What Was the First Talkie Film?

Technology has largely shaped the film industry. With many different advances in audio, color, and other forms of filmmaking technology taking place over the past century. Perhaps though, the biggest and most profound evolution in the film industry is the shift from silent films to the first talkie. History sure has a lot to tell us about filmmaking. The transition from silent to talkies is incredible. But what was the first talkie film?

Talkie Films & Musicals in History

While many think that “The Jazz Singer” was the first talkie film. Historians claim that talkie films and musical films actually date further back. Potentially as far as 1898. In fact, Alice Guy-Blache, a female director that was the first in the world, produced 103 sound films before 1905.

However, because sound was a novelty back then. And movie theaters were not in any way outfitted for sound to work. Silent films were what everyone that viewed films in the theater would see.

For the first 30 years of motion picture history, talkie films would not make their way into theaters. Due mainly to the complexity of sound equipment that was required in order for such films to take off.

Warner Brothers

Warner Bros. would be the first film company that was willing to introduce sound into the theater, and it came at a cost of millions of dollars invested. 

Thus, the first movie they introduced into the theater with full sound was “Don Juan.”  This film featured a synchronized orchestra and sound effects.

Later, Warner Bros. would introduce “The Jazz Singer” which represented the first full-length talkie that people would truly recall despite earlier versions of film with sound having been produced.

A Change in Times

Once “The Jazz Singer” was so incredibly popular in theaters. Many other studios would begin investing into the wiring of theaters to include sound. But, shifting from silent films to talkies wasn’t going to be easy.

Film writers had to adapt their scripts in new ways. And studios had to figure out the logistics of how to capture film sound while they were shooting. 

This meant that, at first, large 20+ pound microphones would be hidden in flowerpots. And anywhere they could on the set. Later they would be strung from large strings above the set.

Thus, while the first talkie that is known to theaters might have been “The Jazz Singer” the first talkies that were produced included many other films that simply never made their way to theaters due to the logistics and the cash infusion required for such films to be seen by the masses.