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A TELEVISION TIMELINE

There were many important developments leading up to the actual implementation of the television set and its programs as we know it today. For example, in 1925, John Logie Baird obtained the first actual television picture, and Vladimir Zworykin took out the first patent for color television, although electronic color systems were not to be fully developed until 25 years later.

1950: Cable TV begins in the U.S., and warnings begin to be issued on the impact of violent programming on children. European broadcasters fix a common picture standard of 625 lines. By the 1970s, virtually all nations in the world used 625-line service, except for the U.S., Japan, and some others which adopted the 525-line U.S. standard. Over 100 television stations are in operation in the U.S.

1951: The first colour television transmissions begin in the U.S. this year. Unfortunately, for technical reasons, the several million existing black-and-white receivers in America cannot pick up the colour programmes, even in black-and-white, and colour sets go blank during television's many hours of black-and-white broadcasting. The experiment is a failure and colour transmissions are stopped. Also this year, the U.S. sees its first coast-to-coast transmission in a broadcast of the Japanese Peace Conference in San Francisco.

1952: Cable TV systems begin in Canada. On September 6, CBC Television broadcasts from its Montreal station; on September 8, CBC broadcasts from the Toronto station. The first political ads appear on U.S. television networks, when Democrats buy a half-hour slot for Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson is bombarded with hate mail for interfering with a broadcast of 'I Love Lucy'. Eisenhower, Stevenson's political opponent, buys only 20-second commercial spots, and wins the election.

1953: A microwave network connects CBC television stations in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. The first private television stations begin operation in Sudbury and London. Queen Elizabeth's coronation is also televised this year, and the CBC beats U.S. competitors to the punch by flying footage across the Atlantic. 'TV Guide' magazine is launched this year, and the U.S. begins color transmission again, this time successfully. Japanese television goes on the air for the first time.


The RCA TRK-12, Phantom Teleceiver, U.S., 1939. This is the set which introduced television to North America. It was displayed in the RCA pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair, and was made of clear lucite in order to show the public that no trickery was used to produce television. It is the only one of its kind in the world.

1954: Magazines now routinely offer the homemaker tips on arranging living-room furniture for optimal television-viewing pleasure.

1956: Ampex Corporation demonstrates videotape recording, initially used only by television stations. Henri de France develops the SECAM (sequential colour with memory) procedure. It is adopted in France, and the first SECAM colour transmission between Paris and London takes place in 1960. Also this year, several Louisiana congressmen promote a bill to ban all television programmes that portray blacks and whites together in a sympathetic light.

1957: The Soviet Union launches the world's first Earth satellite, Sputnik.

1958: The CBC's microwave network is extended from Victoria, B.C. to Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, to become the longest television network in the world. Pope Pius XII declares Saint Clare of Assisi the patron saint of television. Her placement on the television set is said to guarantee good reception.

1959: CBC Radio-Canada Montreal producers go on strike. Bonanza debuts, starring Canadian actor Lorne Greene.

1960: The Nixon-Kennedy debates are televised, marking the first network use of the split screen. Kennedy performs better on television than Nixon, and it is believed that television helps Kennedy win the election. Sony develops the first all-transistor television receiver, making televisions lighter and more portable. Ninety percent of American homes now own television sets, and America becomes the world's first "television society". There are now about 100 million television sets in operation worldwide.

1961: The Canadian Television Network (CTV), a privately owned network, begins operations. This year also marks the beginning of the Dodd hearings in the U.S., examining the television industry's "rampant and opportunistic use of violence".


A Philco Predicta "Pedestal", U.S., 1958. This may be the most distinctive set ever designed, with the picture tube mounted in a separate moulded shell. This version has a 21-inch picture tube that swivels 180 degrees.
1962: The Telstar television satellite is launched by the U.S., and starts relaying transatlantic television shortly after its launch. The first programme shows scenes of Paris. A survey indicates that 90 percent of American households have television sets; 13 percent have more than one.

