1968 CBS Herb Alpert color special

[old_tv_nut]

This ad from Singer, sponsor of the Herb Alpert special in color on CBS.
Mention of color appears only once.

[rca2000]

I guess by 1968--color was pretty much standard. Like the words 'solid state" disappeared from electronic items by the mid-1970's or so..

[old_tv_nut]

This site states that ABC and CBS went 100% color in 1966, after NBC announced in 1965 that color had become responsible for an increase in NBC ratings:
http://www.tvobscurities.com/articles/color60s/

[Penthode]

Maybe color was becoming passe. But "COLOR" was followed by an exclamation mark! That still suggests excitement!

[stromberg67]

I remember CBS broadcasting at least one other color special around 67/68 that was sponsored by Singer, a production of Rogers and Hammerstein's "Carousel", featuring Pernel Roberts as Billy Bigelow. My mom got me a copy of the soundtrack album at the local Singer store. Still have it, but it's beat.

[KentTeffeteller]

Do consider even with the networks going color, that smaller affiliates were slower to be able to air color even off the networks. And also be considerate of the fact that equipment was expensive, often finicky in use, and less than reliable, and above all full of tubes. Smaller market affiliates often made do with less expensive new and second and third hand equipment. And locally originated color in small markets on local news and locally produced commercials and shows was slower in coming. In some cases, as late as the early to mid 1970's.

[jmdocs]

Don't forget, what's now known as Elvis Presley's 1968 "Comeback Special" was originally titled "Singer Presents Elvis." (In color!)

[oldtvman]

Originally Posted by rca2000

I guess by 1968--color was pretty much standard. Like the words 'solid state" disappeared from electronic items by the mid-1970's or so..

I agree by that time all the networks had gone all in on color and the same feeling that color brought in the late 50's and early 60's had faded away for the most part. Although the majority of the viewing public were just starting to own color so for them it was something new.

[oldtvman]

Originally Posted by stromberg67

I remember CBS broadcasting at least one other color special around 67/68 that was sponsored by Singer, a production of Rogers and Hammerstein's "Carousel", featuring Pernel Roberts as Billy Bigelow. My mom got me a copy of the soundtrack album at the local Singer store. Still have it, but it's beat.

CBS threw in some occassional color shows like "Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer" which premiered in 1964 and CBS would annually broadcast the Wizard of Oz.

[edison64]

and the best PR technique of all was NBC's anounced color peacock I can still remember having lots of friends and family that had black and white sets and wOld get totally insane every time they would see the peacock and hear the program be annouced in living color. That was one of the best PR moves in NBC could ever have done after all it's a beginning of every program as well at the end it reminded you that things look better in color living in Northwest Indiana we lucked out in the early color TV game as just about every dealer offered great bargains on color sets in all three stations as well as WGN broadcasted in full color, sometimes I wish I could go back in time with a magic video recorder and just start recording hours and hours and months of programming. At least that way we can have something decent to watch now.

[oldtvman]

Originally Posted by edison64

and the best PR technique of all was NBC's anounced color peacock I can still remember having lots of friends and family that had black and white sets and wOld get totally insane every time they would see the peacock and hear the program be annouced in living color. That was one of the best PR moves in NBC could ever have done after all it's a beginning of every program as well at the end it reminded you that things look better in color living in Northwest Indiana we lucked out in the early color TV game as just about every dealer offered great bargains on color sets in all three stations as well as WGN broadcasted in full color, sometimes I wish I could go back in time with a magic video recorder and just start recording hours and hours and months of programming. At least that way we can have something decent to watch now.

We were lucky to have two color sources pretty early on WMAQ Chicago and later WGN.