Search Films, Videos

  • Film, Video
    A perilous proceeding The film follows a group of approximately ten men who are suspended on the cable of a large crane atop a building under construction. As the men are lifted over the site and gradually lowered, they wave to the camera.
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Congdon, James - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1902-01-01
  • Film, Video
    A Tough dance
    Shooting title from Biograph production logs: Dance at McGurks | Title in Biograph photo catalog: "Tough dance" at McGurks
    From either side of a white, apparently outdoors, setting enter a man and woman, both wearing ragged street clothes and caps. As they approach center stage, the man grabs the woman's arm and pulls her to him, then slaps her. Still holding her arm, the man and his partner cockily strut towards the camera. The man grabs the woman in a crouched, bear-hug type...
    • Contributor: Kid Foley - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Sailor Lil - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Bonine, R. (Robert K.)
    • Date: 1902
  • Film, Video
    The Dandy Fifth
    Title in American Mutoscope & Biograph picture catalogue: Dandy 5th of Baltimore | Title in Biograph photo catalogue, 1902: Dandy Fifth of Baltimore | Title in Biograph bulletins 1896-1908: Dandy Fifth Regiment of Baltimore | Title in Biograph production log: Dandy 5th Reg. Maryland
    "Taken during the land parade in honor of Admiral Dewey, just before the turn into 72nd Street, with Grant's tomb and decorated residences in the background. This entire series of pictures [of the Dewey land parade] has a very high photographic quality, and the various organizations appear at their best"--American Mutoscope & Biograph picture catalogue.
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - Armitage, F. S. - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1899
  • Film, Video
    Fireboat "New Yorker" answering an alarm "Firemen board the fireboat New Yorker docked at the Battery, New York City; pull anchor; shove off; and proceed out into the harbor"--George Kleine Collection...catalog.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Kleine (George) Collection (Library of Congress) - Smith, James Blair
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    Shooting the Chutes, Luna Park, Coney Island
    Title from Biograph production log: Shooting the Chutes, Luna Park
    "The camera was positioned to view the Shoot-the-Chutes concession from the best location. A special added attraction for the entertainment of the spectators is a man in a swimming suit who rides down the Shoot-the-Chutes on one ski"--Early motion pictures.
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Bitzer, G. W. - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    Excavation for subway
    Title in Biograph production log: Excavation for subway at Union Square | Title in AFI catalog: New York's new subway
    "The film was photographed from a single camera position, elevated to make possible a good view of the excavation of what appears to be a large tunnel. There are cranes, horse-drawn vehicles, as well as electrical and internal combustion machines"--Early motion pictures.
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Bonine, R. (Robert K.)
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    Pennsylvania Tunnel excavation This film employs a 180-degree pan shot of the excavation site of New York's Pennsylvania Station, and includes shots of the narrow-gauge train used to haul debris from the tunnels under construction. Work began in 1904, and when completed in September of 1910 the station would span from 31st to 33rd Streets, and from 7th to 8th Avenue, an area of approximately 300,000 square...
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Bitzer, G. W. - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1905-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Christening and launching Kaiser Wilhelm's yacht "Meteor" The film shows a long dock in what appears to be a shipyard. Approaching the camera position are people in formal attire, both military and civilian, followed by men in formation dressed in German naval enlisted personnel uniforms. The next scene shows the launching platform; the dignitaries attending the ceremonies can be seen over the heads of the spectators. Among the dignitaries are Prince...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1902
  • Film, Video
    Broadway & Union Square, New York
    Broadway and Union Square, New York | Scene on Broadway
    A horse-drawn street car with a sign for Broadway pulls away from the camera with a full compliment of passengers. Another approaches the camera position and they pass. The first car stops to pick up and drop off passengers. Pedestrians walk pass on both sides of the street.
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Marvin, Arthur W.
    • Date: 1903-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Dick Croker leaving Tammany Hall "A very lifelike picture of the famous New York politician and Tammany Hall boss. This picture was taken on Sunday morning as he was leaving the 14th Street Wigwam, accompanied by a number of prominent New York politicians. 50 feet"--Edison films catalog.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Paley, William Daly
    • Date: 1900
  • Film, Video
    Arrival of emigrants [i.e. immigrants], Ellis Island
    Arrival of immigrants, Ellis Island | Arrival of emigrants, Ellis Island
    Depicts scenes at the Immigration Depot and a nearby dock on Ellis Island. Appears to show, first, a group of immigrants lined up to board a vessel leaving the island, then another group arriving at the island and being directed off of the dock and into the Depot by a uniformed official.
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Bitzer, G. W. - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1906-01-01
  • Film, Video
    The Astor tramp
    Variant title in Edison motion pictures, 1890-1900: Astor unwelcome tramp visitor
    "A side-splitting subject, showing the mistaken tramp's arrival at the Wm. Waldorf Astor mansion and being discovered comfortably asleep in bed by the lady of the house. Length 100 feet, complete with words of song and music, $20.00. Without words and music, $15.00"--Edison films catalog, no. 94.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1899
  • Film, Video
    A gesture fight in Hester Street
    Title fom Biograph production log: Gesture fight
    Opens on a street scene with a sidewalk and backdrop of storefronts. A bearded, dark-haired street peddler in a long dark coat and hat hawks his goods. A young woman in a long skirt walks past, and the peddler turns to gesture angrily after her. Behind him enters another bearded peddler. His cart bumps the first peddler, who turns and argues with the interloper....
