The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi!
Laurel & Hardy's films have quite a few featured machines. "Unaccustomed As We Are" features Stan playing an upright Victrola which was very appropriate because Victor was the company that Hal Roach contracted with to make the sound recordings. The other film you mentioned was "Busy Bodies" with a Zon-o-phone mounted on top of the Model T's engine. Another notable L&H film is the silent "Liberty" where they destroy a victrola lookalike in front of James Finlayson's music store. (Time to get out the DVDs...)
Martin

Folks,

I've got a few screen shots to get in the coming days. Adam, I have some nice screen shots from Swing Kids I'll have up later today I hope. Brian, I have the original Sabrina, but it's on VHS. We'll see what we can do about that one. Glad to see this thread up and running already!

I once stumbled across a web site dedicated to identifying old automobiles in movies. You could look up a movie title and find scree shots of the cars and their make, model and year. Way back I always thought this thread idea could become something like that.

Regards,
John

Folks,

O.K. here's the shots from Swing Kids:

The Columbia portable mentioned by Adam and the phonograph from the listening booth of the record store scene.

Here's a couple from The Big Red One:

A couple of an HMV 101 from The Man In The White Suit:

Here's a frankenphone (appropriately enough . A VV-IV I think with a external horn ) and a topless Credenza from Young Frankenstein:

I think it was Fredrik who first pointed out the Credenza from YF. It was cut out of the movie. I found the clips in the extras of the DVD issue.

Also here's a few shots of a VV-80 or 90 from The Producers:

Finally to round out the re-posts from way back when we have a portable, possibly a Columbia from Stage Door Canteen:

Regards,
John

Folks,

Here's three from Cheaper By The Dozen (1950)

A VTLA? With an unusual finish? Fumed Oak maybe?

A VV-IX maybe in the bathroom




A Dictaphone(?) in Frank Bunker Gilbreth's office

Bells On Their Toes (1952)

A Columbia Upright

The Ghost And Mr. Chicken (1966)

A front mount with a familiar looking decal I can't place right now.

Here's a fun one from Our Gang

A Victor I or II maybe

How to fix your talking machine by Porky

Much more to follow.

Regards,
John

Very nice—glad to see you got all of these posted.

I need to add a tutorial on how to use the VLC media player (which runs on Mac/Windows/Linux/etc.) to take stills from movies—it is remarkably easy. With the movie playing, you just go to the Video menu, and select Snapshot. (I’ll do screen captures illustrating the process when I write it up as a tutorial.) John can attest to how easy this is, and it would work for all of our members that have a DVD-drive in their computer.

Hopefully I can pull a few more phonograph images from movies I have to add to this thread, as well...I know I have more phonographs in anime to post.

— MordEth

I just saw the curious case of benjamin button today... there's a crapophone, a weird round or octagonal shaped table model with a bad looking repro reproducer and brass horn... a woman sings opera with it as it plays...

It may not be the movies, but it was television.

From Doctor Who, "The Invasion" (1968). I'm guessing it must be an HMV of some sort (perhaps one of our friends form over the pond can identify it).







as a side note, the BBC hasn't been as good about using the real thing...the in the past 2 seasons, the new Doctor Who series has twice used crappaphones as props...I was quite disappointed

Zeppy wrote:From Doctor Who, "The Invasion" (1968). I'm guessing it must be an HMV of some sort (perhaps one of our friends form over the pond can identify it). As a side note, the BBC hasn't been as good about using the real thing...the in the past 2 seasons, the new Doctor Who series has twice used crappaphones as props...I was quite disappointed.

Zeppy,

Nice images—I may have to raid my Doctor Who and get some images posted. I have all of it since Christopher Eccleston took the role, and a chunk of the episodes prior to him, but off the top of my head I do not remember specific episodes with a phonograph...

...although I do remember John complaining when we watched one or two about crapophones.

— MordEth

MordEth wrote:

Zeppy wrote:From Doctor Who, "The Invasion" (1968). I'm guessing it must be an HMV of some sort (perhaps one of our friends form over the pond can identify it). As a side note, the BBC hasn't been as good about using the real thing...the in the past 2 seasons, the new Doctor Who series has twice used crappaphones as props...I was quite disappointed.

Zeppy,

Nice images—I may have to raid my Doctor Who and get some images posted. I have all of it since Christopher Eccleston took the role, and a chunk of the episodes prior to him, but off the top of my head I do not remember specific episodes with a phonograph...

...although I do remember John complaining when we watched one or two about crapophones.

— MordEth

I believe both crappaphone may have been season 3. I'm certain they used one in Utopia (the Prof. Yanna/Master's lab), and possibly one appeared in Human Nature/Family of Blood...I'm not 100% about the second, but I know there were two instances they used crappaphones (I suppose we'll have to start a tread about crappaphones in the movies).

And to be even more obscure...from the movie Katyń (2008 Oscar nominee for best foreign movie).



Again, no idea what it is...HMV, Deutche Grammafon? Your guess is as good as mine.