Happy 75th birthday BBC TV. I just love this song, beautiful Adele Dixon, lovely voice and no hand held microphone obscuring the face,which todays ' artistes ' need.Such is progress !!.
I absolutely know that there was a dramatized British mini-series about the early days of TV in England, it was shown on PBS in 1985 or 86 and I distinctly remember this song being sung in it, but I cannot find any reference to it online. I'm not sure of the name of the show, and I looked through all of the Masterpiece Theater presentations from that year. Does anyone know what this show was?
@ToyTiger - I also remember that TV programme. As I recall it covered both the Bard and EMI systems. I remember a bit about how the chemicals from the Bard syastem leaked over the dress of the singer. Can't remember the name of the programme though - sorry
I suspect that is indeed the drama he was after; just in case the link doesn't work (it didn't for me, though when I found it, it was that link) - it's called "The Fools On The Hill", with that quirky sense of humour the BBC still allowed about itself in the 1980s. (The hill being the one on which Alexandra Palace, where the transmitter and studios were, stood.)
I suspect that is indeed the drama he was after; just in case the link doesn't work (it didn't for me, though when I found it, it was that link) - it's called "The Fools On The Hill", with that quirky sense of humour the BBC still allowed about itself in the 1980s. (The hill being the one on which Alexandra Palace, where the transmitter and studios were, stood.)
@AndrewJimScott - Television as we know it was not really invented by one person, but it was developed in the UK from the EMI-Marconi electronic system and adopted by the BBC soon after the experimental transmissions of 1936, in preference to the unsatisfactory mechanical system promoted by John Logie Baird.
I wish that someone would have thought of filming the story of how the Ampex Corporation built the first Quadruplex VTR, the VRX-1000. Consider that 2-inch "Quad" was the STANDARD for recording broadcast video for 30-odd years!
I spent weeks in Berlin archives to watch all the still existing footage from the early era of german television (1935-1944) for university. It's really great to see some 1930's TV stuff without Nazis. Thank you for posting this. The song is awesome.
There's a website called 'Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia' that has the story of the first TV station in Philly, if you want to know what those actors went through, it's there.
Farnsworth didn't invent the electronic television. It was invented and patented by Hungarian Kálmán Tihanyi in 1926. The later Farnsworth system proved to a blind alley, Factories have never produced the Farnsworth system. Tihanyi's earlier invention of the predecessor of all modern electronic system. UNESCO (United Nations) the patent offices and Nobel Comitee created the award: MEMORY OFTHE WORLD. They considered Tihanyi as the inventor
Sorry , he was not the inventor of electronic television. Hungarian Kálmán Tihanyi invented the electronic tv in 1926. UNESCO MEMORY OF THE WORLD Check it!
Has anyone posted the song that was sung to inaugurate the mechanical broadcasting in England in 1934. It was a jauntier tune called "Here's Looking at You." When these clips were presented on "Television" on PBS, they were chopped up mercilessly, and Edwin Newman talked over everything. They seemed to think that Americans don't want to see more than five consecutive seconds of any historic footage.
If you search for "The BBC Story - Sound On, Vision On", and click on the first result, you will find some very interesting video clips, including "Here's Looking at You" and the full version of 'Television Comes to London', i.e. the film here.
Always good to see the "Television Song". Regarding Sarnoff's shame,elements of RCA AND Farnsworth technology were enjoined by EMI in the UK. Some Sarnoff centered TV histories would basically have one believing that the EMI system was basically a down market RCA 336line system.The EMI cameras are smaller,more in line with the compacness of a Farnsworth unit of the same era. Either way, the BBC was up and running with a fully formed service before the NBC network had gotten out of the labs.
Hi, I wonder why most Americans think the US did television first? I learned that the BBC was first from watching a program called 'Television' that ran on PBS..I was suprised to learn that Germany and Russia were also doing TV broadcasts. Sarnoff and RCA, shame on them. Sarnoff could not give credit where credit is due, it seems.
In August 1936 (3 months before the official opening of the Television Service) Elizabeth Cowell presented experimental BBC transmissions from the Alexandra Palace studios to the Radio Exhibition held at Olympia in London.
Thanks for the info making me do my homework. The service started on November 2nd 1936. I'm sure you must have seen the wonderful colour footage of Alexandra Palace & Radio Olympia on You Tube. The Radio Olympia Exhibition is advertised for August & September in this film,is of course the event to which you refer. They seem to have had a studio within the exhibition with Mr Middleton talking about growing Dahlias. I wonder if this was CCTV, or was actually transmitted. Fantastic footage.
