U.S. Presidential Election Films 1896–1924

Franklin D. Roosevelt and Baby Peggy together at the 1924 Democratic Convention in Madison Square Garden in New York, 26 June 1924, photo: LoC. This scene does not appear in the films. Baby Peggy (born in 1918) is still alive at the date of this screening. Please click on the images to enlarge them.

Elezioni presidenziali Americane / U.S. Presidential Election Films 1896–1924
Le Giornate del Cinema Muto
Teatro Verdi, Pordenone, e-subtitles in Italian by Sub-Ti, grand piano: José Maria Serralde Ruíz, 5 Oct 2016

McKINLEY AT HOME, CANTON, OHIO (US 1896). P+cinematographer: W. K. L. Dickson. Asst cinematographer: Billy Bitzer. Feat: William McKinley, Ida McKinley (wife), George B. Cortelyou (secretary). EX P: Abner McKinley. PC: American Mutoscope Company. Filmed: 18.09.1896, Canton, Ohio. Rel: 12.10.1896 (première: Hammerstein’s Olympia Music Hall, New York City). © 7.1.1897. DCP (from 35 mm), 43" (transferred at 16 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: A glimpse of William McKinley's front porch campaign. Visual quality: slowed down, low contrast, paper print look.

EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS (US 1896). P+cinematographer: W. K. L. Dickson. Asst cinematographer: Billy Bitzer. PC: American Mutoscope Company. Vilmed: 30.9.1896. Rel: 12.10.1896 (première: Hammerstein’s Olympia Music Hall, New York City). © 25.07.1902. DCP (from 16 mm), 17" (transferred at 20 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: A glimpse of the iconic American train view. Visual quality: a low contrast digital transfer from 16 mm.

ROOSEVELT’S ROUGH RIDERS (US 1898). Cinematographer: ?. Feat: First United States Volunteer Cavalry. PC: American Mutoscope & Biograph Company. filmed: 6.1898, Tampa Bay, Florida. © 18.06.1903. DCP (from 35 mm), 29" (transferred at 20 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: A glimpse of Roosevelt's Rough Riders charging towards the camera. Visual quality: a low contrast, duped look.

Theodore Roosevelt, 1900 campaign speech, photo Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation, Culpeper, VA. This image is not in one of the films.

GOVERNOR ROOSEVELT AND STAFF (US 1899). Cinematographer: F. S. Armitage. P: Wallace McCutcheon, American Mutoscope & Biograph Company. Filmed: 30.9.1899, New York City. © 21.05.1902. DCP (from 16 mm), 1'11" (transferred at 20 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: A view of the Dewey Parade on a sunny street. Visual quality: low contrast, paper print look.

TERRIBLE TEDDY, THE GRIZZLY KING (US 1901). D: George S. Fleming, Edwin S. Porter. Cinematographer: Edwin S. Porter. PC: Edison Manufacturing Company. © 23.02.1901. DCP (from 35 mm), 55" (transferred at 20 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: This film is familiar in Helsinki as we regularly screen it as a part of our Edison / Porter compilation programme. A crude farce on Teddy shooting teddies, accompanied with his press agent. The pianist José Maria Serralde Ruíz played "Teddy Bears' Picnic" during this movie.

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT’S HOMECOMING (US 1904). Cinematographer: G. W. “Billy” Bitzer. PC: American Mutoscope & Biograph Company. Filmed: 2.7.1904, Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY. © 12.7.1904. DCP (from 16 mm), 1'12" (transferred at 18 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: The train arrives at the station, observed at some distance with a jumpy camera. The magnitude of the crowd is impressive.

Alton B. Parker, Henry G. Davis, 1904, photo Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation, Culpeper, VA. This image is not in one of the films.

JUDGE PARKER RECEIVING THE NOTIFICATION OF HIS NOMINATION FOR THE PRESIDENCY (US 1904). Cinematographer: A. C. Abadie. PC: Edison Manufacturing Company. Filmed: 10.8.1904, Esopus, NY. © 15.8.1904. DCP (from 16 mm), 1'47" (transferred at 16 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: Alton B. Parker gives a speech. Visual quality: low contrast, duped.

