The speculation about the woman (or a man in drag, such as an under cover cop?) in the 1928 Charlie Chaplin film The Circus appearing to use a mobile phone has raised questions about what she might be holding and who she could be talking to.
Is it possible that this person is talking on a cell phone?
No. The first cell phone was demonstrated on April 3, 1973, by Motorola engineer Martin Cooper, who made a call to his rival Joel Engel from Bell Labs.
There were no cell phones in 1928.
In a curious coincidence, an Irish independent filmmaker, George Clarke, has drawn attention to what he claims is footage of a time traveler in a recent DVD release of Charlie Chaplin’s 1928 film The Circus. Clarke asserts that he is the first to discover this unusual clip, which features a woman seemingly talking into a device resembling a modern mobile phone.
Clarke explains that this scene appears in the extras menu under “Documents,” specifically in the section titled “The Hollywood Premiere.” He emphasizes that this footage is authentic and showcases real people from 1928, raising questions about its implications. “The only conclusion I can come to – which sounds absolutely ridiculous I’m sure, to some people – is it’s a time traveler,” he states, highlighting the oddity of seeing someone from that era using what looks like a mobile phone.
The YouTube video showcasing this footage has gone viral, amassing over half a million views. Viewers have offered various theories to explain the phenomenon. For instance, one user speculated that the woman could have been a security officer using an early two-way radio. Others suggest it might have been an early type of hearing aid.
Could it have been an early two-way radio?
The first truly mobile two-way radio is attributed to Frederick William Downie, a Senior Constable of the Victorian Police in Australia, who developed it in 1923. This system allowed police officers to communicate directly from their patrol cars, significantly improving their operational efficiency and response times during emergencies. Okay, but could any mobile two-way radio fit in a person’s hand in 1928?
No, in 1928, handheld mobile two-way radios were not yet available in a compact form that could fit comfortably in a person’s hand. The technology was still in its early developmental stages, primarily focused on larger, vehicle-mounted systems. The first handheld two-way radio, known as the Handie-Talkie SCR-536, did not emerge until 1940. This device was designed for military use during World War II and was compact enough to be held in one hand[9].
What about a person just talking to themself while listening to a transistor radio?
No, a person could not have had a handheld transistor radio in 1928. The transistor, which is essential for the development of transistor radios, was invented in 1947 by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley at Bell Labs. The first commercial transistor radio, the Regency TR-1, was released in 1954, well after the 1928 timeframe. Do you understand the problem with this footage now? This grinning person is breaking the reality of our timeline.
Could this be an insertion, say by filmmaker Clarke himself, like Woody Allen’s Zelig?
Woody Allen’s Zelig (1983) is a notable example of cinematic manipulation where Allen himself is seamlessly integrated into archival footage, creating a fictional character who embodies the essence of various historical figures. The film employs techniques that mimic the style and aesthetics of 1920s documentary filmmaking, including the use of old cameras and film stock to achieve an authentic look
While the idea of inserting a time traveler into a historical film is intriguing, there is no substantial evidence to support that this specific footage was doctored or intended to imply time travel. The footage in question was part of a DVD box set released in 2004, which included behind-the-scenes material from The Circus. This indicates that the footage was mass-produced and widely distributed, making it unlikely that Clarke could have doctored it himself. Initial Discovery and Presentation: Clarke discovered the footage while reviewing extras six years later on the The Circus DVD and posted a YouTube video titled “Chaplin’s Time Traveller” in October 2010.
Could it have been a hearing aid?
If so, who is she talking to? There is no one around as she is walking. There is no person visible who is talking back to her. Plus, electronic hearing aids of the time looked like horns and you can clearly see that her knuckles are wrapped around something small. Historical Context of Hearing Aids: By 1928, when The Circus was released, hearing aids were in their early stages of development. The first electric hearing aids, such as the Akouphone (1898) and later vacuum tube models introduced in the 1920s, were bulky and not easily portable. Early vacuum tube hearing aids were often large, requiring external components, and were not designed to be held to the ear like a modern device.
Could a “Time Traveler” on Film Mean Future Day has Arrived?
