Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

above: the iconoscope camera follows OENERAL EISENHOWER AS HE LAYS THE president's WHEIATH AT THE BASE OF THE LINCOLN STATUE. AT RIGHT, TOP: NBC'S ENGINEERING CREW UNLOADS EQUIPMENT FOR THE LINCOLN'S DAY TELECAST. BELOW: PART OF THE CEREMONY IS PICKED UP BY ONE OF THE TELEVISION CAMERAS LOCATED ABOUND THE MEMORIAL. lecting the opening "picture shot." However, the plans were treated to a rude shock on Sunday evening when six inches of snow, with no regard for television plans, blan- keted Washington. The grounds at the Memorial on Monday were so wet that to run out the camera cables might have jeopardized the entire program. Reluctantly, the field staff did a little testing, ran a few switching rehearsals and called it a day, leaving the major portion of dressing the show to be done in the few hours available on Tuesday morning before the sched- uled telecast time. Engineers Make Final Check At 6.00 a.m. on the 12th work started. Engineers made their final checks, cameras were put in posi- tion for the first time, and a final selection of shots was planned. Two Orthicon cameras were employed outside the Memorial, one well out on the lawn for an over-all shot and the other on the steps to pick up the Marine Band, the laying of the wreaths, and the arrival of General Eisenhower. Inside the Memorial the new camera with RCA Image Orthicon tube was moved into posi- tion to provide shots of the famous statue and to show the Chief-of- Staff as he placed the President's wreath. At 12 noon the program opened with a short film introduction from New York, and with the words "We take you now to our Nation's Capi- tal" the huge Capitol dome flashed on the screens. From the shot of Washington taken from the Capitol roof the scene switched to the mar- ble steps as four members of Con- gress and the then FCC Chairman, Paul A. Porter, descended the steps and approached the camera where they were interviewed by announcer Bill Henry. Following the interviews on the Capitol steps the scene switched again to a studio location in down- town Washington where, through the use of maps and charts, the audience was given a non-technical explanation of the make-up and routing of the new coaxial cable. Another switch from the studio and television viewers in New York saw the famous Lincoln Memorial as the camera, in a long shot, panned up the walk to a view of the classic structure. Eisenhower Placed Wreath At 12:30 sharp, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Army Chief of Staff, arrived to place President Truman's wreath at the foot of Lincoln's statue. Television cam- eras followed his progress as he walked between the long lines of the Guard of Honor, composed of soldiers, sailors and marines. As the General stepped between the marble columns the music stopped and the Image Orthicon picked him up as he approached the statue, stepped back, stood a few moments in reverence and then sa- luted. As he turned about to march away the audience was treated to one of those unrehearsed incidents for which television is rapidly be- coming known. One of the press photographers realized that he had failed to get satisfactory pictures of the proceedings. He intercepted the departing General and asked him to re-enact the wreath laying. The Chief of Staff, who became an idol of the GI because of his unpre- tentious, democratic manner, will- ingly obliged. New York viewers saw him return to the sculpture and repeat the routine. As the General left the memorial to re-enter his car, the Image Orth- icon camera "panned up" to frame a striking distant view of the Wash- ington Memorial and the Capitol Building rising through the ground haze far beyond the Reflection Lake. [24 RADIO AGE