Samikannu Vincent

Samikannu Vincent had a fleet of cars that included a Studebaker, a Ford, a Chevrolet and an Austin.

Coimbatore connection with cinema

Anyone remembers samikannu Vincent.

Ø  Samikannu Vincent ,a pioneer of motion picture industry in South India.

Ø  Samikannu Vincent born on 18^Th April 1883 in Kottaimedu ,cbe.

Ø  He was a South Indian Railways employee who earned just Rs.25 a month.

Ø  DU PONT –a Frenchman fell into ill and had to return to Europe, Vincent raised Rs.2250 with great difficulty to bought the touring cinema set from DU PONT.

Ø  Resigning from his job ,he set up business

Ø  In 1905 he start as a film exhibitor .

Ø  Those were the days of silent movies, A person with a microphone explained the sequences that unfolded on the screen and people sat on sand floors and watched in awe,chairs were put up only for important people

Ø  He opened the first theatre in Coimbatore name as Variety Hall  talkies in 1914.

Ø  He partnered with Central Studios and produced “Valli Thirumanam” , a roaring success and first money spinner of Tamil cinema.

Ø  He bought electricity to the city in 1922 and lighted up V.H Road.

Ø  He started 12 theatres in and around city .

Ø  V.H Talkies screened a number of Hindi movies Edison and carnatic screened Tamil movies .

Ø  He died in 22 april 1942 .

Ø  It is regretful that there is no fitting memorial  for him in coimbatore .undoubtedly samikannu vincents is founding father of cinema in South India.