September 2002
Cylinder of the Month


See also the  Cylinders of the Month Archive.

The great Edward M. Favor sings McGinty at the Living Pictures.

McGinty at the Living Pictures
Company Edison's National Phonograph Company
Cylinder # 1066
Category Comic song
Title McGinty at the Living Pictures
Performed by Edward M. Favor
Circa 1906
Announcement "McGinty at the Living Pictures, sung by Edward M. Favor, Edison record."

Edison originally released McGinty at the Living Pictures (on brown wax cylinders) in 1898 performed by Dan W. Quinn (see the July 2000 Cylinder of the Month).   Being a very popular selection, it was later redone on molded (black wax) cylinders – this time performed by pioneering recording artist Edward M. Favor.

Favor used a distinctive and clever style of delivery, which made his recordings very popular.   In fact, good-condition wax cylinders by Favor are often difficult to find because they have typically been worn down from being played so many times.

This great cylinder-of-the-month comic song showcases Favor telling the hilariously pathetic story of Dan McGinty as he experiences for the first time a living pictures show.   Before motion pictures were developed, audiences were entertained by tableaus of actors usually in still scenes and accompanied by orchestral music.

To hear McGinty at the Living Pictures  —

To hear an excerpt   —  
For help playing these sounds, click here.

— This cylinder of the month is from the collection of  Stan Stanford —

                                       

To hear other examples of wax cylinders, see the

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