The Films of Thomas Edison
Volume 9 (Containing 34 films)

Edison's laboratory was responsible for the invention of the Kinetograph (a motion picture camera) and the Kinetoscope (a peep-hole motion picture viewer). Most of this work was performed by Edison's assistant, William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, beginning in 1888. Motion pictures became a successful entertainment industry in less than a decade, with single-viewer Kinetoscopes giving way to films projected for mass audiences. The Edison Manufacturing Co. (later known as Thomas A. Edison, Inc.) not only built the apparatus for filming and projecting motion pictures, but also produced films for public consumption. Most early examples were actualities showing famous people, news events, disasters, people at work, new modes of travel and technology, scenic views, expositions, and other leisure activities. As actualities declined in popularity, the company's production emphasis shifted to comedies and dramas.

This collection features 341 Edison films. The earliest example is a camera test made in 1891, followed by other tests and a wide variety of actualities and dramas through the year 1918, when Edison's company ceased film production.

Here are some sample clips from four of the movies on this CD

Here is a description of each film on this CD

Transport "Whitney" leaving dock CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films "war extra" catalog: This boat was the first one to leave for the South with troops. On board is a battalion of the 5th U.S. Infantry. She is a sidewheeler, and the churn of her wide paddles makes the white foam seethe and boil as she backs out of the dock. The constant seesaw of the walking beam on the upper deck, the moving men on board and the boiling, bubbling water all combine to make the spectacle one of much interest. The light is good and the film is an excellent one.

Trapeze disrobing act CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1901. SUMMARY Camera is positioned as if in the audience at a vaudeville or burlesque show. Two men with long hair and beards in rough clothing appear to be eating and talking in a box on the left as a female aerialist sits on a trapeze over the stage and its painted backdrop of trees. Fully dressed in street clothing, the trapezist removes her jacket and hat before performing a flip. She stands to remove her skirt and then sits back down on the bar as she takes off her corset and throws it to the country bumpkins in the box, who fight over the undergarment. The trapezist continues to disrobe, removing her shoes, stockings, and garters, again throwing the latter to the men, and then seemingly hangs upside down (with her feet anchored off-camera) as she slips off her petticoat. Thus clad only in tights, trunks, and a camisole, the woman performs her trapeze act to the increasingly excited men.

Treloar and Miss Marshall, prize winners at the Physical Culture Show in Madison Square Garden CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1904. SUMMARY Opens with a woman posing on a pedestal, dressed in a white body leotard with a sash tied at her hips. Marshall continues with various feminine poses, reminiscent of classic Greek statuary, to accentuate her figure. Film cuts to Treloar posed on the bare stage without a pedestal. He wears brief leopard-skin trunks or short tunic, wrist bands, and Roman-looking laced sandals. His poses accentuate the muscular development

Trick bears CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1899.

A trip around the Pan-American Exposition (in 3 parts) CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1901. SUMMARY The entire film was photographed from an excursion vessel traveling through all of the waterways surrounding the Exposition. The major exhibit buildings and amusement attractions of the fair can be seen as the boat makes its way through the area, going through tunnels and under bridges.

Troop ships for the Philippines CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., c1898. SUMMARY Shows the departure from San Francisco of two troop ships, the S.S. Australia and the S.S. City of Sydney, bound for Manila during the Spanish-American War. The first ship shown is the Australia with many troops on deck, some waving. The ship's name is visible on the hull at the end of the sequence. The second ship, the City of Sydney, is shown being escorted by two harbor tugs. These two steamships left San Francisco on May 25, 1898, along with a third troop ship, the S.S. City of Peking (not visible in the film).

Troops at evacuation of Havana CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1899. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: The troops are turning into the Prado from a side street, where stands a triumphal arch erected by the Cubans; but which Gen. Brooke, the Military Governor of Cuba, would not permit to be finished, as he allowed no demonstrations of any kind. The soldiers are the First Texas troops. The streets are crowded with people. Many typical Cubans are seen lounging in the foreground, with here and there a Spaniard, if one may judge by sour looks and solemn demeanor. The buildings are all low stone structures, with heavy barred windows, from which are displayed small Cuban flags. An excellent picture of life in Havana, New Year Day, 1899.