1963: On November 22, regular television programming is suspended following news of the Kennedy assassination. On November 24, live on television, Jack Ruby murders Lee Harvey Oswald, Kennedy's suspected assassin. Kennedy's funeral is televised the following day. 96 per cent of all American television sets are on for an average 31 hours out of 72 during this period — watching, many say, simply to share in the crisis.

1964: The Beatles appear for the first time on Ed Sullivan Show Procter and Gamble, the largest American advertiser, refuses to advertise on any show that gives "offense, either directly or by inference, to any organized minority group, lodge or other organizations, institutions, residents of any State or section of the country or a commercial organization."

1965: The Vietnam War becomes the first war to be televised, coinciding with CBS's first colour transmissions and the first Asia-America satellite link. Protesters against the war adopt the television-age slogan, The whole world is watching. Also this year, Sony introduces Betamax, a small home videorecorder.


A Viking Console, Canada, 1952. This stylish console was one of the earliest sets sold by Eaton's, and was developed by Electrohome in Kitchener, Ontario. The set's production and acceptance by these two well-established Canadian businesses signalled the arrival of television in the average Canadian home.

THE GREAT PROGRAMS OF THE 1950'S

There were very few programs to watch at all in the 1950's. Prime time and 24-hour programming was unheard of, and the test patterngot more airtime than any particular show. A lot of folks actually sat in a catatonic state, staring at the Native American at the center of the unchanging, soundless test pattern. If you received 2 or 3 channels, you were better off than the majority of TV owners. To own a TV set was a big deal in the early '50's. TV-owners discovered just how popular they were, with neighbors 'just dropping by because [they] were in the vicinity!' Meanwhile, they had plunked themselves down in your favorite chair, by amazing coincidence, just in time to see the start of 'I Love Lucy'!

And forget color: you could choose between white and black or black and white. Here's a contemporary argument that never occurred in the '50's TV era-the fight over the remote control! That invention was still a few years away. Nonetheless, we were enthralled with the wonder of it all. Radios started to gather dust, at least while the TV set had a program playing, even if the show happened to be in French, Spanish, or some other language we didn't understand. The impact of television on culture and behaviour continues to be a controversial topic to this day.


Television's rise in popularity throughout the fifties saw the emergence of the situation comedy, a style that captivated audiences, essentially by presenting a short funny story with a happy ending.

Lu cy and Ricky always 'make up' after their inevitable conflicts.

One of the most popular of these shows, 'I Love Lucy', continues to appeal to both young and old forty-plus years later. No doubt the show's popularity for television viewers of the fifties had to do with the feeling that Lucy and Ricky could have been familiar neighbors from down the street. People could relate to this young couple, the Ricardos, who were experiencing the trials and tribulations of marriage as typical Americans.

They lived in a modest brownstone in Manhattan with common worries such as paying the rent and affording new household commodities. The humor came when ordinary situations were exaggerated as Lucy managed to get herself into trouble time and time again, and proceeded to untangle herself from the mess. Ricky, her husband, would often discover -- and thwart -- her numerous schemes, and the best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz, somehow managed to get involved as well.

On Monday, October 15, 1951, I Love Lucy made its debut on the CBS television network, which then consisted of a few big stations and seventy-four local affiliates. There was solid competition on NBC in the same 9 p.m. time-slot from "Lights Out" a top ten television version of the original radio classic. "Lucy," so the critics predicted, didn't stand a chance. The first episode to air, preceded by the first of many Philip Morris cigarette commercials, was titled "The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub".

After watching the first episode, the critics changed their tunes.
A popular episode shows Lucy and Ethel unable to keep pace with chocolates on a conveyor belt gone berserk.
TV Guide defined I Love Lucy as "the season's most popular program -- smooth, deft, solidly produced, and funny." By May, an estimated 11,055,000 American families were tuned in to Lucy every Monday night, an astounding number considering that there were only 15,000,000 television sets in operation that year. On Friday, April 18, 1952, the Nielsen ratings declared that I Love Lucy was then the number one show on television in America, reaching a record twenty-three million people, in nine-and-a-half million homes.

