My Mother used to tell us that when my Grandfather saw his first talking picture, he didn't believe it was real , he was convinced there were people speaking behind the screen !
That’s a great story, I can totally picture your grandpas reaction, imagine living your entire life never seeing anything like that, you’d have no frame of reference I’m sure shock would be normal
It is a shame that Warner Bros. were given the credit for bringing sound to motion pictures, when we have proof that DeForest brought Phonofilm to use years before the "Jazz Singer" made its debut. A terrible misjustice was was perpetrated on DeForest, but now the truth is known many years later, giving him his rightful place in the development of the system that made taking pictures possible. The system using sound on film, not a record in sync with the film speed, attempted by Edison and with Vitaphone that eventually was discarded and "sound on film" was adopted as the standard. Congrats to DeForest for finally getting his deserved recognition.
Only a thousand people have commentrd on that every day for 15 years. Why not think of something original to say? Chances are you may have had an original thought once but it died of loneliness.
In a nutshell...Case began working on his sound-on-film process in 1921. The inventions of the Case Research Lab from 1916 to 1926 were the creation of Case and Earl I. Sponable, who worked with Case at the lab until he went with Case to Fox Film Corporation in early 1926. From 1921 to 1924, Case provided Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, many inventions from his lab that made DeForest's Phonofilm sound-on-film process workable, though DeForest had been granted general patents in 1919. To develop a light for exposing a soundtrack to film, the Case Lab converted an old silent-film projector into a recording device. With it, the AEO light was created, which was mass-produced for use in all Movietone News cameras from 1928 to 1939, and in recording sound in all Fox feature films from 1928-1931. Movietone News used a single-system to record the sound and image simultaneously in a camera, while feature film production moved to a system that recorded sound on a separate machine that was essentially a sound camera with the lenses and picture shutter missing. It was an optical tape recorder that used film rather than tape and was mechanically interlocked with the picture camera. On April 15, 1923, DeForest presented eighteen short films made in the Phonofilm process at the Rivoli Theater in New York City. The printed program for this presentation gives credit to the "DeForest-Case Patents". However, shortly after DeForest filed a lawsuit in June 1923 against Freeman Harrison Owens, another inventor who had worked with DeForest on sound-on-film systems, Case and DeForest had a falling-out. The dispute between Case and DeForest was due to Case not being properly credited for his lab's contributions to Phonofilms. Case attended the April 1923 presentation of Phonofilm and was never mentioned during that presentation. By this time, DeForest had already been repeatedly warned by Case to present the truth of the inventions, to no avail. The films shown at the Phonofilm presentation used the Case Research Lab AEO Light for recording sound, were filmed with a camera designed by the Case Lab, and used the Case Lab's Thallofide Cell for reproducing the sound. In September 1925, Case stopped providing DeForest with his lab's inventions, effectively putting DeForest out of the sound film business, but not out of the "claiming to have invented sound film" business.
Michael Fabrizio That correct Michael De Forrest was known for taking the credit for Case and Sponsable inventions he was known a .we Would say as a Bullshiter.
Yes, I am well aware of Case's contributions. As a matter of fact, some of the original titles have both the names of deForest and Case on them. In his biography, DeForest did credit Case for his Thallofide Photoelectic Cell that was vital in the recording and reproduction of the optical sound he was working on. One of the stories of the disputes between the men was over the Calvin Coolidge Newsreel. For the good or bad of it, the surprising thing is that deForest's confidential workings with Eastman Labs resulted in establishing Gamma (Contrast) Standards for the development of motion picture film. Previous to that, there were none. And the addition of optical sound required this since the soundtracks had to be exposed and developed by exacting processes to ensure the accuracy of the gray range of the impulses.
I have no pity for DeForest because of what he did to Edwin Howard Armstrong and also tried to do too Theodore Willard Case but all were great minds and essential pioneers.
Just to chime in with agreement re: no mention of Theodore Case, and giving DeForest more credit than he deserved. I also take exception with the notion that DeForest was a genius; that was his personal opinion of himself.
Hollywood "hype" was well established by 1927! I remember my granny telling me how they all felt ripped off when they went to see the Jazz Singer cos the first half of the movie was silent!
