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The Lincoln Highway National Museum & Archives 102 Old Lincoln Way West Galion, Ohio 44833 (419) 462-2212 Voice
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1915--The Lincoln Highway Goes Hollywood--1915
Anita King - "Koast to Koast" in a Kissel Kar
On Wendesday August 25, 1915 Miss Anita King,
The Los Angeles Times put it like this, "There will be nobody with her
That same day, Henry C. Osterman and the Lincoln Highway Film Crew
Starting at 6 p.m. in front of the Lasky Studios, Miss King,
The Car was promptly placed on display at the KisselKar exhibit
While on display, her trip attracted so much attention that officials
This too was a first.
On Tuesday night Miss King drove the KisselKar on stage at the Imperial Theatre
Afterward, she was forced to tell the audience the "why" of this most unusual journey.
Seems she overheard her boss, motion picture magnate, Jesse Lasky tell a group of
Miss King an expert driver, immediately challenged the statement, one word brought
The next morning, she was met at the foot of Broadway in Oakland
Her itinerary included San Francisco, Sacramento, Truckee, Reno,
While enroute she stopped at 100 Paramount Theatres
Four days out, the "Queen of the Screen" was driving in masterly style and averaging
Then she hit Nevada...
The New York Times quotes Miss King in their September 19th edition.
"Leaving Reno on what is known as the Lovelock Road,
I got the car out, drove fifty feet, and was stuck again.
About midnight a mad coyote attacked me, and after a terrible struggle
The prospectors took me eighteen miles to a station house and gave me food.
Then I continued on my journey.
The roads were terrible, so hot and dusty, that it took me nine hours
When she finally arrived in New York City some 49 days later,
A large delegation met her at the 129th street ferry
Following the ceremony the party adjourned to the Knickerbocker Hotel,
Among those present were W. W. Hodkinson, president of the Paramount
Soon thereafter production started on a movie version of her trip
In one scene, she was called on to drive a speeding car off a burning bridge
Apparently she was unsuccesful because she did the stunt and ended up in
A photo of the stunt can be seen in the April 2, 1916 San Francisco Chronicle
The Film opened in Los Angeles on April 17, 1916 and ran for a week.
The critics were not kind although, Variety did say, "The Photography
On May 4, 1916 the film opened in San Francisco at the Imperial Theatre
Miss King then pretended to drive along with a moving background
Apparently in the short time following her trip, Miss King switched
She did however keep her affiliation with Firestone Tire and did a
Miss King retired from active filmmaking in 1919 having made 19 films.
She died of a heart attack June 10, 1963
a former race car driver and now "Movie Star" set out from Los Angeles
to be the first woman to cross the Continent alone.
at any time on the trip. She will have no mechanician, no chauffeur,
no maid. Her only companions will be a rifle and a six shooter."
completed a 4 month Journey across the United States and arrived at
the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) in San Francisco to
cheering crowds and a Special Lincoln Highway Day Celebration.
officially known as the "Paramount Girl" began the first leg
of the Journey in a record breaking 17 hour drive to San Francisco
and the PPIE.
in the Palace of Transportation while Miss King rested for a few days.
at the PPIE decided to post daily bulletins and track her progress by placing
small flags on the huge 365 foot long 3-D Lincoln Highway Map
in the Palace of Transportation.
in San Francisco and before a motion picture crew received a message
from Mayor Rolph Jr. for New York Mayor John Mitchel.
film celebrities that it would be at least ten years befor the Lincoln Highway
would be in such shape that a lady could make the drive without difficulty.
another with Lasky proposing to pay for such a trip and promising a high powered
KisselKarr as prize if she was successful.
by more than 2 dozen enthusiastic KisselKar owners and escorted out of town
to begin her unprecidented journey to New York City via the Lincoln Highway.
Fallon, Austin, Ely, Fish Springs, Salt Lake City, Green River,
Rawlins, Laramie, Kimball, North Platte, Grand Island, Omaha,
Boone, Cedar Rapids, Dixon, Chicago, Valparaiso, South Bend,
Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Delphos, Lima, Dayton, Springfield, London,
Columbus, Zanesville, Wheeling, Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Bedford,
Chambersburg, Hanover, York, Columbia, Lancaster, Coatesville,
Westchester, Philadelphia, Camden, Trenton, Princeton,
New Brunswick, Elizabeth, and New York.
and spoke on the art filmmaking.
more than 100 miles a day.
which is impassable in wet weather, ten miles from Lincoln Highway,
I got stuck in the mud. There had been a big cloudburst,
but I did not know it, and I worked from 9 o'clock in the morning
until 8 o'clock that night shoveling mud.
