The year 1908 in film involved some significant events.

Events

*July 3 - Malhabour Theater, the first film house in

Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on the island of Panay. It is the capital city of t ...

was opened to the public. *July 14 – D. W. Griffith becomes a director at the

American Mutoscope and Biograph Company The Biograph Company, also known as the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, was a motion picture company founded in 1895 and active until 1916. It was the first company in the United States devoted entirely to film production and exhibition ...

in New York City. Between 1908 and 1913, Griffith will direct nearly 500 films starting with the release of

The Adventures of Dollie ''The Adventures of Dollie'' is a 1908 American silent film directed by D. W. Griffith. It was Griffith's debut film as a director. A print of the film survives in the Library of Congress film archive. The film tells the story of a young girl ...

. *October 28 – The Russian Film Industry begins with the release of Russia's first fictional narrative film '' Stenka Razin''. *November 18 – Release in France of ''

The Assassination of the Duke of Guise ''The Assassination of the Duke of Guise'' ( 1908) (original French title: ''La Mort du duc de Guise''; often referred to as ''L'Assassinat du duc de Guise'') is a French historical film directed by Charles le Bargy and André Calmettes, adapte ...

'' (''La Mort du duc de Guise''), the first film with a

screenplay ''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993. Background After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, fe ...

by an eminent man of letters, the playwright

Henri Lavedan Henri Léon Emile Lavedan (9 April 1859 – 4 September 1940), French dramatist and man of letters, was born at Orléans, the son of , a well-known Catholic and liberal journalist. Lavedan contributed to various Parisian papers a series of witt ...

; it is also directed by two men of the theatre, Charles Le Bargy and

André Calmettes André Calmettes (1861-1942) was a French actor and film director. Biography After being a theatre actor for twenty years, he joined the society ', founded in 1908 by the novelist and editor, at the urging of the Sociétaires of the Comédie-Fr ...

, features actors of the

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...

, and is accompanied by a score from Saint-Saëns. *December -

Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventio ...

forms the

Motion Picture Patents Company The Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC, also known as the Edison Trust), founded in December 1908 and terminated seven years later in 1915 after conflicts within the industry, was a trust of all the major US film companies and local foreign-bran ...

, with goals of controlling production and distribution, raising theater admission prices, cooperating with censorship bodies, and preventing film stock from getting into the hands of nonmember producers. *Pathé invents the

newsreel A newsreel is a form of short documentary film, containing news stories and items of topical interest, that was prevalent between the 1910s and the mid 1970s. Typically presented in a cinema, newsreels were a source of current affairs, informa ...

that was shown in cinemas prior to a feature film.

Films released in 1908

*''

'', directed by D. W. Griffith *'' After Many Years'' *'' Antony and Cleopatra'', directed by

J. Stuart Blackton James Stuart Blackton (January 5, 1875 – August 13, 1941) was a British-American film producer and director of the silent era. One of the pioneers of motion pictures, he founded Vitagraph Studios in 1897. He was one of the first filmmakers to ...

and Charles Kent *'' L'Arlésienne'', directed by

Albert Capellani Albert Capellani (23 August 1874 – 26 September 1931) was a French film director and screenwriter of the silent era. He directed films between 1905 and 1922. One of his brothers was the actor-sculptor Paul Capellani, and another, film dir ...

*''

'' * ''Beauty and the Beast'' (''La Belle et la Bette'') (French/ Pathe) * ''Beauty of the Sleeping Woods'', directed by Segundo de Chomon (French/ Pathe), based on the story of ''Sleeping Beauty'' by

Charles Perrault Charles Perrault ( , also , ; 12 January 1628 – 16 May 1703) was an iconic French author and member of the Académie Française. He laid the foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with his works derived from earlier folk tales ...

*'' Betrayed by a Handprint'', directed by D. W. Griffith * ''The Bloodstone'', produced by Siegmund Lubin * ''The Castle Ghosts'' (Italian film) * ''The Cat's Revenge'' (French) * ''Cave of the Spooks'', directed by Segundo de Chomon (French) * ''A Christmas Carol'' (Essanay Film Co.) * ''Cupid's Prank'', directed by

Edwin S. Porter Edwin Stanton Porter (April 21, 1870 – April 30, 1941) was an American film pioneer, most famous as a producer, director, studio manager and cinematographer with the Edison Manufacturing Company and the Famous Players Film Company. Of over ...

