"Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

Heads up for this film "Meet Mr Lucifer" from 1953, on Talking Pictures TV at 4.20pm this (Wednesday) afternoon. To quote Wikipedia:

"When Mr Pedelty leaves his firm, he is given a television set as a retirement present. At first he enjoys all the attention from his neighbours, but soon the attraction wears off, and he sells it on to a young married couple living in the flat above him. They soon encounter the same problems, and again the set is passed on to several different characters all with the same results."

Well-known characters seen on the screen include Kay Kendall, Gilbert Harding, Philip Harben and McDonald Hobley.

Great material for old sets!

Steve

Re: Meet Mr Lucifer
 

Thanks, I'll catch that:thumbsup: Just about to flag something myself!

Dave W

Re: Meet Mr Lucifer
 

Just set the recorder thanks for the post.
Chris

Re: Meet Mr Lucifer
 

Plenty more Bush tellies to be seen in "Who Done It" (1956 Benny Hill) in a segment
of the film at the 1955 Radio show, I'm not sure if this is Olympia or Earls Court.

Re: Meet Mr Lucifer
 

The publicity poster shows the devil holding a Band I "H" aerial instead of a pitchfork.

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer"
 

AFAIR the Radio Show was usually held at Olympia in the 1950's. Dad used to go every year and always took me with him, and I remember having to change at Earls Court for the District Line shuttle to Olympia that only used to ruin when an exhibition was being held. On the other hand, I also remember walking through the pedestrian tunnel that led from Earls Court station to the Earls Court exhibition halls, but I think that was for the Royal Tournament.

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer"
 

The title of the thread mislead me... I thought someone was going to introduce us to his new cat!

David

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

Oh the social implications of owning a TV set, who would have thought ? There is an opening here for a latter day version of the show, with a mobile phone.

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

Television and human psychology make a strange mixture.

Decades ago, when higher definition standards than 525/625 lines were being first touted, the Japanese proposed a system called Hi-vision or MUSE (MUltiple Sub-nyquist Encoding) producing 1125 lines (1035 visible). Aspect ratio changed to 16:9.

A demo truck went touring, showing a prototype set. A video recorder had also been developed to provide a signal. The recorder and the set's electronics had not been miniaturised, so the large truck was essential.

Punters were shown the new picture. Joe public didn't really notice the improved resolution, and didn't care about it. He liked the 16:9 ratio of screen, though.

Punters asked if they'd need to get a new aerial.

The demonstrators assured the punters that no, their present one would be OK.

The demonstrators eventually noticed that the punters were, in general, disappointed by this!

The punters liked the 16:9 format because they could show it off to their friends and neighbours. They wanted the aerial to be different to show the street that they were posh enough to have the new type of TV set!

Improved pictures paled into insignificance against good old-fashioned snobbery.

New Scientist published a synopsis on the report of the trials that had me laughing in the library.

David

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

And if you missed it my tv guide tells me it's on again

FILM: Meet Mr Lucifer
On: Talking Pictures
Date: Monday 26th August 2019 (starting in 10 days)
Time: 03:05 to 04:45 (1 hour and 40 minutes long)

An actor playing the Devil in a low-rent pantomime is in fact genuinely Lucifer's representative on Earth. He watches over his master's latest evil scheme, as an enchanted TV set passes through the hands of several owners, bringing them all misery. Fantasy comedy based on a stage play by Arnold Ridley, starring Stanley Holloway and Peggy Cummins.
(Black and White, 1953, U, 3 Star)

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

Arnold Ridley not only being a playwright, but also an actor. He played private Godfrey in Dad's Army.

David

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

A few of the television items intrigued me, the evil TV was referred to as a Swallow which I'm assuming is a fictional name and the appearance looks odd, and the scenes at the TV factory seemed unusual, it looked like the start of a Baird logo when she sent her letter and the production line had round tube sets in the background but rectangular sets on the final assembly, does anyone of the more experienced among us recognise the models?
All told it was good fun though!
Chris

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

There was one scene where the back cover of the set was clearly seen. From this it should be possible for someone here to identify the actual set used.

I'm afraid I've already deleted my copy. I'd forgotten how bad this film was, with tedious characters, no discernible plot-line, and unbelievable scenes. This is just my personal opinion.

I did find the 'lonely heart' scenes, with the young chemist being sung to by the beautiful Kay Kendall on the screen, very funny though. Then she left for a more promising TV opportunity in the USA, thanks to a certain breakfast cereal that "cannot be mentioned on television here... yet". A nice reference to the anticipated arrival of ITV the following year.

Steve

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

slightly clearer screen shot here. Thanks for the repeat heads-up.:)

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer"
 

Oh please! Don't give 'em any fancy ideas! ;)John.
PS. The film was probably made by the Rank Organization who widely included Bush receivers in their films. There is an Ultra W720 on the top in one picture. J.

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

I've set my magic machine to record this fillum

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

Arnold Ridley also wrote a very successful play [later a film] The Ghost Train but in a Documentary about the making of Dad's Army he tells another actor "Actually I never got much money out of my writing" and says never sign anything you haven't read and understood, or words to that effect.
I understand that is what happened to him in real life! Despite my confidence [post 2*] I missed recording Meet Mr Lucifer [thanks for the screen shot]. I realised that there was a repeat but I will be away then. I've never really got around to a timer recordings regime so that's probably not an option. I can get a DVD copy but it's within a boxed collection. If [by any chance] it would be convenient for anyone here to just burn me a DVD copy from their own, please send a PM.

Dave

Good to see you back with us again John!

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer"
 

Yep. See here:


https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...68&postcount=5

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

hello to Dave Walsh I have got both the Ghost Train and Meet Mr Lucifer recorded on my sky box.I don"t have a DVD recorder but I could record both on VHS does that help you ? ,meet Mr Lucifer is going to be repeated soon I can find the details if that helps regards David

Re: "Meet Mr Lucifer" (film)
 

Reminder

FILM: Meet Mr Lucifer
On: Talking Pictures
Date: Monday 26th August 2019
Time: 03:05 to 04:45 (1 hour and 40 minutes long)