International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1947)

was retained by Warner Brothers for their sound picture system. Spring 1927 : Vitaphone recording was moved to Hollywood. 'Big Five' Agreement Feb.. 23, 1927: MGM, First National, Paramount, Universal, and PDC, termed "The Big Five," agree to stand together for the purpose of determining the right sound system and used the facilities of the Hays organization for this investigation. Apr.-Aug. 1927: ERPI made their first light-valve installation in the Fox Movietone studio at 54th St. and 10th Ave., New York. This was installed at ERPI's expense and operated experimentally by Bell Telephone Lab. engineers. The ERPI film processing specifications were rigid and their technique of operation was not sufficiently advanced to impress the Fox group that the light-valve system offered any commercial improvement over the Case system then in use. Apr. 19, 1927: Warners secured 100 per cent ownership in Vitaphone by purchase of W. ,f. Rich's interests. Oct. 1927: Warners released "The Jazz Singer." This is spoken of as the turning point in the coming of sound, and served to convince the industry of its potentialities. Dec. 31, 1927: One hundred and fiftyseven theatres were equipped for sound, of which fifty-five included film units. The rest were disk only. Apr. -May 1928: ERPI contracts were signed by the "Big Five" group. This ensured the general use of talking pictures. The Warner contract was revised when ERPI took over the equipment bsuiness and a new Fox license was also signed about this time. Victor and First National announced the release of their product under the name of "Firnatone." The ERPI licenses granted during this period included the following companies: Paramount, United Artists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, First National, Universal, Christie, Hal Roach, and Victor Talking Machine Company. Interchange of Equipment May-Dec. 1928: There was great activity in getting studios equipped for recording. Everyone wanted to start at once and equipment was at a premium, with deliveries most indefinite. At about this time, sound equipment and recordings were standardized to a sufficient extent that apparatus made by either RCA or ERPI could satisfactorily play the product made with the other equipment. In the beginning, ERPI tried to restrict the use of its equipment to sound tracts made on the Western Electric system. July 1928: Paramount began recording in Hollywood on a temporary channel and first used sound in their picture "Warming Up," with Richard Dix. July-Sept. 1928: Their first all-talking picture was "Interference," directed by Roy Pomeroy. This was followed by "The Doctor's Secret" and others. During this early work in a temporary studio, many of the scenes were made at night to avoid outside noises. Dec. 1928: Paramount began recording in its new sound studios on regular channels. Dec. 31, 1928: ERPI had 1046 theatres wired for sound, of which 1032 were for sound-on-film. Jan. 1929: Warner Brothers became interested in the Pacent sound system and approved Pacent installations in April 1929. ERPI began suit against Pacent for patent infringements. Aug. 3, 1929: The first issue of Paramount Sound News was released. Dec. 31, 1929: The tremendous growth of the sound motion picture business in a little over two years evidenced by the fact that there were 77 ERPI recording channels in operation in the United States. ERPI also had equipped about 4000 theatres in this country and some 1200 in Europe. Most of the theatre ^^^t-BUT IS IT MODERN? Wi, «r '*** Maybe that old projector equipment is still "getting by" — but replacing worn parts with modern high precision La Vezzi parts would make many a showman's pictures better, his patrons happier, and his box office busier. FOR SMOOTHEST OPERATION EQUIP WITH .SUPEft, PROJECTOR PARTS 'SERVICE' Available through Independent Theatre Equipment Dealers La Vezzi ^4635 WEST LAKE Machine Works STREET • CHICAGO 4 4, ILLINOIS^ Beit WiiLi 3or 1948 from Detroit Motion Picture Projectionists Local No. 199 I. A. T. S. E. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST • December 1947 31