{"id":238268,"date":"2026-04-20T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/?p=238268"},"modified":"2026-04-23T17:10:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T21:10:36","slug":"fort-lee-nj-film-history-hollywood-east","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/fort-lee-nj-film-history-hollywood-east\/","title":{"rendered":"Fort Lee, NJ: The Birthplace of American Film + Its Hollywood History"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"custom_featured_image\" style=\"display:none;\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--800x533.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--800x533.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--585x390.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--263x175.png 263w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film-.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div><div id=\"custom_category\" style=\"display:none;\">film lore<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cinema fans across the country might not realize that New Jersey is the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/news\/new-jersey-film-studios-movies-january-2026\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">birthplace of the American film industry<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&nbsp; Early film technology was invented here, and the state is also home to some of the first movie studios in the country. <a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/coffee-shops-fort-lee-nj\/\">Fort Lee<\/a> in Bergen County specifically played a key role in shaping the early days of filmmaking. <\/span><b>Read on for a closer look at film in Fort Lee and New Jersey\u2019s evolving role in the movie world.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-238279\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--800x533.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--800x533.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--585x390.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film--263x175.png 263w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/fort-lee-film-.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>From West Orange to Fort Lee<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the late 19th century, investor Thomas Edison developed early motion picture devices and built the world\u2019s first movie studio, the Black Maria, in West Orange. Just 20 miles northeast of West Orange sits&nbsp; Fort Lee in Bergen County, later known as America\u2019s first headquarters of the motion picture industry. In 1911, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nj.gov\/state\/historical\/assets\/pdf\/it-happened-here\/ihhnj-er-ft-lee-studios.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nestor Studios<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (later merged with Universal Studios) of Bayonne, New Jersey, built the first studio in Hollywood, California. The West Coast provided a more cost-effective climate, and by the 1930s, nearly all major filmmaking had moved to California.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-238272\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/hudsonica-800x800.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/hudsonica-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/hudsonica-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/hudsonica-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/hudsonica-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/hudsonica-585x585.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/hudsonica.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the early 20th century, Fort Lee was home to<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/barrymorefilmcenter.org\/fortleefilmhistory\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">multitude of studios<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like Artcroft and Famous Players, Biograph, Champion Film Company, \u00c9clair American Company, Fox Film <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Corporation, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Independent Motion Picture Company, Kalem Company, Metro Pictures Corporation, Metropolitan Studios, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmdb.org\/m.asp?m=54909\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peerless Features<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Selznick Pictures Corporation, Solax Company, Triangle-Fine Arts-Keystone, Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Victor Film Company, and World Pictures, some of which are <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">predecessors to 20th Century Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Universal Studios.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-238270\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lauren-p-800x800.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lauren-p-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lauren-p-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lauren-p-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lauren-p-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lauren-p-585x585.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lauren-p.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Solax Company, which was formed in 1910, was managed by<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/resource\/sn88085187\/1913-02-27\/ed-1\/?sp=3&amp;q=ALICE+BLACHE&amp;r=-0.033,0.047,0.638,0.295,0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alice Guy-Blach\u00e9<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, her husband Herbert, and a third partner, George A. Magie. Alice was the first woman to ever direct a film and was likely the only female filmmaker in the world from 1896 to 1908. In 1912, her studio produced<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A Fool and His Money,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which is believed to be the first <a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/news\/new-jersey-film-studios-movies-january-2026\/\">film<\/a> ever made with an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themontclairgirl.com\/black-historical-figures-montclair-north-new-jersey\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">all-African-American cast<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The movie can be viewed <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:A_Fool_and_His_Money_(1912).webm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Read More:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/annual-events-bergen-county-new-jersey\/\">25+ Annual Bergen County Events That Every Resident Should Know<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1999, the Fort Lee Film Commission was created to preserve Fort Lee\u2019s legacy as the birthplace of American cinema. The commission educates the public about the community\u2019s significant contributions to early filmmaking and commemorates key historical sites with markers. In October 2022, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/barrymorefilmcenter.org\/bfcorghistory\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barrymore Film Center (BFC)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> opened its doors. This moment fulfilled the vision of the Fort Lee Film Commission to establish a permanent home for Fort Lee\u2019s cinematic legacy.