When television arrived, few radio moguls were interested in the upstart industry and its tiny production budgets. Four women-- each an independent visionary-- saw an opportunity. Irna Phillips turned real-life tragedy into daytime serials featuring female dominated casts. Gertrude Berg turned her radio show into a Jewish family comedy that spawned a play, a musical, an advice column, a line of house dresses, and other products. Hazel Scott, already a renowned musician, was the first African American to host a national evening variety program. Betty White became a daytime talk show fan favorite and one of the first women to produce, write, and star in her own show. Armstrong shows how their stories chronicle a forgotten chapter in the history of television and popular culture-- until the rise of the House Un-American Activities Committee. -- adapted from jacket
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