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The Jazz Singer,
the First Talking Movie
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First Talking Movie Facts for kids: Fast Fact Sheet
Fast, fun facts and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
about the First
Talking Movie.
What was the First Talking Movie called?
The First feature-length Talking Movie was
called 'The Jazz Singer'.
Who was the star of the First Talking Movie? The
star of the First Talking film was Al Jolson, who is pictured in the Jazz Singer
poster. He was called "The World's Greatest
Entertainer".
When was the First Talking Movie?
The Jazz Singer, the first talking movie, was
released on October 6, 1927.
First Talking Movie, the Jazz Singer Facts:
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The film was produced by Warner Bros.,
using its new Vitaphone sound process,
the leading brand of sound-on-disc
technology
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Most of the Jazz Singer movie did not
contain live-recorded audio
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The silent actions were interrupted
periodically for a song sequence
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The limited use of synchronized sound
featured Al Jolson singing and two
scenes containing speech
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Audiences were spellbound by the new
phenomena and gave a cheering, standing
ovation each time the movie was shown
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The talking movie sensation was made on
a budget of $422,000 - it grossed $3.9
million at the Box Office
First
Talking Movie
Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on First Talking
Movie for kids.
Facts about
the First Talking Movie for kids
First Talking Movie Fact 1:
The silent movies were predominantly
in black and white and the story of the picture was
conveyed by an overstated melodramatic acting style with
exaggerated gestures and facial expressions. Title
cards were also used to explain The plot was clarified
by title cards.
First Talking Movie Fact
2: The Silent Movies were accompanied by
music played live on a piano or an organ that conveyed
the emotion and drama unfolding in each scene.
First Talking Movie Fact 3:
Silent Movies were a global phenomena. Because
there was no sound, and therefore no language barrier, movies could
play in any cinema in the world. The coming of sound and the
'Talkies' was highly controversial.
First Talking Movie Fact
4: The coming of sound and the 'Talkies' was highly
controversial and caused panic across Hollywood. Everyone in the
movie industry would be effected - actors, directors, studio chiefs,
‘scenarists’ (writers of silent film scenarios) and cameramen. It
would mean re-learning the art of cinema.
First Talking Movie Fact
5: Silent Movies stars had become superstars -
idolized in every country. Many stars feared that the 'Talkies'
would ruin their careers. Some had very thick accents, others had
shrill, high pitched voices.
First Talking Movie Fact
6: The silent stars whose careers were ruined by the
coming of sound included Norma Talmadge, John Gilbert, Marie Prevost,
Dolores Costello, Corinne Griffith, May McAvoy and Charles Farrell
were among
First Talking Movie Fact
7: The silent stars whose careers were ruined by the
coming of sound included Norma Talmadge, John Gilbert, Marie Prevost,
Dolores Costello, Corinne Griffith, May McAvoy and Charles Farrell.
First Talking Movie Fact
8: The advent of talking pictures, and the effect
they had on silent movie stars was the plot line for the famous 1952
movie, 'Singin’ in the Rain'.
First Talking Movie Fact
9: Movie studios made millions of
dollars. The movie moguls had a global audience for
their films, so many were reluctant to change to
'Talking Movies', convincing themselves that sound would
prove to be a passing phase. The cost of investing vast
sums by gambling on "talkies" also had a significant
effect - silent pictures were still being made into the
1930's!
First Talking Movie Fact
10: In 1926 Warner Brothers, in conjunction with
Western Electric, introduced a new sound-on-disc system. In the
sound-on-disc system, sound effects and music were recorded on a
phonograph record that would be electronically linked and
synchronized with the film projector. (The sound-on-disc system was
inherently faulty due to synchronization problems.)
Continued...
Facts about
the First Talking Movie for kids
Facts
about the First Talking Movie for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with facts about First Talking Movie for kids.
Facts about
the First Talking Movie for kids
First Talking Movie Fact
11: Initially Warner Bros. had intended
the sound-on-disc system to record only music and sound
effects - not dialogue. The first feature-length movie
to use this technique with synchronized Vitaphone sound
effects and a musical soundtrack was the 1926 swash
buckler called 'Don Juan' starriing John Barrymore.
First Talking Movie Fact
12: The cost of converting to sound
required a massive investment. New sound stages had to
be built at the studios and 'picture palaces' (cinemas)
had to be wired for sound to show Vitaphone films. The
cost to Warner Bros. was $3 million.
First Talking Movie Fact
13: In April 1927 Warner Bros built its
first sound studio to make its first feature-length
musical and talkie. The movie was called 'The Jazz
Singer' starring Al Jolson.
First Talking Movie Fact
14: Warner Brothers had originally picked
George Jessel for the lead role, as he had starred in the
Broadway stage production of the Jazz Singer. George Jessel
was reluctant to have his voice recorded with the new
sound system and was replaced by Al Jolson.
First Talking Movie Fact 15:
The cameraman had to be aware of the microphone
and the sound system. Early sound recording picked up a variety of
noises - the whirr of the arc lights and cameras, the rustle of
costumes and even the chattering of the cast and crew who were used
to being able to talk whilst filming was going on. Cameras could no
longer move freely and the hidden microphones impeded the movement
of the actors.
First Talking Movie Fact 16:
A clumsy, soundproofed booth was used in many of
the earliest talkies to isolate the loud equipment from the actors.
Microphones dangled from the rafters and multiple cameras shot
simultaneously from the soundproofed booths to avoid picking up
camera noise on the soundtrack.
First Talking Movie Fact 17:
The Jazz Singer Movie had six songs but very
little dialogue - only 350 "spontaneously spoken" words. The most
famous songs from the Jazz Singer were 'Mamie', 'Toot Toot Tootsie
Goodbye' and 'Blue Skies'.
First Talking Movie Fact 18:
The Jazz Singer was directed by Alan
Crosland, the American stage actor and film director,
who had previously worked with synchronized Vitaphone
sound effects in 'Don Juan' .
First Talking Movie Fact 19:
The CEO of Warner Bros and producer
of the Jazz Singer was Sam Warner who died one day
before the movie was premiered at Warners Theatre in New
York City.
First Talking Movie Fact
20: At first it was believed it would be
impossible to film outdoor scenes with sound. John Ford
was the first to shoot part of a sound movie (
Napoleon’s Barber) on location in 1928.
First Talking Movie Fact
21: By the end of 1927 only 400 theatres
had been wired for sound. By 1930 40% of the nation's
'picture palaces had sound systems installed.
Facts about
the First Talking Movie for kids
Facts
about
First Talking Movie for
kids
For visitors interested in the history of
Hollywood in the 1920s also refer to the following articles:
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The article on the
First Talking Movie provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Calvin Coolidge video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 30th American President whose presidency spanned from August 2, 1923 to March 4, 1929.
First Talking Movie
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