Vitaphone Varieties (1927-1931)

Recognizing the growing audience for Vitaphone shorts and the difficulty of seeing these unique artifacts on the big screen, the Archive presents a reprise program of Vitaphone shorts that haven't screened in a Festival since the early 1990s. For those not in the know, the Vitaphone Corporation produced thousands of shorts featuring musicians, vaudeville acts and radio stars between 1926 and 1930, recording the soundtracks on large phonograph discs for playback in theaters. When sound-on-disc technology became obsolete, Vitaphone shorts began to fade into oblivion. Tonight's program offers an eclectic mix of Vitaphone short subjects that celebrates the often raucous talents that have made these shows must-see events.