Thomas A. Edison Movies

  • 1897
    Capsize of Lifeboat

    Capsize of Lifeboat

    Capsize of Lifeboat

    5.1881897HD

    Daily practice of life boat crew, showing boat being upset purposely by the men. As these boats are self-righting and self-bailing, the scene is...

    Capsize of Lifeboat
  • 1902
    Arrival of the Governor General, Lord Minto, at Quebec

    Arrival of the Governor General, Lord Minto, at Quebec

    Arrival of the Governor General, Lord Minto, at Quebec

    61902HD

    This film records the arrival of the Governor General of Canada, the Earl of Minto, accompanied by the Countess of Minto and their household, as they...

    Arrival of the Governor General, Lord Minto, at Quebec
  • 1903
    Skyscrapers of New York City, from the North River

    Skyscrapers of New York City, from the North River

    Skyscrapers of New York City, from the North River

    5.41903HD

    A beautiful panoramic view of lower New York from Barclay Street to Battery Park, showing a beautiful stereoscopic effect of the sky-scrapers in the...

    Skyscrapers of New York City, from the North River
  • 1913
    The Edison Kinetophone

    The Edison Kinetophone

    The Edison Kinetophone

    01913HD

    On February 17, 1913, after many years of R+D, Thomas Alva Edison introduced the Edison Kinetophone to an enthusiastic New York audience. The...

    The Edison Kinetophone
  • 1901
    The Trick Cyclist

    The Trick Cyclist

    The Trick Cyclist

    4.31901HD

    A comic short in which a tramp attempts to ride a bicycle, tumbling repeatedly before giving up in despair. A skilled rider then takes the stage,...

    The Trick Cyclist
  • 1899
    New York Police Parade, June 1st, 1899

    New York Police Parade, June 1st, 1899

    New York Police Parade, June 1st, 1899

    5.31899HD

    An excellent view of 'The Finest,' on their annual parade and inspection, June 1, 1899. The head of the column is just turning into 14th street from...

    New York Police Parade, June 1st, 1899
  • 1904
    Inter-Collegiate Athletic Association Championships

    Inter-Collegiate Athletic Association Championships

    Inter-Collegiate Athletic Association Championships

    101904HD

    A location actuality filmed in Philadelphia (May 27–28, 1904) documenting the Inter-Collegiate Athletic Association’s championships:...

    Inter-Collegiate Athletic Association Championships
  • 1914
    The Birth of the Telephone

    The Birth of the Telephone

    The Birth of the Telephone

    01914HD

    The Birth of the Telephone (1914) is a Kinetophone short produced by Edison, featuring Thomas A. Watson, assistant to Alexander Graham Bell,...

    The Birth of the Telephone
  • 1913
    The Old Guard

    The Old Guard

    The Old Guard

    01913HD

    A veteran of the Napoleanic Wars recounts his memories and grants his blessings upon the marriage of his granddaughter and a young soldier.

    The Old Guard
  • 1912
    The Spanish Cavalier

    The Spanish Cavalier

    The Spanish Cavalier

    01912HD

    A formerly lost Edison film from 1912.

    The Spanish Cavalier
  • 1902
    Cutting and Canaling Ice

    Cutting and Canaling Ice

    Cutting and Canaling Ice

    71902HD

    Shows ice plows in operation, drawn by horses and guided by men on skates. The plows are first operated in one direction and then crosswise, cutting...

    Cutting and Canaling Ice
  • 1897
    Mr. Edison at Work in His Chemical Laboratory

    Mr. Edison at Work in His Chemical Laboratory

    Mr. Edison at Work in His Chemical Laboratory

    5.21897HD

    “This film is remarkable in several respects. In the first place, it is full life-size. Secondly, it is the only accurate recent portrait of...

    Mr. Edison at Work in His Chemical Laboratory
  • 1902
    Skiing Scene in Quebec

    Skiing Scene in Quebec

    Skiing Scene in Quebec

    7.51902HD

    This short captures the thrill of winter sport in Canada, showing skiers racing downhill at high speed before leaping over a snow-built hurdle. Most...

    Skiing Scene in Quebec
  • 1891
    Early Edison Camera Tests

    Early Edison Camera Tests

    Early Edison Camera Tests

    61891HD

    Experimental test footage from Edison’s earliest motion picture work, capturing camera trials, exposure studies, and mechanical movement....

    Early Edison Camera Tests
  • 1899
    General Lee's Procession, Havana

    General Lee's Procession, Havana

    General Lee's Procession, Havana

    3.81899HD

    Filmed on January 1, 1899, this Edison short shows a victory march by General Lee and the Seventh Army Corps. When watching these early films it's...

    General Lee's Procession, Havana
  • 1909
    Meeting of the Motion Pictures Patents Company

    Meeting of the Motion Pictures Patents Company

    Meeting of the Motion Pictures Patents Company

    01909HD

    A short film in which the members of the Motion Pictures Patents Company (which had been founded only a year earlier) congratulate Thomas Edison...

    Meeting of the Motion Pictures Patents Company
  • 1904
    Canoeing on the Charles River, Boston, Mass.

    Canoeing on the Charles River, Boston, Mass.

    Canoeing on the Charles River, Boston, Mass.

    61904HD

    With a tree-lined river bank dominating the top and back of the frame, the Charles River flows toward a stationary camera. A flotilla of canoes...

    Canoeing on the Charles River, Boston, Mass.
  • 1914
    The Old Violin

    The Old Violin

    The Old Violin

    01914HD

    The Old Violin (1914) is a Kinetophone short produced by Edison, directed by Daniel Higham. The film features an elderly violinist reprimanding a...

    The Old Violin
  • 1896
    Cock Fight

    Cock Fight

    Cock Fight

    4.91896HD

    Two cocks fight whilst being watched by two men.

    Cock Fight
  • 1915
    Censorship and Its Absurdities

    Censorship and Its Absurdities

    Censorship and Its Absurdities

    01915HD

    A satirical short produced to highlight the unreasonable extremes of local film censorship—a film so heavily censored that only the title cards...

    Censorship and Its Absurdities