Thomas Edison likely never stepped foot in Southern California, though he undoubtedly influenced its greatest industry- the production of motion pictures.
When Mr. Edison invented the motion picture camera, the world was in awe. The world flocked to New Jersey to see if they could use this tool to make their own films. While Edison used the cameras in his own studio, he also wanted to make them available to others who could produce their own films, making New Jersey the center of film production. So why is the center of entertainment located all the way on the other side of the country in Hollywood?
While Southern California's nicer climate played a part in the industry's move out west, the biggest reason the major studios relocated to Hollywood was the crotchety Mr. Edison himself. While most companies would be happy to sell their product to customers, caring little what they did with it, Edison wanted to collect a royalty on top of the cost of the camera itself. Studios were expected to buy the cameras, then pay extra money to Edison based on how successful their pictures were. Studios chafed under these terms, since they had to pay Edison extra money for essentially doing nothing other than selling them the camera. How could the studios avoid these patent issues? By relocating as far from New Jersey as they could get- in Southern California. That the temperate climate provided better filming opportunities was the icing on the cake. While such a ruse wouldn't work these days, the divide between east and west was too immense for Edison to actively try to clamp down on things. He reluctantly just ignored the patent violations. Thus the entertainment industry would establish itself in Los Angeles.
