Local History

In July 1916, Santa Barbara residents saw a big movie announcement in the local paper.

Apparently, when the "Flying A" decided to film outside their studio on Mission and Chapala streets, they did not have to ask permission or give any notice.

The “Flying A” released “The Dream Ship,” on June 16, 1914. This fantasy was inspired by a poem which says that in dreamland, a king and a pauper can change places

I was very happy to be able to match up a scene from the "Flying A" film called "Nancy's Husband" with a photo of the floating Japanese summer house at the old estate in Montecito called Riso Rivo.

Santa Barbara's "Flying A" studio was not the only company filming in our area.

The “Flying A” Studio put out a call for a dog to play an important role in a new film back in 1916. 

At the far west end of Goleta the Tecolote Canyon winds down from the uppermost reaches of the Santa Ynez mountains.

There were a number of female movie directors during the silent film period (before c.1930), but not many of them were directing movies in our area.

An edhat reader visited the Arlington Theatre and listed to the organ music.

Montecito was a stand-in for scenes in Europe in a silent movie about a wealthy young American man with plenty of time and money on his hands.

The “Flying A” silent movie "Soul Mates" was released on May 8, 1916. It takes place on the East Coast, but was filmed at the "Casa Buenaventura" – one of the million-dollar estates in Montecito.

Miramar Beach was the scene for “Wife Wanted,” a one-reel silent film released on April 28, 1915.

One of the most amazing (and dangerous) stunts performed by Santa Barbara's own silent film studio made the news in March and April of 1916.

One episode of "The Tiger's Trail" was filmed on Santa Cruz Island in 1919.

Tom has been driving past this little old building his whole life, so he finally decided it was time to get acquainted. 

In 1907 Maude Wagner, America's first female tattoo artist, was pictured in Santa Barbara.

The first episode of “The Woman in the Web” was released on April 8, 1918 with several episodes filmed on Santa Cruz Island.

After a 99-day lockout that postponed Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, America’s Game is back, but baseball has always been Santa Barbara’s Game.

Lois Weber directed an eight-reel movie, and some scenes were filmed at one of the million-dollar mansions in Montecito called “El Furedîs.”

Santa Barbara kids were happy to be in the "Flying A" movies, until an official from the State Labor Commission came here in October 1915 at the request of the Santa Barbara superintendent of schools.

The silent film “The Quest,” was released on March 22, 1915 with some scenes filmed on Santa Cruz Island and "Piranhurst," a million-dollar Montecito estate owned by the Bothin family.

The Fine Arts Film Company came here in 1915 to film scenes for their production of "Don Quixote."

The earliest commercial movie that was filmed in Montecito dates to 1911

The "Flying A" film studio made use of many places in our area for making their movies, and this film was at "Knapp's Castle."

Today in local history, the Ellwood Oil Field was fired on by a Japanese submarine on February 23, 1942 during World War II.

This silent film was released on February 22, 1925 and filmed at a million-dollar mansion in Montecito named “Beira Mar.”

Tom features some local folks that have gone above and beyond their normal call of duty to save historic Goleta properties.

A 1913 romantic drama was filmed at the first Bellosguardo, before it was rebuilt after the 1925 earthquake.

Back in Santa Barbara in 1916, moviegoers here watched an infomercial titled, "Death Valley Dodge and Its Mountain and Desert Travels."

This silent film was released on January 28, 1923. Some scenes were filmed in Montecito where the Bartlett Polo Club on Middle Road was a stand-in for the Bombay Polo Club.