VtTAPHDM

The Biggest Thing In The Last Forty Years

periments at the studio of the firm AX ORE THAN twenty-five years in Brooklyn. Then \yr C. DURANT, regarded in business as one there came a ago, H. G. Wells, in “When period of depression and likewise * the Sleeper Wakes,’’ described an of the leading figures in the security market, periods of exultation. A time came invention of the future. On a smooth when the engineers, carried predicted in 1 908 that General Motors would earn away by white surface, a yard square, “The a new lead and a new promise, for- Sleeper” saw miniature more money than the United States Steel Corpora- human fig- got to eat and worked all night. ures moving about and heard them tion. That prediction, which in 1 908 sounded fan- Screen History talk and sing. It was ‘ ‘ exactly like tastic, has become part of financial history in reality, viewed through an inverted 1927. Bit by bit things got clearer and opera glass and heard hope became stronger, with the re- through a long Recently Mr. Durant volunteered another predic- tube. ’ ’ sult that the Warners plunged deep- At that time, when both phono- tion. In an interview with B. C. Forbes that ap- er into the enterprise by taking over the huge and graphs and motion pictures were peared in Forbes’ Magazine for February, he said: expensive Manhattan doubtful experiments, Wells’s imag- Opera House in New York for the ination performed the feat of pre- continuation of the experiments and ||' I HE thing that has the biggest possibilities of dicting them, not only perfected, but as a studio for the screening of ar- tists. In combined. Wells, however, set their anything and everything I have come across in addition to this the War- ner time in the story as two hundred Theatre was called into use for is the last forty years Vitaphone.” practical years afterward—A.D. 2099. He demonstrations. There in the was 175 years out of the way. To- wee sina’ hours of the morning the day, A.D. 1927, his prediction has engineers would experiment and discuss such come to pass. Vitaphone is the ful- problems as how to keep the fillment of it beyond Wells’s most Other dreamers became active as “What a wonderful thing this sound uniform and natural extravagant dreams. soon as motion pictures became would be if it could be brought with the action in synchronization profitable. about!” exclaimed Harry M. War- with the shifting of the picture ner to his brother Sam. reels going from one projection ma- Time and again the problem of chine to another. having sound and motion in step “Well,” came the reply, “let us The Vitaphone received its first public Future seemed on the point of solution. The look into it. Maybe they are on

’ ’ hearing on August disappointments resulting were so the road to something worth while. 6, 1926, at the Following the introduction of Vitaphone many and so heart-breaking, how- Warner Theatre in New York, in at the Warner Theatre, the New York What Sam Warner found was that conjunction Times said editorially: ever, that men who were interested with the appearance of certain basic principles in despaired of ever having their am- making John Barrymore in “Don Juan.” “The future of this con- new pictures audible had solved. bitions realized. been Public and press united to acclaim trivance is boundless, for inhab- While there were many problems yet the new miracle of science. itants of small and remote places length the term, “audible pic- At to be ironed out, enough had been ’ “Marvelous! — Uncanny!” said will have the opportunity of lis- ’ anathema to the tures, became accomplished to cause Mr. Warner tening to and seeing grand of the film industry. the Times, and other newspapers opera magnates to become enthusiastic. This en- as it is given in York of them at one heralded Vitaphone as starting a new New and Nearly every one thusiasm spread to H. M. Warner and in musical centers of Europe. plunged finan- era in the screen world, an era that Be- time or another had was shared by Albert and Jack L. would revolutionize entertainment. sides, through the picturing of cially into the problem of giving the Warner. the vocalists and small groups of screen the flexibility of oral sound, The mere fact that they were fac- musicians or choirs or orchestras, and the losses these pioneers had ing something, the failure of which the Vitaphone will give its pa- suffered brought painful memories. would plunge them into financial Vitaphone trons an excellent idea of the The Warner Brothers’ Part ruin, didn’t feaze the Warners. singer’s acting and an intelligent No lotiger count the lyric art Harry M. Warner remarked that this conception of the efforts of musi- This was the condition of things A fading dream to haunt the thing which was to be known as cians and their instruments. when a hint floating about reached heart— Vitaphone, living sound, must not Operatic favorites will be able to the ears of the Warner Brothers that The singer and the song long fail. No one was to think of failure. be seen as well as heard, and the the Bell Telephone Laboratories had gone. That was all there was to it. genius of singers and musicians made a number of discoveries tend- Both in immortal youth live on. who have passed will still live.” ing to the perfect synchronization With the resources of the Warners —Harry Lee. of sound and motion. at work there began a series of ex- VITAPmw

