Kaleidoscope Publishing exists to promote the appreciation of British television in general and particularly ‘classic’ television programmes that many of us remember from years gone by.
To this end we have published a number of guides to British television archive holdings. These guides include exhaustive information on the number of archived programmes and the format(s) that they are held in. We have created this website as a means by which visitors can get a flavour of just why our guides have been described as “invaluable resources for anyone wishing to research, or even with a general interest in, British television”.
Use the links above or to the left to explore this site and find out more about Kaleidoscope Publishing, our books and future publications.
John Johnson 1923 – 2009
In 2004, Simon Coward and I decided to spend our summer vacation going through 120+ boxes of Rediffusion-related paperwork at the IBA Library in Foley Street. It was a thankless task. We were amazed that Kaleidoscope could access this information; and astonished that so much survived to look at. We often found references to paperwork that was signed or removed by John Johnson. A cheerful man, who was hard of hearing, was often in the library peering over our shoulder making amusing comments. I realised that he might have worked for Rediffusion Television.
One day in I came across an empty file on an untransmitted No Hiding Place episode. In desperation, I asked the cheerful man if he knew the guy who had left a single piece of paper in the folder. It said 'Removed May 1969 by John Johnson'. The man laughed and said 'John Johnson. That's me son, and I can't remember why I emptied the file'.
John had given all the boxes of information to the IBA and he regarded himself as the guardian of Rediffusion's legacy. Indeed he did more to preserve that company than anyone else, ever.
John Johnson became firm friends with Kaleidoscope. He helped us on many projects and wrote two pieces of memoirs for us that we will publish in the next few weeks. He sent our research in new directions.
He often spoke of his own personal research collection which we never got to see, because he worried people might misuse his knowledge. But we know that John Johnson was a great man - he ensured that the Redufussion library was partially preserved at the NFTVA; he created many TV programmes and left behind a legacy of information and insight that will not be forgotten.
Rest In Peace, John.
Chris, Simon & friends
Sunday, 29th November 2009
A paperback edition of Bob's Full House is now available from our store on Lulu.com for £19.99 plus postage and packing.
Saturday, 28th November 2009
I've just set up this link to try and save the jobs of my
friends at ITN Source. Richard, Jane and Penny have helped
Kaleidoscope and researchers so much that they don't deserve to be made redundant
three days before Christmas.
Thanks
Chris Perry,
Kaleidoscope
http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/32422.html
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