Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!nstn.ns.ca!news.cs.indiana.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!bu.edu!telecom-request From: sjr@m-net.ann-arbor.mi.us (Sander J. Rabinowitz) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Early Color Television Message-ID: Date: 22 Feb 91 21:23:58 GMT Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu Reply-To: sjr@mcimail.com Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 46 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 150, Message 8 of 8 SJR> sjr@m-net.ann-arbor.mi.us (Sander J. Rabinowitz) SW> syd@dsi.com (Syd Weinstein) (Feb 21, '91) SJR> What I find amazing was that there was technology to _record_ color TV SJR> through videotape in the early 50's. I believe that was done with the SJR> late Mary Martin's "Peter Pan" TV special in 1954, and that has got to SJR> be the earliest videotape on record. SW> Ok, I know this is off the track, but perhaps Pat will let one more SW> in before he closes the door ... Pat, if you must close this topic, what Usenet newsgroup would be more appropriate? I'd like to continue this, if I can. SW> Mary Martin's special in 1954 was not video taped at all. It was in SW> black and white. As was the second one (I think 57, but I am unsure). SW> The third one was in color, and that is the tape that was restored. (SJR looks embarassed) I have to admit I got taken in. Being born in the 60's has its advantages, but this is not one of them. I had been watching an obituary report on Mary Martin when she died last year, and it showed the color version of Peter Pan with the announcer stating it was sometime in the 50's. Further research does indicate that Mary Martin did Peter Pan at least twice ... once in 1955 (not in '54, my mistake), and once again in 1956; both times were for NBC's Producers Showcase. I'm surprised either of these weren't in color, given RCA's push for color broadcasting then. SW> It [the Mary Martin Special] was done in 1960 (I may be off a year SW> or two) and was recorded in 'low band color', the first color recording SW> technique. Is it possible the 1956 version _could have_ used this technique, or is even this too early? Sorry for misleading anyone on the net. Sander J. Rabinowitz | sjr@mcimail.com -or- | +1 313 478 6358 Farmington Hills, Mich. | sander@attmail.com | 8-) [Moderator's Note: rec.video is a good place to continue. Thanks. PAT]