It was impossible for me to go on, and I had no food with me
as I expected to make Fallon in four hours.
I was exhausted so I got blankets out to lie down.
I finally killed him, and knew nothing more until I was picked up by prospectors,
who heard the shots of my gun. This was 3:30 A.M.,
so I must have fought with the coyote for three hours.
When I fully recovered I went back and got my car
and followed the prospectors to Lovelock.
to drive 80 and a half miles to Winnemucca."
She had accomplished the unthinkable.
and escourted her to City Hall to deliver the Mayoral dispatchs.
where a luncheon was served. Miss King received a large silver cup
from the Kissel Kar Company to commemorate her trip.
Pictures Corporation; Samuel B. Goldfish (later known as Samuel Goldwin),
treasurer of the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, and Russell L. Engs,
local agent of the Kissel Kar.
entitled, "The Race" starring...Anita King and Victor Moore.
at 65 miles per hour. Her sister in New York got wind of it and filed
for an injuction to prevent the stunt.
the hospital for several days with bumps and bruises.
and the September 1916 issue of Sunset Magazine. (See Press Coverage, Below)
is excellent." Footage from her Transcontinental Trip was used in parts,
so this might be the only surviving film of the three known early film trips.
for three days with Miss King again appearing live on stage
in a King Automobile at the evening and matinee performances.
and tell stories of her unprecidented trip the year before.
sponsorship from the KisselKar to the King car for obvious reasons.
special Transcontinental Promotional Tour from Los Angeles
to Washington DC in 1918 as part of a Liberty Loan Drive.
In 1926 Miss King returned from a trip to Hawaii and said,
"Now with my mother, four children, the cat, and the parrot
I often make the same trip in twelve days."
Adding with a laugh,
"Nobody thinks anything about it."
at the age of 74 in Hollywood, California.
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1915--Anita King - Sets New Woman's Record--1915 Los Angeles to San Francisco 486 Miles - 17 Hours and 55 Minutes |
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| DAY | WEEK | DATE | CITY | STATE | 0 | Wedensday | Aug 25, 1915 | Los Angeles | CA | 1 | Thursday | Aug 26, 1915 | San Francisco | CA |
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Press Coverage |
| DAY | DATE | PAPER | HEAD LINE | PAGE | COL | SIZE | PHOTO | VIEW | Sun-3 | Aug 22 | Los Angeles Times | Anita King to Drive Across Continent Alone | VI, 7 | 2-3 | 20" | 1 | Click | Sun-3 | Aug 22 | Oakland Tribune | Will Attempt Drive to New York Alone | 39 | 1-4 | 10" | 1 | Click | Sun-3 | Aug 22 | San Francisco Chronicle | Movie Actress to Drive Across U.S. [Alone] | 44 | 5-6 | 10" | 1 | Click | Wed*0 | Aug 25 | San Francisco Call & Post | Actress to Motor 3000 Miles Alone | 5 | 2 | 5" | No | Click | Thur*1 | Aug 26 | Los Angeles Times | Just before the Start | III, 2 | 2-3 | 7" | 1 | Click | Sun+3 | Aug 29 | Oakland Tribune | Movie Star Breaks Road Mark | 39 | 1 | 10" | *** | Click |
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1915--Anita King - First Unaccompanied Person Across the Continent--1915 San Francisco to New York City *** Miles - 49 Days |
