The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at leased facilities in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

Metro Pictures was founded as a film distribution company in February 1915 by a number of "exchange men" (exchanges were distribution centers run by Hollywood studios that rented films to movie houses[2]) with Richard A. Rowland as president, George Grombacher as vice-president and Louis B. Mayer as secretary.

Mayer convinced Rowland to set up Metro to replace Alco to avoid being picked up by Paramount, Mutual Film, or Universal.

[10] Metro's biggest stars during the World War I period were the romantic teams of Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne and Harold Lockwood and May Allison.

Also in top echelons of importance were actresses Mae Murray and Viola Dana and from the stage Lionel and Ethel Barrymore, Emmy Wehlen and Emily Stevens.

Before merging into MGM in 1924, Metro's star roster had expanded to include Lillian Gish, Buster Keaton, Jackie Coogan, Marion Davies, Ramon Novarro, Wallace Beery and Lewis Stone.