Color Broadcast - Michigan State vs. Iowa (10/25/1969)

[tornadoman]

A little late in the game for "early color," but recently uploaded to YT is some extensive TK-41 footage from an ABC color broadcast recorded to quad at WLS in Chicago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS0G70l0idk

[old_tv_nut]

Repeating my comment on YouTube, FWIW:

This seems almost too good for TK-41s. No overscanned black/ multicolor areas in the corners; registration close to perfect. I see a little horizontal non-linearity on the left edge, and I think that gives it away as TK-41. I suspect the original was noisier, but the digital coding here is removing some or most of it (I note some coding artifacts on the grass).
EDIT: also wanted to mention the edge ringing on the quad tape.

It's also interesting to note the limited camera placement and the style of narration compared to today.

[etype2]

The color looks good. It was 1969. Production value not so good.

3:34 into this video, the earliest color recording I’ve seen. Mary Martin as Peter Pan. From NBC. Wonder if this is a kinescope recording. https://youtu.be/zUCnrpFQ-JI

[old_tv_nut]

Video tape, not color kinescope. There was a monochrome kinescope recording of the first production (1955). The live presentation was repeated in 1956, and I believe that is the source of this color tape.

[etype2]

Apparently the 1955 and 1956 color telecasts of Peter Pan were preserved with monochrome kinescope and it was the 1960 broadcast first preserved on color tape. The 1960 version was rebroadcast in 1963, 1966 and 1973. NBC is fooling us by captioning the broadcast as 1955. I have recollections of seeing Peter Pan on monochrome TV either 1955 or 1956.

[tornadoman]

Originally Posted by old_tv_nut

Repeating my comment on YouTube, FWIW:

This seems almost too good for TK-41s. No overscanned black/ multicolor areas in the corners; registration close to perfect. I see a little horizontal non-linearity on the left edge, and I think that gives it away as TK-41. I suspect the original was noisier, but the digital coding here is removing some or most of it (I note some coding artifacts on the grass).
EDIT: also wanted to mention the edge ringing on the quad tape.

It's also interesting to note the limited camera placement and the style of narration compared to today.

Also interesting to see some dual slow-mo action at the 30:45 mark

[old_tv_nut]

Originally Posted by etype2

Apparently the 1955 and 1956 color telecasts of Peter Pan were preserved with monochrome kinescope and it was the 1960 broadcast first preserved on color tape. The 1960 version was rebroadcast in 1963, 1966 and 1973. NBC is fooling us by captioning the broadcast as 1955. I have recollections of seeing Peter Pan on monochrome TV either 1955 or 1956.

Thanks. I got my dates for earliest color tape mixed up.

[NowhereMan 1966]

I remember a decade or so ago, they found the whole videotape of the 7th game of the 1960 World Series where Bill Mazeroski hit his famous home run to give the Pittsburgh Pirates the win over the New York Yankees. It was in black and white but I remember the announcer said that NBC was broadcasting the game in color. BTW, Maseroski was born in Rush Run, Ohio just a few miles away from me.

[Dave A]

The Pirates game was a 5 reel BW kinescope paid for by Bing Crosby, a minority owner of the club. He was in Paris and had the game recorded. Found in his estate. I think MLB may have run it once. Check me on this.

[Dave A]

Back to the thread with a view of the sideline TK-41 for all to dissect. There are some shots that look like a hand held camera but 1969 is early for hand helds of any kind of color quality. Probably the sideline TK looking around.

[NowhereMan 1966]

Originally Posted by Dave A

The Pirates game was a 5 reel BW kinescope paid for by Bing Crosby, a minority owner of the club. He was in Paris and had the game recorded. Found in his estate. I think MLB may have run it once. Check me on this.

I think you're right, it was kinescope recording. I do have the 1960 Pirates program for the World Series packed away somewhere. A side note, I also have the 1970 program when Three Rivers Stadium opened in Pittsburgh, my father took some of those pictures, he was one of the commercial/industrial photographers for the firm that was contracted by the Pirates. Earlier in his career, he worked with George Romero before he made Night of the Living Dead. BTW, after that game, my parents and aunt and uncle had a pair of Vespa motor scooters and since traffic was bad, it was the only way to get through traffic to make it home.

[Dave A]

I downloaded the entire broadcast and spent a few quality hours looking at it as a retired broadcast director with a great sense of this history and a few too many hours working in the environment. Please excuse the diversion from the pure TK discovery to my observations on how ABC covered this game in my broadcast world.

I had to first count the cameras ABC sent to this show in Iowa. I count eight (8).

They are;

Sideline left 35. Used as game coverage. The usual wide shot.
Mid 50. Game camera. Same wide shot.
Mid 50. Tight shot camera. Also hero camera
Sideline right 25. Game camera on the same wide shot.
End zone. Kicks, clock, generic shots.
Sideline approx Right 35. Low on a platform. Does not appear to move.
2 field handhelds. One on each sideline. Camera unknown but not TK. Much warmer color. Thinking Philips.
Far sideline is seldom used. Pic below for help in ID.
One looking ok, the other with registration problems.
Replay. Seems to be a pair of Ampex HS-100 30 sec. disc recorders. More on this
web page. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW7jvmoLQ7o

A massive sideline microphone. Sometimes a spiral series of tuned tubes in to a funnel to the pickup. I forget
manufacturer.

ABC had all the camera tools there to do coverage and was moving to the sophisticated coverage we know today. I was surprised to see the 35/50/25 yard line setup. I thought that came later. Single announcer that I cannot ID. A second color announcer is heard for a few seconds. Sounds like phone line audio. They mention three other regional games going on. I am wondering if the zoom lens optics were a bit tighter on the tubes to eliminate the usual corner problems.

Will correct if needed. And slave to two cats. Help find more of these ancient quads.

[old_tv_nut]

Thanks for spotting the handheld cams - that explains the out of register crowd closeups.

[alespn]

The hand-held camera looks like the early Ampex 2 tube unit (can't remember the model) with the big back pack. The reason the low 35 yard line camera doesn't move is that the sidelines are so tight, it's impossible to get behind the bench. The 35 yard line cameras were on a porch outside each end of the press box. The 50 yard line camera was in the announce booth. On the Eyes of a Generation page, Bobby talked about ABC buying a special run of TK41's. They were apparently placed in two 6 camera mobile units.

[tornadoman]

Originally Posted by Dave A

I downloaded the entire broadcast and spent a few quality hours looking at it as a retired broadcast director with a great sense of this history and a few too many hours working in the environment. Please excuse the diversion from the pure TK discovery to my observations on how ABC covered this game in my broadcast world.

I had to first count the cameras ABC sent to this show in Iowa. I count eight (8).

They are;

Sideline left 35. Used as game coverage. The usual wide shot.
Mid 50. Game camera. Same wide shot.
Mid 50. Tight shot camera. Also hero camera
Sideline right 25. Game camera on the same wide shot.
End zone. Kicks, clock, generic shots.
Sideline approx Right 35. Low on a platform. Does not appear to move.
2 field handhelds. One on each sideline. Camera unknown but not TK. Much warmer color. Thinking Philips.
Far sideline is seldom used. Pic below for help in ID.
One looking ok, the other with registration problems.
Replay. Seems to be a pair of Ampex HS-100 30 sec. disc recorders. More on this
web page. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW7jvmoLQ7o

A massive sideline microphone. Sometimes a spiral series of tuned tubes in to a funnel to the pickup. I forget
manufacturer.

ABC had all the camera tools there to do coverage and was moving to the sophisticated coverage we know today. I was surprised to see the 35/50/25 yard line setup. I thought that came later. Single announcer that I cannot ID. A second color announcer is heard for a few seconds. Sounds like phone line audio. They mention three other regional games going on. I am wondering if the zoom lens optics were a bit tighter on the tubes to eliminate the usual corner problems.

Will correct if needed. And slave to two cats. Help find more of these ancient quads.

Good sleuthing work!