OTD in early British television: 7 June 1937

7th June 2025

John Wyver writes: Seven months after the start of the schedule from Alexandra Palace, on Monday 7 June television's offerings were a typical mix of, in the afternoon between 3pm and 4pm, a local OB, a newsreel and an upscale more

OTD in early British television: 6 June 1939

6th June 2025

John Wyver writes: For the best part of an hour on the afternoon of Tuesday 6 June 1939 lookers-in were taken off to the gardens of the Ranelagh Club for the annual Theatrical Garden Party. Among those who were observed more

OTD in early British television: 4 June 1939

4th June 2025

John Wyver writes: One of the unremarked aspects of the pre-war television service (of which there are many) is the fact that from the start of 1939 around an hour of either the National of Regional Programme radio broadcasts were more

OTD in early British television: 3 June 1935

3rd June 2025

John Wyver writes: By the early summer of 1935 the BBC's 30-line transmissions were and confident and on oc casion truly ambitious. Overseen by producer Eustace Robb, these broadcasts marshalled an extensive range of talents and technical capabilities that, by more

OTD in early British television: 2 June 1938

2nd June 2025

John Wyver writes: Some 18 months after its start, the official BBC Television service from Alexandra Palace was still struggling to attract viewers. On Thursday 2 June 1938, the Daily Telegraph's well-informed radio correspondent L. Marsland Gander penned a detailed more

OTD in early British television: 1 June 1938

1st June 2025

John Wyver writes: For nearly 50 minutes on the afternoon of Wednesday 1 June 1938 viewers in London were transported to Epsom for Derby Day scenes including limited shots of the race itself. But the broadcast was not seen solely more

OTD in early British television: 31 May 1937

31st May 2025

John Wyver writes: Unbilled in Radio Times, and so clearly organised at very short notice, in the afternoon of Monday 31 May 1937, AP broadcast a half-hour of scenes from Rupert Doone's Group Theatre production at the Little Theatre of more

OTD in early British television: 30 May 1939

30th May 2025

John Wyver writes: On Tuesday 30 May 1939 viewers could watch Jan Bussell's 87-minute production of Arnold Bennett's drama The Great Adventure in the afternoon and then, presumably in the other studio, an 82-minute adaptation of the Czech writers Karel more

OTD in early British television: 29 May 1939

29th May 2025

John Wyver writes: Although director of television Gerald Cock initially envisaged feature films being central to the schedule from Alexandra Palace, British and American producers and distributors refused almost without exception to supply product of any kind. Recognising television as a more