TRAPPED BY TELEVISION (1936) Mary Astor, Lyle Talbot & Nat Pendleton | Comedy, Crime, Drama | B&W

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.

SYNOPSIS
An inventor looking for backing for his television invention gets involved with a crooked businessman and gangsters who try to steal his invention.

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 & CREW
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

Directed by Del Lord
Screenplay by Lee Loeb, Harold Buchman, Story by Sherman L. Lowe
(as Sherman Lowe), Al Martin
Produced by Ben Pivar
Cinematography Allen G. Siegler
Edited by James Sweeney
Production company Columbia Pictures
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date June 15, 1936
Running time 64 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
Although televisions were being made from the late 1920s, they were not commercially available until after 1936. The all-electronic 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. A simple prop Cathode-ray tube is shown as circular and discussed by the cast as an essential but expensive component, which is mentioned to cost $146 in 1936 dollars.

For the "demonstration" sequence, the inventors choose to set their camera up in a stadium to broadcast a football game, with accompanying commentary, thus anticipating one of the most lucrative uses of sports television.

The BBC's regular television Broadcasting Service began in November 1936, four months after this movie's release.

The director, Del Lord, also featured a similar large screen set in the Niagara Falls scene of his 1940's Stooge short A Plumbing We Will Go.

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.