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Leonard-Cushing Fight
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Wikipedia article
The 'Leonard-Cushing Fight' is an 1894 American short black-and-white silent film produced by William K.L. Dickson, starring Mike Leonard and Jack Cushing. Leonard and Cushing participate in a six round boxing match under special conditions that allow for it to be filmed and displayed on a Kinetograph. Premiered on August 4, 1894 in New York City, the movie is the first sports film ever released. As of 2021, no full print of the film is known to have survived, making it a partially lost film.
Plot
The boxers Mike Leonard and Jake Cushing participate in a six round exhibition boxing bout. Leonard knocks Cushing out in the sixth round.
Cast
* Mike Leonard
* Jack Cushing
Background and production
In 1888, Thomas Edison became interested in developing a motion-picture device. Edison appointed his companys photographer William K.L. Dickson with the development of such a device. Dickson, alongside his assistant Charles Brown started to work on different concepts the following year. Alongside William Heise, the company experimented with recording boxing bouts in spring 1891. Twelve feet of film were shot either in May or June 1891, featuring two of Edison Manufacturing Company employees, pretending to spar in a boxing ring. In a May 1891 interview with 'The Sun' Edison announced his desire to display prize fights through his Kinetescope; "To the sporting fraternity I can say that before that before long it will be possible to apply this system to prize fights and boxing exhibitions." Ten rounds were recorded on June 14, 1894 inside a ten-foot ring, in Edison's Black Maria film studio. Of the ten rounds, six were chosen for the full film.
Release and legacy
The film premiered on August 4, 1894. On April 2, 1895, the Continental Commerce Company premiered the film in London's 70 Oxford Street.
The state of New Jersey outlawed prize fights in 1835. According to an article published in 'The Sun' on June 16, 1894, New Jersey's grand jury investigated a potential prize fight in Edison's studio. However, no record of the investigation exists.
As of 2021, a 37-second clip of the movie exists, available at the Library of Congress.
See also
* List of incomplete or partially lost films
Notes
References
Articles
*Books
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Journals
*Category:1894 films
Category:American boxing films
Category:American silent short films
Category:American black-and-white films
Category:Documentary films about boxing
Category:Films directed by William Kennedy Dickson
Category:Films shot in New Jersey
Category:Thomas Edison
Category:Edison Manufacturing Company films
Category:1890s sports films
Category:1890s short documentary films
Category:American short documentary films
Category:Articles containing video clips
Category:1890s American films
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