Vitaphone studios

RetroSmith · 06-05-2003, 02:08 PM

Long ago and far away, there was a Film Company in Brooklyn.

They were called Vitagraph Studios and they made many many movies in the early days of the Film industry.

They were sold to Warner Bros in 1925 and continued to make shorts there, ultimately making TV shows there untill very recently.

Today, the original smokestack of the Vitapgraph Studios still stands , as does the building (today a girls school).

Here is a pic of that smokestack, and what you CANT see in the pic are the letters V-I-T-A-G-R-A-P-H that run vertically down the pipe.

Whenever I am in Brooklyn, I try to walk past this and think of all the excitement that the people who worked there must have felt in the early days of the 20th century when all of this was brand new.

Enjoy!!

Mikey

**Steve Hoffman** · 06-05-2003, 02:12 PM

What sorts of things were filmed there over the years? TV too? Why did they close?

**mcow1** · 06-05-2003, 02:54 PM

Here's an article I found on Vitagraph. I'm assuming it's the same one.Vitagraph

**Steve Hoffman** · 06-05-2003, 02:59 PM

Wow. Thanks.

Doug Hess Jr. · 06-07-2003, 08:23 PM

We have a Vitaphone Theater near my hometown (actually just across the river from where I live). The Smoot Theater almost became a parking lot, but some folks got together and saved it and restored it to the Warner Brothers colors and interior (which they had on file at Warner Brothers) and they also repainted the Vitaphone logo on the side of the building.

Doug

**Steve Hoffman** · 06-07-2003, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dough1981
We have a Vitaphone Theater near my hometown (actually just across the river from where I live). The Smoot Theater almost became a parking lot, but some folks got together and saved it and restored it to the Warner Brothers colors and interior (which they had on file at Warner Brothers) and they also repainted the Vitaphone logo on the side of the building.

Doug

Doug,

That is soooo totally cool. Post a picture!

Doug Hess Jr. · 06-09-2003, 09:59 AM

Smoot Theatre Vitaphone

That's a link to the vitaphone logo. The site is here:
Smoot Theatre

When the group first took it over to save it, it was painted light blue inside and it was in poor shape!!
Doug

**Steve Hoffman** · 06-09-2003, 10:24 AM

Thanks, Doug.

Next step is to get that neat organ working again! I'm surprised it's still there.

Doug Hess Jr. · 06-09-2003, 07:01 PM

Well, that has been talked about, but I don't know if the pipes are all still around. For years the Baptist church about 5 blocks away used it. Then a lady won the lottery in 1999 and bought the church new pipe organ and sent the old one back to the Smoot. The pipes were all stored in a nearby building, but I'm not sure if they are still there. I don't think the head volunteer of the place wants it put back in. I think she just likes the looks of it and would rather spend the money it would take to re-install it on something else...

The acoustics in that place are second to none!!

Tim Casey · 06-11-2003, 07:24 PM

Have any of you seen the "Don Juan" laserdisc set from MGM? It had the original "Vitaphone" shorts program (including a very stiff introduction by Will Hays) from Carnegie Hall on it along with the film. Very cool, and something which I'm sad to say will probably never be available on DVD.

**Steve Hoffman** · 06-11-2003, 07:33 PM

Hi Tim,

I have seen it. Problem is, it's not a great movie, but it was the first! The Jazz Singer was a big improvement!

RetroSmith · 06-11-2003, 07:50 PM

Yes, the Jazz Singer was the "biggie", but , of course it really wasnt the first talkie.

Thomas Edisons flunkies had a talking short as early as 1909 . It was a 2 minute film, where a guy (one of the factory workers) walks into a room , takes his hat off and says "Hello Mr Edison, I hope we have pleased you". THATS the first talkie, folks......

Tim Casey · 06-12-2003, 02:34 AM

I didn't think Don Juan was THAT bad - except for Barrymore's overacting and his tights. However, I found it very tough to get through "The Jazz Singer" - though I thought it was clever how the dialog for Jolson's father, who represented the past, was done with title cards.

On the shorts, I thought the guy who played all the guitars, banjos and ukeleles was way cool.

Regarding the Edison sound films, Viola Dana had a great anecdote on the "Hollywood: A Celebration of the Silent Film" series. She played a fairy princess in an early (1900-1910) sound film as a child. When they saw it at the theater, the projectionist wasn't cranking fast enough, and her line "I am the Fairy Princess" came out sounding like James Earl Jones!

RetroSmith · 06-12-2003, 08:58 AM

Funny!!

Imagine being the poor projectionist in those days?

Dan C · 06-12-2003, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikey5967
Long ago and far away, there was a Film Company in Brooklyn.

They were called Vitagraph Studios and they made many many movies in the early days of the Film industry.

They were sold to Warner Bros in 1925 and continued to make shorts there, ultimately making TV shows there untill very recently.

Today, the original smokestack of the Vitapgraph Studios still stands , as does the building (today a girls school).

Here is a pic of that smokestack, and what you CANT see in the pic are the letters V-I-T-A-G-R-A-P-H that run vertically down the pipe.

Whenever I am in Brooklyn, I try to walk past this and think of all the excitement that the people who worked there must have felt in the early days of the 20th century when all of this was brand new.

Enjoy!!

