KTVT Channel 11 [Dallas-Fort Worth, TX] - Lost in Space - "Baby Technical Difficulties Walk" (1979)

Here's a major technical difficulties moment that cropped up during an airing of an episode of Lost in Space on KTVT Channel 11 in Fort Worth, Dallas, TX.
The clip starts innocently enough, at the end of a Wendy's commercial offering 2 hamburgers for $1.00 on its 10th anniversary.
Next comes a station ID slide commemorating Veteran's Day - only we hear the voiceover (by ??) announcing the dreaded "We are experiencing tech--" before stopping.
Then, about 4 seconds of what appears to be olive brown, before going to black for 40 seconds, while the full "technical difficulties" voiceover is heard and Lawrence Welk's 1962 cover of the Henry Mancini composition "Baby Elephant Walk" (from the 1962 film "Hatari!") is played and (after 1:00 or so into this clip) the "One Moment Please" slide is finally seen - and its levels skewed with - for another 90 or so seconds before we see the same olive brownish tint...
... and then, finally, the Lost in Space opening act, with typical dialogue between Will (Billy Mumy) and Maureen (June Lockhart).
This aired on local Fort Worth-Dallas TV on Sunday, November 11th 1979 (not from Chicago, but still interesting nevertheless.)
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[@ChristiRich]

When I was growing up, I used to think that "Please Stand By" meant that I should stand next to the TV to help antenna reception. :-)

[@pizzagob1in17]

Laughed at 0:10. KTVT: Ladies and gentlemen, we're temporarily e- Mic cut: How about N O ?

[@robmclean4352]

Not only did we interrupt the program, but we interrupted the announcement of us temporarily interrupting the program!

[@TheBeeRescuer]

My band played this in the early '90s in Dallas, Texas. I played the main melody on the bass. The band was called Sideshow Freaks.

[@gbranch338]

Growing up in east Texas in the 70's and 80's we got KTVT and KXTX-39 on cable.

[@JordanBahrPian-UkePlayer]

I can imagine the MC op shouting "Oh no we're not!" at the I.D. and then 10 seconds later "...shit...maybe we are."

[@jeenkzk5919]

When Lost in Space comes on you can tell the episode was played off of 16mm film as opposed to video tape. My guess is they had trouble with the projector.

[@joerules829]

This was a frequent occurrence on KTVT in those days. It happened less after they moved from West Fort Worth to their current location in East Fort Worth.

[@joerules829]

D Heine I remember it well. Before that they had the best programs in the area by far. All the best syndicated reruns, the Rangers, the Mavericks, and the best movies. Then they went network owned and got rid of all of them.

[@NEPatriot]

I guess you can say KTVT was like another powerful independent on channel 11...namely WPIX in New York.

[@joerules829]

NEPatriot they were a Superstation in the South. And that twice prevented the station’s owner at the time, Ed Gaylord, from buying a majority stock in the Rangers. The other owners didn’t want another team like the Cubs and Braves to get a national following. So Gaylord, was voted down resoundingly.

[@paulhinson8030]

Remember this on channel 11 constantly.

[@HumbertoSaabedra]

KTVT had a lot of technical difficulties, even for a high-power UHF station with superstation status. I remember growing up with them in the 90s, pre-CBS and they always seemed to have broadcast problems on the weekends, and it was especially frequent during Rangers games.

[@daltex81]

@@HumbertoSaabedra KTVT is a VHF station.

[@jrussellcase]

In 1979, we had "technical difficulties". In 2021, we have "buffering".

[@Iamnotrandom565]

They were so cool!

[@ThePirateprincess23]

I wish all Technical Difficulties screens played Baby Elephant Walk. It probably would have a bunch of those screens less creepy.

[@JorgeCat78]

Baby Elephant Walk huh? Nice touch!

[@patricialambert3110]

Very typically CORNY "Technical difficulty" music we had back in the day in the can ready to go when these things happened.

