In 1969, in the episode ‘Love All,’ John Steed met an AI / ChatGP that wrote romance novels. ‘Her’ name was Rosemary Z. Glade.
They input various scenarios into the computer, and then 'Rosemary' popped out over 400 romance novels based on those scenarios. What's of interest here is
1) how quickly the AI can pop something out when it has all the built in scenarios,
2) even in '69, they realised that to get an AI to pop something out, you have to put something original IN. Funny how someone's imagined version of how this would work is precisely what has happened 54 years later.
Originally aired 3 Feb 1969. Season 7, episode 21.
Please forgive the bad recording and bad audio- I tried uploading it to YouTube to automatically create craptions, but it just won't do it. Please see below for the transcript.
Teleplay by Jeremy Burnham, directed by Peter Sykes
Transcript:
[Steed knocks on a door. A woman, Thelma, is inside, talking to a recording device. He watches her.]
Thelma: Sir. Please... Please take the
blindfold off my eyes. I know you're there. I sense the aura of
evil that surrounds you. I beg you, untie my hands. I can hear you. Your breathing. I can hear your breathing. Why do you torture me this way. Do you keep me in this foul dungeon just to stand and silently gloat over me. Scarlett's voice caught in her throat and she sobbed helplessly. Blinded by the velvet band across her eyes she was unable to see the claw-like hand that reached forward to stroke the ivory flesh of her shoulder--
[Steed puts his hand on her shoulder. She screams.]
Thelma: Oh my goodness you frightened the life out of me.
Steed: I'm most terribly sorry.
Thelma: I should think so too. Scare like that could give a girl grey hair.
Steed: I'm sure that whatever the colour of your hair you'd still be equally attractive.
Thelma: Oooh dear... thank you... It's not original you know.
Steed: Your hair?
Thelma: Your line... it's not original.
Steed: Oh it's been said to you before?
Thelma: Lord Digby Covington said it to Samantha pride in "love under southern skies"... It was just after he'd rescued her
from the gorilla who fancied her.
Steed: Of course. I remember now. "Love under southern skies"... It was a very touching story. I read it three times.
Thelma: Something went wrong that day. Couldn't get the end of the story to work. Instead of boy gets girl, it kept coming out girl gets gorilla.
Steed: That's a tricky situation.
Thelma: Very.
Steed: But you solved it with your customary skill. I hope you won't
think me immodest if I claim to be your greatest fan.
Thelma: Really?
Steed: I've read all of your books.
Thelma: What, all four hundred and thirty seven?
Steed: On a cold winter's night I like nothing more
than curling up in front of the fire with Rosemary Z. Glade.
Steed: Thelma: That's nice.
It's been my life-long ambition to meet Rosemary Z. Glade in the...[flirtatiously] If you'll excuse the expression, flesh. So you can see it's a rather special moment for me miss glade. Or may I call you Rosemary?
Thelma: You may if you like. My name is Thelma.
Steed: You're not Rosemary Z. Glade?
Thelma: No. [points to computer shaped like piano] She is.
Steed: That... writes all those moving novels?!
Thelma: She's a computer... Quite clever really. You see every romantic situation in the world is built into her memory circuits. The keys activate the situations.
Steed: [reading keys on computer shaped like piana] Moonlight kisses. Wife hears rumours. Girl meets wife. Wife sues girl. Wife leaves husband. Husband leaves wife. Girl returns ring. Boy gives flowers. Ah! Fascinating!
Thelma: Once we've picked out the situation, the machine does the rest. It chooses the scenes from the dialogue bank and bingo... Another best selling Rosemary Z. Glade romance. I'll show you if you like.
Steed: Please. The creative arts have always fascinated me.
[Thelma presses several keys, then goes to collect a manuscript that has popped out of the back of the computer. She hands the manuscript to Steed, who looks at it.]
Steed: Ha! Ha!
Thelma: There you are. Instant romance.
Steed: Brilliant.
Thelma: We keep adding new dialogue to the memory banks. That's what I was doing when you came in.
Steed: The machine's a genius.
Thelma: Oh I don't know. It's a very bad speller sometimes, but Mr. Bromfield's working on that.
Steed: Mr. Bromfield?
Thelma: [obviously has a crush on him] Oh he's lovely. And ever so clever with electronic things and stuff. He invented Rosemary.
Steed: Oooh! Well I'd like to meet him.
Thelma: Oh, he's not here at the moment.
Steed: Pity, well I'll call back...[Steed gets distracted when he sees something on a table] Later.
You can purchase the dvds here- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Avenges-Complete-Collection-DVD/dp/B096YF5VJT/ref=sr_1_4?crid=QTXQUD8LA7WJ&keywords=the+avengers+tv+series+complete&qid=1683223825&sprefix=the+avengers+tv+series+complet%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-4
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Jean-Louis Trintignant in Z (1969)
Dir.Costa-Gavras
In a mid-sized metropolis (population 500,000) in a right-wing military led country, a pacifist organization, which supports the opposition party in the government, is planning on holding an anti-military, nuclear disarmament rally. The organization's charismatic leader - the deputy - is scheduled to arrive in the town from the capital the day of the rally. Beyond the problems arranging the rally due to the probable incitement of violence at such a rally, the organization learns of an unconfirmed report that there will be an attempt on the deputy's life. The rally does happen, after which a three-wheeled kamikaze runs over the deputy, who eventually passes away from his injuries. The official report is that the incident was a drunken accident. In reality, the deputy's death was murder orchestrated by the secret police, the general for who likens the pacifist organization to mildew killing off agricultural crops. A magistrate is assigned to the case. Although he does have political views, he is more interested in finding out the truth, and as such has to wade through the political rhetoric and politically motivated testimony he hears. Thrown into the mix is a photojournalist who too is looking for the truth, as it, he believes, will make a great front page story.
*The first film to be nominated by the Academy for Best Film and Best Foreign Language Film.
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