Why is First Episode in B/W?????

[hoosierelvisfan]

I just watched the Season One DVD set (well, two of the disks, anyway) this past weekend. It occurred to me that when I was younger, I remember some of the episodes were in B & W but in the season one dvd set, only episode number one was in B & W and all the rest were in color. Why was Episode One in B & W if it was the only one????? Was this the pilot, I would presume?

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch

[tv star collector]

It's possible that, like GET SMART, only the first episode was filmed in black-&-
white. But, I don't know why.

[hoosierelvisfan]

Yeah, that's what I'm curious about also. It just seems strange that only one episode was filmed in B & W and all the rest filmed in color???? The only thing I can figure out is that the first episode was also the pilot for the series and they just went ahead and also used it as the first episode to air. I tried to google some Hogan's Heroes sites trying to find an answer to this question but I ended up getting all these sites dealing with Bob Crane's murder and his voyerism and all that stuff. It's a shame that a really funny show from the 1960's has to be overshadowed by all of that stuff.

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch

[Lolac]

Episode 1 is the pilot episode, which is why it was filmed in black and white. If you'll notice, some of the characters changed when the series was bought. For example, in episode 1, Burkhalter is a Colonel, not a General. Carter was a Lieutenant not a Sargeant and was the prisoner who was escaping. Larry Hovis became a regular when the series was bought and was changed to a Sargeant. Stalag 13 was called Camp 13. There are more. I'm sure you know what they are if you are a regular viewer as my family is!

Lolac

[treky]

I don't know why; I've always wondered why, too. I know that some shows were changing to color in 65 when "H.H." started. I wonder if, maybe CBS was planning to show the first one or two seasons in black and white, then after the first show was filmed they changed their mind?

The first episode of "Get Smart" is in black and white, too, for some reason.

[caladon]

My guess would be that back in those days (and I doubt things have changed that much today,) only so much $ was budgeted for a pilot. And since shooting in color was more expensive then, black and white was the medium of choice. Which would explain the marked differences in how a pilot looked with regards to cast and sets from when the show went into full production. Keeping in mind that it was these first pilots that the tests audiences saw. Then based on their reactions and comments the necessary tweaking took place that would cause the networks to give the show the go ahead.

[sarastiles]

i remember watching the season on TVLand and they only ever showed that one in black and white

[TV Knowledge Fan]

...at the time the original pilot episode was filmed [December 1964-January 1965], CBS was still presenting its shows in black and white ONLY. They did not begin "converting" to a partial color schedule until September 1965 (full color in the fall of '66), and decided that "HOGAN'S HEROES" would be produced as a color series (one of the network's first "new" situation comedies to be filmed in color; "GREEN ACRES" was the other one), the better to attract more viewers in homes that had color TV sets, and future syndication revenue from stations that would eventually purchase color series ONLY. A wise choice, indeed.

[treky]

THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, & THE LUCY SHOW all went to color on CBS in the fall of 65; also. THE LUCY SHOW started filming in color 2 years earlier but was shown in black-and-white.

[TV Knowledge Fan]

....those shows were converted to color beginning in the fall of 1965, including "PETTICOAT JUNCTION", "MY FAVORITE MARTIAN" and "LASSIE" {Lucy was smart to begin filming her show in color at the beginning of her second season, because that gave her more of an advantage in selling the series to CBS for daytime repeats AND in future syndication}-- because, as I mentioned, the network KNEW there was going to be an eventual conversion to a full color schedule, and decided to give their most popular series a "head start" and more advantage to those already seeing those shows on color sets.
["HAZEL" came from NBC, and "MY THREE SONS" {ABC} was an outright acquisition from Don Fedderson, who also agreed that it was time to start producing color episodes as well.] "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW" continued in black & white because Carl Reiner didn't want to convert to full color. "LOST IN SPACE", "THE WILD WILD WEST" and "THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS SHOW" were shot in black & white due to budget considerations {i.e. special effects cost too much money to be filmed in color}. Same thing with "THE MUNSTERS", even though special makeup was used that wouldn't be seen until "Munster, Go Home" (1966) hit theaters.

The "new" series that premiered, "GREEN ACRES" and "HOGAN'S HEROES", were the first to be filmed in color for CBS without previous black & white seasons (if you don't count the "HOGAN" pilot, which started this discussion in the first place!!)

[treky]

NBC also did the pilot of GET SMART in black-and-white.

[TV Knowledge Fan]

.....the series HAD been originally considered by ABC (but rejected), and Leonard Stern & company decided to film the pilot the way they originally planned it- in black & white. As we all know, NBC was the first TV network to present a 98% "full color" prime-time schedule in the fall of 1965 [that's why they billed themselves as "The Full Color Network" in those days], and the network insisted "GET SMART" be filmed in color after they bought the show (same situation with the pilots of Warner Bros. Television's "HANK" and MGM's "PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES").

....and in case you're wondering, "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" and MCA/Universal's "CONVOY" were the 2% minority of black & white shows on that fall '65 schedule {the World War II stock footage used on "CONVOY" prevented their producers from filming the series in full color- and we all KNOW why "JEANNIE" stayed in b/w during its first season!}

[treky]

I KNEW you'd have something to add to my post!!!