The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Penny Serenade is shown all the time on TCM, but for some reason, I've never seen it. I still remember an old music store like the one in the Hitchcock movie when I was buying LPs in the late 60s. It was Thearle Music Store on Broadway, San Diego. They still had the listening booths and everything. They also sold pianos and musical instruments. I just read that they were established there in 1903! Soon the warehouse styles stores would put a store like Thearle out of business. The pic was taken in 1924.

I've had the pleasure of being for some years buying NOS 78s from a small District record store in Madrid. I discovered it intentionally, for I used to visit the places where old record stores had been, guided by old envelopes, adverts, dealer stickers on record labels, and even the phone book. That was in 1980. Still some of the stores were there, although many of them had no stock rests of 78s. But Discos Muñoz still had a full cupboard of NOS 78s, plus several more boxes on the basement. They sold only records and musical accessories, like guitar strings, music paper, etc. I started buying 78s as my poor budget allowed, and the wonderful women at the store sold them at the last price they had in 1960, which in 1980 was like $0.75 each. Completely new, pristine records in new paper sleeves! The patience of those women with me, a 15yo teenager interested in records long time past, answering every question I did, which made them remember the old days when their father led the shop. They patiently put poles of 78s on the counter for me to browse among them, picking only 5 to 10 records after one or two hours. I suppose this was kind of entertainment for them... The shop was never concurred.
I kept going there for five or six years, but eventually, a dealer collector with a budget much heavier than mine also discovered the store, and emptied it from the remnants in a few months.
The shop closed in the late 1980s, and its place is now occupied by a jeweller. Pity I didn't make any photos back then...
The story of such wonder, as related by them, was that when the microgroove arrived, in few years ago dealers got rid of the old stock of 78s at bargain prices for the whole lot, or discarded or distroyed them. I heard that many lots were crushed and used for asphaltic mixture for road construction!
This man judged nonsense to destroy them, so they rested quietly and safe in their shelves for 25 years more, unmolested until the marvelous stock was discovered.
Judging from what I remember, there must be near 10,000 78s in that small store when I discovered it.
It was in operation at least since 1935.

Not a movie, but video game. I'm playing the new Resident Evil 2 scary xbox game and so far I have spotted 3 victrolas! It looks like the game developers looked up what a victrola looked like before designing the game.

Looks like a fun game.

I just watched Saving Private Ryan (for the umpteenth time) last night. I forgot this phonograph in the scene where they go in and liberate Ramelle, France. Real European machine, or prop house crapophone?

There is a new show on Amazon Prime called "Carnival Row". It is fantasy with all kinds of fairy-tale creatures, all in a Victorian-ish setting. They have several scenes with cylinder phonographs, even playing a cylinder once or twice.

Andreas

Edison Standard Model B in the film Greed 1924.

It's a bit strange to keep seeing this thread started in 2015 keep popping up. The original poster, Steve Lavoie, or "tuberecuds" passed away years ago even though he was just in his 50s. He was a good friend of mine. Marc.

About 1 hour 15 minutes into Night of the Iguana, there's a Victor IV (or V? I'm guessing!) providing "source music" for the action.

the episode of "Get Smart" where the old bloke invents a "silent bomb" and a silent "Victrola". Plays but makes no noise. Also on the shelf in the background was a Edison Banner Home from memory.


Stephen