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Film, Video Stealing a dinner Title in Biograph production log: Stealing a dinner by dogs

Digital viewing copy

About this Item

Title

  • Stealing a dinner

Other Title

  • Title in Biograph production log: Stealing a dinner by dogs

Summary

  • A man sits at the dinner table, with a row of dogs behind him and a black dog sitting near the table in the foreground. When the master rings a bell for service, a dog enters on her hind legs dressed in a servant's cap and apron. As she hops toward the table, however, a cat jumps upon the surface. The master tosses the cat off the table as the serving dog exits. The man rings the bell again but gets no response, so he takes off his dinner napkin and leaves the stage. Seeing this, the black dog turns and jumps on the table, where he promptly eats his master's dinner. The black dog then grabs the cat in his mouth and places it on the table. As the man returns to the table, he sees his empty plate and the cat crouched nearby. Thus blaming the cat for the stolen dinner, the man first scolds the feline and then draws a pistol aimed at the "thief." When the black dog sees the gun, however, he jumps on the table between the pistol and the cat, begging on his hind legs for the master to spare its life. The man grabs the dog by the collar, dragging him to the floor, and instead shoots the unlucky dog. A large dog--perhaps a Great Dane--in a policeman's uniform enters on his hind legs, grabs the man by the shoulders from behind, and chases him offstage. The other dogs follow in an excited pack.
  • "Another exhibition by Prof. Leonidas' troop of cats and dogs. One of the dogs is shown stealing his dinner from the table in the master's absence. In order to cover his own crime, the dog places a cat on the table, where she is found when the master comes in. The master shoots the cat, and is promptly arrested by a large dog dressed in policeman's clothes"--American Mutoscope & Biograph picture catalogue.

Names

  • Arniotis, Leonidas, 1862-1939, performer
  • Bitzer, G. W., 1872-1944, camera
  • American Mutoscope and Biograph Company
  • Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)

Created / Published

  • United States : American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1903.

Headings

  • -  Dogs--Humor
  • -  Cats--Humor
  • -  Pet owners--Humor
  • -  Theft--Humor
  • -  Arrest--Humor

Genre

  • Filmed vaudeville acts
  • Comedy films
  • Silent films
  • Short films
  • Nonfiction films

Notes

  • -  H32633 U.S. Copyright Office
  • -  Copyright: American Mutoscope & Biograph Co.; 13June1903; H32633.
  • -  Original main title lacking.
  • -  Duration: 0:50 at 16 fps.
  • -  Biograph production no. 973.
  • -  Paper print shelf number (LC 0480) was changed when the paper prints were re-housed.
  • -  Additional holdings for this title may be available. Contact reference librarian.
  • -  Sources used: Copyright catalog, motion pictures, 1894-1912; Niver, K. Early motion pictures, p. 311; Biograph production logs; AFI catalog: film beginnings, 1893-1910, p. 1016; American Mutoscope & Biograph picture catalogue, November 1902 [MI], p. 58.
  • -  Camera, G.W. "Billy" Bitzer.
  • -  Professor Leonidas and his troupe of dogs and cats.
  • -  Filmed April 28, 1899, on the Biograph studio in New York City.
  • -  paper pos (copy 2) Received: 1903-06-13; copyright deposit; Paper Print Collection.
  • -  Early motion pictures : the Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress / by Kemp R. Niver. Library of Congress. 1985.
  • -  Paper print roll lacking suffix.

Medium

  • viewing print 1 film reel of 1 (19 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
  • viewing print 1 film reel of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm.
  • dupe neg pic 1 film reel of 1 (19 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
  • dupe neg pic 1 film reel of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm.
  • master pos pic 1 film reel of 1 (ca. 20 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
  • paper pos 1 roll (ca. 50 ft.) : b&w ; 35 mm.
  • paper pos (copy 2) 1 roll of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : b&w ; 35 mm.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • FLA 3494 (viewing print)
  • FEC 2172 (viewing print)
  • FRA 0774 (dupe neg pic)
  • FPE 7648 (dupe neg pic)
  • FRB 1983 (master pos pic)
  • Box 0839D (paper pos)
  • Box 5577 (paper pos, copy 2)

Source Collection

  • Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress)

Repository

  • Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA dcu

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 96519666

Online Format

  • image
  • video

Additional Metadata Formats

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Credit Line: Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., Camera, American Mutoscope And Biograph Company, and Paper Print Collection. Stealing a Dinner. performeds by Arniotis, Leonidas United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1903. Video. https://aj.sunback.homes/item/96519666/.

APA citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., American Mutoscope And Biograph Company & Paper Print Collection. (1903) Stealing a Dinner. Arniotis, L., performer United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. [Video] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://aj.sunback.homes/item/96519666/.

MLA citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., Camera, American Mutoscope And Biograph Company, and Paper Print Collection. Stealing a Dinner. performer by Arniotis, Leonidas United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1903. Video. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <aj.sunback.homes/item/96519666/>.