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Next » The BBC’s State Of The Art Television…1956
On August 4, 2014
- TV History
The BBC’s State Of The Art Television…1956
On the 10th Anniversary of the return to the air after World War II, here is a look at the history of television in The UK. From the early Emitron cameras to the Marconi BD 848 color cameras and even zoom lenses, it’s all here.
By the way, the Emitron would be the general equivalent to the Iconoscope and as you’ll see, the Marconi color camera looks a lot like the RCA TK41. Having started with Marconi as a boy, David Sarnoff had a soft spot for them and shared not only the TK41 design, but the TK30 plans too back in 1946. Enjoy and share!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G36AaMDFdM
A Panorama programme from June 1956, with Richard Dimbleby, showing a behind the scenes view of technological advances in BBC Television. Showing the studios…
Theatrical Television
On August 4, 2014
- TV History
New Article From Richard Wirth…”Theatrical Television”
The subject this time is Theatrical Television and explores the early days of TV when is was thought it might replace motion picture film. Now, almost 85 years after those first attempts, that day has finally come. What took it so long? Read Richard’s perspective on the answer to that at this link. Enjoy and share!
August 4, 1987…FCC Rescinds Fairness Doctrine
On August 4, 2014
- TV History
August 4, 1987…FCC Rescinds Fairness Doctrine
My Thoughts On The State Of Broadcasting Today…An Editorial
I don’t often climb on my soapbox, but today…I’m going to. I’ve wanted to write about the condition of broadcasting for a while and with this historically significant date at hand, now seems to be as good a time as any.
Like it or not, we can thank the republicans for much of the carnage in radio and television. Ironically, it was the administration of ‘The Great Communicator”, Ronald Reagan that proved once again that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The fun began when Reagan appointed Mark Fowler as head of the FCC in 1980. Fowler was a communications lawyer, but worked with the Reagan For President Committees in 1976 and 1980. He was a big supporter of deregulation, as much of the Reagan clan was.
Under Fowler, the number of television stations any single entity could own grew from seven in 1981 to 12 in 1985. In 1985, and guidelines for minimal amounts of non-entertainment programming are abolished and FCC guidelines on how much advertising can be carried per hour are eliminated. Before this the rule was 8 minutes per hour…today, it’s around 18.
Soon after he became FCC Chairman under President Reagan, Michael Fowler stated his desire to do away with the Fairness Doctrine and on this day in 1987, the “Fairness Doctrine” was eliminated. At its founding the FCC viewed the stations, to which it granted licenses, as “public trustee” and required that they made every reasonable attempt to cover contrasting points of views and present balanced coverage of controversial issues. This was the last time the news in America was actually “fair and balanced”. Sound familiar?
The number of big media companies in the US was already shrinking from around 80 in 1960 to around 50 in 1990, but there was more to come. By the way, if Murdoch’s News Corp is allowed to buy Time Warner, we will go from 6 big television companies to 5.
The biggest mistake ever made in US broadcast history was when President Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The bill was written by South Dakota’s Republican Senator Larry Pressler.
At the time, the 104th Congress was controlled by the republicans and Newt Gingrich was in charge. They shut down the government twice, passed bills like the Defense Of Marriage Act and could pass just about anything they wanted as they controlled both the House and Senate.
This 1996 law is generally regarded as one of the most important pieces of legislation regulating media ownership ever written. Under this, the radio industry experienced unprecedented consolidation after the 40-station ownership cap is lifted. Clear Channel Communications owns 1200 stations, in all 50 states reaching more than 110 million listeners every week. Television is not in any better shape.
With unlimited ownership and no fairness doctrine in place, Clear Channel took most of thier AM stations talk and gave the Rush Limbaugh’s of the world a stage like no one had ever seen.
I’ve been in radio and television for 50 years and have to admit that I have not listed to terrestrial radio since satellite radio became available about 15 years ago. That in itself is a pretty sad commentary on the state of media in the US. – Bobby Ellerbee
Aside from the facts, this is just my opinion and you may agree or disagree, but I remind you to keep your comments civil. Enjoy and share.
