FAQ: Oldest Deaf Films

The earliest known film of a deaf person, or showing sign language, was one made by the American Mutoscope and Biograph company in 1902 and entitled Deaf mute girl reciting "Star spangled banner". The Library of Congress preserves a paper print copy (made in the days when only items on paper could be copyrighted). Unfortunately, this is not available in film or video. Also unfortunately, the identity of the deaf girl has not been preserved. ^-1-

There was a report many years ago that the New York School for the Deaf has a film dating from 1900, but there is no confirmation and further information is lacking.

The oldest known generally available film showing sign language is the 1910 film of Edward Miner Gallaudet telling, in sign language, about The Lorna Doone country of Devonshire, England and produced by the National Association of the Deaf.

Gallaudet was hearing. The oldest known generally available films showing deaf persons are nine from 1913, all also by the National Association of the Deaf:

• An address at the tomb of Garfield
• The death of Minnehaha
• The discovery of chloroform
• Dom Pedro's visit to Gallaudet College
• The Irishman's flea and The lady and the cake
• A lay sermon
• Memories of old Hartford
• A plea for a statue of de l'Épée in America
• Preservation of the sign language

It is not known which of these 1913 films was made first.

The National Association of the Deaf films are available collected on one video from Sign Media Inc., of Burtonsville, MD (http://www.signmedia.com). The video is The preservation of American Sign Language: the complete collection (1997).

¹ Schuchman, John S. Hollywood speaks: deafness and the film entertainment industry. Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press, 1988, p.108. Back to text.