Ever since I first saw the Phonofilm of Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle on 60 Minutes (special segment on Mr Blake's 100th birthday) and seeing samples of other Phonofilms at the AFI Theater in Washington, DC, I've wondered why DeForest's sound-on-film system didn't catch on. Now, thanks to your video, I know what Fox did to get around paying Mr. DeForest for the use and license of his Phonofilm system. Even with the modifications made by the engineers at Fox which enabled reproduction at 24fps as against 20fps (DeForest Phonofilm) it's clear that his copyright was infringed upon and it should not have taken 10 years to clear that up. Thanks for the good information!
Actually it was Western Electric that raised the film speed 50%. They also refined the basic concept. Because deForest's initial Patents were before 1920, and he made few major changes meriting the registration of new Patents, his technology had passed into the Public Domain by the time the Court Case of going on. While he was tied up in court for seven years, his Patents expired, and the process continued to be refined without deForest's efforts. He could not make those refinements or register new Patents because his funds were dedicated to his court case. However, after is was all over, the Court did declare him "First to invent." But that did not lead to any compensation for alleged infringement. At the same time, there was controversy surrounding deForest and the fact that he brought the basic technology from Germany based on the Tri-Ergon system. This is just another example of the chicken and the egg argument.
It was a Patent argument, not "Copyright." Copyrights pertain to the graphic filed of publishing, art, and motion pictures. Patents pertain to the inventions of devices.
The very first shot is quite similar to the scene in "Singin' In The Rain" where the people at the Hollywood party watch a movie like this, of a man speaking to the camera to demonstrate a sound film. When it's over, of course the partygoers are scornful - "it'll never catch on."
Does anyone know the name of the person in that first shot? I've been trying to figure out who they were parodying in that scene of Singin' in the Rain forever. I thought it might have been Hays' first synchronized recording, but this is almost verbatim to SitR.
Given the technology of the time, I suspect that the sound was a bit better than what survives in these prints. The problem is due to how they were transferred to Safety Film 60 years ago. They were cheaply copied onto print stock to make new negatives instead of using duplicate negative film stock. This was a particularly technical issue in the reproduction, printing, and processing of the soundtracks, which relied upon a critical gray range that represented the sound impulses. In the process, it seems that additional "noise" was introduced in this copying process. This was among the many frustrations I experienced with these films.
@@carolehart2218 well opinion is not fact, nor even close I'm sorry to say truly. Most of the people today only assume, and in the process of that...forget about an entire world before them, automobiles of 1900 (that were not horseless carriages remotely), sound film by 1890 although technically before, autochromes in 1850, steam buses by 1790, animatronic toys in 1300. Really, it's an entire vast universe and dare I say we know less about the past than our goddamn ocean. Because of stubbornness, and people who rather have separate beliefs on what the times were like, their only history dive, being in school at age 14, never once paying attention to even that shallow level of knowledge.
A great job bringing this history to us! It's a bit sad to think that while Valentino recorded 2 songs in 1923, no one thought to record his speaking voice even as an introduction. As he was dying and his last film Son of the Sheik was playing in August 1926, John Barrymore's partial sound picture was playing down the street in NYC.
My parents knew Ben and Oscar at the time the scene at :14 to :18 or so was filmed. Oscar went on to play major parts in a bunch of feature films and have his own TV show. He was a real character, for sure.
Oscar was playing the piano like a pro since he was 15 years old, although not at first; when he was five years old he wanted to go outside to play baseball, his brothers wanted him to practice the piano, so Oscar was yelling and howling and his brothers had to tie him to the piano bench!
Nobody knew how to play to a movie camera recording sound in 1922. It was a new technology, requiring new approaches. Granted, "Silent Cal's" famous laconic personality didn't help.
Thank you for the video. Lee de Forest could very well had been a wealthy man with his phonofilm invention, but Hollywood profited from it, and de Forest, unfairly. But credit replaced wealth in the end.
Part of the trouble also was a lack of a "creative sense" in the use of the technology. That was proven when the Warner Brothers produced THE JAZZ SINGER.
I was aware of the Ken Burns documentary based on the book. While the documentary was clearly biased by people who were not even born during that time and were repeating understood industrial gossip. The book was more fair in its assessment of deForest. While there is controversy around deForest, the fact is that he is part of this history and deserved a bit more consideration than the dismissive treatment he was given.
Taken as the first film with sound syncronized to the image, but in fact the first was "The photo-drama of creation" form 1914. Its system was much better than Vitaphone.
Jack's Joke, a short made by Edison using sound-on-disc synchronization with picture. It worked, but was financially unviable, with all the inherent problems of sound-on-disc which became glaringly evident 15 years later.
As the Producer/Director of FIRST SOUND OF MOVIES I can address your concerns. Indeed, the issues about Bell Labs and Case SHOULD have been mentioned. But my hands were tied working with Maurice H. Zouary, the discoverer of the deForest Phonofilms. Having done a college paper on this subject back in the 1970s, I was very much aware of this history. But Mr. Zouary had a bias to the extent that he completely dismissed the role of Theodore Case to the extent of blotting out his name in ink on the Main Titles of some of the films. This was one of the reasons for our need to create substitute titles. There is industrial controversy over exactly WHO invented the audio amplifier since deForest's name is on the Patent for The Audion, and Bell licensed its use. Bell in turn claimed rights to some of deForest's developments that were based on theirs. Yes, Case had the superior Photoelectric Cell that made the reproduction of Optical soundtracks acceptable for public display. This was acknowledged by deForest, as he not only licensed it, but worked with Case for about two years before Case took his knowledge and developments to William Fox, who formed a partnership with Bell Lab's Western Electric division to form the Fox Movietone Newsreel in 1926, with releases starting in 1927 before the premier of THE JAZZ SINGER. This coincided with the demise of The Red Seal Pictures Corporation and the DeForest Phonfilms Company. Of course, deForest launched his lawsuit in 1928, and he was tied up in court for several years only to be recognized as "first to invent." By that time, his original Patents pertaining to Variable Density recording as adapted by Western Electric had expired, passing the 17 year limit without continued improvements. Those improvements were continued by Bell Labs. And any improvements made on a Public Domain concept are the intellectual property of that developer. This is an understanding that I wish I had been able to convey at the time. But the original purpose here was as a PBS Showcase and promotion of Mr. Zouary's book, DeForest: Father of the Electronic Revolution. Perhaps this is something to revist with a revised version if there is enough demand.
I do wonder why a picture which features songs composed and published in 1925 is dated as having been made in 1922. Was that another attempt to establish a false priority?
Most of the facts are right, except that DeForest was a colossal ass. He undermined his competition whenever he could and never really understood his own invention.
At 20:55 the subtitle narration errs to call opera diva Marilyn Horne "African" American. Although her husband is black and she brilliantly dubbed Dorothy Dandridge's singing in the film Carmen Jones, Miss Horne is white.
There is a mistaken in the written commentary in the video. Marilyn Horne was not an African American singer. She was probably mixed up with contralto Marian Anderson.
Fannie Ward's voice sounds a tad similar to NBC News anchor Jessica Savitch. I wonder if both are related in some way. Fannie Ward ua-cam.com/video/k_zbdYMC2Mw/v-deo.html Jessica Savitch ua-cam.com/video/ROpSOKyNKho/v-deo.html Gotta be some way to fix the auidio in Fannie's clip. We have digital now!
Thank you. We had some problems with the Executive Producer on certain facts like this. I hope to come out with a new version if there is enough interest.
the problem in 22 was that the sound that came out in the theater were worse than low fi, It was horn style sound, like a phonograph, of the time.It wasn't loud enough.We are hearing these sound classic better today than the audience in 22.Vitaphone, which was primitive even in 26 the speaker were improved with stronger high fidelity in the mono.Even movie tone the sound was low fidelity compare to Vitaphone.
I believe you are confused about the history of amplification. One of the reasons why sound films failed in theaters before was due to a lack of amplification. The key to the problem was in the Audio, or Vacuum Tube which was credited to deForest, and was the major component in all sound devices for decades. And it was his Audion Tube that was used in the Fhonofilm playback equipment. Western Electric refined the process further. Then your understanding of "fidelity" is confused with "Signal to noise" ratio. "Fidelity" is the accuracy of recording and playback range. That had nothing to do with volume.
Ray Pointer: The Phonofilm process, as used in theaters, relied on largely off the shelf Magnavox loudspeaker equipment, with stiff, heavy diaphragms and short horns. In 1923, the Western Electric laboratories at 195 Broadway and the General Electric laboratories in Schenectady were really the only places in the world where truly high quality reproduction existed, and 195 Broadway has a fair lead on the boys upstate. The 7A-8A-9A amplifier set up combined with the 12A and 13A loudspeaker horns with 555 receivers can still I’ll give modern sound reproducing equipment a run for its money. The reproduction offered by this equipment was unlike anything which had come before. In addition to a superior audio reproducing apparatus, the Vitaphone sound-on-disc system had a lower noise threshold than early sound-on-film processes, and suffered from far less distortion. Oh, and by the way, both the Gaumont Chronophone and the Edison Kinetephone offered amplification. The Chronophone used the Parson’s Auxetophone compresses air amplifier, and the Kinetephone used the Higham Friction Amplifier. I gave examples if both systems in my collection, and use interesting thing about both is that in both cases the amplifying device (weather a common limb of compressed air or a friction servo) tends to damp out resonances in the mechanical system, offering reproduction which is both louder AND more natural than that of a plain mica diaphragm talking machine.
