Everyone ready to finish off this story? :)

Lauren: You bet! :)

Mike: Yeah.

Micky: Sure! :D

Peter: (Coughs a little) I'm ready.

Davy: Let's get this buggah finished. ;)

(We begin at Micky and Lauren's house, about a week after their return from 1929. Micky and Mike are behind a big camera that has an old-fashioned record player attached to it, trying to make the camera and the record run in syncronization. Davy, Emma, Peter, Lauren, the twins, and Katie are watching the movie, which is currently on the "Beautiful Girl" number with the chorus girl procession.)

Emma: How's it going back there, guys?

Micky: *concentrating intently* It's going.

Bob: What ARE you doing, guys?

Mike: (Pops his head out from behind the camera) We're tryin' to get the sound and the movie to run at the same time. :p

"Shelly: This movie is cute! I like all the dancing and the pretty dresses with feathers! :D"

"Little Mick: I like the music! I want more action, though! ;)"

(The sound now seems to come about five minutes before James' lips move; Trixie begins her dance before we actually hear tapping.)

"Shelly: How come we see things, THEN hear them?"

"Little Mick: I don't know, but it's pretty neat! :D"

Emma: (Sighs) This was another widespread problem in the early sound era. It was better in 1929 than it had been a year before, but they never did completely avoid the syncronization going off with the Vitaphone process.

Micky: *mutters* No kidding... :P

Bert: What's the difference between the "Vitaphone" process and what we use today?

Emma: As you can see (the cameras turn towards the record player), with the Vitaphone process that Mammoth Studios used, the sound is recorded onto glass laqurered records, then rigged to play in syncronization with the film...or it's supposed to be, anyway.

Mike: When did they stop doin' that?

Lauren: When they got sick of getting headaches from trying to sync up the audio and video? :P

Emma: Actually, about two years after our 1929 visit to Mammoth Studios. According to the book "A Song in the Dark" by Richard Barrios, even Warners recognized the obvious problems with Vitaphone and stopped using it as a production tool around 1931, though they continued to release movies with disc soundtracks as late as mid-decade because more theaters were wired for discs than Movietone at that time.

Mike: Movietone?

Emma: One of the most used sound-on-film processes. Fox and MGM, among other studios, had their soundtracks printed directly on the film. This method had their own problems, but it worked well enough that updated versions are still in use today.

Bob: Emma, where'd you learn all this stuff you mention in this set?

Emma: Fifteen years of reading about old movies and musicals, and a childhood love of animals of any kind. ;) :D

Lauren: She's pretty much an authority on it. ;) :D

Bert: Shelly, Little Micky, how did it feel to have your very first story? ;)

Little Mick: Fun! :D

Shelly: Aminals! :)

Bob: Yeah, you saw lots of animals. Which animal was your favorite? :)

Shelly: Pink birdie! :D

"Shelly: That flamingo was awesome! :D"

Little Mick: *stands on one leg* Pink! *flails his arms trying to keep his balance* ;) :D

"Little Mick: I'm getting better at this! :D"

Shelly: Me too! (Also tries to stand on one leg)

"Shelly: Soon, we'll be able to stand on one leg, like Miss Flamingo! :D"

Emma: They're still practicing their balance? ;)

Lauren: *chuckles* Yeah, sure looks like it. ;)

Peter: I liked getting to make a movie. (Coughs a bit) That was mostly really copacet...groovy. :)

Bert: (Frowns) Hey, Peter, how are you feeling? You got the worst of it in the fire.

Peter: The doctor says I have to rest for a while, but I should be on my feet in time for our trip to New York. :D

"Shelly: How come Unca Peter keeps coughing? Does he have a cold?"

"Little Mick: I hope not! Colds are bad! :P"

(We're now hear Cora Munroe singing "Cooking Breakfast For the One I Love" to Brian Connelly and a small boy in a parody of melodramas...or we're supposed to hear her. The music keeps proceeding her, and Brian ends up singing her part, and she his.)

Mike: (Groans) Oh, man. Mick...

