900 replies to this topic

[Terra Nova]

Beaver Cleaver got a small telescope this morning in "Beaver's Tonsils" (Season 4, episode 20, 1960) of Leave It To Beaver on MeTV. 

 

(These are just random pictures of my living room, and the TV just happened to be on. No copyright violation intended.)

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[Bomber Bob]

The Buyer of my Space Scope 151 says it'll be used in a movie.  (Doesn't say exactly how, but I hope it's astronomy-related!)

 

Turns out, he's the Prop Master for a major studio.  Wonder if I could wheedle my way into a small part??

Edited by Bomber Bob, 18 September 2017 - 05:47 PM.

[Kasmos]

The Buyer of my Space Scope 151 says it'll be used in a movie.  (Doesn't say exactly how, but I hope it's astronomy-related!)

 

Turns out, he's the Prop Master for a major studio.  Wonder if I could wheedle my way into a small part??

I hope he didn't just buy it for prop use.

 

I'd hate to think it ends up like this:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=jDzV3qycOqM

 

Or is that Chuck's basement?   

[Bomber Bob]

I asked the Buyer to donate the SS151 to the local astronomy club; but, I wouldn't be surprised to see it show up on eBay again.  IOW:  CNers had their chance -- while it was still in excellent condition.

[Terra Nova]

Now back to our regularly scheduled program!

[Bomber Bob]

Good Grief!  Y'all stay on topic... sheesh!!

[highfnum]

Terra: beaver scope looks a lot like modern version of old 19 century dollond library
/pocket scope design
https://www.google.c...haNiK-s47vTjRM:

Edited by highfnum, 20 September 2017 - 03:49 PM.

[highfnum]

Saw episode 

 

ah 16.98 for scope 

 

doctor visits  to house

I remember those days

 

Welcome to the future? 

[Terra Nova]

Terra: beaver scope looks a lot like modern version of old 19 century dollond library
/pocket scope design
https://www.google.c...haNiK-s47vTjRM:

I think it was a Tasco. I actually saw it on auction somewhere a few years ago. It had come from the prop department at Universal Studios.

[highfnum]

You mean the actual one used in episode? 

[Terra Nova]

Yes, the one that was auctioned saidmthat it had been used on Leave It To Beaver. I wish I had bought it! In general, I think that model was marketed under several brands. This looks like it and it dates to 1961, same year as the episode.

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Edited by terraclarke, 21 September 2017 - 08:06 AM.

[highfnum]

Wow Terra you have it all

 

I

missed this one

Yup you should  have bought it 

Do you know what start bid was

[madeline]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before but there is a telescope in a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark.   It is in the scene where they are reading the medallion that goes on top of the staff of RA.   It is in the background.

[highfnum]

1936 charge of the light brigade

Kahn with 3 draw tube scope

https://www.youtube....h?v=XtldzZj59b4

[Bomber Bob]

Related:  Maybe we (CN Classic Nutz) could get the word out to the movie & TV prop folks that we have lots of classics to loan...  free, or maybe for a small fee?

[celestronlover57]

Or in exchange for a brief cameo appearance.

[Bomber Bob]

Why not?  While on the set, we could serve as Technical Experts -- make sure no Newtonians are pointed at the Earth's Core.

[BrooksObs]

Without re-reading all the posts in this thread, I believe that I've spotted three additional instruments in an old movie viewed this morning not previously mentioned here. These are seen in the 1958 SciFi flick From the Earth to the Moon based loosely on the Jules Verne classic.

 

During the adventurers' flight to the moon two scopes are clearly displayed aboard. In the observation room at the top of the ship there is what appears to be a classic 19th century brass refractor of 3.5"-4" aperture on an unusually large alt-azimuth, pillar-and-claw, mount. I would image that for the sake of visibility in the scene, this whole arrangement is seen sitting elevated atop a very substantial 4-foot wooden tripod.

 

Another scene shows a slightly smaller, but much more complex looking 19th century brass refractor and mount. This one, seen only briefly, looks to be 3" to 3.5" aperture and is attached to what appears to my eyes as a mount typically employed in meridian transit timings, with large brass azimuth and altitude circles. Where Hollywood ever landed its hands on one like that is difficult to say, perhaps at the observatory to be mentioned below.

 

The final instrument is shown several times within an large domed observatory. Earlier in the film only the upper end appears, looking skyward while tracking the just launched and moonbound spacecraft. Late in the movie we see it only from the eyepiece end. These scenes must have been shot in some actual Westcoast observatory, most likely Griffith Observatory/Planetarium in L.A., for the instrument is far too large and complex to be a simple stage prop, or anything but real. This would make sense as access to this facility would have been very easy and the big refactor shown does look to be around 12" in aperture.

 

BrooksObs

[BrooksObs]

Another old refractor that I've seen recently and I don't believe has been mentioned here appeared in TV's The Addams Family in the episode "Portrait of Gomez" (S1 E13). Gomez is seen using it out in his back garden by day, but I don't recall what he was using it to look at. It would appear to be either a 2.5" or 3" late 19th century unpainted brass instrument with a quite small aperture, but long focal length, finderscope. In reality, it might have been a harbor master's-type telescope, given that its rather modest alt/az mount was equipped with an elevation control stabilization arm that would seen to have limited the altitude above the horizon to which it might be set, making it more suitable for terrestrial viewing than for astronomical.

 

BrooksObs

[Garyth64]

Anyone recognize the refractor that was seen in Star Trek Discovery?  I snipped a picture of it, but I'm not sure if I can post it.

[celestronlover57]

While I attempted to read all posts in this topic I may have missed this: I think there is a Celestron C8 in the background in some episodes of Big Bang Theory.

In a much older program, Jodie tries, but returns, a small refractor in the TV series Family Affair.
 

[grif 678]

I can remember the big telescope that Mighty Mouse could look at earth from the moon, and seeing something bad, he would fly down and take care of it.

[kcb]

I remember in the old Invaders from Mars, the little boy gets up in the middle of the night and is looking out his bedroom window with his telescope when he sees the Martians land.

hi terra , I just purchased the 1986 version of invaders from mars and the boy has a unitron  folded refractor in the window,  kevin

Edited by kcb, 30 October 2017 - 11:25 AM.

[Terra Nova]

I have never seen that version. I’ll have to check it out!

[kcb]

I have never seen that version. I’ll have to check it out!

I like the older 1953 classic better but just bought this because it was there in the store, however, the unitron folded refractor makes up for the rest of the story , you get several good views of the telescope, when paused you can see unitron on the side,  now the movies more worthy of having...lol ,  add that to my collection although I have mostly 50s and 60s sci-fi classics with first men in the moon 1964 being my favourite , he uses a brass refractor to look at the moon at the end of story, kevin

Edited by kcb, 30 October 2017 - 01:43 PM.