ABC Weekend TV Archives - THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion

This ‘Box Office’ never closes

TVTimes — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:50:36 +0000

Viewers have been intrigued by the glamorous setting of the new series of Box Office programmes late on Sunday nights: here GEORGE BARTRAM tells how this solid-looking bungalow is erected every week within a few hours, and writes of the Box Office team’s working week.

From the TVTimes for 6-12 October 1957

WHEN cinema box offices have closed down for the night, television’s Box Office is all set to start, with film excerpts, songs and gossip all packed
into 23 minutes.

Youthful producer Ben Churchill has re-jigged Box Office and given it a luxurious setting more in keeping with the glamorous world of films.

“Glamour is the key word,” says Churchill. “We want to convey this atmosphere throughout the programme. Hence the new bungalow suite setting which the current compere, John Fraser, and other stars will tenant.”

This splendid suite befits any star in the higher-income bracket. It has contemporary furniture, lush carpeting and a balcony complete with foliage. Then, of course, there’s the cocktail bar with the sliding shutter which acts as a cinema screen.

This scene of luxury is created in just a few hours at Birmingham’s Television Theatre. Due to the complexities of the programme, it has to be screened from the large Studio A, where, in the afternoon, Bid for Fame is staged for Midlands and Northern ITV channels.

As Bid for Fame ends and the audience troops out, work begins in the studio for Box Office, screened six hours later. The set is struck,
lighting is arranged and rehearsals begin. It’s a race against time, but the careful planning of the previous week ensures a minimum of difficulties.

“Now this is the way I want it.” Producer Ben Churchill gives detailed instructions to John Fraser and Genine Graham

Ben Churchill begins work on the programme on Monday morning with musical adviser George Clouston. Songs are chosen from old and new films.

“We’re hoping to feature new film songs which haven’t been released to the public,” Churchill said.

On Tuesday there’s a joint conference to decide what should go into the following Sunday’s programme. Present are: Ben Churchill, John Fraser, Genine Graham – the programme’s gossip correspondent – scriptwriter Rex Reinits and film editor John White.

White co-operates with the film renters in choosing the films for presentation. He and Churchill first view the extracts, which are shown at the conference before being edited.

“We want to get more into the heart of films,” Churchill told me. “Apart from excerpts, we want to feature every aspect of this gigantic industry.”

People want to know what the stars are doing. So it’s Genine Graham’s job to provide a regular gossip feature. Each item of gossip is considered at the conference.

Bid for Fame is over, so down come the captions

This done, the programme layout is devised. Rex Reinits is then ready to prepare the script, which must be in the hands of the producer by Wednesday night.

On Wednesday, Churchill settles final details. He may also have to attend a film premiere with Genine Graham, or arrange for her to interview some film stars. And there’s the script to be discussed.

Thursday morning finds the script being typed and duplicated. By midday, everyone connected with the programme has received a copy. On Friday, the script
is arranged for cameras. Then the routine switches from London to Birmingham; Churchill holds a production conference with the studio heads of sound, lighting and cameras. On Saturday he ties up all the loose ends ready for Sunday.

Rosemary Squires runs through a number with Eric Cook

If the foregoing week has seemed busy, Sunday borders on the chaotic. With so many programmes emanating from the Birmingham studios on Sunday, there is little space available. Camera rehearsals cannot, in fact, begin until 7 p.m.

Script rehearsals, however, can be held – but in the quiet club room of a nearby public house. Every utterance and movement has to be timed to fit in with the film excerpts which, of course, cannot be shown until studio space is available.

Back in Studio A, rehearsals grow in intensity as the time for transmission of Bid for Fame draws near. Just as it is due to go on the air at 4.15, the Box Office team break for tea. They forego their tea and watch the programme in the viewing-room.

By 5.15, when most Bid for Fame people have gone, John Fraser and Genine Graham move into their respective dressing-rooms and quietly run through their scripts. Occasionally, Churchill pops in to discuss a point.

Time now for Churchill to run over the songs. The band has arrived and band call is fixed for 6.30 in Studio D, next door to Studio A, where painters, scene- shifters, property men and electricians are getting to work on the Box Office. The studio is transformed. There stands the luxury “bungalow” a miracle of construction. It seems fit for a millionaire, and yet is all plywood and hardboard and plaster of paris.

It’s 7 o’clock. Camera rehearsals begin. Then there’s a steady slog until 9.30, when there’s a supper break… 11.5 transmission time… 11.30 the end of Box Office for another week.

