Industry on Parade
A syndicated series promoting American industrial production and anticommunist messages.
Industry on Parade was a short television program produced by the National Association of Manufacturers that aired in the United States from 1950 to 1960. The series depicted complicated industrial processes transforming raw materials into finished products. It was nationally syndicated and shown free of charge by local stations in a wide range of time slots, and footage was also distributed to schools and community organizations.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Sponsored film
- Creator
- National Association of Manufacturers
- Writer
- Arthur Lodge
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 10
- Episodes
- 502
- Producer
- National Broadcasting Company, Arthur Lodge Productions
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The show's success provoked the AFL–CIO to demand its own public service time, which they used for Americans at Work (1958–1961).
- Each episode prominently included an anticommunist message.
- The series generally depicted and promoted both women in the workforce and racial integration.
History
The show was reportedly conceived by Johnny Johnstone, director of television and radio at NAM. In its first year it aired on over 44 stations. NAM collaborated with NBC in producing the show from 1950 to 1953, and NBC producer Arthur Lodge continued working with it until 1960. The series received a Peabody Award for National Public Service in 1954. In 1958 the show changed formats, recycling old footage to provide broader industry overviews. Over 500 episodes were produced; the reels were donated to the National Museum of American History in 1974 and transferred to the Archives Center in 1994.
More in 1960s American Documentary Television Series
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