The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1912)

6 Edison Phonograph Monthly, April, 1912 The Phonograph as an Actor Wherein the Invention of Thos. A. Edison Figures as a Histrionic Accessory. Zealous producers of theatrical plays in the past have been at a greater expense to produce the cries of rebellious citizens behind the scenes, the sounds of conflict, the howling of wolves in the desert, the distant strains of song — in short, all the supernumerary noises that heighten the dramatic illusion — than they are put to in this era of applied science. It is an open secret now that the Phonograph plays its humble but useful part in the theatre. The street cries are not produced, as they were, by the prompter or one of his assistants, but by the carefully prepared talking machine in the wings. When we have the battle of Agincourt again, or the funeral of Julius Caesar, the shouts and howls of the sturdy yeoman of Henry V., or the inflamed citizens of Rome, will be supplemented by the cries of many more, reproduced mechanically. Perhaps, with this improvement, the visible mob can be induced to exercise its multitudinous voice a little less strenuously. Hitherto the citizens and soldiers have often overdone the noise. The illusion of witnessing an ancient Roman riot from a twentieth century orchestra chair has been destroyed. The clamor of the mob should be acting quite as much as the passion of the patriot. A Phonograph, remotely placed, will act its part better than a company of supernumeraries devoid of the sense of proportion. Davy Crockett's wolves, if they are ever revivified on the stage, will express their fury and their hunger to the audiences by means of the perfected Phonograph. There are few sounds this machine cannot record and reproduce fairly well, and for theatrical purposes the distant tramp of soldiers, the whistling of the wind, can be produced by this simple means, though the thunder may be somewhat beyond the Phonograph's capacity. We have more than a suspicion that many of the happiest illusions in current plays are thus produced, and we are confident that the Phonograph has gone on the theatrical stage to stay. Of course, everybody knows how it has been used to enhance the effect of some of the moving picture shows, but, as the New York Times says, its substitution for "extra people," old-fashioned wind machines and other devices in the regular theatres deserves a note of comment. — Talking Machine World. A Clincher Let the Grand Order of Doubters read this extract from a letter just recently received, and then let them step up and join the ranks of the Window Display Users: "You will be pleased to know of at least one customer brought in by the Christmas window. In the course of selling a substantial outfit to a new buyer, he asked me regarding the indestructible sapphire point. The question was a novel one to me, as that is a talking point that I seldom have to resort to here, there being little 'disc' competition. For this reason, I asked him where he had read about the sapphire point, thinking he had probably seen the argument in some magazine. He replied with a smile that he read it in our window and that the little card, which you will recall in the display, was what convinced him he wanted an EDISON in preference to something else." So there we have it! It was one of the little cards which we have tried to persuade you would arrest the attention of passersby. If you never use any other part of our Window Display fixtures, you at least ought to have a set of these small cards. They tell the story in a few words calculated to drive it home at a glance. This is an instance where a casual remark brought out the efficiency of the Window Card. There are many other occasions upon which the card has done its work, but they often do not come to light in the way that this one did. The letter was written by Robert C. Peck, of the A. S. Cook Company, Woonsocket, R. I. He enclosed some of the best samples of newspaper advertising that we have seen yet. His slogan is, "If it is an Edison Amberol Record we have it." They never say, "We haven't got it" in Cook's, because they know it hurts. A photograph of the store — too complex in details to permit of proper reduction — shows the Phonograph Department and the immense Record stock which this company carries. Mr. Peck reports that the Window Display and the newspaper campaign resulted in a very good holiday trade in the face of poor local mercantile conditions — read that last one over again and think about it. No Jobbers' Profits In some unaccountable manner, Dealers have conceived the idea that Jobbers are making a profit on Edison Window Displays. This supposition is utterly without foundation and absolutely false. In the handling of Window Displays there is no profit for anyone except the Dealers who use them. We wish it to be distinctly understood that Jobbers receive no compensation for distributing Window Displays. They are prepared by this Company and sold at a loss which is charged directly to advertising.