The Survival of American Silent Feature Films, 1912-1929

This report represents the first comprehensive survey of the survival of American silent feature films and focuses on those titles that have managed to survive to the present day. We have good documentation on what American silent feature films were produced and released. This study quantifies the “what,” “where,” and “why” of their survival. 

The era of the American silent feature film lasted from 1912 until 1929. During that time, filmmakers established the language of cinema, and the motion pictures they created reached a height of artistic sophistication. These films, with their recognizable stars and high production values, spread American culture around the world. Silent feature films disappeared from sight soon after the coming of sound, and many vanished from existence. Commissioned for and sponsored by the National Film Preservation Board, Library of Congress.