1961 NBC "Tinted" Color Programming?

[etype2]

Here is an example of the color I saw, except my memory is that the red was much more faded. My impression was thinking this was a strange black and white show with a funny tint.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3...0/colortst.jpg

[holmesuser01]

That looks like it could be a really faded print.

[etype2]

Originally Posted by holmesuser01

That looks like it could be a really faded print.

Yup. I found a U Tube video of a promo clip from the 1957 season, screen grab just after Superman "flies" though the window and just before bullets bounce off his chest. LOL :-) This is color quality I remember seeing.Superman 1957 jpg.jpg

[Sandy G]

Seems like I remember it being rather "Uneven"-Sometimes the color was WAY too saturated, sometimes, it was really washed out...Face tones tended to be orangy, & Noel Niell's hair was FIRE-ENGINE red...The whole thing seemed like a bunch of 15-yr old 1957-style nerds "playing" at "Color Television"...

[Steve D.]

Originally Posted by etype2

Here is an example of the color I saw, except my memory is that the red was much more faded. My impression was thinking this was a strange black and white show with a funny tint.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3...0/colortst.jpg

The multi-color card Superman is holding was, in the old 3 strip Technicolor days, called the "Lilly." It was held up in front of the film camera each time a new roll of film was loaded into the magazine. The color card or "Lilly," much like video color bars for setting up electronic color TV cameras, was used in processing the film and provided a guide for the color lab.

-Steve D.

[etype2]

Originally Posted by Steve D.

The multi-color card Superman is holding was, in the old 3 strip Technicolor days, called the "Lilly." It was held up in front of the film camera each time a new roll of film was loaded into the magazine. The color card or "Lilly," much like video color bars for setting up electronic color TV cameras, was used in processing the film and provided a guide for the color lab.

-Steve D.

Very interesting.

[holmesuser01]

The recent low fade TV prints of Superman were beautiful. Their owner has done alot to make the shows look vastly better.

[Steve Hoffman]

You'll note on SUPERMAN color shows, the color is fine unless there is a fade or dissolve and whatever shots are the "before & after" are much degraded due to the disintegration of the opticals. So, the color varies within a show for every shot that is NOT hard edited...

[holmesuser01]

You often see the image degrade as an optical effect starts and ends. It depends on how much effort the lab put into their work.

I've seen color prints where the colors would shift to green or purple at the shot changes. It depends on the labwork.

I've been in the film business for about 38 years. I've handled thousands of miles of 16mm and 35mm films, negatives, sound negatives... You name it.

[alespn]

I recall reading an article in college discussing Superman, The Lone Ranger, & the Cisco Kid. All had color episodes. The article talked about the fact that Fredrick Ziv, I think the distributor, found that he could shoot 16mm color for about the same price as 35mm B&W. Thinking that there was going to be a huge demand color programming, he decided to shoot the shows in color.... way ahead of his time. I remember seeing all three shows in color on WGN on Sunday mornings back in the 70's.

Probably used a lower cost color negative stock as opposed to shooting high-end Technicolor.

[Sandy G]

...And NOT having to deal w/ol' Natalie Kahlmus...That woulda been worth a lot, right there. Every thing I've read about her, she must have been a Fire-Horse on Wheels...(grin)

[holmesuser01]

Eastmancolor was the preferred inexpensive stock back then.

I used to see commercial 'spots' printed on Technicolor film stock, and Kodachrome stock, too.

I dont recall color Lone Ranger shows. The ZIV shows went color early-on. My TV station had library prints of MANY TV series... New prints, and they were stunning for the most part.

EDIT: There were color Lone Ranger shows. Eastmancolor.

[holmesuser01]

You must give Natalie Kalmus credit where it is due. In the early days, it was thought that "garish" Technicolor would be hard on the eyes. Being the wife of Herbert T Kalmus, Technicolor's inventor, she saw what hot colors could do. You gotta admit though, films produced during her tenure were lovely.

[Sandy G]

Yeah, Bruce, they were a PAIR...Of WHAT, I dunno, but they were a Pair, alrite...And, yeah, Nat DID see to it that Technicolor's high standards were religiously & strictly followed. We used the same basic principles in 4-color process printing. Still used today, as for as I know, for the simple reason-It WORKS.

[Leslie]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

Yeah, Bruce, they were a PAIR...Of WHAT, I dunno, but they were a Pair, alrite...And, yeah, Nat DID see to it that Technicolor's high standards were religiously & strictly followed. We used the same basic principles in 4-color process printing. Still used today, as for as I know, for the simple reason-It WORKS.

"Glorious Technicolor" by Fred E. Basten, 1980, makes for an interesting read for the history of Tech. I picked up a copy at a used book store for $12.00.