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| The Victory Theater, 48 E. Broadway. From UDSH. |
Exploring more of the old Yardstick’s history: the first “talkie” film shown in SLC was at the Victory Theater on May 26 1928.
The Victory Theater claims the first “talkie” but the first film with sound to play in SLC debuted the year before- January 29 1927 at the American Theater.
The American Theater was located at 241 S Main (demolished, now the Wells Fargo Center) and was the first theater in Utah to obtain the Vitaphone system for sound- similar to a record synchronized with the film.
The American Theater presented the silent film “Don Juan” with the music score from the New York Philharmonic orchestra played on the Vitaphone. They also showed an introductory mini film synched with a Vitaphone introducing the technology and featuring a selection of musicians and singers.
The next year the Victory Theater, located behind what is now the Yardstick Building at 48 E. Broadway, debuted a full length “talkie” film.
The Victory Theater purchased the Vitaphone and the Movietone systems. The Vitaphone still provided the musical score through a synchronized record but the Movietone provided speech, song, and sound effects that were embedded on the film resulting in improved synchronization.
The first talkie film shown in Utah was “The Jazz Singer” at the Victory Theater on May 26 1928, and featured Al Jolson in blackface.
Of note, in keeping with SLC racial segregation tradition, people who were not White were only allowed in the balcony seats as the floor seats were reserved for White individuals only; this was true of all SLC theaters with balconies until the late 1960s.
The Victory Theater and the nearby Auerbachs Department Store advertised a joint celebration for the first “talkie” and offered “Vitaphone Sundaes” with crushed pineapple and strawberries over orange cremo, strawberry and vanilla ice cream, with pecan nuts, topped with a maraschino cherry.
Sources: SL Trib 1927-01-30; Des News 1928-05-22
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The Victory Theater, 48 E. Broadway. From UDSH. |
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Interior of the Victory Theater, 48 E. Broadway. From UDSH. Note the Winged Victory of Samothrace statue. |
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Interior of the Victory Theater, From UDSH. |
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Vitaphone Week advertisement, SL Trib 1928-05-26 |
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Advertisement for The Jazz Singer at the Victory, SL Trib 1928-06-07 |
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Advertisement for The Jazz Singer at the Victory, SL Trib 1928-09-28 |
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