Troops embarking at San Francisco CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1898. SUMMARY This film shows troops of the First Regiment, California Volunteers, boarding the Pacific Mail steamer City of Peking to serve in the Philippine theater of the Spanish-American War. The film was shot at the Pacific Mail Steamship Company dock between 10:50am and 1:50pm on Friday, May 13, 1898. The dock was located at First Street between Brannan and Townsend streets, and is now a segment of First Street called Delancey Street in the newly-developed South Beach neighborhood. The camera is probably facing north, from the shade of the pier into bright sunshine. The film begins with flag-waving relatives in the foreground [Frame: 0108] that seem more interested in the camera than in the departing soldiers. The troops are seen climbing the gangplank with full travel kits and rifles [0787]. As the crowd watches the troops, at least one woman raises a handkerchief to her eyes [1059]. In the bright background between the ascending soldiers, troops are seen lining the ship's rails and a lifeboat is visible [1500]. On this midday, over a thousand troops boarded the City of Peking after marching across San Francisco from their bivouac at the Presidio army base. An estimated thirty thousand people watched the embarkation from the Pacific Mail dock and several nearby piers. After loading, the steamer pulled out into San Francisco Bay and re-anchored, awaiting the loading of two more steamers, the Australia and the Sydney, with the Oregon Volunteers and U.S. Army regulars. The fleet departed for the Philippines on Sunday, May 15. Built in 1874, the City of Peking was a long-serving 5,070-ton steamer of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. The ship made 116 round trips between San Francisco and Hong Kong before being scrapped in 1920.

Troops making military road in front of Santiago CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: Shows 34th Michigan boys hard at work with pick and shovel, preparing the way for passage of siege guns.

Turkish dance, Ella Lola CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1898. SUMMARY A young, dark-haired woman performs a period "Oriental" dance (commonly known as a belly dance) with some Turkish styling. She performs distinctive dance movements that include shoulder shimmies with pelvic movements and several foot patterns, side traveling movements with pelvic circles, a slow pelvic circle and a front pelvic lock, and paddle turns with various arm gestures. Her dance costume consists of a two-layered skirt to the knee, a hip belt with fringe, a chemise-like shirt under a fitted vest, several layers of necklaces and front decoration, white stockings, white--perhaps ballet--shoes, and a glittering fitted cap.

The unappreciated joke CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1903. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: Scene, interior of a street-car. A stout man enters and sits down alongside of a friend and proceeds to read a comic paper. He shows a joke in the paper to his friend, and they both laugh heartily. The friend leaves the car, and his absence is not noted by the stout man. An elderly matron takes the seat. Without looking up the stout man shoves the paper in front of the face of the old lady, thinking his friend is still there. He goes into a fit of laughter over the joke, punching her in the ribs with his thumb, and slapping her on the knee. She becomes very much embarrassed and indignant. She shakes him by the shoulder, he looks around, discovers his mistake, and sinks through the floor.

Uncle Josh at the moving picture show CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1902. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: Here we present a side-splitter. Uncle Josh occupies a box at a vaudeville theatre, and a moving picture show is going on. First there appears upon the screen a dancer. Uncle Josh jumps to the stage and endeavors to make love to her, but she flits away, and immediately there appears upon the screen the picture of an express train running at sixty miles an hour. Uncle Josh here becomes panic stricken and fearing to be struck by the train, makes a dash for his box. He is no sooner seated than a country couple appear upon the screen at a well. Before they pump the pail full of water they indulge in a love-making scene. Uncle Josh evidently thinks he recognizes his own daughter, and jumping again upon the stage he removes his coat and prepares to chastise the lover, and grabbing the moving picture screen he hauls it down, and to his great surprise finds a kinetoscope operator in the rear. The operator is made furious by Uncle Josh interrupting his show, and grappling with him they roll over and over upon the stage in an exciting encounter.

Uncle Josh in a spooky hotel CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1900. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: The landlord enters with his rural guest. After examining the bed and other things in the room, Josh takes a seat beside the landlord, who tells him that there is a rumor that a ghost appears in that room every night at 12 o'clock. The ghost then appears mysteriously and hits Josh a slap on the cheek. Thinking it was the landlord who hit him Josh gets up and knocks the landlord off the chair. After a little row, Josh and the landlord again sit down and the ghost again appears and hits the landlord on the cheek. The landlord, thinking it was Josh, gets up and knocks him off the chair. Each one accuses the other of striking him. Josh discovers that his companion is really the ghost, and in great fright he grabs his things and rushes out of the room, followed by the ghost.

Uncle Josh's nightmare CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1900.

