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Enoch J. Rector

1863 – 1957

American inventor

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About Enoch J. Rector

Lived 1863 – 1957 (aged 93). Enoch J. Rector was an American cinematographer, inventor and film director, known for Kinetoscope.

Enoch J. Rector (October 9, 1863 – January 26, 1957) was an American boxing film promoter and early cinema technician. He was a partner in Woodville Latham's Kinetoscope Exhibition Company (later the Lambda Company) during the mid-1890s, working with Latham and his sons Otway and Grey, as well as fellow cinema technicians William Kennedy Laurie Dickson and Eugene Lauste.

Cinema historian Terry Ramsaye later claimed that Rector, during his association with Latham, invented the 'Latham loop', a key feature of modern cinema cameras and projectors, in 1895. However, in 1927 Dickson stated unequivocally that Lauste was responsible for this important invention. Using this technique, Rector created the 90-minute documentary film The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight (1897), filmed in an early widescreen process in 63mm film, with an aspect ratio of about 1.75:1.

Biography He was born near Parkersburg, West Virginia in 1863. He later attended West Virginia University. He married Jesse Fremont Leach (1871–1956), a designer of glass furniture. She was named after her mother's friend at boarding school, Jessie Benton, later wife of Charles Fremont. Jesse had a sister, Anna Russell Leach (1860–1952), a writer for The New York Times. He had a daughter, Anne Elizabeth Rector (1899–1970) who was married to Edmund Duffy.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Known for
Kinetoscope
Education
West Virginia University

Family & relationships

Child
Ann Elizabeth Rector

People in Enoch J. Rector's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Enoch J. Rector's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Enoch J. Rector?

American inventor (1863–1957)

When was Enoch J. Rector born?

Enoch J. Rector was born on 9 October 1863 in Parkersburg.

When did Enoch J. Rector die?

Enoch J. Rector died on 26 January 1957.

What was Enoch J. Rector's occupation?

Enoch J. Rector was a cinematographer, inventor and film director.

What was Enoch J. Rector known for?

Enoch J. Rector was known for Kinetoscope.

What nationality was Enoch J. Rector?

Enoch J. Rector was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Enoch J. Rector

· Wikidata: Q3783488

· DBpedia: Enoch J. Rector

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Enoch J. Rector. https://biography.guide/enoch-j-rector/

MLA: "Enoch J. Rector." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/enoch-j-rector/.

Chicago: "Enoch J. Rector." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/enoch-j-rector/.

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