Pathé

Pathé or Pathé Frères (French pronunciation: ​[pate fʁɛʁ], styled as PATHÉ!) is the name of various Frenchbusinesses that were founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France starting in 1896. In the early 1900s, Pathé became the world's largest film equipment and production company, as well as a major producer of phonograph records. In 1908, Pathé invented the newsreel that was shown in cinemas prior to a feature film.[2]

Pathé is a major film production and distribution company, owning a number of cinema chains through its subsidiary Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé and television networks across Europe. It is the second oldest operating film company behind Gaumont Film Company which was established in 1895.

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The company was founded as Société Pathé Frères (Pathé Brothers Company) in Paris, France on28 September 1896, by the four brothers Charles, Émile, Théophile and Jacques Pathé.[3] During the first part of the 20th century, Pathé became the largest film equipment and production company in the world, as well as a major producer of phonograph records.

Headquarters of Associated British-Pathé at 142 Wardour Street in London.

The driving force behind the film operation and phonograph business was Charles Pathé, who had helped open a phonograph shop in 1894 and established a phonograph factory at Chatou on the western outskirts of Paris. The Pathé brothers began selling Edison and Columbia phonographs and accompanying cylinder records and later, the brothers designed and sold their own phonographs that incorporated elements of other brands.[4] Soon after, they also started marketing pre-recorded cylinder records. By 1896 the Pathé brothers