A VISIT TO THEODORE ROOSEVELT AT HIS HOME (US 1912). Cinematographer: ?. PC: Pathé Frères. Filmed: 8.1912, Oyster Bay, Long Island. Feat: Theodore Roosevelt, Archibald Bulloch “Archie”Roosevelt (son), William P. Helm (Associated Press correspondent). DCP (from 35 mm), 7'09" (transferred at 18 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: Visiting the Sagamore Hill. Theodore Roosevelt works on his porch, cares for his horse Sidar, and his three hound dogs, and chops down trees. We have a need for pioneer virtues. There is a big crowd when Teddy speaks. A watchable visual quality although with a duped and low contrast look.

ROOSEVELT (US 1912) excerpt: [THEODORE ROOSEVELT AT FARGO, ND]. Cinematographer: Richard J. Cummins. PC: H. A. Spanuth, J. W. Strouse, General Film Publicity & Sales Company. Filmed: 9.1912. Rel: 5.10.1912 (première: Carnegie Hall, New York City). Fragment, DCP (from 35 mm, 350 ft), 4'23" (transferred at 20 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: Teddy gives a speech from the train. A big crowd. A montage of speeches. A fascinating atlas of faces among the listeners. The pianist is inspired. Look: duped, low contrast.

THE OLD WAY AND THE NEW (US 1912). Cinematographer: ?. PC: Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Dist: Film Classic Exchange. DCP (from 16 mm), 9'41" (transferred at 20 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: A crude political caricature on the adversaries, T. Roosevelt and Taft. Election advertisement for Woodrow Wilson.

PATHE NEWS NO. 46: [REPUBLICANS AND PROGRESSIVES MEET] (US 1916). PC: Pathé Frères. DCP (from 35 mm), 1'02" (transferred at 20 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: A view from the Republican convention. There is a close-up of Warren G. Harding. High contrast.

[PRESIDENTS HARDING AND COOLIDGE], excerpt from WARREN GAMALIEL HARDING (US 1920). Cinematographer: Lawrence J. Darmour. PC: Commercial Publicity Film Company. Filmed: 07-08.1920 (Marion, Ohio; Northampton, MA; Plymouth, VT; Washington, D.C.). Sponsor: Republican National Committee. Feat: Warren G. Harding (Ohio Senator), Florence Harding (wife), Dr. Tryon Harding (father), Calvin Coolidge (Governor of Massachusetts), Will H. Hays (Chairman, Republican National Committee), Henry Cabot Lodge (Massachusetts Senator), Edward P. Morrow (Governor of Kentucky), John Calvin Coolidge, Sr. (father). DCP (from 16 mm,), 8'17" (transferred at 20 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: Meeting Warren G. Harding in his hometown Marion, Ohio. Will H. Hays is among the speakers. There is a huge crowd. Watchable although with a duped look, low contrast, and overspeed.

Franklin D. Roosevelt delivering his famous nomination speech for Alfred E. Smith, calling him the happy warrior, LoC.

[DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION, NEW YORK CITY, 1924] (US 1924). PC: International News Reel Corporation. Filmed: 25-26.6.1924 et passim, Madison Square Garden, NYC. Feat: Tom Walsh (Senator from Montana, convention chairman), Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John W. Davis, Ellen Graham Davis, Charles W. Bryan. DCP (from 16 mm), 2'39" (transferred at 22 fps); titles: ENG. – AA: The Democratic National Convention in New York. Skyscrepers. Epic crowds.

Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. Photo: Library of Congress.

PRESIDENT COOLIDGE – TAKEN ON THE WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS (US 1924). P: Theodore W. Case, De Forest Phonofilm. Filmed: 14-15.8.1924, Washington, D.C. Rel: 21.9.1924 (première: Rivoli Theater, NYC). DCP (from 35 mm), 4'30" (transferred at 24 fps), sd.; dial: ENG. – AA: A long take on President Calvin Coolidge reading from his notes. The sound is missing on the DCP. Ok visual quality, contrast on the low side.

AA: An invaluable survey covering almost twenty years with a comprehensive selection on U.S. Presidential film footage during the silent age. Pretty boring regarding cinematic flair and visual quality but invaluable from the viewpoints of political and cultural history.

An excellent new book has been published relevant to the theme:

Charles Musser: Politicking and Emergent Media. US Presidential Elections of the 1890s. 274 p. Oakland: University of California Press, 2016.