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Hepworth Vivaphone was a sound-on-disc system, developed and marketed by Hepworth Film Manufacturing Company, which was not a true synchronized sound system. The performers in their films would typically lipsynch their singing and speech to prerecorded [?] gramophone? records.
Albert Blinkhorn began distributing Vivaphone films in the USA on State Rights basis in April 1913, and soon established Vivaphone & Films Sales Company, Incorporated (May 1913). By May 1913, Blinkhorn was advertising the availability of 500 films with accompanying soundtrack records. Vivaphone Eastern Exchange, Incorporated, negotiated to be the State Rights distributor of Vivaphone films in the USA, beginning in May 1913, for the states New York and New Jersey. Consolidated Film & Supply Company negotiated to be the State Rights distributor of Vivaphone films in the USA, beginning in May 1913, for the states Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. American Amusement Company negotiated to be the State Rights distributor of Vivaphone films in the USA, beginning in May 1913, for the states Iowa and Minnesota. Keystone Vivaphone Company negotiated to be the State Rights distributor of Vivaphone films in the USA, beginning in June 1913, for the states Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
News reports: [The Moving Picture World, 5 July 1913, page 58] Local [Philadelphia] picture exhibitors are showing a keen interest in the Vivaphone, the new talking picture which is being demonstrated and handled by the Keystone Singing & Talking Picture Company, with offices in the Lippincott Building, on North Twelfth street. // [The Moving Picture World, 26 July 1913, page 439] Hiram Abrahams, the big moving picture man of Portland, Me., was in New York recently, and has decided to handle the Vivaphone singing and talking pictures, for New England. There is no man in this territory better able to handle this feature than Mr. Abrahams, who is interested in twenty odd New England theaters, all showing moving pictures. Associated with him in these enterprises is W.E. Greene, formerly the head of the W.E. Greene Film Exchange, which is now the New England Universal Film Exchange. The combination of these two men is a very happy one, and nothing save success seems to crown their efforts. // [The Moving Picture World, 26 July 1913, page 441] The Vivaphone, which has been successfully introduced here [Philadelphia], has proven a distinct improvement to all talking and singing pictures shown in this city.
References: MovPicWorld-19130426 p. 423; MovPicWorld-19130510 p. 623; MovPicWorld-19130524 p. 855; MovPicWorld-19130531 pp. 882-883, 963; MovPicWorld-19130614 p. 1191; MovPicWorld-19130621 p. 1299; MovPicWorld-19130628 p. 1389; MovPicWorld-19130705 p. 58; MovPicWorld-19130726 pp. 439, 441. |
