Today is the birthday of the great science fiction pioneer Jules Verne (1828-1905), a great favorite of my youth as he no doubt was of yours. And if you are one of those impediments to human progress who don’t read books, you’ve no doubt at least seen the movie versions of Around the World in 80 Days; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; or Journey to the Center of the Earth.
But this early adaptation of a Verne story by Georges Méliès remains perhaps the best:
For more on early film history see my new book Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube, just released by Bear Manor Media, also available from amazon.com etc etc etc
For more on show biz history, consult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and wherever nutty books are sold.