Comfortably settled, John Fraser sits back for his opening announcement

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Howard Thomas

Howard Thomas — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 22:30:43 +0000

SINCE A.B.C. Television started its operation in the Midlands early in 1956, we have used these Alpha Studios and all its facilities to the maximum every weekend.

HOWARD THOMAS
Managing Director of
ABC Television Ltd

From these studios we have presented many programmes on the national network as well as on our Midland channel — programmes ranging from variety to the teenage youth club programme ‘Sunday Break’ which was first produced here, and many of the Saturday afternoon serials, religious discussion programmes, musicals and new talent shows like ‘Bid for Fame’. Currently we are presenting from these studios amongst other programmes, the quiz show “For Love or Money” and with A.T.V., the biggest networking operation in this country, “Let’s Go”, in fact everything from a simple Epilogue to an elaborate play has been, and will continue to be produced in these compact studios.

Alpha enjoys a reputation for being the busiest studio of its size in the country, and the skill, enthusiasm and determination of all its staff is equal to that of any television studio in the world.

We of A.B.C. Television are proud to be part of the Alpha Television Studios.

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What is Alpha?

Frank Beale — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 22:10:13 +0000

THIS question has been put to me countless times since I arrived in the Midlands, and with so many symbols such as I.T.A., I.T.V., A.B.C., A.T.V., etc., it is no wonder that people become confused.

In order to explain the function of Alpha I must go over as simply as possible the development of Commercial Television in the Midlands.

The I.T.A. really stands for the Independent Television Authority, which is responsible to the Government for controlling the whole of commercial television. One of the I.T.A.’s main functions is to see that commercial television is operated in accordance with the Television Act of 1954.

by
FRANK BEALE
General Manager
Alpha Television Services

Let us now confine our thoughts to the Midland Region. Two contracts were issued by the I.T.A. to allow commercial television broadcasting over seven days each week in this area. The first contract was to Associated TeleVision Limited (A.T.V.) to transmit programmes from Mondays to Fridays inclusive; the second to A.B.C. Television Limited (A.B.C.), for a similar operation on Saturdays and Sundays.

When these contracts were issued in late 1955, there was very little time to find, organise and equip studios to meet an opening date for the Midland Transmitter at Lichfield already set for February 17th, 1956. Both A.B.C. and A.T.V. therefore commenced their activities in the Midlands by searching independently for suitable premises from which to operate. It became abundantly clear that time and effort would be saved if the two companies operated on a joint basis, looking for one suitable site obviously being easier than looking for two and bearing in mind that A.B.C.’s two days of operation would not cut across A.T.V.’s five days and vice versa. Thus was born an idea for a joint company to supply studios, equipment, offices and staff capable of transmitting television programmes throughout seven days a week on behalf of the two Parent Companies. Time has proved that this thinking was not only practical but most successful. The name of the Company chosen was Alpha Television Services (Birmingham) Limited.

Alpha is best described as a Production factory, making television shows to the specifications of A.B.C. and A.T.V. producers. As soon as a producer has decided upon his format for any given show, the scenic designers, wardrobe, property and technical departments such as cameras, sound, lighting engineers etc., all go to work in their respective fields, to produce the necessary requirements called for. All this work is assembled in the studios, and ancillary areas on the day of transmission or, in the case of a large production, the day before, where, like a jig-saw puzzle, all the pieces are assembled to put before you a completed picture at the times advertised in your Television Times.

That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the answer to ‘What is Alpha?’

How television reaches your home

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ABC programmes and personalities – 1

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:10:55 +0000

The only television programme in Britain to be devoted to the literary world is “The Bookman”, A.B.C.’s weekly programme about books and the authors who write them. The first ‘Bookman programme was produced at Aston over two years ago. A recent visitor to the programme was the Russian author Vladimir Nabokov seen here discussing his controversial book ‘Lolita’ with producer Guy Verney.

John Edmunds voted recently by a Sunday newspaper as the most popular male announcer on television. John is A.B.C. Television’s resident announcer in Birmingham every weekend and apart from normal announcing duties he has taken part in many programmes seen on the national network. John’s specially tailored ‘uniform’ is of lovat green shade, with bottle green lapels and tie, and a stone coloured shirt. These colours have been specially blended to suit the critical eye of the television camera which dislikes black and white in direct contrast.

“Sunday Break” the world’s first religious television programme designed for teenagers has been acclaimed by the Church and by the world press. “Sunday Break” devised by A.B.C. was first produced at the Alpha Television Studios and this picture shows a corner of the club room set up in the studio.

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ABC programmes and personalities – 2

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:00:33 +0000

The light blue vans of A.B.C’s Outside Broadcast Unit are a familiar sight in the Midlands. From the Leofric Hotel in Coventry, A.B.C. have presented several programmes. McDonald Hobley is seen introducing ‘Bid for Fame’ from the hotel ballroom.

