J. Stuart Blackton
Pioneer filmmaker J. Stuart Blackton was intrigued by the idea of a film about the history of the movies as early as 1915. He finally released a 52-minute feature called The Film Parade that was shown in New York and favorably reviewed by "Variety" in 1933. He continued tinkering with the film for the rest of the decade, and later filmmakers and distributors used Blackton's footage for stock or to produce their own variously titled and truncated versions. -UCLA Film & Television Archive
Seref, who returns to his country after many years in America, as a dollar billionaire with a cowboy hat on his head, and with his Dallas-type boots has an interesting past: Twenty years ago he has lost his sweetheart Melek to his closest friend, and furthermore, has been put in prison. He found a way to escape from prison, going to America, the country of dreams. Here, he has become a businessman with boundless wealth, known as Seref The Turk. When he returns to his country as an American, even though he has some commercial aims in mind, his real desire is to take revenge. He will settle accounts with the friend who stabbed him in the back many years ago, and with Melek who is betrayed him. However, when he sets foot in Turkey with yearning, he meets 'Small America' in chaos. On top of that, while looking for Melek, he finds himself in the middle of a funny and exciting adventure where sexuality and violence mingle.
The Passionate Quest is a 1926 American drama film directed by J. Stuart Blackton and written by Marian Constance Blackton. It is based on the 1924 novel The Passionate Quest by E. Phillips Oppenheim. The film stars May McAvoy, Willard Louis, Louise Fazenda, Gardner James, Jane Winton, and Holmes Herbert.
Sid Hunt and Jude Lowery are Carolina sweethearts but hired-hand Rufe Pryer also has his eyes on her. Rufe lies to Andy, Jude's brother, and a family-feud is started when Andy goes gunning after Sid. But Sid quiets the drunken Andy, and is taking him home when a shot is fired from ambush and Sid's horse comes home riderless. But he shows up unhurt, and the jealous-maddened Rufe sends him on a ruse to the big dam. Rufe sets off a dynamite explosion to catch Sid in the swirling waters but Jude is the one who is caught.
After inheriting a fortune from an uncle they barely and carelessly cared for during his last years, the Welbys become social-climbing snobs to the point of ignoring old friends and breaking off marriage engagements.
Lupin is the lover of Joan of the Apaches. She is attracted by Paul de Gafilet, nobleman and sculptor. She visits him in his studio and resolves to abandon her underworld career for his sake. Lupin vows revenge but is frustrated by Joan. The latter's affection for Paul turns to rage when she sees him embracing another woman. Joan joins with her confederates to steal some jewels from a statue of the Madonna in a church. She learns that the woman she is jealous of is Paul's sister, attempts to halt the robbery but fails. Paul is injured by the thieves and Joan held captive.
A Western melodrama about brothers, separated in early childhood, who wound up as opponents in a side-show wrestling match.
An Earl's cousin survives drowning and saves a lady from the Great Fire of London.
Hal Page, the weakling brother of Stephen Page, the town mayor, falls in love with Carline Shrefton, who throws over Burt Staley to entangle Hal in her self-serving schemes. Furious over her abrupt departure, Staley shows up at Carline's, and a jealous fight with Hal ensues in which Staley is shot and killed with Carline's gun. After Hal confesses to the deed, Stephen quietly sends him off to Spain. One year later, Stephen announces his engagement to Marion Hayward, the daughter of the district attorney, who is pressing charges against James Reed, a corrupt politician and Carline's new husband. To save Reed, Carline threatens Stephen with exposure, but he refuses to bend to her demands. Just days before Carline is to reveal her story about Staley, Hal appears and confesses to Hayward that Carline is the true killer.
When the nation of Ruthania declares war on the United States, an army of enemy soldiers invades the U.S. and captures New York. But the American forces have prepared adequately for such an event, and hidden booby traps, trick fortifications, and remote-controlled bombs...
A wealthy financier is tricked by a pair of spies into giving millions to foreign powers. His daughter is suspicious and hires a Detective, who is able to foil the foreign agent's plans. Meanwhile, the daughter has fallen in love with a fellow from the enemy camp, but all ends well as his true identity is revealed as a member of the U.S. secret service.
Enemy agents under the leadership of "Emanon" conspire with pacifists to keep the American defense appropriations down at a time when forces of the enemy are preparing to invade. The invasion comes, and New York, Washington, and other American cities are devastated.
No sooner have Jimmy and Mary, a newly-married couple, entered their new home when Jimmie receives a note from his wealthy uncle, announcing his intention of paying his nephew and heir a visit that evening.
Shakespeare's tragedy of the hump-backed Duke of Gloucester, who rises to the throne of England by chicanery, treachery, and brilliance, only to find that his own methods have prepared the groundwork for his downfall.
