Historic Hood River
1954 Capehart “Montreal”
Notes
In 1954 the “Montreal” was the top of the line television/ AM/FM receiver / phonograph from the Capehart-Farnsworth Company. It sold for $995, which is more than $8000 in 2012 dollars. But with a “Polaroid Filter for Eye-Comfort Picture” and the automatic speed adjusting phonograph it was worth it. It certainly caught Alva Day’s eye, as he took frame after frame.
Philo T. Farnsworth was in many ways the father of the modern television, replacing the spinning disk based electromechanical devices of the early 20’s with a fully electronic camera and television receiver, first demonstrated by 1928. He spent much of his life in patent litigation over many of his inventions, but he is now properly credited for his pioneering work. His wife claimed that when he saw Neil Armstrong’s moon walk on television, he declared it to all be worthwhile.
Two questions for today: when did television broadcasts first reach Hood River, and what were these folks watching? It’s 10:50 AM on August 17th, in case you have an old TV guide sitting around.
charlott
I know that it was either in 1953 or earlier that t.v. came to H.R. I know that the real popular t.v. was the Hoffman Easy Vision, the one with the greenish screen. Pine Grove Fireman and P.T.A. put on a joint carnival in the fall of 1953 and the top raffle prize was the Hoffman Easy Vision. Everyone wanted it, but my aunt had the winning ticket. They couldn’t get that t.v. hooked up soon enough for us kids.
It appears that this is some cooking show, probably out of Portland. I wasn’t into cooking then, just the eating part.
l.e.
Good detailed memory Charlott.
I bet Alva Day was in seventh heaven with the development of electrical appliances.
I am a little shocked at the price.
judy
I do not know what they were watching, but it looks like they liked Bing Crosby recordings and Hymns.
Dedilee
I think our first tv in Mt Hood was in 1958… we really didn’t watch it a lot, but I did get to watch cartoons! Otherwise we watched I Love Lucy, Ed Sullivan sometimes, and Gunsmoke. Portland shows were funny, we watched Showtime for Mom and I went with my mother and aunt when they took a scout troop to be in the audience. They had prize drawings, and I won a picnic basket full of goodies! I still have that basket. Our tv was nothing like this though!
charlott
Does anyone remember Mr. Moon, a very early show for children. Came on about 4:30 in the afternoon I think.
Jeffrey Bryant
I remember in the earl 1960’s a family up the street from us bought a COLOR TV for about $400!! We thought this was crazy because their kids were in rags and there were only a couple of color shows available. Times have changed.
Jeffrey Bryant
Rigby, Idaho claims to be the birthplace of television. The Jefferson County Idaho Museum has a Philo T. Farnsworth exhibit because he was raised there and first developed his idea for the television there.
l.e.
I wonder how Hood River picked up a broadcast. Was there a booster antenna somewhere on a hill?
l.e.
Here you go Charlott: Mr. Moon on KOIN TV.
"KOIN TV has the distinction of having one of the first TV cooking shows, KOIN Kitchen, which was hosted by Betty Davis."
http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/kointv.html
charlott
That is who it was. Her name was Betty Davis. I was trying to think of the other 15 minute show along with Mr. Moon, as he was a 15 minute show, but can’t recall it.
l.e.
Charlott….put the link I left into your address bar.
It is an interesting history of early Portland KOIN TV.
Dave
@l.e. : around the mid-fifties, when I was old enough to pay attention to TV, there was a UHF repeater somewhere on the hills east of town, that converted Portland’s VHF stations to UHF for Hood Riverites. I remember we had to use a UHF converter connected to the TV, and twiddle the knob to get the stations (the three that existed) to come in clear.
Barbara Parsons Bernstein
"That golden lens, I realize,
Protects my children’s precious eyes!
So for perfect television,
Buy a Hoffman Easy-Vision!"
Donna
I am trying to find anyone who may have pictures or any history of the Showtime for Mom local show. Thank you. I was on the show with my Bluebird troop and won money and prizes.