The UCLA Film & Television Archive has now posted the recently recovered program: Milton Berle Starring in The Kraft Music Hall (10/8/1958) in color. This is now believed to be the oldest surviving color videotape of an entertainment program. The only older color tape is the WRC dedication.
This program was an NBC Burbank live origination feeding New York and the network. Live color Kraft Food commercials were inserted and hot switched into this feed at NY (and simultaneously hot switched into the Burbank time zone delay tapes-quite a feat!).
The program starts with a minute or so of the previous incoming color program on the network (The Price Is Right). Then black followed by the Berle Program.
The UCLA screening of The Milton Berl Show # 1, October 8, 1958, filled up the Billy Wilder Theatre in Los Angeles for this special screening. It was nice to see the recognition and acceptance of videotape preservation with the attendees (a packed house), among them being Mrs. Lorna Berle! This first Berle program of this series is now considered the oldest surviving color videotape of an entertainment program.
DC Video is proud to have been tapped to recover this Milton Berle Show # 1 from 2" Quad.
Retro Video contributed to the balance of the program with material from other 1958 Milton Berl segments and one complete show.
In the attached photo, left to right:
Professor Shawn VanCour, UCLA School of Education & Information Studies
Mark Quigley, John H. Mitchell Television Curator (arranged Berle acquisition and theatre presentation producer)
David Crosthwait, DC Video
Bill Dicicco, Retro Video