ORANGE COUNTY ALMANAC : Breaking the Sound Barrier
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Even before “talkies,” Santa Ana cinema operator Doc Roberts offered talking films at his Temple Theater. He stood behind the screen and narrated.
Roberts also added sound effects. For gunshots, he struck a bag of sawdust with a whip. If there was to be an automobile on screen, he engaged a friend to stand behind screen and rev up his motorcycle.
Source: “This Was Mission Country” by Warren Morgan
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