Does anyone know what gadget the character "Mr. Sidey" is using in this movie? He's listening to something using headphones (which surprised me quite a lot, given the fact that this movie was shot in 1925). These headphones are connected to a small box, probably a radio of some sort. Can anyone confirm or clarify what this box is all about?
shareMr sidney is listening to a cat's whisker radio ,a head phone is required for this early type of radio as no amplification is used. The scene is almost duplicated by Hitchcock in ELSTREE CALLING except this time the device is an early television instead of a radio.
shareThanks! Didn't expect an answer to this one after posing my Q almost 2 years ago :)
Yes, everything YOU write online is like being placed in a time capsule, and one day your Grandchildren will be looking for information online and will stumble across some sly remark, stupid question (not that this one was) or any other dubious behaviour that YOU may have thought would go unnoticed, so beware! lol FuturePrimitive666.
"*bleep* it all and *bleep*ing no regrets!"
Yes it was indeed a "Cat's Whisker" radio set. These were also known as "Crystal Sets"
Here is some detail about these wonderful earliest of radios:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_radio
He's not just listening to any old radio. He's listening to the BBC as indicated by the Radio Times on his lap. It was actually the British Broadcasting Company at that time as opposed to corporation which is what it became in 1927.
share