The Film Daily (1930)

DAILV Friday, January 17, 193( , **SEE AND HEAR" By ^3^.^^ From Small Beginnings to World Magnitude and Influence Chapter V — Continued The Modern Talking Picture , IT was about this time that Harry Warner telephoned me to tell me of his plans. He had decided to offer half a dozen Vitaphone short subjects as a prelude to the feature picture and he wanted me to speak from the screen on behalf of the industry. I consented, of course, and a few days later I accompanied Mr. Warner and other officials of his company to the Manhattan Opera House where I stood in front of a microphone and camera and said my piece — with gestures. Because it was the first speech ever recorded for talking pictures, I shall herewith repeat the words I spoke that day: "No story ever written for the screen is as dramatic as the story of the screen itself. "Tonight marks another step in that story. "Far indeed have we advanced from that few seconds of the shadow of a serpentine dancer thirty years ago when the motion picture was born — to this, the first public demonstration of the Vitaphone which synchronizes the reproduction of sound with the reproduction of action. "And farther and farther ahead is the future of pictures, as farflung as all the tomorrows, rendering greater and still greater service as the chief amusement of the majority of all our people and the sole amusement of millions and millions, exercising an immeasurable influence as a living, breathing thing on the ideas and ideals, the customs and costumes, the hopes and the ambitions of countless men, women and children. "In the presentation of these pictures, music plays an invaluable part. Too, the motion picture is a most potent factor in the development of a national appreciation of good music. Now that service will be extended as the Vitaphone shall carry symphony orchestrations to the town halls of the hamlets. "It has been said that the art of the musician is ephemeral, that he creates but for the moment. Now, neither the artist nor his art will ever die. "Long experimentation and research by the Western Electric and the Bell Laoratories, supplemented by the efforts of Warner Brothers, have made this great new instrument possible, and to them and to all who have contributed to this achievement I offer my congratulations and best wishes. "To the Warner Brothers, to whom is due credit for this great premiere, marking the beginning ol a new era in music and motion pictures, I offer my felicitations and sincerest appreciation. "It is an occasion with which the public and the motion picture mdustry are equally gratified. "It is another great service — and 'Service is the supreme commitment of life.' " A few sultry summer weeks then passed and in the meanwhile New i ork City was being made acquainted with the new and mysterious name, Vitaphone. The newspapers earned display advertisements; billboards were inundated with the title. A skeptical industry looked on with mterest, and with doubt. Then on the evening of August 6, 1926, the Vitaphone had its premiere. There were many distinguished persons in the audience at the Warner Theater that night. It was more than a usual first-flight gathering. It was an occasion. Promptly at the appointed hour the curtain parted and I saw myself on the screen. I heard my own voice speaking the same words I had spoken in the studio weeks before. In the darkness I said to myself, "A new miracle has been wrought and I have had a part in it." In addition to the feature picture and my introductory speech Martinelli and Marion Talley sang. Mischa Elman and Zimbalist played their violins. Anna Case, assisted by WILL H. HAYS a famous dancing team and by the Metropolitan Opera chorus, offered a Spanish song. The entire first half of the program was sensational; the second half was more than sensational. It was reassuring. The next day the newspapers commented favorably, some of them enthusiastically. The industry was interested but it was not completely convinced. Synchronized music — yes; singing — maybe; talking pictures — well, that was not likely. It was an interesting experiment, a more than ordinarily fine novelty, a great improvement over anything attempted in sound before; but for general use — well, very few people could believe it. The theaters were not equipped. It would cost money — too much money; it would revolutionize the business. The gamble was too great. The four Warner brothers, however, were certain in their own minds that pictures with sound had come to stay. They had a faith that would not be shaken. They proceeded to synchronize other pictures with music, to make short subjects with operatic and Broadway stars. They proposed to equip other theaters as fast as they could. By heroic efforts one hundred theaters were equipped for talking pictures within six months. Then the Warners learned with a shock that the cost of equipment was much greater than they had anticipated. ' They found it necessary to form a TO MORROW The great rush to sound gets under way in earnest— Movietone follows Vitaphone into the excited field Told in this Interesting Serial EVERY DAY in THE FILM DAILY financing corporation which woul buy the equipment from Westeri Electric and sell it on deferred pay ments to the theaters. Their invest ment in sound increased. They wer in it to the limit of their resources Several months hobbled by an, then the Warners made anothe epochal picture. It was called "Th' Jazz Singer" and Al Jolson was thi star. In it Jolson, one of the mos popular musical comedy stars of thi times not only sang but actuallj spoke from the screen. The openinj \vas set for the evening of Octobei 6, 1927 — a little more than a yea: after the first Vitaphone picture hac been shown. All plans were com pleted. Then occurred one of thost inexplicable tragedies with whid life is filled. During the last week in Septem ber Sam Warner complained of po feeling well. He had a bad cold. I was not of any great consequence he thought, but when the time camt for him and his brothers. Jack anc Albert, to leave for New York tc attend the premiere of "The Jaz2 Singer," he decided not to go. Jack went alone. Albert stayed witli Sam. Two days later Sam Warner went to the hospital. A sinus wa; infected. Quickly the poison flowed through his body. A surgeon operated. Jack Warner turned around and started home immediately. Harry Warner forgot the premiere ana caught a train for Hollywood. Acrossi the continent the two brothers racedi with death. At first the news whichl met them at every station was reassuring. Then there was a relapse. Harry Warner, two days behindj Jack, left the train and engaged ani aeroplane. He reached Los An-;[ geles on the morning of October i ! His brother had been dead for threejj hours. Fiction writers and playwrightt_ have always been fond of the theme' which says that "the shojv must gol on" though the players are sick a' i heart. By an odd coincidence Jol-I son's picture, "The Jazz Singer,''! was based on that very theme. It was the theme of another Warner! picture, "The Singing Fool." The show had to go on. Plans for the premiere were continued. On the success of the Jolson picture rested largely the future of sound. Yet the man who had first seized upon the idea of sound pictures lay dead, and his three brothers who had backed his faith, were in Hollywood with his body. But the show went on. The premiere was a startling sue-' cess. Within a few weeks the pic-|i ture was to be a sensation. It at-f tracted more people to the theater than almost any other picture ever produced. {Continued Tomorrow) 1 Copyright, 1929, by Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America