History NBC Saturday Night at the Movies

1 history

1.1 background , history
1.2 birth of made tv movie
1.3 influence on other networks
1.4 announcers
1.5 decline , later years
1.6 2000s-2010s

history
background , history

previously, movies on television low-cost b films or older films major studios or producers no longer found suitable theatrical presentation. in earliest years of television, major studios wouldn t release films television; late 1950s, however, major studios began making movies available new medium, gentleman s agreement between top studios kept movies made after 1948 major studios off of home screen. movie audiences had grown expect films shown in widescreen , in color, older black-and-white academy ratio films had lost of value theatres. late-1950s, exception of of walt disney s films , wizard of oz (1939), these older films had become standard fare independent stations , non-prime time schedules of network affiliates.

up until 1970s, time span between film s theatrical release , appearance on commercial network television longer. whereas today can take brief period 3 years before theatrical film shows on commercial television, between 1954 , 1972 theatrical motion picture (even relatively recent one) had wait many twelve years (as in case of 1959 ben-hur) before turned on home screen.

a short-lived black-and-white abc-tv series entitled famous film festival had premiered in fall of 1955, had shown british films made in 1940s , 1950s. in 1957, abc broadcast hollywood film theater, featured pre-1948 films produced rko radio pictures. rko decided sell of better pre-1948 movies abc while other films syndicated local tv stations. films in both series shown in ninety-minute time slot, meant of films had either severely edited or shown in 2 parts. nbc saturday night @ movies first network movie anthology series run 2 hours (and longer), of films shown in 1 evening, , edited (especially in later years) remove objectionable content.

for 1961 television season, nbc obtained rights broadcast 31 post-1950 movie titles 20th century fox, although 30 telecast season. 1 film, 7 year itch, held off network until start of 1963 season. on september 23, 1961, saturday night @ movies premiered 1953 marilyn monroe - lauren bacall - betty grable film how marry millionaire, presented in living color . of other movies shown day earth stood still (march 3, 1962) , no highway in sky (march 24, 1962). many of these films, having been made in cinemascope, fox specialty 1953 1967, had severely panned-and-scanned fullscreen television viewing (which kind of television aspect ratio in existence then). initial deal fox ended lasting 3 seasons (1961-64) total of around 90 films, including run on monday nights beginning in february 1963. , when studio found greener pastures on @ rival abc, network found releases studios such mgm , paramount eager provide content. because commercial breaks shorter today (running 1 minute maximum of two), films running less 2 hours ended before close of program. remaining time filled theatrical trailers of upcoming films scheduled shown on series in next 2 or 3 weeks. 1968, no longer necessary, films , commercial breaks had become longer.

the 3 major commercial networks did not show worn-out 16 mm prints of films usual practice on local tv stations. films aired on network movie anthology series (as annually-telecast specials such wizard of oz) 35mm prints invariably in excellent condition. advent of cable television, vhs, , dvd, idea of showing films - old ones - in pristine, remastered condition on television has become norm, aside films shown on 3 major networks, not done prior 1980s. until local stations had settle inexpensive 16 mm prints of such relatively recent films heaven knows, mr. allison (1957) or prince valiant (1954), rather theater-quality prints seen on networks. unlike major networks, local stations used 16 mm film chains.

see list of nbc saturday night @ movies titles

the birth of made tv movie

with demand movies increasing during 1960s, made-for-television films created nbc, along now-sister company universal. first, made during 1963–64 season, have been new version of ernest hemingway s killers lee marvin, angie dickinson , future president ronald reagan, nbc deemed film violent television, released in theaters instead. reagan s last film before entered politics.

although there had been filmed feature-length television specials such pied piper of hamelin (1957), 1960 hallmark hall of fame macbeth filmed in color on location in scotland, and, 1954, filmed musical version in color of charles dickens s christmas carol telecast on cbs s shower of stars, film regarded first made-for-television movie see how run, directed david lowell rich , starring john forsythe , senta berger. first aired on october 7, 1964 , ushered in series of other tv-movies on years, aired on nbc under title nbc world premiere movie. many of made-for-television movies on nbc become tv series in own right during late-1960s , early-1970s. 1 of more famous examples fame name of game (1966), served pilot episode 1968–71 series name of game.

influence on other networks

saturday night @ movies attracted sufficient ratings nbc , competitors added more movie series prime time schedule. abc, distant third in ratings, added movie series, hollywood special, mid-season replacement; however, series, under new title abc sunday night movie, did not become regular television program until 1964. cbs leading other networks in ratings @ time , did not add prime time movie series. however, on next few years, each of 3 networks added weeknight movies schedule , 1968, there prime time network movie every night of week:

the abc sunday night movie
the nbc monday movie (originally titled nbc monday night @ movies)
nbc tuesday night @ movies
the abc wednesday night movie
the cbs wednesday night movies
the cbs thursday night movies
the cbs friday night movies
the cbs saturday night movies
nbc saturday night @ movies
the cbs sunday night movies

the popularity of these movie broadcasts provided windfall profit movie studios, since competitive bidding popular movies raised price broadcast rights. this, in turn, made cost effective produce made tv movies.

this trend continued , reached peak in mid-1970s, when there 11 or more movies in weekly network schedule - though of movies (like columbo) regular television series longer episodes.

fox network had begun air films in prime time, network has gained more , more popularity all-time longest running hit, simpsons, big 3 networks, fox has since cancelled movie series.

as opposed abc, nbc , cbs, fox aired movies on tuesday nights @ 7:00 eastern, though due news broadcast or game, day of broadcast might have been changed.

announcers

announcing of opening credits , bumpers nbc saturday night @ movies handled out of nbc s burbank studios. years, main announcer don stanley. in later years, alternated donald rickles, peggy taylor , victor bozeman. near end of saturday night @ movies run, opening credits (for series, not films themselves) handled members of network s new york announcing staff, including fred collins , howard reig, though burbank staff announcers still handled bumpers. @ beginning announcer like: nbc saturday night @ movies, series featuring motion pictures appearing on television first time. tonight... or nbc saturday night @ movies, television series each week brings finest in recent motion pictures. tonight... following this, film s title , stars identified. program go commercial, , film begin. opening , closing credits actual films shown appeared when films shown in theatres, not in revised format done on abc sunday night movie.

as other movie anthology series of time, there no host program. although announcer s voice heard @ beginning, program consisted of showing of film , perhaps movie trailer afterward.

decline , later years

nbc broadcast saturday night @ movies until 1978. ran until @ least october 28. of other movie series on television cancelled end of decade. however, continued 1980s , beyond. changes in television viewing habits, though, seemed spell end many of these series. loss of ratings them has been attributed increased competition cable television, pay movie channels able show movies uncut , without commercial interruptions. other factors have led decline of tv network movie presentations include advent of home video , video rental, pay-per-view , video on demand.

the nbc saturday night movie has been periodically broadcast on namesake american television network on saturdays 8:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. 2000 on, , had interstitials hosted ryan seacrest. replaced coverage of xfl in 2001, returned next year without host continuity, , 2006 network decided air theatrical films during sweeps weeks in various timeslots, saturday movie has been discontinued. in 2009 , 2010, wal-mart , procter & gamble purchased friday , saturday night time on nbc , fox broadcast television films produced such jensen project, though ratings these films below regular programming , strategies pursued mattel nickelodeon barbie series of films, aired sell films on dvd in-store. p&g/wal-mart series of films discontinued, wal-mart being 1 of main sponsors of nbc s live musical event sound of music live! in december 2013.

2000s-2010s

occasionally, 1 of major commercial networks still observes time-honored custom of showing recent box office , critical smash movie special. pre-empts regular programming, cbs did on sunday, may 20, 2007, three-hour commercial network telecast of million dollar baby, , abc did on september 14, 2009 first commercial television showing of dreamgirls. such showings occur during sweeps, in effort boost network s viewer ratings.

since late 2000s, film rights purchased earlier in decade broadcast networks have been burned off on saturday nights or other unusual timeslots such sunday afternoon abc, few select event films such sound of music, titanic , ten commandments remaining annually broadcast networks, cable networks such fx/fxx, usa network, tbs/tnt , comedy central have taken market major network film premieres.