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Retro: Houston, July, 1950

H

hrhwebmaster

Sunday, July 2, 1950, from the Houston Post. Last 'full' day of KLEE-TV calls:

4:45pm - Test Pattern & Music
5pm - Hopalong Cassidy
6pm - Toast of Town
7pm - TV Playhouse
8pm - Paul Whiteman
8:30pm - Morey Amsterdam
9pm - Baseball
10:30pm - Glamour Go-Round
10:35pm - News Bulletins
10:50pm - Coming Attractions
10:55pm - Sign off

The baseball game would have been the Houston Buffs, STL Cards farm team.

Monday, July 3, 1950, from the Houston Post (new owners of Channel 2), KLEE-TV changed to KPRC-TV. The new calls were no secret; a 40 page special section ran in the Post on Sunday. The on-air unveiling was in the first segment of the 1st Annual TV Show in the 8pm hour, a live 3-day remote with demonstrations of dozens of TV sets and live entertainment held at a large public ballroom (The Plantation Club) on South Main.

12N-4:30pm - Test Pattern
4:45pm (sic) - Test Pattern and music
5:07pm (sic) - For Us the Living
5:30pm - Don Mahoney and His Sears Kiddie Troupers
6pm - Kukla, Fran and Ollie - N (i.e., NBC)
6:30pm - The Walking Machine
6:45pm - Musical Showroom
7pm - Chevrolet Teletheatre
7:30pm - This is Show Business
8pm - First Annual TV Show
8:30pm - Film Feature
9:30pm - First Annual TV Show
10:30pm - News Bulletins
10:35pm - Coming Attractions
10:40pm - Sign off


An estimated 5000 people attended the first night of the TV exposition. There were estimated to be 26,000 TV sets in use in the Houston area. KLEE-TV had been on the air since 1/1/49.
 
Does anyone know when Houston got live network TV service?? I didn't think it was as early as July of 1950. I think it may have been around the time the transcontinental microwave and coaxial cable TV network was activated in September of 1951.
 
> Does anyone know when Houston got live network TV service??
> I didn't think it was as early as July of 1950. I think it
> may have been around the time the transcontinental microwave
> and coaxial cable TV network was activated in September of
> 1951.
>
According to Jack Harris' 'The Fault Does Not Lie With Your Set,' the station put a lot of pressure on AT&T to get connected in time for the political conventions of '52. AT&T dismantled an unused landline link between NYC and Atlantic City, shipped the components to Texas, and, with additional equipment, established a link between Dallas and Houston on July 1, 1952. KPRC-TV picked up live network programming at 7am and commenced a daily schedule from 7am to 12M.

That's Harris' version (long time GM of KPRC), making it sound like KPRC pulled off quite a feat. However, I understand the networks were putting a lot of pressure on AT&T to get the nation connected in time for the political conventions. The original plan had been for a microwave link from Kansas City, but that was not due to be completed until late '52. AT&T put together a temporary link - coax and microwave - from Jackson, MS, that brought DFW, Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Tulsa and New Orleans on line all on the same day.

Dave Garroway began the Today show that day by welcoming all the new cities, saying "We're in New York. We're real people - just like the ones in your town."

I know we had a TV in time for those conventions (Republican Convention began July 7) but I don't know how long we had had it. I do remember getting up a little early one day to watch the Today show but I don't recall if I was watching July 1.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by hrhwebmaster on 01/27/06 04:48 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Might both versions of the story be correct??

Could AT&T have put-in landlines to several cities in the South Central United States in the Spring/early Summer of 1952 and KPRC-2 purchasing a relay system to connect with the AT&T facilities in Dallas so network programs could be fed to Houston from Dallas??
 
> Might both versions of the story be correct??
>
> Could AT&T have put-in landlines to several cities in the
> South Central United States in the Spring/early Summer of
> 1952 and KPRC-2 purchasing a relay system to connect with
> the AT&T facilities in Dallas so network programs could be
> fed to Houston from Dallas??
>
So are you suggesting AT&T would have put in the connectons to N.O., Dallas, OKC, Tulsa and San Antonio and left Houston to pay for it's own connection? Hmmm. I guess anything's possible.

There's nothing in the Harris book which suggests KPRC paid for the work to dismantle the old link back East and move it to Houston. In my experience, wouldn't be typical for a broadcaster to go to such expense on behalf of the viewing public and then not claim credit for it! In fact, I'm suggesting Harris was fudging a little on the truth when he neglected to mention the pressure the networks were putting on AT&T, making it seem like a heroic effort on the part of KPRC. I'm not dissing KPRC at all; it was a very good example of a locally owned, very community involved station for many, many years.

I'm just looking in the Harris book. If I ever have the time, I'll look up some newspaper coverage from that era, especially in the Chronicle or Press (the Post owned KPRC).
 
Program Notes

Program notes for Monday eve (none accompanied Sunday schedule):
>
> 12N-4:30pm - Test Pattern
> 4:45pm (sic) - Test Pattern and music
> 5:07pm (sic) - For Us the Living
Documentary film on how the Food and Drug Act protects the public.

> 5:30pm - Don Mahoney and His Sears Kiddie Troupers
The easy talking cowboy brings his children's amateur hour to Kiddie Troupers from the Plantation.

> 6pm - Kukla, Fran and Ollie - N (i.e., NBC)
Popular puppet show led by lovely Fran Allison and unrehearsed.

> 6:30pm - The Walking Machine
Educational film about foot hygiene -- tells what feet can do for us and we for them.

> 6:45pm - Musical Showroom
Johnny Royal at the piano with guests.

> 7pm - Chevrolet Teletheatre
'The Way I Feel.' Story of adolescent love broken by death.

> 7:30pm - This is Show Business
Binnie Barnes and Abe Burrows join Producer Max Corbin, Radio Star Jane Pickens and Comedian Jan Murray on this intimate get-together hosted by Clifton Fadiman.

> 8pm - First Annual TV Show
Besides the changeover of call letters ceremony, entertainment by Red Ingle and His Natural Seven and the Mel Arvin Trio and Gypsy Edwards.

> 8:30pm - Film Feature
'Hollywood and Vine.' Jimmy Ellison stars in this one, which seesaws between laughter and romance.

> 9:30pm - First Annual TV Show
C.P.Simpson will award watches to the two top contributors to the television Cancer Crusade. Lynn Cole, romantic baritone and Capitol Recording Star, will sing.

10:00pm - (omitted from basic listings): Hands of Destiny - 'Too Old to Live.' This story is inspired by President Truman's recent speech on the difficulties encountered by old people looking for work.

> 10:30pm - News Bulletins
> 10:35pm - Coming Attractions
> 10:40pm - Sign off
 
Re: Speaking of KLEE

> http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/klee.htm
>
I only heard of that for the first time a couple of years ago. Glad to know the debunking is almost as widespread as the myth.

I saw the KLEE test pattern once, visiting an uncle who had an early TV set; never saw any programming.
 
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