Trapped by Television

Trapped by Television
poster for Trapped by Television
Directed by	Del Lord
Written by	Lee Loeb (screenplay) and Harold Buchman (screenplay) Sherman L. Lowe (story) and Al Martin (story)
Produced by	Ben Pivar (associate producer)
Starring	Mary Astor Lyle Talbot
Cinematography	Allen G. Siegler
Edited by	James Sweeney
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	June 15, 1936 (1936-06-15)
Running time	64 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Trapped by Television is a 1936 American film directed by Del Lord. The film is also known as Caught by Television in the United Kingdom.

Plot summary

An inventor is working on his latest creation, a new form of television monitor and camera, but is struggling to complete his invention due to lack of funds. His monetary problems are compounded by an aggressive bill collector looking for payments and competition from a rival scientist. When organized crime figures are added to the mix, the desperation level rises for our intrepid inventor.

Accuracy

Although televisions were being made from the late 1920s, they weren't commercially available until after 1936. The model shown in the movie was designed for the production using a back-lit projection of a moving image onto the screen. The screen was notable for its large size when actual television screens of the period were smaller. The BBC Broadcasting Service began in November 1936, four months after this movie's release.

Current condition

Although the first reel is noticeably faded on most surviving prints, this movie is now in the public domain and is available for general download.

Cast

• Mary Astor as Barbara "Bobby" Blake
• Lyle Talbot as Fred Dennis
• Nat Pendleton as Rocky O'Neil
• Joyce Compton as Mae Collins
• Thurston Hall as John Curtis
• Henry Mollison as Thornton
• Wyrley Birch as Paul Turner
• Robert Strange as Standish

External links

• Trapped by Television at IMDb
• Trapped by Television is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive