This week's (and previous) episodes of BuzzFeed Unsolved are now available on Hulu, Amazon Instant Video, and Roku TV. On this episode, Ryan and Shane investigate the mysterious disappearance of Louis Le Prince.
On September 16, 1890, a brilliant French inventor named Louis Le Prince stepped on a train, and was never seen again.
Louis may've shot the world's first film, despite Thomas Edison often being credited with pioneering moving images.
Louis' single-lens camera produced viewable films in 1888 — three of which have survived. The one seen below is of Louis' son, in-laws, and a friend walking around.
Louis had been granted patents on his single-lens motion picture camera in France and Britain.
Louis' disappearance began after he visited his brother Albert in Dijon on September 16, 1890. He boarded a train with plans to go to New York and show his invention, but he was never seen again.
Edison went on to display kinetoscope movies in 1894, and projected films as early as April 1896. Louis is widely uncredited with the invention throughout history.
There are theories about what happened to Louis. His wife, Elizabeth, believed Edison wanted to stop Louis' invention from reaching the public, and had him abducted or killed.
There's also a theory that Louis' brother, Albert, whom he visited before his disappearance was responsible.
There's even a theory that Louis was in debt and made the choice to go off the grid himself.
Shane and Ryan dive into each theory and the surrounding details, but ultimately, the cause of Louis' mysterious disappearance remains unsolved.
