▁Coast ▁movie ▁mak ers ▁began ▁to ▁spend ▁winter s ▁in ▁California ▁where ▁the ▁climate ▁allowed ▁them ▁to ▁continue ▁produ ctions ▁requiring ▁warm ▁weather . ▁So on , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁movie ▁companies ▁worked ▁there ▁year - round , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁D wan ▁began ▁working ▁part - time ▁in ▁Hollywood . ▁While ▁still ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁found ing ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁Coast ▁chapter ▁of ▁the ▁Mot ion ▁Picture ▁Direct ors ▁Association . ▁ ▁Career ▁D wan ▁operated ▁F lying ▁A ▁Studios ▁in ▁La ▁M esa , ▁California ▁from ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁to ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁F lying ▁A ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁motion ▁pictures ▁stud ios ▁in ▁California ▁history . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁a ▁pla que ▁was ▁un ve iled ▁on ▁the ▁Wol ff ▁building ▁at ▁Third ▁Avenue ▁and ▁La ▁M esa ▁Bou lev ard ▁comm emor ating ▁D wan ▁and ▁the ▁F lying ▁A ▁Studios ▁orig ins ▁in ▁La ▁M esa , ▁California . ▁ ▁After ▁making ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁western s ▁and ▁com ed ies , ▁D wan ▁directed ▁fellow ▁Canadian - American ▁Mary ▁Pick ford ▁in ▁several ▁very ▁successful ▁mov ies ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁her ▁husband , ▁Douglas ▁Fair b anks , ▁not ably ▁in ▁the ▁acc laimed ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁Robin ▁H ood . ▁D wan ▁directed ▁Gl oria ▁Sw anson ▁in ▁eight ▁feature ▁films