In Vitagraph, Andrew A. Erish provides a comprehensive examination and reassessment of the company most responsible for defining and popularizing the American movie. This history challenges long-accepted Hollywood mythology that simply isn't true: that Paramount and Fox invented the feature film, that Universal created the star system, and that these companies, along with MGM and Warner Bros., developed motion pictures into a multimillion-dollar business.

Established in 1897 by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith, Vitagraph was the leading producer of motion pictures for much of the silent era. Vitagraph established America's studio system, a division of labor utilizing specialized craftspeople and artists, including a surprising number of women and minorities, whose aesthetic innovations have long been incorporated into virtually all commercial cinema. They developed fundamental aspects of the form and content of American movies, encompassing everything from framing, lighting, and performance style to emphasizing character-driven comedy and drama in stories that respected and sometimes poked fun at every demographic of Vitagraph's vast audience. For most of its existence America's most influential studio was headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, before relocating to Hollywood.

The book is published by The University Press of Kentucky. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

"A commendable book - I learned much from it." (Bernard F. Dick, author of Engulfed: The Death of Paramount Pictures and the Birth of Corporate Hollywood)

"This straightforward, richly documented work is a credit to film history." (Stephen Bottomore, editorial board member of Film History journal)

"A fascinating look at the history and influence of Vitagraph.... This book is a wonderful read...." (Hometowns to Hollywood)