California State Military Department
The California State Military Museum
Preserving California's Military Heritage
California State Milita and National Guard Unit Histories
Lasky Home Guard
(51st Company, California Home Guard)
 
The Lasky Home Guard was formed in Hollywood which was made up of Famous Players-Lasky studio employees. Heading up this company was none other than Cecil B. De Mille, who was appointed their captain His brother, William, and movie idol Wallace Reid were also in the Lasky Guard. The company could often be seen marching down Hollywood Boulevard and spent their Sunday afternoons drilling with prop rifles and uniforms.
 
In 1918, the governor of California reviewed the Lasky Guard and Mary Pickford had the opportunity to present them with their colors, a silk flag with hand-embroidered stars that she had had made.
 
Beautiful Photographs from Lasky Home Guard Company
 
The following article was copied from the December 22, 1917 issue of California Home Guard News. If anyone has knowledge of these photographs, please contact us at webmaster@militarymuseum.org
Just as we are going to press a collection of very beautiful photographs was received from Home Guard Company No. 51, known as the Lasky Home Guard Company, Hollywood, California. We regret exceedingly that it is utterly impossible for us at this late date to produce at least one of these photographs in this Benefit Number of our paper. We will reserve them for one of the good things to be used in a future issue. From what the pictures show, they are certainly setting the pace for Home Guard movement in their part of the State, and there must be some very progressive members connected with this company.

Commanding Officer is Cecil B. deMille; First Lieutenant and drill master, Henry Woodward; Second Lieutenant, James Neill. From the rawest of untrained privates, Lieut. Woodward, assisted by his Second Lieutenant, James Neill, has raised the entire company to a point of efficiency, great and it is a fact that of the noteworthy larger number of men who have enlisted in the regular branches of the service of the Government at this time, all but two or three have won rank as non-commissioned officers. A number of the members of the Lasky Home Guard were formerly in the United States service.

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