I believe that the effect goes back to the silent era. It was common enough in films of the 1930s to be spoofed in several cartoons (especially Tex Avery's). Try the Film Literature Index in your library's reference section for specific articles, etc. Don Larsson ----------------------------------------------------------- "Only connect" --E.M. Forster Donald F. Larsson Department of English, AH 230 Minnesota State U, Mankato (56001) [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Mary Celeste Kearney [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2003 5:24 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: split-screen effect Does anyone know of films that used the split-screen effect for telephone conversations prior to Pillow Talk (1959)? Also, have any scholars written specifically on this effect? Thanks! mary Mary Celeste Kearney Assistant Professor Department of Radio-Television-Film The University of Texas at Austin Office: 512-475-8648 Fax: 512-471-4077 ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu ---- For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives: http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html