PBS Network - Nova - "In the Event of Catastrophe" [Nuclear War & Civil Defense] (1978) ☢️

Here's a complete edition of the Nova episode "In the Event of Catastrophe" (Episode #70) as aired over the PBS Network - and in Chicago, would have been transmitted over WTTW Channel 11. This episode deals with civil defense preparedness in the event of nuclear war, whether anyone could survive one, and the contrasting steps taken by both the United States and the Soviet Union. Includes: Animated PBS bumper (special "anti-liminal space" custom version) WGBH Boston Presents animated bumper Nova open, with disclaimer ("This program includes material of a medical nature which some viewers may find disturbing.") and preview of episode, including clip of speech from President Kennedy and episode title Along with vintage clips including of Hiroshima and its aftereffects (and technical descriptions thereof), 1950's tests in Nevada and drills, plus the U.S.-Soviet arms race and the 1961 Berlin and 1962 Cuban missile crises, as well as the SALT treaty signed by President Nixon and the 1977 sentencing of Swiss General Jean-Louis Jeanmaire for spying for the Soviets, are interviews with Defense Civil Preparedness Agency director Bardyl Tirana, State Department arms control director Paul Warnke, nuclear weapons expert Dr. Samuel Glasstone, former Defense Intelligence Agency director General Daniel Graham (who opposed the concept of 'mutually assured destruction'), University of Miami director of Soviet studies Dr. Leon Goure, Sovietologist Harriet Fast Scott, Boeing Aerospace systems analyst T.K. Jones, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center director Wolfgang Panofsky, Philip Bassett of the Federal Preparedness Agency, Maynard center director Allan R. Zenowitz, Head of Civil Defense Dr. William Chipman, and Stockholm-based Dr. Frank Barnaby. Ending credits: Written, Produced and Directed by Barbara Gullahorn-Holecek Associate Producer - Elvida Abella Production Assistant - Tony Hurd Narrator - Ted O'Brien Film Editor - Eric Handley Assistant Film Editors - Anne Fischel, Orlando Bagwell Camera - Tim Hill Assistant Camera - Orlando Bagwell Sound - Stephanie Tepper Sound Mixer - Steve Izzi Animation - Salvatore Raciti, Patricia Stallone Animation Camera - Edward Joyce In Stockholm: Camera - Hans Schott Sound - Mats Erixon Additional Film Research - Margaret Chambers Graphics - Tom Sumida, Stuart Darsch, Gregg Sibert, Tony Hurd Special Thanks to - Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, Department of Defense, Defense Civil Preparedness Agency, Defense Nuclear Agency, Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army, Nuclear Information and Analysis Center, Federal Preparedness Agency, Fred Kaplan, KDFW TV, Dallas, KENS TV, San Antonio, KMCC TV, Lubbock, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, University of Miami Press Unit Manager - Douglas Smith Publicist - Nancy Varga-Golovscenko Assistant Unit Manager - Dudley Palmer Film Technical Coordinator - Les Bernd Post Production Supervisor - Tony Priano Production Secretary - Betsy Anderson Executive Producer - John Angier "Solely responsible for content" notice, followed by funding plug WGBH Boston (C) 1978 WGBH Educational Foundation [58:40] - Animated PBS bumper (special "mushroom cloud blossoms" custom version) "This program includes material of a medical nature which some viewers may find disturbing." This aired on local Chicago TV on Thursday, January 5th 1978 during the 8:00pm to 9:00pm timeframe. (with reruns on Sunday, January 8th 1978, Thursday, July 6th 1978 & Sunday, July 8th 1978) About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television: The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!