Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Here's a technical difficulties moment that afflicted a rerun of The Streets of San Francisco episode "The Thrill Killers - Part I" on WNAC Channel 7 (later WNEV, now WHDH) in Boston, MA, then a CBS affiliate and owned by RKO General.
The end of a PSA for the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission ("Children's Hazards") is shown, and goes directly into the start of Act IV, around 4:43pm (EST), when two seconds therein, the sound (from a grainy 16mm print) conks out entirely. They let the show run for about a minute when they cut to the station ID slide (with CBS's "Looking Good" slogan and logo for the 1979-80 season) around 4:44pm. 23 seconds later, announcer Leif Jensen (a longtime voice of Channel 7, into its early years as WNEV) intones "Please stand by." 20 seconds after that, Mr. Jensen returns, saying, "We regret the interruption in this program, whatever difficulties should be cleared momentarily. Please stand by. Thank you." The slide is up for all of 1 minute and 35 seconds when picture and sound return to the episode, and the rest goes off without any other hitches as Marion Ross of Happy Days fame is featured in a scene.
This aired on local Boston TV on Thursday, December 20th 1979 between 4:43pm and 4:46pm (EST) (incidentally, this was Day 47 of the Iranian hostage crisis).
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!
Here's a technical difficulties moment that afflicted a rerun of The Streets of San Francisco episode "The Thrill Killers - Part I" on WNAC Channel 7 (later WNEV, now WHDH) in Boston, MA, then a CBS affiliate and owned by RKO General.
The end of a PSA for the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission ("Children's Hazards") is shown, and goes directly into the start of Act IV, around 4:43pm (EST), when two seconds therein, the sound (from a grainy 16mm print) conks out entirely. They let the show run for about a minute when they cut to the station ID slide (with CBS's "Looking Good" slogan and logo for the 1979-80 season) around 4:44pm. 23 seconds later, announcer Leif Jensen (a longtime voice of Channel 7, into its early years as WNEV) intones "Please stand by." 20 seconds after that, Mr. Jensen returns, saying, "We regret the interruption in this program, whatever difficulties should be cleared momentarily. Please stand by. Thank you." The slide is up for all of 1 minute and 35 seconds when picture and sound return to the episode, and the rest goes off without any other hitches as Marion Ross of Happy Days fame is featured in a scene.
This aired on local Boston TV on Thursday, December 20th 1979 between 4:43pm and 4:46pm (EST) (incidentally, this was Day 47 of the Iranian hostage crisis).
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!
![The Jokers Wild - WNAC Channel 7 [Boston, MA] (Complete Broadcast, 12/20/1979) 📺 🃏](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YseICbLM-3c/mqdefault.jpg "The Jokers Wild - WNAC Channel 7 [Boston, MA] (Complete Broadcast, 12/20/1979) 📺 🃏
Heres the complete broadcast of the syndicated version of The Jokers Wild, hosted by Jack Barry and shown over WNAC Channel 7 (later WNEV, now WHDH) in Boston, MA.
Show voiceovers by Jay Stewart (famous as announcer for Monty Halls Lets Make a Deal).
