Everybody Sing!: Community Singing in the American Picture Palace

by Esther M Morgan-Ellis

During the 1920s, a visit to the movie theater almost always included a sing-along. Patrons joined together to render old favorites and recent hits, usually accompanied by the strains of a mighty Wurlitzer organ. The organist was responsible for choosing the repertoire and presentation style that would appeal to his or her patrons, so each theater offered a unique experience. When sound technology drove both musicians and participatory culture out of the theater in the early 1930s, the practice faded and was eventually forgotten.Despite the popularity and ubiquity of community singing—it was practiced in every state, in theaters large and small—there has been scant research on the topic. This volume is the first dedicated account of community singing in the picture palace and includes nearly one hundred images, such as photographs of the movie houses’ opulent interiors, reproductions of sing-along slides, and stills from the original Screen Songs “follow the bouncing ball” cartoons. Esther M. Morgan-Ellis brings the era of movie palaces to life. She presents the origins of theater sing-alongs in the prewar community singing movement, describes the basic components of a sing-along, explores the unique presentation styles of several organists, and assesses the aftermath of sound technology, including the sing-along films and children’s matinees of the 1930s.

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2018

Reviews

[Rebecca Berus]

Everybody Sing community Singing in the American Picture Palace offers a fascinating look at a largely forgotten part of American moviegoing culture. Esther M. Morgan Ellis brings the 1920s picture palace to life by exploring how audiences gathered not simply to watch films, but to sing together, guided by organists, song slides, and emerging forms of participatory entertainment.

I found the discussion of theater culture and the transition to sound technology especially engaging. With its rich historical detail and visual material, this book is an excellent contribution to studies of music, cinema, popular culture, and American social history.