Micky: I'm TRYING, I'm TRYING! :P

Emma: Well, THIS is interesting. ;)

Bert: I didn't think she was a tenor. ;)

Lauren: *grins* I'm rather enjoying this. ;)

"Shelly: Wow, that lady sounds like a man! :o"

"Little Mick: He sings higher than Daddy does! ;)"

"Shelly: Why does everyone wear such funny clothes? The men always wear suits or nice shirts and ties, even nicer than Unca Mike's clothes, and the women always wear those low dresses with the beads and high heels and tight hats."

"Little Mick: Those are funny! I don't know why. I've never seen Mommy or Daddy wear clothes like those."

"Shelly: The dresses are pretty, but I don't think I'd want to wear them ALL the time! :p"

"Little Mick: And I wouldn't want to wear those ties and jackets all the time! Don't they get hot in all that stuff? :P"

"Shelly: And why is everything pink and green and red and gold and brown? Didn't they have any other colors back then?"

"Little Mick: From what the adults have been saying, I don't think they did. :P"

Mike: (Makes a face as the color in the "Cooking Breakfast" scene gets grainy) Oh, man, that ain't attractive. :p

Emma: One of the big problems with Two-Strip Technicolor was the grain. That, the thick "two-strip" film that tended to buckle in cameras, and the obvious color limitations. They didn't come up with the full spectrum of colors until 1932...and didn't start using it for features until 1935. Even then, it would be a full twenty or so years before all movies were filmed in color, regardless of genre. In the thirties, forties, and throughout much of the fifties, color was limited to the splashier comedies, musicals, epics, and historic dramas. :p

Lauren: No kidding. :P

Bert: Well, here's an obvious question. How did it feel to make movies in 1929?

Emma: Fun. Tiring, but fun. It was a fast, crazy era, in history and film. :)

Micky: Great! *goes back to his intent concentration* :) :P

Mike: Woulda been more fun if damn Irwin the A...(sees the kids) Pain In the Rear wouldn't have kept tryin' to rearrange every other note. It ain't easy bein' the musical supervisor for a big flick. :p

Emma: I had fun. A couple of my numbers were dropped, but most of them did make it onto the screen. :)

Davy: Oh, man, dancin' wit' all them flappah birds.. ;) :D

Lauren: I didn't do much except keep an eye on Mick, but I still had fun...with the exception of the clothes. :P

Peter: I loved it! I've never played music for the movies before, and Nick was really nice! He told me he was going to ask Sarah to marry him. I hope he did. He really loved her. :)

Emma: He did, Peter. :)

Micky: *tongue hanging out in concentration* I finally got to direct!

Mike: Yeah, and nearly had half the crew ready to kill you. :p

Lauren: You weren't being called "The Dictator" for nothing, Mick. ;) :P

Davy: I think Willie ended up admirin' 'is guts, though, even if 'e didn't like 'is methods. ;)

Micky: What? Willie did like my work, and so did Jack! *frowns, forgetting about syncing for a moment* I wasn't that bad, was I?

Mike: Nahh. 1929 just wasn't ready for ya, Mick. ;)

Davy: I don't think they were quite ready for any of us.

Micky: *whew* That's good.

Bob: So, what's on tap for next month?

Emma: We're going to give Millie a hand in her bakery, and then, it's off to New York! :)

Lauren: And I'll be studying up on NYC this weekend! ;)

Peter: I can't wait to go to New York! I haven't been there in so long. I want to go back to Grenwich Villiage and see if all my old haunts are still there. :)

Mike: I just wanna do good on this gig. It could open up a lot of work for us.

Micky: I can't wait to get in the bakery again. ;)

Lauren: *groans* Mick... :P

Davy: 'Ere's a suggestion, Mick. Let Millie bake the food BEFORE you clear 'er out. ;)

Micky: I was gonna do that. :P

Emma: And follow the recipie EXACTLY, especially for something that has to be made just so, or it won't come out right.

Micky: All right, all right! Picky, picky... :P

Peter: New York is going to be so much fun! I want to show you all Grenwich Villiage. (Sighs) I miss it there, sometimes.

Mike: We've gotta rehearse before we all play tourist, Pete.

