Time Traveller Caught on 1928 Charlie Chaplin Film?

I used to be a reporter and I can vouch for the fact that people in a newsroom have all kinds of creative ways to find interesting and breaking news.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if someone---in fact many news gatherers--monitored this site regularly to see what's cooking out in the big world.

It's obvious today that they do!

It's a smart move on a reporter's part. The posters here are sometimes as fast as twitter....

First off, to whom would a time traveler be speaking? And why would s/he choose to do so in public?

Extraterrestrials coming to visit? More plausible...but still, why risk discovery by talking in public?

However...if it is a communication device, the transistor wasn't invented for a couple more decades, so anything electronic would have to be powered with vacuum tubes. And they wouldn't do for a small hand-held device.

Applying Occam's Razor would mean it is something innocuous, but I'll be damned if I know what it is. I'm certainly curious, though.

Originally posted by SonOfTheLawOfOne
Made Fox news science section today...

'Time Traveler' Spied in 1928 Chaplin Film

As for someone else's comment about having hands free devices... I remind you that a very large majority of iPhone users (myself and all of my co-workers included) don't use hands free devices nowadays, and also to keep in mind that if someone were to crack time travel in the next 2 years (2012 anyone?), we could be catching a glimpse of them not following the "rules". Depending on where the film footage we see was shot, this could be someone from the future just going to a popular "tourist" spot back in time and accidentally being caught on film. I know if I could go back in time, I would absolutely want to visit major cities like New York and Chicago in their prime.

This story immediately reminded me of this:
Swiss Watch Found in 400 Year Old Chinese Tomb

They still can't explain it.

Except for the fact that they don't know if the tomb has been accessed in the past hundred years, that is...

How did it get there? This is the question haunting the archaeologists who discovered the Swiss watch in an ancient tomb in Shangsi, southern China, they believed had not been opened since its occupant’s funeral, which occurred during the Ming Dynasty (15-16th centuries).

"Believing" is not the same as "knowing" or "proving."

Cmon people.. Im not entirely sure - but I'd bet my house it's not some crazy wondering around.

Think about it - in 1928 you walking down a street talking into something in your hand, society will be too quick to declare you bonkers and put ya in a strait jacket... Remember the context people..

And assuming its a time traveller - the whole 'no cell phone tower' theory is squashed as they would employ far superior tech than we use right now.

Think outside the box. My only explanation is that it has been doctored though. The person is walking stride for stride with the guy in front. Maybe its a Chaplin inside joke

Cheers

The scene was done on purpose and Chaplin expected someone would notice I'm sure.
Shouldn't that Zebra be on a carousel? Its an unusual prop to just stick out in the foreground like that alone.
There must be other clues people have picked up on earlier in the thread.

I'll say it again, since i got completely ignored...

It's a hearing aid.

Originally posted by mr-lizard
I'll say it again, since i got completely ignored...

It's a hearing aid.

Sorry didn't hear you the first time... I must have gone deaf with everyone and their granny,(especially) shouting that it is a hearing aid.

What about this picture of Humphrey ,(DeForest) Bogart on a mobile circa 1950's,

3.bp.blogspot.com...

Tennis, Anyone?

hi folks, been lurking for a couple days, at the rate I was going posts were getting posted quicker than I could read. I did read all through the first 13 pages tho and did notice one thing,

I doubt very much it's a hearing aid. Wether it's some early electrical device or a small handheld horn, you would have to hold them lightly with the finger tips as they would have to rely heavily on resonance in order to have any sensitivity at all. IT is clearly clutching something.

...although, I did like the explanation about talking to itself while trying to think of something they forgot.

I disagree that the hand is being held up because of some annoying sounds or whatever because the guy in front doesn't seem even remotely phased by any disturbance. I doubt they are talking loud enough to be heard by anyone closer than a few feet.

I'd like to see the original, very weird looking person, almost like their shape has been squashed in to fit an existing shape/shadow on the footage, looks tampered with to me. ...although I'd love for it to be a time traveller.



Neil

Originally posted by pessimistNeil
hi folks, been lurking for a couple days, at the rate I was going posts were getting posted quicker than I could read. I did read all through the first 13 pages tho and did notice one thing,

I doubt very much it's a hearing aid. Wether it's some early electrical device or a small handheld horn, you would have to hold them lightly with the finger tips as they would have to rely heavily on resonance in order to have any sensitivity at all. IT is clearly clutching something.

...although, I did like the explanation about talking to itself while trying to think of something they forgot.

I disagree that the hand is being held up because of some annoying sounds or whatever because the guy in front doesn't seem even remotely phased by any disturbance. I doubt they are talking loud enough to be heard by anyone closer than a few feet.

I'd like to see the original, very weird looking person, almost like their shape has been squashed in to fit an existing shape/shadow on the footage, looks tampered with to me. ...although I'd love for it to be a time traveller.



Neil

this is the right view,

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Related new thread from Zazz - similar footage from about the same time period!

Here

~Heff

reply to post by Hefficide


Hello - long time lurker - first time poster.

The film has a color scene - the zebras jeweled bridle sparkles in color for a second or two and fades to Black and white.

The woman / man fades out as he / she exits the left of the shot.

Based on the technology in this footage, the footage was done later than the 1920's.

A you-tube commenter said it was a scene from a 1977 Dr. Who episode where the Doctor travels to a Chaplin opening.

DOCTOR, IS THAT YOU!??!


Seriously, though, this is really weird! I saw this a few days ago and was really surprised that there weren't like a billion duplicate threads all over ATS trying to debunk it. I honestly can't think of any reason someone would be walking with their hand to their face like that besides talking on the phone, or, has anyone ever done that thing where they cup their hand to their ear in order to hear their voice better? I don't know why someone would be doing that on a movie set, but...

I didn't go through 69 pages so I'm not sure if it was posted, but in my opinion this is the item in question:

hearing.siemens.com...

Originally posted by Lemon6
reply to post by Hefficide

 

Based on the technology in this footage, the footage was done later than the 1920's.

A you-tube commenter said it was a scene from a 1977 Dr. Who episode where the Doctor travels to a Chaplin opening.

Interesting! I thought this might be a possibility as well, but ... the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X was officially unveiled in 1983.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/357695a66285.jpg[/atsimg]

Granted this doesn't rule out a Jules Vernes-esque vision of the future where the script-writers imagined people talking to each other on small portable devices. Though of course it could also be a hand-held CB radio (circa 1940s). It would be great if a collector knew which episode had the Charlie Chaplin plot-line (assuming it even exists).

I've read about half this thread, but has anyone mentioned trying to get a hold of the original footage yet? Obviously this short scene was edited from a longer piece(s) into a 6 minute dvd extra. I'm sure the continuation of that scene, before the editing, would solve the mystery... Easier said than done though.

On the BBC website now Clicky

- Phoenix

reply to post by zazzafrazz


**sigh ** i guess the future is bleak with no bluetooth headsets

people i am one to believe in time travel and just because we cant do something today doesn't mean that it will never be possible but after further contemplation.

its not a phone technology from the future would be smaller if you will even like picards chest communicator

and there are many forms of communication included rf-radio frequency and satellite microwave and as what hasn't been invented yet.

i'm sorry but for me this myth has been busted.

its just a schizo dressed in drag for a bit in a movie

I read somewhere that it could be a hearing aid. one by samsung (I Can't remember the exact name)

If it is anything though it would be one of these for sure.

Siemens 1920's hearing aids

or one of these



Here is a description, They were made in the 1920s

An ear trumpet and ear training device by Royal in Paris from the first quarter of the 20th century. The boxed set contains an oval metal ear trumpet with an ornate grill and a telescopic ear piece (which also rotates) made from an early plastic. This is designed to be a hand help and pocket device and comes with a leather etui marked Royal 29 Rue Orfilla Paris. The larger device is also signed. This was battery powered and pushing the black button would emit noise through the earpiece which was meant to have some therapeutic effect, but almost certainly did not.

Originally posted by Xtraeme
It would be great if a collector knew which episode had the Charlie Chaplin plot-line (assuming it even exists).

There is no Doctor Who storyline with Charlie Chaplin (as of yet) I believe the Heffinator was winding you up.

-m0r