1928 in film

Events

Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent.

• November 18 – Disney's Steamboat Willie premieres. This animated short was the first film to include a soundtrack, completely created in post production, including sound effects, music, and dialogue.

Top grossing films

1. The Singing Fool
2. The Lights of New York
3. West of Zanzibar

Academy Awards

• Best Actor: Emil Jannings for The Last Command and the 1927 movie The Way of All Flesh
• Best Actress: Janet Gaynor for Street Angel and the 1927 movies Seventh Heaven and Sunrise

Note: Prior to 1933, awards were not based on calendar years, which is why there is no 'Best Picture' for a 1928 film.

Movies released

Movies released in 1928 include:

• The Cameraman, a Buster Keaton film.
• Champagne, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
• The Circus, starring, directed and written by Charles Chaplin.
• The Crowd, directed by King Vidor.
• The Docks of New York, starring George Bancroft, Betty Compson and Olga Baclanova.
• Easy Virtue, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
• The Farmer's Wife, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Ruth Taylor and Alice White, subtitles written by Anita Loos.
• The Last Command, starring Emil Jannings, Evelyn Brent and William Powell.
• Laugh, Clown, Laugh, starring Lon Chaney.
• The Lights of New York (a true 'talkie' with Vitaphone sound)
• The Man Who Laughs, starring Mary Philbin and Conrad Veidt.
• The Matinee Idol, starring Bessie Love and Johnnie Walker; directed by Frank Capra.
• The Mysterious Lady,starring Greta Garbo and Conrad Nagel.
• Our Dancing Daughters, starring Joan Crawford.
• The Passion of Joan of Arc, directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer.
• Sadie Thompson, starring Gloria Swanson and Lionel Barrymore.
• Show People, starring Marion Davies.
• The Singing Fool, starring Al Jolson and Betty Bronson.
• Speedy, starring Harold Lloyd.
• Steamboat Bill, Jr., a Buster Keaton film.
• Steamboat Willie, a Walt Disney Mickey Mouse short.
• Street Angel, starring starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell.
• The Wedding March, starring Erich von Stroheim and Fay Wray.
• West of Zanzibar, starring Lon Chaney and Lionel Barrymore.
• West Point, starring William Haines and Joan Crawford.
• The Wind, starring Lillian Gish and Lars Hanson.
• A Woman of Affairs, starring Greta Garbo.

Births

• January 7 – William Peter Blatty, screenwriter
• January 26 – Roger Vadim, director, screenwriter, actor
• February 11 – Conrad Janis, actor.
• February 29 – Tempest Storm, burlesque performer, actress
• March 24 – Vanessa Brown (+ 1999)
• April 23 – Shirley Temple, actress
• July 26 – Stanley Kubrick, director
• August 6 – Andy Warhol, artist, director
• August 11 – Arlene Dahl, actress
• August 15 – Nicolas Roeg, director
• August 16 – Ann Blyth, actress
• August 31 – James Coburn, actor
• September 17 – Roddy McDowall, actor
• September 19 – Adam West, actor
• October 1 – George Peppard, actor
• October 2 – George 'Spanky' McFarland, actor
• November 3 – Wanda Hendrix, actress (+1981)

Deaths