“TV is King” - BBC Film documentary - The rarest television technology on earth - 1994

“TV is King” - Award Winning film documentary - "The rarest television technology on earth" - BBC 1994


Royal Television Society Award
New York Film Festival Silver Medal
Munich Film Festival Medianet Award

"There are more surviving violins and cello's by Stradivari than there are pre-war televisions"



Michael Bennett-Levy set out to collect the earliest surviving television technology in the world, and explore the battle for its control that was fought between Britain, Germany and America in the 1920’s and 30’s.

Using historic artefacts and rarely seen archive the film charts John Logie Baird from his seminal breakthroughs in 1925 and 1926, to his struggles with the BBC's Lord Reith and the Radio Corporation of America along with their subsidiary Marconi/EMI.

In Berlin an incredible survivor is found in the stores of the old East German Postal Service - the Einheits receiver. Launched in 1939 and intended for the propaganda control of the German people, this is the worlds first set with a square screen.

In Dresden, in a very rare interview, Germany’s great television pioneer Professor Manfred Von Ardenne describes his meetings with JL Baird, and his chilling encounter with Adolf Hitler during the 1936 Olympics.



First screened in 1994 for BBC Scotland Ex-S Arts strand, before being screened in Germany, Australia, NZ, Spain, Italy and Canada. The film is often used as a primary source in classes being taught the history of television.

Leman Productions Ltd and Peter Rommel Films for BBC



“Tv is King” was the first Super16mm Film Documentary transmitted by BBC Scotland.

In 1995, “Tv is King” was selected for the opening transmission of the new BRAVO! Network in Canada.

In 2014 a special screening of "Tv is King" took place at the launch of the MZTV Museum in Toronto:

https://www.everythingzoomer.c....om/arts-entertainmen



Contributors:

Robert Shaw - “Televised” by JL Baird in Falkirk, 1925
Dr Peter Waddell - Co-Author “Vision Warrior”
Mrs Ellice - original owner of the Baird Lyric
Dr Gerhard Willems - Director Postmuseum Berlin
Professor Manfred Von Ardenne - Television Pioneer
Dr Joseph Hoppe - Museum für Verkehr & Technik Berlin

Music: Paul Millns
Production Manager: Bernd Luebke
Co-Producer: Peter Rommel
Directed and Edited by Jan Leman

Posted in fond memory and tribute to the irreplaceable MBL


See the trailer for JLB-The Man Who Saw The Future:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zgNAFRS3Z4&t=1s


More uploads soon - please remember to SUBSCRIBE!