Dating The Jazz Singer Long Daybill

[Silhouette]

What is interesting about The Jazz Singer Movie and the Long Daybill movie poster is that the poster in fact is NOT from 1927 which is when the movie was released in the USA, in fact the movie had its first (advanced) screening in Sydney at The Lyceum Theatre on Friday 28 December 1928, more than TWELVE MONTHS after the USA release.

For those who have got this information wrong, feel free to adjust your databases.

When The Lyceum Theatre was announced as the first picture theatre to show the movie it was planned for a Boxing Day release but the preparations necessary to show the movie as intended (with sound!) made the alteration of the date inevitable. The official opening (after the pre-screening) was Saturday 29 December 1929 and the run at the Lyceum was astounding, still attracting audiences in May of 1929 thus delaying the release of The Terror (1928) another talkie. Now, this wasn't a continuous run for The Jazz Singer and The Lyceum Theatre, the annual (and pre-booked) Methodist Conference closed the screenings of the film between Feb 26 1929 and March 1 1929.

Another side note is that the movie opened in Adelaide at the 'New Pavillion Theatre' on 13 May 1929 AS A SILENT MOVIE...those of us in Australia know that technology takes time to get through to (the state of) South Australia, I believe colour TV was launched down there in the last 2 years...

You're welcome.

[Silhouette]

Oops, I didn't see this one...



Could this be a NZ Daybill (I like it better) or...?

Despite The Jazz Singer being touted as the first 'talkie' it was not the first one released in New Zealand, that distinction goes to the 1928 movie Street Angel, a silent picture with a recorded musical soundtrack which was shown to excited people as they flocked to see it at Wellington’s Paramount Theatre in March 1929.

In my research I dug up a couple of interesting snippets:

"United Artists president Joseph Schenck asserted in 1928 that the talkies were just a passing fad."

'..the Geraldine Borough Council passed a resolution to ban talking pictures fearing it would corrupt the minds of the people.' Geraldine is about 100 miles south of Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand, unfortunately this resolution did not quite work as planned, people simply drove the 20 miles to the nearest town (Timaru)

You're welcome

[CSM]

Are they not BOTH NZ daybills David?

[Silhouette]

Indeed, you make a good point. On reflection, it is entirely possible/probably(?) they are both Australian Daybills, is there two versions of is one is a re-release?

I have my best people on it...

[CSM]

Indeed, you make a good point. On reflection, it is entirely possible/probably(?) they are both Australian Daybills, is there two versions of is one is a re-release?

I have my best people on it...

YOU'RE welcome

[Louie D.]

Despite The Jazz Singer being touted as the first 'talkie' it was not the first one released in New Zealand, that distinction goes to the 1928 movie Street Angel, a silent picture with a recorded musical soundtrack which was shown to excited people as they flocked to see it at Wellington’s Paramount Theatre in March 1929.

This is interesting as I have never heard of talkie sequences being filmed for "Street Angel". Can you provide details?

[guest4208]

That notation on the bottom of the poster was used on quite a lot of long daybills. It's just the blurb of the distribution company. I'm pretty sure that there were two styles of Jazz Singer daybill - both printed in Australia for the original release in Australia (as David points out in 1928/9). They were primarily used in Australia but may have been used in NZ at a later date although never printed specifically for NZ.

From memory, they were found by a carpet layer in an old house in Queensland. I had a chance to get them but was beaten/guzumped by another dealer/collector who flew to Qld with a wad of cash.

The one that Heritage auctioned is the better of the two in my opinion - an incredible image.

[CSM]

Incidentally, whether NZ or Australian, I believe the Jazz Singer is now the highest price ever achieved for a NZ/Australian poster...

[CSM]

The one that Heritage auctioned is the better of the two in my opinion - an incredible image.

Agreed...and thanks for sharing a bit of history on them John

[erik1925]

And they certainly got the art right..... back in the day...

 

 

[guest4208]

Its the highest recorded price. There have been a couple of daybills go for more in private sales.

[CSM]

Its the highest recorded price. There have been a couple of daybills go for more in private sales.

Right...hard to think of what titles they could have been though to command more than $28,000

[erik1925]

Its the highest recorded price. There have been a couple of daybills go for more in private sales.

What were those prices?

Titles?

 

[guest4208]

What were those prices?

Titles?

 

Here's one ...

http://www.ozefilm.com/highest-priced-australian-movie-poster/

[CSM]

Here's one ...

http://www.ozefilm.com/highest-priced-australian-movie-poster/

Hmmm...it's in the ballpark but I have always 'heard' that the Franky daybill sold for closer to $25,000...but maybe one went for a little more. 

[Silhouette]

YOU'RE welcome

Thanks, I appreciate it

This thread (and similar ones I have started) is a shared resource which of course people are allowed (and welcome) to contribute to and/or pose their thoughts on, it is not mine by right or by the fact I have instigated the research on it (or any title). As I have often stated, there is no guarantee I am 100% right but at least I am prepared to do some leg work and through openly sharing all this we may arrive at a point where we will have the true and correct information on (Daybill) posters that up to now, and in many cases, has been flawed or poorly researched.

[erik1925]

Here's one ...

http://www.ozefilm.com/highest-priced-australian-movie-poster/

Thanks, John. I thought the above post referred to private sales for The Jazz Singer daybills, specifically.  

Great research and articles, notwithstanding.

[CSM]

Thanks, I appreciate it

This thread (and similar ones I have started) is a shared resource which of course people are allowed (and welcome) to contribute to and/or pose their thoughts on, it is not mine by right or by the fact I have instigated the research on it (or any title). As I have often stated, there is no guarantee I am 100% right but at least I am prepared to do some leg work and through openly sharing all this we may arrive at a point where we will have the true and correct information on (Daybill) posters that up to now, and in many cases has been flawed or poorly researched.

A noble cause certainly

[Silhouette]

This is interesting as I have never heard of talkie sequences being filmed for "Street Angel". Can you provide details?

It was referred to as a 'talkie' in NZ despite the fact there is no recorded dialogue, instead a recorded music score was added to the film.

[Silhouette]

A noble cause certainly

Hardly noble...

[Matt]

http://www.wesleymission.org.au/archives/Suter/050527.asp

It is interesting to see how the Sydney Lyceum gets, so to speak, so many "walk-on" parts in the history books. The Australian premiere of the world's first "talking movie", "The Jazz Singer", was shown here. The world's first female movie projectionist worked here.

[CSM]

Hardly noble...

Yeah you're right...just give it up while you're ahead

[guest4208]

Hmmm...it's in the ballpark but I have always 'heard' that the Franky daybill sold for closer to $25,000...but maybe one went for a little more. 

Originally, two were found. From what I can gather they have changed hands a couple of times.

[Silhouette]

Yeah you're right...just give it up while you're ahead

What do you mean?

[Matt]

  Pic!

Sound technicians setting up the turn-table and amplifiers for the first "talkies" in Australia (Warner Brothers' "Jazz Singer" starring Al Jolson, at the Lyceum) (The sound was recorded on a synchronized disc.)

The Jazz singer was made in 1927 and was the first talkie shown in Sydney in 1928 at the Lyceum Theatre

http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=8675#