the 1920s, major studios including Paramount, Warner Bros, and MGM established a permanent presence, solidifying the west coast's film dominance.

But these early and sensational breakthroughs with short films and studios didn’t last. Visionaries on the West Coast had something much bigger in mind: the lengthy and ambitious Feature Film.

Part 2: Graduating from the Era of the Birdman

As early film pioneers were tinkering with moving images, kinetoscopes, and projections other inventors across the world were looking towards the skies. For centuries, humans had dreamed of taking to the skies and flying as the birds did.

With the growth of the industrial revolution, possibilities with new technologies lit the world abuzz with eccentric inventors and their wacky contraptions all attempting to stake their claim to the first human flight.

But humans first tasted flight not with wings, but with hot air. Early inventors understood that steam always rose, experimenting first with small paper balloons scaling them up. As one might expect, the first paper designs were quickly scrapped when the paper became soggy and simply fell apart. Waterproof fabric materials were then used instead and soon experiments began lifting animals and humans in baskets hung from billowing orbs of air. The rise of the hot air balloon in the 18th century marked a pivotal shift. These majestic contraptions, with their billowing silk envelopes and dangling baskets, transformed dreamers into aerial explorers. While control was limited to whichever way the wind blew, these balloons embodied a bold leap skyward and quickly became popular throughout the world.

Other, more deadly designs also came into play by brave, but highly miscalculating experimenters. Many incorrectly assumed that birds feathers were the key to flight. Strapping on homemade wings complete with glued on feathers, hopeful aviators jumped from incredible heights with their rudimentary contraptions. Leaps from towers and cliffs were common, leading to extreme injury or death. One man blamed two broken legs on his own miscalculation by using chicken feathers for his wings. Of course! He should have used Eagle feathers since chickens can’t fly. This era of the so called “Bird Man” experiments obviously did not last long.

Other experimenters include a human-powered centrifuge that looked like a flying hamster-wheel and a rocket-propelled lawn-style chair. While it's easy for us to laugh at these early attempts, these trials underscored the complexities of replicating the natural mechanics of flight.

What early scientists were beginning to understand were the concepts of thrust, lift, and drag. Through numerous experiments with wind tunnels, kites, balloons, and more it became clear that in order to fly horizontally (instead of just floating aimlessly like a balloon) there had to be enough speed or force to lift and propel the craft forward. To achieve this steam engines were then incorporated into early designs , some resembling steampunk dragonflies or other insect-like contraptions. While most of these only achieved 3-5 seconds of flight, this was real tangible progress that fed the dream.

As the quest for controlled flight took root with engines, the Wright Brothers in the United States were becoming keenly aware of the need to not only be able to fly, but be able to steer and control the direction of the flying machine. Early risk-takers were soon accomplishing extended flights of up to 20 - 30 seconds, but they were limited in control of the direction of the craft. Without the ability to steer, these early aircraft were more dangerous and precarious than the gentler air balloons already in use.

As bicycle mechanics, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright had the tools and craftsmanship available to experiment with their ideas. Unlike many of their balloon-obsessed contemporaries, the Wrights focused first on gliders. They spent years at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, carefully studying how wings interact with the wind, perfecting control and stability before adding the complexity of an engine. The Wrights were also among the first to build their own wind tunnel allowing them to meticulously test and gather crucial data for wing design. With the marriage of flying machines with engines, the brothers realized off-the-shelf engines were not suitable, and designed their own lightweight, gasoline-powered combustion version. But their key contribution was the development of a system called "wing warping" – essentially twisting portions of the wing – to achieve controlled banking and turning.

On December 17th, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, the Wright Brothers changed history. Their gas-powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, made four short but historic flights, the longest: 59 seconds covering 852 feet. It was not just getting airborne, but the demonstration of controlled, sustained flight that was revolutionary.

While this was an incredible feat of engineering, skepticism across the world ran high against the brother’s claim for many reasons:

• the Wright Brothers were secretive about their work and conducted their early flights in remote locations. Without public demonstrations or widespread media coverage, their claims seemed fantastical.

• at the time, heavier-than-air flight was largely considered impractical. Gliders existed, but powered flight seemed like a significant leap beyond existing technology.

• there were plenty of hoaxes and exaggerated claims about flying machines in the early 20th century. This made people wary of any new reports about flying contraptions.

• and even after their successful flights, the Wright Brothers were cautious about publicizing their invention. They focused on improving their design before seeking public attention, which further fueled the skepticism.

