WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:05.000 The thing happened on an autumn afternoon in the city of Norfolk, Virginia. 00:05.000 --> 00:11.340 And to try to explain it, you must know also of the incident that occurred on that same afternoon in another city, 00:11.340 --> 00:14.080 more than 3,000 miles away. 00:14.080 --> 00:17.600 But in all the years that have passed since that particular afternoon, 00:17.600 --> 00:23.880 no one, neither scientist nor spiritualist, pretends to understand it. 00:23.880 --> 00:29.080 It was in a movie house that the thing happened, in the Lowes State Theater in Norfolk. 00:29.080 --> 00:31.840 And the day was September 15, 1930. 00:31.840 --> 00:34.320 The talkies were little more than a toy then. 00:34.320 --> 00:37.480 Travelogues had been made and fight-a-phone shorts, of course. 00:37.480 --> 00:40.920 But the day of full-length features had only just dawned. 00:40.920 --> 00:46.360 Hence, as the feature began, the audience leaned forward in their seats with eager anticipation. 00:46.360 --> 00:49.760 And on the screen flashed the name of the film and the credits. 00:49.760 --> 00:56.200 The Sea Wolf, adapted from the novel by Jack London, starring Milton Sills. 00:56.200 --> 01:01.760 Up in their box at the rear of the theater, the operator and George's assistant sat side by side, 01:01.760 --> 01:06.160 their eyes on the screen below, anticipating an hour or so of pure enjoyment, 01:06.160 --> 01:10.680 their ears tuned to the smooth, familiar, automatic click of the projector. 01:10.680 --> 01:15.000 But they were doomed to disappointment, for something unforeseen was taking place. 01:15.000 --> 01:17.360 Mr. Sandtrak, George, something must be wrong with it. 01:17.360 --> 01:20.880 No, neither words nor music were audible in the theater. 01:20.880 --> 01:24.160 Already the audience was beginning to express its annoyance. 01:24.160 --> 01:27.120 The operator and his assistant worked feverishly over the sound unit, 01:27.120 --> 01:29.960 examined every possible source of trouble. 01:29.960 --> 01:32.920 And after five minutes, the operator shook his head in perplexity. 01:32.920 --> 01:36.800 I can't find it, George, I give up. Let's hold out the emergency unit. 01:36.800 --> 01:40.800 So they flashed the placard on the screen, requesting the audience to be patient. 01:40.800 --> 01:45.200 And then they connected the emergency sound unit and started the film from the beginning. 01:45.200 --> 01:47.880 Once again, the spectators grew quiet. 01:47.880 --> 01:50.120 But within an instant, both men were on their feet. 01:50.120 --> 01:53.720 George, there's still no sound. The emergency unit doesn't work either. 01:53.720 --> 02:00.080 Three and a half hours later, the two men were still bent over the sound equipment. 02:00.080 --> 02:02.880 The patrons had long since filed out of the theater. 02:02.880 --> 02:08.800 And if they had not finally given up hope, the operator and his assistant might still be there. 02:08.800 --> 02:14.880 For neither they nor anyone else was ever able to determine the mechanical cause of the trouble. 02:14.880 --> 02:19.120 And then on the following afternoon, when the men went back on duty, 02:19.120 --> 02:24.600 both were wondering whether the cause was mechanical, for both had seen the morning papers. 02:24.600 --> 02:26.760 You read about it then, huh, George? 02:26.760 --> 02:30.880 It couldn't have had anything to do with that soundtrack, could it? 02:30.880 --> 02:35.120 But if it didn't, it's the craziest coincidence I ever heard of. 02:35.120 --> 02:38.320 Two sound units go on to blink for no reason at all. 02:38.320 --> 02:45.320 And at the same time, on the same afternoon, Milton Seals, the star of the movie, dies. 02:45.320 --> 02:53.560 Yes, on the afternoon of September 15, 1930, the career of the illustrious Milton Seals came to an end. 02:53.560 --> 02:56.920 As the audience in a theater in Norfolk, Virginia walked away, 02:56.920 --> 03:00.640 bitterly disappointed because they had failed to hear the star's voice, 03:00.640 --> 03:05.520 the star himself lay on his deathbed in Hollywood, California. 03:05.520 --> 03:10.360 Hard as it may be to believe that there could be a real connection between the two events, 03:10.360 --> 03:14.520 it is still harder to believe that it was mere coincidence. 03:14.520 --> 03:19.240 Whatever the explanation, the fact remains that the incidents did occur simultaneously, 03:19.240 --> 03:21.720 and that in itself is a fact. 03:21.720 --> 03:44.720 Incredible but true.