Kinescopes

Kinescopes were the filmed recordings of television productions at Army Pictorial Center. 

Responding to a query about Thomas G. Macaluso and the television production "Get Set Go," Neil Upchurch provided some notes about the process.  Upchurch was the assistant director and, as an Army first lieutenant, APC’s ranking officer assigned to all of the “Get Set Go” kinescope recordings from 1956 to 1958.

A few notes. 26 – 35mm kinescopes were recorded, edited and printed for distribution on 16mm to 145 commercial TV stations throughout the United States. Videotape came to the industry at this same time, but was not yet available to Army TV facilities as well as many TV stations which carried the broadcast of “Get Set Go” kinescope recording on 16mm film.

No “live” shows were transmitted from the Army Pictorial Center. This was due to limited technical facilities at that time in the history of broadcasting.

“Get Set Go” was contracted by the Army’s Recruiting Office to the New York City advertising agency known as Dancer Fitzgerald & Sample. If any prints remain, the agency might have them.  Many unclassified APC films eventually found their way to the National Archives in College Park, Maryland.  Unfortunately when APC was closed, many film prints were destroyed to recover the silver.

 Upchurch noted that "writing this memo brings back a lot of fond professional and personal memories of that time in my life’s career in television production and management from which I finally retired 29 years ago."

Dennis E. Laughlin was assigned to the set design and art department for television programs like “Get Set Go!” and “Christmas 1957”.