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DW9aGgclD-o\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DW9aGgclD-o\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Barrymore Film Center (@barrymorefilmcenter)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Filming at Fort Lee Studios<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first film ever shot in Fort Lee was <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themontclairgirl.com\/thomas-edison-national-historic-park-west-orange\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thomas Edison\u2019s<\/span><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rescued from an Eagle\u2019s Nest, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which was shot on-site at the Fort Lee Palisades. It was directed by <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Edwin S. Porter and J. Searle Dawley in 1908.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1912, the silent short film <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Friends<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by the Biograph Company starred Lionel Barrymore, the great-uncle of Drew Barrymore, and Mary Pickford, who<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> became Hollywood&#8217;s first millionaire by 1916. You can watch the entire 12-minute production <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Friends_(1912)_-_D._W._Griffith_film.webm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Another notable picture from 1912, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Robin Hood<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Universal Film Manufacturing Company (now Universal Studios), was the earliest surviving screen adaptation of the English folklore character Robin Hood.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-238271\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lib-kids-corner-1-800x800.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lib-kids-corner-1-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lib-kids-corner-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lib-kids-corner-1-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lib-kids-corner-1-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lib-kids-corner-1-585x585.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/lib-kids-corner-1.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In May 1912,&nbsp; just a little over a month after the sinking of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themontclairgirl.com\/william-hull-botsford-titanic-lackawanna-plaza-history-montclair-new-jersey\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RMS Titanic<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Eclair Film Company shot <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saved from the Titanic, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the earliest adaptation of the disaster. This film starred and was co-written by Dorothy Gibson, a silent film star and survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. She even wore the same clothing in the film from the night of the disaster. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saved from the Titanic <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ended up being one of Dorothy\u2019s final films, as she reportedly suffered a mental breakdown after completing it. The film is one of many lost films and was destroyed in 1914 during a studio fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>See More:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/balthazar-bakery-englewood-nj\/\">This Famous NYC Bakery is Actually in NJ<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While this list is not comprehensive because that would be too m<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">any films to list,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> several of these films have also been lost to history and time. Films with surviving content have provided links below to watch. Many of the early 20th-century films shot in Fort Lee were short films of the silent genre. The first film with <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">synchronized <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sound did not come along until 1927 with the debut of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Jazz Singer.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1908:<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Balked_at_the_Altar_(1908).webm\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Balked at the Altar<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2013607055\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Taming of a Shrew<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Il-WfJEqupo\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rescued from an Eagle\u2019s Nest<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1909: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the Altar, To Save Her Soul, A Sound Sleeper<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1910: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2015600153\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All on Account of the Milk<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2015600223\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When We Were in Our Teens<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2015600180\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Mugsby Becomes a Hero<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1911: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Battle, Her Awakening, The House with Closed Shutters<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1912: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Friends<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saved from the Titanic, <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Robin_Hood_(1912)_-_Full_Movie.webm\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Robin Hood<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:A_Fool_and_His_Money_(1912).webm\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Fool and His Money<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1913: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shadows of Moulin Rouge, Lady Babbie, Traffic in Souls<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1914: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lure, The Stain<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1915: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Two Orphans, Carmen, A Fool There Was<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1916: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Witch, The Scarlet Oath, The Summer Girl<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1917: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Awakening, The Brand of Satan, The Corner Grocer, Yankee Pluck<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1918: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House of Hate, The Venus Model, Within Our Gates<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1920: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harvest Moon, Within Our Gates<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1921: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clay Dollars<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1922: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Leather Pushers, The Light in the Dark, Humor Risk<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1931: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Exile<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1933: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maizie<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>So Why New Jersey, Again?