Revolutionizing the Motion Picture Industry H. M. Warner Makes a Prophecy UP TO THE PRESENT VlTAPHDM {From Motion Pictures Today— February 12, 1927)

T IS Harry M. Warner speaking and here is his message to all of First public hearing, Warner The third Vitaphone production I the motion picture business, a prediction, a prophecy: a Man Loves,” starring Theatre, New York, August 6, 1926, was “When John Barrymore at the Selwyn as accompaniment to the Warner Theatre, New York. The accompani- year from today, the present wise men of the Bros, picture, “Don Juan,” starring “One ment for this production was written John Barrymore. The picture was picture industry won’t know the motion picture by Henry Hadley, the eminent Am- motion -*preceded by a Vitaphone program erican composer and director. It business—their own business. Make note of this and that included the N. Y. Philharmonic demonstrated the promise of scores in February, 1928. Orchestra, conducted by Henry Had- being written directly for Vitaphone file it away for reference ley, playing the “Tannhauser” over- that may achieve the greatness of ture; Giovanni Martinelli, singing the most important operatic writing. half ahead. In the “We are now working a year and a t from “I Among those on the Vitaphone pro- the “Vesti la giubba” and placed were Gigli, Talley, Hackett, period I mention there will have been made Pagliacci”; Marion Talley, singing gram Jeanne Gordon, Mary Lewis, De The Jazz Singer and the “Caro nome” from “Rigolet- before the public ‘Noah’s Ark , Luca and Van and Schenck. one-act opera, to”; Anna Case in a ‘Black Ivory’, each made with one-third to one-half Vita- “La Fiesta”; violin solos by Efram The phenomenal success of these three productions was followed in phone. Zimbaliet and Miseha Elman, and a New York by the installation of Harold Bauer. piano solo by Vitaphone at the Roxy Theatre, the as can make biggest motion picture theatre in the “Installations are going forward as fast we As this book goes to press, eight world. The opening program in- theatres of varying sizes this production is still them and all over the country months later, cluded a tabloid version of “Car- of running at the Warner Theatre, and men,” with Martinelli as Don Jose are making ready for the revolutionary development playing to the capacity of the play- and Jeanne Gordon as Carmen. At the pictures so that in the time I mention the whole man- house. Meanwhile, the production present Vitaphone is being installed pictures will be vitalized into has duplicated its New York triumph in theatres of varying sizes through- ufacture and exhibition of out the country at the rate of five in other cities. It played for foui- and playing institution for the provid- a week. a living, speaking montlis at McVicker’s Theatre, newer and greater entertainment, the spreading Chicago; four months at Grauman’s ing of Egyptian, Los Angeles; two months of knowledge by the spoken word as well as by the Theatre, Boston; two Facts about at the Colonial shadowed action; and only the man of imagination can months at the Shubert-Lafayette the newest and Theatre, Detroit, and two months at predict the limits of this new creation of But the Capital Theatre, St. Louis. finest of the human arts.” even more interesting results were i As the phonograph records the obtained in its runs in some smaller I voice and as motion pictures We give important consideration to this prediction because we cities. It played five weeks at the record figures in action, Vitaphone the Rialto Theatre, Newark, breaking all combines both records, solving the see before us now a twelve hundred seat house on Broadway, < of making it appear that records for length of run and gross problem Warner, grossing $20,000 a week with the Vitaphoned “Don Juan,” one is listening to the sound at its receipts for any attraction, musical doing original source. and across the street, the Colony, also a moderate capacity house, or theatrical, in the state of New $20,000 a week with the Vitaphoned “Better ‘Ole,” and down the Jersey, and it played for five weeks By it, the art of all musicians 2 spread throughout the Loves,” at Bridgeport, Conn., an unheard of may be way farther, at the Selwyn, the newest one, “When a Man world and revived through all gener- run for a city of that size. In this into an astounding ations, exactly as when one is in the the Vitaphoned Barrymore starring vehicle, riding city of 150,000 inhabitants it was presence of the artists themselves. success. applauded by no less than 100,000 confined to the en- people as proved by box-office re- It will not be 3 tertainment field. Sermons by with ceipts. We know also of the Metropolitan in Baltimore $2,800 great preachers and lectures by great teachers will be available for world intake in its first day of a Vitaphone picture, a figure never even T^IIE second Vitaphone production distribution. approached in the house’s history. *• was made in conjunction with the Any picture which has been pro- Warner Bros. Picture, “The Better 4 • duced can be orchestrated, and know the Strand in Brooklyn is now to be a Vitaphone- ’Ole,” starring Syd Chaplin, at the the orchestration as perfectly syn- We Colony Theatre, New York. This chronized for reproduction as if the equipped theatre and—But why go on ? They are sweeping the country films were taken and the music re- production, with Vitaphone accom- and complacent way can corded simultaneously. and competition proceeding in a leisurely paniment, brought to the screen such scarcely hope to catch up even if they started right now full steam musical comedy celebrities as A1 Jol- Sole rights to Vitaphone are son, Elsie Janis, George Jessel and vested in The Vitaphone Cor- ahead. Eugene and Willie Howard, as well poration, New York. The officers are: Walter J. Rich, president; as Reinald Werrenrath, the concert Samuel L. Warner, first vice-presi- It’s in the air and in the ear. Watch for the fulfillment of Harry star, and Bruce Bairnsfather, author dent; C. C. Rich, second vice-presi- definite prophecy. A.J. of “The Better ’Ole.” dent; Albert Warner, treasurer. M. Warner’s .

