Ritchie Rich

While this whole site is really about history, in a way, these articles are specifically focused on historical events, such as the Hollywood Blacklist and the opening of the movies to African-American actors.

It seems like a good time to take another look at the infamous Hays Code, which attempted to censor American films from 1934 until 1966 (though its influence declined after 1952). Some say it was good idea. Judge for yourself.

Winona Ryder isn't the first actress or other Hollywood luminary to be caught in a scandal. We're not talking about Hugh Grant or Pee-Wee Herman. No, we need to go back further, to the early days of Hollywood.

The "Irish Mafia" Boys Club consisted of a group of actors who numbered among them some of the greatest stars of the 30s, 40s, and 50s, including James Cagney and Spencer Tracy. Our salute to St. Patrick's Day.

While we enjoy our turkey and stuffing, we might want to think about how much our movie-inspired image of that day in 1620 differs from the reality.

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Inventors

The History of the Motion Picture

Who Invented Cinema, the Camera, or Film?

More of This Feature

- History of Edison Motion Pictures

Related Resources

- Still Photography and Camera

- Sound Recording

The first machine patented in the United States that showed animated pictures or movies was a device called the "wheel of life" or "zoopraxiscope". Patented in 1867 by William Lincoln, moving drawings or photographs were watched through a slit in the zoopraxiscope. However, this was a far cry from motion pictures as we know them today.