Title:

What happened on Twenty-third Street, 
New York City
[What happened on 23d Street, New York City]
Archival film and video materials from the collections of the Library of Congress.

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creators: Thomas A. Edison, Inc.
dates: 1901
talent: -
producer: -
director: -
cameras: 
sound tracks: -
composer: -
duration: 00:01:17:00 (15 fps)
original media: 35 mm: paper positive
digital id: m2a36374Voy.ram

Description:

Street scene along 23rd Street in New York City. Pedestrians, both men and women, cross back and forth avoiding horse-drawn carriages and trolley cars. Finally, a man and woman come toward camera and cross over grate in sidewalk. Air blowing up from grate blows the woman's skirt high above her knees. She struggles to push her dress down and move past the grate. She looks around to see if anyone else noticed this embarrassing moment.

Subjects:

motion pictures, documentaries, voyeurism, streets, pedestrians, carriages, trolley cars, New York City

Style:

black-and-white film, silent film

Implication: 

street scene, urban life, women, erotic, comedy, modesty, clothing

Reference Information:

"Edison Manufacturing Company was organized in December 1889 as Edison's personal business and was incorporated in 1900. Originally formed to manufacture and market the Edison-Lalande primary battery.... It also produced kinetoscope films, kinetoscopes, wax for phonograph cylinders, x-ray equipment, medical instruments, and fan motors. " from Thomas A. Edison Papers of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

From Edison Film Catalog: 

"From a contemporary Edison film company catalog: WHAT HAPPENED ON 23d STREET, NEW YORK CITY. Unbarbour [code for telegraphic orders]. This is a winner and sure to please. 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 by means of a blower. Ladies crossing these shafts often have their clothes slightly disarranged, (it may be said much to their discomfiture). As our picture was being made a young man escorting a young lady, to whom he was talking very earnestly, comes into view and walks slowly along until they stand directly over the air shaft. The young lady's skirts are suddenly raised to, you might say an almost unreasonable height, greatly to her horror and much to the amusement of the newsboys, bootblacks and passersby. This subject is a winner. Class B. 50 ft. $6.00." From The Library of Congress American Memory Collection

"The Edison Manufacturing Co. (later known as Thomas A. Edison, Inc.) not only built the apparatus for filming and projecting motion pictures, but also produced films for public consumption. Most early examples were actualities showing famous people, news events, disasters, people at work, new modes of travel and technology, scenic views, expositions, and other leisure activities. As actualities declined in popularity, the company's production emphasis shifted to comedies and dramas." From The Library of Congress American Memory Collection

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