50 years ago today - Dec 9, 1970

[First Presidency to Temple Presidents]

Consideration has been given to the various methods of presenting the endowment ceremonies in the temples. We have learned that in some temples the endowment ceremony has been given by voice on tapes alone, where no picture is shown by film or slide nor by live dramatization. After giving careful consideration to this matter, we now request that hereafter the endowment not be presented merely by tape recordings. We are certain that some reflection on this matter will convince you that this is the least effective method of teaching and that other methods are much more satisfactory both for those going through for their own endowments or as proxies for those deceased.

[Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, and N. Eldon Tanner to temple presidents, Dec. 9, 1970, copy in Buerger Papers, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship]