Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Iain P · Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 5:31 pm Post subject:

Ah yes, Felix was the most popular cartoon of the day. If it's in the closed cassette it's very old, 1920s or early 1930s. They were designed to play on Pathe Baby Projectors. (See Google images).

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22446 Location: UK

Iain P · Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 6:06 pm Post subject:

Great, you hold in your hand an example of the first ever true amateur film format! Are you sure it's Felix? The only film I know with the title "Stop Thief", is a short slapstick comedy, made in 1922 and released to 9.5mm in 1931 and 1935. The 1931 film was "notched" meaning there's a small "bite" out of the side of the tape at various points, which tells the projector to pause so you can read the titles. All the Pathe Baby cassettes had them ,I believe, so yours is from 1931.
1 G(PA)10357 STOP THIEF Comedy B/W Notched Aug31- :UNKNOWN US CH
1 D(PA)30108 STOP THIEF! Comedy B/W Silent Apr35- :WALTER MAKES A MOVIE 01/01/22 GB WF

Here's the website:

http://www.pathefilm.uk/95flmcat/95flmcatpsila.htm

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22446 Location: UK

I'd assumed it was Felix from a quick squint at the film, but I can just about see the number you quote, 30108, so it must be STOP THIEF! / WALTER MAKES A MOVIE. I think it was mum's, which ties in reasonably close to the issue date. I did a search online and I found reference to a silent b/w film of this name, but this one's a cartoon.

RJ
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Iain P · Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 9:23 pm Post subject:

So 1935 then! As the area of a 9.5mm frame is around 4 times greater than an 8mm Standard frame (because the sprocket hole is in the middle rather than on the edge) they are big enough to make quite good scans from them, and you can see quite a lot just with a decent magnifying glass, so you could unroll some of the film and take a look at the title pages sometime, then it's easy to wind the film back in with a screwdriver through the centre of the cassette.