So they rolled their Rs in those days
Williamottelucas 3 weeks ago
Pip Pip olde chap! Cheers!
Glinkaism1 3 months ago
I think you'll find the words are: "A mighty maze of mystic magic rays is all about us in the BLUE" . . .
:-)
Good song that!
OldVideoPro 3 months ago
Happy 75th birthday BBC TV. I just love this song, beautiful Adele Dixon, lovely voice and no hand held microphone obscuring the face,which todays ' artistes ' need.Such is progress !!.
flammasherman 4 months ago
BBC television! Happy 75th birthday today 2/11/2011 ,
frglee 4 months ago
Happy 75th Birthday, BBCtv!
Thanks for sharing!
96actually 4 months ago
Comment removed
tigrelle 4 months ago
Note the camera crew and studio technicians wearing lab coats. Pioneering days they were. Fabulous.
mlcmuk 10 months ago
I absolutely know that there was a dramatized British mini-series about the early days of TV in England, it was shown on PBS in 1985 or 86 and I distinctly remember this song being sung in it, but I cannot find any reference to it online. I'm not sure of the name of the show, and I looked through all of the Masterpiece Theater presentations from that year. Does anyone know what this show was?
ToyTiger 1 year ago
@ToyTiger - I also remember that TV programme. As I recall it covered both the Bard and EMI systems. I remember a bit about how the chemicals from the Bard syastem leaked over the dress of the singer. Can't remember the name of the programme though - sorry
SwingBandHeaven 1 year ago
@ToyTiger
Is this - youtube.com/watch?v=SREEaOrtaJE
the Drama you were looking for?
MrElliotpaige 1 year ago
@MrElliotpaige
I suspect that is indeed the drama he was after; just in case the link doesn't work (it didn't for me, though when I found it, it was that link) - it's called "The Fools On The Hill", with that quirky sense of humour the BBC still allowed about itself in the 1980s. (The hill being the one on which Alexandra Palace, where the transmitter and studios were, stood.)
G6JPG 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@MrElliotpaige
I suspect that is indeed the drama he was after; just in case the link doesn't work (it didn't for me, though when I found it, it was that link) - it's called "The Fools On The Hill", with that quirky sense of humour the BBC still allowed about itself in the 1980s. (The hill being the one on which Alexandra Palace, where the transmitter and studios were, stood.)
G6JPG 8 months ago
The Emitron cameras were surprisingly compact.
albertusj 1 year ago
If I could go back and be born in 1908 and be old enough to experience the times of the 20's/30's/40's I'd do it in an instant. Awesome video!
GermanScheisser 1 year ago
if it wasnt for the second world war the world would be such a different place and tv would have probably gone color many years before it did
sallyfieldrequired 1 year ago
She sounds like snow white.
2010mustang2 1 year ago
Who composed this lovely song? Anyone know?
BRENDANGCARROLL 2 years ago
cool
willandscabbers 2 years ago
all terribly polite
good to see full version....
pahoboye 2 years ago 2
Thanks for posting this, all I have heard is short snippits. A milepost in British history.
baldgit646 2 years ago 2
Can't help but feel a sad bit of nostalgic pain ;(..
Being British, can't help feeling that as a nation we've gone backwards since these days.
We INVENTED television, for God's sake.
And Cast Iron, Telephone, Radio, Steam Engine, Jet Engine, Harrier Jump Jet, Hovercraft, Rader, Sonar...
Now, it seems, everything is done better, and cheaper, by everyone else. All the stuff WE invented.
What the hell went wrong?
Am I proud to be British? I would have been in a past life, not any more.
tombowie83 2 years ago
The scottish actually invented the television.
AndrewJimScott 2 years ago
Er, so Scotland isn't a part of Great Britain? Oh dear!
68023W 2 years ago 2
I don't get you.
AndrewJimScott 2 years ago
@AndrewJimScott - Television as we know it was not really invented by one person, but it was developed in the UK from the EMI-Marconi electronic system and adopted by the BBC soon after the experimental transmissions of 1936, in preference to the unsatisfactory mechanical system promoted by John Logie Baird.
EditorJohn 9 months ago 2
We went from enchantment to Jerry Springer.
albear972 2 years ago
Don't forget Lost and the Simpsons = )
Josh3455 2 years ago
Who is the singer ?
miguelmouta 2 years ago
I think its Adele Dixon.
vinylseat 2 years ago
I wish that someone would have thought of filming the story of how the Ampex Corporation built the first Quadruplex VTR, the VRX-1000. Consider that 2-inch "Quad" was the STANDARD for recording broadcast video for 30-odd years!
kimberlyKfnOphiEAGLE 2 years ago
The Secret Life of Machines - VCR part 2 shows the early developments of 2 inch Quad including some of the early Ampex recordings.
AshB1973 2 years ago
I spent weeks in Berlin archives to watch all the still existing footage from the early era of german television (1935-1944) for university. It's really great to see some 1930's TV stuff without Nazis. Thank you for posting this. The song is awesome.
zoltepp09 2 years ago 8
@zoltepp09 yes heres to more 3os tv stuff without nazis.
peterpeterxxo 4 months ago
What a wonderful piece of tv history thank you for posting this historic clip.
gf1001 2 years ago 16
I've read that make-up for early TV looked very bizarre in real life.
I've also read that the amount of light necessary for early broadcasts was nearly unendurable, it was so extreme and hot. People would faint from it.
hebneh 2 years ago 2
There's a website called 'Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia' that has the story of the first TV station in Philly, if you want to know what those actors went through, it's there.
kimberlyKfnOphiEAGLE 2 years ago
Start BBC Television Service :))
New7Dry 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Farnsworth didn't invent the electronic television. It was invented and patented by Hungarian Kálmán Tihanyi in 1926. The later Farnsworth system proved to a blind alley, Factories have never produced the Farnsworth system. Tihanyi's earlier invention of the predecessor of all modern electronic system. UNESCO (United Nations) the patent offices and Nobel Comitee created the award: MEMORY OFTHE WORLD. They considered Tihanyi as the inventor
celebration81 2 years ago
Sorry , he was not the inventor of electronic television. Hungarian Kálmán Tihanyi invented the electronic tv in 1926. UNESCO MEMORY OF THE WORLD Check it!
celebration81 2 years ago
How does this exist?
AndrewJimScott 3 years ago
Thank you Jurek for sharing this very special video with me !
You are a REAL Friend ...
parlophonman 3 years ago
Has anyone posted the song that was sung to inaugurate the mechanical broadcasting in England in 1934. It was a jauntier tune called "Here's Looking at You." When these clips were presented on "Television" on PBS, they were chopped up mercilessly, and Edwin Newman talked over everything. They seemed to think that Americans don't want to see more than five consecutive seconds of any historic footage.
bobparis 3 years ago 3
Try typing in your search engine: "Here's looking at you" sung by Miss Helen Mc'Kay.
Sadly even that piece of Film footage , was edited, so you will never see the original broadcast.
blackpoolbarmpot 3 years ago
If you search for "The BBC Story - Sound On, Vision On", and click on the first result, you will find some very interesting video clips, including "Here's Looking at You" and the full version of 'Television Comes to London', i.e. the film here.
edward5432 2 years ago
Many thanks for that.... I will try searching there. Cheers !!!!
blackpoolbarmpot 2 years ago
Always good to see the "Television Song". Regarding Sarnoff's shame,elements of RCA AND Farnsworth technology were enjoined by EMI in the UK. Some Sarnoff centered TV histories would basically have one believing that the EMI system was basically a down market RCA 336line system.The EMI cameras are smaller,more in line with the compacness of a Farnsworth unit of the same era. Either way, the BBC was up and running with a fully formed service before the NBC network had gotten out of the labs.
thevidiotkid 3 years ago
Hi, I wonder why most Americans think the US did television first? I learned that the BBC was first from watching a program called 'Television' that ran on PBS..I was suprised to learn that Germany and Russia were also doing TV broadcasts. Sarnoff and RCA, shame on them. Sarnoff could not give credit where credit is due, it seems.
kimberlyKfnOphiEAGLE 4 years ago
Not an isolated case.
Unfortunately TV has become a great way of limiting what the public know, because too few want to check what they're told.
YouTube is a little more democratic in a chaotic sort of way.
AdrienneO 3 years ago
Comment removed
zoltepp09 2 years ago
Adele Dixon - wonderful! But who was the first woman on BBC television?
beaconst3 4 years ago
Jasmine Bligh?
seftonwallet 4 years ago
In August 1936 (3 months before the official opening of the Television Service) Elizabeth Cowell presented experimental BBC transmissions from the Alexandra Palace studios to the Radio Exhibition held at Olympia in London.
Ynysmydwr 3 years ago
Thanks for the info making me do my homework. The service started on November 2nd 1936. I'm sure you must have seen the wonderful colour footage of Alexandra Palace & Radio Olympia on You Tube. The Radio Olympia Exhibition is advertised for August & September in this film,is of course the event to which you refer. They seem to have had a studio within the exhibition with Mr Middleton talking about growing Dahlias. I wonder if this was CCTV, or was actually transmitted. Fantastic footage.
seftonwallet 3 years ago