1940s MODERN FRIGIDAIRE APPLIANCES FROZEN FOODS INDUSTRIAL FILM HOME ECONOMICS MD43014

Grandma Goes to School" is a classic late 1940s or early 50s promotional film made by Jam Handy for Frigidaire about American living and the advantages and proper use of home electrical appliances.The film makes an argument about the reasons to upgrade appliances for the modern versions with all the conveniences. The film starts with a focus group -- a school board composed of older men and ladies -- arguing that there is no reason to upgrade, and then gradually shows how opinions change. When an older woman named Grandma Rockwell is hired to teach the home economics course at the local school, lessons are learned.
The film includes at 10:49, the new ice making conveniences are shown. At 11:57, a deep freezer is shown that allows items to be stored for months at a time without damage. At 17:00, a typical 1940s homemaker is seen, with a school girl showing how many days' supplies of food can be stored for weeks or months at a time. A salad is made at 17:25 thanks to the crisper function of the refrigerator. At 21:30, a taste test is made of frozen food versus fresh foods and apparently no one can taste the difference... Discussions at 24:40 about the concept of frostless refrigerators and freezers.
Frigidaire is the American consumer and commercial home appliances brand subsidiary of European parent company Electrolux. Frigidaire was founded as the Guardian Frigerator Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and developed the first self-contained refrigerator (invented by Nathaniel B. Wales and Alfred Mellowes) in 1916. In 1918, William C. Durant, a founder of General Motors, personally invested in the company and in 1919, it adopted the name Frigidaire.[citation needed] The brand was so well known in the refrigeration field in the early-to-mid-1900s that many Americans called any refrigerator (of whatever brand) a Frigidaire. The name Frigidaire or its antecedent Frigerator may be the origin of the widely-used English word fridge, although more likely simply an abbreviation of refrigerator which is a word known to have been used as early as 1611.
From 1919 to 1979, the company was owned by General Motors. During that period, it was first a subsidiary of Delco-Light and was later an independent division based in Dayton, Ohio. Frigidaire was sold to the White Sewing Machine Company in 1979, which in 1986 was purchased by Electrolux, its current parent.
While the company was owned by General Motors, its logo featured the phrase "Product of General Motors", and later renamed to "Home Environment Division of General Motors".
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFi...
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We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference."
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFi...

[@knitterscheidt]

the kitchens I remember from childhood in the 60s looked just like this which shows how well made these appliances were, they lasted for decades

[@verasmith4767]

Had a refrigerator just like that in 60's. Those machines lasted. My Grandparents had one also . Built to last .

[@catwoman6559]

Those pull out shelves on the frig are excellent. I wish they had those now.

[@lightblueseaglass]

They don't build refrigerators heavy enough these days. If you pulled the shelves out now, the whole fridge would fall over.

[@terrijuanette486]

I smiled and smiled and smiled the whole time I was watching this. Loved every single minute. Thank you.

[@cryan4041]

It's amazing to see authentic, studio-trained actors in some of these promotional films. Charles Dingle (the narrator) has a voice one could never forget. I remember him best as Ben Hubbard in The Little Foxes. A young E.G. Marshall plays the physics teacher (among other hats his character wears). One thing I believe distinguishes actors from that period is their speaking voices reflect training, too. Thank you for the fun post.

[@jinglejazz7537]

those ice cube trays were a NIGHTMARE

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

Peri, ANOTHER HOME RUN HIT!! thanks for posting this gem, it's fabulous!

[@johnanonyimous5007]

Stayed in a housekeeping motel unit with that "all-in-one", 2 burner cooktop, sink, refrigerator unit. It was good for a three night stay for keeping things cold and frying eggs, but the coil elements on the cooktop weren't level and a bit slow, just 120V.

[@4GSR]

I remember my aunt having that freezer way back in the early 1960's, long before anyone else in the family could afford one. She also had a roll around dishwasher, too! Have a small Kenmore upright bought in 1985, 35 years ago, amazing, it's still ticking and keeping things frozen! Running on R-22!!! If the motor doesn't burn out should be able to get another 35 years out of it!!! Those old ice trays, I remember getting my tongue stuck to one back in my toddler years. Never forget about those things either. Thanks for sharing, Ken

[@MissBabalu102]

OMG, I got my tongue stuck too. I thought I was the only kid to do that. It was crazy.

[@Thomas-ky3rl]

I watched a British show called The Secret life of Machines about Refrigerators. The Host said a Refrigerator is the longest lasting man made machine because the compressor is literally sealed off from the rest of the world. He walked through a British dump were people had halled off their old refrigerators he said most of these refrigerators would work if you plugged them in. He said that the number one reason that they were in the dump was simply because the seals in the doors went bad.

