John R. Freuler


John Rudolph Freuler was an American businessman in the film industry who owned theaters, film exchanges, and film studios. He signed Charlie Chaplin to a lucrative contract at Mutual Film. Later in his career he owned Monarch Films studio. The Chicago History Museum has a collection of his papers.

Biography

Freuler was born in Monroe, Wisconsin and schooled in Milwaukee. His father had emigrated from Switzerland. Freuler studied at Spencerian Business College.
Early in his career he worked in the real estate business. He opened a theater in 1905 and after he sold it, he opened a film exchange. In 1910, Freuler formed a partnership with Chicago film distributor Samuel S. Hutchinson, establishing the American Film Manufacturing Company. In 1912 he helped organize the Mutual Film Corporation.
Freuler and Harry Aitken, who worked together on film projects, had both grown up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
He was photographed with Charlie Chaplin and his brother Sydney Chaplin signing the Mutual Film contract. In the 1930s he established Freuler Film Associates, a film production company that produced westerns starring Tom Tyler.
Freuler Associates set up a Monarch Melodramas division to release action films.

Personal life

He married Augusta J."Jessie" Golz and had two daughters. His brother-in-law, Otto E. Golz, was the
Milwaukee, Wisconsin branch manager of Mutual Film..

Filmography

Freuler Film Associates

Monarch Film Corporation melodramas