• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Ted Mack

U

Unregistered

Guest
American Idol & many others have ripped off Ted Mack. ( Ted Mack Amateur Hour---- years ago).
 
Ted took over the radio show upon the death of Major Bowes. Ted then moved it to TV.
Ted Mack didn't exactly rip-off Major Bowes.
 
Really a lot of those amateur hours were based on local talent shows that took place in small theaters around the country. So the concept pre-dates radio.
 
frankberry said:
Ted took over the radio show upon the death of Major Bowes. Ted then moved it to TV.
Ted Mack didn't exactly rip-off Major Bowes.
Click to expand...

My point was that Mack didn't originate the concept.

I do remember watching Amateur Hour back in the 1960's when it aired on Sunday afternoons. When the various imitators came out years later I would always remember Ted Mack. The Geritol sponsorship was a favorite target for comedians lampooning the show.
 
The Geritol sponsorship is a good indication of the average age of the audience. Most likely people who grew up listening to Major Bowes on the radio.
 
Major Bowes operated the Capitol Theater in New York. He did amateur shows in his theater before putting them on the radio. The Amateur Hour first aired locally on WHN and then it was picked up on NBC. Bowes moved to the network broadcast and J.C. Flippen took over the local show, which was a promotional vehicle for the Capital Theater, which like many major movie houses featured live stage shows (professional and amateur) as well as movies.

This, of course, wasn't the only show begun to promote something, which ended up bigger than the thing it promoted. Magazine editor Lawrence E. Spivak started "Meet The Press" to promote his magazine.
 
frankberry said:
Ted took over the radio show upon the death of Major Bowes. Ted then moved it to TV.
Ted Mack didn't exactly rip-off Major Bowes.
Click to expand...

In fact, Ted Mack (Edward MacGuinness) had been Major Edward Bowes' assistant and director of his radio show. Following Major Bowes' death, Mack began as a "fill-in" host, and proved successful as a permanent replacement. For some time thereafter, the show was titled "Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour, with Ted Mack." Mack assumed star billing around the time the show began on TV. The radio version continued for several years as well.
 
Geritol sponsored the original '21' Quiz Show, which was among the hottest shows in the late 1950s. It wasn't always a product for seniors.
 
Geritol is gone and largely forgotten. But Geritol inspired Vitameatavegamin, which lives on forever.

When The Original Amateur Hour and a bunch of other shows which skewed old and rural got cancelled in 1970, Geritol picked up sponsorship of the newly syndicated and also cancelled Lawrence Welk Show, which also lives on forever.

Geritol also made a companion product called Serutan (Natures spelled backwards) - a laxative.
 
Unregistered said:
Geritol is gone and largely forgotten. But Geritol inspired Vitameatavegamin, which lives on forever.
Click to expand...

Actually, Geritol is neither gone nor forgotten. Both tablets and the liquid "tonic" are nationally available at Walgreens, Kmart, Kroger, Walmart, Rite-Aid, Shopko, and other major store chains. Ted Mack, I assume, would be proud... :) You can, if you wish, visit them at www.geritol.com
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom