The Birthplace of Movies
Posted by admin on March 21st, 2010
The Birthplace of Movies
Ever wonder where the first movie in America was shown? Well, it was at a theater called Koster and Bials Music Hall and was located at 34th and Broadway in New York City. It is no longer there. It was replaced by the Macys store of Thanksgiving Day Parade fame.
On April 23, 1896, the theater added several short films to the end of their usual vaudeville show. Touted because the VitaScope process had been invented by Thomas Edison, the short films opened to great reviews. It was noisy, live music played over the roar, and people saw a comedic boxing match, a sexy lady dancing and a little political satire. While the quality may have been a bit jerky and the editing a little rough, people knew they were seeing something that would be a lasting contribution to culture.
The theater had added a 20 x 12 foot screen adorned with a gold gilded frame on which films were shown. People were wildly excited by this and the New York Times gushed on about the event for days. Apparently, before the films were even over, the crowd was cheering wildly in appreciation of the marvelous thing Edison and the Koster and Bial had brought to them.
Theaters arent made like Koster and Bials anymore. There were marble stairs from the foyer into the theater itself. There were exclusive boxes for the rich. There were bars on the promenade, and satin and silk drapes everywhere. Even the backs of the theater chairs had special shelves for patrons drinks. While contemporary theaters are returning to the idea of giving the movie goer more these days and the technology is so much better, nothing can replace the grandeur of these old music halls. Today, theres a small plaque in Herald Square across from Macys which commemorates the theater and Edisons great invention.
