What a great video. Thank you for posting this. My father bought one of the original Eames lounge chairs back in the late '50's or early '60's. My mother still has it and uses it every day. It's worn out but still very comfortable.
Charles Eames (Charles Eames, Jr) and Ray Eames (Ray-Bernice Eames) were an American married couple of industrial designers who made significant historical contributions to the development of modern architecture and furniture through the work of the Eames Office. They also worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine art, and film. Charles was the public face of the Eames Office, but Ray and Charles worked together as creative partners and employed a diverse creative staff. Among their most recognized designs is the Eames Lounge Chair and the Eames Dining Chair. Source Wikipedia
MillerKnoll, Inc., doing business as Herman Miller, is an American company that produces office furniture, equipment, and home furnishings. Its best known designs include the Aeron chair, Noguchi table, Marshmallow sofa, Mirra chair, and the Eames Lounge Chair. Herman Miller is also credited with the 1968 invention of the office cubicle (originally known as the "Action Office") under then-director of research Robert Propst. Source Wikipedia
Home was an American daytime television program hosted by Arlene Francis. Intended for an audience of women, it debuted in 1954 as one of NBC's three major non-primetime shows. While the other two shows-Today and Tonight-are still being produced 60 years later, Home was cancelled in 1957. Each hour-long show is presented in a series of short segments which discuss topics in a depth typical of a magazine article. A segment may be either entertaining or informational. Topics typically relate to homemaking but may also include civic, cultural, and social issues and interviews with newsmakers. Twelve minutes of each broadcast are devoted to the promotion of consumer goods from the show's sponsors; these commercials often take place within the informational segments of the show itself. Instead of imitating the look of an actual house as cooking shows did, Home's producers made it obvious that it was taking place in a modern television studio. The $200,000 revolving set had a kitchen, a workshop, and an area to demonstrate the effects of weather on the sponsors' products. A garden area contained soil samples from each of the 48 U.S. states; an additional sample to represent Washington, D.C., was provided by Vice President Richard Nixon. Arlene Francis hosted the program as editor-in-chief with Hugh Downs serving as her announcer and assistant. Music was performed by the Norman Paris Trio and singer Johnny Johnston. The team of editors presenting segments on particular topics included Poppy Cannon (food), Rose Franzblau (family relations and child psychology), Eve Hunter (fashion and beauty), Sydney Smith (interior decorating), Estelle Parsons (special projects), Leona Baumgartner (health), and Will Peigelbeck (gardening and home repairs). NBC executive Sylvester "Pat" Weaver began planning a concept called Shopping in late 1951, intending to attract an audience of upper middle class women. Its content and segmented format were inspired by the success of women's magazines, local cooking shows, and the NBC network's Today show. By aiming for a particular target demographic, the network hoped to attract sponsors from women's magazines who would not be interested in advertising on a show meant for the masses. Three talk shows that Weaver created (Today, Home, and Tonight) were intended to complement each other and were referred to as the "T-H-T" package. These programs helped to establish the practice of selling advertising rights to several temporary sponsors. The usual practice at the time involved a single sponsor being responsible for an entire television series. After spending $1 million promoting Home, NBC predicted that 10% of television-equipped U.S. households would watch the program. This rating fell to about 3 by the month after Home's March 1, 1954, premiere. The network responded to these low ratings by adding more entertaining segments. Although the series was nominated for a 1956 Emmy Award for Best Contribution to Daytime Programming, it continued to have low ratings. That same year it was moved from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., a timeslot with less competition. In that season Home had a rating of 2.5, whereas CBS's 10:00 and 10:30 programs were at 6.5 and 7.5, respectively. The 893rd and final episode of Home was broadcast on August 9, 1957. For the following six months Francis hosted a livelier and "less restrained" talk show called The Arlene Francis Show. Source Wikipedia
This isn't the Today Show. It's the Home Show which was a different program entirely that aired at mid-day on NBC. It was hosted by Arlene Francis who does the interview.
