Marcel Boulestin television shorts (lost early BBC programs; 1937-1939)

Surviving still of Boulestin and Middleton Again.

Status: Lost

Hosting early television shows on BBC Television Service from 1937 to 1939, French chef Marcel Boulestin became known as the first TV chef. Between hosting series like Cook's Night Out, Dish of the Month, and Foundations of Cookery, Boulestin also hosted various one-off shorts concerning cooking and non-cooking topics. All of these shorts are now permanently missing.

Milk Dishes

Milk Dishes is an early BBC television cooking short broadcast on 5th June 1937. It was the second TV program Boulestin was involved in following Cook's Night Out, and before Dish of the Month.

According to the Radio Times synopsis of the short, Milk Dishes was created at a time where the UK population was encouraged to consume more milk drinks. Therefore, the short focuses on how to utilize milk in certain recipes, including a soup containing various spring vegetables. Boulestin would also discuss the drive-in increasing public consumption of milk in England, claiming that consumption would not reach unsustainable levels, but would simply match France's general consumption levels, which at the time were higher than England's.

Polite Wine-Drinking

Following the last episode of Dish of the Month, Boulestin worked with British philanthropist Nesta Obermer on a short centered around wine. Broadcast on 23rd December 1937, the Radio Times synopsis of the short stated Polite Wine-Drinking concerned Boulestin and Obermer discussing what attributes are required to produce a bottle of quality wine, and how wine should be served.

Boulestin and Middleton Again

In early 1938, Boulestin collaborated with gardener C.H. Middleton to produce a short that would combine cooking and gardening. The short, titled Boulestin and Middleton Again, was broadcast on 20th January 1938. It involved Boulestin and Middleton discussing winter food, focusing on how to both grow and cook them successfully. ​Based on the show's title and the BBC Genome Blog, other shows featuring Boulestin and Middleton together were made, but these were not documented in any available Radio Times issue.

The Humble and Fashionable Mussel

Broadcast on 11th February 1938, it is unknown whether The Humble and Fashionable Mussel was an episode of Dish of the Month, or a standalone short as detailed by Radio Times. Regardless, the program involved Boulestin making Moules Marinières and Moules Poulette.

Bee for Boulestin/Blind-Man's-Buffet

Finally, broadcast on 21st May 1939, Boulestin teamed with Robin Adair and a gourmet food company to research whether food tasted the same when one was blindfolded. It is unknown what this short was called, as the relevant Radio Times issue titles it as either Bee for Boulestin or Blind-Man's-Buffet. Unlike the other shorts, which lasted around 10 to 15 minutes, this program was expected to last around 40 minutes.

Availability

Like other early BBC television broadcasts, including all of Boulestin's shows, these shorts were broadcast live and were not recorded. Therefore, they are now permanently missing. Boulestin and Middleton Again is the only short with a surviving photograph.

Gallery

• 

  Listing of Milk Dishes in Radio Times.

• 

  Listing of Polite Wine-Drinking in Radio Times.

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  Listing of Boulestin and Middleton Again in Radio Times.

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  Listing of The Humble and Fashionable Mussel in Radio Times.

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  Listing of Bee for Boulestin/Blind-Man's-Buffet in Radio Times.

See Also

• 1937 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1937)
• 1937 International Imperial Trophy Race (lost footage of motor race; 1937)
• 1937 Wimbledon Championships (partially found footage of tennis tournament; 1937)
• 1938 Ashes Series (partially found footage of international test cricket match; 1938)
• 1938 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1938)
• 1939 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1939)
• An Inspector Calls (lost television adaptation of play; 1948)
• Ann and Harold (lost early BBC drama television series; 1938)
• Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves (lost footage of early BBC televised football match; 1937)
• BBC Election Night (lost coverage of British general elections; 1950-1951)
• Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)
• Cook's Night Out (lost early BBC cooking show; 1937)
• Darts and Shove Ha'penny (lost early BBC televised darts matches; 1936-1939)
• Dish of the Month (lost early BBC cooking show; 1937)
• England 0-1 Scotland (partially found international football match; 1938)
• England 16-21 Scotland (partially found footage of rugby match; 1938)
• First Aid (lost early BBC medical show; 1937)
• Foundations of Cookery (lost early BBC cooking show; 1939)
• RCA recording of BBC Television Service (found footage of pre-Second World War BBC television broadcast; 1938)
• Sea Stories (lost early BBC talk show; 1936-1937)
• Spelling Bee (lost early BBC game show; 1938)
• Telecrime (lost early BBC crime drama; 1938-1939; 1946)
• The Boat Race 1938 (partially found footage of rowing race; 1938)
• The Care of Your Car (lost early BBC motoring show; 1947)
• The Wasp's Nest (lost early BBC television adaptation of Agatha Christie short story; 1937)

External Links

• IMDB page for Marcel Boulestin. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
• IMDB page for Milk Dishes. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
• IMDB page for Polite Wine-Drinking. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
• IMDB page for Boulestin and Middleton Again. Retrieved 18 Apr '21