October 31, 1953 & 1965…Two Color Television Firsts!
October 31, 1953 & 1965…Two Color Television Firsts!
On October 31, 1953, NBC broadcast the first one hour color program to the full network. The production was a truncated version of the opera, “Carmen”. It was done from NBC/RCA’s only color facility, The Colonial Theater in New York.
At the time, the only color transmitter was an experimental model at WNBT in New York, but the goal was not measure how many people saw it in color…the goal was to measure how well the millions of monochrome sets received the “color compatible” signal.
The cameras used were the four RCA TK40 prototypes. The one hour presentation also included an audio trick or two. In passages where the vocal performance was critical, but extreme movement in dance numbers was too, look-alike actors were subtly inserted on stage to dance and lip synch while the principal operatic stars sang off stage. The principals would quietly return to stage and sing in more static shots.
On October 31, 1965, “The Ed Sullivan Show” debuted in color from its home at CBS Studio 50, with at least four new Norelco PC60s. On a few occasions before this, the show had been colorcast, but those were done from Television City, when the show was visiting the west coast.
18 months later, Studio 50 was re-equipped with Marconi Mark VII color cameras. Hallow Happyween! -Bobby Ellerbee
I understand CBS had originally planned to keep Ed in black & white for the 1965-66 season, but he kicked up a fuss.
I believe Ed Sullivan’s show, when it went to color on a full time basis, originating from the Broadcast Center for a spell. I think it was the fall of 1965, but not sure for how long, but until Studio 50 was fully ready. CBS must have put portable bleachers in 41 or 42. Also, if I am not mistaken, didn’t CBS broadcast at least one color episode of all of their NY originating live programs from Studio 72 in the 1950s in an experiment?
I wonder if it was publicized that the show was in color? I would guess many viewers would have called their local TV station asking why they were not seeing it in color.
Must have been so exciting to transition from B/W to color…