A thread about--test pattern instrumentals.

Self | 5/30/'08 | Zionist Conspirator

[Zionist Conspirator]

Those of you of a certain age will recall a time when TV stations didn't stay on the air constantly but signed off late at night (with the National Anthem) and signed on again early in the morning. And in those days televisions had tuning buttons on them that had to be adjusted by hand so the snowy signals from far away could come in as clearly as possible.

Each morning the station would begin the day with a "test pattern" (usually with an Indian's head somewhere about for whatever reason) so the viewer could tune his set for the day (including getting the color right). Anyway, during these fifteen minutes or so of the test pattern the station would play the most beautiful, delightful music--always instrumental and perhaps what would be called "easy listening."

Ever since getting on the Internet I've been trying to find material on these test pattern instrumentals. Unfortunately, their title and performers were never given so it's very hard to search for them on YouTube or Napster. Just by accident I know a couple of them: Java by Al Hirt and That Happy Feeling by Bert Kaempfert (the holy grail of all test pattern instrumentals, available on YouTube), but there are so many more that I can remember but whose titles or performers I am totally ignorant of.

One in particular I've been thinking of lately is one that was (I believe) featured on an episode of "I Love Lucy" when Ricky sang in in full "native" costume (of course, the test patterns only used the instrumental version). I've tried to find that episode of "I Love Lucy" online just so I could get an idea of the title and look for it.

Is there anyone else out there who has a nostalgia for these long-departed phenomena of those days? Does anyone else know any specific titles or performers?

[weegee]

He’s STILL active too.

His mentor, Ghoulardi, was Ernie Anderson, the voice of ABC television (”This IS A-B-C...”). Ernie died about a decade ago, if I recall.

[macamadamia]

I learned later that it was due to the sweep circuits for horizontal and vertical deflection turning off more quickly than the electron gun in the picture tube. The sawtooth wave was generated by vacuum tubes and as soon as the “grid” voltage dropped below a critical level the tubes would shut off. The lack of sweep would cause a brief centering of the beam, and that coupled with the persistence of the phosphors would result in the slowly-fading central “dot”.


That's the most abstract and unusual description of political failure I've ever read.............oh you're talking about old TV sets.......nevermind....

[Lurker]

His mentor, Ghoulardi,

I remember Ghoulardi, too. My mother could never understand how I could watch those movies. But when we spent the night at friends houses, it was Ghoulardi who was tuned in and several neighborhood kids were gathered around the black and white set waiting for him to scare the crap out of us.

As I said before, those guys instilled in me a life long love of bad B grade Sci Fi that I've now passed along to Lurker Jr.

I hadn't heard Ghoulardi had passed. May he rest in peace.

"PARMA!!!!"

L

[JZelle]

[TexanToTheCore]

I had forgotten about Ghoulardi. Funniest man on TV. Ever.

[TexanToTheCore]

TTTC removes cowboy hat:

“Parma!”

[JZelle]

[SunkenCiv]

What’s TV?

[weegee]

Ernie went to California when a former comedy partner of his started to make it big on McHale's Navy:

Tim Conway lost his comedy partner this week.

Ernie got a boost from Carol Burnett who used to talk to the audience on camera at the opening of her show and point out "Ernie Anderson" to people.

[knittnmom]

That’s the one I remember. Our local CBS affiliate played that one, and there was a narration of the poem, IIRC.

[free_for_now]

“I do miss local television.”
Slam Bam Theater?

Uncle Floyd!

[weegee]

THIS IS NOT A TEST!

Keep repeating: It's only a movie! It's only a movie! It's only a movie!

[ADemocratNoMore]

“Turn blue, you knif”!.

[ADemocratNoMore]

“Turn blue, you knif”!.

[Sax]

Dr. Paul Bearer - Channel 44, Tampa/St. Pete

[ADemocratNoMore]

Aside from The Star Spangled Banner, all I remember is “tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”, (sound of kHz sine wave).

[ADemocratNoMore]

Correction, (sound of 1 kHz sine wave).

[weegee]

The peanut vendor at the Astros games who had a mean pitching arm with a bag of peanuts was from Parma (ask him to show you his white socks, he will). And yeah, he remembers Ghoulardi.

Arnie “Peanut Dude” Murphy -- In 2000, Arnie the “Peanut Dude” opened his heart to the Sunshine Kids and in turn gained the love and admiration of hundreds of Sunshine Kids who have served as his “Junior Peanut Dudes.” As Arnie’s sidekicks, the Sunshine Kids actively participate in the game from a new perspective of tossing peanuts to an anxious Astros crowd. Arnie individually remembers so many of the Sunshine Kids by name and has become a celebrity to the Sunshine Kids community. Arnie is a hero to the Sunshine Kids and to the many children that he has come in contact through the years.

[weegee]

"My Uncle Floyd was a pioneer of television..."

http://www.unclefloyd.com/

[JZelle]

I remember staying up a little longer just to see it. I’m pretty sure it was the pilot in the F4. It was very well done.