Parade of Stars Auto Show (1952 TV Special) User Reviews

30 Minute Commercial

[Paul-308 · 4/10 · 19 January 2006]

This obviously was an attempt by the Electric Auto-Lite company to promote its auto maker constituents (purchaser of A-L's products)on national TV in what amounts to a 30 minute car commercial.Noticeably absent are Ford and GM products because they purchased zero from Auto-Lite.Taking place at the Waldorf Astoria,Front and center is Royce G Martin,a longtime leader of Auto-Lite and the man who led them into spark plugs.Along with announcer Rex Marshall(and the clumsy microphone on a pole),and various car company executives,vehicles are shown and ballyhooed in passing.Many errors and goofs (the Nash Vagabond???...no,the Henry J Vagabond),obvious of Live TV and the youthful nature of TV back then.The Crosley representative seemed near death as he could barely raise his head and utter the features of his Super Sports Crosley roadster....the company was gone after that year (52) as well.Numerous models decked out in appropriate attire for each car (the Vagabond model had a pole and bedroll over her shoulder)add some spice,but their errors (and poor vision of the cue cards)spoil their pluses,making them look rather ditzy. This program was also aired in 1953 and 1954 keeping Mr. Martin's promise on show #1 that it would be a yearly program...with the same announcer.Shortly after the 1954 airing,Mr Royce Martin passed away.However,what he started was continued in 1955 with the 1st year of the New York International Auto Show....which continues to this day. Kaiser's Edgar Kaiser was on all three airings,but in 54 he was pushing Kaisers and Aero Willys and not the soon to be dropped Henry J.The model singing the virtues of the Aero Willys was 1950s siren Roxanne Rosedale....a rather unique and stunning lass.Irene Dunne played a car shopping superstar looking over the 53 models in year #2,while she played sidekick to a rapidly deteriorating Royce Martin in 1954 who could barely utter his lines.One is tempted to laugh at the mistakes and amateurish quality of this example of live TV from the 50s,however there is a sense of honor and reverence for those who appear on screen...because,some 54 years later there are hardly any one of those shown still alive today.Set still in time are the dazzling beauties and the elder statesman professionals,and history makers.A slice of time gone by,never to return again.