Scopitone is a type of jukebox featuring a 16 mm film component. Scopitone films were a forerunner of music videos. Based on Soundies technology developed during World War II , [ 2 ] color 16 mm film shorts with a magnetic soundtrack were designed to be shown in a specially designed jukebox.
The difference between the Panoram and the Scopitone jukebox was that with Panoram the 16mm films were black and white with optical sound and there was no selection among the 8 short films in the jukebox, whereas Scopitone featured color in the US produced films Technicolor , with Hi-Fi magnetic soundtracks, with selection available between all 36 Scopitone films in the Scopitone Jukebox. Scopitone films, like Soundies, featured recordings that performers lip synced to, with at least one exception; Billy Lee Riley was recorded live performing the song "High Heel Sneakers" in his Scopitone.
Between and , three-minute musical films called Soundies produced in New York City , Chicago and Hollywood were displayed on a Panoram , the first coin-operated film jukebox or machine music. These were set up in nightclubs, bars, restaurants and amusement centers.
After , the word 'Scopitone' was dedicated as a name for type of music video which is highlighted on musicians, playback artists, and composers on screen. Composer and conductor James Horner first used the Scopitone name for his video as a remembrance of the Scopitone jukebox.
Scopitones spread to West Germany , where the Kessler Sisters burst out of twin steamer trunks to sing " Quando Quando " on the dim screen that surmounted the jukebox. Scopitone went on to appear in bars in England , including a coffee bar in Swanage where " Telstar " was a favourite. By , approximately machines were installed in the United States, most of which were deliberately targeted at cocktail lounges and adult establishments, in part to avoid competition with the jukebox industry for the teen audience.
