Classic Movies

A very brief film of a man playing the accordion -- IMDB

A shot of people walking on The Leeds Bridge -- IMDB

In the garden, a man asks his friends to do something silly for him to record on film -- IMDB Directed by Louis Le Prince Produced by Louis Le Prince Starring Annie Hartley Adolphe Le Prince Joseph Whitley Sarah Whitley Cinematography Louis Le Prince Edited by Louis Le Prince Release date 14 October 1888; 135 years ago Running time 1.66 seconds Country United Kingdom Language Silent

One of W.K.L. Dickson's laboratory workers horses around for the camera -- IMDB Directed by William K. L. Dickson William Heise Starring Fred Ott Giuseppe Sacco Albanese Release date 1889 or 1890 Running time 56 seconds (No. 1 and 2) Country United States Language Silent

A shot of Trafalgar Square -- IMDB Directed by Wordsworth Donisthorpe William Carr Crofts Release date 1890 Country United Kingdom Language Silent

An athlete swings Indian clubs -- IMDB Directed by William K.L. Dickson Produced by William K.L. Dickson Production company Edison's Black Maria Distributed by Edison Studios Release date 1891; 133 years ago Running time 12 seconds Country United States Language Silent

Two men wearing boxing gloves prepare to spar in the Edison Company studio -- IMDB Directed by William K. L. Dickson William Heise Produced by William K. L. Dickson William Heise Cinematography William K. L. Dickson William Heise Production company Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1891 Running time 5 seconds Country United States Language Silent

The very first American film shown to public audiences and the press. It depicts William K.L. Dickson taking off his hat and greeting the audience -- IMDB Directed by William K. L. Dickson Produced by William K. L. Dickson William Heise Starring William K. L. Dickson Cinematography William Heise[1] Release date 1891-05-20 Running time 3 seconds Country United States Language Silent

One night, Arlequin come to see his lover Colombine. But then Pierrot knocks at the door and Colombine and Arlequin hide. Pierrot starts singing but Arlequin scares him and the poor man goes away -- IMDB Directed by Charles-Émile Reynaud Written by Baden Ghanayem Music by Gaston Paulin Release date 28 October 1892 Running time originally 15 minutes approx, after restoration 4 minutes approx Country France Language Silent

Three men hammer on an anvil and pass a bottle of beer around -- IMDB Directed by William K.L. Dickson Starring Charles Kayser John Ott Cinematography William Heise Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date May 9, 1893 Running time 34 seconds Country United States Language Silent

A group of Sioux Indians from Buffalo Bill's Wild West exhibition demonstrates a dance called a "ghost dance" -- IMDB Directed by William Kennedy Dickson Produced by William Kennedy Dickson Starring members of Sioux nation Cinematography William Heise Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1894 Running time 21 seconds Country United States Languages Silent English intertitles

Strong-man Eugene (Eugen) Sandow poses in a long shot on a bare stage against a black background, wearing only tight trunks and laced sandals. He begins with his arms folded against his chest, looking off screen left, then strikes a variety of poses that accentuate his muscular development. These positions include flexing his right arm with the fist to his head and face to shoulder; turning his back to the camera and flexing his upper arms and shoulder muscles; and, with his back still to the camera, stretching out and up with one arm at a time. Sandow then turns back to face the camera and performs a standing back flip. He closes in the same pose with which he opened From Biograph photo catalog: 24 feet. Still another picture of the great athlete displaying his muscles, and turning a somersault without touching hands to the floor -- IMDB

Luis Martinetti, a contortionist suspended from acrobatic flying rings, contorts himself for about thirty seconds. This is one of the first films made for Edison's kinetoscopes -- IMDB Directed by William K.L. Dickson Starring Luis Martinetti Cinematography William Heise Production company Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1894 Running time 12.5 seconds Country United States

Produced by William K.L. Dickson Starring Mike Leonard Jack Cushing Cinematography William Heise Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date August 4, 1894 Running time 6 minutes Country United States Language Silent

Starring the Glenroy Brothers Production company Edison Studios Release date 1894

Directed by William K.L. Dickson Produced by William K.L. Dickson Starring Fred Ott Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date January 9, 1894 Running time approximately 5 seconds Country United States Language Silent

James J. Corbett and Peter Courtney meet in a boxing exhibition -- IMDB Produced by William K.L. Dickson Starring James J. Corbett Peter Courtney Cinematography William Heise Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company F.M. Prescott Release date November 17, 1894 Running time 6, 1 minute rounds Country United States Language Silent

Performing on what looks like a small wooden stage, wearing a dress with a hoop skirt and white high-heeled pumps, Carmencita does a dance with kicks and twirls, a smile always on her face -- IMDB Directed by William K.L. Dickson Produced by William K.L. Dickson Starring Carmencita Cinematography William Heise Release date 1894 Running time 0:21 at 30 frames per second Country United States Language Silent

Three Sioux Indians perform a 'buffalo dance', while two others use drums to supply a rhythm. The three dancers move around in a circle as they perform the various actions that are part of the dance -- IMDB Directed by Directed by William Kennedy Dickson Produced by William Kennedy Dickson Starring members of Sioux nation Cinematography William Heise Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1894 Running time 16 seconds Country United States Languages Silent English intertitles Produced by William Kennedy Dickson Starring members of Sioux nation Cinematography William Heise Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1894 Running time 16 seconds Country United States Languages Silent English intertitles

A fine exhibition of horsemanship by Lee Martin, a genuine cowboy. This particular broncho is an unusually wicked one. IMDB/Edison Films Directed by William Kennedy Dickson Produced by William Kennedy Dickson Starring Lee Martin, Frank Hammitt Cinematography William Heise Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1894 Running time 32 seconds Country United States Languages Silent English intertitles

A glove contest between trained cats. A very comical and amusing subject, and is sure to create a great laugh. -- IMDB/Edison Films Directed by William K.L. Dickson William Heise Starring Henry Welton and two of his cats Production company Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1894 Running time 20 seconds at 27 fps[1] Country United States Language Silent film

Customer gets a lightning-fast shave -- IMDB Directed by William K.L. Dickson and William Heise Production company Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1894 Running time 22 seconds

Annie Oakley, the 'Little Miss Sure Shot' of the 'Wild West' gives an exhibition of rifle shooting at glass balls and clay pigeons in a film from the Edison Catalog -- IMDB Directed by William Kennedy Dickson Produced by William Kennedy Dickson Starring Annie Oakley Frank E. Butler Cinematography William Heise Distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company Release date 1894 Running time 90 seconds Country United States Languages Silent English intertitles

Annabelle (Whitford) Moore performs one of her popular dances. For this performance, her costume has a pair of wings attached to her back, to suggest a butterfly. As she dances, she uses her long, flowing skirts to create visual patterns -- IMDB Directed by William Kennedy Dickson Produced by Edison Manufacturing Company Starring Annabelle Moore Distributed by Continental Commerce Company Release date 1894 Running time 40 seconds Country United States Language silent

A cat falls down and lands on its feet -- IMDB