Where did audiences first watch Kinetoscope films in the 1890s?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Zazu Pitts, Gibson Gowland, and Hughie Mack in a dramatic scene from the silent film Greed (1924); Gowland stands center, supported by Pitts and Mack on either side. — Silent film era (From left) Zasu Pitts, Gibson Gowland, and Hughie Mack in the silent film *Greed* (1924), directed by Erich von Stroheim.

In the 1890s, audiences first viewed Kinetoscope films in a variety of semipublic settings, including penny arcades, hotel lobbies, and amusement parks.1

In April 1894, the first dedicated Kinetoscope parlor opened in a converted storefront in New York City. This establishment charged 25 cents for admission to a bank of five machines, allowing individual viewers to watch motion pictures by peering through a peephole at a continuous film loop.12