King Edward III reigned from 1327 to 1377. He was a son of Edward the Second and he was born at Windsor Castle, November 13th, 1312. He was celebrated for his wars with the Scottish king and his battles with France. He started the "One Hundred Years' War." In his invasions of France, he was accompanied by his eldest son, "The Black Prince,"
Cartoon figures announce, via comic strip balloons, that they will move - and move they do, in a wildly exaggerated style. Also known as "Little Nemo".
PART I. The incidents of this story are some of those preceding and lending up to the Civil War in 1861 and the Declaration of Emancipation. The central figure in the drama is Uncle Tom, a slave in the possession of the Shelbys of Kentucky. Tom is a peculiarly extraordinary character, possessing all the virtues and none of the bad qualities of his race, a possession brought about by a gradual realization, absorption and practice of Christian principles through a close study of the Bible. To the Shelbys he is an invaluable asset, because of his honesty and trustworthiness. Mr. Shelby, although owner of vast estates, has become greatly involved in debt, as is often the case with aristocracy. His notes have come into the hands of a slave trader named Haley, who presses Shelby for money long overdue.
Film recording of a controversial boxing match with the first black heavyweight champion fighting a white retired former champion.
A smoker falls asleep, and two mischievious fairies play with his pipe. He discovers this, and imprisons them in a cigar box. He removes a flower from the box, which contains a fairy smoking a cigarette. Next, he leaves briefly while his smoking paraphenalia clears itself from the table and the flower reassembles itself into a cigar. He lights the cigar, then breaks a bottle containing the fairy, who interacts with him in various ways reeling from his cigar smoke, building a bonfire that he extinguishes, etc.
Jean Valjean, a good and decent man who has nevertheless been convicted of a crime, escapes incarceration and lives for years shadowed by the vindictive and merciless man of the law, Javert.
Sir Walter Scott adaptation, existing in fragmentary form in the Library of Congress paper print collections.
Early short film dramatizing the biblical story of Jephthah (Judges 11).
Arnold, reproved by General Washington, decides, with the bitter hatred of a small nature, to betray West Point into the hands of the British, and to that end enters into negotiation with Major Andre, as the representative of the British General.
Francesca, surrounded by ladies-in-waiting at the palace. Her father enters, and together they read a letter from Lanciotto, asking for the hand of Francesca. Both are overjoyed at the union of the two great houses in marriage, and the daughter retires to dress for Lanciotto's arrival.
A short film based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name. It was the first film to dramatize the ill-fated romance between Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII of Egypt.
A dancer enchants a leacherous king but rebuffs his advances, resulting in his vengeful anger.
A Saxon prisoner rescues his Viking's captor's daughter, resulting in his freedom and their marriage.
The first scene shows part of Flint's old pirate crew, with one-legged John Silver in the lead. They have discovered the hiding place of Billy Bones, the mate of Flint's ship, the "Walrus," and they send Black Dog, one of the crew, to tip Billy Bones to the "black spot" at the Admiral Ben Bow Inn; but Billy Bones drives Black Dog away, and will have nothing to do with him.
Macbeth usurps the Scottish throne by murdering his predecessor.
King Herod is enchanted by Salome's dance and grants her wish for the head of John the Baptist.
A one-armed street peddler notices that a well-to-do man has dropped his ring. He returns it to him. The wealthy man is very grateful and, to show his appreciation, takes the peddler to a 'Limb Store', where he buys him a new arm. The recipient soon discovers that this new arm has a will of its own - causing him considerable embarrassment.
A Seventeenth Century romance in which an eloping couple try to escape the wrath of the girl's father.
Two feuding houses are united with the marriage and eventual death of their children.
An illustrator draws some sketches at lightning speed. He first illustrates how he can turn a written word into a sketch of that word.
A traveler stays the night at a rural inn, but gets no rest as he is tormented by various spectres and mysterious happenings.
A professor sprays people with 'galvanic fluid', and unleashes pent-up energy. Displays an early use of over-cranking and under-cranking.
A cartoonist draws faces and figures on a blackboard - and they come to life.
An artist falls asleep at his desk.
A young couple conducts a series of robberies, followed by a chase, in which they are shot and killed.
The millionaire's child is kidnapped. Sherlock Holmes after many thrilling adventures and narrow escapes rescues the child.