Fascinating, First Hand Television History…
On August 3, 2014
- TV History
Fascinating, First Hand Television History…
As mentioned in the previous post, here is Jerry Lewis discussing the Martin & Lewis years on ‘The Colgate Comedy Hour. Enjoy and share!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOnXZDjyPqI
Full interview at www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/jerry-lewis
‘The Colgate Comedy Hour’…Live From The El Capitan Theater
On August 3, 2014
- TV History
‘The Colgate Comedy Hour’…Live From The El Capitan Theater
NBC’s studios at Sunset and Vine in Hollywood were built in 1938 for radio and didn’t have much space for big television productions. Taking a cue their brothers in New York, they began to do remotes from local theaters. One of these theaters was the El Capitan which many of us know better as The Hollywood Palace.
With the advent of the cross country AT&T television connection in early 1952, NBC and CBS started doing some shows from Los Angeles because this gave them a new pool of stars to work with. Many movie stars didn’t want to do television…fist because it was live and television and second, because they would have to go to New York.
I don’t know if NBC ever installed a control room at The El Capitan but they did this show from there, and others, for five years so I suspect they did. Anyone know?
As you’ll hear Jerry Lewis say in the next post, ‘The Colgate Comedy Hour’ rotated hosts as not to burn them out. The show rotated coasts as well with some coming from The International Theater (home of ‘Your Show Of Shows’) in New York and some from The El Capitan. A few were done from Chicago with Jan Murray as the host.
Ironically, the theater was also named The Jerry Lewis Theater for about six months just before his disastrous ninety minute Saturday night talk show on ABC in 1963. That lasted just thirteen weeks and in a panic to fill the time, and the theater they just bought, ABC developed ‘The Hollywood Place’.
The History Of The RCA TK12 / TK60…Hard Decisions All Around
On August 3, 2014
- TV History
The History Of The RCA TK12 / TK60…Hard Decisions All Around
Since we’ve seen a lot of the RCA TK60 this week, especially in the TAMI Show footage and in the new James Brown movie, I thought you would like to see that great camera in it’s original form.
Above is the RCA TK12, the name under which it was introduced at the 1960 NAB Convention. Notice the side doors are made of the same metal mesh used on the top of the RCA TK42. This was great for ventilation, but not sturdy enough or practical for field use. Had the doors remained like this, perhaps the heat problems would not have been a factor, but when buyers asked for hard doors, they got them…and a heat problem.
The camera debuted eight years after the TK 11’s introduction and was the first of the ‘New Look’ line. In ’61, RCA began shipping the cameras and added the hard doors, a dome tally light and they moved the front tally lights to just under the turret, but no top vent was added yet.
Another problem was the weight of the 5 1/2 inch Image Orthicon focus sled inside. It was to heavy for the light weight pulley cables and when the camera tilted too far up or down, the sled would slide and lose focus.
By ’63 the heat and the other problems were overcome with the addition of the the top exhaust fan, and that is when it was renamed the TK60. Why 60? Well, as would be the case later with the TK76 ENG camera that came out in 1976, RCA decided to name it for the year it debuted…1960.
This camera came about at a very transitional time in television. In 1960, NBC was working its way to becoming a full color network and many of the well-heeled affiliates were purchasing RCA TK 41 color cameras. In ’62, RCA debuted the first version of the TK42 but it was not in its final form and in production till ’65…the same year Norelco introduced their Plumbicon PC60. Oops. To make it even more interesting, RCA stopped making the TK41 in 1964.
In 1960, RCA knew there was still a need for a good black and white workhorse camera and the first of the ”new look’ cameras was born! RCA engineer Harry Wright had a hand in its now famous look and was responsible for carrying that look to the TK42s, 44s, 45s and 47s.
Had RCA been quicker on the draw in 1961 getting the heat problems addressed faster, there may have been more sold, but by ’63, it was late in the game and the full color wave was beginning to build… stations were torn on what to do. Buy new monochrome cameras that would be outdated in a few years, or hold on a year or so and go to the PC60 or TK42, or buy TK41s while they still could. I suspect everyone knew that the TK60 would be the last monochrome camera RCA made.
