William Heise was an American film cinematographer and director, active in the 1890s. Along with William K.L. Dickson, Heise was one of the most prolific filmmakers of the nascent days of cinema. Together, both men worked on many of the early shorts produced by the Edison Manufacturing Company and were credited for more than 175 short silent films, capturing numerous scenes of everyday life as well as different aspects of performance and sport.
Total trailers found: 107
31 May 1897
“This film is remarkable in several respects. In the first place, it is full life-size. Secondly, it is the only accurate recent portrait of the great inventor.
05 October 1894
Hadji Cheriff, a performer known for a variety of unusual abilities, demonstrates part of his act in the Thomas Edison studio.
14 June 1894
In the background, five fans lean on the ropes looking into the ring. The referee is to the left; like the fans, he hardly moves as two fighters swing roundhouse blows at each other.
16 July 1894
"A glove contest between trained cats. A very comical and amusing subject, and is sure to create a great laugh.
01 May 1891
Experimental film fragment made with the Edison-Dickson-Heise experimental horizontal-feed kinetograph camera and viewer, using 3/4-inch wide film.
15 June 1896
The camera shows a water ride at Bergen Beach at Coney Island. A raised track filled with water forms a chute, and a small boat full of park visitors slides down the chute.
16 May 1894
“A scene representing Southern plantation life before the war. A jig and a breakdown by three colored boys.
28 November 1894
A scene from Charles Hoyt's 'A Milk White Flag': A brass band marches out, led by bandmaster Steele Ayers.
20 December 1898
Several men in a basement barbershop become excited by women walking past the window. The ankles and knees of the passersby are visible to the men below, causing pandemonium among the barbershop customers.
20 May 1898
A preadolescent boy, dressed like a street urchin, performs acrobatic stunts for the camera.
30 September 1898
In this movie, dancer Ella Lola performs a Turkish variation of a "Danse Du Ventre", the oriental belly dance.
01 January 1896
“The watchful father disturbs a dream of bliss, and the bucolic lover is taught a lesson. He made a great hit.
02 October 1894
A referee and five fans (including a waiter in his apron) look on as two young men box. The dark-haired, slightly taller boxer throws a right and the light-haired smaller one goes down; but he's up before the referee starts counting.
01 January 1894
Luis Martinetti, a contortionist suspended from acrobatic flying rings, contorts himself for about thirty seconds.
05 October 1894
The Glenroy Brothers perform a portion of their vaudeville act, "The Comic View of Boxing: The Tramp & the Athlete", which depicts a boxer with a classic style trying to contend with an opponent who uses a very unorthodox approach.
01 January 1894
The Glenroy Brothers perform a portion of their vaudeville act, "The Comic View of Boxing: The Tramp & the Athlete".
23 October 1896
A woman and a young girl each carry containers of bird feed, and they toss occasional handfuls to the chickens and doves in the farmyard.
01 April 1896
They get ready to kiss, begin to kiss, and kiss in a way that brings down the house every time.
19 May 1898
The Reading's [Pennsylvania] pitcher has just let a Newark [New Jersey] batsman walk to first. Our camera is stationed about twenty feet from the bag, and the satisfied grin of the runner is great as he touches first and gets up on his toes for second.
20 October 1897
Ten horse-drawn pieces of equipment of the Buffalo Fire Department pass by a stationary camera that looks down a broad avenue as they come toward it.
30 January 1895
Former lightweight boxer Billy Edwards, now a trainer and writer of the sport, takes on a challenger named Warwick in an exhibition match.
09 May 1895
Princess Ali, of Barnum and Bailey's circus, performs an Egyptian dance in the Edison Company's studio.
01 January 1891
Lost film from 1891, directed by William K.L. Dickson and William Heise. The film stars Fred C. Devonald and James C.
24 October 1897
A woman in a white gown performs a skirt dance, using her arms to produce circles and other patterns within the folds of her costume.
20 July 1897
The 'Laughing Waters' of Longfellow's 'Hiawatha.' A beautiful view of this picturesque and celebrated waterfall.
01 December 1896
This picture was taken at one of the curves on the Lehigh Valley Railroad, along the beautiful Susquehanna River.
30 April 1891
Experimental film fragment made with the Edison-Dickson-Heise experimental horizontal-feed kinetograph camera and viewer, using 3/4-inch wide film.
18 May 1894
Eugen Sandow, who claims to be the strongest man in the world, appears in the Edison Company's film studio.
21 November 1890
Experimental film that follows up on the results of "Monkeyshines, No. 1" and "Monkeyshines, No. 2". Once again, an Edison company worker moves around in front of the motion picture camera.
23 March 1896
Vaudeville dancer Amy Muller performs a portion of her stage routine, which features dancing on her toes.
31 July 1898
“A file of Spanish soldiers line up the Cubans against a blank wall and fire a volley. The flash of rifles and drifting smoke make a very striking picture.
31 May 1898
The famous show makes a parade.
17 June 1894
The famous army scout in an exhibition of rifle shooting. A fine picture of the principal, and beautiful smoke effects.
23 December 1897
This single camera position film shows an officer and six enlisted men of the army as they demonstrate the assembly drill of a gatling gun.
01 January 1895
The Leigh Sisters perform a risqué Trilby-inspired dance with an umbrella. Scene from David Henderson's Aladdin, Jr.
20 July 1897
The busiest corner in Chicago. Cable cars and street traffic of all descriptions. Hundreds of shoppers.
01 January 1898
A showcase of trapeze artist Alciede Capitaine, billed as “The Perfect Woman,” whose daring feats on the flying bar combined grace with breathtaking athleticism.
01 January 1891
Lost film from 1891, directed by William K.L. Dickson and William Heise. The film stars James C. Duncan.
01 January 1896
A fellow in a wide-brimmed hat, with a willowy stick for a rod and a baited hook, sits down on a plank hanging over a bridge above a stream.
09 January 1894
A man (Thomas Edison's assistant) takes a pinch of snuff and sneezes. This is one of the earliest Thomas Edison films and was the second motion picture to be copyrighted in the United States.
01 April 1897
"Musicians are seated, playing, while the graceful Dolorita dances. It is the Danse-du-Ventre, the famous Oriental muscle dance.
20 July 1897
Great horse racing on the famous Hartford track, showing start and finish of a 2.04 3/4 heat run by the fastest harness horse in the world, John R.
20 February 1898
The skaters dart to and fro, swinging their hockeys and trying to hit the disc toward the goal.
01 January 1897
“This subject taken just after the recent first fall of snow, shows two enthusiastic horsemen indulging in a "brush" with their respective horses and cutters.
27 November 1896
"This scene shows almost the entire Fire Department led by the Chief, responding to an alarm. The horses, said to be the finest of their kind in the country, present a thrilling spectacle as they dash rapidly by, flecked with foam, and panting from the exertion of their long gallop"--Maguire & Baucus catalogue.
22 September 1897
The victim is lying on a trolley car fender. Ambulance drives up and the injured man is removed in a stretcher.
06 August 1897
"Stable door opens and ambulance dashes out into the street. Policeman holds back a furniture van till ambulance passes by.
20 July 1897
From Edison films catalog: A long line of horses, mules and ponies are led, driven and ridden into the yards, where they are sold and distributed.
01 June 2007
Selection of hand-painted films made from serpentine dance performances between 1895 and 1907, with original music by Carol Robinson.
29 March 1898
The stars-and-stripes and the flag of Cuba Libre flutter in the breeze, one after the other. Very dramatic.
20 November 1895
Four men at work in a forge. The uses hammers and and anvil to beat metal.
01 January 1891
Unfound film from 1891, directed by William K.L. Dickson and William Heise. The film stars James C. Duncan.
01 January 1895
The sinister mesmerist Svengali hypnotizes two characters, then dies abruptly in a Trilby segment from David Henderson's Aladdin, Jr.
