Search Films, Videos

  • Film, Video
    Interior N.Y. subway, 14th St. to 42nd St
    Interior New York subway, Fourteenth Street to Forty-second Street | Title from Biograph production log: Interborough Subway 8 from 14th St. to 42nd St | Variant title from Biograph production log: Interborough subway from 14th St. to 42nd St | Variant title from the Internet movie database: New York subway | Variant title from the Internet movie database: In the N.Y. subway | Variant title from the Internet movie database: Interboro subway | Interborough Subway 8 from 14th St. to 42nd St | Interborough subway from 14th St. to 42nd St | New York subway | In the N.Y. subway | Interboro subway
    The camera platform was on the front of a New York subway train following another train on the same track. Lighting is provided by a specially constructed work car on a parallel track. At the time of filming, the subway was only seven months old, having opened on October 27, 1904. The ride begins at 14th Street (Union Square) following the route of today's...
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Bitzer, G. W. - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1905
  • Film, Video
    Albany, N.Y., fire department
    Title from Edison films catalog, no. 135: Fire department of Albany, N.Y. | Title from Edison films catalog, no. 288: Fire department, Albany, N.Y.
    "A sidewalk crowd on a main street of Albany, N.Y., watches as fourteen pieces of horse-drawn fire equipment quickly pass by"--The George Kleine Collection catalog.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Kleine (George) Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1901
  • Film, Video
    [Claremont Theatre, N.Y.] "Shows the entrance to the Claremont Theatre in New York City at 135th St. and Broadway where Edison is showing Gertrude McCoy and Bigelow Cooper in On the Stroke of Twelve. Large numbers of men, women and children leave the theater, some as many as two or three times. Delivery boys, a wagon, automobiles and a boy on rollerskates pass by"--The George Kleine Collection...catalog.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Kleine (George) Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1915
  • Film, Video
    Opening the Williamsburg Bridge
    Opening of the Williamsburg Bridge | Opening of the New Williamsburg Bridge
    The film was shot on the roadway of the newly constructed Williamsburg Bridge. The first people to come into view are press photographers carrying large wooden "box" cameras [Frame: 0690]. Next, a parade of dignitaries and military representatives, accompanied by members of the press [1310], is photographed passing the camera position led by a standard bearer whose banner reads "MAYOR" [0902]. The mayor of...
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Bitzer, G. W. - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1904-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Beginning of a skyscraper
    Starting a skyscraper
    The scene is an excavation site in New York City. A large group of workmen with picks and shovels are digging. Carts drawn by pairs of horses can be seen emerging from the smoke in the background. "Taken in the immense excavation for the foundation of the new Macy Building at the corner of Broadway and 34th Street, New York. An excellent study of...
    • 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
    A wake in "Hell's Kitchen" "This scene is laid in the parlor of a New York tenement. Two watchers at the wake are smoking and drinking, while the widow is weeping over the coffin. The attention of the three is attracted for an instant, and the supposed corpse rises up, drinks all the beer in the pitcher which is standing on a table nearby, and lies down in the...
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Marvin, Arthur W.
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    Parade of horses on Speedway
    Speedway parade | Parade on the Speedway
    The film is of the third annual parade of the Road Drivers Association of New York. A procession of fine horses and fashionable carriages move along the Harlem River Speedway, in the Highbridge section of northern Manhattan. The view is from the Manhattan side of the river looking north. On the right is the Harlem River and on the opposite bank, the Bronx. Prominent...
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Bonine, R. (Robert K.)
    • Date: 1902-01-01
  • 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
    Esquimaux game of snap-the-whip
    Title from Edison films catalog, no. 135: Scene in the Esquimaux Village | Variant title from American Film Institute catalog: Scene in Esquimaux Village | Eskimo game of snap-the-whip
    "The film, photographed from a single camera position, shows a large tent of animal skins in front of which are two spectators watching two participants perform a game of skill using whips"--Early motion pictures. The picture [shows] a number of Esquimaux picking nickels from cracks in a board with their dog whips, in which sport they are very expert. In the background will be...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Porter, Edwin S. - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1901
  • Film, Video
    Esquimaux leap-frog
    Title from Edison films catalog, no. 135: Scene in the Esquimaux Village | Eskimo leap-frog
    "The film, photographed from a single camera position, shows buildings resembling igloos on ice floes, in front of which persons clothed as Eskimos play a game of leapfrog"--Early motion pictures. This shows several Esquimaux at the game of "Misheetak," or leap frog, which differs somewhat from the civilized game, and is quite amusing, the photography of which is perfect.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Porter, Edwin S. - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1901
  • Film, Video
    Esquimaux Village
    Eskimo Village
    "The first of three camera positions shows a low building resembling an igloo beside a small pool, and an ice floe. Dark-complexioned people dressed as Eskimos run up and down alongside the pool, and a dog pulls a sled. Next, some sled dogs are led in front of the camera. The last camera position shows the same dogs running into a tent made from...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Porter, Edwin S. - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1901
  • Film, Video
    Skating on lake, Central Park
    Skating in Central Park | Skating in Central Park, N.Y. City | Skating on 72nd St. lake Central Park
    The view is of a frozen lake in Central Park crowded with ice skaters. The film is of such poor quality that it is difficult to tell if the apparent "snow" is real or just scratches on the film.
