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A Day at the Circus
Also known as A Day at the Circus Series in the USA : [Unidentified Masson No. 7]
(1901) United States of America
B&W : [?] 325, 350 or 375? feet
Directed by Edwin S. Porter
Cast: Adam Forepaugh & Sells Brothers Combined Four-Ring Circus
Edison Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company. / Cinematography by [?] Edwin S. Porter? / © 17 May 1901 by Thomas A. Edison [H4418] (first part only; no copyright registration on the entire film). Released May 1901. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production was made up of five individual films, the circus street parade was available separately at 175 feet, the horse race at 20 feet, the assembly at 65 feet, the team race at 40 feet, and the chariot race at 50 feet.
Documentary: Actuality.
Synopsis: [From Edison promotional materials] We present here a series of interesting pictures and show a number of scenes just as witnessed by a visitor to the Great Forepaugh and Sells Bros. combined four-ring circus. We begin by showing the complete circus parade as it takes place in the street. The first scene shows the parade coming down a broad asphalt avenue with park in background. Entire parade shows elephants, camels, band wagons, chariots, cages of animals, and full circus paraphernalia, making a most interesting subject. The next picture shows the assembly or grand entry, and includes the entrance into the arena of the elephants, chariots, wild animals, horses, camels, etc. We next show an exciting horse race, consisting of eight horses, on which are mounted an Indian, a squaw, a Filipino girl, an Arab woman, an Arab, a cowboy and an English jockey and an American jockey. The picture concludes with a bareback team race. In this race two horses are abreast, the driver standing up, with one foot resting on one horse and one upon the other. They make two circuits of the ring and furnish a very exciting climax to the picture. We conclude the Day at the Circus Series with a fifty-foot picture, showing a very exciting chariot race. Two chariots appear in the race, one drawn by four white horses and the other by four bay horses.
Survival status: Prints exists in the Library of Congress film archive (paper print collection, and the American Film Institute / Daniel J. Masson collection) [35mm paper positives (two copies, LC 1557), 35mm duplicate negative (FPE 1234), 35mm reference positive (FEB 6878), 16mm duplicate reduction negative (FRA 1605), 16mm reference positive (FLA 4571)].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Circuses
Listing updated: 21 March 2012.
References: Website-AFI; Website-LoC.
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