Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-06-13
TALKING PICTURES
DEALS STAGE BLOW
Edison Says His Kinetophone
Will Revolutionize Theatrical
World.
TEN CENT OPERA MIN
Invention Will Kill Transforming
But Benefit Actors, De-
clarss New Jersey
Wizard.
From the st. Louis Republic.

From the st. Louis Republic.
Thomas A. Edison told a reporter today
that he believed the end OF the present
legitimate stage at hand as a result of his
newest invention, a talking motion picture
machine, called the k~inetophone. which
proved successful in a demonstration held
a few days ago.
The inventor explained why he thinks
the present 81 show must give way to the
cheaper form OF amusement, which he de-
clares will give almost as much as the
other for one-twentieth of the price.
There will be no more transformers
either, because no one will be willing to
pay for second-class acting when the fore-
most stars are performing for the talk
les" and can be seen and heard for q
dime.
The inventor was found at the Edison
plant in West Orange, N. j..
mi. Edison is upstairs in the labora-
tory said Miller Hutchinson. his chief
engineer and personal assistant. as he led
the way.
It is three flights to the ''insomnia
ward, - as Edison's workshop is called.
The wizard of electricity was ready for
questions.
us the machine perfected?" asked the
reporter.
'Nothing's perfect replied Edison, but
1t works. 1t will be put in operation at
the Colonial theater in Brooklyn inside
Of 30 days"
What does your new invention dog"
ut delivers at the exact instant of oc-
curence on the film any sound made at
the moment such action takes place..
Every word uttered by.the actors is re-
corded and delivered in time with the
action: the creaking of a gate, whistle.
the noise of hoOf beats, even the click Of
cooking a revolver, comes apparently from
the screen and in unison with the notion"
Ten-cent Opera Coming.
"How is it done?"
The monograph, which is placed be-
hind the screen, is wired to the picture
machine, which may be 100 yards away.
The speed of the talking part acts as a.
brake on the film, SO that neither can get
ahead of the other. There are special
records which run as long as the film
lasts.
''Other. records can be made to come in
TO place successfully, and the performance
may be carried out through a whole play.
Wnole operas will be rendered, and the
MINIS can even be colored by hand If the
display of color is needed.
small towns whose yearly taxes would
not pay for three performances of the
Metropolitan Opera company, can see and
near the greatest stars in the world for 10
cents. And it will pay because of the vol
ume of business.
w want democracy in our amuse-
ments. 1t is safe to say that only one
OUT OF every 80 persons in the United
states has any real right to spend the
price asked for q theater ticket. What
chance has the w~orkingman for amuse-
menus whose income is from 81 to So a
DAY? No chance at all, except at mo-
ton pictures, and the fact that 100000
persons q day see motion pictures in the
united States shows the poor realize this"
How long did it take to work out the
plan for talking motion pictures?"
"Ihirty-seven years." replied Mr.. Edi-
son slowly. ut Is all Of that time since
made q motion-picture show inside a
box by dropping the succession of draw
ings rapidly, and attaching a record to
two e~artubes."
And wasn't that successful?"
Revolution for Actors.
'N9t the kind of success l wanted. What
+! wanted must affect the whole people.
Actors will have to leave the legitimate
stage to work for the movies in order to
get any money. This IL all the better for
them. They can live in one place all the
year round and transforming will cease
automatically when no one wants to pay
several times the amount OF the movies
show for some inferior production az n
successful play"
"Whl there be 2 great future in it?,
Money!" said Mr.. Edition. why. all
the money I make on an invention goes
for furthettng my experiments. / do not
seek money. Besides. there will be anv
number Of others begin along the same
line. and I have found that an inventor
is always sacrificed for the public good:
which 10 satisfactory to me, so long as
the great masses are benefited. OFTEN
the courts do not uphold me. but somehow
I got the credit, whatever thxt Is good
for he added with a laugh.
One thing I deplore, and that Is the
number Of low-gradeS. motion pictures
shown here, many Of them coming from
Europe, where the ideas OF fun are coarsar
than here.
I'm Europe the people are laborers.
while here they are mainly workmen.
There Is O difference In the order OF in.
tellect and the idea OF what IL entertain.
ing. With the kinetophone In operation
these inferior pictures must cease because
OF their very inferiority."
Twill 1t not be hard on actors" was
suggested.
"On the contrary" replied Edison earn.
estly, they are going to be benefited.
They will be able to lead : normal home
life. I can zee nothing in III future but
big studios centralized, perhaps in New
York, employing all the actors all the
year round and at q better figure than
they now get"
Addison's Manners.
From lacaulay's ''Essay on Addison"
The manner OF Addison 10 as remote
from that Of eyift % from that Of Vol
n EfOnch Wit, nor, like the Irish Wit. throws
- 1Oub1e portion Of severity into his c0un.