death_date birth_place name birth_date spouse yearsactive article_title birth_name occupation
4 september 1976 st helens , lancashire , england george groves 13 december 1901 jane -lrb- ? - ? -rrb- 1926-1970 george groves -lrb- sound engineer -rrb-
 george robert groves sound engineer
george groves -lrb- sound engineer -rrb-

george robert groves -lrb- 13 december 1901 -- 4 september 1976 -rrb- was a film sound pioneer who played a significant role in developing the technology that brought sound to the silent screen .
he is also credited as being hollywood 's first ` sound man ' ; he was the recording engineer on the seminal al jolson picture , `` the jazz singer '' -lrb- 1927 -rrb- , as well as many other early talkies .
in a career with warner brothers that spanned 46 years , he rose to become their director of sound and won two academy awards .
