1928 in film

The following is an overview of 1928 in film, including significant events, a list of films released and notable births and deaths. Although some films released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent. This year is notable for the introduction of the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company, Mickey Mouse, in the animated short Steamboat Willie, the first film to include a soundtrack completely created in post production.

List of years in film
In television
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
+...

Top-grossing films (U.S.)

The top ten 1928 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:

Highest-grossing films of 1928
Rank Title Distributor Domestic rentals
1 The Singing Fool Warner Bros. $3,821,000
2 Street Angel Fox Film $1,700,000
3 Lilac Time Warner Bros. $1,675,000
4 Four Sons Fox Film $1,500,000
5 Noah's Ark Warner Bros. $1,367,000
6 The Red Dance
In Old Arizona
Fox Film $1,300,000
7 The Terror Warner Bros. $1,221,000
8 Lights of New York $1,160,000
9 My Man $1,099,000
10 On Trial $1,089,000

Events

  • January 6 – The long-awaited Charlie Chaplin comedy The Circus premieres at the Strand Theatre in New York City.
  • April 21 – The Passion of Joan of Arc is released.
  • July 6 – Lights of New York (starring Helene Costello) is released by Warner Bros. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film. Previous releases Don Juan and The Jazz Singer had used a synchronized soundtrack with sound effects and music, with The Jazz Singer having a few incidental lines spoken by Al Jolson.
  • September 19 – The Singing Fool, Warner Bros' follow-up to The Jazz Singer, is released. While still only a partial-talkie (sequences still feature intertitles), 66 minutes of the film's 105 minute running time feature dialogue or songs, making it the longest talking motion picture yet. (Lights of New York runs a total of 57 minutes.) It is the highest-grossing film of the year, becomes Warner Bros' highest-grossing film for the next 13 years, is the most financially successful film of Al Jolson's career and also remains the highest-grossing sound film until the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937.
  • October 23 – RKO Productions Inc. created
  • November 10 – At the beginning of White Shadows in the South Seas, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's mascot Leo the Lion roars for the very first time, giving voice to one of the most popular American film logos.
  • November 18 – Disney's Steamboat Willie premieres, marking the official introduction of Mickey Mouse. This animated short is the first film to include a soundtrack completely created in post production, including sound effects, music and dialogue.
  • December 25 – In Old Arizona, released by Fox Films, is the first sound-on-film feature-length talkie, utilizing the Movietone process. Previously, feature-length talkies used the less-reliable Vitaphone sound-on-disc process. It is also the first Western talkie, and the first sound film primarily shot outdoors.

Academy Awards

Note: Prior to 1933, awards were not based on calendar years, which is why there is no 'Best Picture' for a 1928 film.

Notable films released in 1928

United States unless stated

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

W

Z

Short film series

Animated short film series

Births

Deaths

  • January 2 – Emily Stevens, American stage & film actress (born 1882)
  • January 3 – Claude France, German film actress (born 1893)
  • January 11 - Rapley Holmes, Canadian stage and screen actor (born 1868)
  • January 25 – Charles Gorman, American stage and screen actor (born 1865)
  • January 26 - Earl Metcalfe, American actor, (born 1889)
  • February 22 – Rudolph J. Bergquist American cinematographer
  • March 5 – Lidia Quaranta, Italian actress (born 1891)
  • March 13 – Elsie Mackay, British actress and heiress; lost at sea (born 1893)
  • April 22 – Frank Currier, American director, stage & silent film actor (born 1857)
  • June 22 – George Siegmann, American silent film actor (born 1882)
  • June 24 – Holbrook Blinn, American stage & silent film actor (born 1872)
  • July 20 – Scott Sidney, American film director (born 1872)
  • July 21
    • Ellen Terry, British stage actress of the Victorian and Edwardian times and later a silent film actress (born 1847)
    • Ward Crane, American film actor (born 1890)
  • August 10 – Rex Cherryman, American actor (born 1896)
  • August 17 – Frank Urson, American film director (born 1887)
  • August 26 – Colin Campbell, British-born film director (born 1859)
  • October 8 – Larry Semon, American film comedian (born 1889)
  • November 10 – Anita Berber, German film actress (born 1899)
  • November 19 – Jeanne Bérangère, French stage and film actress (born 1864)
  • December 14 – Theodore Roberts, American film actor (born 1861)
  • December 25 – Fred Thomson, American film actor (born 1890)

Film debuts


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