    • Contributor: Armitage, F. S. - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1902-01-01
  • Film, Video
    N.Y. Fire Department returning
    New York Fire Department returning | Return of the fire departmant | Return of N.Y. Fire Dept
    Shows several pieces of horse-drawn fire vehicles in motion: two hook-and-ladders [Frame: 0114, 0905]; two steam pumpers [0373, 1111]; a rescue wagon [0549]. Children hang onto the back of some of the vehicles [0195, 0970].
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Bitzer, G. W. - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • 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
    Pan-American Exposition by night The film begins with a slow pan over the tower building of the exposition, which was lighted by electric lights. The pan goes from a daylight shot of the grounds to what appears to be a special effects situation involving back lighting of the scene. "A great feature of the Pan-American Exposition, as unanimously conceded by all visitors, was the electric illumination of the...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Smith, James Blair - Porter, Edwin S. - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1901
  • Film, Video
    Panoramic view of Electric Tower from a balloon "Here we have recorded a very novel scene, the camera having been placed in the basket of the captive balloon at the Pan-American Exposition. It was then slowly elevated to the top of the Tower, a distance of 465 feet, and slowly lowered until it reached the ground, keeping the Tower in view all the time during the ascent and descent, ending with a...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Porter, Edwin S. - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1901
  • 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
    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
    Spanish dancers at the Pan-American Exposition
    Variant title from Edison films catalog, no. 135: Gypsy dance at the Pan-American Exposition
    "The picture was taken in the Gypsy tent at the Pan-American Exposition and shows ten beautiful Gypsy girls executing the famous Gypsy dance that created such a furor at the Exposition. Features of the well known couchee couchee are introduced by some of the dancers. The scene is both artistic and entrancing. 75 ft."--Edison films catalog, no. 135.
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1901
  • Film, Video
    The mob outside the Temple of Music at the Pan-American Exposition "The camera was positioned at such a height behind a large group of people outside an exhibit building that mainly hats are visible"--Early motion pictures. On Friday, September 6th, 1901, we had our cameras in position to photograph the President as he left the Temple of Music, but the deplorable assassination, of course, prevented our getting this picture. We did, however, secure an excellent...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1901
  • Film, Video
    Women of the ghetto bathing
    Title from Biograph production log: Ladies day at public baths | Title from American Mutoscope & Biograph picture catalog: Ladies day at the public baths
    The subject is a group of women and girls in a public swimming pool wearing turn-of the-century bathing attire. Many women and girls are playing in the pool, while others climb out and jump into the pool. The water in the the pool appears to be about four feet deep and the pool is very crowded. According the Biograph picture catalogue, the scene takes...
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Marvin, Arthur W.
    • 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
    Automobile parade
    Parade of automobiles
    The first annual automobile parade, held on November 4, 1899 by the Automobile Club of America, in downtown Manhattan. At least ten different makes and models are seen, including electric and steam powered machines. In the background is Madison Square Garden. As the cars pass, turning towards the right side of the screen, cyclists and pedestrians can also be seen, including a man on...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Paley, William Daly
    • Date: 1900-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Bargain day, 14th Street, New York
    Bargain day, Fourteenth Street, New York | Bargain day on Fourteenth St., New York | Bargain day on 14th St., New York
    The film shows hundreds of tightly packed people crowding into the front door of the Rothschild Co. 5 and 10 cent store. They are so closely packed it is difficult to tell one from another. The view is from across the street, looking down from the 2nd floor.
    • Contributor: Armitage, F. S. - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1905-01-01
  • Film, Video
    Buffalo Bill's Wild West parade
    Parade of Buffalo Bill's Wild West
    The film shows a parade down Fifth Avenue, New York. In the foreground many children, both black and white, can be seen following alongside the parade. The participants in the parade include cowboys, Indians, and soldiers in the uniform of the United States Cavalry on horseback and riding horse-drawn coaches. Buffalo Bill can be seen on horseback, lifting his hat to the crowd.
    • Contributor: Armitage, F. S. - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1901-01-01