Biograph Comes to Hamilton - June 1899



 “The Biograph and its remarkable moving pictures of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, His Holiness Pope Leo XIII, the gallant Gordon Highlanders, the 21st Lancers, the Grenadier Guards and the Prince of Wales are coming to Hamilton.”

Hamilton Times.   June 12, 1899.

Its considered to be one of the wonders of the era. While there had been some advances in moving picture technology, for the most part the moving images which had been seen were small. The Biograph was something new and exciting in 1899. The moving pictures which could be seen from the Biograph projectors were large, large enough that everyone a big crowd seated in a Hall could see them at the same time.

On June 12, 1899, the Hamilton Times promoted an upcoming exhibition of the Biograph:

“The dates are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 19th, 20th and 21st and the place is Association Hall. The public of Hamilton and excursionists from all surrounding places will have an opportunity of seeing all the great events and personages of the day, depicted as they actually appear. The films of these famous people are to be preserved and renewed from time ti time in the British Museum, so that generations to come one hundred years from now may witness the events of today as they occurred.

“The Biograph is the name of an invention which brings the whole world and all the people in it to our doors. It is marvelous for it must be numbered among the greatest of the latest triumphs of the genius of man in the nineteenth century. Everyone is delighted and fairly gasps in wonderment as one view after another is enacted before their very eyes. There is scarcely anyone making a tour to the continent anymore; the Biograph goes, sees everything, just at the interesting moment, comes home, and as if by enchantment calls up every scene. What will you have? A grand military view, Her Majesty in a carriage, the Royal family at a picnic, or perhaps you would like to see a Paris hotel burn while you wait and watch as a panic-stricken mob watch the rescue of a woman from a fifth story window. It is all here; the Biograph has looked after it all.

“Of course in a record of wonderful things you can’t get away from the inevitable Yankee glory. We must resign ourselves to the omnipresent Santiago, San Juan, etc. You can’t get away from the U.S.V. coming back from that ‘great and terrible’ war. The Biograph has been sensible enough, however, to take a few squints at the Gordon Highlanders and the English Grenadiers on parade, as well as the omnipresent Yankee soldier. Some of the finest views given by the Biograph was the marchpast of the Gordon Highlanders and the heroic regiment of Omdurman and the marchpast of by the Royal Canadian Artillery on snowshoes inside the Citadel, Quebec.

“The third part of the programme, and to some, perhaps the most interesting consists of religious views, Pope Leo XIII can be seen to the life. The representations are so good – for 17,000 views of His Holiness were taken so as to ensure perfect reproductions. The pontifical guards kneel, the priests make the sign of the cross, and His Holiness with his fingers making the sign of the papal blessing, smiles an ineffable smile on the audience.

“The plan of reserved seats will be open at Heintzman & Co’s on Thursday.”

“Greatest Picture Show : Hamilton to Have the Biograph Next Week : Something of Its Wonders ”1

1Hamilton Times.   June 12, 1899.

As part of the strategy to attract as many ticket buyers for the Biograph exhibition, a showing was put on with members of the Hamilton clergy specifically invited to attend for free:

“There was a pleasant spectacle this afternoon at Association Hall, when clergymen of all denominations and a considerable audience of every religious stripe sat down to enjoy the wonderful moving pictures of the biograph, whose latest achievement has been the presentation of remarkable views of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII on a screen 30 feet square, with principal figures all full life size. The Gordon Highlanders marched past, the 21st Lancers rode past, the horses in the Derby galloped past, the Queen drove past, Lord Charles Beresford walked past, the Royal Canadian Artillery  snowshoed past, the water toboggan slid past, the Empire State Express steamed past, and the French cavalry charged past the delighted eye of the spectators. The humorous scenes pleasantly relieved the more series events, but when the concluding portion of the programme came, a hush fell upon the audience, and then appeared the benign and interesting features of Pope Leo, who moved about, walked, smiled, bestowed a blessing and appeared exactly as in every day.

“The pictures are introduced by the talented elocutionist, Mr. Owen A. Smiley, who gave recitations between the parts.

“The Biograph bids fair to create the same marked sensation in Hamilton as it has done elsewhere.  It will be here for three days only, concluding on Wednesday evening. There will be three performances daily, at 2, 4:30 and 8:15. The reserved seat plan is at Heintzman & Co’s.”2

2 “The Clergy Attend: The Biograph Presents the Great Events and Personages of the Day”

Hamilton Times.   June 19, 1899.

There was also a special showing for pupils from Hamilton schools.

The arrival of the Biograph with large scale presentations was a success with almost every showing a sellout.


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