Old Hollywood
Cinema
1900-1979
Nostalgia is a seductive liar - George Wildman Ball
1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcement (via)  A unique feature of early films was the projection of slides onto the screen while reels were being changed. Some of these slides attempted to teach proper movie-going manners to those in attendance.

1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcement (via) 

A unique feature of early films was the projection of slides onto the screen while reels were being changed. Some of these slides attempted to teach proper movie-going manners to those in attendance.

1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcement (via)

1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcement (via)

1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcement (via) Eager to expand their profits, early movie theaters, or “nickelodeons”, often put up slides between reel changes encouraging women to attend films (e.g. “Ladies and children are cordially invited to this theatre, no offensive pictures are ever shown here”), as theaters were not considered entirely respectable places.

1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcement (via)

Eager to expand their profits, early movie theaters, or “nickelodeons”, often put up slides between reel changes encouraging women to attend films (e.g. “Ladies and children are cordially invited to this theatre, no offensive pictures are ever shown here”), as theaters were not considered entirely respectable places.

1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcement (via) Judging from the large number of early PSA’s directed at people sporting headpieces indoors, it would seem that defiant hat-wearers were the turn of the century equivalent of people who leave their cellphones on at the movies today.  Other etiquette slides previously posted here.

1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcement (via)

Judging from the large number of early PSA’s directed at people sporting headpieces indoors, it would seem that defiant hat-wearers were the turn of the century equivalent of people who leave their cellphones on at the movies today. 

Other etiquette slides previously posted here.

1910’s-era movie theater etiquette Public Service Announcements (via 1,2)

Most early movie theaters had only one projector so “etiquette slides” were used to divert the audience while reels were being changed. These glass slides often featured lighthearted instructions for proper behavior while viewing a film.