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GREAT AMERICAN DREAM MACHINE, THE: HIGHLIGHTS {PROGRAM D} (TV)

Summary

One in this award-winning series that combines a variety of short features, satirical sketches and musical interludes under the all-embracing theme of American social and cultural issues. This is one of six programs that features a compilation of highlights from the 1971-1972 season. A large portion of this episode is devoted to America's favorite machine -- the car. Segments include the following: "Big Daddy Roth," a profile of the iconoclastic designer and builder of custom-made cars; "Auto Ballet," slow-motion footage of crash testing orchestrated in 3/4 time to a classical waltz; "Parking Space," a humorous short on the travails of finding a place to park; and consumer reporter Marshall Efron's trip to the "Automobile Graveyard," executed in the manner of an African safari guide. Other highlights from this program: political commentator Andy Rooney, using clips of campaign speeches to support his case, provides a compassionate look at the tribulations of running for public office in "A Defense of Politicians"; "Crop Duster," a frank interview that juxtaposes the hazards of pesticides with the joys of flight; "Piano Movers," a short film showing piano movers at work as they hoist a piano aloft to a three-story apartment; and "Eggs," an animated feature in which Life and Death, depicted as a bickering couple in the throes of a domestic spat, keep the population in balance.

Details

  • NETWORK: PBS WNET New York, NY
  • DATE: August 28, 1974 8:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:58:56
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T88:0255
  • GENRE: Magazine
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Automobile industry; Animation; Pesticides; Musical instruments; Population
  • SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1974
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • A. H. Perlmutter … Executive Producer
  • Don Mischer … Director
  • Elinor Bunin … Animation
  • Arthur Holch … Producer, "Car Theme"
  • Groove Tube … Production (Misc.), "Singing Face" producer
  • Ken Shapiro … Cast, "Singing Face"
  • Ron Finley … Producer, "Big Daddy Roth"
  • Peter Lance … Producer, Writer, "Big Daddy Roth"
  • Mull, Martin, and His Midget Band … Music (Misc. Credits), Music composed and recorded by
  • Insurance Institute of Highway Safety … "Auto Ballet" courtesy of
  • Ezra Baker … Producer, Writer, "Parking Space"
  • Alfa Betty Olsen … Producer, "Automobile Graveyard"
  • Amram Nowak Associates … Production (Misc.), "Piano Movers" produced by
  • Andrew Rooney … Writer, "Opinion: Politicians"
  • John Hubley … Producer, "Eggs"
  • Faith Hubley … Producer, "Eggs"
  • Tissa David … Animation, "Eggs"
  • Quincy Jones … Music by, "Eggs"
  • Marshall Efron