The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / 1965 Aerial film shots of Toronto

**Posted by Evuguy** November 13, 2024 11:38 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPT-tr0dg0E

Short footage of possibly might be an early version of a steady cam, used in a helicopter while flying over the downtown area. The film appears to have been restored and is very clear with excellent colour. Notable to this forum is a segment at 1:15, where the camera pans in on a worker atop (what I presume) is the former CBLT transmission antenna on Jarvis St. You can see him perched on the top of the ch 6 batwing antenna and it looks as if he might have been replacing the lamp in the aircraft warning beacon above it.

I'd have to say safety standards have improved since then and hopefully he locked out the AC disconnect to the Tx before climbing up! What's interesting is that he carried out the work during the daytime, as back then all of CBLT's viewership would have relied on the signal from that antenna.

**Posted by turkeytop** November 14, 2024 1:41 am

Great stuff. Thanks for posting.

**Posted by Listener** November 14, 2024 5:25 am

Very interesting! It is so good to see Toronto back in the day. I love the historical buildings but, unfortunately, we are losing them. Watching the man on the aerial post gave me goosebumps!

**Posted by Stefanie** November 14, 2024 8:31 am

Great to see the city with no traffic congestion, no bike lanes, no protestors. I wonder why people were running near the end of the video?

**Posted by Shorty Wave** November 14, 2024 8:34 am

Amazing footage and brilliantly restored! It could have been shot yesterday except the vehicles date it, and City Hall is under construction. Thanks for sharing Evuguy, made my morning!

**Posted by mace** November 14, 2024 9:02 am

Must have been filmed in August, since the CNE was operating. Also, all the buildings on the south side of Queen opposite New City Hall have been recently demolished. No parking lots yet or the later to arrive Sheraton Hotel.

**Posted by Glen Warren** November 14, 2024 9:42 am

Evuguy wrote:
...

I'd have to say safety standards have improved since then and hopefully he locked out the AC disconnect to the Tx before climbing up! What's interesting is that he carried out the work during the daytime, as back then all of CBLT's viewership would have relied on the signal from that antenna.

The CBLT sequence was possibly filmed in the morning before sign on. As a kiddie, I recall that CBLT would have kids programming beginning at 10 am on weekday mornings... So it is possible that this work was being done at 7 or 8 am... relatively simple and quick if this was a "simple" lamp change on the upper beacon...

**Posted by paterson1** November 14, 2024 12:15 pm

Great video! That man on the CBLT tower almost hanging on by a thread to change a lamp is unreal. That video with the steady-cam is ahead of it's time. Nice to see shots of the near completion of the "new" city hall and the fun at the CNE.

Here is a fascinating list of some of the performers who appeared at the CNE and Exibition Stadium from 1917 until 1994. The mid 70 to 80's shows bring back memories for me.
https://concerts.fandom.com/wiki/Canadian_National_Exhibition_Stadium

**Posted by MJ Vancouver** November 14, 2024 12:26 pm

In the CNE footage is the then-brand new Canadian flag, which was introduced just six months earlier at that point.

**Posted by Evuguy** November 14, 2024 10:03 pm

Stefanie wrote:
Great to see the city with no traffic congestion, no bike lanes, no protestors. I wonder why people were running near the end of the video?

My 1965 Toronto mindset would suggest that the CHUM booth at the CNE has just announced a free giveaway over their PA. My 2024 Toronto mindset would suspect there is an active shooter in the area.

**Posted by Evuguy** November 14, 2024 10:03 pm

Glen Warren wrote:
Evuguy wrote:
...

I'd have to say safety standards have improved since then and hopefully he locked out the AC disconnect to the Tx before climbing up! What's interesting is that he carried out the work during the daytime, as back then all of CBLT's viewership would have relied on the signal from that antenna.
The CBLT sequence was possibly filmed in the morning before sign on. As a kiddie, I recall that CBLT would have kids programming beginning at 10 am on weekday mornings... So it is possible that this work was being done at 7 or 8 am... relatively simple and quick if this was a "simple" lamp change on the upper beacon...

That's possible, Glen. I know even in the late 80's, CBLT didn't sign on until 9am. I think Bill Lawrence used to do the voice over for the sign on. With that film, it was hard to say if all those scenes were shot around the same time. The CNE was pretty crowded so I thought it might have been filmed in the afternoon.

**Posted by mace** November 15, 2024 9:24 am

paterson1 wrote:
Great video! That man on the CBLT tower almost hanging on by a thread to change a lamp is unreal. That video with the steady-cam is ahead of it's time. Nice to see shots of the near completion of the "new" city hall and the fun at the CNE.

Here is a fascinating list of some of the performers who appeared at the CNE and Exibition Stadium from 1917 until 1994. The mid 70 to 80's shows bring back memories for me.
https://concerts.fandom.com/wiki/Canadian_National_Exhibition_Stadium

Looking at that list of attractions, two years come to mind. 1962 when my grandmother took me to see the Three Stooges and 1973 when a friend and I had front row seats [still about 30 yards from the stage] to see Three Dog Night [Impressive] April Wine [Also impressive] and T-Rex [not at all impressive] However this is coming from a top 40 guy who only know the band for Bang A Gong.