William McKinley

Early cinema, 1896. McKinley at Home, Canton, Ohio shows the candidate walking with his secretary and receiving a telegram. The small, arranged action made his familiar front-porch image move. Filmmakers including William K. L. Dickson and Billy Bitzer supplied the production expertise; the politician supplied a recognisable subject. The film is evidence of a new form of political visibility, rather than a measure of votes won.