Here’s the schedule for WCBW, the CBS station in New York City, for the week starting Sunday, July 13th, 1941, straight from daily television listings printed in The New York Times. The station was off the air on Sunday. Its schedule Monday through Friday was relatively stable, with news and a children’s story each day of the week.
The big news this week was what Broadcasting magazine called WCBW’s “first full-scale television program in full color” on Thursday, July 17th. Here’s a description of that color program:
Using special apparatus developed in its own laboratories by Dr. Peter Goldmark, CBS chief television engineer, CBS wheeled in color cameras and televised a repeat performance at 9:30 p.m. of its Country Dance program, transmitted in black-and-white from 8:30-9:30 p.m. The full production was televised in color, although only a few of the special color receivers were available for spectators [1].
Otherwise, the schedule for the week was nearly identical to the previous week. There was Joan Edwards with songs, Bob Edge with sports, Metropolitan Museum of Art programs, children’s stories, and news.
Boys in the Back Room on Tuesday was a half-hour series that took a behind-the-scenes look at WCBW’s television studios, equipment, and staff. It premiered the previous week, although it wasn’t included in TV listings in The New York Times [2].
Table Talk with Helen Sioussat once again featured four participants on Wednesday, including military analyst George Fielding Eliot.
Sunday, July 13th, 1941
No Programs ScheduledMonday, July 14th, 1941 [3]
2:00PM – Test Pattern
2:30PM – News Reports
2:45PM – Dancing Lesson
3:15-3:30PM – Children’s Story
7:30PM – Test Pattern
8:00PM – News
8:15PM – Joan Edwards, Songs
8:30-9:30PM – Variety Show [Men at Work]Tuesday, July 15th, 1941 [4]
2:00PM – Test Pattern
2:30PM – News
2:45PM – Boys in the Back Room
3:15-3:30PM – Children’s Story
7:30PM – Test Pattern
8:00PM – News
8:15PM – Joan Edwards, Songs
8:30PM – Metropolitan Museum of Art
9-9:30PM – Bob Edge InterviewsWednesday, July 16th, 1941 [5]
2:00PM – Test Pattern
2:30PM – News
2:45PM – Helen Sioussat Interviews Major George Fielding Eliot, Amos Pinchot, Mrs. Elizabeth Blackwell, Robert K. Straus
3:15-3:30PM – Children’s Story
7:30PM – Test Pattern
8:00PM – News
8:15PM – Joan Edwards, Songs
8:30-9:30PM – Quiz ProgramThursday, July 17th, 1941 [6]
2:00PM – Test Pattern
2:30PM – News
2:45PM – Metropolitan Museum of Art
3:15-3:30PM – Children’s Story
7:30PM – Test Pattern
8:00PM – News
8:15PM – Sports-Bob Edge
8:30PM – Country Dance, Adrian Hull, Caller
9:30-9:45PM – Experimental Color Television Show–Country DanceFriday, July 18th, 1941 [7]
2:00PM – Test Pattern
2:30PM – News Reports
3:15-3:30PM – Children’s Story
7:30PM – Test Pattern
8:00PM – News
8:15PM – Test Pattern
9-10PM – Sports, Bob EdgeSaturday, July 12th, 1941 [8]
2:00PM – Test Pattern
2:30-4:30PM – Film
Note: Television listings published in newspapers were based on information provided by stations and were subject to change at the last minute. They may not be an accurate representation of what actually aired.
Works Cited:
2 “Inside Television.” Broadcasting. 14 Jul. 1941: 43.
3 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 14 Jul. 1941: 28.
4 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 15 Jul. 1941: 38.
5 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 16 Jul. 1941: 36.
6 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 17 Jul. 1941: 40.
7 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 18 Jul. 1941: 34.
8 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 19 Jul. 1941: C26.
