HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU by Bruce Norman HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU THE STORY OF BRITISH TELEVISION 1908-1939 Bruce Norman BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION THE ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY page 1 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU by Bruce Norman For Becky and Cass ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY The Television Society was founded in Leeds in 1927 at a meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science where John Logie Baird had demonstrated his Noctovisor. Today the Royal Television Society, as it has now become, stands as a unique institution providing a forum where the art and science of television can be discussed by all the major branches of the industry. Published by the British Broadcasting Corporation 35 Marylebone High Street London W1M 4AA and The Royal Television Society Tavistock House East Tavistock Square London WC1H 9HR ISBN 0 563 20102 9 First published 1984 Copyright The Royal Television Society 1984 Original book typeset by August Filmsetting, Haydock, Merseyside Printed in England by Hartnolls Ltd, Bodmin, Cornwall 2004 November 1st OCR version – 1st edition This Adobe Acrobat version is a version scanned by Donald F McLean from the original book and hand-corrected for most OCR defects. The document is provided on an ‘as is’ basis. Some defects may still exist, and may unfortunately cause change of meaning (e.g. Daily Mall instead of Daily Mail). Please check the original document or the primary sources for accuracy. The original index has been excluded, as computer based searching is a superior means of finding entries. Permission has been granted by the copyright holders – the Royal Television Society – for publication of this text-only version of the book. page 2 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU by Bruce Norman CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THE WHO'S WHO OF EARLY TELEVISION 1 'HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU' August 1936 Preparations for RadiOlympia - the two systems first studio transmissions -the first outside broadcast - lessons to be learned. 2 THE SCOTTISH INVENTOR 1923-6 Baird's early work -Hastings - the first image (1923) - Frith Street - Selfridges - the first human face (1925) - demonstration to the Royal Institution. 3 THE YEARS OF SUCCESS 1926-8 Pioneers and rivals - Motograph House - 30-line pictures - experimental transmissions - Noctovision - Phonovision - long- distance transmission - Long Acre and colour television. 4 THE RIVALS 1928-30 Baird v. BBC - the flying spot system - rejected by BBC - rivals in America – experimental transmissions via BBC (1929) - The Man with a Flower in His Mouth (1930). 5 PROGRESS TO THE DERBY 1930-2 Big-screen demonstrations - telecine - mirror drum scanner - demonstration programmes from Long Acre studio – daylight television - the Derby (1931) - Baird in America-the Derby (1932). 6 30 LINES 1932-5 Opening of service - limitations of technology – equipment production - performers - Portland Place - scenery - make-up programming. 7 THE ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM Campbell Swinton - Rosing - Zworykin - the iconoscope - Marconi-EMI - research team - first cathode-ray transmitting tube (1932) - first demonstration of all-electronic system (1934) – TV 'war' with Bairds - deliberations of the Selsdon Committee. 8 ALEXANDRA PALACE February 1935 - November 1936 Renovation and planning - studios A and B - the mast - technicians - rival equipment - production plans - selection of announcers Here's Looking at You - official opening. 9 THE TWO SYSTEMS November 1936 - February 1937 Baird systems in operation: Intermediate Film, Spotlight, Farnsworth, telecine - Marconi-EMI system: advantages, limitations, problems - committee's choice of system - Baird's lasting importance. page 3 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU by Bruce Norman 10 TELEVISION COMES TO LONDON (1) Television's first week - BBC Film Unit - Picture Page – light entertainment - cartoons. 11 TELEVISION COMES TO LONDON (2) Talks - drama - ballet - opera - Television Orchestra - development of television production techniques. 12 SERVICES Sound - lighting - scenic design - costume - make-up. 13 OUTSIDE BROADCASTS Studio in the park - Coronation - Remembrance Day - Chamberlain at Heston -Wimbledon - boxing - Super-Emitrons - theatre visits - stunts. 14 THE PALACE OF MAGIC Rules and regulations - fun and games - reception area – television viewing - audience reactions - the end and a new beginning. BIBLIOGRAPHY page 4 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU by Bruce Norman ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The official records tell one story of the birth of television, the people involved tell another. Theirs is not always a very different story but it is certainly more lively, more human and more revealing of what actually happened. Many of the surviving pioneers of television have helped me with research for this book, p providing written information, photographs and giving up time to be interviewed. I would like to thank in particular Arthur Askey, Betty Astelle, Douglas Birkinshaw, Jasmine Bligh, John Bliss, Dallas Bower, Alan Bray, Leonard Broadway, Desmond Campbell, Ben Clapp, Elizabeth Cowell, Ned Davis, Gracie Fields, Donald Flamm, Cyril Fletcher, William Fox, L. Marsland Gander, Sidonie Goossens, Bernard Greenhead, Wee Georgie Harris, Dora Jackson, Alan Lawson, Norman Loxdale, Cecil Madden, James McGee, Joan Miller, Victor Mills, Leslie Mitchell, Donald Munro, Ian Orr-Ewing, Jim Percy, Dinah Sheridan, George Watson, Rebecca West, Eric White and Isabel Winthrope. The full transcripts of their interviews are lodged in the library of the Royal Television Society where I hope they will be used by future researchers. I would like to thank Feinman and Krasilovsky, P.C., for giving permission to quote from Pirandello's The Man with a Flower in His Mouth. I would like to thank the BBC Written Archives Centre, Caversham, and acknowledge the help received from the staff of the Royal Television Society, GEC-Marconi Electronics Ltd, Thorn-EMI Ltd and Radio Rentals. I would like to give especial thanks to Mrs J. L. Baird for her interest and permission to quote extensively from Baird's partly published autobiography and, above all, I want to thank T. H. Bridgewater who, in so many ways, is the co-author of this book. He freely gave time, encouragement and information, read the typescript and made suggestions for improvements. The improvements are his, the mistakes that remain are mine. Bruce Norman Hatfield November 1983 page 5 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU by Bruce Norman THE WHO'S WHO OF EARLY TELEVISION The Pioneers: J. L. Baird (1888-1946): the first man to demonstrate television, Jan. 1926. Demonstrated colour television in 1928. Karl Braun German: inventor of cathode-ray oscilloscope (tube), 1897. P. T. Farnsworth American: inventor of electronic TV system (the image dissector), 1928. C. F. Jenkins American: inventor of mechanical TV system, 1924. Baird rival. D. Von Mihaly Hungarian: pioneer of mechanical television, 1924. Paul Nipkow German: inventor of the Nipkow disc, 1884. Boris Rosing Russian: proposed television system embodying cathode-ray tube as receiver, 1907. A. A. Campbell Swinton (1836-1930): first man to propose the all-electronic method of television, 1908 and 1911. Jean Weiller French: inventor of the mirror drum, 1889. V. K. Zworykin Russian: pupil of Rosing. Lodged patent in America in 1923 for electronic television system. Published paper on electronic camera, the 'iconoscope', in 1933. Hastings: (1922-5) J. J. Denton Physics lecturer. Gave early advice and help to Baird. N. Loxdale Helped Baird construct his original apparatus in 1922-3. V. Mills Helped Baird wire and improve his apparatus, 1923. The Baird Company: (1926-37) H. Barton Chapple Engineer: joined Baird in 1928. Editor of Television. A. F. Birch Engineer: joined Baird 1928. H. Bradly Producer of Baird's television programmes. T. H. Bridgewater Engineer with Baird 1928-32; 1932-5; BBC 30-line Alexandra Palace 1936-. D. R. Campbell Engineer with Baird 1929-32; 1932-5; BBC 30-line Alexandra Palace 1936-. Known as the 'father' of television lighting. B. Clapp Baird's first engineer, 1926. W. Day Baird's co-financier, 1924-6. page 6 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU by Bruce Norman D. Flamm Owner of New York radio station and supporter of Baird in America. W. C. Fox Press Association journalist. Baird press officer, 1928-30 O. G. Hutchinson Baird's partner and managing director, 1926-31. Dora Jackson (nee Caffrey) Baird's personal secretary, 1929-. W. W. Jacomb Baird's chief engineer, 1928-32. Perfected the 'flying spot'. A. Lawson Cameraman, joined Baird 1933. Worked on Intermediate Film S. A. Moseley Journalist and Baird supporter. Ostrer Brothers Cinema owners. Took over Baird company 1932 J. D. Percy Engineer: joined Baird 1928. A. G. D. West Joined Baird as chief engineer 1932 J. C. Wilson Engineer: joined Baird 1928. Developed colour. The Performers: Miss King Baird's switchboard operator. Lulu Stanley Soubrette. William Taynton Office boy: subject of Baird's first television image in 1925. BBC 30-line: N. Ashbridge Assistant Chief Engineer, 1926. Controller Engineering, 1929-48. D. C. Birkinshaw Television's first chief engineer, 1932. Responsible for setting up Alexandra Palace, the world's first television station, 1935. P. P. Eckersley Chief Engineer, 1929-39 J. C. Reith BBC Managing Director, 1922-7. Director-General, 1927-38. E. Robb Sole producer 30-line TV, 1932-5. L. Sieveking Producer: The Man with a Flower in His Mouth, July 1930. The Performers (interviewed): Arthur Askey Comedian Betty Astelle Singer Gracie Fields Singer Sidonie Goossens Harpist Georgie Harris Comedian page 7 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU by Bruce Norman EMI (1932-8): C. S. Agate Responsible for commercial receiver design. A. D. Blumlein 'All-round genius'; created detailed specification of 405-line system. L. F. Broadway Worked on vacuums, cathode-ray tubes for receivers and TV screens. Later Head of Research. C. O. Browne In charge of design of cameras and studio equipment and, later, of all EMI equipment for Alexandra Palace and Outside Broadcasts. J. E. I. Cairns In charge of manufacture of Emitron cameras. G. E. Condliffe Manager of EMI research laboratories. N. E. Davis Designed EMI and AP transmitters. (Marconi) B.