George Albert Smith

Born: 1864-01-04

Birthplace: Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

Biography

Along with his better-known French counterpart Georges Méliès, George Albert Smith, usually credited as G.A. Smith, was one of the first filmmakers to explore fictional and fantastic themes, often using surprisingly sophisticated special effects. His background was ideal – an established portrait photographer, he also had a long-standing interest in show business, running a tourist attraction in his native Brighton featuring a fortune teller. His films were among the first to feature such innovations as superimposition (Smith patented a double-exposure system in 1897), close-ups and scene transitions involving wipes and focus pulls. He also patented Kinemacolor – the world's first commercial cinema color system--in 1906, which was extremely successful for a time, despite the special equipment required to project it

Known For

The Death of Poor Joe
The Old Maid's Valentine
The X-Ray Fiend
Cinderella
Santa Claus
Early British Films from the Filmoteca de Catalunya 1897-1909
The Kiss in the Tunnel
The Sick Kitten
The Coronation of Edward VII
Grandma's Reading Glass

Top Movie Credits

The Death of Poor Joe Director
The Old Maid's Valentine Director
The X-Ray Fiend Writer
Cinderella Director
Santa Claus Director
Early British Films from the Filmoteca de Catalunya 1897-1909 Director
The Kiss in the Tunnel Director of Photography
The Sick Kitten Director
The Coronation of Edward VII Camera Operator
Grandma's Reading Glass Director