Dear Plookyplok,
After you gave that OK, I continued searching in image databases, alas
- like Bowler, I found only this image.
"Marlo and the Magic Movie Machine", was aired as Weekend television
between 1977-1979. Commodonk adds, that the show was "Laurie Faso, as
Marlo, operator of the Magic Movie Machine, a talking computer that
could be programmed to show old newsreels and film shorts as well as
baby pictures of celebrities. Taped at WFSB-TV in Hartford, the show
was first seen in an hour long format, but was later trimmed to a half
hour. Mert Koplin provided the voice of the Machine." (Source:
Commodonk, "Re: Looking for help....", Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv,
<http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=394qem%24iq4%40newsbf01.news.aol.com>).
In fact, it was created and developed by the Corporation for
Entertainment and Learning.
It seems that the show is pretty sought after - it was aired in the
1970s (when no videos were widely available), and many who miss it
cannot find it (See for example this tape trading list:
<http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22magic+movie+machine%22&meta=group%3Dalt.video.tape-trading.*>
). Jason LaBouef even writes, that if he had a time machine, he would
get back to 1979 "bring a VCR and record "Marlo and the Magic Movie
Machine" (Source: Jason LaBouef, "Re: Stuff", Newsgroup:
alt.culture.us.1970s,
<http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=323B9435.6BDB%40gs.net&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain>).
The Video Learning Network, that has educational videos
<http://www.videolearning.com/> could sell a VHS cassette for $19.95
(or rent it, prices not indicated). The cassette, called "On the High
Seas" is described as "Co-stars Marlo, a young electronics genius and
his talking computer, the Magic Movie Machine. They turn the TV screen
into a children's delight above and below deck, taking the audience on
a tour of the expected and the unexpected, You'll get a chance to
steer the ship, fly in a helicopter and peer up the periscope, and
even launch planes from the deck of the U.S.S. Eisenhower and meet the
crew." (Source: film description, Video Learning Network).
You could find it by browsing through the categories in their site -
to childrens' films and then to films about "transportation"
<http://www.videolearning.com/vllx.php?opt=browsrch&chapsect=0714>.
Clicking their catalogue number should invoke a pop-up window with
rent/purchase information.
Tape Trading Networks could be also a good place to look for it.
However, in this case, it seems like it is in everybody's "want"
lists, and nobody actually has it. In any case: alt.video.tape-trading
<http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=alt.video.tape-trading>.
Yahoo! Tape Trading <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/videotape-trading/> Group.
TV Megasite <http://www.tvmegasite.net/trading/>
alt.videos.bootlegs -
<http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=alt.videos.bootlegs>
The music was written by Score Productions, and they might have
further information on images (unlikely as it is)
<http://www.scoreproductions.com/>.
I know this is less than what you wanted, but it seems that this is
the relevant information - I even went through research libraries,
hoping that one of them has it in recording (as they somnetimes do).
My search strategy was to search Google and databases (images and film
ones) for:
- The term "Magic Movie Machine"
- With or without the following combinations: video, image, [names of
files types, such as avi, jpeg], vhs, tape.
- Laurie Faso (the actor)
- Marlo Higgins (the character)
- The production company.
Please contact me if you need any clarification on this answer before
you tip/rate it. |
