My Father, a Silent Films Pioneer

By George E. McAvoy

Henry McAvoy was employed by Fox Silent Films as Location Manager from 1915 until his death in 1920. Henry had managed a fire works company, which gave him the experience of handling explosives to becoming an electrician. His job included that whenever Fox needed anything (submarines, war ships, naval aircraft. locations for filming) it was his job to acquire it. It was also his job to handle the explosives that were used in the thrilling scenes. The breathtaking scenes that thrilled the audiences were staged at the location. Many times this almost cost the life of one of the actors or actresses and in one case did.

Author George McAvoy was only three months old when his father was killed in a dynamite explosion in his own garage. George only knew of his father, Henry McAvoy, through stories passed down from his mother and two brothers, from the letters his father had written to his mother when they were courting and when he was traveling, and from the thousands of photographs that his father took. George McAvoy uses these photos to tell the story of his entrepreneurial father who during the period of silent films became in charge of Fox Films special effects and finding the right locations for movies to be filmed. It was a much wilder time in the film industry when the center was Fort Lee, New Jersey, before the move to Hollywood. Many more risks were taken and there were few, if any, stuntmen. Unfortunately much of the film history was destroyed in a large fire at the Fort Lee storage warehouse where the highly flammable films were kept. The story includes onsite tales of filming and details of Henry McAvoys family life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 29, 2011
• ISBN: 9781467025348

George E. McAvoy

George McAvoy has written books about the Grand Hotels of the New Hampshire White Mountains and about his experiences as a soldier in the Battle of Bulge in World War II. He was born in New Jersey, grew up in New York City, and spent his entire career owning and/or operating hotels in Maine and New Hampshire, including the Mt Washington Hotel and Crawford House. His father and both grandfathers died before he was two years old and he grew up with his extended family of mother, grandmother, aunts and uncles in New York City during the depression. George’s father, Henry McAvoy, was the location manager and special effects manager for Fox Films during the Silent Film era and left behind letters and photographs telling his story. At 91 George is still an active golfer and participant in the VFW, Rotary, and community. His prior books are And Then There was One and A Citizen-Soldier Remembers 1942-1946.

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Contents

FOREWORD

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

FOREWORD

Henry A. McAvoy was constantly on the move from one movie location to another. This meant long spells of separation from his wife Mary and their three children, Henry D., Richard, and George. There were many letters between Henry and Mary. Mary kept most of them, which is the foundation of this book.

The third son, George, was born July 19, 1920. Henry A. was accidentally killed November 4, 1920, just three months and sixteen days after George’s birth.

Mary McAvoy deserves great credit for dedicating her life to raising three youngsters while working to support the family.

Henry was apparently experimenting with color photography as he did an excellent color photo of himself. This was done in 1920 or earlier.

Henry McAvoy was the photographer for almost all of these photos.

The materials for this book were handed down from my mother, to my older brothers and then to me. As I became engrossed in writing this book, I began to realize that this was my father that I was writing about, not just some interesting figure. I certainly admire this man and am proud to have been his son.

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Henry McAvoy in color

CHAPTER ONE

The Early Years

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The McAvoy Family, photo probably taken by Henry.

Henry Aloysius McAvoy, one of nine children of Daniel J. McAvoy, was known as a free spirit or a wild one. He was small in stature, 5'3", and extremely energetic. He proved to be an excellent manager in his early years, managing a fireworks company while in his twenties, and after having learned to be an electrician, went into partnership in the electrical contracting business in his mid twenties. Before entering either of those ventures, his fierce independence evident by the following news article:

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Daniel J. McAvoy

Second mayor of Fort Lee and father of Henry A. McAvoy

1,000 Commuters Held by Fight over 20 Cents

Truckman on Fort Lee ferryboat argues the matter with the captain.

Twenty cent difference in a ferry charge caused 1,000 commuters to be held up early today on the Fort Lee ferry for thirty minutes while the captain of the line and a truckman, Henry A. McAvoy, argued the matter with their fists.

McAvoy drove upon the ferry bridge at Edgewater, N.J. and was there halted for payment. When told what it would cost him he made a vigorous protest, asserting that he made the trip for twenty cents less the day before. While he was arguing 500 men and women commuters gathered on the decks of the boat and shouted suggestions for a settlement.

Levi Helms, captain of the line, was sent for. Upon his arrival the argument took a pugilistic turn and the truck driver and he tried to solve the problem with fists. Policeman Dinan, of the Edgewater station, was sent for and McAvoy arrested. The boat then proceeded to the New York side, where another crowd of 500 was waiting for the lone ferryboat to take them across to the Jersey side.

In a July 8th, 1909 letter to Mary I. Gilpin, who became Henry’s wife, Henry wrote:

"Honey dear I got into quite a mix up this morning, I drove (horse & wagon) onto the ferry and the gateman wanted to charge me twenty cents more than I have been paying and I would not stand for it, so the superintendent came out and grabbed my team and tried to back them up. I told him to leave the team alone and I received a punch in the face and he called me some nice names. Well I quickly started to pound him and it did not take me long to make a sore looking sight of him. I went to court tonight and we have got to appear before the grand jury on Aug. 4th. The officer who arrested me this morning arrested me without a warrant so I am now suing the Borough of Edgewater for false arrest.