Future Day can be envisioned as a hypothetical event where humanity makes contact with individuals from the future, a concept that captivates the imagination and often appears in science fiction narratives. This idea explores the possibilities of time travel, where characters interact with future versions of themselves or other beings from advanced timelines. Such encounters raise intriguing questions about technological advancements, the consequences of present-day decisions, and the philosophical implications of fate and free will.
While there may not be a formal “Future Day” dedicated to this concept in reality, various conventions and gatherings celebrate themes of time travel, encouraging discussions about what it would mean to engage with future beings. These events invite participants to contemplate the impact of their actions on the future and to explore how such interactions could reshape our understanding of time and humanity’s place within it. Ultimately, Future Day serves as a fascinating exploration of the intersection between time travel, technology, and the human experience.
As Clarke’s claims continue to spark debate online, many are left pondering whether this mysterious figure could indeed be a time traveler or simply an individual using a device that resembles modern technology. Did Chaplain envision something like cell phones and have the woman act out the vision as an “Easter Egg” for the future? That seems the most likely scenario to me.
If you believe you have made contact with one or more beings from the future, leave a comment and tell us something of practical value in your message.
Read More
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLmbXK8qBIQ
[2] https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/time-traveler-1928-charlie-chaplin-film/story?id=11992878
[3] https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/back-to-the-future-why-michael-j-fox-replaced-eric-stotlz
[4] https://www.nbcuniversal.com/article/celebrating-decade-back-future-day-october-21st-marks-10-years-time-traveling-tribute
[5] https://theweek.com/articles/489723/time-traveler-who-using-cell-phone-charlie-chaplin-film-5-alternate-theories
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future_(franchise)
[8] https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/did-time-traveler-attend-premiere-charlie-chaplins-circus.htm
[9] https://www.atlanticradiocorp.com/blogs/hytera-2-way-radios/the-history-of-two-way-radio-communication
[10] https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/blogs/hearing-aid-history-ear-trumpets-european-royalty-earbuds
[11] https://www.embs.org/pulse/articles/hearing-aid-history-from-ear-trumpets-to-digital-technology/
[12] https://darrhearing.alpacaaudiology.com/blog/a-quick-history-of-hearing-aids/
18 comments
Xeno, the most ridiculous thing about it is that it’s a big as a d@mn brick. I’m prepared to believe that a “time traveler” might have a device capable of communication through time, but knowing tech as I do, it would not be a big device. Also, I don’t find it likely that if such a “time traveler” existed that she would be so stupid as to be communicating with the Future (or perhaps even the past) right in front of everyone on a movie set. Maybe it was a hearing aid, as some of the other naysayers are claiming, but one thing I am sure about is that the person in question was not carrying anything more advanced than what was available at the time. Trust me: FUTURE + TECHNOLOGY = SMALL.
I found it spooky. Recall that episode of Trek where Spock has to build a communicator with parts available in the time period? Something iPhone-sized may be the best this traveller could do, given the primitive state of our technology. 😉
That was “City on the Edge of Forever,” written by famed sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison.
I suppose that is one good point: Perhaps the traveler is stranded, or maybe “roughing it”; however, I tend to think the chances of a traveler being stranded or “roughing it” on a movie set are quite small. It’s just a funny place to be for either of those conditions. But I do concede that it is rational possibility and perhaps not quite as absurd as I originally thought.
Also, think about how it is a sport for some people to survive in the woods with only some basic tools and their wits. Time travelers who choose to live in an era (tesla?) might have (self imposed?) restrictions on what toys they could carry… in case they get captured.
One thing I find odd is her fingers don’t seem to be in a logical position . If you try to bend your fingers in that position you quickly find that it is nearly impossible . At best her finger position the way I’m seeing it indicates she is positioning them in an awkward position . As if to reach for two buttons under the index and middle fingers . More like a walkie talkie or hearing device .She doesn’t seem to be talking even though it appears her mouth is open . I would say it is a hearing device . The only reason for the cell like positioning is because of the natural shape of the device . Made to fit in your hand . They did exists at that time in that size and shape . One in particular was a French Electric ‚ÄúCamera‚Äù
French Electric camera-styled hearing device
manufactured by the French Electric Co., was housed in an camera-style case.
