The Birthplace of Sound

Mr. Harvey was introduced by VICE-PRESIDENT TYRRELL and said: I am not unmindful of the honour that you have done to me and to the organization I represent in inviting me to accept your hospitality and talk about Motion Pictures. I noticed on your announcement card a statement that the subject of Talking Motion Pictures was discussed at the last Imperial Conference. I do not know whether you expect me to talk along that line today, or not. If so, I am sorry I will have to disappoint you, because I feel that the subject is a little too broad and too wide for me to tackle.

May I say, though, that I feel it is just as foolish to ask a man who has never had any experience, say, in making fine watches to proceed and turn out a watch, which would be as good as a watch made by a man who had spent his life in that trade, as it is to ask an inexperienced producer to turn out good pictures. Our friends below the Border have been in the motion picture business for years, ever since its inception; they are up-to-date; they know how to produce motion pictures, both talking and silent. They are not unmindful of the export business, which is as important to them as is their domestic business, and you may rest assured that the production of motion pictures, both silent and talking, coming from Hollywood, will be such that they will not to any extent hurt our relations in so far as our present nationhood is concerned. I would welcome, as much as everyone else, productions made in England, made in Canada; but after all, you and I and the other members of the theatre-going public are the final critics and judges of what we shall see; and if you and I keep going to the productions shown, made by our friends below the line, they will continue to come. Other than that, I have nothing to say in connection with motion pictures as affecting Imperial relations.

It is wonderful to think of the effect on our lives and on our civilization of one single discovery. Back in 1769, when Watt watched the lid of his mother's kettle rise and fall, his observations led to the discovery of the steam engine. That discovery brought into our lives the railways, steamship lines, the methods of manufacturing in the factories which so increased production and decreased cost. Think what and where we would be if that discovery had not been made. And so with electricity. I like to think of any original discovery of that nature being parent--the father, if you like--of a long line of illustrious descendants. I like to think of the descendants of electricity as those big utility companies, if you will, which supply us with our electric lights, our power, and the means of using appliances that so lighten the labour of today. I like to think of the incandescent light business as an illustrious son. I like to think of those manufacturing transmission and distributing apparatus as another one. I like to think of the telephone and the radio as others; and I like to think of the talking motion pictures as still another offspring. I also like to think, as Sir John Harvey reminded me a few minutes ago, that Old Father Electricity is by no means of that age that we cannot expect more children (Laughter), and I look forward, as the years roll by, to still further and greater developments in the field of electricity.

To deal with the real subject of my discourse today--Talking Motion Pictures--I would like you to bear with me for a few moments while I trace briefly the history of this new art. Talking motion pictures are no new thing. As a matter of fact, the conception of talking motion pictures falls very shortly after the commercialization of the motion picture itself. As far back as 1912, demonstrations were given of talking motion pictures. Unfortunately at that time the art of radio and the telephone art had not progressed to the stage at which they are at present, and it was impossible to give a satisfactory quality which would be acceptable in theatres and commercially. In 1920 and 1921 a further attempt was made to commercialize talking motion pictures. This attempt was also doomed to failure, for this same reason. In 1922, the Bell Telephone Laboratories in New York became interested in talking motion pictures through their study of acoustical problems dealing with the telephone business.

Here let me digress just a moment to pay tribute to large industrial organizations which have enough foresight and faith to cast their bread upon the waters. I might cite, as an example, the Bell Telephone Laboratories-a large non-productive organization in the ordinary sense, in that it engages something like 6,000 employees, all graduates of universities throughout the world; and I might say that our own Canadian universities-Toronto, McGill, Queen's, and the other smaller universities-contribute a great number of their graduates each year to this organization. The Bell Telephone Laboratories spend millions of dollars each year. I understand that their budget this year is $19,000,000 and all this money and all this time is put into pure research work.

I often think what a wonderful thing it would be if we had more of such research organizations, and I am glad to see that the Dominion and the Provincial Governments are setting aside appropriations to engage in this all-important research work. I often think that, if a number of years ago we had had research organizations such as this in the interest of science, the problem of so-called incurable diseases would not be problems very long; that cancer, of which we read so much, and other similar diseases, if attacked in the right way by the right people, would be found curable.

To go back to the Bell Telephone Laboratories, let me say that they have done a wonderful work, and they will produce in the future still more wonderful things. To a large extent they are responsible for the development of radio, the development of broadcasting equipment, the development of trans-Atlantic telephony, the development of the artificial larynx, the audiphone for testing hearing, and permalloy which enables telegraph cables to carry several times the load which they were previously able to carry, and dozens of other very interesting and very useful developments.

The Laboratories worked until 1925 on the development of talking motion pictures, and in 1925 they felt that they had a product which could be commercialized. They approached several large American producers and tried to interest them in the process, but they did not meet with a very cordial reception; and it is a peculiar thing that at that time the motion picture industry, as far as both producers and theatres were concerned, was perhaps at the lowest ebb that it ever has experienced since its inception. However, Warner Brothers, at that time one of the minor producers, might I say, were persuaded finally to take out a license and start into the production of talking motion pictures. They were probably a little afraid to have their name associated with the business, because they immediately formed a subsidiary known as the Vitaphone Corporation to handle that end of the business.

A picture was made by John Barrymore, and it was shown in the Warner Brothers' theatre on Broadway on August 6th, 1926. The picture was only moderately successful. At the time the newspapers of the day carried comments from the various heads of the large producing organizations, and it is interesting now to look back and read those comments made by those men. I without exception they all stated that the talking motion picture business was simply a novelty, something that would last a few months and then wear off. In the light of our present day developments and its almost universal acceptance, as I say, it is interesting to note those comments.

The second picture was made shortly afterwards, and really turned the tide in so far as this business was concerned. That second picture was "The Jazz Singer" by Al. Jolson, and its success was instantaneous. Boxoffice receipts doubled and trebled in the course of a fortnight. Producers immediately saw the handwriting on the wall, and there was a grand rush to secure licenses and recording equipment. Theatres also saw the handwriting, and there was another rush to secure reproducing equipment.

I might say that our American factory at the time found it necessary to work twenty-four hours a day, and to spend millions of dollars in additions to their plants in order to take care of the business offering. The effect in Hollywood was tremendous. The stars of the past--beautiful women with lovely contours, slim ankles, beautiful faces, but with voices like crows--were passe (Laughter.) Elocution schools sprang up over night; and the situation was saved by the fact that a number of old legitimate actors and actresses in the movie colony were able to carry on and to bear the brunt, and, to their credit be it said, they did a good job.

Producers' studios, in which they had invested millions of dollars, became obsolete over night. It was necessary to build sound stages; to entirely reconstruct their lots; and when I tell you that since 1926, $500,000,000 has been spent by the motion picture industry, you will grasp some idea of the changes that were necessary.

I must hurry to a conclusion. To give you a few facts, there are about 37,000 motion picture houses in the world. Up to the present time there are approximately 10,000 of those equipped for "Talkies". Of those 10,000, I am glad to say, our organization has equipped about 4,500, which are scattered about in forty-four different countries. In Canada we have approximately 1,100 motion picture houses, and of those there are approximately 350 wired. Of that 350, I am glad to say, our organization wired the 200th on Monday last.

New developments in the art include the introduction of colour. Great strides have been made in the use of colour in motion pictures, and you will note that the latest productions almost invariably show at least part of the picture in technicolour. Another development is the introduction of a third dimension, which is secured by the use of wide film. Demonstrations are being given, as a matter of fact, in one or two theatres in New York, running on this three-dimension picture. There are only a few difficulties to be ironed out, and I assume that in the course of a few months our largest theatres, at least, will be equipped to show the third dimension, or depth as well as length and breadth. Television is still very much in the experimental stage. I cannot see where television can possibly come into the entertainment field for a number of years yet. It is true that demonstrations are being given, and successful demonstrations, but there is a lot of work to do and a long way to go before it can replace our present methods of reproduction.

One thing more. I believe that we are entering into another field for the motion picture, especially the talking motion picture. While in New York a few weeks ago, I was very much interested to see a talking film, made in Chicago by one of the noted surgeons there, showing a cancer operation. The camera was mounted just above the patient, so that every movement that the doctor made was magnified, and was clear--as a matter of fact, clearer than you could see it with your naked eye. As the cancer operation went along the doctor explained exactly what was being done, so that even I, as a layman, although my stomach was not so good, thoroughly understood what was going along. I am just telling you that to point out the tremendous possibilities the talking motion pictures have in the educational field. It is hoped that a library will be built up, not only for medicine, but in the elementary educational field as well, so that the most learned professors and teachers can give their lectures on their own particular subject and that these can be distributed, in turn, to every school and college and university throughout the whole country. (Hear, hear.) There are a good many troubles to iron out in that, but I do not think there is any doubt whatever that in a few years that development will be universally accepted.

The same thing applies to religion, in that the most noted preachers in the world can give sermons which, in turn, may be distributed to various denominational churches throughout the country. In industry the same thing applies. High executives of a company now find it necessary to visit their various branches or dealers throughout the country, and they probably spend three or four months a year on the road. They can now sit in their own offices and tell their story to branch managers or dealers, and thus save all travelling expenses and time giving them more time to play golf. (Laughter.)

Now, I have here a portable equipment, and I have two reels, one showing shots in the Bell Telephone Laboratories, which is interesting, and another called "Finding His Voice"--a cartoon, showing how talking motion pictures are made and reproduced. I will now ask the boys to commence with the pictures.

The pictures were then shown, and excited great interest and laughter.

SIR JOAN MARTIN HARVEY, in a witty speech, presented the thanks of the Club to his talented namesake for his very interesting address and exhibition.