1948 Bakelite Admiral Question

[Unimatic1140]

OK guys I suspect the brightness control is the culprit. So I disconnected R35 and it read nearly a perfect 100K ohms. Then I measured from the input to the brightness control to the output of the wiper and it ranges from 25 ohms to 108K ohms from stop to stop. BUT when I measure from the input of the control to the chassis ground it shows only 135 ohms. Am I correct in assuming 135 ohms to ground is a problem?

If so is it safe for me to experiment by hooking up different resister ranging from 100 ohms to 50k between the output of R35 and the input of Pin 2 just to be sure this really is the problem, bypassing the brightness control? Also the brightness control is a part of a combination, brightness/contrast control is this going to be next to impossible to find?

Thanks again everyone for such great assistance.