Vintage original 7 x 11 in. single-weight glossy publicity photograph from the teens WWI-themed documentary, HEROIC FRANCE, produced in 1917 by the Rothacker Film Manufacturing Co. Filmed by American cinematographer Merl la Voy with the French forces in 1916 on the battlefields of the Somme and Verdun and incorporated footage originally released by the Mutual Film Corporation in the United States in June 1917. The image depicts a candid exterior shot of the famous French boxer and aviator, Georges Carpentier, wearing a pilot's uniform as he stands next to a vintage biplane. It is in good- condition only with a chip on the top left and bottom right corners; creases and a tear in the top border; a 1.25 in. vertical tear on the bottom border; and some small scratches which are unobtrusive. Long considered lost, Merl la Voy's war film, Heroic France (USA, 1917), has been partially retrieved by authors Cooper C. Graham and Ron van Dopperen. La Voy is credited as the only civilian cinematographer from the United States who filmed on the battlefields of the Somme and Verdun with the French army. The authors located four reels of La Voy's war footage, including some fascinating aerial pictures taken above the frontline and scenes showing a German gas attack on the Western Front. T hese films were since re-edited and used by CBS for a TV documentary series on the First World War. Merl la Voy filmed with the French army in 1916. On his return to America his film was first shown in Chicago on March 19, 1917. Heroic France was sponsored by a group of pro-French business men from Chicago and exhibitions supported war charity organizations such as the American Red Cross and the American Relief Clearing House. This eight-reel movie was released nationwide in June 1917 by Mutual, shortly after the American intervention in the Great War. The footage that was found comes from reels 3, 4, 5 and 6 which has a total playtime of a little over 35 minutes. The inclusion of pictures showing the Serbian army, as well as the double "5 Series", showing both aerial scenes and footage from the French front on the same reel, is intriguing. La Voy, in 1917, went to Serbia for the Red Cross where he shot film at the front. These observations suggest that the four reels found with film from Heroic France had been re-edited by La Voy at a later date, perhaps for lectures. Georges Carpentier (January 12, 1894 – October 28, 1975) was a French boxer, actor and World War I pilot. He fought mainly as a light heavyweight and heavyweight in a career lasting from 1908 to 1926. Nicknamed the "Orchid Man", he stood 5 feet 11+1?2 inches (182 cm) and his fighting weight ranged from 147 to 175 pounds (67 to 79 kg). Carpentier was known for his speed, his excellent boxing skills, and his extremely hard punch. The Parisian Sports Arena Halle Georges Carpentier is named after him.