Dan Einstein, Television Archivist at the UCLA Film, Television and Radio Archives, presents this compilation of rare treasures from television's early years, beginning with Rudy Valee's 1931 “television demon-
stration” newsreel (including outtakes!) and closing with a 1949 Texaco Star Theater starring Milton Berle (“Uncle Miltie”), the undisputed King of early television. More complete notes will be available at the screening for this special program, which includes unique historical footage illustrating the introduction of television around the world, from New York's NBC studio to England, France, and Japan (“Emperor Hirohito Looks at Television”). The father of television as we know it, inventor Philo T. Farnsworth, explains his new marvel for Paramount's Popular Science. Also featured are: NBC Television Newsreel, the predecessor of today's nightly newscasts; an episode of the first filmed series produced for television, Public Prosecutor starring John Howard; the early detective series Pete Hunter, Private Eye directed by Joseph Cotten; one of the first t.v. situation comedies, the madcap Jackson and Jill with Helen Chapman and Todd Karns; Crusader Rabbit, the first cartoon serial produced for the new medium; Story Theater's rendition of De Maupassant's “The Diamond Necklace”; Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis clowning it up for Admiral's Five Star Revue; and BBC coverage of the Royal Wedding, 1947.