It wasn't until 1908, when Wilbur Wright performed impressive flights in France, that the world began to take notice. Orville's long-distance flight for the US Army later that year solidified their achievement in the history books. Even then, it took several more years for powered flight to become widely accepted and adopted.

Part 3: The Horseless Carriage

While visions of flying machines slowly came into fruition, the concept of self-propelled land vehicles had emerged much earlier with the creation of trains and boats using steam to spin turbines and propel the vehicles forward. However, limitations like weight, range, and safety concerns with these bulky steam engines hampered widespread adoption and individual use of the technology.

In the mid-to-late 1800s early electric motors were experimented with. These were more practical, quiet, clean, and easier to operate than steam engines but lacked enough power or duration for practical use.

Others were experimenting with much more powerful combustion engines and in 1886 Karl Benz patented his three-wheeled "Patent-Motorwagen," considered the first gasoline-powered car. Gasoline changed everything. Although challenges like reliability, vibration, and limited power persisted, the promise of the horseless carriage and its potential could now be seen. Internal combustion engines were becoming more powerful and reliable while the use of air-filled pneumatic tires improved ride quality and comfort for passengers.

Some early adoption challenges included:

• poor road conditions that made travel difficult and uncomfortable.

• improper brakes, steering, and suspension that created dangerous early vehicles

• unreliable engines that required frequent maintenance

• and expensive price tags that were unaffordable for the majority of the population.

The initial public reaction to the horseless carriage was also a mix of curiosity , skepticism, and even hostility. Early automobiles were seen as oddities, drawing crowds of curious onlookers wherever they went. For some, the horseless carriage represented a marvel of technology, symbolizing human ingenuity and the promise of a faster, more connected future. But with that promise came fear:

• accidents were common, leading to public anxiety about safety.

• horse stable owners and farmers, saw the horseless carriage as a threat to their livelihood

• the smell of gasoline and motor oil was unpleasant, and people feared the noise would disrupt the tranquility of their towns and cities.

• resentment and concerns about class divide rose as the automobile was seen as a symbol of the wealthy elite

But none of these challenges stopped a young Henry Ford and the industry from advancing. As a child, Henry was fascinated by all things mechanical, disassembling and reassembling pocket watches in order to learn how they worked. At age 16, Ford left his home in Michigan to find work in Detroit and eventually found himself repairing and constructing engines through the end of the century. Henry eventually became an engineer with the Edison Illuminating Company of Detroit. With a stable job and good salary, Ford found time and money to experiment with gasoline engines creating several iterations of what he named the Ford Quadricycle.

Encouraged by executives at the Edison Company including Thomas Edison himself, Ford continued his experiment, eventually attempting to build an affordable car for the masses through various failed companies: the Henry Ford Company (which eventually became Cadillac), Ford & Malcomson, and finally the Ford Motor Company in 1903.

It was here where Henry really stepped into his own, patenting a new Transmission, developing the Model-T, and creating a moving assembly-line methodology at his factory. While Ford didn’t invent the automobile, his use of the moving assembly line allowed for the work to be taken to workers rather than the worker moving to and around the vehicle. This high-efficiency model along with identical replaceable components meant a brand new Model-T could be built in just 90 minutes and by 1916, 472,000 had been sold with prices as low as $360, a steal for middle-class workers.

Unlike the industrial barons previously seen in the new industrial economy, Ford paid his workers $5 a day, almost double the going average believing that treating workers fairly and paying them a decent wage would retain the best employees and reduce the expenses of rehiring and retraining. Other car manufacturers of the day were said to hire 300 new workers to fill 100 spots due to the high turnover rate in the industry. Ford, with his high wages, was also indirectly creating the very middle class that would be able to afford his vehicles.

Ultimately, automobile technology improved, cars became safer and easier to operate, mass production techniques, like Ford’s assembly line, made cars more affordable and the horseless carriage offered greater convenience and range compared to horses and trains, especially in SoCals growing cities and suburbs. These freedoms caused an explosion of growth in the automotive industry in Southern California creating a new icon of freedom in the West.

Part 4: Promise in the Land of Sunshine

By the 1910s silent film, the automobile, and airplanes had all arrived in Southern California. While many were initially skeptical of the viability of all three major innovations, Los Angeles proved to be an incredible springboard for each industry:

• The stable Mediterranean climate created perfect conditions for flying, filming, or cruising.

• Vast stretches of flatlands were perfect for landing strips and test flights while the oceans and mountains created stunning backdrops for the film industry and visitors touring the region in new automobiles.

While cars weren't a major force in Southern California in the early 1900s compared to their later dominance, this period sowed the seeds of their transformative impact.

