Continuing with descriptions of TV Cooking Shows that were on television between James Beard (1946) and Julia Child (1963). It is somewhat surprising that in most cases very little documentation exists for many of them.
TV Kitchen - Jane Christopher
Assembled a collection of 800 different recipes in a recipe box with 24 different sections- ranging from appetizers to salads to seafood. The recipes were from watchers of her television show, friends, relatives and famous chefs. It was a best-selling item in the Houston area during the 1950’s. Her TV Cooking Show - TV Kitchen on KRPC-TV made her a celebrity in the Houston market in the early 1950’s.
Connie’s Kitchen - Connie Cook
Connie Cook appeared in both a Radio Cooking Show named Connie’s Cupboard and a TV Cooking Show named Connie’s Kitchen every week day starting around 1953 for WOW-TV ( Nebraska ) after she joined the station as its Home Service Director. As far as it can be easily determined, it lasted about 3-4 years.
Home Cooking - Dorothy Coon
Dorothy Coon’s Home Cooking TV Show was sponsored by Kroger and appeared on WSPD-TV in Ohio from the end of 1952 through 1956. Little else is documented.
The Modern Woman -Ruth Crane
Hosted a TV Cooking Show in DC on WMAL-TV
Nancy’s Kitchen - Joan Crowther
Appeared on a cooking show on WNHC-TV in New Haven, Connecticut during the early 1950’s until 1955. She was born in England and was active in England’s civil defense activities during WW2. She escaped to England after the fall of France and then moved to the US.
Today’s Cooking - Helen Dilger
Helen Dilger hosted the TV Cooking Show Today’s Cooking on a Davenport Iowa TV Station in the early 1950’s. Prior to that she was a Home Economist for Scott Township. She gave many talks to local organizations in the late1940’s.
Betty Feezor Show - Betty Feezor
The Betty Feezor show was one of the most popular TV shows ever broadcast on a local TV station (WBTV in Charlotte, North Carolina). It ran every weekday at 1PM from 1953 until 1977 ( when she was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 53). The focus of the shows was primarily cooking but also how to sew, decorate and other housekeeping skills..
Her show was the first TV show in the world to be shown in color starting in 1958. A total of nearly 6000 episodes were recorded but evidently only 2 still survive.
Prior to her show, Betty Feezor graduated with a degree in home economics from the University of Tennessee and subsequently worked for 4-H clubs.
Below is a show from 1976 where she shows how to make a peanut butter pudding
Chef Milani - Joseph Meilani
Joseph Meilani aka Chef Milani was on radio starting in the 1930’s and had his own TV cooking from 1949-1954. However, his major focus was in identifying young children with talent; inviting them to his shows and his appearances at county fairs etc. and then promoting their careers- some going on to national recognition.
His cooking show was replete with humor, avid sponsorship of commercial food products and advice. Prior to his TV appearances, he promoted a variety of his own Milani food products including macaroni, egg noodles and mushroom sauce.
Note: Part 5 will be issued shortly
TV Snacks Coolconoga E Bay
She was very interesting but Scoop Kennedy was a sleeping dark horse
Loved the Betty Feezor story.