Chesterfield Pictures

Batcheller serviced these smaller theaters with smaller movies: low-budget productions that cost theater owners much less than big-studio attractions, and could play first-run.

Given Chesterfield's budget constraints, Batcheller could not afford to pay the high salaries commanded by major-studio performers, and relied on less expensive "name" talent (former stars of the silent screen, or currently established featured players).

He also relied on a small staff of busy directors: Frank R. Strayer, Richard Thorpe, Phil Rosen, and Charles Lamont.

In 1941 his son, George R. Batcheller, Jr., became head of the PRC studio and used his father's Chesterfield strategy there.

This article about an American film distributor or production company is a stub.