The ferry company is doing their best to get me to drop the case. They called my father up several times yesterday and had him in their office yesterday evening to try to settle with him for me, but papa told them that I was over twenty one and I knew what I was doing."¹

A few days later he wrote:

My case with the ferry company was tried and dismissed. I made a charge of assault against the Superintendent and he is held under bail to appear before the grand jury on August 4th. ²

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Where Henry Learned Explosives

His management of the Hudson Fire Works Ço. of Grantwood, N.J. Specialists in Fire Smoke and Battle Effects for Motion Picture Use, certainly was an education for his later employment in the movie industry. As advertised, the fireworks company produced a Victory Light, a powerful Brilliant device for night photography. An intense white light for surpassing anything now in use for motion picture work. It can be used also in dark places or in cloudy days; for interior and exterior work where, electricity cannot be had.

As advertised, "Our Victory Brand

Victorylite                                    Victoryfire

Flashlights                                    Shrapnell Bombs, All Sizes

Victory Aerial Bombs                  Victory Parachute Bombs

Hand Grenades, All Sizes            Potassium Flash Powder

Magnesium Powder                      Black Powder all kinds

Yellow Smoke Pots, All Sizes      White Smoke Pots, All Sizes

Black Smoke Pots, All Sizes      Baby White Lights for Focusing

We manufacture all miniature and special effects for indoor use. We will gladly give our expert advise on all motion picture work in our line."

Emil Yurillo, Pres.      Henry A. McAvoy, Mgr."

About this time Henry wrote:

I suppose Miss Hollenboch told you I was in the electrical business.³

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PICTURE OF MCAVOY & KOOPMAN STORE FRONT

From the above picture, McAvoy apparently became very interested in becoming an electrician. He formed the partnership of McAvoy & Koopman, which received a number of publicity blurbs in the local Fort Lee paper.

McAvoy and Koopman, the electricians, have fitted up a dry battery for the illumination of a large Christmas tree for a New York party at a cost of $18.

Henry A. McAvoy is installing eighty-six electric lights on the eaves of Richards Hotel, Coytesville.

The display of Christmas tree novelties in McAvoy & Koopman’s window is a rare one. They have orders to fix up several trees with battery and current sets.

Henry McAvoy, the electrician, has just installed a new five horse power motor in John Goelz’s Bakery, to run the new mixing machine.

Henry McAvoy is now manufacturing his own gas and electric chandeliers.

At the American Church Club entertainment next Friday evening, in some of the numbers, special electric displays will appear. Remember, while enjoying it, that it was the handiwork of Mr. Henry McAvoy, electrical contractor, Main Street, this borough.

Mr. Henry McAvoy, of Main Street, has purchased an automobile for use in his increasing electrical business.

This being early in 1900, there was much that was not known about electricity:

"The alarm of fire about half past one on Wednesday afternoon, was occasioned by a fire starting In Kossavo’s Department Store, at the corner of Lemoine Avenue and Main Street, Fort Lee. From the flammable nature of the goods in the store, the fire spread rapidly, and soon the interior of the two stores was a solid mass of flames, which communicated to the adjoining store, occupied by Geo. Broome as a tobacco and variety store. The interior of the department store as well as the tobacco store was completely gutted. The entire Fire Department of the Borough responded to the alarm, and kept the fire confined through heroic efforts to the building where it started. A high wind was prevailing at the time, and had it gotten full headway on the building, might have resulted in a more serious one. During the height of the conflagration Henry McAvoy, electrician, endeavored to cut the power wires running into the building, and received a shock which came nigh being fatal, as he only succeeded in releasing himself when about to topple to the sidewalk. Great credit is due to the Fire Department for their promptness on the scene of the fire, and the work done.

Last Saturday afternoon, about 3:30 o’clock, while Andrew McDermott, in company with a young lady, were driving on Bigler Street, near Central Road, Henry McAvoy in his automobile turned into Bigler Street, from Main Street, with an unknown red automobile in the rear, containing three men. Just as McAvoy was about to pass McDermott, the unknown machine put on a burst of speed, in an endeavor to pass McAvoy, and struck the rear of his machine, turning it into McDermott’s horse, knocking it down, the front wheels of the machine running partly across its groins. The impact caused McDermott and his companion to be thrown from the machine, McDermott landing across the front of McAvoy’s machine, his arm striking one of the ladies in the machine, causing her to faint. McDermott was badly shook up, receiving a fracture of the arm and side. The young lady with him was not severely injured, suffering more from shock, incidental to the accident. The machine which struck them never stopped to see what damage had been done, but continued on its way up the Terrace, and although telephone messages were sent ahead of them, they succeeded in getting away, being last seen on Sylvan Avenue heading toward Alpine.

It was about this time that McAvoy began to court Mary Isabelle Gilpin. Though it doesn’t mention her name in the above article, it probably was her in the car with him. They courted for almost as many years as they were married.

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Henry & Mary

The McAvoy’s were into politics as Daniel McAvoy, Henry’s father, was the second mayor of the Borough of Fort Lee and his brother held the position of Councilman until his untimely death from influenza. Henry actively ran to replace his deceased brother.

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Henry McAvoy courted Mary Gilpin and was totally dedicated to her. There was a major obstacle to their courtship: they were of different faiths and Mary’s mother and father objected to