Silent film era started in 1890.
 "Silent film" is typically used as a historical term to describe an era of cinema prior to the invention of synchronized sound, but it also applies to such sound-era films as City Lights,, Modern Times, Silent Movie and The Artist, which are accompanied by a music-only soundtrack in place of dialogue
The term "silent film" is something of a misnomer, as these films were almost always accompanied by live sounds