"Je cherche après Titine" ("I'm searching for Titine") by Léo Daniderff (1917). Charlie Chaplin sang a gibberish version of the song as his only vocalization in "Modern Times" (1936).
I recall hearing years ago that DeForest couldn't explain how the vacuum tube worked, and that "The Father of Television" was certainly a mis-nomer...... also, your documentary has so much narration and noise going on that the films are difficult to watch and enjoy... I have Spoken.
You know, the 5th gen of video games (original Playstation) had a similar transition! Because of the added room on the CD, games could now be "talkies" (cartridges were too small to hold more than maybe a few lines of spoken dialogue at most)!
@@p.m.digennaro3501 Perhaps people need to take a breath. It wasn't you who was affected. Things happen especially when they are not under your control. However, these things can be corrected IF there is enough serious interest. And since we will be facing the Centennial of the premier of the deForest Phonofilms, this would be a well-deserved program. Any suggestions or offers? We are open to that, thank you.
The Qur'an says: "Never think that those who rejoice in what they have come up with, and who love to be praised for what they have not done - never think, They are in safety from the chastisement; and for them awaits a painful chastisement. " Surah :3 - verse:188
The silent eras definitions, means, mutes, can't hears any sounded. Likes a indiviuals, born with no drums, sounded n sides, their, ears, born..deaths,
My Mother used to tell us that when my Grandfather saw his first talking picture, he didn't believe it was real , he was convinced there were people speaking behind the screen !
That’s a great story, I can totally picture your grandpas reaction, imagine living your entire life never seeing anything like that, you’d have no frame of reference I’m sure shock would be normal
It is a shame that Warner Bros. were given the credit for bringing sound to motion pictures, when we have proof that DeForest brought Phonofilm to use years before the "Jazz Singer" made its debut. A terrible misjustice was was perpetrated on DeForest, but now the truth is known many years later, giving him his rightful place in the development of the system that made taking pictures possible. The system using sound on film, not a record in sync with the film speed, attempted by Edison and with Vitaphone that eventually was discarded and "sound on film" was adopted as the standard. Congrats to DeForest for finally getting his deserved recognition.
I'll take this music over most of today's!
Only a thousand people have commentrd on that every day for 15 years. Why not think of something original to say? Chances are you may have had an original thought once but it died of loneliness.
In a nutshell...Case began working on his sound-on-film process in 1921. The inventions of the Case Research Lab from 1916 to 1926 were the creation of Case and Earl I. Sponable, who worked with Case at the lab until he went with Case to Fox Film Corporation in early 1926. From 1921 to 1924, Case provided Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, many inventions from his lab that made DeForest's Phonofilm sound-on-film process workable, though DeForest had been granted general patents in 1919.
To develop a light for exposing a soundtrack to film, the Case Lab converted an old silent-film projector into a recording device. With it, the AEO light was created, which was mass-produced for use in all Movietone News cameras from 1928 to 1939, and in recording sound in all Fox feature films from 1928-1931. Movietone News used a single-system to record the sound and image simultaneously in a camera, while feature film production moved to a system that recorded sound on a separate machine that was essentially a sound camera with the lenses and picture shutter missing. It was an optical tape recorder that used film rather than tape and was mechanically interlocked with the picture camera.
On April 15, 1923, DeForest presented eighteen short films made in the Phonofilm process at the Rivoli Theater in New York City. The printed program for this presentation gives credit to the "DeForest-Case Patents". However, shortly after DeForest filed a lawsuit in June 1923 against Freeman Harrison Owens, another inventor who had worked with DeForest on sound-on-film systems, Case and DeForest had a falling-out.
The dispute between Case and DeForest was due to Case not being properly credited for his lab's contributions to Phonofilms. Case attended the April 1923 presentation of Phonofilm and was never mentioned during that presentation. By this time, DeForest had already been repeatedly warned by Case to present the truth of the inventions, to no avail. The films shown at the Phonofilm presentation used the Case Research Lab AEO Light for recording sound, were filmed with a camera designed by the Case Lab, and used the Case Lab's Thallofide Cell for reproducing the sound. In September 1925, Case stopped providing DeForest with his lab's inventions, effectively putting DeForest out of the sound film business, but not out of the "claiming to have invented sound film" business.