• Population booms during the Roaring Twenties increased car ownership from 160,000 to over 800,000 by 1930. LA's growing suburbs and sprawling layout initially fueled by Henry Huntington’s Red Car Trolley system made car ownership a necessity for the growing region.

• In addition, Los Angeles pioneered retail and service models specifically geared for automobiles, such as drive-in restaurants and specialized gas stations ultimately making the city famous for its car-centric culture. Horse stables converted into parking garages, dirt or cobblestone streets were paved over with smooth asphalt, and adventurous motorists began undertaking road trips around California, fueling a desire for the nation's first freeway system.

• As the decades continued, the city transformed its entire perspective to one that accommodated the horseless carriage.

Early Aviation in SoCal laid the foundation for the region's eventual status as a major aerospace hub.

• The establishment of airfields like Dominguez Field, Ascot Park, and Balboa Park, all founded around 1910, provided the physical infrastructure for aviation to take root. These spaces hosted airshows, competitions, and became centers for experimentation. The demand for pilots led to the emergence of flight schools, training a new generation of aviators, while figures like Glenn Curtiss conducted groundbreaking flying exhibitions and developed innovative seaplanes in San Diego.

• The first International Air Show hosted at Dominguez Field near Long Beach solidified Los Angeles as the Nation’s leader in aviation advancements. Thousands poured in to see airplanes, balloons, dirigibles flying overhead like none had seen before.

• When World War 1 broke out in the mid 1910s the region became a vital center for training pilots and mechanics, as well as developing and manufacturing military aircraft. This expansion left a lasting legacy of industry expertise and infrastructure.

• And after the war, at the end of the decade, the skies of Southern California became a playground for sightseeing flights and leisure aviation, highlighting the potential for air travel beyond just transport of goods. Commercial and Civilian airmail services were formed and the foundations for passenger airlines were laid, pointing towards the eventual boom of commercial aviation.

But it could be said the emergence of silent film had the largest impact on Southern California and the world.

• The historic buildings, streets, and plazas of Downtown Los Angeles offered a versatile setting for silent films transforming the area into bustling city scenes, exotic foreign locations, and even historical settings. Extravagant movie theaters sprang up in the Broadway retail and commercial district, showcasing films in grandeur and attracting even more people and businesses to the area. These theaters, like the Million Dollar Theater, The Palace, Tower Theater, and more became architectural landmarks. Incredible facades, opulent interiors, and luxurious seating created a sense of occasion and escape for moviegoers with architecturals styles like French baroque, Italian Renaissance, and Egyptian Revival styles all within a few blocks! And by 1931, with 12 movie palaces boasting over 15,000 seats, Broadway became the world's highest concentration of cinemas. Today, the Broadway Theater District stands as a testament to this golden age of cinema with many theaters preserved as performing arts venues, event spaces, and a reminder of cinematic history.

• During its west-coast birth LA’s film industry generated thousands of jobs across all sectors, from construction and set design to acting and catering. Adding to the already growing population boom and overall economic expansion fueled by aerospace and automobiles. The rising demand for housing and studio space led to a real estate boom. Suburbs grew, and land values skyrocketed. Los Angeles invested in transport, utilities, and services to support the industry's growth, shaping the city's development.

• Directors, actors, writers, and technicians flocked to the burgeoning city, turning LA into a major creative hub as they developed and created hour-long feature films, something the world had never seen.

• Unlike stage actors, silent film stars relied solely on facial expressions, body language, and charisma to connect with audiences. This unique skill set created a new kind of fame based purely on visual storytelling. Silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks became global icons. Their glamorous lives fueled a new celebrity culture, and Los Angeles gained worldwide recognition as the epicenter of the entertainment industry. The styles seen on screen influenced fashion choices nationwide, further highlighting the power of Hollywood in shaping popular culture not just in the US, but worldwide. Silent film stars immense fame and popularity transcended language barriers becoming the first in the age of mass media.

Part 5: The Lasting Legacy

It's truly the combination of these massive industries that blend and paint the full picture of LA in the early to mid 1900s. With the introduction of silent film fame, airplanes, and the automobile:

• Los Angeles expanded its transportation networks, utilities, and housing infrastructure to accommodate the booming industries fueling population, economic, and job growth.

• Car ownership skyrocketed fueling a love affair with cars that continues to define the region and influence urban development

• And Silent film stars emerged as the first global celebrities, shaping popular culture and fashion, and cemented LA's status as an entertainment, car, and aviation capital.

• These unique innovations ingrained into Southern California's identity and culture for decades to come solidifying Hollywood's image as a land of glamor and dreams.