Women and American Television: An Encyclopedia - Hardcover

Lowe, Denise

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0874369703 ISBN 13: 9780874369700

Publisher: ABC-CLIO, 2000

Synopsis

This work presents more than 400 A–Z entries on the individuals, programs, media innovations, and broad topics that tell the story of women's involvement both in front of and behind the television camera.

From thought-provoking trends to entertaining trivia, this delightfully illustrated A–Z encyclopedia covers it all: Gracie Allen, Ally McBeal, Asian women, black sitcoms, cable TV, the Emmys, tabloid and talk shows, older women on television, Penny Marshall, Our Miss Brooks, Jane Pauley, soap operas, Jamie Tarses, That Girl, Oprah Winfrey, and more.

Although limited to the role of women in and on television, Women and American Television is notable for unearthing the more obscure personalities and programs not covered by other television encyclopedias. Includes cross references, bibliography, helpful appendixes, and a subject index.

About this title

About the Author

Denise Lowe is a professional researcher and writer specializing in American women and popular culture.

Reviews

Lowe's Women and American Television provides information that is available in none of the allegedly comprehensive reference books on American television. More than 400 A^-Z entries on individuals, programs, media innovations, and special topics construct the history of women in this medium, both on camera and behind it. In her preface, Lowe comments on the lack of research materials in the form of archives and reference books, though plenty is to be found on men who made less of a contribution. She explains that some women or programs have been left out because of a lack of material, but she does include individuals who were or are icons, trendsetters, and pioneers.

Every series that featured a female character in a leading role that was on the air for more than six months is included. In some cases, only a brief description of the program is provided; for example, the few paragraphs on the 1965^-66 series Gidget, which launched the career of Sally Field. If a series was groundbreaking or a popular culture phenomenon, such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, there is a longer (just over two pages) analysis. Also well covered are important events, governmental rulings, new technologies, and other developments that had a lasting impact on the medium, such as The Public Broadcasting Act and anchorwoman Christine Craft's 1983 sex-discrimination suit that enabled women to remain on camera as they grew older.

Sidebar articles cover topics including Career women, Lesbians on television, and Families, TV-style, as well as providing short definitions of such TV terminology as Window dressing, the practice of casting attractive female characters to attract a male audience. These are helpful for background information and refer the reader to other entries in the encyclopedia. The work is particularly notable for its coverage of minority women in television, including characters, actresses, use of stereotypes, and writers from the early TV roles of Ethel Waters to today's Connie Chung, Cristina Saralegui, and media queen Oprah Winfrey. The A^-Z section is followed by lists of directors, writers, and Emmy winners through 1998; a list of women in the Television Hall of Fame; a bibliography; and an index.

This volume is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking and particularly notable for its inclusion of little-known mavericks from the early days of the medium. It complements more comprehensive sources such as the Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Television [RBB Ag 97] by focusing exclusively on women's contributions. Recommended for larger public and academic libraries.

In this new resource, freelance researcher Lowe provides compelling biographical sketches of 429 women in U.S. television, including pioneers (Dorothy Kilgallen, Betty Furness, Lucille Ball), journalists (Christiane Amanpour, Jane Pauley, Jody Applegate), actresses (Mary Tyler Moore, Susan Lucci, Camryn Manheim), comediennes (Gracie Allen, Imogene Coca, Tracey Ullman), sex symbols (Farrah Fawcett, Loni Anderson, Vanna White), talk-show hosts (Dinah Shore, Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O'Donnell), producers (Marcy Carsey, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Marta Kauffman), and network honchos (Chloe Aaron, Jamie Tarses, Kay Koplovitz). Lowe covers both controversial, groundbreaking series and popular programs, whether long-running or short-lived, considering social context and the portrayal of women; she is careful to assess the depiction of Asian, black, Hispanic, and rural female characters. Notable entries profile Nichelle Nichols (Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek), describe the difficulties endured by Lee Grant during the McCarthy era, and explain the appeal of Xena, Warrior Princess, the most popular syndicated series. This work's usefulness is enhanced by a table of contents, a thorough index, various appendixes (directors, writers, Emmy winners, television hall of fame), and a bibliography. This is of interest to larger libraries with collections in careers, broadcasting, and women's studies. Libraries that already own the three-volume Encyclopedia of Television (LJ 11/1/97) may want to add this one because of its emphasis on women's accomplishments.
-Elizabeth Connor, Medical Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Charleston
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: ABC-CLIO
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0874369703
• ISBN 13: 9780874369700
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 513