I had no idea the original had feathers and down as cushion for the lounge and ottoman. No wonder it was so comfortable. That along with the now banned Rosewood makes the original a one of a kind and not at all what they make today.
LemonSlice of course she was uncomfortable because of how society was back then against women. How the stigma was a woman could not have done what a man can and well you know the rest.
JostenDooley2 No I don't know the rest. I also see a woman as the interviewer, but I guess she's just a slave propagating a myth, right? People were very different back then, I don't see much similarity in today's men either, and I see them then just as much bound by women as women were by men, and just as much bound by the rules of society as women. And the males weren't the only ones keeping the tradition of male dominance, it was the women as well very much so and the generations of men and women before them. Women who broke the rules were just as much envied and hated by other women as they were alluring and captivating to men.
This video is really interesting. I work for a company who sell reproductions of Charles and Ray Eames chairs. We are based in Bristol where our showroom houses many colours of the DSW and DAW chairs. We also sock a range of different legs. The Eames' wanted to create affordable chic chairs and our reproductions are inline with their original intentions. www.chair.furniture for more information.
Yes, but despite Arlene Farncis's ridiculous (in retrospect) comments--well, it is 1956--history has secured Ray Eames's place beside her husband, not behind him.
Watching such a warm, heartfelt and glowingly appreciative segment and then smugly boasting that it was "condescending" merely shows that you are mentally ill. Keep your sickness to yourself.
This feels so awkward, but also much more authentic than today's over-produced television
What a great video. Thank you for posting this. My father bought one of the original Eames lounge chairs back in the late '50's or early '60's. My mother still has it and uses it every day. It's worn out but still very comfortable.
This is maybe like the coolest video on earth probably :.-)
i found one on a trash site !!! i restored it !!! beautiful !!!
Charles Eames (Charles Eames, Jr) and Ray Eames (Ray-Bernice Eames) were an American married couple of industrial designers who made significant historical contributions to the development of modern architecture and furniture through the work of the Eames Office. They also worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine art, and film. Charles was the public face of the Eames Office, but Ray and Charles worked together as creative partners and employed a diverse creative staff. Among their most recognized designs is the Eames Lounge Chair and the Eames Dining Chair. Source Wikipedia
MillerKnoll, Inc., doing business as Herman Miller, is an American company that produces office furniture, equipment, and home furnishings. Its best known designs include the Aeron chair, Noguchi table, Marshmallow sofa, Mirra chair, and the Eames Lounge Chair. Herman Miller is also credited with the 1968 invention of the office cubicle (originally known as the "Action Office") under then-director of research Robert Propst. Source Wikipedia
Home was an American daytime television program hosted by Arlene Francis. Intended for an audience of women, it debuted in 1954 as one of NBC's three major non-primetime shows. While the other two shows-Today and Tonight-are still being produced 60 years later, Home was cancelled in 1957.
Each hour-long show is presented in a series of short segments which discuss topics in a depth typical of a magazine article. A segment may be either entertaining or informational. Topics typically relate to homemaking but may also include civic, cultural, and social issues and interviews with newsmakers. Twelve minutes of each broadcast are devoted to the promotion of consumer goods from the show's sponsors; these commercials often take place within the informational segments of the show itself.
Instead of imitating the look of an actual house as cooking shows did, Home's producers made it obvious that it was taking place in a modern television studio. The $200,000 revolving set had a kitchen, a workshop, and an area to demonstrate the effects of weather on the sponsors' products. A garden area contained soil samples from each of the 48 U.S. states; an additional sample to represent Washington, D.C., was provided by Vice President Richard Nixon.
Arlene Francis hosted the program as editor-in-chief with Hugh Downs serving as her announcer and assistant. Music was performed by the Norman Paris Trio and singer Johnny Johnston. The team of editors presenting segments on particular topics included Poppy Cannon (food), Rose Franzblau (family relations and child psychology), Eve Hunter (fashion and beauty), Sydney Smith (interior decorating), Estelle Parsons (special projects), Leona Baumgartner (health), and Will Peigelbeck (gardening and home repairs).
