Sound is added to film for the first time

April 20, 1926

ON this day in New York, Warner Brothers’ Don Juan was released as the first Vitaphone sound film (developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories) and the first ‘talkie’ with synchronised sound effects and orchestral music (but no dialogue). This was the first film that replaced the traditional use of a live orchestra or organ for the soundtrack (a recorded musical score of the New York Philharmonic), and successfully coordinated audio sound on a recorded disc synchronised to play in conjunction with a projected motion picture.

The first Earth Day

April 22, 1970

TO increase public awareness of the world’s environmental problems, Earth Day, is celebrated in the US for the first time on this day.

Millions of Americans, including students from thousands of colleges and universities, participated in rallies, marches, and educational programmes. Earth Day was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, a staunch environmentalist who hoped to provide unity to grassroots environmental movements and increase ecological awareness.

On the 20th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 1990, more than 200 million people in 141 countries participated in the celebrations. Earth Day has been celebrated on different days by different groups internationally. The United Nations officially celebrates it on the vernal equinox, which usually occurs about March 21.

Elvis Presley goes to Las Vegas, Nevada

April 23, 1956

ELVIS made his first appearance in Las Vegas at the New Frontier Hotel. His two-week engagement at the Hotel included 15 shows weekly (a total of 30 shows/appearances and was paid $7,500.00 per week.

Colonel Parker, Dutch-born entertainer and later Elvis’s manager, made a flyer for hotel advertising Freddy Martin and his orchestra, comedian Shecky Greene and the ‘Atomic Powered Singer’, Elvis Presley. Nevada was home of Atomic powered testing, Parker thought the name would be catchy so he deliberately gave it to Presley.

On April 21, the Las Vegas Sun reported , “The handsome 21-year-old rock ‘n’ roller’s appearance in the latest Sammy Lewis production is considered to be the Las Vegas entertainment scoop of the year.”