Prototypes of the videocassette recorder (VCR) were developed in the 1960s, but it was not until 1969 that the Sony Corporation introduced the first low-cost VCR. Public acceptance of the revolutionary entertainment device was not immediate, but there were many enthusiasts, including the actor Tony Curtis, who spoke in 1971 of the VCR and its impact on his new television program The Persuaders. In the 1970s, Sony introduced the Betamax format, and the Matsushita Corporation unveiled its VHS format, which ultimately prevailed over its Sony rival. For the first time, people could watch movies of their own choice, in their own homes, and at their own convenience. In addition, VCRs granted users the power to record their favorite television programs and play them back at a later time. Viewing movies and television had never before been so free and individualistic.