[@BELCAN57]

That newspaper editor can sure pack away the chow!

[@MrsLovelyPendragon]

Is love a refrigerator where the shelves rolled out! How convenient!!!

[@oinn8003]

Made in USA!!! Bring this back at everything and America will stand again

[@sherryaleshire9187]

I watched a show a few years back where you took everything out of your house that was NOT MADE IN AMERICA ,their house was EMPTY

[@ronaldbaker3047]

I sure wish the appliances nowadays lasted like those from the 50’s and 60’s!

[@steven2212]

This is gold!

[@VictorySpeedway]

E.G. Marshall! (Plays the principal)

[@suebob16]

Yes! He would star in the 60's lawyer series The Defenders and continue working through the years. Marshall was also in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation as Ellen's father.

[@piatpotatopeon8305]

Now this is going to sound weird, but hear me out... Grandma Rockwell is now correlated in my brain with the Armorer from "The Mandalorian." Both characters fill almost identical narrative roles. It's an uncanny resemblance.

[@manhoot]

Powerful performance

[@satanofficial3902]

Indiana Jones used a King Cool refrigerator. A sturdy and robust machine. Just right for surviving a nuke blast. Can Frigidaire say the same about theirs?

[@satanofficial3902]

Freezing pre-made dinners is all very nice, but let's talk actual practical value.

[@Thomas-yr9ln]

I have a modern French door refrigerator. But every fridge becomes old and obsolete or just wore out.

[@rosemarywilliams9969]

😅Oh grandma🖤

[@satanofficial3902]

Was that lady on her way to the Silly Hat convention in town? As a silly hat, it's not bad. But it won't win first prize. She'll need to try harder for the blue ribbon.

[@henrycannon4194]

pro tip: you can watch movies on Flixzone. Been using them for watching lots of of movies these days.

[@lachlanjosiah4188]

@Henry Cannon Yea, I've been watching on Flixzone} for months myself :D

[@adl216]

at 11:43 it looks like a modern photo copier!!!

[@allandavis8201]

I wonder if the school boards of America were really as stuffy and uptight as this film portrays, the image portrayed must have come from somewhere. It’s amazing how the advertising departments came up with ways to wrap up everyday products in a storyline that takes 15/20 minutes to tell, but now they do it in 15/20 seconds.

[@wtxrailfan]

These films were provided free to high school home economics classes by various companies to advertise their product and provide free educational instruction to help the future housewives of America be better homemakers for their men.

[@653j521]

@@wtxrailfan For their families. They would never say for their men.

[@allandavis8201]

@@hollandsemum1 , as my parents and grandparents used to drum into my sister and I “manners cost nowt” (nothing), and I can see your point, but the school board members seemed stuffy to me.

[@kentuckylady2990]

I want one of each appliance

[@alphonsocarioti512]

They spent $1000 in a food presentation to buy a $1500 refrigerator!

[@brosefmcman8264]

Wish this was how school board members acted today. Our district needs a multimillion dollar sports complex because the multimillion dollar sports complex they built 4 hrs ago isn’t sufficient 🤷‍♂️

[@jadedavis822]

👍

[@grandpahickory613]

GOD, I miss these wonderful people....We don't have this now, the democrats ended good things in 1964 with the removal of prayer, and forced busing that brought students in that filed discrimination to get rid of all older teachers.....Out went prayer, in came sodomy...

[@satanofficial3902]

Well, if you own and operate a pizza orchard, money DOES grow on trees as pizza is nature's most perfect food. And, who doesn't love pizza? With a bountiful harvest you can make mucho, mucho moola.

[@Thehouseoffail]

Why on earth is she bullying poor Lucy? The poor woman was scolded for defering to a more experienced cook

[@cynthiataylor2597]

No comment ❤️

[@RPenn-si2pr]

When you women were still worth marrying

[@manhoot]

Amen to that

[@iant419]

I feel your pain.

[@American_Liberty]

As a woman, I have to agree.

[@MissBabalu102]

You're looking in the wrong places.

[@653j521]

When were men worth marrying, or are women still looking for them?

[@ThomasSchick]

...made in U.S.A.

[@iant419]

Big oof...

[@clarencetrice4442]

I told yall they use 2 use ice trays yall didn't believe me there was no auto ice makers back then ,then the ice truck bought ice 2 your house or even feather back U had 2 go 2 the ice house and get then bring it back home 🏡 OMG 11 28 2O22

[@alphonsocarioti512]

Good tip: A girl who can cook will have no problem getting a husband.