Alice Guy-Blaché

Alice Guy-Blaché

Directing
Born Jul 01, 1873
From Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France
Died Mar 24, 1968

Alice Guy-Blaché (July 1, 1873 – March 24, 1968) is generally considered to be the world's first female director. French-born Alice Guy entered the film business as a secretary at Gaumont-Paris in 1896. The next year Gaumont changed from manufacturing cameras to producing movies, and Guy became one of its first film directors. She impressed the company so much with the output (she averaged two two-reelers a week) and quality of her productions that by 1905 she was made the company's production director, supervising the company's other directors. In 1907 she married Herbert Blaché, an Englishman who ran the company's British and German offices. The pair soon went to the U.S. to set up the company's operations there. In 1910 she set up her own production company in New York and built a studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After a period of critical and financial success, her company's fortunes declined and she eventually shut down the studio. Although she secured work directing films for several major Hollywood studios, she returned to France in 1922 after her divorce from Blache. She was never able to secure any directorial jobs there, and never made a film again. In 1964 she returned to the U.S. and lived in Mahwah, New Jersey - not far from where her original studios were - with her daughters, where she died in 1968.

Known For

Filmography — Acting

Filmography — Crew

The Lure

The Lure

Writer

A Fool and His Money

A Fool and His Money

Producer

Pierrette's Escapades

Pierrette's Escapades

Director

Behind the Mask

Behind the Mask

Director

Disappearing Act

Disappearing Act

Director

Falling Leaves

Falling Leaves

Director

At the Floral Ball

At the Floral Ball

Director

The Burglars

The Burglars

Director

The Cabbage-Patch Fairy

The Cabbage-Patch Fairy

Director

Canned Harmony

Canned Harmony

Director

Esmeralda

Esmeralda

Director

Algie, the Miner

Algie, the Miner

Producer

Tarnished Reputations

Tarnished Reputations

Director

The Girl in the Arm-Chair

The Girl in the Arm-Chair

Director

Man Monkey

Man Monkey

Director

The Cabbage-Patch Fairy

The Cabbage-Patch Fairy

Director

Surprise Attack on a House at Daybreak

Surprise Attack on a House at Daybreak

Director

Ballet Libella

Ballet Libella

Director

The Rolling Bed

The Rolling Bed

Director

Turn-of-the-Century Surgery

Turn-of-the-Century Surgery

Director

The Turn-of-the-Century Blind Man

The Turn-of-the-Century Blind Man

Director

The Scarlet Woman

The Scarlet Woman

Director

From the Valley of Shadows

Director

Tramp Strategy

Tramp Strategy

Director

The Vampire

The Vampire

Producer

Butterfly Dances

Director

Barbara Frietchie

Barbara Frietchie

Producer

The Violin Maker of Nuremberg

Director

Spain

Spain

Director

Wonderful Absinthe

Wonderful Absinthe

Director

A House Divided

A House Divided

Director

Automated Hat-Maker and Sausage-Grinder

Automated Hat-Maker and Sausage-Grinder

Director

The Parish Priest's Christmas

The Parish Priest's Christmas

Director

Clown, Dog and Balloon

Clown, Dog and Balloon

Director

Matrimony's Speed Limit

Matrimony's Speed Limit

Director

Danse Fleur de Lotus

Danse Fleur de Lotus

Director

The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ

The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ

Director

Avenue de l'Opéra

Avenue de l'Opéra

Director

The Great Adventure

The Great Adventure

Director

The Dream Woman

The Dream Woman

Screenplay

Dranem Performs The True Jiu-Jitsu

Dranem Performs The True Jiu-Jitsu

Director

Madame's Cravings

Madame's Cravings

Director

The Empress

The Empress

Director

Course de taureaux

Director

The Magician's Alms

The Magician's Alms

Director

The Consequences of Feminism

The Consequences of Feminism

Director

A Story Well Spun

A Story Well Spun

Director

The Fisherman at the Stream

The Fisherman at the Stream

Director

A Solax Celebration

Director

Serpentine Dance

Serpentine Dance

Director

The Statue

The Statue

Director

The Landlady

The Landlady

Director

The Woman of Mystery

The Woman of Mystery

Director

The Fur Hat

The Fur Hat

Director

Mignon

Director

Frozen on Love's Trail

Frozen on Love's Trail

Director

The Irresistible Piano

The Irresistible Piano

Director

The Adventurer

The Adventurer

Director

House of Cards

House of Cards

Director

Dranem Performs "Five O'Clock Tea"

Dranem Performs "Five O'Clock Tea"

Director

Polin Performs "The Anatomy of a Draftee"

Polin Performs "The Anatomy of a Draftee"

Director

Greater Love Hath No Man

Greater Love Hath No Man

Director

An Obstacle Course

An Obstacle Course

Director

The Stepmother

The Stepmother

Director

The Glue

The Glue

Director

Cupid and the Comet

Cupid and the Comet

Director

At the Club

At the Club

Director

On the Barricade

On the Barricade

Director

The Dirigible 'Homeland'

The Dirigible 'Homeland'

Director

Danse Serpentine (In a Lion's Cage)

Danse Serpentine (In a Lion's Cage)

Director

Midwife to the Upper Class

Midwife to the Upper Class

Director

The Cleaning Man

The Cleaning Man

Director

Dick Whittington and His Cat

Dick Whittington and His Cat

Director

God Disposes

God Disposes

Director

Mireille

Director

The Bricklayers

The Bricklayers

Director

Playing Trumps

Playing Trumps

Director

Eccentric Dance

Eccentric Dance

Director

Heart of a Painted Woman

Heart of a Painted Woman

Director

What Will People Say?

