Person to Person

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Edward R. Murrow on "Person to Person" interviews Bill and Mary Frances Veeck. About half the time questions are directed towards Mary Frances. Topics include baseball, showmanship, Veeck's wardrobe, domestic life, and non-conformity.

00:07 Edward R. Murrow introducing show and his guests, Bill and Mary Frances Veeck.

00:32 Kent cigarette advertisement.

1:30 Back to Murrow, who introduces and gives a brief biography of Veeck: “Synonymous with non-conformity.”

2:30 Mary Frances and Bill sitting on a couch. Murrow and Bill talk about the Yankees. Murrow:”They lost to Baltimore 5-0 tonight.” Veeck: “Oh, that’s wonderful.”

3:41 Mary Frances talks about being flattered by Bill and working for the ball club.

4:12 Mary Frances: “I think that women on sports shows… you either sound like an idiot or a little expert… this is the most I have spoken on TV”

4:37 Mary Frances on Bill: “Besides those things which he goes on his soapbox for he is very casual… Bill thinks he should eat when he’s hungry…”

5:10 Mary Frances: “I believe in the basic order of the universe.” Murrow says all the domestic work Mary Frances does is “good for the waistline.” Mary Frances and Bill get up and move to the kids’ play room.

6:12 Murrow asks Bill “How do you keep in shape?” Bill walks to bedroom and takes a tennis racket out of a trunk.

7:18 Murrow: “How many neck ties do you own?” Bill: “None, except for the day after Christmas.” Bill explains that the reason he doesn’t wear a closed collar or a neck tie is because his barber told him not to so as to avoid ingrown hairs.

8:33 Murrow: “Is speech making a chore?” Bill finds it enjoyable. He makes 300-350 speeches a year. Bill talks about baseball fans.

9:07 Murrow: “What kinds of questions do the women ask you?” Bill: “They usually ask the most difficult ones. They are much more tenacious… much more interested in the personalities and the people involved.”

9:41 Bill describes making impromptu speeches.

10:22 Murrow to Mary Frances: “How many homes have you had to establish?” Mary Frances:  “8th home… We had each of our children in a different state.”

10:52 Theory of showmanship. Bill: “Baseball should be fun!…There’s no stunt like the winning ball club.”

11:41 Both Murrow and Bill lament loss of “big” personalities in baseball.

12:15 Bill describes how conformity is hurtful to the nation. He explicitly notes, “The exact identical education given to everyone…” and goes on to describe how military service can stunt the personal development of the individual.

13:13 Murrow to Mary Frances: “Has Bill turned you into a non-conformist, too?”

13:30 End of interview. Outro for a commercial break.

13:43 End of tape.