British Columbia Patriotic and Educational Picture Service
October 18, 2023
The British Columbia Patriotic and Educational Picture Service was a British Columbia provincial government department founded in April 1920 by the Liberal government of Premier John Oliver. It was created under legislation entitled "The Moving Pictures Act Amendment Act" of 1920, as proposed by Oliver's Attorney-General, J. W. de B. Farris. The intended role of the picture service was to produce, acquire, distribute, and exhibit motion pictures promoting British Columbia and Canada, and by so doing counter the nationalistic American content in Hollywood films. The legislation required that all BC theatres exhibit up to 15 minutes of the service's films as part of each screening. Resistance to this requirement, coupled with the insertion of political propaganda into its films, made the picture service highly controversial, and it ceased production in 1922–23.
The appointed director was Dr. A. Richard Baker (1872-1941), a Vancouver dentist, who was also chairman of the provincial Game Conservation Board. The department's offices were in the old Vancouver Courthouse on Georgia Street, which currently (2021) houses the Vancouver Art Gallery.[1]
Unlike the Ontario Motion Picture Bureau (founded in 1917), which until 1923 acquired all its films from outside producers, the BC picture service had an in-house production capability from its inception. Most of the films distributed were produced by Vancouver filmmaker Arthur D. Kean, including a number of pre-1920 films that he had produced for his own company (Kean's Canada Films), or under contract to the Game Conservation Board. Kean received a staff salary through the Game Board, and the picture service paid him by the foot for film he shot, processed and printed. A smaller number of titles were purchased from Pathescope of Canada.[2][3]
Political scandal and accusations of malfeasance led to a Royal Commission of Inquiry into A. R. Baker's activities in both departments in 1921–22. The inquiry exonerated Baker, but he resigned anyway. The picture service continued to function in a reduced capacity under the direction of BC Film Censor Walter Hepburn. In-house production stopped completely in 1923, although the legislation creating the service remained on the books for several years.[4] The last known PEPS-related film was The Cariboo Road (1926), produced for the government under the supervision of Baker and only shown publicly once.[5]
May Watkis and "directress" storyEdit
A misleading story has been circulating for decades about May Gowen Watkis (1879-1940), a clerk who served as Dr. Baker's administrative assistant from July 1920 to July 1921. In a poorly-researched 1921 article in MacLean’s Magazine, writer Edith M. Cuppage described Watkis as the “directress” of the picture service and implied that she was responsible for the production of its films.[6] Unfortunately, Canadian film historians, taking the MacLean’s story at face value, have promulgated and elaborated on this misinformation, crediting Watkis as the producer of Beautiful Ocean Falls (Pathescope, 1919) and other unspecified films.[7] As a result, Watkis has been erroneously celebrated as a pioneer female Canadian filmmaker. Recent scholarship has endeavored to correct the misinformation about Watkis and her role at PEPS.[8][9] Newspaper coverage from the period makes it quite clear that Baker was the one and only director of the service, and that Kean was the only filmmaker on staff.[10]
Select filmographyEdit
Except where noted as "extant," these titles—like virtually all of the PEPS films—are considered lost.[11]
The Story of Copper or Anyox, Story of Copper (Winter 1918–19).†
Beautiful Ocean Falls (ca. 1919). Pathescope of Canada. Extant.
Travel Tour of the West Coast of Vancouver Island (1919?). Pathescope of Canada. Extant.
Glorious Garibaldi Park (1920).
The Land of Wonders Review (1920)
Pacific Great Eastern Railway (1920–21).
Profits from Oysters, aka Oyster Cultivation in British Columbia (1920). PEPS short about the oyster industry, highlighting its employment of Asian labourers; used as political propaganda against Opposition leader W. J. Bowser in the 1920 BC provincial election.
Mother's Pensions Act (1920).
Board of Trade Excursion (1921).
Nelson, Queen of the Kootenays (1922). With footage of the Trail smelter and Bonnington Falls.
† = Films made independently by Kean before 1920, and later picked up for distribution by PEPS.
ReferencesEdit
^Mattison, David (1985). "The British Columbia Government's First Film Unit." Reel West Magazine, November, 1:4, 9.
^Pollard, Juliet Thelma (1979). "Government Bureaucracy in Action: A History of Cinema in Canada, 1896–1941." MA thesis, Department of History, University of British Columbia; pp. 43–44, 69.
^Duffy, Dennis J.; Mattison, David (1989). "A. D. Kean: Canada's Cowboy Movie-Maker". The Beaver. February–March ,69:1: 32–33.
^Browne, Colin (1979). Motion Picture Production in British Columbia: 1898-1940—A Brief Historical Background and Catalogue. Heritage Record no. 6. Victoria: British Columbia Provincial Museum, 325. See also "Scenic Films to Boost BC," Vancouver Daily Province, June 24, 1926, 26.
^Cuppage, Edith M. (1921). “She Wasn’t a ‘Type,’ so She Became a Directress.” MacLean’s Magazine, May 1, 64. The previous year, a local newspaper had quoted Watkis as an authority on the American film industry; "Provincial Film Exchange Representative Sees Studios and Recounts Experiences", Vancouver Daily World, Sept. 13, 1920, 7.
^Morris, Peter (1978). Embattled Shadows: A History of Canadian Cinema, 1895–1939. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press; reprint edition, 1992, 149-50 & 256.
^Terry, Mark (2020). "May Watkis." In Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds. Women Film Pioneers Project. New York, NY: Columbia University Libraries, 2020.<https://wfpp.columbia.edu/pioneer/may-watkis/>: accessed Apr. 29, 2021.
^For example: "Show B.C. Scenery in City of Cairo," Vancouver Daily World, June 16, 1921, 3—although a typo in the article refers to Kean as "A. D. Kee."
^For a more detailed listing of PEPS releases, see: Duffy, Dennis J. (1986). Camera West: British Columbia on Film, 1941-1965: including new information on films produced before 1941. Victoria: Provincial Archives Of British Columbia. 218–20.
October 18, 2023
british, columbia, patriotic, educational, picture, service, british, columbia, provincial, government, department, founded, april, 1920, liberal, government, premier, john, oliver, created, under, legislation, entitled, moving, pictures, amendment, 1920, prop. The British Columbia Patriotic and Educational Picture Service was a British Columbia provincial government department founded in April 1920 by the Liberal government of Premier John Oliver It was created under legislation entitled The Moving Pictures Act Amendment Act of 1920 as proposed by Oliver s Attorney General J W de B Farris The intended role of the picture service was to produce acquire distribute and exhibit motion pictures promoting British Columbia and Canada and by so doing counter the nationalistic American content in Hollywood films The legislation required that all BC theatres exhibit up to 15 minutes of the service s films as part of each screening Resistance to this requirement coupled with the insertion of political propaganda into its films made the picture service highly controversial and it ceased production in 1922 23 Contents 1 Organization and film production 2 May Watkis and directress story 3 Select filmography 4 ReferencesOrganization and film production EditThe appointed director was Dr A Richard Baker 1872 1941 a Vancouver dentist who was also chairman of the provincial Game Conservation Board The department s offices were in the old Vancouver Courthouse on Georgia Street which currently 2021 houses the Vancouver Art Gallery 1 Unlike the Ontario Motion Picture Bureau founded in 1917 which until 1923 acquired all its films from outside producers the BC picture service had an in house production capability from its inception Most of the films distributed were produced by Vancouver filmmaker Arthur D Kean including a number of pre 1920 films that he had produced for his own company Kean s Canada Films or under contract to the Game Conservation Board Kean received a staff salary through the Game Board and the picture service paid him by the foot for film he shot processed and printed A smaller number of titles were purchased from Pathescope of Canada 2 3 Political scandal and accusations of malfeasance led to a Royal Commission of Inquiry into A R Baker s activities in both departments in 1921 22 The inquiry exonerated Baker but he resigned anyway The picture service continued to function in a reduced capacity under the direction of BC Film Censor Walter Hepburn In house production stopped completely in 1923 although the legislation creating the service