BIOGRAPH The oldest movie company in America Mack Sennett

Mack Sennett was born Michael Sinnott in Danville, Quebec, Canada , January 17th, 1880. He started his career in New York City, when he wandered into the Biograph Company in 1908. D. W. Griffith hired him as an actor and part time Director. Griffith was not partial to comedies, therefore left that job mainly to Sennett. He quickly developed his talent by directing films such as "Those Awful Hats" 1909, and "The Curtain Pole" 1909.

Since Sennett wanted to mainly do comedy, he left Biograph and started his own company, Keystone Studios. Strangely, the studio was backed by two gamblers that he owed 100 dollars to. He based his studio in a part of San Fernando Valley, California which he re-named Studio City.

Here he made the famous "Keystone Cops" comedy series, and hired famed comedian Charlie Chaplin, producing many of his films. He also starred comedienne Mabel Normand (Pictured with Sennett below), Marie Dressler, W. C. Fields, Buster Keaton, Wallace Beery, Gloria Swanson, and Ben Turpin.

Sennett unfortunately invested in the stock market before it crashed in 1929. Even though this happened, Sennett enjoyed a lengthy retirement, and was satisfied of the richness he had from giving the world laughter. Sennett died in Woodland Hills, CA. November 5th, 1960.