The silent film industry became talking pictures with many of the earliest movies being shot in Fort Lee. From 1910 until the 1930's, this was home to big film studios."The first great actors, the first great movie stars came from here," Page said. "When you're talking about Pearl White and Theda Bara, they made their first film here."John Barrymore became a famous dramatic actor in "Hamlet.
Ethel Barrymore gave up her stage career to do movies along with Lionel Barrymore and teamed up to turn Fort Lee into America's first film capitol."Part of our mission here is to educate. We also want to enthrall, and we also want to entertain," Page said. Fort Lee boasts being the home of the first movie production company owned by a woman, and where the first Black director made his impact.
The new center will welcome film students to learn the craft while merging the past to the present and setting the stage for the future.