John Wyver writes: Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin was born 136 years ago today. To mark his 50th birthday on Sunday 16 April 1939, when Charlie was working on the script for The Great Dictator (1940), Alexandra Palace screened an more
John Wyver writes: Lest these posts give the impression that pre-war television from Alexandra Palace was all classical ballet and mimed Wagner, the evening of Saturday 15 April 1939 was one of seven occasions when the studio hosted more
John Wyver writes: At one minute past 3pm on the afternoon of Thursday 14 April 1938, Alexandra Palace switched over to a feed from a studio built inside the Ideal Home Exhibition. In a first 10-minute visit to Olympia, more
Back from holiday; normal service resumes with OTD post no 123... John Wyver writes: On the afternoon of Tuesday 13 April 1937, and then again that evening, a second series of producer Mary Adams' series The World of Women opened with more
23 February 1939 John Wyver writes: another of my favourite OTDs from the 122 contributed to date, posted again during this week when I am on holiday. Characterised by The Times as ‘an animated scene’, the interior of the Marble Arch Pavilion more
24 January 1938 John Wyver writes: As I am holiday this week I am posting again a number of my favourite OTDs to date. The whole of the afternoon schedule on Monday 24 January 1938 was occupied by a presentation of act more
9 February 1939 John Wyver writes: As I am on holiday this week I am taking the chance to post again a number of my favourite OTDs from the 122 published to date... The evening of Thursday 9 February 1939 saw a more
22 February 1933 John Wyver writes: As I am on holiday this week, I am presenting again some of my favourite OTD posts, exactly as they first appeared... Today's post is a melancholy little tale of a short, vibrant life in which more
19 January 1937 John Wyver writes: I am on holiday in France this week, and so with 122 original OTD posts out in the world I thought I might highlight once again six of my favourite posts to date. This one more
John Wyver writes: Just before 10pm on Wednesday 6 April 1938, a 10-minute broadcast from Alexandra Palace presented Surya Sena and Nelun Devi (above) performing Sinhalese folk songs. The transmission was organised by producer and musicologist Philip Bate, who more