| Show z Recognition Sought for Inventor b t Of First Talkies Now Blind Poor r- r it f Auguste Ir Baron roh Recalls E Ex X r p in 1898 May Y Get Decoration Decoration By MINOTT SAuNDERS SAUNDERS NEA Service Writer P PARIS lUS June 26 The 26 The original In Inventor of at talking pictures cannot se seone see one because he is blind and cannot hear one because he hasn't got the price of admission This is the fate of Auguste Baron a afine afine afine fine old man mall of 75 who is living here hereIn In III a home for t the c disabled poor His big idea came to 00 him 35 years ago when the moving picture business was an Industrial babe on the bottle and now he sits In the dark lIstenIng listenIng listening listen- listen Ing to fantastic tales of what has been achieved from his Inspiration Hon 34 31 YEARS AGO In 1895 when the Lumiere Brothers Broth Broth- ers began to produce their animated images with vague movements such as the arrival of a train the first French moving picture Auguste Baron Baron Baron Ba- Ba Ba Ba- ron engineer musician painter and anda a a. genius at lighting effects was working in n ft Paris theater as an advIser adviser adviser ad ad- on old on onstage stage direction The theat theater r had bad just installed Inthe in inthe inthe the lobby what became known as the slot machine whereby one could in insert insert in- in n- n sert a a. coin see sec a series of photographs photographs photographs photo photo- graphs and hear accompanying music Baron had been thinking about the work Ork of ot the Brothers when one night he casually put 10 centimes in the slot machine and had a look There was no synchronization only the simple putting together of an image and sound movement BIG IDEA BORN But this stirred the imagination or of orthe the inventor He concluded that the fault with this new moving picture idea was that it had no sound effect to make i it realistic So he went to work In the following year April 3 Baron Baron Baron Ba Ba- ron took out his first patent on a system of synchronizing movement and accompanying ing sound On October October October Octo Octo- ber 8 1898 he got a German Geiman patent and on August 28 1900 an American patent good for 20 years ears With his own resources he built bunt In a Paris suburb what would now be known as asa asa asa a studio His rigging had placed above the movie camera a cupola which contained contained contained con con- highly sensitive microphones of ot grain A feeble current modulated by these microphones was amplified by three successive relays leading to the sound cabin at one side Sound was registered on an anold anold anold old fashioned wax cylinder such as used by Edison in his first phonographs phonographs phonographs graphs so that it synchronized perfectly perfectly perfectly per per- with the action of the movie In principle his system m was very much like that developed with such startling success a quarter of or a century century century cen cen- tury later A l COl COMMERCIAL FAILURE Barons Baron's first talking films were produced in 1898 and could run for four tour minutes He spent about on this work and could not get the Support required to finance his ex- ex ex He quickly concluded there was no commercial future Inthe inthe in inthe the talking film mm Like so many men of science he was not a good business businessman man and was quite content ent when he astonished his friends friend by showing them what could be done Eleven of his machines are now on exhibition in the Conservatoire des Arts et In 1901 Baron turned his attention to the development of an automatic I camera which he called the Mul Mul I Urama and which could be at attached attached attached at- at to a balloon and operated in such a way as to photograph kilometers of ground without change of film During the war this did eminent eminent eminent emi emi- nent service when carried by airplanes airplanes airplanes air air- planes by taking pictures of enemy positions Another of his photographic photographic photographic photo photo- graphic acl achievements was a n camera caD capable able of taking a degree pano pano- rama rama picture NOW COMPLETELY BLIND I But although his protected protected pro pro- their c eyes es against again t the harsh lights of the studio Baron refused to wear glasses Ten years ago his sight sight I I began to fail and shortly afterwards wards I he became completely blind bUnd The Academy of Sciences granted him a pension of about 75 yearly early I and without other resources he was forced to enter a charity home His wife still sUll proud of his achievements cares for him lovingly and helps himas him himas as much as she can by giving piano lessons Baron still smiles cordially and has no grievance against his fate but he heat heat heat at times Umes becomes melancholy when hen henhe he bc is told about the great financial success of the talking picture TOO LATE Alas I it is too late to talk of me he says sadly When reminded that his brain was in advance of the times and that he be has at least lived to know that his great idea was successful successful successful suc suc- he only adds I am in infinitely infinite infinite- ly touched but I can only repeat that it is too late to talk of me I Iam Iam Iam am getting gettinS' old and I ask nothing except when I die that my wife vUe will willbe willbe be looked after And she in her turn says it is enough for her to have known those happy hours when hen he was x succeeding succeeding succeeding suc suc- with his work But I hope that my son will never become an Inventor she added Barons Baron's friends are arc now trying to have him decorated with the Legion of Honor and to gain for him some come recognition from the government |
