William Nicholas Selig (14 March 1864 – 15 July 1948) was an early American cinema pioneer. He founded the Selig Polyscope Company that made the first films of the Oz books of L. Frank Baum. A Chicago native, the young Selig obtained apprentice training as an upholsterer before choosing a career in show business. He began as a stage magician. By 1890 he was the manager of a minstrel show: "Selig and Johnson's Colored Minstrels" consisted of a dozen performers who traveled the state of California by wagon. As a magician, Selig called himself "Professor" Selig; later he awarded himself the honorary title of "Colonel," which had no basis in fact.