First Famous Players feature release with Bernhardt in July 1912.
On July 12, 1912, the film Queen Elizabeth (La Reine Élisabeth), featuring Sarah Bernhardt, premiered in the United States as the first release by Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Company. This marked a significant milestone in cinematic history as it was among the first feature-length films seen by American audiences, signaling the acceptance and commercial viability of full-length dramas in film. Sarah Bernhardt's participation in this project exemplified her forward-thinking adoption of new media, paving the way for narrative cinema as a major form of entertainment.