Kaleidoscope is a Birmingham based organisation specialising in locating previously missing, believed lost, television footage and coordinates ITV’s Raiders of the Lost Archives campaign.
We actively worked with the BBC on the Genome Project, providing metadata from our vast database of British television programme information created by Invisible Technology Ltd.
We are regularly engaged in work as archive consultants on many new television productions and our credits include Lenny Henry, Les Dawson Forever, Pete and Dud: The Missing Sketches, The Secret Life of Bob Monkhouse, Come on Down – The Game Show Story and Frankie Howerd. Chris Perry is a Research Associate of the Royal Holloway University of London.
The Kaleidoscope Archive contains over 750,000 items, which include The Bob Monkhouse Collection, the archive of Illuminations Productions, the estate of Jeremy Beadle and various holdings from both the BBC and ITV. Professional technical transfer facilities are provided on behalf of Kaleidoscope by The Tim Disney Archive and Westpoint Television.
The Kaleidoscope Archive is also a unique repository for lost television footage. Recently deposited items include footage from The Golden Shot, Family Fortunes, Pan’s People, Kenny Everett and Benny Hill in addition to one of the most sizeable collections of programming from the former ITV company Associated-Rediffusion held outside the British Film Institute. In recent years, Kaleidoscope has returned many missing programmes to official archives, including Top of the Pops, Lift Off, Coronation Street, Second City Firsts and three editions of Til Death Us Do Part. New finds are regularly reported to the industry through our social media channels via Facebook and Twitter.
In 2016 Kaleidoscope reported over 100 new discoveries including The Avengers – Tunnel of Fear, the pilot for Softly Softly and two editions of Z Cars. Our work was featured on Newsnight.
Kaleidoscope is held in high regard and trusted by existing broadcasters and archives including the BBC, ITV and BFI. This special relationship enables us to provide logistical support and archive storage for many items considered to be of great cultural importance. If you want to hire the services of Kaleidoscope, or buy some of our lost footage, then apply now for a Trade Account (coming soon)
Kaleidoscope Productions
Working in conjunction with Farcical Films, Kaleidoscope Productions has been making original television productions since 2006. Headed up by Rory Clark and Chris Perry, it specialises in programmes exploring the heritage of British television. Previous films include An Afternoon with Alfred Burke, The Bob Monkhouse Collection and Hodson’s Choice.
Our latest film, The Native Hue of Resolution, was commissioned by the British Film Institute and was very well received when screened at The National Film Theatre.
Since 1993 Kaleidoscope Publishing has been producing books and magazines and our well-known research guides are considered definitive records of British television output. Other authors published by Kaleidoscope include Brian Tesler, James Cellan Jones, Michael Barratt, Richard Marson and Robert Banks Stewart who have written on a range of subjects, recently including programmes such as Nationwide, Top of the Pops, Blue Peter, Week Ending, Sexton Blake and The Goodies. Our skilled graphic designers are also called upon to create DVD sleeves for the BFI and other clients.
For more than 25 years, Kaleidoscope has vigorously and actively encouraged the cause of wider archive access and regularly creates opportunities for the public to engage with the history of British television and view programmes from the past.
Since 1990, Kaleidoscope has staged regular events at Birmingham City University, BAFTA, the NEC and Stourbridge. Our BAFTA event for the 50th Anniversary of Blue Peter was described by Biddy Baxter, the programme’s major producer, as “better than the BBC’s in-house event”.
Current events are advertised on our Facebook group and tickets can be reserved at Eventbrite.