VITAphow

The System By Which Vitaphone Is Operated

HE SYSTEM by which Vita- RECORDING SYSTEM T phone is operated represents suc- THE MACHINE THE cessful combination and conversion to motion picture use of three major research developments.

The first of these is the electrical system of recording. This method employs a high quality microphone of an improved type, electrical amplify- ing apparatus, and a record-cutting mechanism. Becording may be car- ried on at a considerable distance from the source of sound, so that the actors may be grouped naturally in any scene and need not be crowd- ed before a microphone.

Electrical Vibrations The second essential feature is a remarkable electrical reproducer which converts the movements of a needle in the grooves of a sound record into electrical vibrations. The electrical currents from this de-

vice pass into an amplifier and then The ^projection machine for Vitaphone. It is as Electrical sound recording system, which is one of the significant developments easy to operate as the ordinary motion picture making possible synchronization of motion pictures with music, vocal and operate a high-quality loud trans- projector. instrumental. mitter of an improved type capable of filling practically any motion pic- reproduction. It tures with these markers on the orig- ture auditorium. the actors whose pictures appear on ing and during was the screen. In the case of musical necessary that the system be capable inal film and record could not be The third link is between the re- programs a specially constructed of easy operation in a theatre, with- accomplished in so simple a manner, producer and the audience in a loud-speaking telephonic transmitter out requiring special skill. To meet since the camera had to be left free its tripod change theatre. An adaptation of a trans- insures the correct values and natur- these reqiurements, both the film and to be moved on to alness. the sound device are set in their the angle of view. In this case two mitter system makes it possible to motors are used, one to drive the Ease of Operation respective machines with a given pick up electrical vibrations from camera and one to drive the sound- marker in the proper place. The the reproducer, amplify them, and, by To effect the combination of these recording machine. An ingenious two machines are then speeded up of properly-located loud trans- three factors in a complete system electrical gearing device was devel- means rest, together, by the simple required the development of a mech- from oped whereby the two machines can mitters, transform them into sound. anism for keeping the film and the device of having them coupled to be started from rest and maintained The loudness is so regulated as to sound-producing instrument in abso- opposite ends of the same motor. in synchronism not only after they give the illusion that the source is lute synchronism, both during record- The mechanism for taking the pic- re up to speed, but during the period when they are speeding up.