[@525Lines]

I read the first time Roddenberry pitched Star Trek and how they could make it economical to film, they passed on Star Trek but got Lost in Space in production using his ideas, hence the similar sets every episode.

[@stevebishop9468]

Actually lost in space had a much higher budget than Star Trek...its pilot was 790,000 dollars

[@525Lines]

@@stevebishop9468 It started out interesting but it was mostly so cheezy.

[@stevebishop9468]

@@525Lines remember what year it premiered...there are people who watch the original star trek pilot and say its cheezy

[@525Lines]

@@stevebishop9468 True.

[@kurtkauffman4326]

An Independent Station at the time.Also a Regional Superstation.

[@RaymondGarzaYT]

Now KTVT Is now a CBS O&O

[@kurtkauffman4326]

Since 7/2/1995.

[@AshA-mw3xl]

"Please stand by" used to scare me when I was a kid. lol

[@PajamaFrix]

This song definitely fits.

[@gael5006]

Yes

[@patricialambert3110]

Broadcasting has come a LONG way since the 70s and 80s. Remember when every hour there was some kind of Technical discrepancy? I worked in radio for 18 years,, and I know they've done a lot in the age of digital to correct a lot of these interruptions. Still--no one has yet been able to invent "unbreakable" audio or video so these things still happen (very rarely), but one thing you don't hear is all the hair pulling and cussing that takes place in the control room--while the "goofy" music is playing to get things running again!

[@BeeKay5150]

I'm inclined to agree. Even in the digital age... I spent time in radio, also, and in this millennium. Even with everything running from a drive or a computer, things still happen. There I am, in the middle of a song, when suddenly the display flashes an orange screen and then the room is....quiet. We learned to have a CD queued up on case that ever happened again!

[@jonathancreveling8699]

Hulen Mall had only been open for 2 years at this time and Ridgmar Mall for 3 years

[@gregsells8549]

In the early '70s "One Moment Please" appeared on a slide of broken film.

[@marktubeie07]

For the techos out there, I suggest that there was a film break coming out of the first commercial (hence the apology ready first up!).. Leaders often broke at that point, out of commercial breaks. It takes some time to either splice it back together again or move the film to another telecine chain, hence the long breakdown duration of nearly 2min 45secs. They ere the days, seat of your pants TV!!!

[@patricialambert3110]

Splicing is such a tedious art. My dad worked behind the scenes in television for 45 years--and funny enough, he ENJOYED splicing!

[@Westonplayspc]

Ladies and gentlemen were temporarily e- goodbye Audio!

[@brianwolters7560]

Does anyone have a video of KTVT Cartoon Carnival and Afternoon Movie Intros?

[@richardgadberry8398]

0:11 "Ladies and gentlemen, we're temporarily egg."

[@eascec8374]

I Wonder What WFAA's TD Screen Looks Like in the Early 80's. FACT: WFAA did LOTS of Technical Difficulty Moments during their Newscast in 2017.

[@IwanJames]

"we are temporarily x"

[@mirjanadukic6984]

Ending of Stanley and the Citytv logo on the slogan 'News, Movies, Music'. The announcer says 'This is Citytv, now has technical difficulties. Please stand by', and the black background with words 'PLEASE STAND BY' on it. The music plays.

[@douglasdesouzavieira8548]

What is the episode of Lost in Space called?

[@peanutbutterstudios5732]

WOW 2 FOR 1 DOLLAR? THIS IS not amazing

[@MikeLutton]

i like the music sounds like a updated munsters theme

[@squidiskool]

The Wendy's commercial.

[@TooManyInterests775]

Was this recorded on VHS or Betamax?

[@Iamnotrandom565]

Bcz damn those graphics

[@darkman92]

0:15 - 0:35

[@dcwarner]

The film broke.

[@squidiskool]

1:00

[@heathercourt-wright6170]

☎️💋