Frederick Paul Ott (1860 in New Jersey – October 24, 1936 in West Orange, New Jersey), skilled machinist, was a key employee of Thomas Edison's laboratories from the 1870s until Edison's death in 1931. His likeness appears in two of the earliest surviving motion pictures – the well-known Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze (a.k.a. Fred Ott's Sneeze) and the little-seen Fred Ott Holding a Bird – both from 1894.[1]
Fred Ott's Sneeze
The former became an icon of cinema itself. Shot in medium close-up, the film shows Ott seemingly taking a pinch of snuff causing him to sneeze. Comic in format, The Sneeze, as it also came to be known, was made in early January 1894 at the request of Harper's Weekly magazine, which requested illustrations for an article about the Kinetoscope.[2]
Ott began working with Edison in 1874 (at age 14) and became one of the inventor's most valued employees and closest friends. Alongside his brother John F. Ott, he worked with Edison on many inventions, retiring shortly after the nearly-simultaneous deaths of Edison and John Ott in 1931.[3] Ott died at his home in West Orange, New Jersey, on October 24, 1936.[4]
[Thomas Alva Edison--outtakes] (Fox Movietone News Story 5-537, recorded in Fort Meyers, Florida, March 15, 1930) University of South Carolina Moving Image Research Collections, https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/collection/MVTN/id/2409.
^Charles Musser, Edison Motion Pictures, 1890-1900: An Annotated Filmography, Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, 1997. Also Gordon Hendricks, "A New Look at an 'Old Sneeze'", Film Culture 22/23 (Summer 1961).
^ Paul Spehr, The Man Who Made Movies: W.K.L. Dickson (John Libbey Publishing, 2008), 324-25. Barnet Phillips, “The Record of a Sneeze,” Harper's Weekly, March 24, 1894, published 81 frames from the film. See also Luke McKernan's entry for Ott in Who's Who of Victorian Cinema (1996) accessed Aug. 15, 2022.
^ "A Brief Biography of Thomas Edison", Edison National Historical Park website, U.S. National Park Service, last updated Feb. 26, 2015. Accessed Aug. 15, 2022. See also A. J. Millard, A History of Edison's West Orange Laboratory, 1887-1931, report for National Park Service (1987); A. J. Millard, Duncan Hay, and Mary K. Grassick, Historic Furnishings Report, Vol. 1: Historical Data and Furnishing Plan, Edison Laboratory (U.S. National Park Service, 1995), pp. 72-73 ff.
^ "Frederick P. Ott, Edison Aide, Dies; Became Associated With the Inventor in 1874, Working in Small Newark Plant, Assisted In Film Work Collaborated in Development of Motion Pictures, Electric Light and Phonograph", The New York Times, October 25, 1936. Accessed June 28, 2018. "West Orange, N. J,. Oct. 24. - Frederick P. Ott, for many years an associate of Thomas A. Edison and who worked with the late inventor in the development of the electric light, the phonograph and motion pictures, died at his home here today." See also "Ott, First Screen Actor, Dies at 76," Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 31, 1936, p. 34.
Fred Ott's Sneeze through the Ages (Gary M. Atkins, 1979) 18 min. a.k.a. Variations on a Theme: Fred Ott's Sneeze through the Ages Super 8 film produced in Columbia, South Carolina
Ott - A Modern Day Remake of Fred Ott's Sneeze, in Idea: A Remake of “Fred Ott’s Sneeze," (May 1, 2006) at Ironic Sans. Flash video no longer online; static archive page of Ironic Sans blog.
This article about a United States film actor born in the 1860s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
fred, frederick, paul, 1860, jersey, october, 1936, west, orange, jersey, skilled, machinist, employee, thomas, edison, laboratories, from, 1870s, until, edison, death, 1931, likeness, appears, earliest, surviving, motion, pictures, well, known, edison, kineto. Frederick Paul Ott 1860 in New Jersey October 24 1936 in West Orange New Jersey skilled machinist was a key employee of Thomas Edison s laboratories from the 1870s until Edison s death in 1931 His likeness appears in two of the earliest surviving motion pictures the well known Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze a k a Fred Ott s Sneeze and the little seen Fred Ott Holding a Bird both from 1894 1 Fred Ott s Sneeze The former became an icon of cinema itself Shot in medium close up the film shows Ott seemingly taking a pinch of snuff causing him to sneeze Comic in format The Sneeze as it also came to be known was made in early January 1894 at the request of Harper s Weekly magazine which requested illustrations for an article about the Kinetoscope 2 Ott began working with Edison in 1874 at age 14 and became one of the inventor s most valued employees and closest friends Alongside his brother John F Ott he worked with Edison on many inventions retiring shortly after the nearly simultaneous deaths of Edison and John Ott in 1931 3 Ott died at his home in West Orange New Jersey on October 24 1936 4 Contents 1 Filmography 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksFilmography editEdison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze 1894 Fred Ott Holding a Bird 1894 Thomas Alva Edison outtakes Fox Movietone News Story 5 537 recorded in Fort Meyers Florida March 15 1930 University of South Carolina Moving Image Research Collections https digital tcl sc edu digital collection MVTN id 2409 See also editFred Ott s Sneeze William Kennedy Laurie Dickson 1860 1935 production History of film Kinetoscope 1894 in filmReferences edit Charles Musser Edison Motion Pictures 1890 1900 An Annotated Filmography Le Giornate del Cinema Muto 1997 Also Gordon Hendricks A New Look at an Old Sneeze Film Culture 22 23 Summer 1961 Paul Spehr The Man Who Made Movies W K L Dickson John Libbey Publishing 2008 324 25 Barnet Phillips The Record of a Sneeze Harper s Weekly March 24 1894 published 81 frames from the film See also Luke McKernan s entry for Ott in Who s Who of Victorian Cinema 1996 accessed Aug 15 2022 A Brief Biography of Thomas Edison Edison National Historical Park website U S National Park Service last updated Feb 26 2015 Accessed Aug 15 2022 See also A J Millard A History of Edison s West Orange Laboratory 1887 1931 report for National Park Service 1987 A J Millard Duncan Hay and Mary K Grassick Historic Furnishings Report Vol 1 Historical Data and Furnishing Plan Edison Laboratory U S National Park Service 1995 pp 72 73 ff Frederick P Ott Edison Aide Dies Became Associated With the Inventor in 1874 Working in Small Newark Plant Assisted In Film Work Collaborated in Development of Motion Pictures Electric Light and Phonograph The New York Times October 25 1936 Accessed June 28 2018 West Orange N J Oct 24 Frederick P Ott for many years an associate of Thomas A Edison and who worked with the late inventor in the development of the electric light the phonograph and motion pictures died at his home here today See also Ott First Screen Actor Dies at 76 Motion Picture Herald Oct 31 1936 p 34 External links edit nbsp Media related to Fred Ott at Wikimedia Commons Fred Ott at IMDb Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze January 7 1894 Library of Congress Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze at IMDb nbsp Fred Ott Holding a Bird at IMDb nbsp Fred Ott s Sneeze through the Ages Gary M Atkins 1979 18 min a k a Variations on a Theme Fred Ott s Sneeze through the Ages Super 8 film produced in Columbia South Carolina Ott A Modern Day Remake of Fred Ott s Sneeze in Idea A Remake of Fred Ott s Sneeze May 1 2006 at Ironic Sans Flash video no longer online static archive page of Ironic Sans blog nbsp This article about a United States film actor born in the 1860s is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fred Ott amp oldid 1186499900, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
