Noele Gordon Archives - THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion

I saw perfect colour TV

Mac Cherry — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:50:46 +0000

From the Leicester Evening Mail for 27 October 1960

COLOUR television came to the Midlands last night – but only for half-an-hour and to enchant an invited audience in the Alpha Television Studios in Birmingham.

About 400 people, many of them specialists, saw the demonstration which was arranged by the Midland Centre of the Television Society.

The question of when colour television will be on tap in the home remained unanswered, though it was hinted by a panel of experts that a service will probably be introduced in four or five years’ time.

In order to put on the show an E.M.I. outside broadcast van was stationed near the theatre.

Already perfect

The equipment has been used in the past for producing closed circuit colour television at hospitals so that student doctors can watch the progress of surgical operations.

The half-hour programme was projected on to a screen about the size of a large shop window and the audience saw Noele Gordon, Eulah Parker, Roy Edwards, Steve Evans and other performers in scenes which showed that colour reproduction techniques are already perfect.

The Evening Mail representative, Mac Cherry, who watched the show, found that colour fidelity and picture definition were not only far in advance of that achieved in the early colour cinema film but were equal to present-day film qualities.

When colour TV comes to the home it will be seen not on projection equipment but on specially designed sets using the cathode ray tube and the conventional viewing screen.

Trouble-free

Many questions important to the colour viewer of the future were answered.

How much will the sets cost? — Size for size, about two-and-a-half times the present set.

How reliable will they be? — The radio industry will avoid the mistake made in America, which already has colour TV. There it was at first necessary to call in the maintenance man several times a week. The first British sets will not give trouble.

Will maintenance be more expensive? — Yes, but only slightly.

Will the present 405-line system have to be changed? — Not necessarily. Good results can be achieved without the suggested alteration to 625-line definition.

The demonstration made it clear that colour television is not far away. The radio industry is already making preparations —and one of them is to test its prospective apprentices for colour blindness.

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ATV programmes and personalities – 1

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:40:25 +0000

Godfrey Winn, who was born in Birmingham, returned to present his series of programmes “Godfrey Winn Speaking Personally”. His sincere approach to personal problems brought him a flood of letters from appreciative viewers.

Shaw Taylor {left) with the producer, John Irwin discuss a point during rehearsal of “Dotto” the popular quiz programme. Many Midland viewers have had an opportunity to join in this programme as members of the audience in the Television Theatre, Aston.

Bringing a tang of the sea to Aston, The Bosun (Gerald Cuff) appears each Monday in the childrens hour. He introduces the Popeye cartoon films and gives young viewers the answers to their queries about seafaring matters. Special films on lifeboats, the Royal Navy, Shipbuilding, the Merchant Navy and the launching of ships have been made for showing in these programmes.

One of the memorable television broadcasts was the concert given by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy. Hilde Gueden, who was the soloist, congratulates the Leader of the orchestra, Jocob Krechnalnik.

Noele Gordon seated on a Canberra bomber at the R.A.F. Station, Gaydon in Warwickshire. This was during the last of the 1959 series of Outside Broadcasts of “Lunch Box”. Noele has been the star of this mid-day television show which has now been running for three years and which pioneered the way for T.V. at this time of the day.

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ATV programmes and personalities – 2

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:30:01 +0000

Noele Gordon, star of “Lunch Box”, “Tea With Noele Gordon“, “Noele Gordon Takes the Air” and other T.V. shows. She is a qualified television producer and joined A.T.V. as Advisor on Woman’s Programmes. However, her wide show business experience soon brought her before the T.V. cameras and her popularity with Midland viewers grows every day.

Ward Bond and Robert Horton who, as Major Seth Adams and Scout Flint McCullogh, thrill Midland viewers each Monday night.

“Midland Montage” produced by Kit Plant, brings interesting people to the studios each week. Here, Leslie Dunn, who introduces the items, is chatting to Peters Sellars (centre) and film producer (right) John Boulting.

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