RANDOM THOUGHTS
Journal ICONIX
James Watson (1863-1925)
Born in England, James immigrated to the US in 1885 as a Salvation Army minister and made his way to Los Angels in 1901. Having acquired a US government photography manual published during the Civil War, James became the first of the ten Watson photographers.
As a hobbyist he photographed Buffalo Bill in Los Angeles in 1903, Beach goers at Santa Monica and four masted ships in San Pedro Harbor on 5X7 glass plate negatives. In 1910 he photographed the bombing of the Los Angeles Times building.
James’ passion for photography would lead 3 more generations of Watsons into life long careers as professional news and commercial photographers into the 21st century.
Three of James’ sons lived and worked in Hollywood. William H. Watson started as a film editor for Christies and worked as a director on action scenes in motion pictures through out his career in Hollywood. George Watson was a news still photographer covering the Hollywood scene as part of his daily assignments as photographer and manager of ACME News Pictures – L.A. division. Coy Watson Sr. worked just about every job available in the early rough and tumble days of the silent movie business.