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| DAY | WEEK | DATE | CITY | STATE | 0 | Wedensday | September 1, 1922 | San Francisco | CA | 1 | Thursday | September 2, 1915 | Sacramento | CA | 2 | Friday | September 3, 1915 | Truckee | CA | 3 | Saturday | September 4, 1915 | Reno | NV | 4 | Sunday | September 5, 1915 | Station House | NV | 6 | Monday | September 6, 1915 | *** | *** | 7 | Tuesday | September 7, 1915 | *** | *** | 8 | Wedensday | September 8, 1915 | *** | *** | 9 | Thursday | September 9, 1915 | Salt Lake City | UT | 10 | Friday | September 10, 1915 | *** | *** | 11 | Saturday | September 11, 1915 | *** | *** | 12 | Sunday | September 12, 1915 | *** | *** | 13 | Monday | September 13, 1915 | *** | *** | 14 | Tuesday | September 14, 1915 | *** | *** | 15 | Wedensday | September 2, 1915 | *** | *** | 16 | Thursday | September 16, 1915 | *** | *** | 17 | Friday | September 17, 1915 | *** | *** | 18 | Saturday | September 18, 1915 | *** | *** | 19 | Sunday | September 19, 1915 | *** | *** | 20 | Monday | September 20, 1915 | *** | *** | 21 | Tuesday | September 21, 1915 | *** | *** | 22 | Wedensday | September 22, 1915 | *** | *** | 23 | Thursday | September 23, 1915 | *** | *** | 24 | Friday | September 24, 1915 | *** | *** | 25 | Saturday | September 25, 1915 | *** | *** | 26 | Sunday | September 26, 1915 | *** | *** | 27 | Monday | September 27, 1915 | *** | *** | 28 | Tuesday | September 28, 1915 | *** | *** | 29 | Wedensday | September 29, 1915 | *** | *** | 30 | Thursday | September 30, 1915 | *** | *** | 31 | Friday | October 1, 1915 | *** | *** | 32 | Saturday | October 2, 1915 | *** | *** | 33 | Sunday | October 3, 1915 | *** | *** | 34 | Monday | October 4, 1915 | *** | *** | 35 | Tuesday | October 5, 1915 | *** | *** | 36 | Wedensday | October 6, 1915 | *** | *** | 37 | Thursday | October 7, 1915 | *** | *** | 38 | Friday | October 8, 1915 | *** | *** | 39 | Saturday | October 9, 1915 | *** | *** | 40 | Sunday | October 10, 1915 | *** | *** | 41 | Monday | October 11, 1915 | *** | *** | 42 | Tuesday | October 12, 1915 | *** | *** | 43 | Wedensday | October 13, 1915 | *** | *** | 44 | Thursday | October 14, 1915 | *** | *** | 45 | Friday | October 15, 1915 | *** | *** | 46 | Saturday | October 16, 1915 | *** | *** | 47 | Sunday | October 17, 1915 | *** | *** | 48 | Monday | October 18, 1915 | *** | *** | 49 | Tuesday | October 19, 1915 | New York City | NY |
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Press Coverage |
| DAY | DATE | PAPER | HEAD LINE | PAGE | COL | SIZE | PHOTO | VIEW | Sun-3 | Aug 29 | San Francisco Chronicle | Movie Actress to Drive Across U.S. | A-2 | 2-3,7 | 10" | 1 | Click | Sun-3 | Aug 29 | San Francisco Examiner | Girl Driver out for New Record | 32 | 5 | 8" | No | Click | Wed*1 | Sept 1 | The New York Dramatic Mirror | Lone Girl to Cross Continent | 29 | 2 | 4" | No | Click | Wed*1 | Sept 1 | San Francisco Call & Post | Anita King Movie Actress... | 6 | 4 | 4" | 1 | Click | Wed*1 | Sept 1 | San Francisco Examiner | Woman Will Drive Across U.S. | 11 | 1 | 8" | No | Click | Thurs*2 | Sept 2 | Oakland Tribune | Anita King Starts Highway Trip... | 11 | 5 | 20" | 1 | Click | Sun*5 | Sept 5 | Oakland Tribune | Anita King, Due at Ely, Nevada, Today | 34 | 1 | 10" | No | Click | Sun*5 | Sept 5 | San Francisco Chronicle | Movie Star on Way Across U.S. | 44 | 6-7 | 6" | No | Click | Sun*5 | Sept 5 | San Francisco Examiner | Miss Anita King at Wheel of KisselKar | 29 | 2-3 | 12" | 1 | Click | Sun*5 | Sept 5 | Los Angeles Times | Anita King's Trip Recorded | VI, 2 | 1-2 | 10" | 2 | Click | Sun*12 | Sept 12 | Oakland Tribune | Woman Motorist Lost on Nevada Deserts | 38 | 8 | 6" | No | Click | Sun*12 | Sept 12 | San Francisco Chronicle | Mark Lincoln Highway is Autoist Plea | 43 | 2 | 6" | No | Click | Sun*12 | Sept 12 | San Francisco