Athlete with Wand
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About Athlete with Wand
An athlete from the Newark Turnverein stands in the Black Maria and runs through stretching poses, both hands on a long stick. A black dog shares the stage with him.
Cast & crew
More about Athlete with Wand
W. K. L. Dickson produced it and William Heise was the cameraman. It was shot in February 1894 in Edison's Black Maria at West Orange, one of a series using athletes from the local Newark Turnverein. Silent Era measures the negative at 37 feet. There was no copyright registration. A French variant title is Leçon de bâton.
Themes
Making
The Black Maria was a tarpaper studio on a turntable, swung to face the sun. Dickson used that daylight for the gymnastics series in February 1894.
Look
William Heise filmed it in the Black Maria in February 1894, one camera on the athlete and the stick.
Preservation
A print exists at the Library of Congress in the Gordon Hendricks Collection: a 35mm preservation positive and a 35mm viewing print. Silent Era lists the length as 37 feet. It is in the public domain in the United States.
Notes
- The athlete is not named. Silent Era notes a dog in the frame with him.
- The Library of Congress holds it in the Gordon Hendricks Collection, as a 35mm preservation positive and a viewing print.
- The Library of Congress viewing-print number was FEC 8056, later FYA 1427.
- It was made for the Kinetoscope, a peephole viewer, not for a projector.
- Heise's camera credit is on the Library of Congress record.
Scenes
- The athlete holds the long stick in both hands and works through a series of stretches while a black dog stays on the stage.
Also available
- Library of Congress (Athlete with wand, Gordon Hendricks Collection)
