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Post by Jon Stanwyck on Feb 19, 2004 19:52:12 GMT
Hi all,
I was just wondering if anyone knew the source of the B/W film recording of the "Are You Being Served?" pilot. If it was aired originally as a one-off, it's seems odd that it would be film recorded. Perhaps it was made later after the series proper got underway and was sold abroad? Anyone know for sure?
Thanks,
Jon
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Post by helpful hartley on Feb 19, 2004 23:24:18 GMT
In those days most pilots were film recorded as well as vt recorded as a means of showing potential customers the new series. Reason being that not everyone had a VT at hand but they sure had a 16mm projector in the cupboard .
In the case of AYBS there may have been two pilots.The first pilot was not thought good enough, never transmitted and therefore probably erased .. however a film B/W recording remained which you mention.
The BBC obviously did not have much faith in the series as even the second pilot was shown as a filler for a rained off or broken down sports presentation.As we know once it was shown the rest was history.
this is only what i have heard maybe wrong but hope its of some help?
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Post by Totally wrong on Feb 20, 2004 0:27:41 GMT
The b/w film recording of the pilot is of the original COMEDY PLAYHOUSE episode, that was transmitted unscheduled to cover for the disruption of programmes due to the Munich Olympic Games massacre. It was later repeated immediately before the opening first series of five. As to why the Beeb only kept the TR rather than the colour tape original.............  |
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Post by Andy McKinney on Feb 20, 2004 16:21:02 GMT
The b/w film recording of the pilot is of the original COMEDY PLAYHOUSE episode, that was transmitted unscheduled to cover for the disruption of programmes due to the Munich Olympic Games massacre. It was later repeated immediately before the opening first series of five. As to why the Beeb only kept the TR rather than the colour tape original............. Maybe it was accidentally destroyed as part of the "Comedy Playhouse" junkings, and the tape may have been labelled "Comedy Playhouse" instead of "Are You Being Served". Just a theory, but makes sense. Also, anybody else think that the TR might actually be of the repeat rather than the original showing? Wouldn't the original showing have had "Comedy Playhouse" somewhere in the titles (like the Steptoe episode "The Offer")? I just assumed that perhaps they removed the Comedy Playhouse titles for the repeat as this time it was being shown as the first in a series rather than as a one-off. |
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Post by Ian B on Feb 20, 2004 18:17:25 GMT
The latter eps of COMEDY PLAYHOUSE didn't have any opening CP titles as part of the epsiode, (though they may have had somesort of stand-alone ident before them on tx). Certainly, all the colour eps that I have seen just have something to the effect of "COMEDY PLAYHOUSE: title" on the time-clock board.
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Post by Jonathan Ruskin on Mar 1, 2004 0:27:19 GMT
Helpful Hartley,
That makes sense, as VT equipment was rather bulky then. That also explains why a film recording exsists of the original Doctor Who pilot.
However, could you tell me a little more about this second pilot? I only ever heard of the one (the one surviving as a B&W film recording).
Kind regards,
Jon Ruskin
(seekingsantosha@mindless.com)
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Post by Andy McKinney on Mar 4, 2004 18:54:38 GMT
However, could you tell me a little more about this second pilot? I only ever heard of the one (the one surviving as a B&W film recording). Jon: As "totally wrong" pointed out, Hartley was totally wrong about there being a second pilot. There was only ever one pilot episode, the one shown as a Comedy Playhouse that aired unscheduled as filler at the time of the Olympics disaster. When the episode proved to be a hit, the BBC commissioned a series and the exact same pilot episode was re-shown as the first episode in the series (which was followed by the five "new" episodes to make the first series). I assume the second airing was also in colour? I suspect that the master tape of the pilot episode was accidentally erased because it might've been labeled on the box as an edition of Playhouse (which was scheduled for junking) rather than as an episode of AYBS. I suspect if they'd re-labeled the tape that it would have survived. Anyone know of any overseas airings in colour? I know it hadn't been sold to the US before the erasure, but maybe Canada or somewhere with colour facilities? |
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Post by andrew martin on Mar 5, 2004 18:34:15 GMT
The BBC has two versions of the AYBS pilot: one is the BBC Enterprises version, which starts in the usual way, and has film leader attached. The other is an incomplete, unedited transfer from the original VT, by which I mean it has the VT clock at the front and the "Comedy Playhouse" titles - these were superimposed over the first shot of the main set, when the CP theme has finished we get the AYBS title. I've no idea why they did an incomplete transfer of the episode though - it lasts about 20 minutes.
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Post by Andy McKinney on Mar 10, 2004 17:58:45 GMT
The BBC has two versions of the AYBS pilot: one is the BBC Enterprises version, which starts in the usual way, and has film leader attached. The other is an incomplete, unedited transfer from the original VT, by which I mean it has the VT clock at the front and the "Comedy Playhouse" titles - these were superimposed over the first shot of the main set, when the CP theme has finished we get the AYBS title. I've no idea why they did an incomplete transfer of the episode though - it lasts about 20 minutes. Too bad they didn't include a clip of this original opening as an extra on the R1 DVD... |
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