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BIBLIOGRAPHY  -  Recommended Reading
Books On The History Of Film Sound

A list of recommended books related to the history of movie sound, complete with publishing details, reviews and Amazon links

An excellent, comprehensive read. Contains numerous references to George Groves' contribution to the development of sound-on-disc recording and the sound problems that were encountered.

Webmaster,
George Groves the Movie Sound Pioneer

Vitaphone had a secret weapon: Al Jolson, whose The Jazz Singer electrified audiences of 1927 and propelled Warner Bros. to an early lead in the sound sweepstakes. Eyman deftly documents the chaos that followed. The camera, which was soaring to new heights of eloquence in silent classics, was suddenly encased in a tiny, immobile booth.

...As Eyman shows, it's an entertainment era perhaps unrivaled in its rapid upheaval and reshuffling of power. And although the author makes occasional foolish errors, such as referring to MGM's Broadway Melody when he means Universal's Broadway, he has clearly done his homework.

Marc Miller - Business Week

Ed has researched and provided the most comprehensive filmography of these films to date, and provides chapters on MGM, Universal, Pathe, Fox, Radio, RKO, Hal Roach, and of course Vitaphone. Separate chapters cover newsreels, animated shorts and non-fiction films. Shorts are organized by studio and type.

At 504 pages with 70 photographs, this book will be a must-have reference for every reader of VITAPHONE NEWS.

Vitaphone News (Vitaphone Project)



This long awaited book is an incredibly comprehensive look at the most fascinating period of American cinema, in our view. At 639 pages, with countless previously unpublished photos, this is overflowing with industry perspectives never before reported.

Even the most knowledgeable film buffs will learn many new things from Don Crafton's work here. Like talkies and the popcorn connection. Many Vitaphone shorts are described and pictured.

This book is an absolute must for every reader of Vitaphone News!

  Vitaphone News (Vitaphone Project)



At 455 pages, over 120 photos and listing for every known short and feature made under the Vitaphone banner, this thoroughly indexed reference will tantalize you with the still unseen shorts awaiting rediscovery.

…[the book] lists all known New York productions 1926-1940, followed by West Coast productions from 1927 - 1970

…a must-have for every Vitaphoniac.

    Vitaphone News (Vitaphone Project)



Rarely has high-flying theory been anchored in such careful research and presented in such clear prose.

Rick Altman, University of Iowa

An interesting scholarly account of the rise of early film sound technologies....fascinating in its discussion of how sound practice, particularly in the accounts of film sound engineers, complicates and grounds sound theory.
              Review of Communication

It includes the original story, "The Day of Atonement," which became the basis for the Broadway play. Rare photos of George Jessel on stage, as well as Jolson stills from the film are included...

A full screenplay script is included, and notes about Vitaphone and the movie round out a wonderful book...If you want to know all there is to know about The Jazz Singer, you will want a copy of this book.

The International Al Jolson Appreciation Society


Taking on the familiar (and standard) notion that cinema's conversion to synchronous sound homogenized film production in the early 1930s, O'Brien (Carleton Univ., Canada) builds a fresh and cogent case for differences of film style across international borders. The author juxtaposes French and American filmmaking aesthetics and practices, carefully revealing how particular sound systems (e.g., magnetic and optical) and alternative models evolved in diverse national settings.

...Writing in an unassuming, conversational, yet scholarly style, O'Brien is lucid and thoughtful, and he offers numerous significant insights. Summing Up: Highly recommended.

         T. Lindvall, Duke University School of Divinity



Named a 1998 New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and a 1998 Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of the Year, film critic Sarris takes a sweeping look at the movies, and starts off where it all began, with The Jazz Singer.

Although Jolson's story plays only a small part in this book, it is good reading for the Jolson fan, and anyone interested in motion picture history.

The International Al Jolson Appreciation Society



In an exquisitely authoritative, nearly 400 page tome, Herbert G. Goldman has given us a detailed look at the life and times of Al Jolson....

This book gives the truth behind many of the legends passed off as fact, even the ones that Jolson told! You must have this book in your library.

The International Al Jolson
Appreciation Society

Of great interest to students of Hollywood history.

Publishers Weekly

This book is what it claims to be: the lives of the brothers Warner from immigrant beginnings to fabulous wealth and the rise of Warner Brothers Pictures from a storefront theater to a massive empire. Sperling's name gives a clue to her insider status (she is Harry Warner's granddaughter). While she dutifully chronicles the deteriorating relationship between the brothers, for the most part the family dirt is kept under the rug…

However, the book records an important part of Hollywood lore, and the "Other Voices" segments--personal remembrances of stars, studio employees, and family members--are a nice addition.

Sherle Abramson, Williamsburg Regional Library,
Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.

This excellent biography of The World's Greatest Entertainer is a classic, a version of which belongs in every fan's library.

The International Al Jolson
Appreciation Society