FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT'S TV SHOW

[naizret]

You would think a character like FDR would be relatively easy to imitate--voice, mannerisms, etc.--but this shows how difficult it must be. A little wit would help, too.

[scryerofold]

Why is this guy doing Groucho Marx routines, presented to be old kinoscopes.

[roslundb]

This isn't funny, Roosevelt led our nation through a war waged on six continents, and an economic depression. You are a terrible FDR. You have non of the mannerisms. This is very sad.

[ShortGuy1792]

I was hoping for a real video but this was amusing. :D

[jimfields]

RCA would simultanously use a film camera and a videcon tube camera, side by side. It was a federal funded program to record history because they had no way of keeping a copy otherwise. But also, Kinescope wasn't the first to come up with tv to film. first was Pathe in Europe in 1939. this technique was used for the Hindenburg in Teterobor, actually.

[glennmillerfan]

The First Television Sets Were Introduced By Dumont In June Of 1938.Kinescopes Werent Introduced Until September Of 1947.

[bryandawkins]

I heard he was good dancer before he got polio

[jimfields]

He was good with "soft shoe" tap.

[jimfields]

Oh..the polio thing. that was a publicity stunt. He was/is fly on the dance floor.

[wagonjak]

I wasn't laughin'...this just didn't do it for me...C

[jimfields]

Yes, borscht belt comedy was not really Roosevelt's talent, as you can see. His art film at the end is pretentious and shallow. All in all Roosevelt wasn't "the entertainer" president he promised he'd be. He was a passable juggler, though.

[hourlynewscaster]

Congratulations! As a real fan of FDR I can tell you that that is a marvelous piece of video, production and acting. Wow.

[jimfields]

Hahaha. Yeah... We did this because John (that's the guy up there) discovered he could do FDR really well for some reason. We also loved Borscht Belt jokes so... It's all just so organic when you come to think of it.

[Torinalter]

This is one of the funniest and most sublimely clever shorts I've ever seen. Why isn't it all over the internet? (Perhaps it's just too good?)

[jimfields]

really? thanks!

[jimfields]

wait a minute... Torin Alter? You the biggest fan of this show ever!

[jimfields]

It's actually from a public access show in NYC back in the late 90s. the whole show was 30 minutes.

[Picaresqueennui]

This is amazing.