Early Forms of Acknowledgement:
* Silent Era (1910s-1920s): While credits as we know them didn't exist, some films would display title cards acknowledging the director, actors, and sometimes even the cameraman.
* 1920s: As the industry matured, some studios started adding simple "Cast" and "Production" title cards at the end of films.
The First True Credits:
* 1920s: While the specific year is debated, it's believed that the first true credits sequence appeared sometime in the late 1920s. This marked the transition from simple title cards to a more elaborate rolling list.
* 1930s: The use of credits became increasingly common throughout the 1930s, particularly in Hollywood films.
Evolution of Credits:
* 1930s-1940s: Credits started to include more information, such as production companies, music composers, and costume designers.
* 1950s-1960s: The style of credits began to evolve, incorporating more artistic elements like graphic design and animation.
* Present Day: Modern credits are highly sophisticated, often incorporating elaborate visual effects and music.
Therefore, while a specific date for the "first credits" is difficult to pinpoint, it's safe to say that they emerged during the late 1920s and became a standard practice throughout the 1930s.