King-Bee Films

King-Bee Films Corporation was a film production company in the U.S. that released two-reel short film comedies during the silent film era. The company's stars included Billy West, a Charlie Chaplin imitator. Louis Burstein was the company's president and general manager. He established it in 1917 after the breakup of Vim Comedy Company^[1] to produce comedies starring West. Oliver Hardy and Ethelyn Gibson also acted for the company. It operated a studio in Jacksonville, Florida,^[2] then Bayonne, New Jersey and finally at 1329 Gordon Street in Hollywood, California.^[2] Its offices were in New York.^[3]

"The Hero" (1917) poster

History

King-Bee had offices in New York and Hollywood, California.^[3] The company's production sites included Jacksonville, Florida.^[4] Arvid E. Gillstrom directed for King-Bee. Members of the company on their way to Hollywood were entertained in Chicago by members of the Standard Films Corporation.^[5]

King Bee's Billy West comedies were in such demand it wanted him to work on two at a time.^[6]

Filmography

• The Hero 1917 a Billy West comedies film^[7]
• The Villain 1917 a Billy West comedies film^[8]
• The Slave 1917 a Billy West comedies film^[9]
• The Pest 1917 a Billy West comedies film^[10]
• The Millionaire 1917 a Billy West comedies film^[11]
• Dough Nuts 1917 a Billy West comedies film^[12]
• The Candy Kid 1917 a Billy West comedies film^[13]
• Back Stage a Billy West comedies film^[14]
• The Pest (1917), extant^[15]
• The Orderly 1918 a Billy West comedies film^[16]
• The Stranger 1918 a Billy West comedies film^[17]
• The Messenger 1918 a Billy West comedies film^[18]
• His Day Out (1918), extant

• King-Bee Films posters
• 
• 
•