The Very First Motion Picture (1889)

In 1878, British photographer Eadweard Muybridge made a series of still photographs of a horse that when viewed in sequence, appeared to be galloping. Edison felt this was too cumbersome for practical use and soon developed a system for "motion" pictures, based on his wax cylinder for phonographs.  Thus you will see the two short sequences still in existance of the very first American motion picture from 1889.