Earlier crude sound-on-disc and sound-on-cylinder systems had been invented 1894–1914 by Thomas Edison (Kinetophone, Kinetophonograph), Cameraphone in the US, Gaumont (Chronomegaphone) and Pathé in France, and others, but they were only used for short films.
On April 27, Griffith and Ralph Graves filmed and recorded their respective sound segments at Orlando Kellum's Photokinema office at 203 West 40th Street.
[2][3] The premiere of the sound version of Dream Street took place on May 2, 1921 at Town Hall in New York City with Griffith's introduction.
On May 15, the film also featured two other short sound sequences — Ralph Graves singing, and background noise in a scene showing a craps game.
Phonokinema was soon overshadowed by the Lee De Forest Phonofilm sound-on-film system which premiered in New York City on 15 April 1923.