NBC Color Kinescope - (1958) The Perry Como Show - [COLOR CORRECTED]

Watch time-shifted color TV like it was 1958 again - with a WRCA-TV (now WNBC-TV) ID followed by a color-corrected and frame-synchronized version of the faded color kinescope film of the April 13, 1958 live NBC color broadcast of The Perry Como Show found here on YouTube - originally filmed on Anscochrome (GAF) color film stock using NBC's KINEPHOTO process (RCA Kinescope recorder) on 16mm film. This was NOT a 'lenticular' color kinnie - just faded Anscochrome film stock.

In 1958, while color videotape was still in its infancy, since September 1956, NBC would use color film kinescopes to time-shift and preserve their live color television shows and 'spectaculars' - until they would eventually transition to color 'television tape' later in 1958-9.

However, I am tempted to believe this edited-down color kinnie was utilized for the Advertising Dept at NBC (aka 'On-Air Marketing') due to the fact that elements are missing from this show - therefore it is obviously not complete. But who knows (or really cares anyways)?

Here you will find I have imported the original color faded kinescope print found on YouTube - and did some down-n-dirty color correction on the original print (which completely lacked any blue) and was typically faded pink/red - which gives away the fact the original film stock was NOT Kodachrome - and the fade also resembles multitude of Eastmancolor prints. Research showed NBC would use GAF Anscochrome film stock (General Aniline and Film Corp.).

That being said, the video color correction is roughly done (i.e. didn't spend much time on this) in Avid Media Composer - and additional effects come from the Gen Arts Sapphire and Boris FX collections. My goal was to attain at least a pseudo Kodachrome-ish effect, in other words, proper saturated color. I used certain film presets (adjusted) with the "Film Effect' plug-in.

My goal with this was at least to showcase the COLOR as best as I could make it pop out. My favorite is the Johnny Puleo and his Harmonica Gang segment where the blue colors pop out of the backdrop curtain.

Of course, this being a kinescope (faded, no less), you can tell there are exposure issues with the tubes in the TV camera, the brightness of the iconoscope on the KINEPHOTO recorder - and the over-exposure on the original film - so faces become light blue at times...

Best part of the show are the Mitchell Ayres arrangements and orchestra. You'll know him in the 1960's as "The Hollywood Palace" musical director.

Worst part is the Bob Hope segment.

The sound was crappy too - so I gave it the Dyna-Stereo treatment.

NOTE: The end credits are from a different Perry Como show episode - from 1959 - as is the NBC endpage and the 'rainbow' motif in his show logo. The 1958 episode just had that ugly red star.

ADDED ATTRACTION: Period advertisements for selling RCA Color TV's using The Perry Como Show (and The Dinah Shore Show) and NBC Color as the draw - helped by Perry's records on RCA Victor records! He was indeed, the RCA Color King!