| Description |
1 videodisc : sd., b&w. ; 4 3/4 in. |
| System Details |
DVD. |
| Note |
Title from container. |
| Summary |
A collection of short films originally produced in the 1940s and 50s. Heritage for Victory takes us on a historical tour of the development of telephone technology beginning in 1869. In Let's Get Going a frustrated driver learns how to solve his problem of ice in the carburetor at his local Standard service station. Start the Music is a promo for Standard Oil disguised as a comedy starring the comedian Edgar Kennedy who runs a service station beset with problems. The Great Swindle is an angry rant about the gross inflation that occurred after World War II and whether or not it's caused by the government lifting its control on prices. |
| Contents |
Heritage for victory / Western Electric (1945) -- Let's get going (1953) -- Start the music / cast, Edgar Kennedy ; directed by Jean Yarbrough -- The Great swindle (1948) |
| Note |
Heritage for Victory (1945; b&w) features an old coot guiding us through the "miracles of modern progress" by going back to 1869 and focusing on how a telegraph operator invents "a printer telegraph that really works!" By 1876, Western Electric was born and, shortly after Bell invented the telephone, the company collaborates with Bell on making better phones and switchboards -- and learns why women make better switchboard operators than men! By 1917 there were radios in airplanes! By 1922, radio broadcasting! By 1926, sound films! But -- uh-oh -- World War II breaks out. Fortunately, Western Electric's men and women switched to war communications and made a fortune! Er, uh, change the end of that last sentence to read "served the country." And look for Superman's Perry White (JOHN HAMILTON), hiding behind a bushy beard, as one of Western Electric's founding fathers. |
|
Let's Get Going (1953; b&w) is about Bill Brown's frustration at his brand-new car stalling all the time. Even after he brings it to the local service station, it still keeps conking out. But when Bill's mother-in-law suggests it's due to "ice cubes in the carburetor," Bill goes charging back to the dealership and throws a fit. There, they patiently explain to him that -- yikes! -- his mother-in-law was right! He's got ice in the carburetor! Which happens when you get the "perfect combination" of temperature and humidity. |
|
Start the Music (b&w) is the jewel of the bunch: a promo for Standard Oil disguised as a comedy short starring the great EDGAR KENNEDY (Duck Soup), who does more with a slow burn than most comics do with pages of dialogue. Here, Kennedy runs a service station beset with problems that's costing him too much. Worse, a rival station is opening across the street from him. A genuinely funny short directed by poverty-row vet JEAN (Devil Bat) YARBROUGH. |
|
The Great Swindle (1948; b&w) is an angry rant about the gross inflation that occurred after World War II and whether or not it's caused by the government lifting its control on prices. Everyone's pissed and nobody has a solution. Except for the unions whose goal is to get everyone good and mad! |
| Subject |
United States -- Civilization -- 1945-
|
|
United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century.
|
|
Popular culture -- United States -- 20th century.
|
|
Telephone -- United States -- History.
|
|
Service stations -- United States -- Drama.
|
|
Service stations -- United States -- Employees -- Drama.
|
|
Inflation (Finance) -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
|
| Added Author |
Kennedy, Edgar, 1890-1948.
|
|
Yarbrough, Jean, 1901-1975.
|
|
Western Electric Company.
|
|
Standard Oil Company.
|
|
Something Weird Video (Firm)
|
| Added Title |
Lifestyles USA. Vol. 36 |
| Music No. |
37277 Something Weird Video |
|