Michael Fabrizio That correct Michael De Forrest was known for taking the credit for Case and Sponsable inventions he was known a .we Would say as a Bullshiter.
In a nutshell lol
Yes, I am well aware of Case's contributions. As a matter of fact, some of the original titles have both the names of deForest and Case on them. In his biography, DeForest did credit Case for his Thallofide Photoelectic Cell that was vital in the recording and reproduction of the optical sound he was working on. One of the stories of the disputes between the men was over the Calvin Coolidge Newsreel. For the good or bad of it, the surprising thing is that deForest's confidential workings with Eastman Labs resulted in establishing Gamma (Contrast) Standards for the development of motion picture film. Previous to that, there were none. And the addition of optical sound required this since the soundtracks had to be exposed and developed by exacting processes to ensure the accuracy of the gray range of the impulses.
I have no pity for DeForest because of what he did to Edwin Howard Armstrong and also tried to do too Theodore Willard Case but all were great minds and essential pioneers.
Lee De Forest deserves the true credit for bringing sound to movies.
Tri Ergon?
Just to chime in with agreement re: no mention of Theodore Case, and giving DeForest more credit than he deserved. I also take exception with the notion that DeForest was a genius; that was his personal opinion of himself.
Hollywood "hype" was well established by 1927! I remember my granny telling me how they all felt ripped off when they went to see the Jazz Singer cos the first half of the movie was silent!
Im.pleased Dr Lee De Forrest is getting the credit he deserves
Ever since I first saw the Phonofilm of Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle on 60 Minutes (special segment on Mr Blake's 100th birthday) and seeing samples of other Phonofilms at the AFI Theater in Washington, DC, I've wondered why DeForest's sound-on-film system didn't catch on. Now, thanks to your video, I know what Fox did to get around paying Mr. DeForest for the use and license of his Phonofilm system. Even with the modifications made by the engineers at Fox which enabled reproduction at 24fps as against 20fps (DeForest Phonofilm) it's clear that his copyright was infringed upon and it should not have taken 10 years to clear that up. Thanks for the good information!
Actually it was Western Electric that raised the film speed 50%. They also refined the basic concept. Because deForest's initial Patents were before 1920, and he made few major changes meriting the registration of new Patents, his technology had passed into the Public Domain by the time the Court Case of going on. While he was tied up in court for seven years, his Patents expired, and the process continued to be refined without deForest's efforts. He could not make those refinements or register new Patents because his funds were dedicated to his court case. However, after is was all over, the Court did declare him "First to invent." But that did not lead to any compensation for alleged infringement. At the same time, there was controversy surrounding deForest and the fact that he brought the basic technology from Germany based on the Tri-Ergon system. This is just another example of the chicken and the egg argument.
It was a Patent argument, not "Copyright." Copyrights pertain to the graphic filed of publishing, art, and motion pictures. Patents pertain to the inventions of devices.
The very first shot is quite similar to the scene in "Singin' In The Rain" where the people at the Hollywood party watch a movie like this, of a man speaking to the camera to demonstrate a sound film. When it's over, of course the partygoers are scornful - "it'll never catch on."
That was the point and the humor in 1952.
Does anyone know the name of the person in that first shot? I've been trying to figure out who they were parodying in that scene of Singin' in the Rain forever. I thought it might have been Hays' first synchronized recording, but this is almost verbatim to SitR.
The sound is head and shoulders over what I expected and have heard from other films that came later. This is really spectacular. Thank you so much!
Given the technology of the time, I suspect that the sound was a bit better than what survives in these prints. The problem is due to how they were transferred to Safety Film 60 years ago. They were cheaply copied onto print stock to make new negatives instead of using duplicate negative film stock. This was a particularly technical issue in the reproduction, printing, and processing of the soundtracks, which relied upon a critical gray range that represented the sound impulses. In the process, it seems that additional "noise" was introduced in this copying process. This was among the many frustrations I experienced with these films.
@@RayPointerChannel Your work is really appreciated. My opinion of early film has been completely changed.
