Edwin S. Porter

Edwin Stanton Porter was an American film pioneer, most famous as a producer, director, studio manager and cinematographer with the Edison Manufacturing Company and the Famous Players Film Company. Influenced by both the "Brighton school" and the story films of Georges Méliès, Porter went on to make important shorts such as Life of an American Fireman (1903) and The Great Train Robbery (1903). In them, he helped to develop the modern concept of continuity editing, paving the way for D.W. Griffith who would expand on Porter's discovery that the unit of film structure was the shot rather than the scene. Porter, in an attempt to resist the new industrial system born out of the popularity of nickelodeons, left Edison in 1909 to form his own production company which he eventually sold in 1912. Porter remains an enigmatic figure in motion picture history. Though his significance as director of The Great Train Robbery and other innovative early films is undeniable, he rarely repeated an innovation after he had used it successfully, never developed a consistent directorial style, and in later years never protested when others rediscovered his techniques and claimed them as their own. He was a modest, quiet, cautious man who felt uncomfortable working with the famous stars he directed starting in 1912. He has directed four films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Life of an American Fireman (1903), The Great Train Robbery (1903), Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (1906) and Tess of the Storm Country (1914).

Known For

The Great Train Robbery
The Great Train Robbery
The Great Train Robbery
The Great Train Robbery
Life of an American Fireman
Life of an American Fireman
Birth Location Connellsville, Pennsylvania, USA
Born 1870-04-21
Died 1941-04-30

Movies

Before the Nickelodeon: The Cinema of Edwin S. Porter as Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
1982
1903

Movies

Bella Donna Director
1915
Zaza Director
1915
The White Pearl Director
1915
Sold Director
1915
The Eternal City Director
1915
1915
1914
Tess of the Storm Country Director of Photography
1914
A Good Little Devil Director of Photography
1914
1914
Hearts Adrift Director of Photography
1914
Hearts Adrift Director
1914
The Count of Monte Cristo Director of Photography
1913
1913
1913
1913
The Price Director
1911
1911
Lost Illusions Director
1911
1911
On the Brink Director
1911
A Heroine of '76 Director
1911
Sunshine Sue Producer
1910
1910
Faust Director
1909
1909
1909
The Cord of Life Producer
1909
1909
1908
The Gentleman Burglar Scenario Writer
1908
1908
Cupid’s Pranks Director
1908
Cupid’s Pranks Director of Photography
1908
1908
1908
Laughing Gas Director
1907
College Chums Director
1907
Jack the Kisser Director
1907
The Rivals Director
1907
1907
Poor John Director
1907
1907
Getting Evidence Director of Photography
1906
Getting Evidence Director
1906
1906
1906
How the Office Boy Saw the Ball Game Director of Photography
1906
1906
Three American Beauties Director of Photography
1906
1906
1906
A Winter Straw Ride Director of Photography
1906
1906
1906
1906
The Night Before Christmas Director of Photography
1905
1905
1905
1905
The White Caps Director
1905
1905
1905
1905
How Jones Lost His Roll Director of Photography
1905
1905
The Kleptomaniac Director
1905
The Seven Ages Director
1905
Scarecrow Pump Director
1904
The Ex-Convict Director
1904
Parsifal Director of Photography
1904
Parsifal Director
1904
1904
1904
Maniac Chase Director
1904
1904
Dog Factory Director
1904
1903
The Great Train Robbery Director of Photography
1903
1903
What Happened in the Tunnel Director of Photography
1903
1903
The Extra Turn Director
1903
The Gay Shoe Clerk Director of Photography
1903
1903
1903
1903
1903
Electrocuting an Elephant Director of Photography
1903
1902
Jack and the Beanstalk Director of Photography
1902
1902
1902
1902
1902
1902
Rock of Ages Director
1902
Terrible Teddy, the Grizzly King Director of Photography
1901
1901
1901
1901
1901
1901
Circular Panorama of Electric Tower Director of Photography
1901
1901
Esquimaux Game of Snap-the-Whip Director of Photography
1901
1901
1900
1900
A Dull Razor Director
1900
1900
The Magician Director
1900
1900
1900
The Mystic Swing Director
1900
1898