* ''The Devil'', directed by D. W. Griffith for Thomas Edison Co., starring Harry Solter, Claire McDowell and Mack Sennett * ''The Devil and the Gambler'' (Vitagraph) *'' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'', produced by William N. Selig, reissued as ''A Modern Dr. Jekyll''; first film adaptation of the 1886 Robert Louis Stevenson novel * ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'', directed by Sidney Olcott for Kalem Films, starring Frank Oakes Rose, this was the 2nd ever film adaptation of the eponymous 1886 Robert Louis Stevenson novel * ''The Doctor's Experiment'' (French) *''The Dog And His Various Merits'', produced by

Pathé Pathé or Pathé Frères (, styled as PATHÉ!) is the name of various French people, French businesses that were founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France starting in 1896. In the early 1900s, Pathé became the world's largest ...

* ''Don Juan Tenorio'', directed by Ricardo de Banos and Alberto Marro (made in Spain) * ''Dream of an Opium Fiend'', directed by George Melies *''Dreams of Toyland'', directed by

Arthur Melbourne-Cooper Arthur Melbourne Cooper (15 April 1874 – 28 November 1961) was a British photographer and early filmmaker best known for his pioneering work in stop-motion animation. He produced over three hundred films between 1896 and 1915, of which an estima ...

*''A L'Ecu d'Or ou la bonne auberge'', a French film regarded as one of the first pornographic films *''Excursion To The Moon'', directed by

Segundo de Chomón Segundo Víctor Aurelio Chomón y Ruiz (also Chomont or Chaumont ; 17 October 1871 – 2 May 1929) was a pioneering Spanish film director, cinematographer and screenwriter. He produced many short films in France while working for Pathé, Pat ...

*''

The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays ''The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays'' was an early attempt to bring L. Frank Baum's Oz books to the motion picture screen. It was a mixture of live actors, hand-tinted magic lantern slides, and film. Baum himself would appear as if he were giving a ...

'' * ''The Fairy's Sword'', directed by Lewin Fitzhamon (British) * ''A Faithless Friend'', directed by Lewin Fitzhamon (British) *'' Fantasmagorie'', directed by

Émile Cohl Émile Eugène Jean Louis Cohl (; né Courtet; 4 January 1857 – 20 January 1938) was a French caricaturist of the largely forgotten Incoherent Movement, cartoonist, and animator, called "The Father of the Animated Cartoon" and "The Oldest ...

(first fully animated film) * ''Fantoche's Nightmare'' (aka The Puppet's Nightmare''), directed by Emile Cohl (French/ Gaumont) *''Fire In A Burlesque Theatre'' * ''The Flower of Youth'' (French/ Pathe) *''From Show Girl To Burlesque Queen'' * ''Fun with the Bridal Party'', directed by George Melies * ''The Gambler and the Devil'', directed by J. Stuart Blackton for Vitagraph * ''The Hanging Lamp'' (French/ Pathe) starring Max Linder * ''The Haunted Castle'' (French/ Pathe) *''The Haunted House'', directed by

(French), aka ''The House of Ghosts'' * ''Incident from Don Quixote'', directed by George Melies (French) * ''In the Bogie Man's Cave'', directed by George Melies (French) *''In the Sultan's Power'' * ''Legend of a Ghost (La légende du fantôme)'', directed by

– (

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

) * ''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'', produced by Kalem Co., first ever film adaptation of the 1820 short story by

Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and " The Legen ...

*''Long Distance Wireless Photography'', directed by

Georges Melies Georges may refer to: Places *Georges River, New South Wales, Australia *Georges Quay (Dublin) * Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania Other uses * Georges (name) * ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas * "Georges" (song), a 19 ...

* ''Lord Feathertop'', directed by Edwin S. Porter, adapted from the story by

Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion. He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associated with that t ...

*''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'', directed by

*'' Magic Bricks'', directed by

* ''The Magic Mirror'', directed by Ferdinand Zecca (French/ Pathe) * ''The Man and His Bottle'', directed by Lewin Fitzhamon (British) * ''The Monkey Man'' *''Moscow Clad In Snow'', produced by

* ''The New Lord of the Village'', directed by George Melies * ''The Nursemaid's Dream'', directed by

Lewin Fitzhamon Lewin "Fitz" Fitzhamon (5 June 1869 – 10 October 1961) was a British filmmaker, who worked as Cecil Hepworth's principal director in the early decades of the twentieth century. His best-known film is ''Rescued by Rover'' (1905). Other directing ...