Examiner | Guides Needed on Lincoln Way | 33 | 4 | 7" | No | Click | Sun*19 | Sept 19 | Oakland Tribune | Challenge Lady Driver to Race | 36 | 1 | 6" | No | Click | Sun*19 | Sept 19 | Oakland Tribune | Anita King Near End of Hard Trip | 38 | 1 | 6" | No | Click | Sun*19 | Sept 19 | New York Times | Written on the Screen-Anita King | VI, 6 | 3 | 4" | No | Click | Wed+1 | Oct 20 | San Francisco Examiner | Movie Actress Motors From L.A. to N.Y. | 7 | 5 | 3" | No | Click | Sun+6 | Oct 24 | San Francisco Chronicle | Movie Star Ends Trip to Atlantic | 43 | 2 | 8" | No | Click | Sat+12 | Oct 30 | New York Dramatc Mirror | Anita King Arrives | 25 | 2 | 3" | No | Click |
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Magazine Articles |
| # | DATE | PUBLICATION | TITLE | AUTHOR | PAGES | SIZE | PHOTO | VIEW | RG | 1 | Sept 15 | The Horseless Age | Miss Anita King-Paramount Girl | Cut Line | 282 | 4" | 1 | Click | No+ | 2 | Nov 1 | The Horseless Age | Miss Anita King-Arrives New York | Cut Line | 430 | 8" | 2 | Click | No+ |
| Premiere Superba Theatre |
1916--"The Race"--1916 Paramount Pictures Starring-Anita King & Victor Moore |
Los Angeles April 17th |
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Film Reviews |
| DAY | DATE | PAPER | HEAD LINE | PAGE | COL | SIZE | PHOTO | VIEW | Fri | April 7 | Variety | The Race | 23 | 1 | 6" | No | Click | Thurs | April 13 | Wid's Film Daily | *** | 506 | *** | *** | *** | Click | Sat | April 15 | New York Dramatic Mirror | The Race | 30 | 4 | 7" | No | Click | Sat | April 22 | Motography | The Race | 939 | 1-2 | 7" | 1 | Click | Sat | April 22 | Motion Picture News | *** | 2368 | *** | *** | *** | Click | Sat | April 22 | Moving Picture World | The Race | 639 | 2 | 3" | 1 | Click | Sat | April 22 | Moving Picture World | The Race | 696 | 1,3 | 3" | No | Click |
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Press Coverage |
| DAY | DATE | PAPER | HEAD LINE | PAGE | COL | SIZE | PHOTO | VIEW | Sun | March 26 | New York Times | Written on the Screen-Anita King | II,10 | 1 | 4" | No | Click | Sun | April 2 | San Francisco Chronicle | Auto is Sent Across Burning Bridge... | 35 | 2-5 | 4" | 1 | Click | *** | April 8 | New York Dramatic Mirror | Features on the Market | 34 | 3-4 | 1" | No | Click | Mon | April 10 | New York Times | The Race | 11 | 3 | 1" | No | Click | Sat | April 22 | Moving Picture World | Paramount-The Race | 373,375 | FP | FP | Ad | Click | Sat | April 15 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | II, 3 | 7-8 | 3" | Ad | Click | Sun | April 16 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | III, 3 | 7-8 | 20" | Ad | Click | Sun | April 16 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | II, 19 | 5 | 2" | No | Click | Mon | April 17 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | III, 4 | 7-8 | 3" | Ad | Click | Tues | April 18 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | II, 6 | 1-2 | 3" | Ad | Click | Wed | April 19 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | II, 6 | 7-8 | 3" | Ad | Click | Thurs | April 20 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | II, 6 | 1-2 | 3" | Ad | Click | Fri | April 21 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | II, 6 | 7-8 | 3" | Ad | Click | Sat | April 22 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | II, 6 | 7-8 | 3" | Ad | Click | Sun | April 23 | Los Angeles Times | Superba Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | III, 3 | 7-8 | 8" | Ad | Click | Sun | April 30 | San Francisco Chronicle | Girl Film Star, Auto