Produced in 1970 by Spectra Pictures Corp., “The Man Called Edison” chronicles inventor Thomas Edison’s involvement in the motion picture industry. It showcases many early Edison films from the Library of Congress’ paper prints collection. Although some of the facts in the film would likely be disputed by modern historians, the majority of the story presented in the film is accurate.

One of photographer Eadweard Muybridge’s images opens the film (1:10); he experimented with motion pictures in 1888. A young Thomas Edison (1:18); the pair discussed the development of a machine to enable the movement of pictures. Edison was working on the cylinder phonograph (1:26). After this invention became commercially successful, he turned to motion pictures. One of Edison’s employees whom had much to do with the upcoming innovations was William Kennedy Dickson (1:36). Working in Edison’s West Orange New Jersey Laboratory (1:40). An invention created here which used sheets of celluloid film around a cylinder follows (1:50). Image and sound in these films were of poor quality (1:58). A horizontal feed camera from 1891 (2:21). One of the earliest films produced: a man swinging paddles (2:31). The penny arcade was the entertainment center prior to the turn of the century (2:57). A new installation was Edison’s Kinetoscope (3:02). Two dogs fighting (3:07). William Hays (3:14), President of the Motion Picture Association of America. Mrs. Edison is pictured next to him (3:18). The inside of the Kinetoscope (3:24) as well as the eye piece for viewing the films (3:27). Pie eating contest filmed in 1897 (3:43). Mrs. Edison’s guests on May 20th, 1891 were to be the first to view the films from the Kinetoscope (3:59). The man they viewed was William Dickson (4:11). The first known film to be submitted for copyright happened on October 6th, 1893 (4:52). The second was to be on January 9th, 1894 of Edison’s employee Fred Ott, sneezing (5:00). Chicago’s World Fair in 1893 (5:14) featured the world-famous belly dancer Fatima (5:17). Kinetoscope was on display (5:26). One film presented was a reproduction of the fountains of Versailles (5:32). ‘The Kiss’; an 1896 film featuring May Irwin and John Rice (5:40). The first public showing of the Kinetoscope motion pictures for a fee took place at Holland Brothers Kinetoscope parlor in New York City (5:45). It depicted Eugen Sandow flexing (6:01). A boxing match between James Corbett and Peter Courtney in 1894 follows (6:09). Footage of the Philadelphia Express (6:30), Black Diamond Express (6:44), and of the New York elevated railway are shown (6:55). The Southern Pacific Overland Mail rail car was copyrighted in 1897 (8:04). A market scene in Mexico (8:43) and street scene in Honolulu (8:47) follow. A regiment is seen marching in Hong Kong (9:20). During footage of a Pueblo Indian dance circle, the copyright flashes on the screen (9:30). Most of the early works were done by William Dickson (9:49). A baseball game is filmed from 1898 (10:20) as well as a backyard game at Edison’s residence (10:22). An Admiral Cigarette commercial follows from 1897 (10:53). Edison’s first studio was completed in 1893 (11:35). This was the ‘Black Maria’ and the interior of the studio is presented (11:59). Some films created here were of the sharp shooter Annie Oakley (12:12) and Ella Lola in 1898 (12:15). Early experiments with sound recordings and film shows Dickson playing a violin while two other employees dance (12:39). Synchronization was difficult (13:19). A U.S. Coast Guard rescue and resuscitation instructional film (13:47) follows. The wreckage of the battleship USS Maine was filmed in 1898 (14:16). Army recruit being tossed in a blanket (14:27). Search for bodies after the Galveston hurricane in 1900 (15:08). Comedy films are shown as well as comedies. A panoramic shot of the Buffalo Exposition by Edwin Porter (20:33) include the first night recordings of incandescent lights. Edison purchased the patent for a projector invented by Charles Jenkins and Thomas Armat (21:02). He called it the Vitascope (21:09). Thomas Armat speaks (21:22). The premiere in NYC on April 23rd, 1896 (24:18). German Kaiser Wilhelm and his troops (24:31). The U.S. flag is shown which closed out the films (25:02). Movies began satirizing themselves and the comedy ‘Uncle Josh at the Picture Show’ from 1902 follows (25:15). Edison’s studio is seen which was active until 1917 (26:33). Produced by Dennis R Atkinson (27:06). The End.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com