remained on the books for several years 4 The last known PEPS related film was The Cariboo Road 1926 produced for the government under the supervision of Baker and only shown publicly once 5 May Watkis and directress story EditA misleading story has been circulating for decades about May Gowen Watkis 1879 1940 a clerk who served as Dr Baker s administrative assistant from July 1920 to July 1921 In a poorly researched 1921 article in MacLean s Magazine writer Edith M Cuppage described Watkis as the directress of the picture service and implied that she was responsible for the production of its films 6 Unfortunately Canadian film historians taking the MacLean s story at face value have promulgated and elaborated on this misinformation crediting Watkis as the producer of Beautiful Ocean Falls Pathescope 1919 and other unspecified films 7 As a result Watkis has been erroneously celebrated as a pioneer female Canadian filmmaker Recent scholarship has endeavored to correct the misinformation about Watkis and her role at PEPS 8 9 Newspaper coverage from the period makes it quite clear that Baker was the one and only director of the service and that Kean was the only filmmaker on staff 10 Select filmography EditExcept where noted as extant these titles like virtually all of the PEPS films are considered lost 11 Whaling British Columbia s Least Known and Most Romantic Industry 1916 19 Extant The Story of Copper or Anyox Story of Copper Winter 1918 19 Beautiful Ocean Falls ca 1919 Pathescope of Canada Extant Travel Tour of the West Coast of Vancouver Island 1919 Pathescope of Canada Extant Glorious Garibaldi Park 1920 The Land of Wonders Review 1920 Pacific Great Eastern Railway 1920 21 Profits from Oysters aka Oyster Cultivation in British Columbia 1920 PEPS short about the oyster industry highlighting its employment of Asian labourers used as political propaganda against Opposition leader W J Bowser in the 1920 BC provincial election Mother s Pensions Act 1920 Board of Trade Excursion 1921 Nelson Queen of the Kootenays 1922 With footage of the Trail smelter and Bonnington Falls Films made independently by Kean before 1920 and later picked up for distribution by PEPS References Edit Mattison David 1985 The British Columbia Government s First Film Unit Reel West Magazine November 1 4 9 Pollard Juliet Thelma 1979 Government Bureaucracy in Action A History of Cinema in Canada 1896 1941 MA thesis Department of History University of British Columbia pp 43 44 69 Duffy Dennis J Mattison David 1989 A D Kean Canada s Cowboy Movie Maker The Beaver February March 69 1 32 33 Pollard pp 70 74 Browne Colin 1979 Motion Picture Production in British Columbia 1898 1940 A Brief Historical Background and Catalogue Heritage Record no 6 Victoria British Columbia Provincial Museum 325 See also Scenic Films to Boost BC Vancouver Daily Province June 24 1926 26 Cuppage Edith M 1921 She Wasn t a Type so She Became a Directress MacLean s Magazine May 1 64 The previous year a local newspaper had quoted Watkis as an authority on the American film industry Provincial Film Exchange Representative Sees Studios and Recounts Experiences Vancouver Daily World Sept 13 1920 7 Morris Peter 1978 Embattled Shadows A History of Canadian Cinema 1895 1939 Montreal and Kingston McGill Queen s University Press reprint edition 1992 149 50 amp 256 Terry Mark 2020 May Watkis In Jane Gaines Radha Vatsal and Monica Dall Asta eds Women Film Pioneers Project New York NY Columbia University Libraries 2020 lt https wfpp columbia edu pioneer may watkis gt accessed Apr 29 2021 Saccone Kate 2020 Digital Re Visions May Watkis and the Women Film Pioneers Project Modernism modernity vol 5 cycle 2 Aug 17 2020 https modernismmodernity org forums posts saccone digital revisions accessed Apr 29 2021 For example Show B C Scenery in City of Cairo Vancouver Daily World June 16 1921 3 although a typo in the article refers to Kean as A D Kee For a more detailed listing of PEPS releases see Duffy Dennis J 1986 Camera West British Columbia on Film 1941 1965 including new information on films produced before 1941 Victoria Provincial Archives Of British Columbia 218 20 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title British Columbia Patriotic and Educational Picture Service amp oldid 1109845602, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
