Ruth White Videography

Ruth White had several forays into the world of video.  The fist came in 1969 when she formed an electronic music commercial house called Lektrafon Music (Lektrafon Music Division, Rhythms Productions).  Armed with a Moog synthesizer, multi-channel tape recorders and a special console for mixing electronic music, White planned to produce and create electronic music for radio- TV commercials, as well as provide services for various types of film effects, including optical printing. The first commercial Lektrafon Music put together by the company is one for Ford Motor’s 1970 line of cars – an electronic track called “Music For Ford Spot Quiet Room”.

In 1971, Ruth White formed a new company called Ruth White Films to produce videos for a new technology called Cartridge Television (CTV).  CTV was a forerunner to the VHS systems that ended up dominating the market through the late 1970’s through the 1990’s.  In all she created 4 video shorts for Motorola Teleprograms Inc “Adventures In Underland”, “Space Trip”, Hickory Dickory Dock”, and “Hush Little Baby”.  All 4 were compiled onto on Cartridge titled “Garden Of Delights For Kids No. 1”.  Ms White also lent her talents to Motorola’s Electronic Video Recording Machine (EVR) (a unreleased recordable Cartridge for CTV). by showcasing her videos using the EVR for record label executives.  Ms. White worked with Motorola from 71-73 to promote CTV.  She even produced sound “logos” using synthesizer and morse code to spell out “Motorola” that played at the beginning of each of Motorola’s CTV movies (during the “Motorola presents” introduction).

Interestingly enough White has a very specific project with CTV in mind.  Long before the era of music videos, Ruth White had an idea to use quadrasonic sound in a CTV film using pop music names.  This fill will run the length of a single record.  “There are ways to marry the record industry to the film industry”, she was quoted as saying to Billboard magazine.  In 1971 She even planed on creating a music video for CTV for her 1967 release Seven Trumps from the Tarot Cards.

By 1973 CTV went bankrupt.  A simple case of too little revenue, and not enough investor patience.   For more information on CTV check out this interesting Cartrivision site; http://www.angelfire.com/alt/cartrivision/

For more information on Ruth Whites involvement in Cartridge Television read “Avant Composer-Artist Sets CTV Firm“.

Release Title	Label/Catalog Number	Date
Butterflies		1971
Steel		1971
Garden Of Delights For Kids No. 1	Motorola Teleprograms Inc	1971
The Adventures Of Mr. Windbag	Educational Products Inc.	1973
The Mr. Windbag Stories	Educational Products Inc.	1973