The most difficult part of the de- velopment of Vitaphone was the re- THE BOOTH VIBRATIONS IN WAX production of music or speech from the apparatus in such a manner that it would be as loud as music or speech from a real performance and at the same time a faithful copy in all re- spects. The special electrical device for converting the motion of the needle bearing on the record into electrical vibrations and the use of a modified transmitting system over- came these difficulties.

The Inventors

Vitaphone goes to the world without an individual being credited with the invention; it is a product of cooperative work conducted in modern industrial research laboratories. The prob- lem of synchronizing sound and scene was solved through the combined efforts of scientists employed by the Western Elec- tric Company and the Bell Tele-

The sound proof . booth which encloses the camera Recording apparatus showing the wax disc. The technician is shown examining Laboratories. Were it not made sound proof, extraneous noises phone •would also be reproduced. the grooves in which sound vibrations are recorded. Vitaphone Stars-Metropolitan Opera and N. Y. Philharmonic

FRANCES m^L ALDA mm MARY LEWIS GUISEPPE DE LUCA MARION TALLEY Famous as Manon American Soprano Italian baritone.—“In Rig- and Mimi. — Sings Southern songs in “I American soprano — “The Star Spangled Down South” scene. oletto” quartette. Gilda’s music in Banner” with Vita- “Rigoletto” quartette. phone orchestra.

BENIAMINO GIGLI ERNESTINE GIOVANNI SCHUMANN-HEINK MARTINELLI Italian tenor. Sings — Italian dramatic tenor. contralto two three numbers from The greatest of Sings “Pagliacci” “Cavalleria Rusticana.” generations.—Sings “Danny Boy,” “Aida” arias. “The Rosary,” “Stille Nacht.”

CHARLES ANNA CASE HACKETT American Soprano American tenor. — reinald Does ‘ ‘ Spanish JEANNE GORDON Fiesta” an operetta S i n s “Rigoletto” WERRENRATH g — Mezzo-Soprano “Questa American baritone. with Metropolitan arias — Sings Carmen to Mar- Sings “Mandalay,' chorus and the Can- o quelle” and “Don- tinelli’s Don Jose in “Long, Long Trail’ HENRY HADLEY sinos, Spanish tabloid version of na e mobile.” “Heart < and of Philharmonic conductor and composer dancers. Rose.” of Bizet’s opera. Vitaphone score to “When a Man Loves.” —Below, the orchestra—107 men. —

Vitaphone Stars— Musical Comedy, Vaudeville and Concert

GEORGE JESSEL ELSIE JANIS Star of “ The Jazz Sing- Revue star. — Sings er” and “Private Izzy “Madelon” and other assisted Murphy.”-Does comedy war songs, by monologue, “At Peace 107th Regiment chorus. With the World.” mmm JOHN BARCLAY JACK SMITH Baritone ‘ 1 T h e Whispering Impersonations of fa- Baritone.” — Sings ,” mous operatic stars. “ Cecilia That’s a “ F aust “Boris,” Good Girl” and “Carmen.” “Baby Face.”

WILL OAKLAND ROY SMECK Radio entertainer. — Sings “Dreamy Melody,” “Be- “Wizard the Strings of VAN and SCHENCK EUGENE and cause I Love You,” “Oh, solos Tonight,” Popular on Hawaiian Musical show stars . How I Miss You WILLIE HOWARD “1 What’s Become guitar and ukelele. comedy songs: “Me Wonder show comedians, Too,” “Hard to Get musical of Sally.” sketch, “Between the Gertie.” “She Knows in Her Onions” Acts of Grand Opera.”

