The Television Ghost (1931–1933) User Reviews

a "first" - but lost for good

[paulwl · 13 November 2003]

"The Television Ghost" - "murder stories as told by the ghost of the murdered" - was a regular feature on the CBS experiment station W2XAB, which broadcast from 1931-33. It has been called TV's first "dramatic narrative anthology series." This is stretching things a bit. The low-resolution mechanical scanning system of the day limited every program to views of one or two "talking heads." In reality, the show probably consisted of an unrelieved 15-minute monologue by actor George Kelting, who is described in a period account as wearing ghastly white face makeup and a small towel draped shroud-like over his head. Even given the excitement of seeing live pictures over the air in those early days, "The Television Ghost" must have made very tiresome viewing. It is safe to say that "The Television Ghost" is lost for good - as is every other TV broadcast of that era. Existing receiver screens were so dim that capturing a telecast on film was never even attempted. The station logbook, and scattered write-ups and photos in the contemporary press, are all that remains to document CBS' first venture into television. Information from William Hawes, "American Television Drama: The Experimental Years" (University of Alabama Press, 1986) and assorted other sources.