National Broadcasting Company (NBC)Behind Your Radio Dial: The Story of NBC (ca. 1947)

Behind the scenes tour of NBC's radio and television broadcasting facilities at Rockefeller Center, New York City.

This item is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
Audio/Visual: Sd, B&W
Keywords: Media: Radio; New York City

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: ERD - - February 17, 2006
Subject: Excellent documentary

Made at the end of radio's golden era, this RKO Pathe documentary entertainingly and informatively shows how the NBC radio network functioned. (Mostly filmed in Radio City at 40 Rockefeller Plaza in NY.)There is also a glimpse of the new television network that would eventually eclipse radio.(I loved seeing Howdie Doody)One of the best films from the Prelinger Archives.

Reviewer: Christine Hennig - - December 17, 2003
Subject: Wow! This Is Radio City!

This late-40s film gives the viewer a filmed tour of NBC studios at Radio City in New York, back when NBC was mainly a radio network. I love old-time radio, so I found this very interesting. We get to see radio stars such as Fred Allen or Fibber McGee and Molly performing, musical performances by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians and the NBC orchestra, and the news being announced by H.P. Kaltenborn. KaltenbornÂs section on radio news is particularly fun, since he narrates it very bombastically. He also tells us that all news broadcasts were permanently recorded for posterity on wax transcription discsÂÂwouldnÂt you like to get ahold of that library! The film has a wistful quality, as its final section deals with the fledgling NBC television network, without even a hint of anticipation of the juggernaut of tv running over and killing network radio. A fascinating historic document of an entertainment medium that doesnÂt exist anymore, thatÂs fun to watch as well.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ***. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: ****.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - August 24, 2003
Subject: Ding.. ding.. ding!

Fairly interesting and fascinating look at NBC, circa 1947. The film primarily focuses on NBC New York. We go into Radio City (Now you can see where the name comes from) and visit the many different departments NBC radio has, from the News Department to the putting on of Radio plays, we see all aspects in action. Quite some fascinating facts are revealed.. I like the fact that NBC had tours even when they were just doing radio, by girls dressed as bell-hops and who had to have an engineering background. Also the music, by the NBC Orchestra (Paul Schaffer not included) is quite stirring. All in all this film is fun, educational and is reccomended!

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Behind the scenes tour of the radio and television broadcasting facilities of NBC at Rockefeller Center, New York City.