Today is the 50th anniversary of the color television. I wasn't even in the world, just yet. Growing up, our family did not have a color television set until I was in the 6th grade. I remember sitting down on a Sunday night and watching Disney's Wonderful World of Color:
The world is a carousel of color,
Wonderful, wonderful color.
The world is a carousel of color,
History, comedy, fantasy,
There?s drama and mirth,
There?s old mother earth
With all of her secrets to see.
Who could forget all the great Disney shows narrated by Ludwig Von Drake? Disney was the best program to watch on the new color television set. I loved the animal shows, I think most were narrated by Rex Allen: "Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar", or "The Hound Who Thought He Was A Raccoon".
Funny, but when I finally watched some of my favorite programs, now in LIVING color, I was confused. My mind had "filled in the color", if you will, during the days of black and white. So, when I expected a dress to be blue, and it was green, it made me just a little angry. Why couldn't they get it right? That dress wasn't green last week, was it?
My own children used to refuse to watch anything that came on TV that was in black and white. I finally convinced them to watch a Shirley Temple movie, uncolorized, by telling them to try to imagine the color with their minds. Then, we would watch the same show in color. They were amazed at what their imaginations had created by viewing the B&W version first. Became a favorite game. Eventually, I ran out of rental videos to find in both black and white, and colorized versions. At least, I managed to get them to use their noggins and exposed them to some really great old movies! I remember one in particular: "On Borrowed Time". I almost did not get them to watch, and suddenly they were engrossed and sniffling at the end.
The Wizard Of Oz was a wonderful treat in color. Before VCR's made it an anyday viewing, WOZ only came on once every few years. It was a big thing to wait for. The year it finally was going to show in color, I remember getting my Jiffy Pop popcorn and Dr. Pepper ready to watch. What the heck? It was supposed to be in color? Now, we all know that the movie starts out in sepia tones, and turns to color when Dorothy wakes up in Munchkin Land. At the time, I thought our television was going on the blink. Years later, one of my daughter's would watch the darned thing at least once a day, courtesy of the VCR. I can recite it backwards and forwards, thanks to Emmie Pop.
Happy birthday Color Television! What would we do without ya?
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