NBC executive Sylvester "Pat" Weaver began planning a concept called Shopping in late 1951, intending to attract an audience of upper middle class women. Its content and segmented format were inspired by the success of women's magazines, local cooking shows, and the NBC network's Today show. By aiming for a particular target demographic, the network hoped to attract sponsors from women's magazines who would not be interested in advertising on a show meant for the masses.
Three talk shows that Weaver created (Today, Home, and Tonight) were intended to complement each other and were referred to as the "T-H-T" package. These programs helped to establish the practice of selling advertising rights to several temporary sponsors. The usual practice at the time involved a single sponsor being responsible for an entire television series.
After spending $1 million promoting Home, NBC predicted that 10% of television-equipped U.S. households would watch the program. This rating fell to about 3 by the month after Home's March 1, 1954, premiere. The network responded to these low ratings by adding more entertaining segments.
Although the series was nominated for a 1956 Emmy Award for Best Contribution to Daytime Programming, it continued to have low ratings. That same year it was moved from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., a timeslot with less competition. In that season Home had a rating of 2.5, whereas CBS's 10:00 and 10:30 programs were at 6.5 and 7.5, respectively. The 893rd and final episode of Home was broadcast on August 9, 1957.
For the following six months Francis hosted a livelier and "less restrained" talk show called The Arlene Francis Show. Source Wikipedia
Fantastic video
This isn't the Today Show. It's the Home Show which was a different program entirely that aired at mid-day on NBC. It was hosted by Arlene Francis who does the interview.
8:11 for the preview of the chair
I had no idea the original had feathers and down as cushion for the lounge and ottoman. No wonder it was so comfortable.
That along with the now banned Rosewood makes the original a one of a kind and not at all what they make today.
I would say old timey video was lower quality but TH-cam makes episodes of Friends look the same way.
It looks like they are being interviewed by 1950s-1960s TV personality Arlene Francis.
Today Show co-host Lee Meriwether
"[Plastic] it's very practical, is it?"
They tried to make it seem as if Charles did all of this himself.
I don't think Ray felt at all comfortable at the interview, she was very shy.
LemonSlice
of course she was uncomfortable because of how society was back then against women. How the stigma was a woman could not have done what a man can and well you know the rest.
JostenDooley2 No I don't know the rest. I also see a woman as the interviewer, but I guess she's just a slave propagating a myth, right?
People were very different back then, I don't see much similarity in today's men either, and I see them then just as much bound by women as women were by men, and just as much bound by the rules of society as women.
And the males weren't the only ones keeping the tradition of male dominance, it was the women as well very much so and the generations of men and women before them.
Women who broke the rules were just as much envied and hated by other women as they were alluring and captivating to men.
+LemonSlice I see classy women. Some things should have stayed the same.
WHO WOULD THROW THAT AWAY!?
that guy in the chair must be 5'0" for his head to hit so low on the lounge chair back
This video is really interesting. I work for a company who sell reproductions of Charles and Ray Eames chairs. We are based in Bristol where our showroom houses many colours of the DSW and DAW chairs. We also sock a range of different legs. The Eames' wanted to create affordable chic chairs and our reproductions are inline with their original intentions. www.chair.furniture for more information.
"she's behind the man, but terribly important"
how condescending
Yes, but despite Arlene Farncis's ridiculous (in retrospect) comments--well, it is 1956--history has secured Ray Eames's place beside her husband, not behind him.
Watching such a warm, heartfelt and glowingly appreciative segment and then smugly boasting that it was "condescending" merely shows that you are mentally ill. Keep your sickness to yourself.
Marga ur a big C. How about that?
But it's the truth and that upsets feminazis like you.
She is an alpha to your gamma, so perhaps you ought not comment at the adult? Now that is condescending and deservedly so!