16th December 2024
John Wyver writes: At 21.07 on Thursday 16 December 1937 the Television service from Alexandra Palace broadcast the sixth in the series Experiments in Science. This 16-minute edition had the subtitle Reconstructing the Past, and featured Margot Eates of the
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15th December 2024
John Wyver writes: simply another selection of stuff that has engaged me over the past week or so.
• Carl Th. Dreyer in the silent era: a wonderful clutch of writings and films newly available from the wonderful Danish Silent
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15th December 2024
John Wyver writes: Saturday 15 December 1928, 96 years ago today, is a milestone date in the history of early television in Britain. Or at least it should be, since the day saw the transmission of the first television drama
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14th December 2024
John Wyver writes: Nothing. No television broadcasts from Alexandra Palace on Monday 14 December 1936, and only an apologetic mid-evening sound announcement. A fierce gale had damaged the transmission mast and taken the service off-air. A contributor to the
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13th December 2024
John Wyver writes: Presented on the afternoon of Monday 13 December 1937 was the most ambitious television ballet to date, act 2 of, as it was billed, Le lac des cygnes, or Swan Lake to the rest of us. The
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12th December 2024
John Wyver writes: the afternoon and evening of Saturday 12 December 1936, just six weeks into the BBC Television service from Alexandra Palace, witnessed a spectacular demonstration on the terrace just outside the studio. Celebrated First World War pilot and
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11th December 2024
John Wyver writes: the evening of Saturday 11 December 1937 featured an ambitious half-hour broadcast of act 3 of Verdi's Aida given by the Matania Operatic Society. Opera was an important element of the transmissions from Alexandra Palace, although this
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10th December 2024
John Wyver writes: this day in early British television might be celebrated for the Thursday afternoon in 1936 which featured the first relay of a sound broadcast on the Alexandra Palace service. At 15.59 that day the National Programme announcement
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9th December 2024
John Wyver writes: The Christmas quotient of programming was ramped up on the evening of Friday 9 December 1938 with a 10-minute broadcast, Presents for the Children no 1, presented by the well-regarded painter Edward Halliday. The artist recommended
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8th December 2024
John Wyver writes: a second selection, after too long a break, of articles, video and audio that have especially engaged me over the past week and more.
• Advent Sunday in old money - day 7: professional designer Martin Cater
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