Consistently the most popular play on television is produced each Sunday in A.B.C. Television’s Armchair Theatre Series. Anthony Quayle, Dorothy Tutin and Neil McCollum rehearse a scene from “The Scent of Fear” produced recently.

Saturday night at 6.30 is the time when “Boy Meets Girls”, and all over Britain popular music fans tune in to see Marty Wilde, The Vernons Girls and the cream of the recording stars in A.B.C’s popular programme. “Boy Meets Girls” is the successor to “Oh Boy!”, the explosion of beat music which gathered the most loyal band of followers any programme ever had. So popular was the series that newspapers all over the country organized special trains to bring fans to the studio to watch the programme in production. This has never happened to any other television programme either before or since.

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ABC programmes and personalities – 3

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 20:50:47 +0000

“Love or Money”, A.B.C. Television’s current quiz programme is produced in Studio A.

Franklin Engelmann and the A.B.C.-TV. Outside Broadcast Unit introduce ‘The Other Man’s Farm’. ‘The Other Man’s Farm’ is the only farming programme in the world to be produced as a live outside broadcast. Here, Franklin Engelmann and Jim Hall interview Mr. Dixon who farms at Grange Farm, Mears Ashby, Northampton.

A.B.C. Television’s Outside Broadcast Unit is the biggest and most widely used in this country, presenting sometimes three or four different broadcasts in one day. One of the travelling camera units is here seen on the promenade at Llandudno televising an insert in ‘Holiday Town Parade’.

Many of the Sunday evening religious programmes are broadcast by A.B.C. from Aston. A recent series “The Least Read Best Seller” was introduced by Dr. William Neil (seated) and Professor Alan Richardson, both of Nottingham University. With director Ben Churchill (left) and religious programmes producer Tom Singleton, they go over the script before the broadcast.

Lights, scenery, cameras, microphones, the Geoff Love Orchestra, pianist Pepe Jaramillo, singer Janie Marden, compere Noel Harrison and studio technicians make up a composite picture of a modern television studio at work. The programme is ‘Sentimental Journey’ seen recently on A.B.C. Television.

“After Hours” — A.B.C.’s late night show was first produced in Studio D at the Alpha Studios. Benny Lee, Dick Emery, Michael Bentine and John Bentley play a light hearted skit on “African Patrol” one of A.B.C.’s filmed programmes.

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Recollections of past programmes

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 20:40:20 +0000

A memorable programme presented by A.B.C. Television to the entire l.T.V. network was ‘Coventry Cathedral Festival of Arts’. Here, Dr. Cuthbert Bardsley, Bishop of Coventry, films a prologue to the programme in the ruins of the old Cathedral.

Studio A was turned into a shooting gallery for ‘Can Do’ in which Lonnie Donnegan showed his prowess as a marksman. Compere John Pertwee stands by to administer first aid!

A.B.C. Television often present a drama serial to the entire I.T.V. network from Aston. Sometimes it is necessary to couple studios to house the tremendous number of sets, cameras and artistes. When this is done, actors and technicians working in separate studios are ‘cut in’ on a cue from the director in the control room linking the two studios. This technique was often adopted when presenting the serial “All Aboard” recently.

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ABC Television

ITV 1963 — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 18:20:25 +0000

Midlands and North (Saturdays and Sundays)

ABC is the company which, under agreement with the Independent Television Authority, provides the television programmes in the North and Midlands on Saturdays and Sundays.

1 Hanover Square, London W.1.
HYDe Park 7222
City Centre House, 30 Union Street, Birmingham 2
MIDLANDS 6083
Television House, 12 Mount Street, Manchester 2
DEANSGATE 4597


Area         ITA      Channel   Vision    Sound    Opening Date  Population ITA Homes
          Transmitter          Frequency Frequency                  000's     000's
                                 Mc/s      Mc/s

Midlands  Lichfield       8     189.75    186.25   17th Feb 1956     8,850    1,765

North     Winter Hill     9     194.75    181.25    3rd May 1956  }
          Emley Moor     10     199.7372  196.2605  3rd Nov 1956  } 12,452    3,282

Directors

Sir Philip Warter (Chairman); E G M Fletcher LL.D, MP (Deputy Chairman); Howard Thomas (Managing Director); C J Latta; R Clark, LL.B; D J Goodlatte; G A Cooper.

