The Johns Hopkins Science Review

The Johns Hopkins Science Review

Television screenshot looking up at the bell tower of a building through tall trees. The words "The Johns Hopkins Science Review" are superposed on the image.

Opening credit from the October 8, 1951 episode
Created by Lynn Poole
Starring Lynn Poole
Robert Cochrane
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 303
Production
Running time 30 minutes
Release
Original network CBS (1948-1950)
DuMont (1950-1955)
Original release December 31, 1948 (CBS)
October 1950 (DuMont) – October 1950 (CBS)
March 1955 (Dumont)

The Johns Hopkins Science Review is a US television series about science that was produced at Johns Hopkins University from 1948-1955.[1][2] Starting in 1950, the series aired on the DuMont Television Network until the network's demise in 1955. The series' creator was Lynn Poole, who wrote or co-wrote most of its episodes and acted as the on-camera host. In 2002, Patrick Lucanio and Gary Coville wrote that, "In retrospect, Lynn Poole created one of those unique series that allowed television to fulfill its idealized mission as both an educational and an entertainment medium."[3]

The original series was followed by three related series produced by Poole at Johns Hopkins University: Tomorrow (1955), Tomorrow's Careers (1955-1956), and Johns Hopkins File 7 (1956-1960). Johns Hopkins University ended its production of television series in 1960.[1]

Broadcast history

The original series aired from March 9, 1948 to March 6, 1955. Initially, the show was broadcast only in the Baltimore area. Starting with the December 17, 1948 episode, shows were broadcast by CBS from stations along the east coast.

As was typical in the early days of television broadcasting, each show was broadcast live from a studio at Johns Hopkins University. Each week's show involved one or more guests, often from the Johns Hopkins faculty and staff. Poole acted as the host and interviewer. The guest might show how a scientific apparatus such an electron microscope or an oscilloscope worked, or would briefly explain scientific ideas to the viewers. In the December 5, 1950 episode, the live broadcast of a fluoroscope screen was used by doctors in New York and Chicago to diagnose the injuries to a machinist in the hospital in Baltimore. In the April 21, 1952 episode, a scientist drank a solution containing the radioactive isotope of iodine, and then followed its progress in his own body with a Geiger counter. The guests were sometimes national figures like Wernher von Braun (October 20, 1952), George Gamov, and Harold Urey. The show famously showed a live birth and gave instructions to women viewers about breast self-examination.[1][4]

Each half-hour episode was broadcast from WAAM in Baltimore. The series moved to the DuMont Television Network in November 1949 through station WMAR.[1] The program aired Tuesdays at 8:30 pm EST during the 1950-51 season, Mondays at 8:30pm EST during the 1951-52 season, and Wednesdays at 8pm EST during the 1952-53 season. According to the 1953-54 United States network television schedule, the show remained in the Wednesday at 8pm EST slot for the 1953-54 season.

The series would win the network Peabody Awards in 1950 (honorable mention) and 1952.[5][6]

A spin-off program, Johns Hopkins File 7, aired on a syndicated basis from 1956 to 1960. Like the Review, File 7 was broadcast by WAAM and featured host Lynn Poole.[1][7]

Archives

Approximately 303 episodes of the original series were made. There are records of 238 episodes, and kinescope films from 186 episodes, stored in Special Collections of the Milton Eisenhower Library at Johns Hopkins University.[1] This means it has the most surviving episodes of any DuMont Network program. The earliest surviving kinescope is from November 21, 1950. At least three episodes survive at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

In addition, Johns Hopkins University has records and films of the three successor series.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sobol, Cathy (2004). "Johns Hopkins Television Programs 1948-1960". Special Collections, Milton S. Eisenhower Library, Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved 2012-05-19. The title, original date of broadcast, an abstract, and credits are given for each episode with a surviving kinescope.
  2. ↑ LaFollette, Marcel Chotkowski (2013). Science on American television : a history. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-92199-0.
  3. ↑ Lucanio, Patrick; Coville, Gary (2002). Smokin' Rockets: The Romance of Technology in American Film, Radio and Television, 1945-1962. McFarland. pp. 108–114. ISBN 9780786412334.
  4. ↑ De Pasquale, Sue (February 1995). "Live from Baltimore -- It's the Johns Hopkins Science Review!". Johns Hopkins Magazine. 47 (1).
  5. ↑ "The Peabody Awards: Winners - 1950s". The University of Georgia.
  6. ↑ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: Fourth edition. New York: Penguin Books. pp. 438–439. ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
  7. ↑ Brooks, Tim and Earle Marsh (1985). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946 to Present p. 433. Ballantine: New York. ISBN 0-345-31864-1.

Further reading

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