NZ History - the first talkie picture

ravenruis (58)in #history • 6 years ago

COUBRAY-TONE NEWS

It was the creation of Edwin (Ted) Coubray ( 19 October 1900 – 10 December 1997; sometimes noted as Edward) - a film-maker, theatre projectionist, and inventor born in Eastern Bush (Southland, NZ).

"Film-maker Ted Coubray and his brother Fred are shown here atop the New Zealand Radio Films sound truck in December 1929. They were filming the funeral of Henry Cleary, Roman Catholic bishop of Auckland."
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The film debuted on the 3rd of January 1930, in the Plaza Theatre, Auckland. It featured clips on various subjects filmed around Auckland, including (as mentioned above) the funeral of Bishop Cleary.

A write-up in one of the newspapers after an advanced screening of the film noted some interesting details about the film and its creation.

AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME LX, ISSUE 304, 24 DECEMBER 1929
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Excerpts from the film can be watched here:
https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=67532

Filmmaker Coubray began developing his own sound-on-film system following the arrival of ‘talkies’ in New Zealand in early 1929. After six months’ experimentation, and at a cost of £3000 (over $280,000 today), the Coubray-tone sound system was operational. This entirely New Zealand-made enterprise was the first of its kind in Australasia.
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A screenshot from the film The Birth of New Zealand.
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Ted had already made several films before this first talkie one, including the popular Carbine's Heritage and The Birth of New Zealand (which had apparently been sent to Britain to have a soundtrack put to it, and Ted was disappointed when it came home with the sounds of British birds singing in the background).

Ted, as he appeared in the biographical documentary Mouth Wide Open.
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It seems there was quite a polarising opinion over the 'talkie' films versus the traditional silent films. Even in New Zealand, as this poor unfortunate 'expert' was quoted in print with his doom-filled prediction.

NZ TRUTH, ISSUE 1205, 3 JANUARY 1929
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It is a well-known fact that the evolvement of talking pictures in the film industry killed off the careers of many a popular actor or actress as they couldn't make successful transitions.
If 'video killed the radio star' then talkies killed the silent star, but such is the price of progress.

Notes:
Advertisers were quick enough to jump on the 'talkie' bandwagon, to take advantage of the new craze.

NORTHERN ADVOCATE, 24 DECEMBER 1931
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Ted's parents were Nicholas Coubray, and Minnie Flowers, and he had three brothers - Nicholas, Arthur, and Fred.
Fred was Ted's camerman.

Nicholas (the father) at one stage placed an advert in the newspaper, looking for relatives. I decided to add this because it is intriguing.

STAR, ISSUE 7625, 7 FEBRUARY 1903
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Things weren't always easy for Ted.

MANAWATU TIMES, VOLUME XLVI, ISSUE 2528, 19 DECEMBER 1922
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He had an enthusiasm for filming from a young age.

MANAWATU STANDARD, VOLUME XLIII, ISSUE 233, 8 JANUARY 1921
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About the Carbine's Heritage film.

AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME LVII, ISSUE 294, 11 DECEMBER 1926
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A newspaper account of the making of his film Romance of Maoriland.
The title states 'first talkie' but it wasn't the first one released. I imagine it was still in production when the news-reel came out.

AUCKLAND STAR, VOLUME LX, ISSUE 280, 26 NOVEMBER 1929
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