Officers

C J Orr, FCA (Secretary); B R Greenhead (Technical Controller); R H Norris (Advertisement Controller); B Tesler (Programme Controller); D Southwood (Northern Executive and Chief of Outside Broadcasts); E G Harris (Midlands Executive); L Shirley (Features Supervisor); R Taylor (Light Entertainment Supervisor); Penry Jones (Religious Adviser).

Staff

Total members of staff 957 (excluding Alpha Television).

Visits to Studios

A limited number of tickets are available for audiences at certain shows. Applications, enclosing stamped addressed envelopes, should be made to the Ticket Controller at the address of the studio from which the programme originates. The minimum age is sixteen.

Enquiries

Enquiries about artistes and programmes should be addressed to Viewers’ Correspondence, ABC Television, Broom Road, Teddington, Middlesex.

Submission of Scripts

Present requirements are for 60-minute plays, 30-minute children’s serials and 60- or 45-minute series scripts. But programmes change, and authors should contact story editors for the appropriate category to learn of future trends before submitting outlines or scripts.

Programme Journal

TV Times publishes separate editions for the North and Midlands areas giving details of the available programmes.

Studios

DIDSBURY STUDIO CENTRE, Manchester (Didsbury 8181). Winter Hill and Emley Moor transmitters receive their weekend programmes via the ABC master control rooms at Didsbury. Here too is based the Outside Broadcast fleet. The main studio has a stage area of 5,000 sq. ft. and has seating for an audience of 600. The second studio has an area of approximately 1,000 sq. ft., and there is a presentation studio attached to the dual master control rooms, plus an announcer’s booth for sound only.

BIRMINGHAM. Alpha Television Studios, Aston, Birmingham (Aston Cross 3091), are jointly owned by ABC and Associated TeleVision Limited. There are three studios of 3,000, 1,200 and 380 sq. ft., and master control and technical areas which were housed in a new building during 1962.

TEDDINGTON STUDIO CENTRE, Broom Road, Teddington (Teddington Lock 3252). This modern studio centre has been established close to London, where the main body of artistes is available. It specialises in the recording of drama, light entertainment and feature programmes. Studio 1 has an area of 7,500 sq. ft.; Studio 2, 4,750 sq. ft.; and Studio 3, 2,500 sq. ft. The technical equipment covers an area of 8,000 sq. ft. and is fully multi-standard with immediate switching between 405, 525 and 625 line standards. The new central block, opened in 1962, has in addition 13,000 sq. ft. of rehearsal rooms, an acoustically treated recording studio of 1,700 sq. ft., and scenery assembly and handling facilities.

Outside Broadcast Units

ABC have three Outside Broadcast units based at Didsbury, all with 4½” cameras and a smaller vidicon unit. In addition, the mobile videotape recorder can be equipped with one or two cameras, there being a total of twelve available between the units, There are seven microwave link units with portable power generators, and a hydraulic platform tower truck.

Videotape Recording

There are two machines based at Didsbury, together with the mobile unit. At Teddington there are four standards-switchable transistorised recorders together with standards converter equipment. At Alpha Studios, Birmingham, there are two machines.

Colour Television

One of the flying spot telecine channels at Teddington is equipped for the generation of colour signals, and programmes from Teddington have been experimentally radiated by the Croydon transmitter. In addition, numerous public demonstrations have been given over the GPO network, notably those using the continental SECAM system.

Technical Developments

A considerable amount of apparatus was specially developed for the Teddington Studio Centre in order to achieve full multi-standard operation. All this newly developed equipment is transistorised, and, in particular, vision switching matrices and pulse and vision distribution amplifiers have been used in considerable numbers.

ABC Television’s Teddington Studios

Programmes

ABC productions include: News and News Magazines: ABC At Large. Talks, Discussions and Documentaries: The Other Man’s Farm, The Bookman. The Arts: Tempo. Science and Natural History: You’d Never Believe It! Religion: The Sunday Break, Living Your Life, Journey of a Lifetime, Sunday Morning Service, Epilogues. Adult Education: Headway. Sport: extensive outside broadcast coverage of all sporting events, including such minority sports as tenpin bowling, motor cycle scrambles, indoor soccer and amateur boxing. Children’s Programmes: Once Upon A Time. Drama Programmes: Armchair Theatre, The Avengers, Dimension of Fear (four-part thriller serial), Secret Beneath the Sea (six-part children’s serial), Ocean Liner series (untitled). Variety, Light Entertainment and Music: Thank Your Lucky Stars, Sing Along, The Best of Friends, Comedy Bandbox, Candid Camera, The Dave King Show, Life and Al Read. Entertainment Films: several film series produced in collaboration with ABC include The Human Jungle, Sir Francis Drake. Dramatised Documentaries: The Sword in the Web.