In 1927, the film industry exploded with the Warner Bros. release of the world’s first synchronized-sound feature film, The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson. “Talking pictures” became the rage, and in 1930, Warner Bros. Theatres, Inc. of New York assumed ownership of the theatre from Manos Enterprises. During that era, the major film production companies owned hundreds of theatres to ensure that their films were seen throughout the country. The increasing popularity of motion pictures soon replaced vaudeville, and the industry experienced tremendous growth throughout the next decades. Scores of area natives still fondly remember spending Saturdays at the Manos, watching cartoons and movies for hours. Warner Bros. Theatres went through its own growth cycle, with a series of name changes and mergers over the years, evolving into RKO-Stanley Warner Theaters, Inc. by the early 1970s.