Murder by Television (1935) BELA LUGOSI

Stars: Bela Lugosi, June Collyer, Huntley Gordon
Director: Clifford Sanforth
The inventor of a new method by which television signals can be instantaneously sent anywhere in the world, refuses to sell the process to television companies. On the night of his initial demonstration broadcast, the inventor is mysteriously murdered and it falls to the Police Chief to uncover who the murderer is from the many suspects present!

[@josefizquierdo6139]

There was this elegance in "fashion, styles, and decor" that you don't really get to see very often, nowadays. "White Zombie" is my favorite Lugosi flick, "so far." He and his supposedly dead, hypnotized zombies are "really mean and frightening." Bela's "maniacal facial expressions" could cause shivers travel down your little, unsuspecting spine. "Madeline and Neal" are a match made in Heaven. Also, "the piano scene" is really "sad but beautiful," at the same time. Wow !!! Plus, the ending is simply spectacular !!! "Excuse me, please... Have you got a match ???" 💕

[@garyfrancis6193]

The zombies were fashionable? 1930’s zombies maybe now you can’t tell.

[@kesmarn]

I thought I'd seen every Bela Lugosi film of the 1930s, but I'd missed this one. Thanks so much for sharing!! I loved it.

[@rogerrendzak8055]

Me also!!!

[@greyedgerton2890]

I miss those old televisions. The portable black and whites, the old channels with knobs; you never really did figure out how to get the best picture, knobs for on the front and back both. A coat hanger once the antenna broke off. Console's came out with color. I remember the tube-testers at the grocery and drug stores. I remember the fool who had to fix the TV himself, then changed his mind after unplugging the set first then diving into the set's innards; there goes a year of your life as you crawl back into the house from the back porch. Hell of a way to learn about capacitors. I've only lived one life- time and I feel spoiled rotten. Suits me; radio, books or the theatre are better for me any- way.

[@prevost8686]

Grey Edgerton I still remover only being able to get two channels and they went off the air late at night. Dad thought we had arrived when he could afford to put an antenna that rotated on top of the house and then we could get three channels. We never knew that we were doing without, never heard of a school shooting (even thought millions owned guns in America) and were never confused about our gender.

[@fortysomethingbadgirls2173]

I still have one. Found it at Goodwill and couldn't pass it up!

[@jerryhatley5004]

...yeah, I remember the tube testers in the drug store....remember sitting by the Christmas tree in a chair as a kid next to a blue Christmas tree bulb, spinning it and watching my reflection as it would spin.......Ah, find worlds of entertainment in the simplest of things.....those days are long gone...unfortunately.......

[@-oiiio-3993]

Dad built his own Heathkits.

[@josefizquierdo6139]

"My first t.v. set ever," which I purchased in my early 20's was a "black & white" box set. At first, its picture was so "perfect." Then, "it started spinning every which way." I tried everything to fix it "over and over again," turning the vertical/horizontal controls, slapping it, etc. , but "to no success at all." I decided to keep the old, cheap television, which had cost me around 20 dollars at a street-corner thrift shop. I decided "to just listen to it," without really watching its picture tube, "just like a simple radio."📺

[@468297]

I enjoy and appreciate all of the movie and TV shows you upload. I will be honest and say that I watch them to escape from the miserable conditions we now live in. And I don't mean material conditions. One more point. Would Lugosi be surprised if he knew that Murder by Television is still happening? (That's why I cut my cable.)

[@johnthorpe8341]

THESE FILMS ARE MY ESCAPE FROM THIS HORRIBLE INHUMAN WORLD

[@RetiredSchoolCook]

THANK YOU I ENJOY WATCHING ALL BELA LUGOSI MOVIES APRIL 14 2019

[@jayrosen6663]

Bela Lugosi treated the crappiest scripts as though they were a work of Shakespeare!! Therein, lies his greatness as an actor!! He always gave 100 percent of himself!!

[@prevost8686]

I enjoyed his movies. Unfortunately, heroin & liquor made him so unreliable for work that he had to take whatever work he could find.

[@nelifl.9756]

@@prevost8686 how heavy are you, Bela was never addicted to heroin, idiot

[@-oiiio-3993]

@Andrew Wilson Ed Wood.

[@audreyl.9200]

@@prevost8686 You shouldn't speak ill of the dead, especially the undead...🦇

[@prevost8686]

Neli R. Yes, he was. It started with morphine from WW1 and expanded to heroin after the government began restricting the sale of morphine, maybe you need to check your facts.

[@misslinda772]

Bella Lugosi as a crime solver! The man was amazing.

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

Yes, one of a scant few where he NOT the bad guy. Well, maybe 50/50 because it *was* a double rôle.😕

[@macm3081]

interesting fact. :) Electronic television was first successfully demonstrated in San Francisco on Sept. 7, 1927. The system was designed by Philo Taylor Farnsworth, a 21-year-old inventor who had lived in a house without electricity until he was 14.

[@garyranieri3856]

in 1923 Charles Jenkins demonstrated a moving picture that was projected without wires and in 1927, he broadcast a picture of a moving windmill without wires over a 5-mile distance but these were silhouettes only. later, Jenkins was able to broadcast an actual, clear moving picture. in 1928, he opened a tv channel and broadcast pictures 5 nights a week. Farnsworth probably broadcast a more advanced picture using more advanced technology as Jenkins' technology was never too advanced. btw, in 1894, Jenkins was the first in this country to project 'movies' onto a wall- the Lumiere brothers were first in France- but Jenkins sold to a partner who sold to Edison and that was the start of Edison's 'Vitascope' movie company. and Jenkins went into auto manufacture and was the first to put motors in the front. as for television, there were many who contributed something and most are forgotten. amazing isn't it that a big deal is made of F.D.R. seeing himself on tv at the 1939 world's fair and yet there was so much that took place years before-genuine pioneers in this field- this and it's all forgotten

[@grimtt]

Cool, thanks! I tried to look up when was the birth of TV but none of the articles were definitive . Your info helps (can’t say i love sharing the date of my birth with television!).

[@randaldavis8976]

and the big radio corporation didn't want to license the tech from Farnsworth (futurama reference) and made as much trouble for him as they could, until patent expired

[@mgtowp.l.7756]

There Was T.V. In New York City, London, And Berlin. Telefuken Had Radio, And T.V. The Company Founded In 1903 In Germany..T.V. Stated In Germany On 22 March 1935 For 90 Minutes

[@genkatqltr8517]

@@garyranieri3856 Or never known by many of us. I had no idea how early were the beginnings of television! Thank you for sharing this information. 😊👍📺

[@audreyl.9200]

Bela was a handsome devil in this movie!

[@disco0752]

Bela was quite impressive in this movie. Very suave as well!

[@TheBee87bee]

A fine performance by Bela!!!!

[@waderaney7]

Lugosi was king of the thrillers!!

[@marthawissmann8268]

What an interesting presentation of the beginnings of TV. Liked the mystery too.

[@charliedontsurf70]

Karloff use to always say "Poor Bela-He never took the time to learn the language" I disagree, I think he spoke english magnificently.

[@Magnetron33]

I saw him say that. I think he was a little condescending

[@GranthamStreet]

I’m guessing Karloff’s Hungarian was awful, if not nonexistent.

[@stevef9530]

I don’t watch Karloff films, find him irritating for some reason. I much prefer Lugosi.

[@armandito9735]

Wow,...1935....I was born seven years after......I love these pictures,...Bela Lugosi wasn't a bad looking guy,...he had poise,style,good hair and statute. It's a shame his life was not so productive he would have gone a long way.

[@janegertrude9270]

Thanks for the upload, great movie!

