Charles Musser is Assistant Professor of American Studies and Film Studies at Yale University and author of Before the Nickelodeon (California, 1990).

• General PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPART 1Before Cinema1 Toward a History of Screen Practice2 Thomas Edison and the Amusement World3 Projecting Motion Pictures: Invention and InnovationPART 2The Novelty of Cinema: 1896-18974 The Vitascope5 Early Motion-Picture Companies6 The Proliferation of Motion-Picture Companies and an Assessmentof the Novelty YearPART 3The Exhibitor Plays a Creative Role: 1897-19007 Full-Length Programs: Fights, Passion Plays, and Travel8 Commercial Warfare and the Spanish American War: 1897-18989 The Film Industry Achieves Modest Stability: 1898-1901PART 4The Production Company Assumes Creative Dominance: 1900-190510 A Period of Commercial Crisis: 1900-190311 The Transition to Story Films: 1903-190412 Cinema Flourishes Within Its Existing Commercial Framework:1904-1905PART 5The Beginnings of the Nickelodeon Era: 1905-190713 Nickels Count: Storefront Theaters: 1905-190714 Production as the Nickelodeon Era Begins: 1905-1907Concluding RemarksList of AbbreviationsNotesBibliographyPicture SourcesGeneral IndexIndex of Films