Once the TK 60 finally came to the market, sales were good but not great. They made great pictures and did so for many years into the color era. In fact, many stations continued to originate local programs in black and white long after the networks offered all color programming. It was not unusual for stations to broadcast local shows in monochrome using a combination of color and black and white cameras.
For more pictures and info on the TK60s, follow this link the Eyes Of A Generation’s main site. Enjoy and share!
Rare! RCA TK41C Brochure
On August 3, 2014
- TV History
Bobby Ellerbee with his collection of vintage television cameras. (photo by Parker Clayton Smith)
Rare! RCA TK41C Brochure
For those of us that love the big silver beast, here is a link to a catalog write up from RCA in the early 60s, courtesy of our friend Steve McVoy at The Early Television Foundation and Museum. Enjoy and share!
John Vassos and RCA ‘Television’
On August 2, 2014
- TV History
John Vassos and RCA ‘Television’
If you look where Milton’s hand is, you are also seeing the hand of one of America’s first industrial designers…John Vassos.
The ‘Television’ and ‘Color Television’ badges that adorn all the early RCA cameras and telecine equipment was designed by Mr. Vassos. The classic look and style of the TK40/41 was also a part of his contribution to form and function as he was consulted on the final look of the camera.
Vassos came to the attention of David Sarnoff a few years before the opening of the 1939 World’s Fair and was chosen to design the RCA Pavillion there, but his work extended into the design of the television sets on display there and even to the look of the first RCA Mobile Units which had a lot of Vassos art deco chrome stylings.
I think he also had a hand in the look of the TK10, TK30 and TK11/31s. The chrome lined red striping on the TK10s is very Vassos looking. He also had a hand in the look of RCA’s radio receivers and was the first to design an RCA cabinet unit that contained a radio, television and phonograph player.
Compatible Color TV Announcement…December 19, 1953
On August 2, 2014
- TV History
Compatible Color TV Announcement…December 19, 1953
‘Your Show Of Shows’ was NBC’s top rated show and that’s where they chose to make this announcement on Saturday night, December 19, 1953. The decision had come down from the FCC that Thursday afternoon and capped a multi year court battle which pitted the CBS backed Field Sequential System against RCA’s Dot Sequential System. Richard Harkness reports.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojJCJIaDp9Q
Airing during Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows”, NBC spokesman Richard Harkness announced that RCA had won the “compatible color television” standards fight …
Great WGN Photo Album…Over Two Dozen Rare Photos
On August 2, 2014
- TV History
Great WGN Photo Album…Over Two Dozen Rare Photos
Since April 5, 1948, WGN has been one of the few independent broadcasters in the US, but has done well. From sports to kids shows, and everything in between, WGN has covered a lot of ground and you’ll see a lot of that history here. Enjoy and share!
http://galleries.apps.chicagotribune.com/chi-vintage-wgn-tv-photos-20140416/
Vintage: WGN-TV — Chicago Tribune
WGN Television, whose call letters are derived from the Chicago Tribune’s first slogan, “World’s Greatest Newspaper”, hit the airwaves on April 5, 1948. “Not long ago, people said it couldn’t happen,” the Trib noted of the station’s debut. “But last night, with the speed of light, a stellar program…
Saved From The Cutting Room Floor…”If I Only Had A Heart”
On August 2, 2014
- TV History
Saved From The Cutting Room Floor…”If I Only Had A Heart”
Few know that Buddy Ebsen was the original TIn Man in ‘The Wizard Of Oz’. Actually he was cast as The Scarecrow, but with the directors permission, he and Ray Bolger swapped roles. Only a few photos and a this super rare recording of him in that role exist.
This photo shows him in full makeup and that’s what almost killed him…the makeup, which was mostly an aluminum powder. After a few weeks of inhaling the powder, he had a violent reaction and was rushed to the hospital where he stayed for nearly a month. He was replaced by Jack Haley and the aluminum powder was changed to an aluminum paste.
As I understand it, “If I Only Had A Heart”, The TIn Man’s only solo was recorded by Ebsen the day before his collapse on the set. I have heard that Ebsen’s voice is intact on at least one of the many reprises of “We’re Off To See The Wizard”.
‘The Munsters’…Unaired Color Pilot And Some Surprises!
On August 1, 2014
- TV History
‘The Munsters’…Unaired Color Pilot And Some Surprises!
What do ‘The Musters’ and ‘Leave It To Beaver’ have in common?
The two men that produced ‘The Munsters’…Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher…that’s what. They created ‘Leave It To Beaver’ and before that, wrote over 1,500 episodes of ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy.
Here’s another surprise…the show only ran for two seasons! Seems much longer than that doesn’t it? Season one started September 24, 1964 with 38 episodes. Season two ended May 12, 1966 with the 32nd episode.
The link at the top takes you to the color pilot of the show which is in two parts. Yvonne DeCarlo as Lilly and Butch Patrick as Eddie were added after the pilot replacing Joan Marshal as Phoebe Munster. Patrick replaced Happy Derman as Eddie. The screen credits are a couple of minutes in. Enjoy and share!
Pretty Maids All In A Row…
On August 1, 2014
- TV History
Pretty Maids All In A Row…
Last month I posted the other four pix from this ABC event at Pebble Beach in the late 60s, but just found this fifth photo I had forgotten about. These are the dozen TK41Cs that Roone Arlidge ordered for ABC in 1966.
RCA had orders for a dozen more from production houses and TV stations that they had been holding till they could get a run of at least 24 and when the ABC order came, the did the last TK41 run.
On the left is the nose of a TK60 used for graphics and in the distance are a dozen Norelco PC60s.
The Ultimate Mailbox For A Television Guy…
On August 1, 2014
- TV History
The Ultimate Mailbox For A Television Guy…
A friend in Indiana is in the used broadcast gear business and has put some of his obsolete inventory to good use. Enjoy and share!
‘Queen For A Day’ ABC Hollywood
On July 31, 2014
- TV History
‘Queen For A Day’
Here is the ABC Hollywood crew for the show with a few of the iconic white ABC TK30s around 1949. One of the show’s telecast locations was the Earl Carroll Theater on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood and that’s where this photo was taken. In 1953, it was renamed The Moulin Rouge Theater and is called that in the show’s intro in the video below.
Ken Murray hosted the original radio version of the show on the Mutual–Don Lee Radio Network but on April 30, 1945, it came to ABC radio in New York City and when it moved, Jack Bailey became the host. A few months into the new show, it was moved back to Hollywood. The show aired five days a week, during the daytime and came to television in 1948. It was simulcast on ABC radio and television from 1948 -1955.
NBC picked up the show for national broadcast from January 3, 1956 to September 2, 1960 and it aired live at 4:30 EST. The show went back to ABC on September 5, 1960 and ran there until the final broadcast on October 2, 1964. Thanks to Chuck Pharis for the photo.
‘Person To Person’…Edward R Murrow Visits Robert F Kennedy
On July 31, 2014
- TV History
‘Person To Person’…Edward R Murrow Visits Robert F Kennedy
Murrow’s fifth season of ‘Person To Person’ debuted the evening of September 13, 1957 at 10:30. His first guest of the new season was Julie London, from her North Hollywood home.
The final fifteen minutes came from the Kennedy home in McLean, Virginia where a four camera crew was set up for the live interview with lawyer Robert F. Kennedy, who was then Counsel for the Senate Rackets Committee. Robert and his wife Ethel, their five children and a number of pets appeared with Morrow.
Here’s a photo from that night taken as Murrow was wrapping up the London interview and about to throw to the Kennedys. The cameraman reminds me of NBC’s David Brinkley. Enjoy and share!
July 31, 1995…The Circuit Is Reversed As Disney Buys ABC
On July 31, 2014
- TV History
July 31, 1995…The Circuit Is Reversed As Disney Buys ABC
Did you know that in the beginning, ABC invested in Disney?
In the early 1950’s, Walt Disney sought corporate sponsorship for his Mickey Mouse themed amusement park. Desperate to trump its more established competitors, the American Broadcasting Company, stepped in as one of Disneyland’s primary sponsors. Following a $500,000 investment to subsidize Disneyland’s construction, the ABC network received a 35% share of park profits and exclusive programming from Walt Disney Studios.
