We Regret The Loss Of Our Programme

[bhowells]

Remember when the programmes used to break down on ITV in the mid sixties, an apology caption would appear acompanied by the music of Herb Alpert and Burt Kaemphert.

[Husky]

Yes, and sometimes the if the visuals were lost, the programme would continue "in sound only".

I don't know why, but when I was a kid and the programme broke down, I would find it very scary and sinister, as if something terrible had happened in the studio and they didn't want us to see it...

[glyn horton]

Originally Posted by Husky Yes, and sometimes the if the visuals were lost, the programme would continue "in sound only". I don't know why, but when I was a kid and the programme broke down, I would find it very scary and sinister, as if something terrible had happened in the studio and they didn't want us to see it...

This reminds me of an experience my mother had in the 1950s. Her family were one of the first to own a TV in their village and would watch what programmes were made then. One day there was some kind of programme on, either a kids show or some sort of animal programme, but it was live and involved a number of dogs lined up in the studio with the presenter discussing each breed. There was a small terrier type alongside a much bigger dog (my mum seems to remember it was alsatian) and when the presenter began talking to the owners the alsatian, without any warning, suddenly attacked the terrier by the throat and in my mum's words (sorry to be gruesome) 'bit the little dog's head off'. The show was immediately stopped and the screen went blank. My mum can't really remember if there was any mention of it afterwards, obviously she was too upset and shocked. Also it might not have been the fifties but a bit later. Maybe any other members could shed some light on this.

[bhowells]

I always thought that it was mildly scary when ITV closed down at night, in the mid-sixties when I was allowed to stay up at weekends the last prog was always something like Alfred Hitchock Presents.

Similarly I was sad when the channel closed down in the day between school programmes I was always fasicnated with the test card and that high pitched noise, I believe the technical term is test tone. It was always a relief when the showed race meeting in the afternoon which meant there was no closedown only an interlude slide.

[bhowells]

The first night of BBC2 IN 1964 was a debacle there was a power cut, they had to do it all again the next night, not that many were watching, not everyone could get BBC2, we didnt receive it until 1968.