, starring Gertie Potter (British) * ''Oriental Black Art'', directed by George Melies (French) *''Over The Hill To The Poorhouse'' * ''Pharmaceutical Hallucinations'', directed by George Melies *''The Physician Of The Castle'' * ''A Poor Knight and the Duke's Daughter'' (French) * ''Prehistoric Man'', produced by Urban-Eclipse Prods. * ''

La presa di Roma ''La presa di Roma'', also known as ''La breccia di Porta Pia'' or ''Bandiera bianca'', and distributed in English-speaking countries under the title ''The Capture of Roma'' is a 1905 Italian short black-and-white silent film directed by Filote ...

'', directed by

Filoteo Alberini Filoteo Alberini (14 March 1865 – 12 April 1937) was an Italian inventor, movie director, and one of the earliest pioneers of cinema. Biography Born in Orte, he began working as a handyman in his native town and, after completing the compulsor ...

; possibly the first Italian short film * ''The Princess in the Vase'', directed by Wallace McCutcheon, starring D.W. Griffith * ''The Professor's Secret'' (French/ Gaumont) * ''The Red Barn Crime, or Maria Marten'', directed by William Haggar, starring Walter and Violet Haggar (British) *'' The Reprieve: An Episode in the Life of Abraham Lincoln'' *''

Rescued from an Eagle's Nest ''Rescued from an Eagle's Nest'' is a 1908 American silent action-drama film produced by Edwin S. Porter for Edison Studios and directed by J. Searle Dawley. It features the first leading screen role of the legendary American filmmaker D. W. ...

'', directed by

J. Searle Dawley James Searle Dawley (October 4, 1877 – March 30, 1949) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, stage actor, and playwright. Between 1907 and the mid-1920s, while working for Edison, Rex Motion Picture Company, Famous Player ...

, starring D. W. Griffith * '' La Revolution en Russie'', directed by

Ferdinand Zecca Ferdinand Zecca (19 February 1864 – 23 March 1947) was a pioneer French film director, film producer, actor and screenwriter. He worked primarily for the Pathé company, first in artistic endeavors then in administration of the international ...

*''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

'', directed by

* ''The Runaway Horse (Le Cheval emballé)'', directed by

Louis J. Gasnier Louis Joseph Gasnier (September 15, 1875 – February 15, 1963) was a French-American film director, producer, screenwriter and stage actor. A cinema pioneer, Gasnier shepherded the early career of comedian Max Linder, co-directed the enormously ...

– (

) * ''The Saloon Keeper's Nightmare'' (French/ Gaumont) * ''Satan Finds Mischief'' (French/ Pathe) * ''She'', directed by Edwin S. Porter for Thomas Edison Co., based on the H. Rider Haggard novel; starring Florence Auer and William V. Ranous * ''Sherlock Holmes in the Great Murder Mystery'', produced by Crescent Films (made in Denmark); incorporates scenes from ''Murders in the Rue Morgue'' by Poe * ''The Snowman'', directed by Wallace McCutcheon, starring Edward Dillon and Florence Auer * ''The Spectre'' (aka ''The Specter'')(French/ Pathe) * ''The Spirit'' (French/ Gaumont) * ''Spiritualistic Seance'' (French/ Pathe) * ''Spooks Do The Moving'' (French/ Pathe) *'' Stenka Razin'' (Russian) historical drama *''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...

'', directed by D. W. Griffith *''The Tempest'', directed by

Percy Stow Percy Stow (1876 – 10 July 1919) was a British director of short films. He was also the co-founder of Clarendon Film Company. He was born in Islington, London, England. He was previously associated with Cecil Hepworth from 1901 to 1903, wher ...

*''

The Thieving Hand ''The Thieving Hand'' is a 1908 American silent short film. It is credited for its astounding trick photography and effects for its age. The film was shot on location in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York City and released on February 1, 1908 in the ...

'', directed by

for Vitagraph, starring Paul Panzer *''Tilly Bébé, die berühmte Löwenbändigerin'' (

Tilly Bébé Mathilde Rupp (27 March 187911 April 1932), known by the stage name Tilly Bébé, was an Austrian circus performer. She was noted for her performances with large predators and is considered a pioneer in the performance aspects of lion taming. In ...

, the Famous Lion Tamer) * ''Too Much Champagne'' (U.S./ Vitagraph); features scenes from Dante's ''Inferno'' * ''Toula's Dream'' (French/ Pathe) * ''Trilby'' (Danish) directed by Viggo Larsen and A.R. Nielsen, starring Oda Alstrup and Viggo Larsen *''Trouble Of A Grass Widower'', starring

Max Linder Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...

