Frederick P. Ott (1860; New Jersey – October 24, 1936; West Orange, New Jersey) was an employee of Thomas Edison's laboratory in the 1890s. His likeness appears in two of the earliest surviving motion pictures – Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze (a.k.a. Fred Ott's Sneeze) and Fred Ott Holding a Bird – both from 1894.In the former film, Ott takes a pinch of snuff, which causes him to sneeze.
Claimed to be the very first motion picture actor in America. His "act" consisted of jumping up and down and sneezing.
2
Was one of two brothers that worked at the Edison Lab in West Orange, New Jersey that often assisted W. K. L. Dickson and William Heise in the earliest film production in the United States.
Assistant Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Dickson Experimental Sound Film
1894
Short assistant director - uncredited
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Kiss
1900
Documentary short
Himself
Fred Ott Holding a Bird
1894
Short
Himself
Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze
1894
Documentary short
Sneezing Man
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hollywood
1980
TV Mini-Series documentary
Actor 'Record of a Sneezeneeze'
Known for movies
The Kiss (1900) as Himself
Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze (1894) as Sneezing Man
Fred Ott Holding a Bird (1894) as Himself
Dickson Experimental Sound Film (1894) as Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
$700,000
