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Super Rare Footage…Live Television At 1939 World’s Fair
After the opening days of the fair that were broadcast by NBC, the RCA Pavilion had a camera that visitors could walk in front of and see themselves on a monitor. It was all the rage and certificates were issued stating that the bearer had indeed been among the first people ever to be “televised”!
My Mother worked at the State of Washington exhibit at the 1939 Fair and one of her old scrapbooks contains one of those “you have been televised” cards!
Wish my Mom was still here, would ask her about this, she was at the fair, lived in the area! I have a box of Gospel booklets used for evangelizing at the fair. I don’t know if they have any monetary value, but they are priceless in light of the eternity with God they were meant to share!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could see the real broadcast of President Roosevelt from that fair.
The reverse of the certificate:
Rare clip and here is the certificate issued to the person televised:
Very nice movie! Just the 1939…, in this world’s fair the Hammond Novachord, first sinthetiser in the world, was presented at the world! And I own one of those wonderful instruments, practically the unique well restored in the world!
Great clip…. Wish it was longer. Must have been 16mm Kodachrome.
My Dad was eleven years old when he saw this. He still talks about it. He also remembers the glass “see through” tv they had so you could see what was behind the screen.
That is a great clip! Thanks for sharing!
Amazing footage.
The BBC Television Service were doing something very similar here in the UK. Between 1937-1939 the annual radio show at Olympia (Radiolympia), featured a television studio where members of the public could apply to be “televised”, often performing a song or a dance. Following this they were interviewed by one of the continuity announcers/presenters of the programme.
Incredible! A excellent piece of history!
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