bjgreen
Numerous movies of the silent era and the sound era have been filmed at this Montecito estate (Image: Exhibitors Herald magazine, August 16, 1919)
By Betsy J. Green
Our very own “Flying A” film studio was making movies all around the Santa Barbara area, but other film companies were also using our scenery as backgrounds for their movies. In August 1918, the Astra Film Company of New Jersey was using the Gillespie Estate in Montecito (El Fureidis) as the setting for a silent movie called “Our Better Selves.”
It was the perfect setting for a movie described as, “The story of a social butterfly who used her old vain and frivolous self as a stepping stone to better things.” (More about this and other silent films that used a Montecito backdrop in my forthcoming book, “Shhh! Silent Movies in Montecito.”)
My next Way Back When book — 1918 — will be available in local bookstores in November, and at Amazon.com. This will be the fifth book in my series of the history of Santa Barbara, one year at a time.
Learn more about me at my website: betsyjgreen.com
