Soundies

In person at the Billy Wilder Theater

Q&A with Mark Cantor, author of "The Soundies: A History and Catalog of Jukebox Film Shorts of the 1940s.

We’re transforming the Billy Wilder Theater into a big-screen Panoram to showcase Kino Classics’ toe-tapping, eye-opening collection of newly restored Soundies — many of which are also held in the Archive’s collection! For the uninitiated, Soundies are musical short films produced from 1940-1946 for distribution on movie jukeboxes called Panorams, 16mm rear projection machines that delivered unique performances by musical acts big and small to patrons at bars, nightclubs and restaurants for a dime. From the sights and sounds of the big band era into the emergence of early rock and roll, this evening’s program features such artists as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Gene Krupa, Thelma White and Her All-Girl Orchestra, the Les Paul Trio and dozens of unsung talents waiting to be rediscovered!

DCP. Total program runtime: approx. 96 min. Admission is free. No advance reservations. Your seat will be assigned to you when you pick up your ticket at the box office. Seats are assigned on a first come, first served basis. The box office opens one hour before the event.

Special thanks to our community partners: Cinecon Classic Film Festival, Hollywood Heritage, The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.