Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

44 MOVING PICTURE WORLD Th£ O RCHE S TRAPHONE as a Money making is By J. H. the first consideration Advertising Manager, Natio of every theatre own eer. It is natural for his every outlay of time, thought an money to be directed toward those attributes of his equipment which are calculated most greatly to stimulate public favor and good will toward his theatre. Unquestionable, after the installation of ideal projection and a proper screen surface, the matter of utmost patron importance is the music of the theatre. Without music many a picture would fall flat. Not alone beautiful photography, splendid histrionic talent and a good storv is needed: a musical setting is imperative. M" USIC must synchronize with the picture : it must reflect moods, stimulate emotions, cause a favorable reaction. Unless it does all these it is a detriment, not a benefit. Theatres, no matter what their seating capacity, need no longer limp along with inadequate musical backgrounds for their pictures. The smallest theatre in the world, or the largest, can now command the world’s symphony orchestras, the finest of organ music, the “classiest” popular oschestras and the singers whose voices thrill the universe. Nor need these musical aggregations, these talented singers, have their melody cramped or distorted as their performance builds up the quality of your picture. In full richness of tone and with amplitude sufficient for any occasion, their performance is at the command of any theatre — and yet within the budget that will allow you to build patronage and still not drift over into the “red ink” danger zone. For several months past rumors have been rife that a new mechanical development TOLER nal Theatre Supply Company. Close up of top of Orchestraphone in phonographic musical reproduction for moving picture back-grounding and incidental accompaniment was about to make its appearance on the market. And that it would be a patron puller. The Orchestraphone was given its initial semi-public test during the previewing of the United Artists Production, “My Best Girl,” at the Eighth Street Theatre, in Chicago. Orchestraphone furnished the incidental music for Miss Pickford’s starring vehicle, and the representative element of Chicago’s theatre operating industry present were totally in accord in acclaiming the possibilities of the instrument. T‘HE Orchestraphone had already made its appearance on , several occasions, somewhat incognito during its exclusive try-out period, and without exploitation, for the reason that its producers and distributors were insistent on its being perfected to the nth degree before it should be submitted for public approval. It is a highly perfected scientific development of amplified reproduction, rendering to an exact degree in both quality and quantity, the music of the world’s finest recording artists — jazz, dance and symphony orchestras, ensembles, instrumental soloists, organists. It places the Music of the Masters at the immediate disposal of the moving picture theatre, fith a range of volume sufficient for all types of theatres large and small. The Orchestraphone is not a talking picture device. Its music is simply cued and synchronized with the presentation on the screen, if desired, in the same manner as the orchestra leader or organist “plays the picture.” The Orchestraphone is. after all. conducted in the same manner a* ( Please see page 4$) USINESS U I L D E R