This is the third in a four-part series on folks who helped make America great. It's narrated by David Ogden Stiers--the same guy who often narrates episodes of "The American Experience"--and since I love "The American Experience", I thought I'd give this series a try. The shows are based on Harold Evans' book "They Made America"--so it's not surprising he's the most frequent interviewee on the shows.
This particular episodes concerns three folks who took big risks. All three were already very successful but risked their company's future on a gamble--a gambler that fortunately paid off for them and for the world. The three featured gamblers were: Watson, Jr.--When young Watson took over IBM from his father, it was a big and successful company. But he saw that the future was computers and shifted the company's business. And, to build these new computers, it meant hiring tens of thousands of the best and brightest folks as well as risking billions. The show does not discuss, by the way, how IBM later lost its competitive edge in the 1980s and became a shell of the former company.
Trippe--The man who started Pan Am, he saw the future. He started the first airmail business in America (to Cuba), popularized civilian travel, opened up the Pacific with Clippers and started the jet engine craze for airlines.
Handler--She and her husband started Mattel. However, she'd envisioned a new sort of toy for girls--one that was dramatically different from traditional dolls. And, modeled after a German sex toy (seriously), the Barbie was born.
Overall, another fascinating episode. Well worth seeing but too bad the series only consisted of four shows. Pity, really.
This particular episodes concerns three folks who took big risks. All three were already very successful but risked their company's future on a gamble--a gambler that fortunately paid off for them and for the world. The three featured gamblers were: Watson, Jr.--When young Watson took over IBM from his father, it was a big and successful company. But he saw that the future was computers and shifted the company's business. And, to build these new computers, it meant hiring tens of thousands of the best and brightest folks as well as risking billions. The show does not discuss, by the way, how IBM later lost its competitive edge in the 1980s and became a shell of the former company.
Trippe--The man who started Pan Am, he saw the future. He started the first airmail business in America (to Cuba), popularized civilian travel, opened up the Pacific with Clippers and started the jet engine craze for airlines.
Handler--She and her husband started Mattel. However, she'd envisioned a new sort of toy for girls--one that was dramatically different from traditional dolls. And, modeled after a German sex toy (seriously), the Barbie was born.
Overall, another fascinating episode. Well worth seeing but too bad the series only consisted of four shows. Pity, really.