@@carolehart2218 well opinion is not fact, nor even close I'm sorry to say truly. Most of the people today only assume, and in the process of that...forget about an entire world before them, automobiles of 1900 (that were not horseless carriages remotely), sound film by 1890 although technically before, autochromes in 1850, steam buses by 1790, animatronic toys in 1300. Really, it's an entire vast universe and dare I say we know less about the past than our goddamn ocean. Because of stubbornness, and people who rather have separate beliefs on what the times were like, their only history dive, being in school at age 14, never once paying attention to even that shallow level of knowledge.
13:57 Ben Bernie and the All Lads Orchestra.... who's on that ethereal piano! It's none other than a teenage Oscar Levant!!!
NO! Really?? I did wonder who it was
Such interesting footage and story. 👍👍👍
When I see Eddie Cantor on this early sound shorts, I can't help but remember the old Looney Toons from the1930s. The resemblance is on spot.
A great job bringing this history to us! It's a bit sad to think that while Valentino recorded 2 songs in 1923, no one thought to record his speaking voice even as an introduction. As he was dying and his last film Son of the Sheik was playing in August 1926, John Barrymore's partial sound picture was playing down the street in NYC.
Don Juan. 1926 release, utilizing Vitaphone's sound-on-disc synchronization.
Interesting!!!
My parents knew Ben and Oscar at the time the scene at :14 to :18 or so was filmed. Oscar went on to play major parts in a bunch of feature films and have his own TV show. He was a real character, for sure.
Oscar was playing the piano like a pro since he was 15 years old, although not at first; when he was five years old he wanted to go outside to play baseball, his brothers wanted him to practice the piano, so Oscar was yelling and howling and his brothers had to tie him to the piano bench!
Marconi's first name was not Guillermo. It was Guglielmo.
Calvin Coolidge didn’t know how to play to the camera. He reads from a piece of paper like a small-town mayor at a Fourth of July picnic.
Nobody knew how to play to a movie camera recording sound in 1922. It was a new technology, requiring new approaches. Granted, "Silent Cal's" famous laconic personality didn't help.
Thankyou sir.
Thanks god.
Enjoyed it as well.
Sound movies were the highest of high tech in the twenties. It's interesting that Vitaphone recordings ran at 33 1/3 RPM.
Why is that, do you know? Were records before that all recorded at 78RPM?
Sincronitation with the film a 24fps
@@cattycorner8The lower speed could be done, because the records were larger.
@@maxjhonson454622 fps
Excellent! Thanks for posting....
Thank you for the video. Lee de Forest could very well had been a wealthy man with his phonofilm invention, but Hollywood profited from it, and de Forest, unfairly. But credit replaced wealth in the end.
Part of the trouble also was a lack of a "creative sense" in the use of the technology. That was proven when the Warner Brothers produced THE JAZZ SINGER.
You can see pride in the way the sisters look ay their mom when she takes a break!
Extremely interesting. Super excellent
And in case anyone was wondering, DeForest Kelley (Dr McCoy on Star Trek) was named after Mr. DeForest.
wow.
For a somewhat less flattering depiction of De Forest, I suggest checking out Ken Burns’ documentary “Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio”.
I was aware of the Ken Burns documentary based on the book. While the documentary was clearly biased by people who were not even born during that time and were repeating understood industrial gossip. The book was more fair in its assessment of deForest. While there is controversy around deForest, the fact is that he is part of this history and deserved a bit more consideration than the dismissive treatment he was given.
Taken as the first film with sound syncronized to the image, but in fact the first was "The photo-drama of creation" form 1914. Its system was much better than Vitaphone.
Any sound-on-film process was better than Vitaphone for the obvious reasons of having the picture and sound on the same medium.
Jack's Joke, a short made by Edison using sound-on-disc synchronization with picture. It worked, but was financially unviable, with all the inherent problems of sound-on-disc which became glaringly evident 15 years later.
Thanks to Dr DeForest, I am a huge Gus Visser fan.
What happened to Bell Labs who invented the audio amplifier. Where is Theodore Case who made the audio recording on film practical?
