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The Clary DE-60 in (Psychic!) History
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Quadibloc
Mar 1, 2016, 5:56:25 PM3/1/16
to
I was looking for information about the RCA 601 computer, as that available on Bitsavers is limited. This was inspired by a new manual on the RCA 301 arriving there today.
So I was looking through the issues of Computers and Automation for 1960.
There, I found a mention of the Clary DE-60 computer, offered for only $18,000, many years before the PDP-8.
Well, I was curious.
Googled around about it.
Nothing on Bitsavers.
It appeared in an episode of Perry Mason, being used to test the psychic powers of a purported medium - as shown on the site "Starring the Computer".
Well, I *also* found a result that *in real life* three psychology researchers tested subjects - finding that their intuitive capabilities had increased - upon drinking an extract from Amanita Muscaria mushrooms.
This was in the Kitselman Collection - and one of the three researchers was Henry K. Puharich - I wonder if he was related to Andrija Puharich, of later Uri Geller infamy, another being A. L. Kitselman himself.
And the computer used *there* was also a Clary DE-60, leading to me wondering if this real-life research inspired the choice of prop for that episode!
John Savard
So I was looking through the issues of Computers and Automation for 1960.
There, I found a mention of the Clary DE-60 computer, offered for only $18,000, many years before the PDP-8.
Well, I was curious.
Googled around about it.
Nothing on Bitsavers.
It appeared in an episode of Perry Mason, being used to test the psychic powers of a purported medium - as shown on the site "Starring the Computer".
Well, I *also* found a result that *in real life* three psychology researchers tested subjects - finding that their intuitive capabilities had increased - upon drinking an extract from Amanita Muscaria mushrooms.
This was in the Kitselman Collection - and one of the three researchers was Henry K. Puharich - I wonder if he was related to Andrija Puharich, of later Uri Geller infamy, another being A. L. Kitselman himself.
And the computer used *there* was also a Clary DE-60, leading to me wondering if this real-life research inspired the choice of prop for that episode!
John Savard
hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com
Mar 1, 2016, 7:07:59 PM3/1/16
to
On Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 5:56:25 PM UTC-5, Quadibloc wrote:
> And the computer used *there* was also a Clary DE-60, leading to me wondering if this real-life research inspired the choice of prop for that episode!
There are probably lots of websites about the Perry Mason show, perhaps
> And the computer used *there* was also a Clary DE-60, leading to me wondering if this real-life research inspired the choice of prop for that episode!
going down to the episode level. (Such sites exists for even obscure
shows). Maybe one of those sites touches on the computer usage or what
inspired it.
(Search engines often miss stuff).
As an aside, a recently aired P/M episode had Bette Davis as a feisty
widowed attorney. In this episode, Mason was laid up ill and was on
just in one brief scene; Davis handled the case (and won).
I enjoyed some of the episodes. However, some of the plot lines got
very convoluted, hard to follow, and somewhat far fetched. There was
one recently where girl had a strong resemblance to a famous actress,
though with different eyes, and was often mistaken for the actress,
who was getting into trouble. As the episode progressed, it turned
out the girl lied about all sorts of things, then the real actress lied
about all sorts of things making the story very hard to follow. I think
near the end the girl was blamed for kidnapping killing the actress,
although that wasn't true.
Charles Richmond
Mar 2, 2016, 3:10:31 PM3/2/16
to
<hanc...@bbs.cpcn.com> wrote in message
news:2cd1cbea-8f61-440d...@googlegroups.com...
http://www.perrymasontvseries.com/database/
At http://www.perrymasontvseries.com/database/titleindex.php you will find a
complete list of Perry Mason episodes which are links to the cast lists of
guest stars.
> As an aside, a recently aired P/M episode had Bette Davis as a feisty
> widowed attorney. In this episode, Mason was laid up ill and was on
> just in one brief scene; Davis handled the case (and won).
>
The Case of Constant Doyle (Season 6, Episode 16). I think this was meant
as a pilot for a new TV show.
> I enjoyed some of the episodes. However, some of the plot lines got
> very convoluted, hard to follow, and somewhat far fetched. There was
> one recently where girl had a strong resemblance to a famous actress,
> though with different eyes, and was often mistaken for the actress,
> who was getting into trouble. As the episode progressed, it turned
> out the girl lied about all sorts of things, then the real actress lied
> about all sorts of things making the story very hard to follow. I think
> near the end the girl was blamed for kidnapping killing the actress,
> although that wasn't true.
>
The Case of the Mischevous Doll (Season 8, Episode 30). ISTM that the girl
was supposed to look like a spoiled, rich girl.
--
numerist at aquaporin4 dot com
news:2cd1cbea-8f61-440d...@googlegroups.com...
> On Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 5:56:25 PM UTC-5, Quadibloc wrote:
>
>> And the computer used *there* was also a Clary DE-60, leading to me
>> wondering if this real-life research inspired the choice of prop for that
>> episode!
>
> There are probably lots of websites about the Perry Mason show, perhaps
> going down to the episode level. (Such sites exists for even obscure
> shows). Maybe one of those sites touches on the computer usage or what
> inspired it.
>
http://www.perrymasontvseries.com/wiki/
>
>> And the computer used *there* was also a Clary DE-60, leading to me
>> wondering if this real-life research inspired the choice of prop for that
>> episode!
>
> There are probably lots of websites about the Perry Mason show, perhaps
> going down to the episode level. (Such sites exists for even obscure
> shows). Maybe one of those sites touches on the computer usage or what
> inspired it.
>
http://www.perrymasontvseries.com/database/
At http://www.perrymasontvseries.com/database/titleindex.php you will find a
complete list of Perry Mason episodes which are links to the cast lists of
guest stars.
> As an aside, a recently aired P/M episode had Bette Davis as a feisty
> widowed attorney. In this episode, Mason was laid up ill and was on
> just in one brief scene; Davis handled the case (and won).
>
as a pilot for a new TV show.
> I enjoyed some of the episodes. However, some of the plot lines got
> very convoluted, hard to follow, and somewhat far fetched. There was
> one recently where girl had a strong resemblance to a famous actress,
> though with different eyes, and was often mistaken for the actress,
> who was getting into trouble. As the episode progressed, it turned
> out the girl lied about all sorts of things, then the real actress lied
> about all sorts of things making the story very hard to follow. I think
> near the end the girl was blamed for kidnapping killing the actress,
> although that wasn't true.
>
was supposed to look like a spoiled, rich girl.
--
numerist at aquaporin4 dot com
Charles Richmond
Mar 2, 2016, 3:17:46 PM3/2/16
to
"Quadibloc" <jsa...@ecn.ab.ca> wrote in message
news:e9774dfa-8fe7-4799...@googlegroups.com...
>
> Well, I *also* found a result that *in real life* three psychology
> researchers tested subjects - finding that their intuitive capabilities
> had increased - upon drinking an extract from Amanita Muscaria mushrooms.
>
> This was in the Kitselman Collection - and one of the three researchers
> was Henry K. Puharich - I wonder if he was related to Andrija Puharich, of
> later Uri Geller infamy, another being A. L. Kitselman himself.
Henry K. Puharich is the same person as Andrija Puharich. See his web site
here:
http://www.puharich.nl/
or look at his wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrija_Puharich
news:e9774dfa-8fe7-4799...@googlegroups.com...
>I was looking for information about the RCA 601 computer, as that available
>on Bitsavers is limited. This was inspired by a new manual on the RCA 301
>arriving there today.
>
> So I was looking through the issues of Computers and Automation for 1960.
>
> There, I found a mention of the Clary DE-60 computer, offered for only
> $18,000, many years before the PDP-8.
>
> Well, I was curious.
>
> Googled around about it.
>
> Nothing on Bitsavers.
>
> It appeared in an episode of Perry Mason, being used to test the psychic
> powers of a purported medium - as shown on the site "Starring the
> Computer".
The Case of the Meddling Medium (Season 5, Episode 6).
>on Bitsavers is limited. This was inspired by a new manual on the RCA 301
>arriving there today.
>
> So I was looking through the issues of Computers and Automation for 1960.
>
> There, I found a mention of the Clary DE-60 computer, offered for only
> $18,000, many years before the PDP-8.
>
> Well, I was curious.
>
> Googled around about it.
>
> Nothing on Bitsavers.
>
> It appeared in an episode of Perry Mason, being used to test the psychic
> powers of a purported medium - as shown on the site "Starring the
> Computer".
>
> Well, I *also* found a result that *in real life* three psychology
> researchers tested subjects - finding that their intuitive capabilities
> had increased - upon drinking an extract from Amanita Muscaria mushrooms.
>
> This was in the Kitselman Collection - and one of the three researchers
> was Henry K. Puharich - I wonder if he was related to Andrija Puharich, of
> later Uri Geller infamy, another being A. L. Kitselman himself.
here:
http://www.puharich.nl/
or look at his wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrija_Puharich
Cory Heisterkamp
Mar 3, 2016, 8:59:12 AM3/3/16
to
Peter Flass
Mar 3, 2016, 1:46:17 PM3/3/16
to
--
Pete
Quadibloc
Mar 4, 2016, 6:40:25 AM3/4/16
to
On Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 6:59:12 AM UTC-7, Cory Heisterkamp wrote:
> John, have you seen the BRL report on the DE-60? -C
> http://www.ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61-d.html
Thank you. It notes that the system is "externally programmed", which I
> John, have you seen the BRL report on the DE-60? -C
> http://www.ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61-d.html
suspected, given its low price and very early date, predating even the
Packard-Bell pb250, never mind the PDP-8.
John Savard
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