Color is a Radio Corporation of America (RCA) promo film about innovations in television from the 1950’s. Between the years of 1946 and 1950, research staff of RCA Laboratories invented the world’s first electronic color television system. This film reveals some aspects of the color TV technology and shows the early production of the color tubes. It was produced by G. De Zayas, with narration by W.J. Reilly, voice by Dwight Weist, with Philip Fallon and John Breneman as consultants.

The film opens with a black and white shot of a dry road cutting through the forest (:10). This shot is compared to a color shot of the same road noting the season is fall (:14). Other colorful images include a bouquet of roses (:22) and a male and female actor performing a dance scene (:27). The RCA logo follows (:36). The film was presented by RCA (:44). The RCA headquarters is pictured (1:24) in Princeton NJ. In the 1951, the RCA successfully presented a 16 inch compatible color TV tube (1:29) to the FCC. An employee of the David Sarnoff Research Center (1:36) conducts research on phosphor for use in color TV. The electron gun is pictured (2:07). Another RCA plant (2:19) is situated in Lancaster PA. The Marion Indiana plant follows (2:34). The 25 and 19 inch rectangular tubes follow (2:45). A pile of phosphorus is dumped (2:56). Various colors are added (2:58). A demonstration follows of how these colors are presented in consumer color tubes (3:10) with a triple beam electron gun. Preparation of the shadow masks (3:35) is shown. Masks are removed from the roll (3:54) and inspected for imperfections (4:04). The cross section of an aperture is enlarged (4:24). Masks are shaped (4:35). These are welded to the mask frame (4:48). The face panel is inspected (5:15). Shadow mask and face panel are joined (5:46). Three color screens are applied here (5:51). Phosphor colors are added (6:02). The procedure for the round tubes is the same (6:33). Three dots of primary colors are formed (7:27). Layers of resin and aluminum are added (7:38). One tube subassembly is pictured completed (8:05). The funnel is inspected (8:15). Conductive coats of black are added to the exterior and interior of the funnel (9:12). An employee adds a sealant (9:30). This is hardened in an oven (9:54). Electron gun manufacturing is then shown (10:05). Cathode nickel is tested (10:14). An employee of the chemical laboratory conducts spectrographic analysis (10:29). Nickle samples are polished (10:41). An electron probe analyzer is pictured (10:46). The subassembly of the gun follows (10:57). Components of the partial gun are loaded through a machine (11:07). Flames are used to lock the components together (11:35). The stem is pictured (12:06) followed by stem assembly (12:23). Final assembly is completed in a pressurized clean room (12:32). Another check is conducted on the partial gun (13:09). Gun mount assembly is featured in the pressurized clean room (13:21). All parts are welded together (13:38). Glass sealing operations are depicted (14:33). Round and rectangular tubes receive assembly (14:40). A straight line exhaust machine forms the color picture tube (14:59). The tube is given its base (15:28). Cross examination is conducted in actual TV receivers (16:14). The tube is tested in a controlled magnetic field (16:23). Performance reliability assurance monitoring is conducted (17:16). The laminating process follows (17:33). A TV color picture tube appears (17:57). Final production electrical testing (18:27) and visual inspection preclude the packaging process. The shipping room is pictured (18:34). Packaged tubes (18:34) are carted by forklift. TV tubes are installed at home (18:57). The 21, 25 and 19 inch tubes are displayed (19:24). The RCA logo and mantra (19:34) conclude the film.

Motion picture films don’t last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we’ve worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies — including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you’d like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com