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1894: Kinetoscope
In the Spring of 1894, Edison unveiled his Kinetoscope, which offered moving pictures but to an audience of one. While described as pictures with motion, nobody yet called the productions "motion pictures".1896: The Lumieres
The Lumiere brothers premiered their motion picture shows in Paris, and soon brought it to New York. Word of the wonder quickly spread across America. By the end of the year, places a distant as Omaha, Topeka, Ocala, FL were already having regular showings, many using Edison's rival "Vitascope" system.1900: Booming Popularity
. "Motion Pictures" were also known as "Picture Shows" or "photoplays". They were heralded as amazing novelties as they advanced into rural cities and towns.1906: A Regular Habit
Many Americans were now seeing motion pictures once a week. The films were typically only a minute or two long, but they were collected into a show of 30 to 40 minutes, which were changed once or twice a week.1911: The First Stars
By 1910, a few actors such as Mary Pickford were familiar faces, even though the public didn't know their names. By 1911, Pickford was billed by name, and was one of the first "stars".