ALBERT SPALDING MISCHA ELMAN

HAROLD BAUER EFREM ZIMBALIST Englisi rianisi Russian violinist.—Phenomenal Plays Chopin’s Polonaise in success in England and America. A flat. —

VITAPhom

Far-Reaching Significance In Human Affairs

Creating A New Art A By-Product Discovery Vitaphone and Scientific Education by F. B. by JEWETT C. G. DU BOIS President Bell Telephone Laboratories EDWARD B. CRAFT Chairman of Board, Western Electric Company Bell Telephone Laboratories

The Faraday of the future, the Pasteur and the Galileo may, by Vitaphone, make available to students in any place or at any subsequent time a demonstration of their scientific researches and synchronize therewith their own comments, dis-

cussions . and even their personalties. The communication and demonstration of scientific material will be facilitated and- our entire educational process may undergo changes beyond the reach of our present imaginations.

From the beginning of the attempts to accom- plish what Vitaphone now does with such pre- cision, the problem was not so much that of synchronization of sound and picture as it was the recording and reproduction of the sound por- tion of the combination in such volume and with F. B. JEWETT such clarity as to make it appear that one was What the telephone scientist learned in his listening to the sound at its original source. search for the solution of specific problems in- C. G. DU BOIS volved in telephony found a by-product applica- well stop to realize that each achieve- of high We may tion in a field quite foreign to the main region Vitaplione is not only an achievement has been accom- far-reach- ment like that of the present of his interest. scientific importance; it is an event of painstaking labors of many With the means at his disposal for the faith- affairs. It is natural plished through the ing significance in human ful detection, registration and reproduction of time. scientific workers over long periods. These men to see and hear at the same intricate sounds at any desired level of loudness, motion We may and we do artificially adapt our men- have grasped nature’s secrets and their re- the door to the successful synchronized alone, but the com- picture commenced to open. Then came the co- tal processes to either effect searches now permit us to make nature obedient instinctively operation of mechanical technique with the ar- bination of the two is what the mind to our will in the wonderful ways of the present tistic technique. Vitaphone represents the con- seeks. summation of these efforts. . The Vitaphone does this and thereby creates day. just what a new art. Anyone may prophesy as to the directions its uses and effects will take as 99 years go on. No one can doubt the great possi- “Neither Art Nor Artist Will Ever Die contains for- preserving and dissemin- bilities it by ating knowledge, understanding and culture. WILL H. HAYS

Far, indeed, have we advanced from that few Resurrection By Science seconds of shadow of a serpentine dancer thirty years ago when the motion picture was born by to this public demonstration of the Vitaphone I. PH.D., SC.D. MICHAEL PUPIN, synchronizing the reproduction of sound with Electro-Mechanics, Columbia University Professor of action. Engineers the reproduction of President of the American Institute of Electrical The future of motion pictures is as far-flung Just imagine watch- as all the tomorrows, rendering greater and still ing Liszt today playing greater service as the chief amusement of the his piano as he played majority of all our people and the sole amuse- it many years ago and of millions and milions, exercising an im- listening to the music ment breathing thing which only his magic measurable influence as a living, art could draw out of on the ideas and ideals, the hopes and the ambi- his obedient instru- tions of countless men, women and children. ment. What a heavenly In the presentation of these pictures, music today treat it would be plays an invaluable part. The motion picture to look at Demosthenes is a most potent factor in the development of of old and listen to his matchless oratory! I a national appreciation of good music. That ser- should give anything to vice will now be extended as the Vitaphone, Lincoln today MICHAEL I. PUPIN look at shall carry symphony orchestras to the town and at the same time halls of the hamlets. listen to his Gettysburg speech. the art of the vocalist No closer approach to resurrection has ever It has been said that is that he cre- been made by science. The educational value and instrumentalist ephemeral, moment. Now, neither the of this achievement is so obvious that comments ates but for the are superfluous. WILL H. HAYS artist nor his art will ever wholly die. VITAPHOW

