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Why were films shown as vaudeville attractions during the novelty period?

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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.

During the novelty period of early cinema, films were primarily presented as vaudeville attractions because they were viewed as technological marvels rather than narrative motion pictures. Audiences perceived these screenings as "animated photographs" or "living pictures," emphasizing their connection to familiar media of the time rather than the modern concept of film.12

Because the emphasis was on the projection device itself, vaudeville houses—which were engaged in intense competition—marketed the machines rather than the specific films being shown (e.g., "The Vitascope—Edison’s Latest Marvel"). To facilitate this, production companies operated as autonomous, unitary businesses that leased a complete, self-contained act to the vaudeville market, which included the projector, a trained operator, and a program of short films. This arrangement allowed theaters to feature the technology as a headline attraction within their variety programs.12