When did the silent film era begin and when did it end?

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Zazu Pitts, Gibson Gowland, and Hughie Mack in a dramatic scene from the silent film Greed (1924); Gowland stands center, supported by Pitts and Mack on either side. — Silent film era (From left) Zasu Pitts, Gibson Gowland, and Hughie Mack in the silent film *Greed* (1924), directed by Erich von Stroheim.

The silent film era began in the mid-1890s, a period when motion pictures emerged as a popular commercial entertainment medium.1

The transition away from silent films toward "talkies" began in the mid-1920s, a process significantly accelerated by the release of The Jazz Singer in 1927, which was the first feature-length film to include synchronized dialogue. By the early 1930s, sound films had become the industry standard across the United States and Europe. However, it is important to note that the silent film era persisted for a few years longer in Asian film productions.1