Response regarding Edward Pershey's comments: Good Lord, I guess I have
bought into Hendricks's polemics! No, I haven't done any original
research on Edison--apparently you have--but I'm somewhat familiar with
the work of some folks who have. As Paul Spehr pointed out when I spoke
to him about this today, the U. S. Court of Appeals said that Edison was
NOT the inventor of motion pictures, and perhaps ultimately that's the
authority that really counts. Seriously, can you tell me (perhaps
privately, in case this isn't of earth-shattering importance to EVERYONE
on the list), what original research did Edison personally do before his
meeting with Muybridge in 1888 or his meeting with Marey in 1889? I
don't know what we're arguing about other than my accusation of theft
(would the concept of unauthorized borrowing be a better description?)
As you yourself have stated, there is no SOLE inventor of motion
pictures, and that's the important point to get across, regardless of
whether or not Hendricks was correct on all the specifics. I was merely
trying to ascertain whether or not the Inventure Place exhibits credit
Edison as "the" inventor of motion pictures, because that is clearly at
best a gross exaggeration and oversimplification and, at worst, if
Hendricks, Niemeyer, and other Edison-bashers were right--totally
incorrect. I don't think one needs to do original research to reach this
conclusion.