The Circus is a silent film that was written and directed by Charlie Chaplin. The film was a box office success and raised $3.8 million in 1928. In 2004, a copy of the movie was released to DVD with bonus footage. The footage shows pictures of the public attending the film, including a premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. After looking over the material, an Irish filmmaker named George Clarke noticed something out of the ordinary in a clip of the public entering the premiere.
The footage shows a woman dressed in a heavy coat and hat holding what looks like a black object to her head. As she walks, it appears the woman is talking on a cell phone, which would be impossible in 1928. Toward the end of the footage, the woman can be seen stopping and chatting in a fashion similar to modern day cell phone users. She is wearing large shoes and has big hands.
After zooming in on the video, it is clear the woman is holding a black object to her head, which caused Clarke to post a video on YouTube questioning whether she might be a time traveler sent back in time to watch Chaplin's performance.
In response, the story made headlines all over the world. It has since been discovered that the woman could be using a pocket sized carbon microphone named the Siemens 1924 hearing aid. Others feel she is holding an ear trumpet. However, the explanation hasn't addressed why she is talking.