*''Troubles Of A Manager Of A Burlesque Show'' * ''The Tyrant Feudal Lord'' (French/ Gaumont) loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe's ''Masque of the Red Death'' *''Un dame vraiment bien'' (Feuillade) *''

A Visit To The Seaside ''A Visit to the Seaside'' (1908) was the first successful motion picture filmed in Kinemacolor. It is an 8-minute short film directed by George Albert Smith of Brighton, showing people doing everyday activities. It is ranked of high historica ...

'', directed by

George Albert Smith George Albert Smith Sr. (April 4, 1870 – April 4, 1951) was an American religious leader who served as the eighth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Early life Born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territor ...

. First natural color movie in cinema. * ''The Wages of Sin: an Italian Tragedy'' (Vitagraph) an American film * ''Wave of Spooks'' (French/ Pathe) * ''Wedding Feast and Ghosts'' (made in Italy) *''Whaling Afloat And Ashore'', directed by

Robert W. Paul Robert William Paul (3 October 1869 – 28 March 1943) was an English pioneer of film and scientific instrument maker. He made narrative films as early as April 1895. Those films were shown first in Edison Kinetoscope knockoffs. In 1896 he s ...

* ''The Witch of Seville'' (made in Italy) * ''The Witch's Donkey'' (French/ Pathe) * ''The Wonderful Charm'', directed by George Melies (French)Kinnard,Roy (1995). "Horror in Silent Films". McFarland and Company Inc. . Page 27.

Births

Deaths

* May 23 – Peter F. Dailey, actor, singer (born 1868)

Film debuts

Hobart Bosworth Hobart Van Zandt Bosworth (August 11, 1867 – December 30, 1943) was an American film actor, director, writer, and producer. Early life Bosworth was born on August 11, 1867, in Marietta, Ohio. His father was a sea captain in the Civil W ...

– The Count of Monte Cristo (short) *

Sidney Drew Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Drew were an American comedy team on stage and screen. The team initially consisted of Sidney Drew (August 28, 1863 – April 9, 1919) and his first wife Gladys Rankin (October 8, 1870 – January 9, 1914). After Gladys died in 19 ...

– Cupid's Realm or A Game of Hearts (short) *

Julia Swayne Gordon Julia Swayne Gordon (born Sarah Victoria Smith; October 29, 1878 – May 28, 1933) was an American actress who appeared in at least 228 films between 1908 and 1933. Early years Gordon was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Louis and Anna Smith and wa ...

– Othello (short) *

D.W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...

– actor/writer When Knighthood was in Flower (short); producer

Deceived Slumming Party ''Deceived Slumming Party'' is a 1908 American comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith. Several scenes of tours being conducted in New York City. At the end of each scene it becomes obvious that the events of the tours have been set up to shock a ...

(short); director

(short) *

Marion Leonard Marion Leonard (June 9, 1881 – January 9, 1956) was an American stage actress who became one of the first motion picture celebrities in the early years of the silent film era. Early career Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Marion Leonard began her ...

– At the Crossroads of Life (short) *

Owen Moore Owen Moore (12 December 1886 – 9 June 1939) was an Irish-born American actor, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937. Early life and career Moore was born in Fordstown Crossroads, County Meath, Ireland. Along with his ...

– The Guerilla (short) *

Miriam Nesbitt Miriam Nesbitt (September 14, 1873 in Chicago – August 11, 1954 in Hollywood) was an American stage and film actress. Biography Born Miriam Schanke or Skanke, she studied at the Stanhope-Wheatcroft Dramatic School, before landing a part in D ...

– Saved by Love *

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

– Old Isaacs, the Pawnbroker (short) *

Earle Williams Earle Williams (born Earle Raphael Williams; February 28, 1880 – April 25, 1927) was an American stage actor and film star in the silent era."EARLE WILLIAMS EXPIRES: Bronchial Pneumonia Ends Brilliant Career of Pioneer Filmland Favorite", ''L ...

– Barbara Fritchie: The Story of a Patriotic Woman (short) *

Kathlyn Williams Kathlyn Williams (born Kathleen Mabel Williams, May 31, 1879 – September 23, 1960) was an American actress, known for her blonde beauty and daring antics, who performed on stage as well as in early silent film. She began her career onstage in ...

– On Thanksgiving Day (short)

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1908 In Film Film by year