What Will People Say?

Director

A Sticky Woman

A Sticky Woman

Director

Alice Guy Films a 'Phonoscène' in the Studio at Buttes-Chaumont, Paris

Alice Guy Films a 'Phonoscène' in the Studio at Buttes-Chaumont, Paris

Director

The Drunken Mattress

The Drunken Mattress

Director

Phantom Paradise

Director

The Wooing of Alice

Director

Danse du papillon

Director

At the Hypnotist's

At the Hypnotist's

Director

The High Cost of Living

The High Cost of Living

Director

Cousins of Sherlocko

Cousins of Sherlocko

Director

The Roads That Lead Home

The Roads That Lead Home

Producer

An Untimely Intrusion

An Untimely Intrusion

Director

Gaumont Treasures 1897-1913

Gaumont Treasures 1897-1913

Director

Faust

Director

Faust and Mephistopheles

Faust and Mephistopheles

Director

In a Bamboo Hut

In a Bamboo Hut

Director

La Gigue

Director

L'Honneur du Corse

Director

Parson Sue

Parson Sue

Director

Fra Diavolo

Fra Diavolo

Writer

My Madonna

My Madonna

Director

Bathing in a Stream

Bathing in a Stream

Director

Félix Mayol Performs "Indiscreet Questions"

Félix Mayol Performs "Indiscreet Questions"

Director

Shadows of the Moulin Rouge

Director

Dublin Dan

Dublin Dan

Producer

The Tigress

The Tigress

Director

Le Cake-walk de nouveau cirque

Le Cake-walk de nouveau cirque

Director

Tango

Tango

Director

The Monster and the Girl

Director

A Terrible Lesson

A Terrible Lesson

Director

The Hierarchies of Love

The Hierarchies of Love

Director

How Monsieur Takes His Bath

How Monsieur Takes His Bath

Director

The Equine Spy

Producer

Les malabares: Les acrobats

Director

The Rogues of Paris

Director

The Song of the Wage Slave

The Song of the Wage Slave

Director

The Hater of Women

The Hater of Women

Director

The Ocean Waif

The Ocean Waif

Director

When Marian was Married

When Marian was Married

Director

Burstup Homes' Murder Case

Burstup Homes' Murder Case

Director

The Coming of Sunbeam

The Coming of Sunbeam

Director

Miss Dundee and Her Performing Dogs

Miss Dundee and Her Performing Dogs

Director

Dance of the Seasons: Winter, Snow Dance

Dance of the Seasons: Winter, Snow Dance

Director

In the Year 2000

In the Year 2000

Director

Entrée Et Sortie De La Mine

Director

A Comedy of Errors

A Comedy of Errors

Director

The Detective's Dog

The Detective's Dog

Director

Danse fantaisiste

Director

When You and I Were Young

When You and I Were Young

Director

Two Little Rangers

Two Little Rangers

Director

The Sock

Director

The Race for the Sausage

The Race for the Sausage

Director

Kelly from the Emerald Isle

Writer

Fantastic Flowers

Fantastic Flowers

Director

The Pit and the Pendulum

The Pit and the Pendulum

Director

The Strike

The Strike

Director

The Woman Behind the Man

Director

Hearts Unknown

Director

Coucher d'une Parisienne

Director

Beasts of the Jungle

Beasts of the Jungle

Writer

Broken Oaths

Broken Oaths

Director

Treasures on the Wing

Director

Token of Love

Token of Love

Director

Souls in the Shadow

Souls in the Shadow

Director

The Banknote

The Banknote

Director

Starting Something

Starting Something

Director

Child of the Tenements

Director

Mrs. Cranston's Jewels

Director

The Sewer

The Sewer

Producer

Making an American Citizen

Making an American Citizen

Producer

The First Cigarette

Director

Ocean Studies

Ocean Studies

Director

Serpentine Dance by Mme. Bob Walter

Serpentine Dance by Mme. Bob Walter

Director

A Severe Test

A Severe Test

Director

Mixed Pets

Mixed Pets

Director

At the Photographer's

At the Photographer's

Director

Félix Mayol Performs "White Lilacs"

Félix Mayol Performs "White Lilacs"

Director

Hubby Does the Washing

Director

Someone's Luck Society

Director

The Game-Keeper's Son

The Game-Keeper's Son

Director

The Reformation of Mary

Director

The Malagueña and the Bullfighter

The Malagueña and the Bullfighter

Director

Across the Mexican Line

Across the Mexican Line

Director

Les Druides

Director

A Priest's Conscience

A Priest's Conscience

Director

His Double

His Double

Director

The Thief

The Thief

Director

Burstup Homes

Director

Saharet Performs the Bolero

Saharet Performs the Bolero

Director

Napoleon

Director

Blighted Lives

Director

The Mouse in the Crinoline

The Mouse in the Crinoline

Director

His Mother's Hymn

His Mother's Hymn

Director

Danse basque

Danse basque

Director

Gavotte directoire

Director

The Crime on Temple Street

Director

For Love of the Flag

For Love of the Flag

Director

A Man's a Man

A Man's a Man

Director

Officer Henderson

Officer Henderson

Director

The Face at the Window

Director

What Is a Flag?

What Is a Flag?

Director

The New Love And The Old

Director

The Love of the Flag

Director

Outwitted by Horse and Lariat

Outwitted by Horse and Lariat

Director

Félix Mayol Performs "The Trottins' Polka"

Félix Mayol Performs "The Trottins' Polka"

Director

The Fairy of Spring

Director

The Fight in the Dark

The Fight in the Dark

Director

Alice Guy - 13 Courts-métrages

Alice Guy - 13 Courts-métrages

Director