Guide to the Exactus Photo Film Corporation Records M0055
Processed by Special Collections staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Patricia White
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
1997 ; revised 2020-2022
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford 94305-6064
specialcollections@stanford.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Exactus Photo Film Corporation Records
Creator:
Exactus Photo-Film Corporation
Creator:
Peters, Thomas Kimmwood, 1879-1973
Identifier/Call Number: M0055
Identifier/Call Number: 1455
Physical Description:
2 Linear Feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1914-1918
Abstract: Correspondence, work reports, inventories, financial papers, legal and official documents, American Consular Service reports
on overseas film distribution, descriptions and illustrations for patent applications, scenarios, promotional brochures, miscellaneous
printed articles, photographs, and short filmstrips of an educational film enterprise founded by T. K. Peters and D. Lever,
with the assistance of the Stanford faculty and other California educators. Includes correspondence of the Palo Alto Film
Corporation, which took over the remainder of Exactus.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Samuel Stark, 1962.
Arrangement
The loose correspondence was arranged alphabetically as General and Incoming Correspondence or Outgoing Correspondence. Most
of the important background correspondence was arranged chronologically under the names of persons involved. The rest of the
material falls chronologically under subject headings.
Biographical / Historical
The Exactus Photo Film corporation of Palo Alto was officially incorporated on August 28 1914. The earlier part of that year
had been spent in preliminary organization, establishing contacts, and deciding on a suitable site for an outdoor studio.
With the incorporation, Exactus stated that its purpose was "to produce, sell, rent and exchange educational and industrial
moving picture films for the use of schools, academies, and universities throughout the state of California, and later throughout
the United States."
The first President and General Manager was Thomas Kimmwood Peters. Mr. Peters, according to the various promotional brochures
in the collection, began his work in the motion picture industry with Pathe Freres in France about 1899. He apparently gained
experience with various companies in Europe in nearly every branch of the business. His inventions included several models
of the Exactus camera, complete descriptions and scale drawings of which may be found in the collection.
The Vice-President, Harry C. Peterson, was for many years director of the Stanford Museum and member of several state-wide
professional and historical associations. He was one of the few officers and directors to remain through the difficult two
year existence of the Exactus Corporation. His correspondence from 1915 to 1917, particularly with Harold Ide Cruzan, throws
a great deal of light on the reasons for the failure of the company.
David Lever, a teacher, journalist, and business manager of the Sierra Education News, was elected first Secretary of the
Corporation. He had come from San Francisco with Peters. Both he and Peters had been associated with the Cosmos Film Company
in that city. The Cosmos Company may have been a separate organizations, but there is evidence to support the assumption that
it was the name adopted during the preliminary stages of organization and was changed to Exactus when it was incorporated.
Guy C. Miller, Assistant Secretary, was manager of the Stanford Bookstore and historiographer of the Palo Alto Historical
Association. Treasurer, H. F. Congdon, was cashier of the Palo Alto Bank and member of the firm of Congdon & Crome, dealers
in educational supplies. City Attorney of Palo Alto and Mayfield, Norman E. Malcolm, served as attorney for the Corporation.
Aside from these elected executive officers, the Exactus Corporation boasted an impressive list of educators drawn from all
parts of California to serve on the Board of Directors or as consultants. It certainly seemed that such a company would be
a great success in producing educational films. By December, 1916, however, Mr. Peterson and a few others held an auction
of the last equipment and furnishings from the Palo Alto studio to try to raise some of the money needed to pay creditors.
The remaining stocks and a few other items were turned over to the Palo Alto Film Company which had been organized in 1915.
Lack of business talent and lack of salesmanship in obtaining financial backing helped cause the failure of the Exactus corporation,
but there were certainly other contributing factors. A clash of personalities and the misunderstandings between educators
and technicians made the collapse almost inevitable. In spite of all this difficulty, however, the technical quality and educational
value of the Exactus films seem never to have been questioned. Their scenarios now seem awkward and amusing, yet at the Panama-Pacific
International Exposition in 1915, the Exactus Photo-Film Corporation won two gold medals and one bronze medal.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item] Exactus Photo Film Corporation Records, M055, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford,
Calif.
Scope and Contents
These records include correspondence, work reports, inventories, financial papers, legal and official documents, American
Consular Service reports on overseas film distribution, descriptions and illustrations for patent applications, scenarios,
promotional brochures, miscellaneous printed articles, photographs, and short filmstrips. Representing the first documentary
film company in the United States, the Exactus papers also give an interesting background of the early film industry, particularly
in California. The Peninsula and southern Bay Area had a good number of studios and at one time rivaled Los Angeles-Hollywood
for the center position of the film world. The American Consular Service reports, as well as correspondence with agents for
film distribution overseas, give an idea of the very wide-spread interest in and activity of the film industry at this relatively
early date.
Archie Rice, a graduate of Stanford and motion picture director for Exactus, wrote at length and in detail of his work. His
letters and reports in the Exactus Collection describe some of the technical angles of the business, its difficulties, and
behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Much of the groundwork of the school and library films is revealed in Rice's letters and additional
information can be found in the Frank S. Wilton correspondence. Wilton was one of the cameramen on these projects.
Rice's letters and notes are voluminous and entertaining, full of personal opinion and advice on business matters, and very
detailed as to his own activities. In a letter to Peterson dated simply "Saturday, 10:55 p.m.," he gives a description of
some well-known personalities of the early motion picture industry.
"Charlie Chaplin and Fatty I saw together last night and heard them talk a little while. Chaplin is now getting $1,500 a week
as a movie actor, and has been in the business but one year. He was formerly getting $1,000 a week from the Keystone company
at Los Angeles. Now he is with Essenay at Niles. He is a little, rather handsome, good natured chap with good teeth and an
English accent."
There are other correspondents of interest, too, including: Louise Bayard Angell, a director; H. P. Thayer, a creditor and
one-time General Manager of Exactus; Milton A. Ayers, manager of the Ayers Motion Picture Company in San Francisco; and Frank
Wayne, an Actor and magician. Several photographs of the Exactus studio and camera, some scenes taken by Peters in Los Angeles,
and images of sections of film strips from Exactus productions appear at the end of the collection.
Use Policy
These materials are believed to be in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use of public domain materials.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Motion pictures -- United States
Cosmos Film Company
Miller, Guy C.
Lever, David
Peters, Thomas Kimmwood, 1879-1973
Palo Alto Film Corporation
Rice, Archie
Peterson, Harry C. (Harry Claude)
box 1, folder 1
Stock certificate book 447193
box 1, folder 2
Disbursement ledger (of stocks) 447191
box 1, folder 3
Stocks journal & ledger 447189
box 1, folder 4
Stocks journal & ledger 447187
box 1, folder 6
Minute book - Directors' & Stockholders' Meetings, with loose material, by-laws, etc. 447183
1914 Aug. -1915 Nov.,
box 2, folder 7-26
A - Z Correspondence In and General 447181
box 2, folder 27-45
A - W Correspondence Out 447179
box 2, folder 46
Resignations from Exactus 447177
box 2, folder 47
Harry C. Peterson correspondence out, 447175
1915-1917, n.d.
box 2, folder 48
H. C. Peterson correspondence in, 447173
1915-1917, n.d.
box 2, folder 49
H. C. Peterson - Typescript of article on Leland Stanford, Sr. for San Francisco Chronicle 447171
box 2, folder 50
Thomas K. Peters - correspondence and agreements, etc. 447169
box 2, folder 51
T. K. Peters' inventions - descriptions for patents, promotional brochure 447167
box 2, folder 52
Carlos P. Griffin, patent attorney - correspondence, bills, etc. 447165
box 2, folder 53
Archie Rice - correspondence & notes on films, filming, etc., 447163
1915 and n.d.
box 2, folder 54
Archie Rice - expenses for Exactus & suit 447161
box 2, folder 55
Garden City Investment Co. & George T. Lemon - correspondence, agreements, and minutes 447159
box 2, folder 56
Belmont School film - correspondence & scenario 447157
box 2, folder 57
Guy C. Miller correspondence 447155
box 3, folder 58
Charters and stock certificates 447153
box 3, folder 59
Promotional material - Exactus, background & promotion - T. K. Peters 447151
box 3, folder 60
Cosmos Film Co. - general correspondence & promottional 447149
box 3, folder 61
Contracts, applications, leases, agreements, insurance, etc. 447147
box 3, folder 62
California Corporation Dept. correspondence, permits, reports, receipts, etc. 447145
box 3, folder 63
Inventories, Exactus equipment, etc. 447143
box 3, folder 64
Lists of stockholders and creditors, stock sales, etc. 447141
box 3, folder 66
Film lists - Exactus and others 447137
box 3, folder 67
Correspondence re: bids on prospective work 447135
box 3, folder 68
U.S. State Dept. & Consular Service Reports on Film Industry and Demand 447133
box 3, folder 69
Scenarios, etc. - general 447131
box 3, folder 70
Scenarios, etc. - school and library reels 447129
box 3, folder 71
Library film correspondence 447127
box 3, folder 72
California State Library correspondence re: library film 447125
box 3, folder 73
Settlement bills, receipts and statements (I); and Creditors' suit assignments, etc. (II) 447123
box 3, folder 74
Accounts, bills, receipted bills, receipts, etc. 447121
box 3, folder 75
Tax statements, receipts, and information 447119
Box 4, folder 76
Bank book, bank statements, cancelled checks, script receipts, drafts 447117
Box 4, folder 77
Miscellaneous printed matter 447115
Scope and Contents
Clippings, business card, Capital Stock form, printed envelope
Box 4, folder 78
Typed notes about company by T.K. Peters 447113
Box 4, folder 79
Photographs 447111
Separated Materials
Scope and Contents
Photos formerly enclosed in Charles B. Carleton letter Feb. 16, 1916 [man with horse, Palo Alto photographer stamp on reverse]
Portrait of Hada Petersen formerly enclosed in letter to Mr. A.R. Gowan April 16, 1916
Still labeled "Nathan Hale (Nat C. Goodwin) Photo Fox Co."
Still labeled "East Lynne"
Photos of sets and labs (one photo of actors on set labeled "Exactus Studio, Palo Alto," another labeled "Our Plant 1121 Bryant
St. Palo Alto)
Stills from Chinatown (?) film etc. one labeled "Enlarged Pictures from Films"
T.K. Peters photographing parade on D Street, San Diego
San Diego de Alcala, T.K. Peters, D. Daniel Assistant
Photos of cameras & equipment, including prints pasted in catalog for Peter's Cameras