As the Producer/Director of FIRST SOUND OF MOVIES I can address your concerns. Indeed, the issues about Bell Labs and Case SHOULD have been mentioned. But my hands were tied working with Maurice H. Zouary, the discoverer of the deForest Phonofilms. Having done a college paper on this subject back in the 1970s, I was very much aware of this history. But Mr. Zouary had a bias to the extent that he completely dismissed the role of Theodore Case to the extent of blotting out his name in ink on the Main Titles of some of the films. This was one of the reasons for our need to create substitute titles. There is industrial controversy over exactly WHO invented the audio amplifier since deForest's name is on the Patent for The Audion, and Bell licensed its use. Bell in turn claimed rights to some of deForest's developments that were based on theirs. Yes, Case had the superior Photoelectric Cell that made the reproduction of Optical soundtracks acceptable for public display. This was acknowledged by deForest, as he not only licensed it, but worked with Case for about two years before Case took his knowledge and developments to William Fox, who formed a partnership with Bell Lab's Western Electric division to form the Fox Movietone Newsreel in 1926, with releases starting in 1927 before the premier of THE JAZZ SINGER. This coincided with the demise of The Red Seal Pictures Corporation and the DeForest Phonfilms Company. Of course, deForest launched his lawsuit in 1928, and he was tied up in court for several years only to be recognized as "first to invent." By that time, his original Patents pertaining to Variable Density recording as adapted by Western Electric had expired, passing the 17 year limit without continued improvements. Those improvements were continued by Bell Labs. And any improvements made on a Public Domain concept are the intellectual property of that developer. This is an understanding that I wish I had been able to convey at the time. But the original purpose here was as a PBS Showcase and promotion of Mr. Zouary's book, DeForest: Father of the Electronic Revolution. Perhaps this is something to revist with a revised version if there is enough demand.
I do wonder why a picture which features songs composed and published in 1925 is dated as having been made in 1922. Was that another attempt to establish a false priority?
No, it was Mr. Zouary who made this error. He made up the titles with the dates. Miles Kreuger made me aware of these details.
This is great !! Thanks
The book Tinseltown is an excellent account of the Taylor case with an interesting theory
Most of the facts are right, except that DeForest was a colossal ass. He undermined his competition whenever he could and never really understood his own invention.
You misrepresented the legal cases. DeForest was no choirboy himself.
Great work! It makes digital technology looks so easy
i like the big band
Just...fascinating.
Case.
Wow. Pres. Coolidge's speech could broadcast right now in 2021 and be just as timely. How about a federal budget of $4.829 TRILLION, Cal?
At 20:55 the subtitle narration errs to call opera diva Marilyn Horne "African" American. Although her husband is black and she brilliantly dubbed Dorothy Dandridge's singing in the film Carmen Jones, Miss Horne is white.
I am hoping to do a new version with corrections since the centennial of Phonofilms is approaching. Thank you for your interest.
There is a mistaken in the written commentary in the video. Marilyn Horne was not an African American singer. She was probably mixed up with contralto Marian Anderson.
And, yet, when sound came along, a lit of times, cinematography/dierction/techniques went out the window.
Imagine electronics without his invention of triode valves... Imagine science without decimal number system given by Indian mathematician Aryabhatta
I wonder how did Aryabhatta's decimalsystem found it's way to the West?
enjoyed!
EDWIN HOWARD ARMSTRONG, THEODORE WILLARD CASE.
Fannie Ward's voice sounds a tad similar to NBC News anchor Jessica Savitch.
I wonder if both are related in some way.
Fannie Ward
ua-cam.com/video/k_zbdYMC2Mw/v-deo.html
Jessica Savitch
ua-cam.com/video/ROpSOKyNKho/v-deo.html
Gotta be some way to fix the auidio in Fannie's clip. We have digital now!
DeForrest was a quest on I've Got a Secret in the late '50s. No one on the panel knew who he was. Sad.
Why would they?
6:20 so in U.S. they used mm to measure things back in 1920s and in 2020s America still has not adopted the metric system. My oh my...
Lovely film but, FYI, Marilyn Horne wasn't African American, her conductor husband was.
Thank you. We had some problems with the Executive Producer on certain facts like this. I hope to come out with a new version if there is enough interest.
Arguably, Marilyn may have faced similar obstacles to her career being a party to a >gasp< mixed marriage.
What about Eugene Lauste?
Exactly. That part of the history was included in Zouary's book, which is referenced in the end credits.
I like Fannie Wards routine-song 35:22
Edwin Howard Armstrong.
is the Una Merkel talking short still exist home sweet song, which was made in 25?
I wish I knew. I only had about 30 of these, mostly in 35mm to transfer.
the problem in 22 was that the sound that came out in the theater were worse than low fi, It was horn style sound, like a phonograph, of the time.It wasn't loud enough.We are hearing these sound classic better today than the audience in 22.Vitaphone, which was primitive even in 26 the speaker were improved with stronger high fidelity in the mono.Even movie tone the sound was low fidelity compare to Vitaphone.
