Events

• January - In the United States, the Vitascope film projector is designed by Charles Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat. Armat begins working with Thomas Edison to manufacture it.
• January 14 - Birt Acres demonstrates his film projector, the Kineopticon, the first in Britain, to the Royal Photographic Society at the Queen's Hall in London. This is the first film show to an audience in the U.K.^[1]
• February 20 - In London:^[2]
  • Robert W. Paul demonstrates his film projector, the Theatrograph (later known as the Animatograph), at the Alhambra Theatre.
  • The Lumiere Brothers first project their films in Britain, at the Empire Theatre of Varieties, Leicester Square.

Ad for Vitascope Hall, New Orleans, offering "an entirely new series of pictures".

• April - Edison and Armat's Vitascope is used to project motion pictures in public screenings in New York City.
• May 14 - Tsar Nicholas II of Russia is crowned in Moscow, the first coronation ever recorded in film.
• July 26 - "Vitascope Hall" opens on Canal Street, New Orleans, the first business devoted exclusively to showing motion pictures at a fixed location http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/where-was-the-first-permanent-movie-theater-in-the-united-states-located/Content?oid=1278809
• October 19 - "Edisonia Hall" in Buffalo, New York, the first building constructed specifically for showing motion pictures. http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/where-was-the-first-permanent-movie-theater-in-the-united-states-located/Content?oid=1278809
• In France, magician and filmmaker Georges M li s begins experimenting with the new motion picture technology, developing early special effect techniques, including stop motion.
• The Path Fr res film company is founded.
• William Selig founds the Selig Polyscope Company in Chicago.
• Demeny-Gaumont work on a 60 mm format, first known as Biographe (unperforated), then Chronophotographe (perforated).
• Casimir Sivan and E. Dalphin create a 38 mm format.

The first kiss ever on film is in 1896 involving the great Canadian star May Irwin and John C. Rice.

Films released in 1896

• Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat
• Arriv e d'un train gare de Vincennes
• L'Arroseur
• Awakening of Rip
• Baignade en mer
• Barnet Horse Fair
• Bataille de boules de neige
• Bateau-mouche sur la Seine
• Batteuse vapeur
• B b et fillettes
• Le Bivouac
• Les Blanchisseuses
• Bois de Boulogne
• Boulevard des Italiens
• The Boxing Kangaroo
• Boxing Match; or, Glove Contest
• Campement de boh miens
• D molition d'un mur
• La F e aux Choux
• The Horse Trough
• The Kiss
• Le Manoir du diable
• Rip Van Winkle (series)
• The Vanishing Lady

Births

• January 20 - Isabel Withers, actress (died 1968)
• June 28 - Constance Binney, actress, singer, dancer (died 1989)
• July 16 - Evelyn Preer, actress, singer (died 1932)
• July 25 - Jack Perrin, actor (died 1967)
• August 18 - Jack Pickford, actor (died 1933)
• August 30 - Raymond Massey, actor (died 1983)
• November 25 - Ruth Etting, actress, singer (died 1978

References

de:Filmjahr 1896 fr:1896 au cin ma hu:1896 a filmm v szetben mk:1896 nl:Film in 1896 no:Film ret 1896 pl:1896 w filmie ro:1896 n film ru:1896 sq:1896 n film sv:Film ret 1896 uk:1896