The Swiss city of Basel's first film lasts less than 50 seconds and was shot in 1896 – and Hans Huber can briefly be seen at the very beginning on the right of the shot with a moustache, large white collar and medallion. See here (https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/the-soapy-secrets-behind-basel-s-first-film/46049200) for information on this fascinating story.
This is probably the earliest recording of a composer on film that I am aware of.
Me too. though there are 4 years of silent film before that in existence to go through to be quite sure. Some of the actors in which might have been at least songwriters as well at other points.. hard to find out, though there are resources with at least lists of, and maybe info about, those earliest films.
A very short appearance of Fritz Brun and Volkmar Andreae in a private 8mm film taken at the Swiss Music Festival of 1931 also turned up. I show it in my Brun documentary.
Who knows what more of this kind is still lying in private archives...
Thanks!
It was too bad that it seems that "Brahms" on that Edison-related early pressing was not Brahms at all...