Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-22

W NuS iUSdHS OF tic TduiOptOUC'
The movies and the speakies have
at last been welded. The radiophone
was the minister.
Through experiments conducted in
Chicago it has been proven that talk
ing motion pictures are a practical
possibility-not the canned talking
pictures on the monograph principle
that have been tried, but talking pic
lures by means of the human voice
transmitted by radiophone from a
broadcasting station to as many the
aters as are on the moyie-speakie
circuit.
a device has been perfected whereby
any number Of motion picture theater
projection machines can be operated in
perfect experimentation with a master
projection machine at the radiophone
broadcasting station. This master ma
chine itself projects picture which fur
nishes cues to the actors who supply the
sounds heard by the theater audiences.
This Is the principle Of the radio talk
ing movie: 4 motion picture is pro-
duced in the studio. as usual, the scenario
writer having supplied speaking lines
and sound effects as though the produc-
ton were TO be given behind the foot
lights. A number OF theaters are equipped
with radiophone receiving instruments
and projection machine synchronlzing ap-
paratus. The movie company, possibly
composed OF the same persons who made
the original film in the studio, Is as
semlled at the radiophone broacasting
station.
Out at the theaters the overture has
overturned and the audience settles back
for the evenings feature movie -speakie
BUZZ goes the signal at the broadcast
ing station and in all the theater pro
lection booths The master projection
machine begins throwing the photoplay
upon the screen at the broadcasting sta
ton and simultaneously, to fraction OF
a second. the silver sheets at the various
theaters are Illuminated with the shadow
drama.
And at the broadcasting station the
movie actors re-enactlng the drama,
speaking out their lines, word for word,
Just as though the many different
audience were seated down front IN
stead Of in many different theaters many
miles apart. The actors watch the film
being screened by the master protector
very closely lest they supply the speakies
too swiftly or too slowly for the movies.
Thus when the heroine screams for
help the audience will hear her cries.
They will hear the heros shout OF en-
couragement as he speeds to the rescue.
And when he fred the shot that puts an
end to the Williams villainy the movie
speakie fans viii hear the deafening
roar.
POWERS INVENTED
RADIO PICTURES.
The radio talking picture is the in
ventIon Of Harry J. Powers, Jr., con-
nected with the Erlanger theatrical in
terests with headquarters at the Colonial
Theater. Chicago. The wedding Of the
movies and the speakies took place at the
Chicago practical picture studio of the
Rothacker Film Company, Frank Bacon,
famous as the star Of "Llghtnin'" was
the best man. Bacon Is a radiophone
enthusiast and he found time between
matinee and evening performances to
enact the first scene OF the hist orical ex-
pertinent that proved the radio to talking
picture possible.
The ROthacker studio lights flashed on.
Bacon took his position behind a table
set in front Of a black velvet curtain.
Watterson r. RothaCker, president of the
film company, shouted "Cameral" The
cameraman began to crank and the
worlds first radio talking picture was in
the making
Ladies and gentlemen" began Bacon.
accompanying his words with those inim-
table gestures Of his, at gives me great
pleasure to be the first to try to demon
strate something which will prove the
most wonderful, the greatest amusement
the world has ever known-the human
voice synchronized with motion pictures
through the radio telephone. We are ilv-
ing in a very rapid age in which nothing
seems impossible"
To one side Of the studio a stelog-
rapher was taking down BacUn's words