Google >”Concealed Hearing Devices of the 20th Century”
My call is that “she” is definitely talking. One person making a comment said that film cameras were very loud back then and the walking figure holding something to her ear could have heard the camera, then turned to it and said, “What have we here?” She seems to be too far behind the man walking in front of her to be talking to him. Also, he doesn’t seem to know she is there.
I looked carefully at it again it does appear that she turned her head somewhat towards the camera and moved her lips like she was talking .Very strange !
This was or will be one of the first experiments in altering the past to judge the effects on the future. The film clip will be watch sometime in the future as the cell phone woman makes her way through time to appear in the film. One second the clip will not have the woman and the next second it will. The experiment will try to understand how a change in the past travels to the future and if it will have any disruptive or dangerous properties. The experiment is still going on. In the future they may elect not to send her into the past to see if she vanishes from the film and if all the post about it happening right now also vanish. Tricky stuff, you wouldn’t want to delete yourself in the present by altering the past.
We may be having a variation of this conversation for the 20th time. If only we had an El-Aurian to let us know which time line was correct. 😉
I love the idea of multiple timelines. Part of me just can’t get past the notion that any change in the past due to time travel would create some kind of “colossal cosmic train wreck event” that would be impossible to hide or reverse. It could become known as “The Great Time Travel Incident”. But someone would have to travel time knowing what would happen. Maybe the act of traveling time causes such a devastating event in the past that the future can’t happen in the same way, cancelling out the time travel event that caused it in the first place. The conservation of energy law would be violated by removing or adding anything to the universe. My view is that the universe only exists in the present moment. If you could leave the present moment I doubt you would find our universe (at another point in time) just waiting for your arrival. Perhaps, you would find yourself at the center of a new universe you just created by your very presence or in some other universe that just happened to exist at that moment.
Some great food for thought, Arjay. Yes, I like to think that time is not what it seems. We see the universe through the filter of our minds and senses, but there may be something we just can’t grasp because of this. If we get a wiring diagram (connectome) of a brain and start to deconstruct it, we may find that time is something brains create.
Time is in the mind and a separate physical law that is ever changing > Space/Time . People talk about the “past” and “present” as if you can separate the two .But as we go through life we see both at the same time . Light is what we use to judge time and space . So the ” now ” as we know it is made up of the past ,present and future . We look out at stars that are in the past state . We see this as present time but we can’t see the actual present time of the stars .We see them by the light after it has traveled through time . So what is present time ? Our minds can’t comprehend real time . It is impossible because we have no real time input . Therefor our minds make do with present,past and future as we see it or perceive it . Light is the metronome of time and it is linked to a fluctuating time scale. So time is relative and bendable . That is a fact . We travel in time every day . Our nose is farther ahead in time then our heels 😉 Yes literally ! 2 different time zones ! You could say your nose is stuck in the future , according to your heels 😉 Light speed = time = minds sense of time/space 😉
Did someone mention Harlin Ellison(, Sam)?
Harlin Ellison wrote more than 1,700 “short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, …” He wrote works of “criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media …” He has written or edited 75 books.
Ellison also “won … more awards for imaginative literature than any other living author – including multiple Hugos, Nebulas and Edgars.”
What kind of personality produces so much well-acclaimed creative literature?
As a boy Ellison ran away from home countless times. “Not because of anything bad with my family — it was just, I had a wanderlust,” Ellison says. “…. After a while, my mother said, ‘I’ll pack you sandwiches. Would you like peanut butter-and-jelly?’ Sometimes I’d get as far away as Kansas City and wind up working as carny and then … in jail, and get sent home. And I’d go back to school and I’d do very well, and then I’d run away again, and I’d … [go] way up into Canada and work in a logging camp.”
By the age of 18 years, he worked as a “tuna fisherman off the coast of Galveston, itinerant crop-picker … in New Orleans, [a] hired gun for a wealthy neurotic, nitroglycerine truck driver in North Carolina, short order cook, cab driver, lithographer, book salesman, floorwalker in a department store, door-to-door brush salesman, and as a youngster, an actor in several productions at the Cleveland Play House”.
