Trapeze disrobing act motion picture

Camera is positioned as if in the audience at a vaudeville show. Two men in rough clothing are visible in a box on the left as a woman sits on a trapeze over the stage. Fully dressed in street clothing, the trapeze artist removes her jacket and hat before performing a flip. She subsequently removes more clothing, including her corset, which she throws to the men in the box, who fight over it. The trapeze artist continues to disrobe--shoes, stockings, and garters, which she also throws to the men. Then she hangs upside down 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.
"A lady dressed in evening costume is performing on a trapeze. Two Rubes are seated in a box in the theatre. The lady begins to disrobe and here the fun commences. As she removes her garments one by one and throws them at our rural friends, they begin going through antics, which to say the least, are highly amusing. 100 ft."--Edison films catalog.
H10634 U.S. Copyright Office
Copyright: Thomas A. Edison; 11Nov1901; H10634.
Duration: 2:18 at 14 fps.
According to author Irving Zeidman, a popular stunt in female minstrel shows--a precursor to burlesque--"was swinging out over the heads of the audience in trapezes and swings in midair, sometimes undressing in the process" (American burlesque show, 1967, p. 29).
Edison catalog no. 5309.
Paper print shelf number (LC 1903) was changed when the paper prints were re-housed.
Additional holdings for this title may be available. Contact reference librarian.
Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files.
Sources used: Copyright catalog, motion pictures, 1894-1912; Niver, K. Early motion pictures, p. 334; Edison films catalog, no. 135, Sept. 1902, p. 82; AFI cat.: film beginnings, 1893-1910; Allen, R. Horrible prettiness, p. 267-269.
Early motion pictures : the Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress / by Kemp R. Niver. Library of Congress. 1985.