Want To See & Hear Billy Murray Perform?

[phonogfp]

Not only Billy Murray, but also the other seven "Eight Famous Victor Artists" in a 1928 short film?

Eight Victor Artists Title Card.png (294.94 KiB) Viewed 1743 times

Me too! Well, the Movietone film has been known for some time, but the Vitaphone disc soundtrack was thought lost - until recently when it turned up in Australia! Now the Antique Phonograph Society is sponsoring a project to unite soundtrack and film so we all can enjoy this ensemble just as audiences did nearly 90 years ago.

Ensemble.jpg (80.46 KiB) Viewed 1743 times

Check out the project on the Kickstarter web site:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/35 ... sts-at-the

Don't miss the incentives on the right side of the page - even a free APS membership!

Note: This fund-raising project is time-limited to 50 days (September 15 is the deadline). Donations are tax-deductible, and if full funding isn't raised, all donations are returned.

Check out that web site!

George P.

[barnettrp21122]

I'm the first one to pledge!
Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing funding project, so I hope there's enough support for this.
Good luck with the funding project!
Bob

[bigshot]

There is a Fleischer bouncing ball cartoon that has footage of Billy Murray performing. He is dressed in a bowler hat and a big fake walrus mustache though. I think the title is Wait Till The Sun Shines Nellie.

[Garret]

I'd definitely consider donating to this worthy effort, but it looks like the only way to see the film would be to attend a screening? Could you please clarify?

Thanks,

Garret

[Curt A]

Is the video going to be restored before adding the soundtrack?

[Curt A]

Will it be available as a DVD?

[phonogfp]

The Antique Phonograph Society is promoting the funding of the restoration to recover and preserve for posterity an important artifact from the acoustic music era. What happens to the restored print over time is somewhat unpredictable. It may be released on DVD or another format at some point but, of course, since the APS doesn't own the film, it has no control over that.

Short term, the APS would lobby for a copy which could be seen at APS events. The Society would also be interested in making copies available to the public, but that would require negotiation with the Library of Congress (which owns the film).

Were it not for this campaign, it's uncertain when - if ever - the film would be restored.

Note that the restoration process involves print and track. Both are restored concurrently, then reunited.

George P.