Ruth Lyons documentary now available

I had the joy of working for the Avco Broadcasting Corporation in those exciting years when live audiences lined up for programs such as “Midwestern Hayride,” the “Paul Dixon Show” and the “50-50 Club.” I never met Ruth Lyons, but worked with a lot of the folks who are interviewed in the new documentary — people like Colleen Sharp and Bonnie Lou and Bob Braun. The video also features interviews with lots of folks who reminisce about the variety/talk show that was ahead of its time in many ways. Included are Carol Channing and John Davidson, David Letterman and Peter Nero, Johnny Mathis and Oscar Robinson.

Producers David Ashbrock and Mark Magistrelli have done a good job of chronicling the story of an outspoken TV personality who — in her folksy style and with her floral microphone — became an amazing television powerhouse and a major philanthropist. The Ruth Lyons Children’s Fund (originally the Ruth Lyons Christmas Fund) continues to provide hospitals in our region with toys and toy rooms for children. “Mother” (as she was called) had only to mention a product on the air to have it fly off the shelves. She refused to accept a sponsor if she wasn’t sold on the product, and she wouldn’t use a script but always insisted on ad-libbing about each of the products she endorsed on the show. RCA credited Lyons with inspiring her audiences to invest in color televisions at a time when a $500 product was a hard sell.

This 101-minute documentary brings it all back — with fascinating clips from the program as well as reflections from those who worked with and admired Ruth Lyons. As Phil Donahue points out, she was ahead of her time when it came to issues such as civil rights. When she danced on her show with Arthur Lee Simpkins, an African-American band leader, Lyons received lots of hate mail from viewers. She not only yelled at her viewers for their bad behavior, but invited Simpkins back for another dance.

And it’s fun to see all the ladies from our area waving in their hats and gloves.

Because so little of the original Ruth Lyons film and video had been preserved, the documentary producers were challenged to track down other sorts of materials in attics and basements: home 8-mm movies and audio of Ruth’s show recorded by viewers with reel-to-reel tape recorders.

“The items came from people in Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati and elsewhere — even as far away as California,” Magistrelli says. “It took three years to track all the pieces and parts down.”

Producer/director Ashbrock says he was interested in creating the documentary because he grew up watching his parents adore Ruth Lyons.

“They literally hung on her every word and admonition,” he says. “She was more than a star; she was a hero. People still talk about her — passionately — nearly 50 years after her retirement. Every housewife wanted to be like Ruth, and her story needed to be shared.”

He believes her achievements still influence those who work in the industry today.

“It is no exaggeration to say that she literally invented the TV talk show,” Ashbrook says.

The new video also contains “Holiday Hello, “an audio CD of never-before-released Christmas songs by Ruth Lyons and her 50-50 Club cast. It sells for $19.95 at United Dairy Farmer stores in Dayton and Cincinnati with all proceeds benefiting the Ruth Lyons Children’s Fund, now in its 73rd year of operation. You can also purchase copies online at www.RuthLyonsDVD.com ($19.95, plus $5.75 for shipping and handling plus tax).

Hamilton to Host Film Festival

It’s exciting to see how our folks in our region are becoming more and more interested in film: Hamilton will host its inaugural Hamilton Film Festival on April 5-7, 2013.

A highlight of the event will be a Film Competition with local and regional film makers encouraged to join filmmakers from across the globe in entering the competition.

Official submissions will be accepted through the Without A Box website (www.withoutabox.com). Submissions (both short film and feature films) will be accepted beginning Monday and run through Jan. 31, 2013. Categories for this year’s competition are: Best Screen Play, Best Special Effects, Best Director, Audience Favorite, Best Editing, Best Audio, Best Music, Best Short Film, Best Drama, Best Comedy, Best Actor/Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Student Film, Best Foreign Film and Best Picture.

The winning film will be shown to attendees at the Saturday night Banquet Dinner and Awards Ceremony. Winning films in other categories will be featured in screenings throughout the weekend. For more information, check out:

Special happenings at Dayton Art Institute

You can enjoy the winter holidays this year by visiting The Hall of Holidays exhibit at The Dayton Art Institute.

The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah began Saturday night and the DAI show includes a lovely menorah display from the collection of Betty and Russ Remick.

There’s also a Kwanzaa display with art work by local artist Willis “Bing” Davis, and several prints from the museum’s collection that honor Christmas.

The Hall of Holidays exhibit is on view in the museum’s Lower Level Galleries during regular museum hours. Admission to the exhibit is included in the museum’s suggested general admission or admission to the current special exhibition “Stephen Knapp: Lightpaintings.” If you haven’t seen the dramatic light paintings, you’re missing something special.

The DAI is also now playing host to a wide variety of entertaining programs. Here are two holiday offerings to consider: