Everything here is so interesting!
 

I am so pleased to have found this website! I learned of it by accident while researching the one lone color episode on the first season of "Hazel". It is fascinating to learn about all these early TVs, radios and recording devices. For the record, my family's first color set was a 1969 Sears Silvertone with one of the early squarish picture tubes. I guess you would call it a console as it was too big to be a portable but it was not in an elaborate cabinet. My grandfather was Ralph A. Mullaney who for many years during the 1930s and 40s was the chief engineer at Zenith Radio. He worked on the famous Zenith Cobra-Matic turntable/record changer and always (according to my Mother) had the latest electronic gadgets in his home. I believe my Mother also said he worked on the Trans-Oceanic radios that Zenith made back in the day.

Wow, welcome to the site! I can't fix anything, but I love old tv sets, especially Zenith! Our first color set was a '78 Zenith with knobs, metal cabinet and plastic Danish Modern base. The second color set was an '84 Zenith in a wood console, with Space Command, of course. Third and last set is a '96 RCA with bad convergeance. That picture was stunning when it worked.

I have the first season of Hazel, and noticed in the color episode that the sets in the department store were RCA Victor, and after she had talked Mr. B into paying the difference to get her a color set, he got one too. For the rest of the B&W episodes, they went back to their old non color sets. Hazel's old set was an Emerson, the Baxters console seemed to have been a Zenith. I think their big console stereo was a Zenith.

I noticed the old b/w console on Hazel was a Zenith too! we had a Zenith b/w "portable" (It had a light blue cabinet with a handle on top, but it must have weighed 50 pounds at least). We got this set, I think, in 1961 and it had the "Space Command 300" remote control. We took it with us when we moved to the suburbs in 1963, and purchased a UHF converter box (remember those?) for it in 1966. We had the set for many years, but our first color set was from Sears because my father worked for one of their subsidiaries and got it at a discount.

Yes I remember UHF converters! Daddy bought one in 1965 for our '63 Philco Cool Chassis console, so we could get CBS. I'd love a good old Zenith Space Command portable someday.

Welcome ! I have 2 "Tooob" T/Os, & my latest Prized Posession is a 1949-50 12" tabletop Zenith "Porthole" TV. Of ALL my eclectic collection of Electronic Junque, it has garned more comments/compliments than all the rest put together...

Zenith really stood for quality for many years when American manufacturing used to stand for the best. My grandfather would be turning in his grave to see how the brand he worked for became so devalued in recent years. People like you who collect and enjoy these "blasts from the past" keep the memories of his work alive for me and remind us all when "Made In U.S.A." stood for something to be proud of. Thank you more than I can say.

Did yr Papaw have any stories about Cdr. Eugene F. McDonald, Jr, the founding boss of Zenith ? I get the impression he was a "Colorful" guy...

My grandfather died in 1958 when I was but 5, so the stories I heard were from my Mother, who passed away 1n 2009 and my Grandmother, who passed away in 1962. He was only 52 when he passed and he had major health issues. My only personal memories of him were when he made a little cabinet into a storefront for me so I could play storekeeper, and a little cane he made for me so we could walk together (I, for some reason, was fascinated by his cane.) I don't know whether he knew Cdr. McDonald personally although I suppose he did. By all accounts, my Grandfather was a fascinating man and my regret is that he died so young that I never had a chance to hear some of the stories that I'm sure would have loved to hear. One story that was passed on through the years was that my Grandfather was offered to host the early TV show "Mr. Wizard", but he had to decline due to some personal demons he was trying to fight at the time. (I was told he was addicted to morphine.) I would love to learn more about the history of Zenith and any books that might be available. If anyone has any information about this, it would be most welcome. By the way, Sandy, what year is that Connie convert? My guess is 1967. (I'm also nuts about old cars!)