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Author
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Topic: Lost Apollo 11 tapes - the Dutch connection
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heng44
Member Posts: 3413
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 07-18-2009 03:45 AM
   
As some of you may know, I work for the Dutch television news archives. Since my first day on the job in 1982 I had been searching for the Dutch Apollo 11 broadcasts, moderated by our own Walter Cronkite: Henk Terlingen. I had watched all these programs as a 13 year old, but I had not seen them since.After a long search I had come to the conclusion that these tapes were not stored in the TV archives and later the director of these broadcasts, Rudolf Spoor, confirmed to me that they were erased in the 1970s by the network NOS. The tapes were so expensive that they had to be used again. Remarkably similar to what happened at NASA... But our story did not end there, because exactly twenty years ago I managed to track down an individual in Amsterdam, Dick Schwarz, who owned a VCR in 1969 and had recorded these broadcasts at home. Not only Apollo 11, but also all later missions through ASTP. Obviously this was very special, because nobody owned a VCR back in 1969. With the help of mr. Schwarz we managed to piece together all the highlights of these lost broadcasts, so that they now once more reside in the Dutch TV-archives. For the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, the website of the Dutch TV-News (NOS Journaal) interviewed Schwarz, Spoor and myself. The result can be seen here (I apologize for the fact that it is in Dutch). Ed Hengeveld
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garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 07-18-2009 05:58 AM
If ever there was a reason to learn Dutch this is it... I guess it's Detective Hengeveld from now on too! |
Colin Anderton
Member Posts: 154
From: Great Britain
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 07-18-2009 06:37 AM
Nice to see you, Ed. Now you're not just a name anymore!Nice to "meet" you. |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3160
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 07-18-2009 10:02 AM
Much the same thing happened in Britain: the BBC managed to wipe its tapes of the Apollo 11 landing and EVA. The best they can manage for anniversaries is to show an externally-sourced video of the EVA, coupled with the original sound. (Even the TV soundtrack had to be obtained from a private citizen who recorded it direct from his TV loudspeaker, risking electrocution in the name of science.)What I have never been able to establish is whether ITN, the news-arm of Britain's commercial TV, wiped or preserved its coverage. The fact that they have never shown the footage again, or offered video or DVD copies, probably answers that question. But what about BBC and ITN recordings of the later Apollo missions? There must be thousands of people in the UK alone who would pay a reasonable sum (up to £20?) to get hold of original recordings of the highlights of Apollos 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Occasional brief segments are seen, particularly of Apollo 13, and I would be very surprised if ALL Apollo broadcasts were "wiped." I believed Mark Gray of Spacecraftfilms made some enquiries a few years ago, but I don't think he was able to pin anything down. Perhaps in view of all the coverage the BBC has given to the 40th anniversary this would be a good time for someone with connections in British broadcasting to do some research. Any offers? |
Darron
Member Posts: 22
From: Port Salerno, FL, USA
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-18-2009 11:47 AM
Wonderful story, Ed! I remember those old Ampex machines - they could challenge one's patience at times.  If I recall my electronics history, Ampex developed the very first VTR's about ten years before that - helped along with healthy funding from singer, Bing Crosby. |
blue_eyes
Member Posts: 165
From: North Carolina, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 07-18-2009 01:04 PM
Yaaaaaaaayyy, Ed!!! Holy cow, what a long and patient and amazing adventure you had! WHAT A STORY!! Thanks for posting it. And it is GREAT for so many of us who have your paintings on the walls in our homes, in our lives -- through the video, we finally got to hear your voice, we got to meet you!! Thanks for this very special thing.By the way, the Dutch language IS so very beautiful!! Maybe there should be a new section on the forum here: Space Word of the Week (in Dutch)! I think that would be cool. |
Dietrich
Member Posts: 68
From:
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 07-18-2009 06:53 PM
Obviously, the original program shown in German TV in 1969 is still available. It is planned to be shown in the night from 20 to 21 July (in Europe, the "small step" occurred in the night at 03:56) on the Bavarian TV channel BR for 5 hours starting at 1:00 UTC+2h. It was shown before on the occasion of the 25 anniversary and I have a SVHS record of it. BR can be received via satellite ASTRA at 19.2 degree East.The German Cronkite at that time were Günther Siefarth in the studio and Werner Büdeler reporting from Houston. Enyoy. | |
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