Mikey

Great story Mikey!
It's absolutely wonderful that the building has been preserved and reused.

Dan C

Doug Hess Jr. · 06-14-2003, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikey5967
Funny!!

Imagine being the poor projectionist in those days?

True-- especially with the volatility of that old film stock. The projection room of the Smoot Theatre I referenced above is all steel lined and fire proofed so that if the film caught on fire it would keep it from spreading to the rest of the theatre.

**Steve Hoffman** · 06-14-2003, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dough1981

True-- especially with the volatility of that old film stock. The projection room of the Smoot Theatre I referenced above is all steel lined and fire proofed so that if the film caught on fire it would keep it from spreading to the rest of the theatre.

While trapping the poor projectionist in the booth! Unless he could make it up the ladder to the roof....

Dan C · 06-14-2003, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikey5967
Yes, the Jazz Singer was the "biggie", but , of course it really wasnt the first talkie.

Thomas Edisons flunkies had a talking short as early as 1909 . It was a 2 minute film, where a guy (one of the factory workers) walks into a room , takes his hat off and says "Hello Mr Edison, I hope we have pleased you". THATS the first talkie, folks......

I was digging around Google and found this:
http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~mhellman/history.html

Interesting site and photos. Did they get any historical facts wrong?

Dan C

06-05-2003, 02:54 PM	#3
mcow1 Sommelier Gort Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 7,629	Here's an article I found on Vitagraph. I'm assuming it's the same one.Vitagraph __________________ "Stupidity has a certain charm -- ignorance does not." - Zappa Mike

06-12-2003, 02:34 AM	#13
Tim Casey Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boston, MA USA Posts: 695	I didn't think Don Juan was THAT bad - except for Barrymore's overacting and his tights. However, I found it very tough to get through "The Jazz Singer" - though I thought it was clever how the dialog for Jolson's father, who represented the past, was done with title cards. On the shorts, I thought the guy who played all the guitars, banjos and ukeleles was way cool. Regarding the Edison sound films, Viola Dana had a great anecdote on the "Hollywood: A Celebration of the Silent Film" series. She played a fairy princess in an early (1900-1910) sound film as a child. When they saw it at the theater, the projectionist wasn't cranking fast enough, and her line "I am the Fairy Princess" came out sounding like James Earl Jones! Last edited by Tim Casey; 06-12-2003 at 02:40 AM.

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06-05-2003, 02:12 PM	#2
Steve Hoffman Your host Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 39,603	What sorts of things were filmed there over the years? TV too? Why did they close?

06-05-2003, 02:59 PM	#4
Steve Hoffman Your host Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 39,603	Wow. Thanks.

06-07-2003, 08:23 PM	#5
Doug Hess Jr. Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Belpre, Ohio Posts: 2,156	We have a Vitaphone Theater near my hometown (actually just across the river from where I live). The Smoot Theater almost became a parking lot, but some folks got together and saved it and restored it to the Warner Brothers colors and interior (which they had on file at Warner Brothers) and they also repainted the Vitaphone logo on the side of the building. Doug

06-09-2003, 09:59 AM	#7
Doug Hess Jr. Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Belpre, Ohio Posts: 2,156	Smoot Theatre Vitaphone That's a link to the vitaphone logo. The site is here: Smoot Theatre When the group first took it over to save it, it was painted light blue inside and it was in poor shape!! Doug

06-09-2003, 10:24 AM	#8
Steve Hoffman Your host Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 39,603	Thanks, Doug. Next step is to get that neat organ working again! I'm surprised it's still there.

06-09-2003, 07:01 PM	#9
Doug Hess Jr. Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Belpre, Ohio Posts: 2,156	Well, that has been talked about, but I don't know if the pipes are all still around. For years the Baptist church about 5 blocks away used it. Then a lady won the lottery in 1999 and bought the church new pipe organ and sent the old one back to the Smoot. The pipes were all stored in a nearby building, but I'm not sure if they are still there. I don't think the head volunteer of the place wants it put back in. I think she just likes the looks of it and would rather spend the money it would take to re-install it on something else... The acoustics in that place are second to none!!

06-11-2003, 07:24 PM	#10
Tim Casey Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boston, MA USA Posts: 695	Have any of you seen the "Don Juan" laserdisc set from MGM? It had the original "Vitaphone" shorts program (including a very stiff introduction by Will Hays) from Carnegie Hall on it along with the film. Very cool, and something which I'm sad to say will probably never be available on DVD.

06-11-2003, 07:33 PM	#11
Steve Hoffman Your host Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 39,603	Hi Tim, I have seen it. Problem is, it's not a great movie, but it was the first! The Jazz Singer was a big improvement!

06-11-2003, 07:50 PM	#12
RetroSmith Forum Hall Of Fame (Formerly Mikey5967) Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: East Coast Posts: 6,843	Yes, the Jazz Singer was the "biggie", but , of course it really wasnt the first talkie. Thomas Edisons flunkies had a talking short as early as 1909 . It was a 2 minute film, where a guy (one of the factory workers) walks into a room , takes his hat off and says "Hello Mr Edison, I hope we have pleased you". THATS the first talkie, folks......

06-12-2003, 08:58 AM	#14
RetroSmith Forum Hall Of Fame (Formerly Mikey5967) Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: East Coast Posts: 6,843	Funny!! Imagine being the poor projectionist in those days?