The area was an important film capital from 1902 to 1915. The population of the Town of Islip was only about 18,000 people. The most important village in Islip then was Sayville. Since Sayville was the nation's largest summer resort at the time, it was filled with live theatres. For example, in 1944 while Marlon Brando was acting in Sayville, he was discovered. Because of this, there was a strong link between Sayville and Bay Shore, where the studio offices were. Many actors worked in the Sayville theaters and the movies at the same time. As the population of Islip Town was so low, a huge percentage of Sayville's population worked as extras, earning between 5 and 10 dollars per day. Because there were over 30 major hotels in Sayville, many actors, writers, reporters, and directors would stay there and drive to the sets in Bay Shore/Sayville area. One was Fatty Arbuckle that was arrested for an accused brutal rape.
The most important contingent of child extras in these early shows were from Sayville. The writers and directors would get their ideas from watching these kids, since that is where they were. There was a little group of kids in Sayville that were nice kids that would commit vandalism and other mischief. These are the kids that the show was based on, according to seniors of Sayville.
By 1915 better cameras were created and the film industry moved to Hollywood en masse and Keystone office was closed. For years Keystone was the main studio making short comedies, often only one or two reels. By 1922, the lean and ambitious Hal Roach wanted to take Keystone head on, took the concept and started making the well know Our Gang Comedy/Little Rascals. Hal Roach eventually beat out Keystone. Roach did the kid show a little different, he would direct the young actors less and let them be natural kids more.
The Ku Klux Klan youth in Sayville were called the
little "Ku Klux Klams" and inspired an "Our Gang Comedy"
episode in 1923
called "Lodge Night." It was about the gang's club the "Cluck Cluck Klams." The
idea for the "Klams" was from the fact shellfishing is so important in the area.
The episode about the Our Gang kids in the Klams, later called the Little
Rascals, was condemned by the NAACP at the time.
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This building is located off of Montauk Hwy. in the Town of Islip. It says "Keystone Building" and the main building for Keystone pictures in the township. Click for large size. |
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This was filmed on the Great South Bay. The perils of Pauline had the famous scene of the girl being tied up on the railroad tracks. These tracks were the ones between Bay Shore and Sayville, Long Island. |
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"Some people are surprised to learn that the
Keystone Cops had their start in Bay Shore, as did the
early 'Our Gang'
shows."
- Robert Gaffney, Suffolk County Executive
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Notice the flashes of lightning.
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easthamptonstudios.com/gaffney.html jack
