Directing

Lee De Forest

Born August 26, 1873 · Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA

Died June 30, 1961 · aged 87

Lee de Forest, (born August 26, 1873, Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S.—died June 30, 1961, Hollywood, California), American inventor of the Audion vacuum tube, which made possible live radio broadcasting and became the key component of all radio, telephone, radar, television, and computer systems before the invention of the transistor in 1947. Although de Forest was bitter over the financial exploitatio…

Known For

Casey at the Bat

Casey at the Bat · 1922

Casey at the Bat

In his career, De Wolf Hopper recited Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" thousands of times. Here, wearing a tuxedo, he emerges from behind a curtain as if at a theater, gives a short introduction, and launches into the poem. The camera is stationary, and although Hopper stands in one place, his hands and arms, his face, and his voice are animated throughout. In delivery, it's a minstrel performance.

Sweet Adeline

Sweet Adeline · 1926

Follow the bouncing ball sing-along

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake Sing Snappy Songs

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake Sing Snappy Songs · 1923

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake Sing Snappy Songs

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake sing snappy songs.

My Old Kentucky Home

My Old Kentucky Home · 1926

My Old Kentucky Home

A dog gets ready for dinner as the story takes us into a sing-a-long with "My Old Kentucky Home". The first sound cartoon ever produced.

From Far Seville

From Far Seville · 1923

From Far Seville

Spanish dancer Conchita Piquer performs in a short film produced in the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process.

Billy Merson Singing 'Desdemonia'

Billy Merson Singing 'Desdemonia' · 1926

Billy Merson Singing 'Desdemonia'

MovieMusicComedy

'Billy Merson, the great Nottingham-born music hall performer, presents one of his signature numbers. The film clearly captures Merson's comic brilliance - he not only sings, but dances, skips and indulges in a lot of creative business with a lyre. Merson had been making films since 1915 and Desdemonia is often cited as Britain's first sound film.' (Robin Baker, BFI)

President Coolidge, Taken on the White House Grounds

President Coolidge, Taken on the White House Grounds · 1924

President Coolidge, Taken on the White House Grounds

The first presidential film with sound recording.

Eubie Blake Plays His Fantasy on Swanee River

Eubie Blake Plays His Fantasy on Swanee River · 1923

Eubie Blake Plays His Fantasy on Swanee River

Blake plays his "Fantasy on Swanee River" (two takes of same piece, in different styles). The highest notes failed to record in this seminal experiment with synchronized sound.

Filmography

Sort

Casey at the Bat

Casey at the Bat · 1922

Casey at the Bat

In his career, De Wolf Hopper recited Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" thousands of times. Here, wearing a tuxedo, he emerges from behind a curtain as if at a theater, gives a short introduction, and launches into the poem. The camera is stationary, and although Hopper stands in one place, his hands and arms, his face, and his voice are animated throughout. In delivery, it's a minstrel performance.

Director

Sweet Adeline

Sweet Adeline · 1926

Follow the bouncing ball sing-along

Producer

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake Sing Snappy Songs

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake Sing Snappy Songs · 1923

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake Sing Snappy Songs

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake sing snappy songs.

Director

My Old Kentucky Home

My Old Kentucky Home · 1926

My Old Kentucky Home

A dog gets ready for dinner as the story takes us into a sing-a-long with "My Old Kentucky Home". The first sound cartoon ever produced.

Producer

From Far Seville

From Far Seville · 1923

From Far Seville

Spanish dancer Conchita Piquer performs in a short film produced in the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process.

Director

Billy Merson Singing 'Desdemonia'

Billy Merson Singing 'Desdemonia' · 1926

Billy Merson Singing 'Desdemonia'

MovieMusicComedy

'Billy Merson, the great Nottingham-born music hall performer, presents one of his signature numbers. The film clearly captures Merson's comic brilliance - he not only sings, but dances, skips and indulges in a lot of creative business with a lyre. Merson had been making films since 1915 and Desdemonia is often cited as Britain's first sound film.' (Robin Baker, BFI)

Producer

President Coolidge, Taken on the White House Grounds

President Coolidge, Taken on the White House Grounds · 1924

President Coolidge, Taken on the White House Grounds

The first presidential film with sound recording.

Director

Eubie Blake Plays His Fantasy on Swanee River

Eubie Blake Plays His Fantasy on Swanee River · 1923

Eubie Blake Plays His Fantasy on Swanee River

Blake plays his "Fantasy on Swanee River" (two takes of same piece, in different styles). The highest notes failed to record in this seminal experiment with synchronized sound.

Director