Early Television and Film Career
She was credited as the first woman to be seen on colour television sets, as she took part in the BBC's early tests in colour broadcasting in the 1940s. Gordon appeared in two films in the 1940s, produced in Britain and then distributed to the United States (29 Acacia Avenue and Lisbon Story). Her acting career came to a halt in 1955 when she joined Associated Television in London where she presented their first-ever programme, The Weekend Show. She also worked behind the scenes as Head of Lifestyle programmes. Gordon then studied the television medium at New York University in America and after her return helped Reg Watson and Ned Sherrin launch ATV Midlands in 1956. ATV London had already been established. As well as being a producer, Gordon turned to presenting for the new Birmingham based service. Her first television appearance for ATV in the Midlands, Tea With Noele Gordon, was the first popular ITV chat show and whilst presenting this, she became the first woman to interview a British Prime Minister, then Harold Macmillan. Initially commissioned as an emergency schedule filler, the show became so successful that she gave up her executive position to concentrate on programme presentation. She then moved on to present a daily live entertainment show, Lunchbox a programme which pioneered daytime broadcasts.
Read more about this topic: Noele Gordon
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