Ford Theater: Years Ago (October 17, 1948, CBS)

[@Daisnap]

Logan Ramsey was hilarious as Fred! So glad I discovered him here. I have since learned he enjoyed a fantastic career.

[@jimhilliker2450]

Amazing television history. I was not born until 1955.

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

In 1948, there were only about 1000 TV's in North America, mostly in NYC. I know, because in 1952 **ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS** "invited themselves in" to our house to watch our brand-new TV, which was the 1st one purchased in the entire neighborhood! (My Dad finally had to "ban" the neighbors from visiting, and he "made" them buy their own TV's --- ha!)

[@JJJBRICE]

Miss Ruth Gordon who wrote the play returned to acting in her senior years and became well known . Miss Le Gallienne was noted as an acting teacher . Raymond Massey was known in the 1960s for playing in the TV drama Dr. Kildare and played Pres. Lincoln in the 1940 movie Abe Lincoln in Illinois with coincidentally Miss Ruth Gordon in her earlier acting days .

[@JWarren6532]

LeGallienne was a very famous actress.

[@Daisnap]

Great info - thanks.

[@Robertbrucelockhart]

This is fabulous. Needs more views!

[@caraqueno]

This is a time capsule! Can you imagine thinking of a 1949 Ford as a new car, being advertised on television?

[@muse7746]

Oh wow! Thanks for posting. I love old tv shows. 😊

[@fromthesidelines]

The first of a series of eight monthly "FORD THEATER" specials, presented on Sunday evenings at 7:30pm(et) during the 1948-'49 season.

[@JJJBRICE]

Mr. Graumanit it is amazing to me that they find these 'lost' TV programs in somebodys garage or some warehouse . When I was studying early TV in college most of these old kinoscopes were considered destroyed .

[@dabiscaglia]

Eva LeGallienne was one of the greatest actresses of the American stage.

[@melokc7257]

Great script, good actors 👍

[@calvinbealer7264]

I Wish I was Around to See these Shows.

[@JJJBRICE]

This Virginia Gibson( Gorski ) is the same as Ginny Gibson who was the co host of the childrens program Discovery 62 thru 71 . Miss Gibson was in surpporting roles in movies starring Doris Day , Audrey Hepburn , Jane Powell . She was a co star on an early TV sitcom. She was nominated for a Tony awrad and lost to Edie Adams . She ended up doing TV commercials before her retirement and death . Miss Ginnys scene begins at 7:57 .

[@Clock_70]

an amazing picture

[@josephschlickbernd7892]

raymond Massey played James Deans dad in East of Eden.

[@susanb2015]

A wonderful movie.

[@Twentythousandlps]

The movie version was called "The Actress".

[@jmdocs]

Also, I love how you can see the huge banks of lights reflected in the crystal ball.

[@fromthesidelines]

"There's a FORD in your future!"

[@Kennephone]

The Orthicon was a camera tube first released in 1946 that required about a tenth the light as an Iconescope, I'm not sure which one was used here, but the Iconescope studios required so much light that a lot of the stations had to water cool them, and even then it would still be 100 degrees or more.

[@jmdocs]

Musical director: future Broadway producer Cy Feuer - as in, very soon a producer (Guys and Dolls, 1950 the smash hit).

[@sylkegarland1008]

I really love all the videos that you're posting! Do you have any television appearances of Tommy Rall?

[@BernardJKD]

How many of the 244 eps of Ford Theatre exist today do we know please? Presumably those that do are all on Kinescope.

[@freethekinescopes3137]

I think it switched from being a live program to a filmed program in 1951-52 on NBC. I doubt that very few, if any, survive from 1948-1949, other than the two I've posted. It's hard to say how many live ones survive from 1950-51. The chance of the filmed shows surviving is probably pretty good.

[@Desslar]

Very interesting watch. Wonder what period the story is set in. The 20s maybe? Was surprised to see it was the boyfriend who wore the huge, fluffy fur coat. Also, what was this Harvard class day he kept trying to invite the heroine to? Aren't they both in high school?

[@joemackey1950]

Gordon was born in 1896 and 16 in the show, so it would set in 1912. Fluffy fur coats had been around for centuries for winter wear.

[@gloriamontgomery6900]

Yes, it does see, odd that the boyfriend was wearing the fur coat, but that was a popular fashion.

[@davehire9840]

"Well, if it don't beat the Dutch!" I gotta figure out a way to use that line.