[QuadList] Reviving the Lenticular Kinescope Thread-Kovacks on NBC, Jan. 19, 1957--

Tue Dec 31 02:54:11 CST 2013

HI, Richard,

Given that UCLA Film and Television Archive was mentioned as a possible source of restored film, a search turned up a record for the program being discussed.

http://cinema.library.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=50&ti=1,50&SC=Author&SA=Kovacs%2C%20Ernie%2C%201919%2D1962%2E&PID=FENd3L6rdh68UEoeBMG__HsQiBKV1&SEQ=20131230221448&SID=2

The Ernie Kovacs show. [1957-01-19], Eugene / an NBC production ; brought to you by RCA, RCA Victor, RCA Whirlpool, Oldsmobile ; written and produced by Ernie Kovacs ; directed by Barry Shear.

Among the items for this specific show in the collection are a color film print with sound, and videotape copies made at various times.  Emphasis in bold.

Location:	Non-circulating SRLF archival copy
Inventory Number:	T3167
Collection:	TV Television Collection
Format:	1 reel of 1 (29 min., 52 sec.) (ca. 1200 ft.) : opt sd., col. ; 16 mm. safety print.
Notes:	Reserved for preservation.
NOTES: "F2110." Copy added from inventory record without viewing or inspection. LOCATION: A2-74-3.
Added copy, November 18, 1987, my; rev. April 15, 2005, my; rev. March 9, 2011, my.
HLDID (manifestation):	59603

Location:	Non-circulating Preservation Vault archival copy
Inventory Number:	XVE111 T
Collection:	TV Television Collection
Format:	1 videoreel of 1 (29 min., 52 sec.) : sd., col. ; 1 in.
Condition:	Credits slightly cut off on the right side.
Reproduction:	Los Angeles, Calif. : UCLA Film & Television Archive, January, 2000. Reproduction of picture from 16 mm. safety print (T3167) and track from 16 mm. b&w kinescope supplied by Edie Adams; reproduction made at the Post Group. Reproduction for preservation purposes.
Notes:	NOTES: Copy added from inventory record without viewing or inspection.
Added copy, January 24, 1989, my; rev. April 15, 2005, my; rev. February 26, 2007, my; rev. March 9, 2011, my.
HLDID (manifestation):	59604

and 

Location:	Non-circulating SRLF archival copy
Inventory Number:	T75655
Collection:	TV Television Collection
Format:	1 videocassette of 1 (Betacam SP) (29 min., 52 sec.) : sd., b&w ; 1/2 in.
Condition:	This is a b&w dub of XVE111 T, which is in color; color removed from this copy per instructions from copyright holder.
Reproduction:	Los Angeles, Calif. : UCLA Film & Television Archive, July 9, 1999. Reproduced for UCLA Film & Television Archive by Van Ness Films at Visual Image from 1 in. videoreel (XVE111 T). Reproduction for preservation purposes.
Notes:	NOTES: Copy added from inventory record without viewing or inspection.
Added copy, input April 11, 2005, rgg; rev. April 15, 2005, my; rev. March 9, 2011, my.
HLDID (manifestation):	281973

So it would appear that there IS a 16mm color print, but there's no indication what emulsion that print was made on or the source material for the 16mm print.

The catalog entry does note: "An NBC presentation in incompatible color." "This program was reproduced by the Kinephoto process."

Since you're nearby to UCLA, perhaps a visit could be arranged to inspect the film element and see what the edges show for emulsion type and Kodak date codes. Or other useful clues as to origin and heritage.

Let me know if you need an introduction.

Did NBC use Kodachrome as a kinescope recording film at any time?  Or is it more likely that it had Kodachrome prints made for artists who appeared in color productions?

The film speed would have had a role in what was used. Haven't compared them, but here's what was available between the Kodachrome and Lenticular:

Kodak's Chronology of Film, 1940-1959 reports:

1946
KODACHROME Commercial camera film, 5268. (16mm). Replaced 5262. Replaced by 7255 in 1958

1947
Kodak introduced the EASTMAN Television Recording Camera, in cooperation with DuMont Laboratories and NBC, for recording images from a television screen.

1951
Embossed Print film, 5306. Lenticular support for color kinescope (triniscope). 5302 emulsion
1956
Embossed Kine Recording film, 5209. Reversal panchromatic black and white. Discontinued in 1958.

EASTMAN Reversal Color Print film, 5269 16mm. Replaced 5265, KODACHROME. Replaced by 7387 in 1964.

Some other items of perhaps an ironic juncture between the Lenticular Film Kinescope process and Videotape in 1956:

At the SMPTE Technical Conference in 1956,  R. D. Kell and John Brumbaugh of RCA Camden, with E.D. Goodale of NBC New York were to be introducing a 1956 SMPTE Technical Conference paper about "Color TV Program Recordlng Employing Lenticular Film, and W. R. J Brown, C. S. Combs and R. B. Smith of Kodak presenting a paper about densitometry for Eastman Embossed Kinescope Recording Film 5209 in a Thursday daytime Television session.

The Thursday Evening television session was devoted to "The Ampex Videotape Recording System-A Symposlum of 3 Papers" with Charles P. Ginsburg, Charles E. Anderson and Ray M. Dolby.

That same September, 1956 Journal of the SMPTE notes that Fred Pfost was a new member of the Society. Pfost was one of the six engineers Ampex focused on developing the transverse scan videotape recorder—with Ginsburg, Anderson, Dolby, Alex Maxey and Shelby Henderson.  Pfost and Henderson are the only two still living.

It also reports the membership of Texas newsreel cameramen Gordon Yoder, who was one of the pioneers of chopping off the top of 100 foot capacity Auricon Cinevoice sound on film cameras and putting a 400 foot Mitchell magzine on them to make newsfilm more practical.

Hope some of this is helpful in your upcoming article.

Ted

Ted Langdell
Secretary
Skype: 	TedLangdell
e-mail:	ted at quadvideotapegroup.com

On Dec 30, 2013, at 9:12 PM, Richard Wirth wrote:

> 
> Thanks for the responses.
> 
> Yes, NBC had taken delivery of their first order of Ampex machines in December 1956.  I'm guessing the 1/15/1957 event you refer to was the admission NBC had been testing the Ampex machines on time zone delays.  These were on daytime and late night shows that were still being produced in black & white (Today, Home, Truth or Consequences, News Caravan and Tonight according to Broadcasting 1/28/57 p.72).
> 
> Yes, I've combed the Abramson book on the subject.
> 
> Regarding Kovacs episode, the source I have at the moment is from NitrateVille.com (http://nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14914).  Ben Model (who curated the Edie Adams DVD's) writes on 11/8/2013:
> 
> Edie always said she had lenticular film, but I've never found it, and the only 35mm kine material in the Ediad collection is B&W.
> 
> Ben
> 
> I am attempting to contact him to get further information if he has any.  Also, UCLA Archives may have some information as well.  
> 
> However, in comparing the You Tube video to an Amazon download of the entire program, there evidently was considerable work done in the intervening years.  Unless, of course, the source material for the NBC program (used in the You Tube clip) was different from the DVD release.  But you can definitely see film artifacts in the video on the Amazon download.
> 
> I'm still looking for a clip that is definitively Lenticular, though.
> 
> Thanks for taking interest,
> Richard
> 
> On Dec 30, 2013, at 12:33 AM, Richard Wirth wrote:
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________
> Please trim posts to relevant info when replying.
> 
> Change subject to reflect thread direction. Thanks.
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