The first movie shot overseas by a United States cinema company was Karem Studio's November 1910 "The Lad From Old Ireland." Director/actor Sidney Olcott took a small crew to film in Ireland that fall. Olcott starred as a Irish young man who dreams of immigrating to America. After arriving in his new country and working a manual job, Terry O'Connor fast forwards 10 years where he is seen as a successful politician. Unfortunately, his old girlfriend, actress Gene Gauntier, pines for Terry back in Ireland.
As for the Karem Studio production, Olcott and crew filmed another movie "The Irish Honeymoon." The exteriors and boat scenes were shot in Ireland, while the interiors were filmed back in Ft. Lee, N.J. after the crew returned home. Both movies were huge hits, especially with Irish immigrants, who flocked to the Nickelodeons in large numbers. Because of the United Kingdom flavor, the number of prints Karen sold of "The Lad" in England was 160, breaking all records for the amount of copies a film sold for in London.
The owners of the studio saw a good financial thing when their cash registers began ringing from the Irish adventures. They sent Olcott and an even larger film crew all over Europe the next year to make 18 international movies.