Fred Figner facts for kids
Fred Figner, also known as Frederico Figner, was an amazing entrepreneur and pioneer. He was born as Friedrich Figner on December 2, 1866, in the Austrian Empire. He passed away on January 19, 1947. Fred played a huge role in starting the cinema and music industries, especially in South America.
From Europe to Brazil
Fred Figner was a Jewish immigrant. He first lived in the United States. In 1891, he arrived in Belém, Brazil. He traveled all over Brazil. During his travels, he showed off Edison's amazing new invention: the phonograph. This machine could record and play sounds! People were very excited to see it.
Nine years later, in 1900, Fred settled down in Rio de Janeiro. There, he started a company called Casa Edison. This was the very first commercial recording company in Brazil. Casa Edison was a true pioneer. It was the first to record and sell popular Brazilian music. Fred also founded Odeon. This was Brazil's first factory that made phonograph records.
Early Days of Film
Fred Figner also made history in the world of movies. In 1896, he filmed what are now considered the first three movies ever made in Argentina. These films were short clips. They showed different sights of the city of Buenos Aires. The films were called Vistas de Palermo, La Avenida de Mayo, and La Plaza de Mayo. People got to see these first films on November 24, 1896.
Not much is known about Fred Figner's other filming activities. His work is sometimes overshadowed by Eugenio Py. Eugenio Py was a Frenchman who filmed La Bandera Argentina (which means "The Argentine Flag") in 1897. But Fred Figner's early films were still incredibly important for the start of cinema in Argentina.
