# What were those old science films called

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-those-old-science-films-called/439420>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 27, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-those-old-science-films-called/439420 "2008-02-27T21:40:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-those-old-science-films-called/439420/1 "2008-02-27T21:40:51Z")

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When I was a tot we were shown several films in a series based on scientific topics. There was one about the Sun, one about the circulatory system a several others. They were in color and they all featured two guys, one a young reporter guy and the other an older bald guy who seemed to know everything about science. The thing that set them apart was they would show several other films during the course of the film they were in. One guy would always pick up a microphone of some kind and say “roll 17” or some other number and then a film would start playing.

Does anyone remember what these movies were called?

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**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-those-old-science-films-called/439420/2 "2008-02-27T21:57:38Z")

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I bet you’re rememering the Bell Science series, featuring the wonderful Dr. Frank Baxter.

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**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-those-old-science-films-called/439420/3 "2008-02-27T21:58:23Z")

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[This](http://www.afana.org/) might help you out.

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**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-those-old-science-films-called/439420/4 "2008-02-27T22:04:47Z")

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Just, [Look Around You.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LqYBncyKpM)

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**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-those-old-science-films-called/439420/5 "2008-02-27T22:39:00Z")

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An [interesting article](http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/09.23.99/bellscience-9938.html) on the Bell Science films. _Hemo the Magnificent_ and a few others were directed by Frank Capra.

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-those-old-science-films-called/439420/6 "2008-02-27T22:59:45Z")

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The entire “The Strange Case of the Cosmic Rays” (with poor color, unfortunately) is on YouTube. Part 1 (other parts under “related videos”) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U6zBeSrJ5U](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U6zBeSrJ5U)

There are also a few more clips from later (non-Capra) shows in the series on YouTube.