Gothamist: Video of the Day: Early 20th Century Traffic in "Speedy"

Novanglus

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:57:14 -0500

If you watch the crash....the driver ducked into the carriage seconds before the crash. Something tells me it WAS planned. Honestly, are we sure this was all filmed back then? That quality looks pretty good for 1930.

sonyactivision

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:05:07 -0500

The bus scenes were clearly shot in L.A.

salad

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:54:00 -0500

phew - look at them damned horses go.

JoeSchumacher

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:05:41 -0500

Dave exaggerates as I only deserve 99.1% of the credit. Ha! Anyway, someone had posted the video to Metafilter, which is where I found it.

Dave Hogarty

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 20:12:19 -0500

99.5% of the credit of this post should be directed towards Gothamist weather-guy Joe Schumacher, who found the clip and suggested it as a noteworthy item. I love when Babe Ruth says "If I ever want to commit suicide, I'll give you a call" to his cab driver. That's an evergreen joke that is still piney fresh more than six decades later.

ANGRYGOD11

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:41:31 -0500

This might have been his last silent film, but then his less popular films with sound were released in theaters well into the 1930's.

Peter

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:31:32 -0500

Is Harold Lloyd the great-grandfather of the Verizon Wireless nerd?

eyekantspel

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:24:15 -0500

where are the cyclists?

Ph

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:22:30 -0500

I loved the last time the street lights went out. Traffic was a joy. Everything moved so easily.

David McCaffredy

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:15:08 -0500

Wow - awesome find and awesome Babe Ruth cameo. Also - theres no way that the carriage drive wasn't injured in that crash. The studio was probably able to cover it up back then to avoid bad publicity.

Think twice

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:57:56 -0500

Wow. No traffic lights anywhere. No CGI either, all real stunts. I do hope they bring back double decker public buses.