Picture Page

Picture Page is a British television non-fiction programme, broadcast by the BBC Television Service (now known as BBC One) from 1936 to 1939, and again after the service's hiatus during the Second World War from 1946 until 1952. It was the first British television series to become a long-term and regular popular success.[1] The series proved to be very popular with viewers. A BBC survey in 1939 showed the series to be second in popularity behind plays.[2]

For the 1956-57 TV series, see Picture Page (Australian TV series). For the American children's TV program, see Picture Pages.

Format

The programme had a magazine format with two hour-long editions broadcast each week including a range of interviews with well-known personalities, features about a range of topics and coverage of public events. The main presenter during the pre-war era was Canadian actress Joan Miller who played the role of a "switchboard operator" similar to that of a telephone exchange, "connecting" the viewers to the particular guests and items being featured that week. Miller was nicknamed "The Switchboard Girl" in the popular press and became one of the first television celebrities.[3] She would be assisted by Leslie Mitchell and Jasmine Bligh, two of the BBC's three continuity announcers (the other being Elizabeth Cowell).

Picture Page celebrated its 200th edition on 15 December 1938 with a "huge birthday cake". At that time the show had welcomed "1,450 items in which have taken part over 1500 men, 660 women, and a large number of animals of all kinds, including goats, snakes, lions and mice."[4]

After the reinstatement of the programme during 1946, Joan Gilbert assumed presenting duties until 1952. Mary Malcolm presented some shows in 1949 and 1950.*Vahimagi, Tise (1994).[5]

Preservation

Picture Page was produced live by the BBC from their Alexandra Palace television studio for the entirety of its run. The first episode was actually broadcast on 8 October 1936, some three and a half weeks before the official opening of the service on 2 November, as part of the ongoing test transmissions during the prelude to the initiation date. Until 1949 the series was not recorded and thus none of the pre-1949 programmes exist anymore. Four shows from 1951 have survived in the form of telerecordings.[6]

Theme tune

The theme tune Shopping Centre was composed by Philip Green.[7]

References
  1. Evans, Jeff (2001). The Penguin TV Companion (1st ed.). London: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-051467-8
  2. Corbishley, H (June 1939). "What Viewers Want - First Results of Television Questionnaire" (PDF). Television and Short-Wave Radio. 12 (136): 340 – via World Radio History.
  3. Joan Miller introduces an edition of Picture Page in 1936
  4. Corbishley, H (January 1939). "Scannings and Reflections" (PDF). Television and Short-Wave World. 11 (131): 23–24 – via World Radio History.
  5. British Television: An Illustrated Guide. Oxford. Oxford University Press / British Film Institute. ISBN 0-19-818336-4
  6. 1950's British TV and Radio
  7. Shopping Centre by Philip Green. Charles Williams and his Concert Orchestra – Columbia D.B.2905
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