He once attended Ohio State University, but only for 18 months. He was expelled for hitting a professor who criticized his writing. And, for the next 40 years he sent the professor every story he ever published!
He joined a gang once to write a story about gangs.
He served as a creative consultant for The Twilight Zone series and Babylon 5. He was also hired as a writer for Walt Disney Studios, but was fired on the first day after Roy Disney overheard Ellison joke about “making a pornographic animated film featuring Disney characters.”
“He married Charlotte Stein in 1956 but they divorced four years later. … In 1961, Ellison married Billie Joyce Sanders, …, but they later divorced. … [I]n 1965, he married his third wife, Lory Patrick, but they later divorced. … In 1976, Ellison married …, Lori Horowitz. They later divorced. … On September 7, 1986, Ellison married Susan Toth (his fifth wife), whom he had met in Scotland the year before.”
In 1969, Ellison was the Guest of Honor at Texas A&M’s first science fiction convention, where he referred to the A&M’s “Corps of Cadets” as “‘…America’s next generation of Nazis…’, inspired in part by the continuing Vietnam War.” Although A&M was no longer solely a military school, the student body “was predominantly made up of cadet members.” The school didn’t hold a science fiction convention for a few years after that.
Ellison wrote the short story, “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman.” It first appeared in Galaxy Magazine in December 1965. The story won the 1966 Hugo Award for best short story, and the 1965 Nebula Award.
“The story is one of the most reprinted short stories in the English language (not just in science fiction) and has been translated into numerous foreign languages.”
This creative short story begins by quoting Henry David Thoreau’s historical work “Civil Disobedience”:
“The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men …, but as machines, with their bodies. … they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones; … They have the same sort of worth only as horses and dogs. …”
In an interview with Jayme Lynn Blaschke
http://www.sfsite.com/07a/he107.htm
Ellison says, “There is nothing hypocritical about me. I don’t do that. When I tell you somebody is a scumbag, I tell them that to their face. But when I tell you somebody is a good guy, I would tell them that to their face, too.”
This is the kind of guy he is, authentic and honest.
—- — —- —-
In the autumn of this year, Ellison announced to the world that he had written his last book and had attended his last convention, because he’s dying.
About his dying he says, “I’m not afraid of death, and there is not one iota of suicide in me. All I want to make sure is that when the paper comes out, it says, ‘Harlan Ellison died in his sleep.’ You’re talking to, essentially, a pretty happy guy. No, not ‘pretty’ happy — that’s television talk. I am inordinately happy. I am wonderfully happy. I am Icarus-flying-to-the-sun happy. I have led a magical life. I have led exactly the life I would wish to lead. I have led the life I guess that everybody in their heart of hearts wants to lead.”
Ann, that was beautiful. Thanks for the inspiration, once again. 🙂
Thank Mr. Ellison
If I were to describe the restrictions on time travel it would be this > Imagine you are connected mid point to a rubber band that is stretched between point “A” and Point “B” . “B” being the future “A” being the past , Present being the mid point .If you try to propel yourself into the future towards “B” you are restricted in proportion to your forward movement by a compression in front of you and a pulling from behind . The harder you push forward the more you are restricted . Essentially the same in the reverse .You can change your time but the future in front of you is repelled ( compressed ) away from you . Even if you looped it around you get the same result . The other time zones are unaffected in relation to themselves . In fact your time Zone would be relatively unchanged . There would be ( perceived )changes externally though . You would see time changes outside of your zone . But you would have no contact with them other than observing them . Like looking at a star . That avoids paradoxes . You can’t change others future or pasts only your own . And your own time difference only by external observation ( you would see time/space differently ) A star might seem older or younger then it should be . So you really change nothing except for your observations . Not anything that really changes you or others physically . But it’s a matter of your perception really 😉
Maybe it was just a toothace??
You know that is entirely possible ! Open mouth , holding something to her cheek ! Toothache ! That would explain it wouldn’t it 😉 Not as probable as an old women traveling in time , talking on a cell phone , just as they are shooting a major motion picture though ! 😉