The March of Time
Encyclopedia
The March of Time is a radio series, and companion newsreel
series, that was broadcast on CBS from 1931 to 1945 and shown in movie theaters from 1935 to 1951. It was created by Time, Inc. executive Roy Edward Larsen, and was produced and written by Louis de Rochemont
and his brother Richard de Rochemont
for most of its 16-year run on film. The newsreel feature was based on the network radio series of the same name which had premiered four years earlier.
magazine to promote the weekly news magazine. For most of its run it was a dramatized presentation of the week's major stories, mixing actual clips of newsmakers' voices (when available) with the sound of actors re-creating events through imitation of the actual newsmakers when authentic voice cuts were unavailable.
It was the first network presentation of a dramatized "news" format which had previously been tried experimentally by some local radio stations. One example of this programming genre was "The Day's News Dramatized", produced by the Buffalo Evening News newspaper and presented on its radio station WBEN
, a CBS affiliate, starting on its first day of broadcasting, September 8 of 1930. It's not known to what degree, if at all, these regional productions influenced the national March of Time when it premiered six months later, or if The March of Time's creators were aware of local dramatized news program pioneers that had anticipated it.
The companion newsreel series to the March of Time radio broadcast was launched on February 1, 1935 in over 500 theaters. Each entry in the series was either a two- or three-reel film (20 or 30 minutes). Westbrook Van Voorhis
, who hosted the radio program, served as narrator of the film series. The series, which finally totalled close to 200 segments, was an immediate success with audiences. However, because of its high production costs—estimated at $50,000 per episode, released at the rate of about one episode per month—the series was a money loser. However, it remained in production for six years beyond the cancellation of the radio show on which it was based.
The series ultimately ended when the widespread adoption of television
and daily TV news shows made the newsreel format obsolete. Other newsreel series such as Pathé News
(1910–1956), Paramount News
(1927–1957), Fox Movietone News (1928–1963), Hearst Metrotone News/News of the Day
(1914–1967), and Universal Newsreel
(1929–1967) continued for a while longer.
Like its radio namesake, The March of Time included reporting, on-location shots, and dramatic reenactments.
The series was satirized in Orson Welles
' film Citizen Kane
(1941) with the News on the March segment showing the life and funeral of the fictional Charles Foster Kane
.
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
series, that was broadcast on CBS from 1931 to 1945 and shown in movie theaters from 1935 to 1951. It was created by Time, Inc. executive Roy Edward Larsen, and was produced and written by Louis de Rochemont
Louis de Rochemont
Louis de Rochemont was an American film maker known for creating, along with Roy E. Larsen from Time, Inc., the monthly theatrically shown newsreels The March of Time. His brother Richard de Rochemont was also a producer and writer on The March of Time.The newsreels defined film news from 1935 to...
and his brother Richard de Rochemont
Richard de Rochemont
Richard de Rochemont was an American documentary film-maker in the late 1940s, who also worked on the March of Time newsreel series....
for most of its 16-year run on film. The newsreel feature was based on the network radio series of the same name which had premiered four years earlier.
History
The March of Time began as a weekly radio series airing on the CBS network beginning on March 6 of 1931, sponsored by TimeTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine to promote the weekly news magazine. For most of its run it was a dramatized presentation of the week's major stories, mixing actual clips of newsmakers' voices (when available) with the sound of actors re-creating events through imitation of the actual newsmakers when authentic voice cuts were unavailable.
It was the first network presentation of a dramatized "news" format which had previously been tried experimentally by some local radio stations. One example of this programming genre was "The Day's News Dramatized", produced by the Buffalo Evening News newspaper and presented on its radio station WBEN
WBEN
WBEN may refer to:* WBEN , a radio station licensed to Buffalo, New York, United States* WBEN-FM, a radio station licensed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
, a CBS affiliate, starting on its first day of broadcasting, September 8 of 1930. It's not known to what degree, if at all, these regional productions influenced the national March of Time when it premiered six months later, or if The March of Time's creators were aware of local dramatized news program pioneers that had anticipated it.
The companion newsreel series to the March of Time radio broadcast was launched on February 1, 1935 in over 500 theaters. Each entry in the series was either a two- or three-reel film (20 or 30 minutes). Westbrook Van Voorhis
Westbrook Van Voorhis
Cornelius Westbrook Van Voorhis was a narrator for television programs and movies. He is perhaps best known for his work on the March of Time radio and newsreel series, where he became known as the "Voice of Doom", as well as for the catchphrase, "Time...marches on!"...
, who hosted the radio program, served as narrator of the film series. The series, which finally totalled close to 200 segments, was an immediate success with audiences. However, because of its high production costs—estimated at $50,000 per episode, released at the rate of about one episode per month—the series was a money loser. However, it remained in production for six years beyond the cancellation of the radio show on which it was based.
The series ultimately ended when the widespread adoption of television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and daily TV news shows made the newsreel format obsolete. Other newsreel series such as Pathé News
Pathe News
Pathé Newsreels were produced from 1910 until the 1970s, when production of newsreels was in general stopped. Pathé News today is known as British Pathé and its archive of over 90,000 reels is fully digitised and online.-History:...
(1910–1956), Paramount News
Paramount News
Paramount News is the name on the newsreels produced by Paramount Pictures .-History:The Paramount Newsreel began operation in 1927 and distributed roughly two movie theater issues per week until their closing in 1957. Movie theaters across the country would run these issues, usually on 35mm...
(1927–1957), Fox Movietone News (1928–1963), Hearst Metrotone News/News of the Day
Hearst Metrotone News
Hearst Metrotone News was a newsreel series produced by the Hearst Corporation, founded by William Randolph Hearst.-History:...
(1914–1967), and Universal Newsreel
Universal Newsreel
Universal Newsreel was a series of 7- to 10-minute newsreels that were released twice a week between 1929 and 1967 by Universal Studios. A Universal publicity official, Sam B. Jacobson, was involved in originating and producing the newsreels...
(1929–1967) continued for a while longer.
Like its radio namesake, The March of Time included reporting, on-location shots, and dramatic reenactments.
The series was satirized in Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
' film Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
(1941) with the News on the March segment showing the life and funeral of the fictional Charles Foster Kane
Charles Foster Kane
Charles Foster Kane is a fictional character and the subject of Orson Welles' 1941 film Citizen Kane. Welles played Kane , with Buddy Swan playing Kane as a child...
.
External links
- History
- The March of Time collection from Thought Equity Motion
- The March of Time Newsreels and Documentaries
- The March of Time at the Encyclopedia of American Journalism
- Jack Glenn papers (March of Time director) at the University of WyomingUniversity of WyomingThe University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
- American Heritage CenterAmerican Heritage CenterThe American Heritage Center is the University of Wyoming's repository of manuscripts, rare books, and the university archives. Its collections focus on Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West and a select handful of national topics: environment and conservation, the mining and petroleum industries,...