The sponsorship immediately paid dividends. In 1954 the ABC network began televising ‘Disneyland’, a series of hour long specials, which featured old Disney Films, studio documentaries and new Disney Studio features. The extremely popular Davy Crockett debuted on the Disneyland series, when “Davy Crockett, the Indian Fighter” aired in December 1954. The popularity of Disney programming boosted ABC’s ratings, and when Disneyland park opened in July of 1955, ABC aired the special event live.
Walt Disney continued to host the ‘Disneyland’ series, which was renamed ‘Walt Disney Presents’ in 1958. ABC aired the successful programs until 1961. A dispute over Disneyland profits and the ability to broadcast in color, pushed Walt Disney to move to NBC, where Disney hosted ‘Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color’, appearing on NBC until his death in 1966.
On July 31, 1995, Walt Disney Co. agreed to acquire Capital Cities-ABC Inc. in a $19 billion deal. The rest as they say “is history”. Enjoy and share!
Sports Television History…April 17, 1965
On July 30, 2014
- TV History
Sports Television History…April 17, 1965
In the photo, we see Leo Durocher welcoming Jackie Robinson to television in the brand new Shea Stadium. On April 17, 1965, Robinson became the first black network broadcaster for Major League Baseball.
In 1965, ABC provided the first-ever nationwide baseball coverage with weekly Saturday broadcasts on a regional basis. ABC paid $5.7 million for the rights to the 28 Saturday/holiday Games of the Week. ABC’s deal covered all of the teams except the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, who had their own television deals with NBC and CBS. The agreement called for two regionalized games on Saturdays, Independence Day, and Labor Day.
Each Saturday, ABC would broadcast two 2 p.m. games and one 5 p.m. game for the Pacific Time Zone. ABC blacked out the games in the home cities of the clubs playing those games. At the end of the season, ABC declined to exercise its $6.5 million option for 1966, citing poor ratings, especially in New York. Enjoy and share!
Now THIS Is RARE! NBC Studio 5HN…TK41 Equipped
On July 29, 2014
- TV History
Now THIS Is RARE! NBC Studio 5HN…TK41 Equipped
This is the only photo that I know of that shows a camera in NBC’s 5HN. I’ve searched my files for this photo for weeks and just found it last night. This is the breaking news studio on the 5th floor at NBC NY.
After the Kennedy assassination in November of ’63 caught all of the networks unable to go to air with a live, on camera report, NBC decided to make Studio 5H a full time, always hot studio and renamed it 5HN. I think it may have originally been equipped with at least one RCA TK30 which was always on and ready.
It was probably sometime after 1965 that the studio got an RCA TK41 color camera which would be replaced around 1967 with one of the two RCA TK43s RCA left behind after their one time use on the November ’66 midterm election coverage from 8H.
Although it’s use on the network was occasional, WNBC used this studio nightly for a 2AM news update. I don’t remember where this photo came from, but there was a note with it that says this was taken in 1973. If that’s true, I would imagine that once the TK43 wore out, it was replaced by one of the many surplus TK41s NBC had in storage. If you know more and are able to add to this, please do! Enjoy and share!
ULTRA RARE! Inside NBC Radio Studio 6B In 1947…
On July 28, 2014
- TV History
ULTRA RARE! Inside NBC Radio Studio 6B In 1947…
Thanks to Alex Cumming, here is the only footage I have ever seen that puts us inside Studio 6B as a radio studio. This is our first and only trip into the stage side control room too.
This is the rehearsal, and later the broadcast of ‘The Bell Telephone Hour’. The conductor is Donald Voorhees, and the chief announcer is Floyd Mack. At around 15:45, announcer Tom Shirley steps in for a three minute Bell System spot.
The featured guest are singers Ezio Pinza and Blanche Thebom. This film was made to show in movie theaters as a promotion for the radio show. Enjoy and share!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT6BN_GnnWI
See more from the AT&T Archives at http://techchannel.att.com/archives Note that audio problems from 11:25 – 11:40 were present in the original source materi…
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