10.27.10 - 4:00PM
- by
Jay Hathaway

Internet Finds Time Traveler With Cell Phone in 1928 Charlie Chaplin Film

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Videos
Tech
Movies

An interesting clip from a 1928 Charlie Chaplin film, The Circus, is making the rounds on YouTube, showing what appears to be a woman talking on a mobile phone. GawkerTV slowed it down so you can get a good look at the woman, and you would be absolutely convinced she was talking on a cell phone if they had been invented back then. So, how can we explain this mysterious footage?

The prevailing internet conspiracy theory is that the woman is a time traveler, making a call through time. I would debunk this by saying it would've been awfully hard to get reception before cell towers were ever invented, but I figure anybody who believes this woman broke the rules of spacetime to visit 1928 isn't going to be convinced by silly old historical facts. Oh, and for anyone who think it's a walkie-talkie, those weren't invented yet, either. They didn't pop up until 1937, and even then, they required a bulky backpack transceiver powered by vacuum tubes.

The best theory we've seen so far is that the woman might be fiddling with a hearing aid. The modern hearing aid was invented in the early 1900s, and, although it still had to be connected to an amplifier about the size of a deck of cards, it could be worn in the ear. Perhaps this woman is concealing the amplifier in her bulky coat.

As for who the woman is, nobody is quite sure. It's convenient that her face and form are hidden by a bulky black jacket and a large hat, making her virtually impossible to identify. If only IMDB had been around 80 years ago! What do you think is going on in this video? Post your ideas in the comments.

via:// GawkerTV
more:// A History of Time Travelers on the Internet, From John Titor to the Cell Phone Lady
previously:// Brainy Kids Teach Time Travel in Video Chat

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10.27.10

By TheKm

Lowest Ranked

Has anyone simply considered the idea that she's just crazy and/or on drugs? You could buy some strong stuff over the counter back then.

10.28.10

By pnmclaugh

Highest Rank

But why, on drugs, would she be perfectly miming a technology that didn't exist? I would understand some tripping bitty pretending she was on a bike, playing an instrument, or even talking on an old style phone (those receivers were held with a completely different hand configuration). But, beyond a drug version of the 1000 monkeys on 1000 typewriters argument, how can drugs explain her acting exactly like she is (soberly) using a completely unknown and un-conceived-of technology?

10.28.10

By vickie

Lowest Rank

Its a little radio.....everyone had one.....Or the whole video is a fake.....

10.28.10

By Anton

Highest Rank

The weird thing is that you see her moving her lips when she turns to towards the screen. Watch closely. Yup, it's there alright. I'm thinking it was a hearing aid and she was talking outloud. Though why her hand was to her ear, and it looks like she's holding something, about the size of a pack of cards. She can't be crazy/homeless because she's dressed to nice for that. Age, approximately 55-65, height probably 5'3"-5'5". Can't really tell from there.

10.28.10

By OUTTERSANCTUM1

Highest Rank

Maybe,locating a professional lip reader might assist as to what the person is saying

10.28.10

By ntshade8

Highest Rank

It definitely looks like she is talking. Are we sure it is a woman? Look at her feet/shoes. It could be a man in disguise trying to get in the film.

10.28.10

By jack

Highest Rank

Martha Dankirk. We warned here about carrying late 21 century technology back to Golden Age Movie Time. She will be banned.

10.28.10

By slyfox

Highest Rank

I would debunk this by saying it would've been awfully hard to get reception before cell towers were ever invented, but I figure anybody who believes this woman broke the rules of spacetime to visit 1928 isn't going to be convinced by silly old historical facts. >>>>> This author talks about a futuristic person traveling in time then reverts back to modern day technology. I dont think this is a person talking on a cell phone but wouldnt this author think that someone who can travel through time also possesses the technology to talk on a phone to soeone in another time. Dumb.

10.28.10

By bawillicetsr1

Lowest Rank

How about the transistor radio.

10.28.10

By sunbros

Lowest Rank

who are they talking too?

10.28.10

By starbuck680

Highest Rank

Seeing how this is from the 20s, it's obviously not a cell phone. Maybe she's hard of hearing & has something in her ear so that she can hear? like a magaphone thing. They did use such things back then.

10.28.10

By Lori

Highest Rank

Look closely at the close-up footage. It doesn't even look like there is anything in her hand. It looks like she might be shielding her eyes from the sun, and the expressin on her face looks like she is grimacing. This is a whole lot of nothing, that a bunch of quacks want us to believe is really evidence of proof of time travel. And as the author noted, how could one talk on a cell phone, when cell phone TOWERS had not been invented yet, either??

10.28.10

By Robert

Lowest Rank

What some people won't post for attention! The technology didn't exist back then and to think that it did is just preposterous! Maybe her glasses were broken, maybe she's crazy, who know's maybe she had a headache who really cares?!? Find something meaningful to do with your time! Absolutely Rediculous!

10.28.10

By RJ

Highest Rank

She's calling in her vote for American Idol.

10.28.10

By Keith

Highest Rank

It is odd that she would mimmick a phone like that plus when she turns her head you can see her smiling and talking.

10.28.10

By Nana

Highest Rank

Two blocks back she asked the guy to slow down and he slugged her. One block back she dipped into the drugstore and got ice from the soda jerk. She's holding an ice pack to her head. :)

10.28.10

By Geezy

Highest Rank

Has anyone considered the fact that...
1) That is not a she
2) She (He) is just scratching her (his) head while trying not to take her (his) hat off while talking to herself (himself)?

Yes people actually talk to themselves, they don't have to be crazy to do so. Though if you have to be crazy to talk to yourself, then I'm pretty sure the believers here talk to themselves plenty of times.

Also, if you really believe that the person on film was a time traveler, then I guess you people (damn straight I said you people) will start believing that I'm also a timetraveler trying to protect a fellow agent from having her cover compromised! >.>

10.28.10

By Tyrone Biggums

Neutral

She's calling Payless... to let them know she's on her way back, to return those dusty azz shoes she's got on!!!

10.28.10

By scott

Lowest Rank

I believe she was calling jenny craig. you get a good look at that broad?
she's a big girl. she may have been calling legalzoom.com to get a patent
on the word cankles.seriously, were transitor radios available at that time?

10.28.10

By don v

Highest Rank

I believe it may have been some type of hearing aid or perhaps the woman was suffering from an ear infection and had to keep her ear warm.The most unlikley possibility, was that she was part of a group of people who had advanced technology and was trying to remain inconspicious, the idea that there was or is the possibility of a group of people with advanced technology 80 yrs ahead of the rest of us hmmm...what influence could this have had on the outcome of our history!