Pilot,to Appear Here | 54 | 2 | 5" | 1 | Click | Wed | May 3 | San Francisco Chronicle | Imperial Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | 3 | 7 | 3" | Ad | Click | Wed | May 3 | San Francisco Chronicle | King Auto-See Anita King | 7 | 7-8 | 8" | Ad | Click | Wed | May 3 | San Francisco Examiner | Imperial Theatre-Anita King, "The Race" | 5 | 7 | 3" | Ad | Click | Thurs | May 4 | San Francisco Call & Post | Miss Anita King Warns of Eastern Ads... | 7 | 4 | 12" | 1 | Click | Thurs | May 4 | San Francisco Call & Post | Film Queen, 'Mother' of 'Movie' Girls... | 7 | 3-4 | CL | 1 | Click | Thurs | May 4 | San Francisco Chronicle | Anita King Will Tell of Auto Trip | 5 | 2-3 | 20" | 1 | Click | Fri | May 5 | San Francisco Chronicle | King Auto-See Anita King | 2 | 6 | 6" | Ad | Click | Fri | May 5 | San Francisco Chronicle | Firestone-Anita King Won "The Race" | 2 | 7-8 | 20" | Ad | Click | Sat | May 6 | San Francisco Call & Post | King Eight is Making Big Hit | 7 | 8 | 4" | No | Click | Sat | May 6 | San Francisco Call & Post | A King for a Queen | 7 | 6-7 | CL | 1 | Click | Sat | May 6 | San Francisco Call & Post | Inter-City Run in High Gear.. | 8 | 1 | 5" | No | Click | Sat | May 6 | San Francisco Call & Post | Reliance-Los Angeles to San Francisco... | 8 | 3-4 | 16" | Ad | Click | Sat | May 6 | San Francisco Call & Post | Firestone-Anita King Won "The Race" | 8 | 5-6 | 20" | Ad | Click | Sun | May 7 | San Francisco Chronicle | King High Gear Test Proves... | 63 | 2-6 | 20" | 2 | Click | *** | July 8 | New York Dramatic Mirror | Paramount-Famous Players-Lasky | 27 | FP | FP | Ad | Click | *** | Aug 26 | New York Dramatic Mirror | King Complexion Cream | 23 | 2 | 2" | No | Click | *** | Sept | Sunset Magazine | A Little Mother of the Movies | 30 | *** | 6-pgs | 3 | Click |
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1918--Fourth Liberty Loan Drive--1918 Los Angeles to Washington DC |
LIBERTY LOAN DRIVE |
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LIBERTY LOAN DRIVE |
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Press Coverage |
| DAY | DATE | PAPER | HEAD LINE | PAGE | COL | SIZE | PHOTO | VIEW | Sun | Oct 20, 18 | San Francisco Chronicle | Anita King on Tour East... | 44 | 2-3 | 6" | 1 | Click |
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Additional Coverage |
| DAY | DATE | PAPER | HEAD LINE | PAGE | COL | SIZE | PHOTO | VIEW | Tues | Aug 12, 26 | San Francisco Chronicle | Original "Paramont Girl" Back... | 4 | 2-3 | 6" | 1 | Click | Tues | June 11, 63 | Los Angeles Times | Early Day Film Star Anita King...Dies | II,1 | 6 | 6" | 1 | Click |
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Anita King-Web Links |
| NUMBER | TITLE | SITE | VIEW | 1 | "Speeding Sweethearts of the Silent Screen" | Welcome to Silent Movies | Click |
2 | Photo-Anita King at Princess Theatre-Ames, Iowa | Ames Public Library | Click |
3 | KisselKar Archives | Universtiy of Wisconsin | Click |
4 | Anita King-Filmography | Internet Movie Database | Click |
5 | Anita King-The Race | Internet Movie Database | Click |
6 | "God Save Anita King" | History Link-Seattle | Click |
7 | Anita King Movie Poster | Picturegoer Online | Click |
8 | 1916 Premium Photo - Anita King | Things-And-Other-Stuff | Click |
| Italic Type Denotes Advertiser Click on Hyperlink to View Image |
William M. Drew
for Pointing my Nose in the Right Direction.
Click Here
to Read His Article on Anita King and other
"Speeding Sweethearts of the Silent Screen"
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