The Kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device, designed for films to be viewed by one person at a time through a peephole viewer window. The Kinetoscope was not a movie projector, but it introduced the basic approach that would become the standard for all cinematic projection before the advent of video: it created the illusion of movement by conveying a strip of perforated film bearing sequential images over a light source with a high-speed shutter. First described in conceptual terms by U.S. inventor Thomas Edison in 1888, it was largely developed by his employee William Kennedy Laurie Dickson between 1889 and 1892.
Thomas Edison patents the Kinetoscope [kinetographic camera], a device that produces moving pictures
The Kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device, designed for films to be viewed by one person at a time through a peephole viewer window.
Historical Significance
The Kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device, designed for films to be viewed by one person at a time through a peephole viewer window.
Key People
Events Before
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of X-rays
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of X-rays
American Emile Grubbe is the first doctor to use radiation treatment for breast cancer
American Emile Grubbe is the first doctor to use radiation treatment for breast cancer
Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Boheme" premieres in Turin
Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Boheme" premieres in Turin
Charilaos Vasilakos of Greece wins the first modern marathon in 3:18 at the Panhellenic Games
Charilaos Vasilakos was a Greek athlete and the first man to win a marathon race. He also won a silver medal for a second place finish in marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Writer "Heart of Darkness" Joseph Conrad (39) marries Englishwoman Jessie George (23)
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British novelist and story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language and – though he did not speak English fluently until his twenties...
Events After
Brooklyn merges with New York City to form the present-day City of New York
The City of Greater New York was the consolidation of the City of New York with Brooklyn, western Queens County, and Staten Island, which took effect on January 1, 1898.
Painter Henri Matisse (28) weds Amélie Noellie Parayre
Painter Henri Matisse (28) weds Amélie Noellie Parayre
Australian cricketer Joe Darling hits the first six in Test cricket (out of the ground)
Australian cricketer Joe Darling hits the first six in Test cricket (out of the ground)
Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (25) weds political activist and poet Alice Ruth Moore (22) in New York
Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (25) weds political activist and poet Alice Ruth Moore (22) in New York
Battle of Atbara River: Anglo-Egyptian forces defeat 15,000 Sudanese during the Mahdist War, a turning point in the reco
Battle of Atbara River: Anglo-Egyptian forces defeat 15,000 Sudanese during the Mahdist War, a turning point in the reconquest of Sudan
More from the 1890s
Physicist J. J. Thomson (33) weds Rose Elisabeth Paget
Physicist J. J. Thomson (33) weds Rose Elisabeth Paget
Ellis Island opens as a US immigration inspection station and becomes the gateway to the United States for more than 12
Ellis Island opens as a US immigration inspection station and becomes the gateway to the United States for more than 12 million people
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of X-rays
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of X-rays
Eritrea is consolidated into a colony by the Italian government
Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. Its capital and largest city is Asmara.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on August 31, 1897?
- The Kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device, designed for films to be viewed by one person at a time through a peephole viewer window. The Kinetoscope was not a movie projector, but it introduced the basic approach that would become the standard for all cinematic projection before the advent of video: it created the illusion of movement by conveying a strip of perforated film bearing sequential images over a light source with a high-speed shutter. First described in conceptual terms by U.S.
- Why is Thomas Edison patents the Kinetoscope [kinetographic camera], a device that p... significant?
- The Kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device, designed for films to be viewed by one person at a time through a peephole viewer window.
- Who was involved in Thomas Edison patents the Kinetoscope [kinetographic camera], a device that p...?
- Key figures include Thomas Edison (inventor and businessman).