I believe you are confused about the history of amplification. One of the reasons why sound films failed in theaters before was due to a lack of amplification. The key to the problem was in the Audio, or Vacuum Tube which was credited to deForest, and was the major component in all sound devices for decades. And it was his Audion Tube that was used in the Fhonofilm playback equipment. Western Electric refined the process further. Then your understanding of "fidelity" is confused with "Signal to noise" ratio. "Fidelity" is the accuracy of recording and playback range. That had nothing to do with volume.
Ray Pointer:
The Phonofilm process, as used in theaters, relied on largely off the shelf Magnavox loudspeaker equipment, with stiff, heavy diaphragms and short horns. In 1923, the Western Electric laboratories at 195 Broadway and the General Electric laboratories in Schenectady were really the only places in the world where truly high quality reproduction existed, and 195 Broadway has a fair lead on the boys upstate. The 7A-8A-9A amplifier set up combined with the 12A and 13A loudspeaker horns with 555 receivers can still I’ll give modern sound reproducing equipment a run for its money. The reproduction offered by this equipment was unlike anything which had come before. In addition to a superior audio reproducing apparatus, the Vitaphone sound-on-disc system had a lower noise threshold than early sound-on-film processes, and suffered from far less distortion.
Oh, and by the way, both the Gaumont Chronophone and the Edison Kinetephone offered amplification. The Chronophone used the Parson’s Auxetophone compresses air amplifier, and the Kinetephone used the Higham Friction Amplifier. I gave examples if both systems in my collection, and use interesting thing about both is that in both cases the amplifying device (weather a common limb of compressed air or a friction servo) tends to damp out resonances in the mechanical system, offering reproduction which is both louder AND more natural than that of a plain mica diaphragm talking machine.
I guess the phonofilm of Gallagher & Shean is missing?
52:25 What's the song title?
"Je cherche après Titine" ("I'm searching for Titine") by Léo Daniderff (1917). Charlie Chaplin sang a gibberish version of the song as his only vocalization in "Modern Times" (1936).
Sorry - but Marilyn Horne is not African-American, but she did marry the conductor Henry Lewis who was.
Yes, that was a problem I had with the late Producer.
@@inkwellimages9818 👍
Aalunara the first film with sound 23/31936
I recall hearing years ago that DeForest couldn't explain how the vacuum tube worked, and that "The Father of Television" was certainly a mis-nomer...... also, your documentary has so much narration and noise going on that the films are difficult to watch and enjoy... I have Spoken.
Omg i almost read Promo as porno
OMG me too.. I thought I was the only one..😂😯
Why in the land would you talk over the first showcase.
Don’t forget Tesla guys 🙀
You know, the 5th gen of video games (original Playstation) had a similar transition! Because of the added room on the CD, games could now be "talkies" (cartridges were too small to hold more than maybe a few lines of spoken dialogue at most)!
Where the hell does the idea that Marylyn Horne is black come from, and why do you perpetuate it?
And why the hell did you misspell Marilyn's name? See how easy it is to create self-serving indignation?
@@p.m.digennaro3501 Perhaps people need to take a breath. It wasn't you who was affected. Things happen especially when they are not under your control. However, these things can be corrected IF there is enough serious interest. And since we will be facing the Centennial of the premier of the deForest Phonofilms, this would be a well-deserved program. Any suggestions or offers? We are open to that, thank you.
DeForrest had talent but borrowed (stole?)/,too heavily on the work of others and was dishonest
Lip syc, is'nt perfectly, not yet, but still trying to get..better sounded..
That’s dead weird🤨🤨🤨🤨
They's not chatted is a person, used his voical n a longs horns, and plays on audios, machines, still. Trying to betters the sounded systematic,
The Qur'an says:
"Never think that those who rejoice in what they have come up with, and who love to be
praised for what they have not done - never think, They are in safety from the chastisement;
and for them awaits a painful chastisement. "
Surah :3 - verse:188
What does this have to to with a sound wave recorded onto a film using light?
Who or what is that aimed at, please?
Bullshit it was Theodore Case and not Deforrest I he stole Case Patent,
The silent eras definitions, means, mutes, can't hears any sounded.
Likes a indiviuals, born with no drums, sounded n sides, their, ears, born..deaths,
Still used a humans, voical n.. a longs voicals, horns, the yrs the thirty, is would says little better,
as usual, the creator gets J'd out of his $$$$