Omnibus: Television's Golden Age

One Day in the Life of Television

November 1989 •English

One day in the life of television is a documentary that was broadcast on ITV on 1 November 1989. Filmed by over fifty crews exactly one year earlier, it was a huge behind-the-scenes look at a wide range of activities involved in the production, reception and marketing of British television. The project was organised by the British Film Institute and produced and directed for television by Peter Kosminsky. A book by Sean Day-Lewis was published to accompany the documentary. It contained the thoughts of people throughout Britain, including industry professionals, who recorded their feelings and experiences of television viewing on 1 November 1988, the day that the documentary was filmed.

Sheldon Leonard's Wonderful Life

January 2011 •English

A loving tribute to a forgotten pioneer of the golden age of television. Starting out as a Runyonesque character actor, Sheldon Leonard went on to produce some of the most beloved and groundbreaking shows of all time, such as The Andy Griffith Show, The Danny Thomas Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Spy. A rare treat, this film is a delightful retrospective of Leonard’s body of work, including priceless clips from his productions— as well as his hilarious appearances on shows such as The Jack Benny Program—and interviews with many of his friends and colleagues, including Mary Tyler Moore, Andy Griffith, Dick Van Dyke, Carl Reiner, Ron Howard and Leonard himself.

Milen

February 2025 •Bulgarian

The documentary film follows the life and career of Milen Tsvetkov against the backdrop of historical events in Bulgaria that have transformed journalism and the media market in the country since 1989.

Disclosure

June 2020 •English

An investigation of how Hollywood's fabled stories have deeply influenced how Americans feel about transgender people, and how transgender people have been taught to feel about themselves.

VHS Revolution

August 2017 •French

Using testimonies by pioneers and witnesses of the times, delve into the feverish visual culture the media generated – with far-fetched examples of canine television games, seduction manuals, aerobics class while holding a baby, among others.

Television's Opening Night: How the Box Was Born

October 2016 •English

TV presenter Dallas Campbell, engineer Professor Danielle George and engineer Dr Hugh Hunt re-create the opening of the BBC's television service on 2 November 1936. This involves building the mechanical flying-spot cameras that were used by Baird's system.

Amicalement vôtre : Hollywood au service de sa Majesté

July 2017 •French

La saga des feuilletons et des séries

January 2020 •French

The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story

November 2018 •English

A journey behind the scenes of the Nickelodeon television network to chronicle its unprecedented success, from its humble origins as a small local channel to its status as an international phenomenon that helped shape an entire generation of children.

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

April 2021 •English

Take a stroll down Sesame Street and witness the birth of the most influential children's show in television history. From the iconic furry characters to the classic songs you know by heart, learn how a gang of visionary creators changed the world.

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

May 2004 •English

A documentary on the Z Channel, one of the first pay cable stations in the US, and its programming chief, Jerry Harvey. Debuting in 1974, the LA-based channel's eclectic slate of movies became a prime example of the untapped power of cable television.

Eurovision Secrets & Scandals

May 2022 •English

A revelatory documentary uncovering amazing stories about what really goes on behind the scenes at Eurovision. With contributions from former winner Cheryl Baker, former loser Andy Abraham and former host Jan Leeming.

An American Family at 50

February 2024 •English

TV special revisiting the documentary series that became a media sensation 50 years ago and birthed a new television genre. Examines the enduring significance of the series, which chronicled seven months in the lives of the Loud family of Santa Barbara, California.

Caesar's Writers

August 1996 •English

On January 24, 1996, at the Writers Guild Theater in Los Angeles, CA, legendary comic Sid Caesar was reunited with nine of his writers from Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour. The event was taped for release on PBS and BBC in a 1-hour cut, and later on VHS and DVD in its full 2-hour length. Be prepared to laugh non-stop as the panel, made up of head writer Mel Tolkin, Caesar, Carl Reiner, Aaron Ruben, Larry Gelbart, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Danny Simon, Sheldon Keller, and Gary Belkin share stories about their time working on Caesar's shows and offer their insights about writing comedy.

Exporting Raymond

April 2011 •English

A documentary on Phil Rosenthal's experiences during the making of "Voroniny," the Russian-language version of "Everybody Loves Raymond".

Distress Signals

June 1991 •English

American television programming dominates around the world at the expense of regional cultural voices.

Warren Oates: Across the Border

November 1993 •English

A retrospective of the work of the late actor Warren Oates, with clips from his films and interviews with cast and crew members who worked with him.

The Birth of Television

November 1976 •English

In this feature-length documentary from 1976, Leslie Mitchell and special guests recall the birth of BBC Television forty years before.

Missing Presumed Wiped

December 2001 •English

Documentary about the lost episodes of Dad's Army (1968) and their recovery and restoration.

Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!

January 1982 •English

A collection of bloopers and outtakes from an enormous selection of Hollywood classic productions spanning from the 1930s through the 1980s.