Union Iron Works CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: Here was built the peerless battleship "Oregon." The scene is taken at lunch hour, and shows a great throng of employees leaving the shop.

U.S. battleship "Indiana" CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films "war extra" catalog: Taken at the Dry Tortugas, and shows the most powerful fighting machine in the world to-day as she lies at anchor taking on coal. The decks are covered with marines and sailors. An immense barge lies along side, from which a large gang of negroes are hustling "King coal" into the battleship, on whose decks the coal passers run to and fro. The view is taken from a moving yacht and gives the effect of the vessel itself passing through the water. As the yacht passed the starboard quarter, the powerful 13-inch, 8-inch and 6-inch guns bristle from their turrets. She looks every inch of her great length, 348 feet.

U.S. cavalry supplies unloading at Tampa, Florida CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films "war extra" catalog: Here is a freight train of thirty cars loaded with baggage and ambulance supplies for the 9th U.S. Cavalry. In the foreground a score of troopers are pulling, lifting and hauling an ambulance from a flat car. It slides down the inclined planks with a sudden rush that makes the men "hustle" to keep it from falling off. Drill engine on the next track darts past with sharp quick puffs of smoke. A very brisk scene.

U.S. cruiser "Olympia" leading naval parade CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1899.

U.S. cruiser "Raleigh" CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1899. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: A panoramic view of the "Raleigh" as she lies at anchor off 27th Steet, North River, April 17, 1899. Captain Coghlan stands among a group of officers near the bridge. The "Raleigh" fired the first gun at Manila, and is the first boat of the Pacific Squadron visiting New York. All the details of the famous battleship are clearly shown as the launch from which the picture was taken moves rapidly around her.

U.S. Infantry supported by Rough Riders at El Caney CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1899. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: Up the road comes a detachment of infantry, firing, advancing, kneeling and firing, again and again. The advance of the foot soldiers is followed by a troop of Rough Riders, riding like demons, yelling and firing revolvers as they pass out of sight. Other troops follow in quick succession, pressing on to front.

U.S. troops and Red Cross in the trenches before Caloocan CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1899. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: Our troops have driven the Filipinos out of the trenches, and, after firing one or two volleys, press on in pursuit. The enemy returns the fire and the forward rush is marked by a trail of dead and wounded. Following close behind is the hospital corps. Stretchers are quickly brought out and the nurses tenderly care for the fallen and carry them to the rear.

U.S. troops landing at Daiquirí, Cuba CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: First U.S. Troops to land, June 22, 1898. Transports in the distance. Soldiers clamber up from boats on the long railroad pier and come forward.

The voice of the violin (in 5 parts) CREATED/PUBLISHED [United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1915]

War correspondents CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films "war extra" catalog: Shows a phase of the war excitement as it affects newpaper men at Key West, Florida. About a dozen war correspondents of the different New York papers are running up the street in a bunch to get to the cable office to get copy of cablegrams to be in turn transmitted to their different papers. They rush directly toward the audience, turn a corner in the immediate foreground and disappear down a side street. A good-natured struggle occurs here, to see who will make the turn first. Curious natives watch the unusual scene. A horse and carriage follow at a seemingly slow pace, showing by comparison what a rapid head-on foot race has been witnessed.

Wash day in Mexico CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: In front of each bare headed woman is a flat rock, used as a wash board. Stream of water near by. Naked Mexican child is playing in the foreground.

Waterfall in the Catskills CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1897. SUMMARY Beautiful water effects at Haines' Falls, a most picturesque and charming mountain cataract. The wild and rugged surroundings are very impressive.

What demoralized the barber shop CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., c1898. SUMMARY From K.R. Niver: In a set of a barbershop, a number of men are either waiting for the barber or being shaved. The shop is in the basement and has sidewalk-level windows. As the film progresses, the feet and legs of passerby can be seen by the occupants of the barbershop. Just as the film is ending, two females walk by the window. They stop and, as they do, the men in the barbershop evidence excitement by doing ridiculous things or nudging one another with their elbows

What happened in the tunnel CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1903. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: Interior of railroad coach. Pretty young lady and colored maid occupying seat. Young man in rear seat tries to attract young lady's attention. She drops her handkerchief. Young man picks it up and hands it to her, and then takes advantage of the opportunity and leans over the back of her seat and begins to make love to her. As the train enters a tunnel he tries to put his arms around her, and when the train emerges from the tunnel he is hugging and kissing the colored maid, the young lady in the meantime having changed seats with the maid.

What happened on Twenty-third Street, New York City CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1901. SUMMARY A street level view from the sidewalk, looking along the length of 23rd Street. Following actuality footage of pedestrians and street traffic, the actors, a man in summer attire and a woman in an ankle-length dress, walk toward the camera. As they cross a grate on the sidewalk they pause, and the escaping air blows the woman's dress to her knees.

White Horse Rapids CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1900. SUMMARY From Edison films catalog: This picture was taken at the historical point signified by the above title, where so many daring and venturesome miners have lost their lives in attempting to shoot these mad and turbulent rapids in their flat bottom boats, constructed for the purpose of navigating the treacherous Yukon River, which flows through the rich gold fields of Alaska. This picture was secured at the time a party of miners in a boat were making their way over one of the very roughest spots. As they are tossed about by the mad current, the waves and spray are seen to dash high into the air and at times entirely envelop the eager gold seekers. This is a very realistic and exciting picture.

White Wings on review CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1903. SUMMARY Filmed on an unidentified street in New York City, probably Fifth Avenue. Rows of men wearing the white uniforms of New York City street sweepers (known as White Wings) march by the camera. Each row has a police escort. The parade of uniformed men continues until several hundred pass. Immediately following the marching men come approximately a hundred horse-drawn two-wheel carts of the kind used for hauling garbage [Frame: 3394]. One four wheeled cart is seen near the end of the film. In 1895, under the reform administration of Mayor William L. Strong, New York City's Department of Street Cleaning was headed by Colonel George Waring. It was he who garbed his workers in the white duck suits (earning them the name "White Wings") seen in the film. He is also recognized as a brilliant sanitary engineer who marshalled the two thousand man force to clean four hundred and fifty miles of streets each day. According to Jacob Riis, "his broom saved more lives in the crowded tenements than a squad of doctors." By 1903, the date of the filming, a new city administration was in power and Waring had been replaced.

Why Jones discharged his clerks CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1900. SUMMARY Great hit. Two delinquent clerks are seated in a broker's office engaged in a game of cards. The boss suddenly appears walking through the corridor. The cards are thrown down in great haste and when the employer enters the office the clerks are apparently busily engaged in their work. The boss looks over the mail and then sits down behind an adjacent screen to enjoy the morning paper. A lady suddenly enters the office and, upon inquiring for the broker, is shown behind the screen by one of the clerks. The broker and lady suddenly display considerable affection for each other, and are ardently making love when they are discovered by one of the clerks. He immediately calls the attention of the stenographer and they post themselves upon chairs and engage in looking over the top of the screen. One of the chairs is suddenly tipped over by the office boy and the clerks and screen fall upon the unsuspecting broker. He immediately becomes wrathful, throws off his coat and proceeds to clear out the office. One of the clerks becomes frightened and jumps through the window into the corridor; the other is unceremoniously fired through the door. This is an extremely humorous picture.

Why Mrs. Jones got a divorce CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1900. SUMMARY The scene opens by showing a pretty cook mixing bread in the kitchen. Jones comes in unexpectedly from a trip and carries a dress suit case. He inquires for his wife and is told by the cook that she is absent. Jones is hungry and asks for something to eat. The cook is very obliging and Jones becomes unruly, chuckles the cook under the chin. The cook puts her arms around Jones' neck and leaves finger imprints of flour on his back. This is where the trouble commences. Jones' wife suddenly appears and accuses Jones of making love to the cook. Jones denies it. She scornfully points to the finger marks on Jones' back. Jones still denies it. The wife becomes angry and seizes the pan of flour and turns it upside down on Jones' head, spoiling his best Sunday clothes. Jones escapes and the cook is discharged. A very funny picture.

Wreck of the battleship "Maine" CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., 1898. SUMMARY From Edison films "war extra" catalog: Taken in Havana Harbor from a moving launch, and shows the wreck of the "Maine" surrounded by wrecking boats and other vessels. The warped and twisted remains show how thoroughly this immense mass of iron and steel was blown out of all semblance of a vessel. The background of this picture is formed by the shores of Havana Harbor, and as the yacht moves around, a panoramic view of the shores adds an interesting feature.

This CD is created to run on both Windows and Macintosh computers using an HTML menu to navigate to the various movies. IMPORTANT: These CDs are designed to be played in your computer - not your DVD player.