On December 14, 1922, in the former greenhouse of an Auburn, New York backyard, Theodore Case used a special, light sensitive cell to record the word “hello” onto a film strip with perfect clarity. Rushing to his lawyers first to patent the creation, Case sent the above telegram to his business partner Lee de Forest down in New York City to show him what he discovered. This system would be referred to under many names: the Thalofide Cell, the AEO light, the De Forest Phonofilm system, Movietone, all refer to an invention that changed entertainment and the world forever. On December 14, Theodore Case and his fellow scientists in the Case Research Lab discovered the key to making sound film a widespread phenomenon!
In 2022, we went on a digital storytelling adventure: exploring the larger than life figures, the conflicts, and the history changing moments that defined the brief but impactful work of the Case Lab from 1922-1927, culminating in the first sensations in sound film! Please note that each mini-digital exhibit jumps around from different time periods and should not be read as a comprehensive timeline of events.
If you are new to the Case Research Lab, be sure to visit the page for a brief overview of the Lab’s history and information on how you can come tour the space right here on the Cayuga Museum Campus! If you would like more detail on this story, you may be interested in the book exploring this topic, Breaking the Silence on Film.
