Kitty Mahone 1900

Overview

Walter Gibbons was a film entrepreneur who was involved in the production of a film called Kitty Mahone. In 1900 he launched his phono bio tableaux, which synchronised songs recorded by famous music stars on disc with a film of the performance. The film Kitty Mahone is a unique record of a major music hall star in sound and vision. It features Lil Hawthorne, a well-known American singer, performing a song. The film is notable for being the oldest British sound film, preceding the talkies by a significant period. Sadly, all but one of Gibbons' phono bio tableaux films are lost, making Kitty Mahone a rare survivor. The film provides a record of Lil Hawthorne's performance, who was known to often adopt a male persona. Kitty Mahone is a significant example of early sound film technology.