Noticed something about headlamps on old TV shows; can anyone explain?

[ekrampitzjr]

On a number of 1970s TV shows filmed in California I've noticed something curious about the headlamps on some cars of the time.

Until the mid–1980s every car used sealed-beam headlamps. On those with four lights, round or rectangular, on high beam all four lamps normally came on. The low beams were only on the outer or upper lamps. This was normal throughout the US.

Except...on several of these shows, some cars in California were shown with only the two inner or lower lamps operating on high beam. I've never seen this arrangement on any older cars out my way. On high beams all four lamps would come on. But these California cars were different.

Examples of what I'm talking about include the Pontiac Firebirds used on The Rockford Files, the Corvette used on The Magician, and a few other cars here and there. Some Chrysler models appeared with this arrangement on some shows, but so far no Fords as far as I remember.

Was using only 2 headlamps on high beam of a 4–lamp system required in California in the '70s on some cars for some reason? If it was, why?

 

[atikovi]

How do you know they have the high beams switched on?

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

On a number of 1970s TV shows filmed in California I've noticed something curious about the headlamps on some cars of the time.

Until the mid–1980s every car used sealed-beam headlamps. On those with four lights, round or rectangular, on high beam all four lamps normally came on. The low beams were only on the outer or upper lamps. This was normal throughout the US.

Except...on several of these shows, some cars in California were shown with only the two inner or lower lamps operating on high beam. I've never seen this arrangement on any older cars out my way. On high beams all four lamps would come on. But these California cars were different.

Examples of what I'm talking about include the Pontiac Firebirds used on The Rockford Files, the Corvette used on The Magician, and a few other cars here and there. Some Chrysler models appeared with this arrangement on some shows, but so far no Fords as far as I remember.

Was using only 2 headlamps on high beam of a 4–lamp system required in California in the '70s on some cars for some reason? If it was, why?

I don't remember but it could be anything from different factory options to a Director request because four-lamps would ruin the shot.

 

[PF52]

The older cars we used to have with four separate bulbs never lit all four of them; it was always either the outer two or the inner two.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

How do you know they have the high beams switched on?

Because of plenty of other shots of the same cars using low beams. It's standard for the outer headlamps (or upper if the lamps are stacked) to have the low beams.

 

[wag123]

The older cars we used to have with four separate bulbs never lit all four of them; it was always either the outer two or the inner two.

I have never seen this on any vehicle with 4 headlamps. When using the high beams, all 4 lights were on.
The low beam sealed beam headlamps were dual filament bulbs with 3 terminals, like the 5006.

As opposed to high beam sealed beam headlamps that were single filament bulbs with 2 terminals, like the 5001.

As far as I know, nobody ever manufactured an automotive low beam sealed beam bulb with only one filament.
The lenses were different between the high and low beam bulbs and the headlamp buckets in the car were even different because the positioning tabs on the two headlamp bulbs were in different locations to prevent the mounting of the wrong bulb in the wrong location. This type of architecture continued with the newer rectangular halogen sealed beam headlamp bulbs.
As for the OP's question, I have seen this myself and I don't know why this is. It must be done on purpose, perhaps it has something to do with film exposure at night (they run with high beams on and pull the plugs on the low beam bulbs).

 

[Duffyjr]

You can tell on a lot of older shows that night scenes were shot during the day with some type of filter to make it look dark. They have done is so much they have a term for it, "day for night". I image they need the brightness of the high beams to look like regular beams at night.

 

[blupupher]

You can tell on a lot of older shows that night scenes were shot during the day with some type of filter to make it look dark. They have done is so much they have a term for it, "day for night". I image they need the brightness of the high beams to look like regular beams at night.

If this is the case, maybe the low beams are on and can't be seen?

 

[wag123]

Both very good theories. There is obviously some kind of reason that they are doing this.

 

[Kestas]

Hollywood takes artistic license with many technical things, tweaking them to satisfy their creativity and get the 'look' they want.

 

[Kestas]

I don't know if many people realized this on the old sealed beams, but when switched to high beams, the outer lamps went to high beams, projecting far, and the inner lamps were aimed low. At least that's how the owners manual indicated. That's how my cars were set up.

 

[4WD]

I took 10 of the old rectangular SB - built a box - looped the wiring and plugged into normal 120v outlet.
Caught a bunch of fish with that light …

 

[ekrampitzjr]

I have never seen this on any vehicle with 4 headlamps. When using the high beams, all 4 lights were on.
The low beam sealed beam headlamps were dual filament bulbs with 3 terminals, like the 5006.
View attachment 82630
As opposed to high beam sealed beam headlamps that were single filament bulbs with 2 terminals, like the 5001.
View attachment 82631
It must be done on purpose, perhaps it has something to do with film exposure at night (they run with high beams on and pull the plugs on the low beam bulbs).

This is probably it. NBC did a lot of "day for night" shots using dark filters, and it was mainly NBC shows that had the mysterious headlamp arrangement.

Just watched a number of old Cannon episodes. CBS normally used proper film for night shots (there were some exceptions). Cannon's Mark IV used all four lamps on high beams.

Another factor is how closely a vehicle manufacturer controlled its fleet and what was done with the cars it furnished for different shows. You sense that Ford controlled Quinn Martin's near–100% Fordfests more closely than did Chevrolet with The Magician. Chevrolet furnished only some of the vehicles on that show, most notably Bill Bixby's Corvette.

For The Rockford Files, the producers actually bought Firebirds from local Pontiac dealers and GM did not furnish any vehicles. So the show was free to modify lamps, etc., as desired.

 

[Danh]

Hollywood takes artistic license with many technical things, tweaking them to satisfy their creativity and get the 'look' they want.

Like many film segments with actors driving - in “Park”.

 

[Hall]

This is probably it. NBC did a lot of "day for night" shots using dark filters, and it was mainly NBC shows that had the mysterious headlamp arrangement.

Maybe it was different decades ago but if I'm not mistaken, the networks didn't actually own or make the different TV shows. They were made by production companies and the networks "bought" the show. Occasionally you could see a show move from one network to another. That said, a network may work with certain production companies more than others so there could be a connection like you think.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Maybe it was different decades ago but if I'm not mistaken, the networks didn't actually own or make the different TV shows. They were made by production companies and the networks "bought" the show. Occasionally you could see a show move from one network to another. That said, a network may work with certain production companies more than others so there could be a connection like you think.

No, you're absolutely correct. Universal and Paramount were just two of the production companies involved with making TV shows. I was simplifying the issue in my post.

Quinn Martin produced series preferentially for ABC before switching to CBS in the late 1960s, and that was about the time Ford began furnishing most new vehicles for his shows.