[@lizlocher3612]

Bela Lugosi was an excellent actor, who had left a legendary persona in the name of Dracula, so legendary that ehen the name Dracula is mentioned, no matter who else has played that role, including the awesome Gary Oldman, the first picture that comes to mind is Bela Lugosi!!! He has been in dozens of "B" movies like this one n ALWAYS does a superb job, no matter how miniscule the role or the script was!!! Who cares what he was addicted to, compared to ALL he had given us?!?!? He had chronic pain from WWI, crippling debilitating pain , n as I do as well, I totally understand why he needed the medication to work n live otherwise there is no quality of life!! He even quit using his medicine at 70+ yrs old, which is a feat in itself, as I am 67 yrs old n my pain has degenerated so severely it is a struggle to STILL be alive,!!! Instead of yalking negativity about this wonderful actor who has given us myriad films full of entertainment, perhaps you people could expound on his superb accomplishments under great duress!!!! Keep in mind, with the GRACE of GOD, there goes yourself!!!

[@jerryjohnson8485]

Better than most of t.v. garbage now

[@tonyseybert8068]

Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say, Boomer.

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

​@@tonyseybert8068 🤡🐑❄️🦧

[@barbaratrubenbach115]

Men looked so nice, as well as the women. Smoking and drinking seemed to be a big event for everyone. Strange to see Lugosi in a movie like this.

[@pgh45rpms]

June Collyer was sister to Bud Collyer of "To Tell the Truth." She was married to comic actor Stuart Erwin and they starred together in tv's "Life with Father."

[@amandawilcox9638]

Murder mystery/sci fi, 30s tech! What a combination. The thing I had a hard time with was the gobbledygook. The interstellar something something that came back as a death ray! Yikes. Nutso by even pulp standards! Fun, tho! TY📽

[@yeahriight57]

Thank you for sharing 😀

[@itisonlyadream]

As an irritating "know-it-all" and a self-proclaimed early television expert, I must point out that the camera shown at 15:20 is a flying spot scanner that's been modified to use a spinning ball instead of a Nipkow scanning disk, probably because the spinning ball was more dramatic looking than a scanning disk. Moreover, by 1935, Zworykin's all electronic iconoscope camera tube had replaced the flying spot scanner for studio work. The older flying spot scanner was probably chosen for the movie, because in 1935 the public had seen pictures of the photocell box that surrounds a flying spot scanner and identified it with experimental television, plus it's visually more interesting looking than an actual iconoscope camera, which resembled a box in 1935. The big technical blunder is the fact that a flying spot scanner required total darkness to operate, with the only light in the room coming from the flying spot camera itself. With that said, who cares, I love the movie.

[@daleanderson1727]

Thanks for sharing.

[@JoeCannon1]

Great movie!

[@DelilahThePig]

The device shown mimics a flying spot scanner. The ball in the middle shoots out a bright pixel sized dot of light across the scene while the multiple photocells around the light source capture the reflection. In subdued light, only one dot of subject is illuminated at any given moment.

[@audreyl.9200]

Huh?? That wasn't just a movie prop?

[@marciasantos4180]

otimo filme com o nosso saudoso bele lugosi por favor poste o travesseiro da morte 1945 a volta do vampiro 1943 o medico vampiro 1957 a ilha do terror 1957 a maldiao do farao 1957 obrigado sucesso

[@lukaszwodzynskiHNB]

I wonder if this movie was the first one to use television as part of a plot

[@stanthology]

"International House" WC Fields movie. A good flik.

[@anabellazayat8050]

I love enjoy these old movies. the elegance the way they dressed men and women alike on every occasion, the way they behave at the table, their posture, the beautiful cars, hair perfectly done not one strand of hair out of place, the only thing I didn't like is that every men and women smoked cigars and cigarretes like chimneys everytime a cigarette was either in their hands or mouth wonder how many died from cancer.

[@joannalucas3546]

This came out the year my dad was born

[@Papa-o33963]

Bless U n Ur Father Always n Forever n Ever.

[@EmmaJo-e]

Being a history buff,the style art deco, both my grandparents generation,god bless them, films so clean,no bad words,nudity,sexual content, good story lines🎞️🎞️🎞️🎬🎬🎬🙏🙏🙏

[@martinbryan3716]

Weird, and difficult to follow

[@Robbi496]

Lugosi was handsome, but in an "Eastern European" sort of way (NO OFFENSE INTENDED!)

