When women invented television: the untold story of the female powerhouses who pioneered the way we watch today
(Book)

The best-selling author of Seinfeldia documents the lesser-known story of how four trailblazing women from the radio era, including Irna Phillips, Gertrude Berg, Hazel Scott and Betty White, helped establish the foundation of the modern television industry.

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