Lauren: *taps her chin* And it seems as though there's something special coming up, too. ;)

Micky: Oh, yeah? What's that? ;)

Emma: (Grins) A couple of something specials... ;)

*Lauren glares at Micky, who shrugs.* ;)

(The gangster number is now running, complete with the chaos created when the real gangsters broke into the number, swinging camera and all.)

"Shelly: (Giggles) Wow, this is so cool! Look at Unca Mike and Unca Davy and the other guy! They get to swing on a big camera like that! :D"

"Little Mick: I wanna swing on a camera! That looks like fun! :D"

"Shelly: I wonder if we'll ever be in a movie someday?"

"Little Mick: I hope so! That looks like a great time!"

Emma: (Grins at the twins) Enjoying the movie, kids?

Little Mick: Yeah!

Shelly: Fun!

Peter: We really caught those bad gangsters during this song!

Emma: (Nods) Hey, guys, come and watch with us! It's probably running as well as it ever will. :p :)

Micky: *leaves the equipment; swats his hands in exasperation* I've had enough of trying to work on syncing the audio anyway! :P

Mike: Darn junk's gonna do what it wants ta. :p

(Katie burbles and watches the screen, facinated.)

"Shelly: I wonder what Katie thinks of the movie?"

"Little Mick: I'll bet she likes the little bit of color and the music. :)"

(We now switch to the finale, the entire group, including Daphne and Davy this time, performing "Singin' In the Rain.")

"Shelly: Oooh, look at all the rain coats! :D"

"Little Mick: I wanna dance in the rain! :D"

Mike: I liked makin' movies, but I think I like bein' a musician and mechanic in 1970 better.

Peter: People are more understanding about differences here...and there's fewer gangsters! :p

Micky: *slight grin* I'd still like to try directing again. :)

Emma: (Cuddles Katie) Maybe someday, these kiddies will be old enough to travel in time, too. :)

Lauren: *glances at the twins* Are you SURE you really WANT them to time travel? ;) :P

Bert: (As everyone chuckles) Where did the idea for this story come from?

Emma: Another result of our fall brainstorming chats. I was telling Lauren about "A Song in the Dark," which I was re-reading at the time, and we both thought it would be fun to pull the guys and the "Dream World" world into the chaos that was Hollywood in 1929. :)

Lauren: And Emma got to display her knowledge. ;)

Emma: Incidentally, "Song in the Dark" is a great book, for those of you who want more information on the musicals of the early sound film era. It's out of print, but you may be able to find it at your local library. :) ;)

Mike: Did any of this really happen?

Emma: Yes and no. Yes, sound films really did come in that quickly. Though there apparently were experiments with sound and movies as early as the turn of the century, it wasn't until 1926 that people began to take sound film seriously...and until three years later that it became the standard.

Emma: Let us emphasize here that Mammoth Studios, "The Mammoth Revue of 1929," and all of the people we met there were FICTIONAL, but based on real-life models.

Mike: In other words, none of this really happened, folks...but some of it COULD have happened.

Emma: For instance, anyone who knows the era has probably guess that Eric Chisholm was based after Al Jolson, still best-known for his iconic "Mammy" routine on his knee from the real-life early talkie melodrama "The Jazz Singer."

Davy: Wot about the othahs?

Emma: Jack was based after Douglas Shearer, who was sound supervisor at MGM for thirty years...and did have a sister who was a major actress there, Norma Shearer.

Peter: How about the Ralstoff brothers?

Emma: A combination of several composers, including the Gershwin brothers, Arthur Freed, DeSylvia, Brown, and Henderson, and Irving Berlin. Naturally, none of those men were Russian dukes. THAT, and most of the main characters, came from a novel on this era that I started but never finished.

Mike: How about the chicks?

Emma: The White sisters are also from my unfinished novel, as are Eric Chisholm, Harvey Lyman, Trixie LaVerne, and Walter Thornburg. Cora Munroe's character is from the unfinished novel, but her name comes from a musical I wrote that was set in the 30s, my take on Busby Berkley.

Bert: They all have real-life basis?

