Trapped by Television

Trapped by Television
Trapped by Television
	Poster
Directed by	Del Lord
Screenplay by	Lee Loeb; Harold Buchman
Story by	Sherman L. Lowe; (as Sherman Lowe); Al Martin
Produced by	Ben Pivar; (associate producer)
Starring	Mary Astor; Lyle Talbot; Nat Pendleton
Cinematography	Allen G. Siegler
Edited by	James Sweeney
Color process	Black and white
Production; company	Columbia Pictures
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	June 15, 1936;
Running time	64 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Trapped by Television is a 1936 American comedy-drama crime science fiction film directed by Del Lord and starring Mary Astor, Lyle Talbot and Nat Pendleton. The film is also known as Caught by Television in the United Kingdom.

Plot[]

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.

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

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, the film is now in the public domain and is available for general download.

External links[]

Trapped by Television at IMDb
Trapped by Television at the American Film Institute Catalog
Trapped by Television at the TCM Movie Database

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