[@Robbi496]

@Grace Garlock Eastern European men are handsome in a much more exotic way than most Anglos, not meant to be racist, just a personal observation :)

[@chrisoconnell5143]

Boy, rich people wore tuxedo's all the time even to dinner!!

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

I knew this was going to be a good movie when I saw that Milton M. Stern was the television technician.🙄

[@user-yl7py6dr8o]

Bela was such a good looking guy even before he died 😊

[@miguelangelnava6620]

quienes subtitulan al castellano ponenen cualquier cosa dejen el subtitulado comun de la pelicula

[@antony716]

Richard Grayson/George Meeker from I Accuse my Parents

[@mikenixon2401]

Almost like they tried to warn us.

[@alankanen1052]

When will someone have mercy on this poor film and at least clean up the soundtrack?!

[@watermelonlalala]

"It's merely a matter of routine." "Suicide!" "Is my face red?"

[@chrisking3849]

Farnsworth was only a part inventor, kinda like Eidson

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

"Convicted by kinescope"

[@johnbockelie3899]

" Murder by Television." and just today I saw a 1944 movie called " Shake hands with murder." These timely old movie titles.

[@MzuMzu-nx1em]

It seems to me , you the expert on TV matter

[@davidtong2776]

Special effects are not enough to make a movie good.

[@dalecooles]

Murder by Television is deemed to be Lugosi's worst film, even surpassing his movies directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr.

[@Magnetron33]

He has such an array of bad films, that would be a tough choice.I don't this is too bad

[@jacobschweitzer1068]

I don't care what anyone says. I like this movie i have it one dvd

[@annebellette201]

Good movie

[@colinhalliley111]

Hattie McDaniels as Isabella .

[@johnbockelie3899]

Television today is really " Murder by Television."🎃😳😳🎃

[@annprince5298]

Whst about logie Bird who invented a TV system during the twenties and accomplished in 19,th century

[@roberthaydon7973]

That was a cryptic ending. Did I miss something?

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

Yes.

[@nimrod5820]

Can't use today's super thin flat screens as murder weapons .

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

I wonder how much sooner t.v. would have advanced if not for WW2.🤔

[@gulyasdavid6170]

Awesome krimi w Lugosi

[@thomasgranville7498]

Interesting yarn. No less than the actual battles over the invention of tv, lol. Very elegant looking. But the sound is poor and difficult to understand given the number of accents called for

[@richardhewlett5603]

PizzaFlix You must be roasting for a kid.

[@mugwugthemagnificful]

And there was still nothing on worth watching.

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

Did you not see the DoorDash commercial?😒🙄

[@alfonzowharton1557]

Mr bela as usual playing-:; DRACULA

[@scarygary-qq1pj]

Nope.

[@stevearmstrong4561]

RCA's Felix The Cat Camera.

[@terrymoore5000]

👍

[@PizzaFLIX]

Go Terry - you’re making some nice choices 🎯🍕

[@geraldford9266]

Sound sucks

[@josefizquierdo6139]

It's from 1935, not 2020. 😁

[@geraldford9266]

@@josefizquierdo6139 touche' 😁

[@justdeepblue]

I thought TV was invented in 1951 !

[@dijonstreak]

naw..-iits been aroun' since the '30's.......

[@antoniod]

It became widely available in 1948, but most people couldn't afford one until maybe the mid-50s.

[@danloechner1083]

I was invented in 1951

[@georgesnovi5138]

false official le 24 juanary 1926! from baird

[@jerryjohnson8485]

1926 first image on t.v. - Felix the magical cat cat

[@sambucas.4645]

9 years ago 😂

[@garyfrancis6193]

Television is a fad. It will never catch on. The TV demo starts about 14:01.

[@Plymouthpilot]

The maid looks and behaves like Dianne Abbott!

[@tonyjohndonovan93donovan31]

Bela shit growing up 2 all this vipp Movies their all the same the bat that's a good 1ant the vimpire bat

[@martinmcdonald4207]

The Blasted Bat.