bjgreen
By Betsy J. Green
Possibly the earliest made-in-Santa-Barbara movie with a child was the 1910 silent film “The Fence on ‘Bar Z’ Ranch.” This was one of the dozen or so movies created by the Essanay Film Company during their three-month stay here. (The “Flying A” did not arrive here until 1912.)
The story involves a dispute between two landowners about the position of a fence along the property line. A young girl is shot and gravely injured. In the end, she survives, and the tragedy brings about a romance between the two property owners.
Betsy’s Way Back When book — Movies & Million-Dollar Mansions — is now available in local bookstores and at Amazon.com. This is the seventh book in her series on the history of Santa Barbara. Learn more at .