Emma: Curt Del Mar is mix of Cecil B DeMille, Busby Berkley, Rouben Mamoulien, and Lewis Milestone. Larry Keller is every prolific Hollywood director whose career spanned the early talkie era to the 60s, including Howard Hawks, John Ford, Michael Curtiz, Leo McCarey, King Vidor, and Lloyd Bacon.

Lauren: I still liked Cora the best. ;)

Emma: Cora was based after one of my favorite actresses from the early 30s, Marie Dressler. Dressler really did make a major comeback in early sound pictures...and though she was big and far from gorgeous, she was MGM's number one star from 1930 to her death in 1935. I threw in a few other favorite early 30s comediannes, including another big and bawdy comedy queen, Winnie Lightner. ;) :D

Emma: Sarah White is every ingeune of the time period, including Broadway favorite Marilyn Miller, Oscar-winner Janet Gaynor, and the statuesque Anita Page. Rosie White is based after another favorite actress of mine from this era, Bessie Love. Bessie also made a comeback in early sound films, and in fact was Oscar-nominated for her fine performance in MGM's otherwise cute-but-dated 1929 hit "The Broadway Melody."

Emma: Caroline Harris derives from First National early sound favorite Alice White, who was a minor star in this period but really did find her niche as a supporting actress later in the decade. You may have already noticed that most of the reckless good-time girl Molly Martine's sad history is derived from the simiarly tragic life of popular flapper Clara Bow, the "It" Girl who also wound up forgotten. There's a bit of Lillian Roth, another unfortuante flapper, in there too.

Davy: Wot about the gangsters?

Emma: (Makes a face) They were just stock-studio stupid gangsters, except for Big Eddie, who comes out of early 30s Warner gangster films like "The Public Enemy" and "Little Caeser." Trixie LaVerne's real-life counterpart is Ruby Keeler, who, yes, was married to Al Jolson and even appeared in a movie with him when she was at her peak of popularity in the mid-30s and he was making a comeback. She even made a comeback of her own on Broadway in "No, No, Nanette" in the early 70s.

Mike: How 'bout Brian Connelly?

Emma: Every ambitious hoofer who ever appeared on-screen, from James Cagney to Gene Kelly. :)

Emma: (Sees the twins nodding off as the screen goes blank) I think it's time for us to head out. :)

Mike: Yeah. (Takes Katie in his arms) I think the cowgirl's gone, too. :)

Peter: (Coughs) I want to go home and take a nap. :p

Lauren: *yawns herself* Yeah, us big kids are getting kinda tired, too. *nods at Micky head resting on her shoulder; he's already snoring* ;)

Emma: In which case, let me reemphasize that this was all FICTION, and none of it happened. Mammoth Studios never existed, and none of the movies mentioned were real.

Mike: Yeah, this was all just fake. And don't ever, EVER run into a fire!

Peter: Yeah. (Coughs hard)

Lauren: Whether you have a force field or not. ;) :P

Emma: That really IS something only the trained professionals should do. (She and Mike stand) Ok, Lauren, we'll see you guys later.

Peter: (Stands and streches) Me, too. :)

Lauren: Bye, guys! :)

Mike: Yeah, guys. I'll call you and tell you when the next rehearsal for New York is gonna be.

Lauren: *nods* Thanks, Mike.

Emma: (Hugs Lauren) Have a nice night, honey! :)

Lauren: You, too, Em! :)

Mike: Tell Mick and the kiddies we said bye. ;)

Peter: Yeah! (Coughs a little)

Lauren: *grins* I will. ;)

Davy: And I'm gonna go home and call Daphne. We've got some...personal...stuff we wanna discuss. ;)

Emma: (Nods) Come on, honey. Let's go home. :) (Everyone heads out but Lauren)

"Shelly: (Yawns a little) Night, Mommy. Night, Micky. :) I-)"

"Little Mick: Night, Shelly! Night, Mommy! :)"

(The two kids lean against Lauren's lap, as she turns to the now-blank screen and silent equipment...and smiles. :) )

(Cut to the end credits. "Magnolia Simms" plays over stills from the "production," ending with the still of the entire group from "I Think I'm a Clone Now" and the words "A Raybert Production.")