'I Love Lucy' was one of the first half-hour 'situation comedies', which became known as 'sitcoms' for short. To this day, it remains one of the finest, along with such classics as 'The Honeymooners'. Syndicated re-runs are still popular all over the world so that Lucy and Desi Arnaz, Fred and Ethel Mertz, Ralph and Alice Kramden, and neighbor/foil Ed Norton and wife Trixie will never be forgotten.

Lucy, tipsy and tongue-tied by the high alcohol content of her vitamin product, has trouble pronouncing its name.

THE HONEYMOONERS

Character Biographies, Trivia

Ralph Kramden [Gleason]
Ralph is 42 years old and was born in Brooklyn, New York. His sign is either Capricorn (Battle of the Sexes) or Taurus (Stars over Flatbush). He weighs 246 pounds and stands at 5 feet 11 inches with a 47 inch waist and size 18 neck. His highest level of education is 6th grade which he completed at P.S. 73. Currently, he wears badge #2368 and drives bus numbers 802 & 247 up and down Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue for the Gotham Bus Company, but has also worked as a helper on a meat truck, a sweeper in a bakery, and pushing a wheelbarrow with the WPA.

His weekly schedule includes playing pool every Tuesday, bowling every Thursday, and going to the Raccoon Lodge on Fridays. Acts of heroism include capturing a wanted killer, and two bank robbers. He has been suspected of bookmaking, counterfeiting, fraud, attempting to brake into a mailbox, and breaking into an apartment through the window.

He's also had his moments of stardom by appearing on TV four times: two commercials - Choosy Chew Candy & Handy Housewife Helper, and two game shows - "Beat the Clock" & "$99,000 Answer." He's also appeared in the newspaper twice - once when receiving the Safest Bus Driver Award (although he's been held up six times and broke his leg in a bus accident), and once when he claimed his throne in his household.

"Baby, you're the greatest!"
He has held title to a house, a cottage, a hotel, and a hot dog stand, and has managed a heavyweight boxer. His life-long dream is to be rich and he has come up with countless schemes to help him achieve his goals.

These include: Pills that turn water into gasoline
Phony stock in oil and oil wells
A hot dog stand
Goat gland vitamins
Used tire sales
Furniture polish
Plastic shoehorns
Rug shampooing
Uranium field in Asbury Park
Glow in the dark shoe polish
Phony hair restorer
Managing a boxer
Buying a hotel in NJ
No-cal pizza
Phony gold stock
Digging for Capt. Kidd's treasure on Long Island
Campaign to make Secaucus, NJ a honeymooners' paradise
A handy housewife helper tool
A Mystery appetizer

Alice Kramden
Alice was born on February 8th. Her maiden name was Gibson. Like Ralph, she attended P.S. 73 where they met. As a child, she was a member of the Girl Scouts troop 35 Red-Wing Patrol. Her resume includes working as a riveter in a Navy yard, handing out shovels for the WPA, knitting baby clothes, working as an obstetrician, and a secretary. She plays bridge every Tuesday and is a member if the Raccoon Lodge Ladies Auxiliary.

Ed Norton
Ed was born on January 12th; however, he states that he's a Pisces and a Saggitarius at different times. His middle name is 'Lillywhite' which was his mother's maiden name. He weighs in at exactly 170 pounds. Along with Ralph and Alice, he also attended P.S. 73 but he never graduated. As he reached adulthood, he was drafted into the Navy where he got some training as a boxer and later trained for the Golden Gloves. He now works for the New York City Sewer Department. His talents include playing the piano, and he once kept a yo-yo going for 86 consecutive hours. His all-time favorite TV show is "Captain Video and his Video Rangers". Along with Ralph, Ed loves bowling and shooting pool, and he is a member of the Raccoon Lodge where he was once elected 'Raccoon of the Year'.

THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW

SRC="http://www.edsullivan. com/ed.gif"> 'THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW' was America's premiere television variety series bringing millions of families together each Sunday night at 8 pm. From 1948-1971, Ed Sullivan presented an incredible array of over 10,000 performers from the Beatles to the Bolshoi, making him the most prolific impresario of all time. More than 30 million viewers tuned in each week to see the greatest names in music, comedy, stage and screen perform live on Ed's CBS Television show. From rock to opera, from slapstick to high brow THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW had it all.

10,000 performers appeared on the show. Who was invited back the most times?

Topo Gigio, 50 appearances; Wayne & Shuster, 46 appearances; Rickie Layne, 40 appearances; Allan King, 39 appearances;Stiller & Meara, 27 appearances; Teresa Brewer, 27 appearances. Other favorites included Senor Wences, the ventriloquist with a head in a box ["S'alright"?..."S'alright"!], comedian Jackie Mason, Rich Little, Flip Wison, and whole parades of circus performers, jugglers, acrobats, contortionists, fire-eaters, sleight-of-hand artists, magicians, and puppeteers, including the famous Edgar Bergen and witty protege, Charlie McCarthy.

Ed Sullivan launched more careers than any other single show or agent. He was also one of the most imitated personalities and often invited impersonators such as Frank Gorshin and Rich Little to display his rigid demeanor, hand-on-chin characteristic, and frequent flubbing of lines. Since this was live television, his many mispronunciations of the names of his performers and his just plain forgetfulness of names or acts all contributed to the hilarity of the program. Few missed Sunday evenings at eight with the indomitable Ed Sullivan.

Elvis was a phenomenon that Ed would have preferred to avoid. Sullivan considered the young rocker from Memphis vulgar and refused to have him on his show. But when Elvis made a splash on rival Steve Allen, Ed knew he had to please his public. Ed spent $50,000 for three Elvis appearances. Shortly before Elvis' debut, Ed was involved in a near-fatal car wreck.

The honor of introducing Elvis on Sept. 9, 1956 went to Charles Laughton, who flubbed the king's name calling him "Elvin!" It wasn't until Elvis' third appearance on January 6, 1957, that public outcry forced Sullivan's staff to agree to shoot Elvis from the waist down.

How did the Beatles get on the show?

During a Fall 1963 trip to England, Sullivan found himself surrounded by thousands of screaming girls at London's Heathrow Airport. After discovering that four young rock 'n rollers returning from the continent were causing all the fuss, Sullivan had them signed to his show -- without ever hearing them play a note! America was introduced to The Beatles on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW on February 9, 1964. 73,000,000 people watched the Fab Four sing "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You." Hundreds of police were called out to handle the mob scene outside CBS's studio 50. By 9 pm that night The Beatles had taken America by storm.

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER

On October 4 1957, the American viewing public was introduced to a young boy, 'Beaver', his big brother and their parents. The family turned out to be what every family in the U.S. wanted: innocence, respectability and a bit of adventure.

Although the nuclear western family was portrayed as idealistic and lacking in any significant dysfunction, it is a fallacy to judge them by current standards and thus, to suspect a strong censorship and a cover-up of some ugly realities. Of course, society as a whole was more conservative and forms of repression were more 'the norm'. Television producers elected not to show all the warts unnecessarily. That said, the fact is the 1950's were indeed an 'innocent' decade, keeping in mind the idea of relativity.

Since its 1957 debut the show has been in syndicated reruns and still maintains a substantial viewing audience. No doubt there is a sense of wistfulness among the millions who still watch the program to escape to that era and re-live some favorite episode with Beaver and Larry, Wally and Eddie, Ward and June and all the others that brought us the warm fuzzies.

Guess which TV is from the '50's vs. the '60's?