Includes:
Station ID / Happy Chanuka wishes (voiceover by Leif Jensen)
Show open, with contestant Melody Ballesteros; plugs for Craig M-100 Language Translation & Information Center (an early digital device), Botany 500 suit and sportcoat combo for men, Fay Swafford Originals luggage, and 16-day trip to Spain furnished by Club Universe; she then rolls the lever four times for her second game
Theatrical trailer for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (main voiceover by Orson Welles) (ending tag voiceover by Leif Jensen)
Commercials for:
Record Vacuum by Ronco
Crimson Travel Service (with kids going to Walt Disney World)
Promo for Candlepins for Cash (voiceover by Leif Jensen)
Segment 2 starts with plugs for Buick Skylark and Polyglycoat Sound Shield, before Jack introduces Round 3 where Melody plays against new challenger Charlie Harper, who speaks about his life, work and hobbies; offered a choice of categories; Charlie rolls first, then picks mystery category #5 (Religious Leaders); after his turn is over, Melody picks one of the offered categories, and afterwards Charlie exits with some consolation prizes; Melodys next spin of the devil is preceded by more plugs (for Selecta Photo Murals, TopLine Rebound Tables, Sankyo movie camera and projector, and Stereo Music Center from Morse Electrophonic); after this round ends, the next contestant, Russell Clark, joins
Commercials for:
High Protein Price Superoni Spaghetti
Looking Good promo
PSA for Foster Kids
In Segment 3, another set of categories for Game 4; Russell picks Geography, Melody picks Films of the 60s, then Russell picks A to Z followed by Melody doing same, after which Russell picks Films of the 60s and Melody does same, and when its all over Russell is finished and Melody gets to spin the devil again (after plugs for Emser International Oriental rugs, Chinook fireplace set, Karman Western apparel, and a trip to Acapulco, Mexico, via Mexicana Airlines and staying at the El Continental Hotel)
Commercials for:
Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants album by Stevie Wonder (ending voiceover by Leif Jensen) (music modification to avoid YouTube blocking)
StarCase movie channel (voiceover by Jackson Beck)
Promo for The Newlywed Game
Christmas PSA from American Lung Association
Segment 4 starts with where to write to be a contestant, but Jack advises Game 5 (and Melodys next opponent) will have to wait for the next show and closes this edition; followed by plugs for Rath Hickory Smoked and Honey Glazed Ham, Capri Foaming Bath Oil, Tootsie candy, Borateem, Abitibi panels, and Check Static Cling, followed by end credits (in middle of plug for last product, voiceover promo for Candlepins for Cash by Leif Jensen interrupts it)
Preview of coming Candlepins for Cash with host Bob Gamere, and contestant Frank Wall warming up
Commercial: Cachet perfume - by Prince Matchabelli (voiceover by Peter Thomas)
PSA for The Massachusetts Radio Reading Service
Station ID - abbreviated version of children wishing happy holidays
This is followed by the first 16 minutes of Candlepins for Cash (posted separately here: https://youtu.be/rTQHvLyAeJE)
This aired on local Boston TV on Thursday, December 20th 1979 during the 4pm to 5pm (EST) timeframe. (incidentally, this was day 47 of the ongoing Iranian hostage crisis)
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!")
![WREG Channel 3 [Memphis, TN] - Station Sign-On and Thought for the Day (5/12/1979)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z48sRvuJ7O4/mqdefault.jpg "WREG Channel 3 [Memphis, TN] - Station Sign-On and Thought for the Day (5/12/1979)
Heres the sign-on sequence for WREG Channel 3 in Memphis, TN, then as now a CBS affiliate. The station was pretty much 24-hour from what Ive read though. (I wonder if they did a formal sign-off after the last scheduled program of the day, which would have preceded the 2 short films that were shown on the tape excerpt we found?)
In any case, here we see after The End title of an MGM short (A Really Important Person (1947)), the opening slide shows a long view of the Channel 3 Drive building where the studios were then located, with mention made that they were owned and operated by The New York Times Broadcasting Service, Inc. followed by a display of the U.S. flag (but no National Anthem), and a colorful 1965 variant of the National Association of Broadcasters Television Code, and concludes with a slide of the stations then-logo (whos the voiceover by??)
Thought for the Day, with Chaplain Raymond Cook (of what church? Navy Millington? Cant make it out) who starts off reading from John 14:14
Bonus: Opening minute of The Archie Show, with first few seconds of Sabrina, The Teenage Witch segment Tragic Magic (posted separately here: https://youtu.be/kaCxqmfuARg)
This aired on local Memphis TV on Saturday, May 12th 1979 between around 6:27am and 6:31am.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!")