An organ-grinder is playing beneath the window of a cranky old woman. She objects strenuously. The organ-grinder, egged on by Hooligan, keeps on playing until a policeman appears. (Biograph Catalog)
A comic picture that defies description. It depicts the Twentieth Century up-to-date tramp flying over the chimney tops of New York City in the latest improved flying machine. Weary Willie has the indispensible tin can hanging from his waist and he waves his hands to his friends as he flies along. He passes over the top of the Equitable Life building and other New York sky scrapers. He flies over the East River and clears the top of the Brooklyn Bridge, and appears to be making his way toward Staten Island. When he is about in the centre of the river, his flying machine explodes, and like the unfortunate McGinty, down goes Weary William.
James J. Jeffries throwing the medicine ball. An absolutely perfect picture of the champion heavyweight of the world.
A pretty and natural picture in which the principal actors are two tiny tots who are evidently not a bit afraid of the briny deep as they splash around in the waves in very evident delight and enjoyment. The water effects are splendid and this is a beautiful subject of "Child-life." We recommend this to make a hit with any audience.
In the center of the ring the trainer forms a pile of baskets many feet in height. Greyhounds leap in rapid succession, forming a graceful arch and landing on the ground as lightly as so many feathers. The position of the camera was a most happy one, as the dogs appeared to leap directly toward the audience and the film is both beautiful and exciting.
A splendid subject, showing the champion heavyweight of the world, exercising in his training headquarters. After showing his skill in side-stepping, and fancy steps while skipping the rope at a phenomenal speed, the champion's trainers peel off his sweater and give him a rubdown, during which the mighty muscles on the champion's chest and back are seen to perfection.
As the above title indicates, the scene does not take place in an ordinary restaurant, but one in which all natural rules of order and gravitation are reversed. The couple above mentioned have a most trying experience while endeavoring to partake of a square meal. They find themselves flying about the room from chairs to table, and vice versa, until they are both completely bewildered, ending in a general mix-up, which is sure to provoke much merriment.
Persons who have visited the "Hub," no doubt carried away with vivid recollections of Boston's famous system of Underground Transportation and this film takes the audience from the bright sunshine into the dim obscurity of the subway. The Underground stations and rows of Electric Arc lamps are plainly shown and, after traversing the tunnel for a considerable distance, the car finally emerges opposite the railroad depot.
Although we are led to believe that the ancient alchemists were all powerful, this picture somewhat reverses the order of things...
A magician steps upon the stage carrying a hoop covered with white paper. Then in quick succession the flags of Germany, Russia, Ireland, England and China are brought forth, and from each a soldier is produced corresponding with the flag of each nation. The magician adds a bit of comedy to the scene by producing a decidedly Hibernian policeman from the flag of Erin's Isle. The magician then waves his hand and the flags of all nations slowly dissolve and blend into one huge American flag.
In a charming dining room a very attractive young lady is seen seated at the table, evidently waiting for the caller who is to share a quiet little dinner for two. A moment later a dude of the regular chappy type enters and seats himself at the table. As soon as the meal commences the inevitable wicked small boy sneaks in unobserved, and producing a piece of rope ties one end securely to the dude's coat tails and fastens the other to the table-cloth.
A cartoonist defies reality when he draws objects that become three-dimensional after he lifts them off his sketch pad.
This is a new adventure in which our friend, Mr. Hooligan, appears in an entirely new capacity. On a stage a professor of magic is performing some wonderful experiments, and when he requests some assistance Happy Hooligan immediately volunteers his services and climbs upon the platform.
The Shamrock is seen after its defeat in the 1899 America's Cup, along with the Erin, which served as its tow boat across the Atlantic.
"Down goes the Spanish flag, and up floats the Stars and Stripes. Down falls the symbol of tyranny and oppression that has ruled in the new world for four hundred years, and up goes the Banner of Freedom. In the distance are the turrets and battlements of Morro, the last foothold of Spain in America."
The Astor Battery became famous after the Spanish-American war and these young men are on display in this Edison short, which was shot on Saturday, January 21, 1899. We see a parade cross Broadway onto Union Square with the mounted police, the band and then the Astor Battery. The footage of this short is still in very good condition, which adds a lot considering how little footage is available of these men.
A countryman goes to see a spiritualist and is frightened by what he sees.
This picture shows the Columbia crossing the line, leading the Shamrock by about 1/2 mile. The Shamrock is plainly seen in the distance and she later comes up and crosses the line in the same picture.
The Humpty Dumpty Circus is the firt animated short film created in stop-motion technique. It features a circus with acrobats and animals in motion.
There is a burglar on the rooftop of a Manhattan office building, and he is trying to break in. Two women spot him, and one of them begins beating him with a broom as they wait for help to arrive. Soon others do appear on the scene to help, but by now the burglar has decided that he is going to put up a fight in an attempt to escape.
Papa is reading his newspaper and his little girl tickles his neck with a long straw. Thinking it is a fly papa "shoos" away the supposed fly with his hand…
