Trapped by Television

An inventor is working on his latest creation, a new form of television monitor and camera, but is struggling to complete his invention due to lack of funds. His monetary problems are compounded by an aggressive bill collector looking for payments and competition from a rival scientist. When organized crime figures are added to the mix, the desperation level rises for our intrepid inventor.

• Mary Astor as Barbara "Bobby" Blake
• Lyle Talbot as Fred Dennis
• Nat Pendleton as Rocky O'Neil
• Joyce Compton as Mae Collins
• Thurston Hall as John Curtis
• Henry Mollison as Thornton
• Wyrley Birch as Paul Turner
• Robert Strange as Standish

Although televisions were being made from the late 1920s, they weren't commercially available until after 1936. The model shown in the movie was designed for the production using a back-lit projection of a moving image onto the screen. The screen was notable for its large size when actual television screens of the period were smaller. The BBC Broadcasting Service began in November 1936, four months after this movie's release.

Although the first reel is noticeably faded on most surviving prints, the film is now in the public domain and is available for general download.

• List of American films of 1936
• List of films in the public domain in the United States

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Trapped by Television.

• Trapped by Television at IMDb
• Trapped by Television is available for free download at the Internet Archive