YooHoo, Mrs Goldberg

Shes the most famous woman in America youve never heard of. The amazing story of Gertrude Berg is told with humor and insight in this sparkling film biography. Berg was the Oprah of her day—radio and television creator; Emmy awardwinning actress; celebrity guest on variety shows; Tony award winner on Broadway; and originator and star of Americas first sitcom, The Goldbergs. Writer of 12,000 scripts for the number one CBS show, she combined comedy and social commentary while introducing endearing Jewish characters to middle America, particularly Molly Goldberg, the family matriarch. In a battle to save the career of her co-star, union organizer Philip Loeb, Berg took on the McCarthy blacklist. That tragic witch hunt (memorialized in the 1976 film The Front) parallels other dramatic changes in television history: The tight-knit Goldberg family—first seen yelling across airshafts, baking bread in a steamy kitchen, playing chess and discussing Freud—moves from the Bronx to the suburbs. Then the show itself is cancelled—only to be replaced by the thoroughly modern I Love Lucy. Yoo-Hoo combines rare scenes from The Goldbergs, interviews with fans including Norman Lear and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and movie clips featuring the Marx Brothers and Zero Mostel. Filmmaker Kempner (see page xx) has created a star-studded social history of an American trailblazer.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• shalomsfjff
• yoohoo mrs. goldberg sitcom
• 50s television
• sfjff 29
• 29th sfjff
• oprah

[ThePedrosanta]

She was so cool,love her like I love Maria Bamford.

[Sweetbabyvixen]

Saw this last night, WONDERFUL documentary!

[bearnurse1]

I love it! oy, it's getting late now, well, what can you do? We're all mishpocha

[Mysterwright]

@31sylvia Me too! Now that Obama is bringing back the fundamentals of JFK and FDR, perhaps we'll see all the shows return in syndication that had been wrongfully targeted before the blacklist lifted in 1962.

[princeandrey]

One day, many years ago--perhaps 15--I happened to see one summer afternoon, on a marginal cable network that called itself a "Jewish network," a full "Goldbergs" episode. I have to say, it was exquisite, transporting. It was sweet, lovely, funny, and brilliantly acted!

[billysscreeningroom]

One of the best movies --- best history lessons, best character studies, best-made documentaries --- that I have ever seen. Marvelous, marvelous movie!

[31sylvia]

Delightful to see this.

Would love to see whole programs.