Category Archives: Posts by Ron Hutchinson

Vitaphone View: The View from the Vitaphone Projection Booth

Posted on January 22, 2019 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: The View from the Vitaphone Projection Booth The life of the early Vitaphone projectionist was a tough one. Although well compensated at an average $150/week (about $2158 in 2018 dollars), it was not an easy job. In the … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: The Talkies – How Could They Be So Wrong?

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: The Talkies How Could They Be So Wrong? They all laughed at Christopher Columbus When he said, the world was round They all laughed when Edison recorded sound They all laughed at Wilbur and his brother When they … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: Vitaphone’s Most Prolific Director

Posted on November 20, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: Vitaphone’s Most Prolific Director Joseph Henabery. Not a name even most seasoned film buffs know. Yet his career in motion pictures spanned the beginning of the teens to the television era, and he directed some of the biggest … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: Early Talkies in Widescreen? Yup!

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: Early Talkies in Widescreen? Yup! In previous blogs, I’ve discussed just how massive and fast the transition to sound films was. It was also very expensive. Consider for example the cost of wiring over 12,000 theatres for sound. … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: How Vitaphone Discs are Found

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: How Vitaphone Discs are Found When The Vitaphone Project began in 1991, the goal was to seek out early talkie soundtrack discs that were in private hands and otherwise unknown to exist. Once located, each disc was checked … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: This is Not a Musical!

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: THIS IS NOT A MUSICAL! From Edison’s earliest experiments to add sound to film, the overwhelming majority of pre-1920 talkie efforts included musical performances. In 1894, barely one year after Thomas Edison built his Black Maria studio at … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: Sound Without Talking

Posted on July 21, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: Sound Without Talking The early months of 1928 saw the transition from silent pictures to talkies ramp up big time. After The Jazz Singer premiered in October 1927, Warner Bros committed to releasing virtually all of its features with … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: THANKS FOR COMING – NOW SCRAM!

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: THANKS FOR COMING – NOW SCRAM! It is hard for modern audiences, often sitting with just a few dozen other patrons in a multiplex, to realize that in the twenties and thirties 3,500 seat movie palaces filled their … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: Talkies For The Home

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: Talkies For The Home With the silent-to-sound revolution in full swing in 1928, it was only a matter of time before talkies for home consumption were developed. Many Americans were enjoying the fruits of a vibrant and growing … Continue reading →

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Vitaphone View: Where is “Convention City” Hiding?

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Where is Convention City Hiding? Film mythology tells us that the 1933 Warner Brothers Vitaphone Pre-Code feature Convention City was so hot and so outrageous that after its initial run, Jack Warner recalled every print and burned them. To this … Continue reading →

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