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The Family Album: Portraying Notable Descendants of Tel E. Phone (ca. 1929)

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Film Description

The Family Album: Portraying Notable Descendants of Tel E. Phone (ca. 1929)
Sponsor: Western Electric Co. Production Co.: Unknown. Transfer Note: Scanned from a 16mm print held by the Library of Congress. Running Time: 10 minutes.

Early animated sound film made for Western Electric (the equipment manufacturing arm of AT&T) to introduce five innovative products that build on the technology of the telephone. Family Album presents “Old Father Tel E. Phone” and his offspring Mike, Loud Speaker, Public Address, Electrical Stethoscope, and Talkie (the sound moving picture). The cartoon features the first sound-on-film recording of the human heartbeat. Filmed in 35mm, also distributed in 16mm.

Note: Produced in Eastmancolor. Renowned interior decorator Paul McCobb designed the futuristic home.

Resources
Educational Film Catalogue (1936), 42.