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over a century ago, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themontclairgirl.com\/famous-new-jersey-people-us-stamps\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thomas Edison\u2019s<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> control over his patents pushed many studios out of the state.&nbsp; In the early 20th century, the patent issues were&nbsp; not the only reason for the industry\u2019s move to the West Coast.. ther factors included California\u2019s warmer weather, cheaper land in the West, and global events like World War I and the Spanish Influenza stalling production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-238269\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/papaya-dog-hoboken-nj-800x800.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/papaya-dog-hoboken-nj-800x800.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/papaya-dog-hoboken-nj-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/papaya-dog-hoboken-nj-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/papaya-dog-hoboken-nj-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/papaya-dog-hoboken-nj-585x585.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/04\/papaya-dog-hoboken-nj.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Current policies, many of which were created by the Murphy Administration, welcome them back with open arms.&nbsp; In 2018, during Governor Phil Murphy\u2019s first term, he enacted the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.njeda.gov\/film\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Film + Digital Media Tax Credit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a bill that, per <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NJ.gov<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u201d provides a transferable credit against the corporation business tax and the gross income tax for certain expenses incurred for the production of certain films and digital media content in New Jersey.\u201d The bill incentivizes media and film companies to work on products and open studios in New Jersey, bringing jobs and economic development. The project, funded through 2039, provides a tax credit of up to 35 percent of qualified film production expenses.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Coming Soon, a Theater Near You<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In recent years, studios have been announced for <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/google.com\/search?q=thelocalgirl+movies&amp;oq=thelocalgirl+movies&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQIRgKGKABMgkIAhAhGAoYoAEyCQgDECEYChigATIJCAQQIRgKGKAB0gEIMzc4NWowajSoAgCwAgE&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Atlantic City<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Bayonne, Eatontown<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;Newark,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Oceanport, Tinton Falls,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and West Orange. In 2022, Newark <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themontclairgirl.com\/essex-county-news-may-22-2022\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">announced that Lionsgate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would develop a studio in the city\u2019s South Ward. In September 2023, Atlantic City\u2019s Playground Pier reopened as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acx1studios.com\/copy-of-acx1-studios\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACX1 Studios<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In February 2024, Netflix received key approval to move forward with a production complex in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/netflix-fort-monmouth-2025\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fort Monmouth<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a former U.S. Army base. The Fort Monmouth site is located in the Monmouth County communities of Eatontown, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oceanport, and Tinton Falls.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In April 2024, a<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.themontclairgirl.com\/west-orange-film-studio-complex-new-jersey\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">studio in West Orange<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was approved. The Matrix Development Group will build the facility near the Black Maria replica, a nod to the area\u2019s history and the birth of film. In May 2024, it was announced that Togus Urban Renewal, LLC would develop <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hobokengirl.com\/1888-studios-bayonne-nj\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1888 Studios in Bayonne<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DVXOISrCTxn\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DVXOISrCTxn\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Barrymore Film Center (@barrymorefilmcenter)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Follow @thebergencountygirl on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thebergencountygirl\/?hl=en\"><span class=\"s1\">Instagram<\/span><\/a> for the latest Bergen County updates, <a href=\"https:\/\/thebergencountygirl.myflodesk.com\/uu0mgpgtm0\"><span class=\"s1\">sign up for our email list here<\/span><\/a> that shares everything you missed each week, and check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/bergen\/events\/\"><span class=\"s1\">events calendar<\/span><\/a>, which has over 30+ events weekly to peruse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>film loreCinema fans across the country might not realize that New Jersey is the birthplace of the American film industry.&nbsp; Early film&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":383,"featured_media":238279,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[8833,8834,9725,7998,2569,9593],"tags":[9787,9698,9662,9678,9784,9783],"class_list":["post-238268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-entertainment","category-fort-lee","category-people","category-art","category-local-girl-rss-feed","tag-bergen-county","tag-entertainment","tag-history","tag-new-jersey","tag-people","tag-tlg"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fort Lee, NJ: The 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