The Edsel Show is an hour-long television special broadcast live on CBS to
promote Ford Motor Company‘s new Edsel cars. It was a milestone in Bing
Crosby‘s career, and was notable as the first CBS entertainment program
to be recorded on videotape, for rebroadcasting in the western part of the
country after the show was performed live for the east.

The oldest known Quad Videotape of The Edsel Show, recorded at
CBS Television City in Hollywood.

       
         The Ampex VTR machine

After "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour" was canceled following the breakup of the 
couples marriage, Sonny Bono hosted his own variety show. He brought with him
the same writers, same producers, and cast from the previous show. Unfortunately,
it just didn’t work without Cher. The comedy show lasted just 13 weeks before it was 
canceled.

Smokey’s debut poster (above) is considered his anniversary date. Overseen
by the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Campaign, the first campaign poster
was illustrated by Albert Staehle.

Also in 1944, Forest Service worker Rudy Wendelin became the full-time artist
for the campaign. He was considered to be Smokey Bear’s "caretaker" until he
retired in 1973.

Rudolph "Rudy" Andreas Michael Wendelin (1910–2000)