The Story Of The Four Warner Brothers

HE STORY of the Warner IN LIFE T Brothers goes back to 1885 when HORATIO ALGER, JR., ROMANCE REAL Benjamin Warner left a little vil- lage in Poland close to the German line, and, going to Hamburg, sailed for Baltimore. He wanted to get away from Russian despotism and see that his children got a chance in life. They got it. There were four boys, Harry M., Albert, Samuel L. and Jack, and there were no lazy bones in their physical compositions. They turned their hands to selling papers—anything. After ten years they left Balti- more. Youngstown, Ohio, beckoned and a bicycle repair shop bearing the names of Harry and Albert Warner was opened. Young Sam, interested in the theatre, obtained a job in an amusement park in Sandusky. Mov- ing pictures were coming in at this time and at Sam’s suggestion a clas- sic film of its day, “The Great Train Robbery” was obtained and Sam and Albert toured the small towns of Ohio and Pennsylvania with it until a blizzard put them out of business.

The Bicycle Age Passes Next they secured a house in New- castle, Pa., but before they could open it they found they needed $200 or couldn’t go on. Harry thereupon sold his bicycle business and fur- nished the needed money. It didn’t take the brothers long to see that if they could make money with one film they could make a lot more by renting films to other exhibitors. And so it came about that they be- came exchange men and were on the road to prosperity when a combina- tion of producers swept them and their business into financial ob- scurity. The brothers were broke. It was clear that if they were to continue in motion pictures it must be as pro- ducers. But where was the money to come from that would establish them? Here is where Harry, tha elder brother, came to the front. Harry was never very communica- tive. He liked to think. His de- cisions were usually expressed with a thrift of words that would have done credit to a Scotchman promis- ing an employee a raise in wages. In upper left hand corner, H. M. Warner,—to his right, Albert Warner. L. Warner, and Jack L. Warner. The eldest Warner just smiled at Below, Samuel his brothers and remarked: “Don’t worry; we’ll get the money.” And he did. The studios in Hollywood money, money, and while of their wedding the “boys” took a came into being and to-day the name Backing Faith With Cash much things looked very dreary at times day off and visited them in the old Warner Brothers is known through- It was Harry M. Warner who first Ohio town. out the whole world wherever motion and the inventors seemed to be up saw the possibilities of Yitaphone against stone walls, never lost pictures are presented. Further than he Something more about them. his that it courage. this the Warners are destined to be and it is due to courage They maintain a joint bank account known the world over as the men is now revolutionizing the cinema Success has not made an atom of into which all four deposit and from who helped to develop Yitaphone industry throughout the country. A difference to the brothers. Harry which all four withdraw. Such are and make this marvelous instrument man may have faith in a thing and is looked to as their oracle. They the four Warners and such is Harry to the greatest invention in connection let it go at that. Backing his faith have absolute confidence in him. Re- M. the brother who guided them position in the with moving pictures since the birth with money is something else. Harry cently when their father and mother their present exalted of motion pictures themselves. M. Warner backed his faith with celebrated the fiftieth anniversary cinema industry. The First Three Pictures Produced with Vitaphone Scores

JOHN BARRYMORE In “Don Juan”

The picture that introduced Vitaphone to the world. Above, Barrymore, as the great amorist.

To the left, a scene with Estelle Taylor, who plays Lucretia Borgia. To the right, the Bacchanale.

SYD CHAPLIN In “The Better ’Ole” This second Vitaphone picture has already had a longer run in New York than any comedy picture ever produced. Chaplin plays Old Bill, the hero of Bruce Bairns}other’s war cartoons. SJ2EL

JOHN BARRYMORE In “When a Man Loves,” featuring Dolores Costello The Vitaphone score for this romance of France in the reign of Louis XV was composed by Henry Hadley, associate conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Gordon-Baker Printing Corp. 305 West 19th St., N. Y. C. Scanned from the collection of Ron Hutchinson

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