film

Sandow / - vaudeville film motion picture

10777 U.S. Copyright Office Copyright (under title Souvenir strip of the Edison Kinetoscope): W.K.L. Dickson; 18May1894; 10777. Performer: Eugen Sandow. Camera, William Heise. Duration: 0:40 at 16 fps. Accordin... More

May Irwin kiss / motion picture

From Maguire & Baucus catalogue: An osculatory performance by May Irwin and John Rice. The most popular subject ever shown. From Edison films catalog: By May Irwin and John Rice. They get ready to kiss, begin t... More

Interrupted lovers / motion picture

From Maguire & Baucus catalogue: Another instance where "the course of true love never runs smooth." From Edison films catalog: The watchful father disturbs a dream of bliss, and the bucolic lover is taught a l... More

Procession of floats / motion picture

"Taken at San Francisco, Cal., at the Golden Jubilee. In the foreground are seen crowds of people, all being very close to the camera. The first float is drawn by four white horses and is at least twenty feet l... More

U.S. troops and Red Cross in the trenches before Caloocan /

"Our troops have driven the Filipinos out of the trenches, and, after firing one or two volleys, press on in pursuit. The enemy returns the fire and the forward rush is marked by a trail of dead and wounded. Fo... More

Burning of the Standard Oil Co's tanks, Bayonne, N.J. /

From Edison films catalog: This picture shows a street scene at Constable Hook, Bayonne, N.J. In the background rise immense volumes of dense black smoke from the burning oil, reaching high in the heavens. Outl... More

Panoramic view of Tremont Hotel, Galveston /

From Edison films catalog: This picture shows several buildings which were wrecked and also shows a rear view of this hotel, which is on the highest point of land in Galveston, and in which several thousand peo... More

Panorama of Place de L'Opera /. 19th century, Library of Congress coll...

From Edison films catalog: The busiest square in all Paris. 75 feet. $11.25. D16389 U.S. Copyright Office Copyright: Thomas A. Edison; 9Aug1900; D16389. Duration: 1:14 at 16 fps. MAVIS 1627559; Panorama of Plac... More

The magician / motion picture. 19th century, Library of Congress colle...

"The scene opens on a theatrical stage. The magician enters from the wings, and making a bow to the audience, removes his coat and hat, and they disappear mysteriously into the air. He then takes a white handke... More

"Columbia" winning the Cup - movie film screenshot

"The decisive moment in the great International Yacht Races is shown in this picture. Against a background of well defined clouds, the light boat is seen marking the finishing line in this great aquatic struggl... More

Esquimaux village / motion picture

"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 pull... More

What demoralized the barber shop /

Shows several men in a basement barbership who become excited by women walking past the window. The ankles and knees of the passersby are visible to the men below, causing pandemonium among the barbershop custo... More

President McKinley's speech at the Pan-American Exposition /

The film begins by showing the introductory speaker at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. The speaker introduces the incumbent president of the United States, William F. McKinley. The remainder of the film... More

The unappreciated joke / motion picture

"Scene, interior of a street-car. A stout man enters and sits down alongside of a friend and proceeds to read a comic paper. He shows a joke in the paper to his friend, and they both laugh heartily. The friend ... More

Elevated railroad, New York / - movie film screenshot

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 curv... More

Fireboat "New Yorker" in action /

A demonstration by the famous fireboat "New Yorker." The picture shows the fireboat with all its nozzles spurting water as it goes back and forth in front of the camera. Put in service on February 1, 1891 as En... More

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 fireme... More

[TR's inaugural ceremony, 1905] /

On Mar. 4, 1905, TR is inaugurated in Washington, D.C. with much celebration and fanfare. TR rides in an open landau on Fifteenth St., NW, escorted by mounted Rough Riders; Secret Service men and detectives wal... More

Scenes in San Francisco, [no. 2] /

Panoramas filmed in the ruins of downtown San Francisco and outlying refugee camps following the 1906 earthquake and fire. A scene-by-scene description of the film: [Frame: 0102] Begins with a long, pan of down... More

Logging in Maine / motion picture

The subject is the movement of cut timber from the forest to the mill. The few scenes that make up the film are loggers performing the various operations necessary to prevent logs from jamming together. The men... More

Humorous phases of funny faces /

J. Stuart Blackton "draws" a series of funny faces, including a line drawing of two faces, a man with an umbrella, a line drawing of two faces in profile, and a clown. H75272 U.S. Copyright Office Copyright: Th... More

The sculptor's nightmare / motion picture

At a political club, the members debate whose bust will replace that of Theodore Roosevelt. Unable to agree, each goes to a sculptor's studio and bribes him to sculpt a bust of the individual favorite. Instead,... More

Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria greeted by his people /

Views of Francis Joseph I, Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and an entourage of military officers and civilians walking down a wide avenue; the street is lined with people greeting the Emperor. Interior title notes ... More

[Scene from the 1913 Italian silent film Quo Vadis?]

J181128-31 U.S. Copyright Office. Logo of Italian studio Cines appears in left corner of image.

[End of school day at coeducational school] /

A factual film in which exuberant boys and girls, apparently high school students, walk through the arches of a school building and down the steps. Most of the boys wear caps and most of the girls wear fancy ha... More

Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse at the circus /

An animated cartoon about the adventures of Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse at the circus, where they demonstrate their courage to each other by attempting to scare a woman. MP574 U.S. Copyright Office Copyright: In... More

TR at Forest Hills, New York, 1917 [2] /

At Forest Hills, July 4, 1917, TR speaks in support of vigorous American war involvement and attacks conscientious objectors in an address at the Forest Hills Gardens railroad station; he later reviews the Fore... More

TR Jr. with group of sailors and soldiers /

Medium close view of TR Jr. talking with two sailors and two soldiers. Interior title identifies TR Jr. as one of the founders of the new Legion, which was incorporated by Congress on Sept. 16, 1919 as the Amer... More

The Making of an American - movie film screenshot

Sound: This moving image content is silent, and was created without sound or a soundtrack. Summary: An Italian immigrant arrives in America unable to speak English. Following disappointments and misfortunes, he... More

Wash. Film Exchange - Glass negative photogrpah. Public domain.

Picryl description: Public domain photograph of building, free to use, no copyright restrictions image.

Grantland Rice sportlight--Babe Ruth in training--unidentified works

The Boston Braves in training at Waterfront Park, featuring slugger Babe Ruth, gate-crasher One-Eye Connelly, and pitcher Tony Plansky. This film is believed to be from 1935 as that is the only year Babe Ruth p... More

Clipping from Theatre and Film. April 1937

Public domain scan of newspaper clippings, periodicals, free to use, no copyright restrictions - Picryl description.

Silent Film Clip of Captain Pearl R. Nye

Public domain photograph - historical image of Washington DC, United States, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

Gershwins, 1936-1939--Ira Gershwin--Home Movies

Sound: This moving image content is silent, and was created without sound or a soundtrack. Summary: Collection of home movies featuring George and Ira Gershwin. All segments in color except where noted. 1. Grou... More

Section of Farm Security Administration strip film

Public domain photograph of Great Depression, farm, farmer, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

How would you like to be invited to dinner with this family? You would...

Picryl description: Public domain image of food, dinner, grocery store, eating, 1930s, mid-20th-century United States, free to use, no copyright restrictions.

Section of Farm Security Administration strip film

Public domain photograph of indoor, interior activity, America in the 1930s, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

All-American news--excerpts. 1942-1945

All-American news were the first newsreels produced for a black audience. Made in the 1940s and 1950s, they were originally intended to encourage black Americans to participate in, and support the war effort, a... More

Section of Farm Security Administration strip film

Public domain photograph of indoor, interior activity, America in the 1930s, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

Section of Farm Security Administration strip film

Public domain photograph of indoor, interior activity, America in the 1930s, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

V-mail. Letters to members of the armed forces overseas are photograph...

Picryl description: Public domain photograph of an office worker, 1930s, free to use, no copyright restrictions.

All-American news. 1945-08, no. 1

All-American news were the first newsreels produced for a black audience. Made in the 1940s and 1950s, they were originally intended to encourage black Americans to participate in, and support the war effort, a... More

Behind your radio dial - A man standing in front of a microphone holdi...

This program presents a backstage view of radio and television broadcasting. It includes capsule summaries of the departments making up the NBC network organization, scenes of rehearsals and broadcasts by NBC's... More

A Special Report on Polio - movie film screenshot

Summary: HEW Secretary Oveta Culp Hobby and Surgeon General Leonard Scheele talk about the Salk polio vaccine and assuage concerns about its safety.

Hilltop outtake: Recta Film Co. (Wexler) clapper

Interview with Allen Hamby, Naples, Italy, November 19, 2001 (part 2 o...

Interviewee occupation: Student. Video Recording, Non-Music. Summary: Allen Hamby discusses his parents, plans for enlisting in the Navy or studying computers, and his hopes to get to the bottom of what really ... More

Interview with Karl Kish, Naples, Italy, November 26, 2001 (part 1 of ...

Video Recording, Non-Music. Interviewee occupation: Chaplain, United States Navy. Summary: Karl Kish was at work when the attacks occurred. At first, he felt a mixture of shock and apathy. He talks about his fa... More

LC Performance. Interview. Creating and Translating Poetry--Ben Belitt...

Jack Greenberg oral history interview conducted by Joseph Mosnier in N...

Jack Greenberg remembers attending Columbia University Law School, working for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, and arguing the Brown v. Board of Education case. He discusses working on many other ci... More

D'Army Bailey oral history interview conducted by David P. Cline in Me...

D'Army Bailey describes growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, the influence of the Crump political machine in city politics, and his involvement with the Memphis NAACP at an early age. He talks about his participat... More

Dorothy Foreman Cotton oral history interview conducted by Joseph Mosn...

Dorothy Foreman Cotton discusses growing up in rural North Carolina, attending Shaw University and Virginia State College, working as a housekeeper for the president of these colleges, Dr. Robert Prentiss Danie... More

D'Army Bailey oral history interview conducted by David P. Cline in Me...

D'Army Bailey describes growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, the influence of the Crump political machine in city politics, and his involvement with the Memphis NAACP at an early age. He talks about his participat... More

D'Army Bailey oral history interview conducted by David P. Cline in Me...

D'Army Bailey describes growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, the influence of the Crump political machine in city politics, and his involvement with the Memphis NAACP at an early age. He talks about his participat... More

Fort McNair, Film Store House, Fort Lesley J. McNair, P Street between...

Significance: The Film Storehouse, constructed in 1918 for storage of films for the Army War College, is an example of an early nitrate film vault constructed during the World War I period to prevent the detona... More

Forging the weapons of war, official United States war film / Ioseph P...

Poster showing cranes in a shipyard. Produced by Signal Corps, U.S.A. and Committee on Public Information.

Rube and Mandy at Coney Island /

"The first scene shows a country couple entering Steeplechase Park. They proceed to amuse themselves on the steeplechase, rope bridge, the "Down and Out" and riding the bulls. The scene then changes to a panora... More

Barbara Edna Vickers oral history interview conducted by Joseph Mosnie...

Summary: Barbara Vickers recalls growing up in St. Augustine, Florida, working in a shipyard in New York during World War II, and returning to St. Augustine with her husband. She remembers working as a beautici... More

[The effects of new wine] / - Art nouveau public domain image

A family travels by train to the country for a picnic; they are served new wine at a riverside café and then they wander along the banks of a river. Several members of the party become ill and have to search f... More

Fighting a vicious film - Rare book, public domain, Library of Congres...

Cover title. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site.

The golden lily / - movie film screenshot

A poor, elderly violinist takes refuge in a cathedral. When he plays his violin there, the Madonna appears before him and gives him a golden lily. He tries to sell the lily to a goldsmith, but the goldsmith and... More

The good sport / motion picture

A domestic comedy about a wealthy young woman whose poor inventor husband becomes rich when he perfects the first elevator that ever stopped even without a floor. LP12317 U.S. Copyright Office Copyright: Thomas... More

Gloria Claudette Grinnell oral history interview conducted by David P....

Gloria Claudette Grinnell recounts her participation in the sit-in movement in Richmond, Virginia, when she was a student at Virginia Union University. She describes her family's history on the East Coast and e... More

Emmett W. Bassett and Priscilla Tietjen Bassett oral history interview...

Priscilla Tietjen Bassett recalls growing up in Plainfield, New Jersey, and attending Smith College, and Emmett W. Bassett remembers growing up in Henry County, Virginia, serving in World War II, and attending ... More

Evans Derrell Hopkins oral history interview conducted by Joseph Mosni...

Evans Hopkins recalls growing up in Danville, Virginia, and participating in efforts to desegregate public schools and the library. He remembers joining the Black Panther Party in Winston-Salem, North Carolina,... More

Anne Pearl Avery oral history interview conducted by Joseph Mosnier in...

Anne Pearl Avery remembers her childhood in Birmingham, Alabama, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and joining the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) at age sixteen. She recalls attending a SNCC meeti... More

Film Music - Public domain document scan

[lecture/speech] Class Thirteen, Department of Fine Arts - Columbia University, "The history of the motion picture" by the Museum of Modern Art Film Library

Glenroy Bros. motion picture - Drawing. Public domain image.

From Raff & Gammon price list: Farcical pugilists in costume. 15.00. Copyright: no reg. Performers: Glenroy Brothers. Camera, William Heise. Duration: 0:18 at 30 fps. MAVIS 180327. Filmed October 6, 1894, in Ed... More

Passaic Falls / motion picture. 19th century, Library of Congress coll...

From Maguire & Baucus catalogue: A beautiful picture of the falls of the Passaic River, near Paterson, N.J. Copyright: no reg. Camera, William Heise. Duration: 0:19 at 30 fps. MAVIS 183875. Filmed ca. July 1896... More

Cattle driven to slaughter /. 19th century, Library of Congress collec...

"A herd of long-horn cattle being driven through the Chicago stock yard gates to the slaughter house, where 280 of the animals are killed every hour of the day"--Maguire & Baucus catalogue. Part of the Erie Rai... More

Loading baggage for Klondike, no. 6 /

"This was the first ship sailing for the Klondike from Seattle during the gold rush of 1897. The picture shows the excitement and enthusiasm that attended the great Klondike exodus. Crowds of anxious gold seeke... More

Pillow fight / motion picture. 19th century, Library of Congress colle...

"A comic subject, clear, bright and characteristic. Shows four girls in their night dresses, engaged in an animated pillow fight. During the action the pillows become torn, and the feathers fly over their heads... More

Turkish dance, Ella Lola - movie film screenshot

A young, dark-haired woman performs a period "Oriental" dance (commonly known as a belly dance) with some Turkish styling. She performs distinctive dance movements that include shoulder shimmies with pelvic mov... More

Champs Elysees / motion picture

"Near the main entrance. Hundreds of carriages and characteristic Parisian buses are passing. 75 feet"--Edison films catalog. D16384 U.S. Copyright Office Copyright: Thomas A. Edison; 9Aug1900; D16384. Duration... More

Hooligan assists the magician /

From Edison films catalog: 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 r... More

The kiss / motion picture. 19th century, Library of Congress collectio...

From Edison films catalog: Nothing new, but an old thing done over again and done well. Some one has attempted to describe a kiss as "something made of nothing," but this is not one of that kind, but one of tho... More

Panorama of gorge railway /. 19th century, Library of Congress collect...

"One of the most interesting places in the vicinity of Niagara Falls is the Whirlpool Rapids, where the immense volume of water which passes from the Falls, speeds along through its rocky and tortuous passage t... More

Tykociner [sp] film of voice - Glass negative photogrpah. Public domai...

Public domain historical photo, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

Building a harbor at San Pedro /

"This picture was secured from a launch furnished by Mr. Eager, President of the California Construction Co., who are fulfilling this $5,000,000 contract. Here is seen the largest derrick in the world at work, ... More

Esquimaux leap-frog / motion picture

"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 se... More

President McKinley's funeral cortege at Buffalo, N.Y. /

"This starts with the funeral procession leaving the Milburn house on Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y., headed by the mounted police of Buffalo, followed by Companies I and F, of the 14th U.S. Infantry, under per... More

What happened on Twenty-third Street, New York City /

"The scene as suggested by the title is made on 23d Street, New York City. In front of one of the large newspaper offices on that thoroughfare is a hot air shaft through which immense volumes of air is forced b... More

Steamscow "Cinderella" and ferryboat "Cincinnati"

"The film, photographed from a camera positioned on a dock, shows a large steam scow passing the camera location; simultaneously, a large paddle-wheel ferryboat passes in the opposite direction. The weather was... More

Mining operations, Pennsylvania coal fields /

The film opens on an area covered with snow where the following operations are visible: track laying, and dirt moving by explosion, grader, steam shovel, and steam engine. H54720 U.S Copyright Office Copyright:... More

Bargain day, 14th Street, 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 acr... More

International contest for the heavyweight championship--Squires vs. Bu...

This is an actual film of the heavyweight championship prize fight between Canadian, Tommy Burns (defender) and Australian, Bill Squires. The fight was labeled the shortest and fiercest prize fight on record up... More

TR in Africa [1909, 2] / - Public domain portrait drawing

Scenes of African peoples and of TR's safari party, all probably filmed in British East Africa (Kenya) in 1909. View of TR planting a tree in front of trading company building, possibly located in Mombasa, long... More

Presenting movie film to Sec. Baker

Picryl description: Public domain image of a group of people, United States politics, free to use, no copyright restrictions.

Scenes of Roosevelt Dam / - movie film screenshot

Panoramic views of the Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River in Arizona: shots include rocky hill above dam, water rushing through portions of dam, and a car being driven on road across dam. Since a flag waves from b... More

The life of Buffalo Bill. Parts I-III

Several events from Buffalo Bill Cody's life are reenacted in the form of dreamed flashbacks. Many scenes are from the Wild West show scenarios, including Buffalo Bill taking the scalp of Yellow Hand, an Indian... More

[Scene from the 1913 Italian silent film Quo Vadis?]

J181136 U.S. Copyright Office. Logo of Italian studio Cines appears in left corner of image.

[Scene from film "Quo Vadis", showing a gladiator standing over a fall...

Copyright by George Kleine. No. 21. Public domain photograph - portrait of athlete, champion, sport, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

TR at Sagamore Hill [1916] / - movie film screenshot

On May 27, 1916, shortly before the Republican Party and Progressive Party conventions, the newly formed Roosevelt Non-Partisan League sponsors a demonstration of support for TR at Sagamore Hill. Many prominent... More

The Italian motion picture - movie film screenshot

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, a... More

The dinosaur and the missing link, a prehistoric tragedy /

Uses clay animation to tell a story of prehistoric times. Three suitors, named the Duke, Stonejaw Steve, and Theophilus Ivoryhead, compete for the hand of Miss Araminta Rockface. Ivoryhead, an unassuming weakli... More

TR in Baltimore during Liberty Loan drive, 1918 /

On Sept. 28, 1918, Theodore Roosevelt is the principal speaker at the opening of the fourth Liberty Loan campaign in Oriole Baseball Park, Baltimore, Maryland. Wearing a mourning armband for his son, Quentin, R... More

[Flag services for TR at Oyster Bay, October 1919] /

On October 27, 1919 the Roosevelt memorial flag, which has been carried across New York State in TR's honor, is brought to rest at his grave in Youngs Memorial Cemetery, Oyster Bay, N.Y. View of two young girls... More

RMA flag service on the steps of New York Public Library, 1919 /

On October 27, 1919 the Roosevelt memorial flag, which has been carried across New York State in TR's honor, is brought to rest at his grave in Youngs Memorial Cemetery, Oyster Bay, N.Y. Views of Samuel Abbott,... More

Visitin' 'round at Coolidge Corners /

Shows scenes of Calvin Coolidge at his summer home in Plymouth, Vermont, including Coolidge helping out on the neighboring farm of cousin Ed Blanchard; in the "summer White House" above the Plymouth post office... More

[Are college students bashful? Film director says they are]

Edmund Goulding, MGM director, helping William Twiddy and "Bill" Easton kiss while making a film with the motion picture class at Columbia University. National Photo Company Collection.

Mary Pickford and the Coquette contest winners

A film featuring the 25 "Coquette girls", winners of a contest conducted as a sales promotion for Mary Pickford's first sound film, Coquette. Newspapers such as the Washington evening star, the New Haven regist... More