Narrated by Ian Richardson

"A fascinating documentary" The Sunday Times
"Critics Choice" The Times
"Groundbreaking" Sunday Herald
"Pick of the Day" The Scotsman
"Television's Visionary.. a testament to hard work" Broadcast Magazine
"The world was forced to listen... and watch" The Guardian

JLB - The Man Who Saw The Future
Feature Length BBC Film Documentary 2002


In January 1926, John Logie Baird became the first man in history to give a successful public demonstration of television. No-one believed it could be done. No-one had done it before. Baird had taken a scientific improbability and made it work. The most powerful technology on earth had arrived. Today, there is barely any aspect of our lives that is not impacted directly by the technologies of television.

Since his unexpected early death in 1946, Baird's real achievements have been allowed to slip from view, obscured by ignorance and falsehoods about what he truly pioneered. In reality he left behind a bereft wife and two small children along with technologies and patents that his rivals and foreign powers would gladly exploit unchallenged.

In a lifetime blighted with ill health, "JLB" - as he was known to his closest friends - produced 178 patents crucial to the technology that would define the 20th century. However, few are aware that much of his greatest work was undertaken in complete seclusion, in his own personal laboratory and entirely at his own expense.

The breath of his work was simply remarkable. He developed and perfected 'the flying spot telecine' which enabled broadcasters to screen filmed items to viewers - a technology that would dominate pre-recorded television across the globe for over 50 years. In London in the mid 1930's, he worked with American pioneer Philo Farnsworth as they sought to improve the Image Dissector Camera. In 1939, at the outbreak of WWII, Baird Television ( based at Crystal Palace in London ) was requisitioned by the government and in near total secrecy developed and built critical radar and mine detection equipment. Baird himself turned his attention to Secret Signalling projects for the war effort under the guidance of Prof Frederick Lindemann, Churchill's Chief Scientific Officer.

In 1943 with the help of one assistant, a part-time glassblower and a brilliant Jewish refugee from Germany, JLB built his masterpiece and swansong - The Telechrome. It was to be the foundation of all modern electronic colour television, and a technological solution that was embraced worldwide after the second world war.


Filmed in the UK, USA and Germany between 1994 and 2002 and featuring previously unseen archive and historic eyewitness testimony from those who knew and worked with JLB. The film is led by the inventors only son Malcolm as he visits the key locations in his father's story.

Filmed on KODAK Eastmancolour Super16mm
Duration 73min 55sec. Stereo.


"JLB" - The Man Who Saw The Future"
Narrated by Ian Richardson
Written and directed by Jan Leman
Producer : Jim Hickey
BBC Executive Producer : Michael Poole

A BBC / Easthaven JLB Films / Leman Productions Ltd Co-production with the support of Scottish Screen National Lottery 2002

'In Search of Television Times Past" - The making of JLB by Malcolm Baird:
https://www.bairdtelevision.com/docum...


About The John Logie Baird Suite /Orchestral Score

This specially commissioned orchestral score is an inspired interpretation of Baird's scientific brilliance and his struggles with ruthless rivals, debilitating illness, and his utter determination to "see by wireless".

The composer Paul Millns has been known since the late 60's to legions of fans as a gifted singer, songwriter and pianist, and for his work with an enviable roster of artists that includes; Alexis Korner, Eric Burdon, David Crosby, Bert Jansch, Elkie Brooks, John Mayall, John Martin and Denis LeCourier.

Arranger and conductor Birger Clausen studied classical music at the prestigious Freiburg Staatliche Hochschule fur Music, and graduated with an MA with distinction from the National Film and Television School in the UK.


Written and performed by Paul Millns with the Freiburg Ensemble
Arranged and conducted by Birger Clausen
Recorded in the Amps Studio, Freiburg, 2002
Engineer Ingo Rau



The 100th Anniversary of Television falls in October 2025, for more information on the events planned to commemorate JLB please visit:

www.bairdtelevision.com