If I could jump into the TV screen and travel back to that time, I would. America seemed to be in its happiest place between the 1940s and 1960s. I think it all ended and started downhill around Vietnam. Weve been on a spiral down ever since.
Video tape did not exist until the mid 1950's and much of the films here were Pre-WWII. Prior to video tape the only way to save a TV show telecast from live cameras was a process called Kinnescope where they would point a film camera at the screen of a calibrated TV monitor and record it and sound onto film. Nearly all TV shows from before 1960 (and many after) survive only because of the Kinnescope process. Some shows that were not performed live were filmed in advance and televised off the film. Most videotapes from before 1960 are lost. The oldest surviving color videotape is from 1958, and many of the early monochrome tapes had interchange issues such that the record heads were often kept with the tapes. The tapes and machines were also absurdly expensive in the 50's so tapes often got erased and reused. It wasn't until the late 60's that sub-broadcast grade commercial video tape machines became available at prices that rich tech savy consumers could afford...And those were open reel machines that required skill to operate. It wasn't until Betamax in 1975 that there was a commercially successful video cassette...And at launch decks were around $1500 in 1975 dollars.
BABY BOOMER here. The shampoo ad came true. Not as many dancers but on the Perry Como show a girl in white dress danced with a white umbrella (on B&W TV) to "Use new White Rain shampoo tonight and tomorrow your hair will be sunshine bright. White Rain. White Rain."
My parents sent me to school to learn something when I was young. I can still remember the names of my teachers. When I watched the CBS News with my Father my TV teacher was Walter Cronkite. He told me about the war in Viet Nam. I did not where Viet Nam was. But he said there were several people killed including American soldiers. (the numbers were shown on the screen). Later, Mr. Cronkite said that man landed on the Moon. You know what? The Medium is the Message. Still is.
