The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-22
WARNER GRINS
AT SCHENCK
STORY

Il i
cable from London, England,
uLoted Joseph Nj. Schenck as
stating : in a newspaper inter-
view, that the talking picture
was. "a novelty and it is badly
done. 1 prophesy that it will not
last more than four or five
months" AS Warner Bros. are
the pioneers, with itaphone. II,
talking picture productions, and
continue to hold that premier
position through the recent intro.
duction Of the first picture with
an entire talking sequence, the
item was submitted to III. W.
Warner for comment. Mr.. War
ner IS the type of man who dares
not laugh, but, he has "a smile
that tells more than words, and
he smiled as he read the story.
you remember the boy pass
ing the graveyard, in the dark
o. the moon, who wnistled up
courage?" questioned Mr.. War;
ner. : And many of us can re-
call Get horse being derisively
flung at the driver of a motor
car whose vehicle was stalled
beside the road. The man who
had q. horse, in those days, did
not believe or want to believe
that the motor car would ever be
perfected. He owned a horse.
Seriously, however,, do not
believe that Mr.. Schesz...ss 81 quoted
correctly in this story" said Mr..
Warner. HThis interview was
given for British consumption,
where talking pictures are about
to be introduced The producer
who does not believe in talking
pictures is in the position OF the
legitimate manager 20 years ago.
They failed to recognize the
possibilities of moving pictures,
allowed others to develop them,
attract vast numbers Of patrons
from the legitimate houses and
at the same time bring into the
theater thousands who had never
before passed the portals Of
theater. The moving picture pro.
Queer. in this case, who fails to
see that Vitaphone with complete
sound and music will eventually
replace, to a substantial degree,
the silent picture. Is missing his
chance. Such men, as a rule. are
not equipped to make talking
pictures--rone so blind az those
who will not see--ar1d remember
too, that these men OWN a horse.
After the hard fight Warner
Bros. made to perfect and estab-
Iish Vitaphone. we are used to
skeptics and scoffers, went on
Ky SIR kI.o Fs,,a = rxy.
began work all efforts to combine
speech, music and pictures had
failed Therefore, In the minds
OF the skeptics, they must always
fail.
Thus we had only the support
OF our own faith and confidence
in ultimate success. There were
times. as with all experiments.
when the prospects were none too
bright. Since August 6. 1926, just
two years, Nitaphone has been 4
success. In that two years
through added knowledge and ex
perience, progress has been swift.
We are now equipped to produce,
successfully, pictures with talking
sequences throughout their entire
length. Our second production Of
that type will be on view very
soon.
If It Is necessary to prove the
success of Vitaphone and talking
pictures" said Mr.. Warner, "the
record is there for all to see. It
has attracted a demand for In
stalIations throughout the country
which has overtaxed production
as.Hy
mechanism of so great a company
as the Western Electric Company.
THE Strand Theater. oldest OF
the so-caIled picture palaces in
New York. and one of the most
and progressive theaters
in tho city. has gone Nitaphone.
and II was there we presented the
first all-talking picture in history.
At the other extreme, IN point OF
building. ST.. Rothafel has placed
Nitaphone in his magnificent Roxy
Theater, and we have his signed
statement that he considers 1t
essential to his program.
Chains of theaters, individual
exhibitors and smaller firms con-
trolling q few theaters are order
ing Vitaphone. and the fnstaila-
tons thus ordered run into the
hundreds.
progress is made in the NOV
ing picture business at a tre-
mendous pace. One cannot hesi-
tate-and must take a chance,
though it is assured there is no
chance in talking pictures because
1t has beet proven that they are
what the public want" concluded
Mr.. Warner
At the Strand Theater, as hove
said, the first all-talking picture
was shown. Tt took the house
record for a long ride upward be-
fore being forced out by prior con.
tracts. Well, 1t is said that money
talks, and. it is shouting dollars
upon dollars Of profit in every
theater where Vitaphone is III.
stalled. This makes it appear that
any men who seek to cry ii down
had best abandon the horse"