The Films of Jam HandySo he was the original person to be cancelled and censored!Who was Jam Handy?
In today’s world, people tend to groan at the thought of watching educational training films, yet there is a fascinating history behind them. Of particular interest is the library’s collection of films and filmstrips produced for GM’s Chevrolet division by The Jam Handy Organization (JHO), whose clients also included schools and even Coca-Cola. While all but forgotten today, the company played an important role in Chevrolet’s history by educating throngs of consumers and salespeople alike.[/ezcol_2fifth] [ezcol_3fifth_end]Jam Handy Films in the Library's Collection
Once upon a time, the future didn’t look too bright for the company’s founder, Henry Jamison Handy. During his freshman year at the University of Michigan in 1903, Handy was kicked out of school over an article he wrote as a campus correspondent for the Chicago Tribune. In it, he took a jab at one of his professors, which was considered scandalous, and the resulting actions stood in his way of getting accepted into other schools. Even after being accepted by the University of Pennsylvania, he was asked to leave two weeks into the semester once they learned of the article.
Instead of giving up on life in the face of rejection, Handy persevered and found success working for the Chicago Tribune. During his time in the advertising department, Handy studied consumers and how they were driven to make a purchase. He theorized that a key component in selling a product was to have well-informed and enthusiastic salespeople. After training his salespeople, Handy found his hypothesis to be correct, as sales of the Tribune subsequently increased.
After leaving the Chicago Tribune, Handy built upon his experience by becoming a trailblazer in the world of educational films. In fact, he had gained such a high reputation that the American military commissioned him to create training films during World War I. After the war, he founded the Jam Handy Organization, which continued to produce educational films up until 1968. The automobile industry would become their biggest client, especially Chevrolet.
The shorts are my favorite part of MST3K.
Pssst...nobody buy a Chevrolet.