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Marvin, Arthur W.
    • Date: 1900
  • Film, Video
    New York City "ghetto" fish market "A fine panoramic view of this busy market on a Friday morning. Immense throngs of people are seen passing along the stands and making their selections of fish. A great character study. 165 feet"--Edison films catalog.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Smith, James Blair
    • Date: 1903-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Panorama of Flatiron Building
    Eighth wonder | Flatiron Building panorama
    This shows a view looking south from Madison Square, across the intersection of Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and Twenty-third Street, to New York's famous skyscraper, the Fuller (or "Flatiron") Building, with a panorama of the surroundings. The cameraman elevates his camera, going from street level to the roof.
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Bonine, R. (Robert K.)
    • Date: 1902-01-01
  • Film, Video
    How a French nobleman got a wife through the New York Herald personal columns "The picture opens with a "Personal" advertisement which actually appeared in the New York Herald of August 25th, 1904: "Young French Nobleman, recently arrived, desires to meet wealthy American girl; object matrimony; will be at Grant's Tomb at 10 this morning, wearing boutonniere of violets." The first scene shows the young "Nobleman" in his dressing room. He picks up the "Herald," and finally locates...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Porter, Edwin S.
    • Date: 1904
  • Film, Video
    Annual parade, New York Fire Department "Taken in front of the reviewing stand at Madison Square, New York City. Shows the arrival of Mayor McClellan, and other New York officials. The parade is headed by Chief Croker and battalion chiefs. The firemen march in double columns reaching across the street from curb to curb and are followed by engines, hook and ladder trucks, water-towers, etc. The life-saving crews carry scaling...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Porter, Edwin S.
    • Date: 1904
  • Film, Video
    New Brooklyn to New York via Brooklyn Bridge, no. 1 "The film was photographed from a single-camera position from the front of a railroad train as it crossed the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan"--Early motion pictures.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1899
  • Film, Video
    Panorama of Blackwell's Island, N.Y. This film was photographed from a boat heading south along the eastern shore of Blackwell's Island (known today as Roosevelt Island). The island lies in the East River, between Manhattan (which can be seen in the background) and Long Island City, Queens. It is approximately one and three-quarters of a mile long, extending from 51st Street to 88th, and at the time of the...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Porter, Edwin S.
    • Date: 1903-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Panorama of Riker's Island, N.Y. The film was photographed from a boat going around Riker's Island. Located on the East River north of Hell Gate between the Bronx and Queens, Riker's Island was the site of a massive, controversial New York City landfill operation at the time of the filming. Includes scenes of heavy equipment at work, including pile drivers constructing the seawall and steam shovels unloading rubbish from...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Porter, Edwin S.
    • Date: 1903-01-01
  • Film, Video
    The skyscrapers of New York
    Skyscrapers
    The story involves a construction foreman who fires one of his crew for fighting, which leads the disgruntled employee to steal. He then cause the blame to be put on the foreman, who is finally exonerated when the thief is exposed. All of this conflict is woven in and around the actual construction of the building as the work is in progress. There is...
    • Contributor: Slevin, Jim - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Dobson, F. A. - Gauntier, Gene - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1906-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Admiral Dewey receiving the Washington and New York committees
    Variant title: Reception committee aboard the "Olympia" | Variant title: Committee of Arrangements' visit to Admiral Dewey
    "Showing Committee of Arrangements' visit to the Admiral on board the U.S. Cruiser Olympia. 100 feet"--Edison films catalog no. 94. One of 20 films advertised in Edison films catalog no. 94, under the category "Dewey Doings." From the catalog: We equipped eight parties on the occasion of Admiral Dewey's arrival in New York Harbor, Wednesday, September 27th, 1899, and secured the following excellent moving...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Brook Foundation Collection (Library of Congress) - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1899
  • Film, Video
    Move on Filmed in New York's Lower East Side, the scene is a street where several pushcart vendors have gathered to sell their goods. In the foreground are fruit and vegetable carts. An elevated railroad track crosses over the street in the background. As the film progresses, two policemen can be seen heading up the street toward the camera and ordering all of the vendors to...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Abadie, Alfred C. (Alfred Camille)
    • Date: 1903-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Elevated railroad, New York
    Around the big curves | Elevated R.R. 110 St. curve, New York City | Around the big curves on the Manhattan Elevated R.R.
    Taken from the front end of a locomotive following an express train at high speed around the high curves of the Ninth Avenue Elevated, from the 104th to 116th Street station. This section, with its reverse curve, is known as "The Big Loop", and is the highest (at over 100 feet) and most dangerous section on the New York Elevated. During the trip, Grant's...
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope Company
    • Date: 1903-01-01
  • Article
    The Italian
    Dago
    Beppo, an Italian gondolier, is in love with Annette, who has another suitor, wealthy but much older. Her father gives Beppo a year to prove himself, so he emigrates to New York City, opens a shoeshine stand, and makes many friends among his neighbors. He meets his ward boss, Corrigan, who, to a friendly, unsophisticated immigrant like Beppo, seems to be a good fellow....
    • Contributor: Beban, George - Paramount Pictures Corporation - Ince, Thomas H. - New York Motion Picture Corp - Williams, Clara - Barker, Reginald - Burke, J. Frank (John Franklin) - Sullivan, C. Gardner - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1915