Ever heard of the phrase “I did not invent cinema but I industrialized it”? These are the words of Charles Pathé. We are standing before a plaque that commemorates this pioneer. The Charles Pathé Plaque marks a place linked to his legacy.
Charles Pathé was born in 1863. He significantly contributed to the development of entertainment at the beginning of the 20th century. Pathé created a business dedicated to cinematography and phonography. His parents were grocers. They established themselves in Vincennes shortly after his birth. Their business helped them build up property in the city. This property would later be used to set up film factories.
Charles experienced a difficult childhood. He recounts this in his biography “Souvenirs et Conseils d’un parvenu”. He held several jobs and spent years in Argentina. At 31, he found his path. He opened a phonograph business in late 1894 on Avenue de Vincennes in Paris. It was under the business name Charles Pathé et Cie.
With Henri Joly, he became interested in projecting moving images. Later, he founded Pathé Frères with his brother Emile on September 28, 1896. Charles and Emile were the two directors of the young company. Charles took particular charge of the film branch. They retained this title. In December 1897, Pathé Frères was absorbed by a public company. It provided the necessary capital. From that date, they were supported by a board of directors. They only joined it in 1911. In its early years, Pathé became a prosperous industry. It became a famous brand whose influence spread worldwide.
Demand from foreign markets particularly the United States made the company successful. Between 1904 and 1908, the capital doubled. Turnover increased sixfold. Profits increased eightfold. Branches opened from 1904. They became companies with studios and laboratories in the 1910s. Emerging from the second industrial revolution, Pathé transformed cinema into entertainment. This included shooting fiction films. It also included developing the number of film genres. Copying and manufacturing film and equipment also played a role. Pathé replaced film sales with rentals.
Charles Pathé surrounded himself with close collaborators. These were engineers from prestigious schools. He also employed a large group of cameramen. The factories in Vincennes and Joinville-le-Pont had over 3,000 workers. The majority were women. They were active in editing and coloring. Economic crises impacted his company in 1908 and 1913. Charles Pathé overcame them by initiating major reorientations. The first was setting up film manufacturing in 1909. He then focused business on the American market during World War I.
Inflation followed the end of the war. The loss of French supremacy in the global market led Pathé to seek capital. This was to ensure film production and distribution. He did this through the Pathé Consortium Cinema company. The parent company also separated from the phonograph division.
During this period, Charles Pathé was recognized as the founder of Pathé. His contract was renewed for 10 years. Now with “full powers,” he was aided by a board. He appointed the majority of its members. He led Pathé-Cinema towards manufacturing and selling film. This was for cinema, photography, and radiography. He developed the Pathé-Baby format for amateurs in 1921. He also developed the Pathé-Rural format for traveling exhibitors. His successor Bernard Natan fully launched the latter on the market. Charles Pathé sold Pathé-Cinema to Natan in March 1929 at the end of his contract.
So, as you pass by this Charles Pathé Plaque, remember the man. Remember the visionary who industrialized cinema and brought entertainment to the masses.