Light's Diamond Jubilee

1954 TV special

Mark Twain
G. K. Chesterton
John Steinbeck
David O. Selznick
Ben Hecht
Irwin Shaw
Max Shulman

Directed by

King Vidor
William Wellman
Norman Taurog
Christian Nyby
Roy Rowland
Alan Handley
Bud Yorkin

Presented byGeorge GobelStarring

Lauren Bacall
Robert Benchley (archive footage)
Joseph Cotten
Dorothy Dandridge
Kim Novak
David Niven
Debbie Reynolds
Judith Anderson
Helen Hayes
Brandon De Wilde
Eddie Fisher
Erin O'Brien-Moore
Walter Brennan
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Music byVictor YoungCountry of originUnited StatesProductionProducerDavid O. SelznickRunning time120 minutesOriginal releaseNetwork

ReleaseOctober 24, 1954 (1954-10-24)

Light's Diamond Jubilee (1954) is a two-hour TV special that aired on October 24, 1954, on all four U.S. television networks of the time, DuMont, CBS, NBC, and ABC. The special won a Primetime Emmy Award for Victor Young for Best Music for a Variety or Dramatic series.

The special was produced by David O. Selznick, had seven directors, and featured major stars of the day. The special was sponsored by General Electric in honor of the 75th anniversary of the invention of the incandescent light bulb by Thomas Edison. In 1929, a previous celebration of "light's golden jubilee" was produced by General Electric and created by PR pioneer Edward Bernays.

Robert Benchley's appearance was a segment from his MGM short film How to Raise a Baby (1938).

Episode status

A copy of the CBS Television version of the broadcast, showing a copyright notice of Selznick Releasing Organization Inc., is in the collection of the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The Library of Congress has copies available for viewing by appointment.^[1]

Bibliography

David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004) ISBN 1-59213-245-6
Alex McNeil, Total Television, Fourth edition (New York: Penguin Books, 1980) ISBN 0-14-024916-8
Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, Third edition (New York: Ballantine Books, 1964) ISBN 0-345-31864-1

References

^ Library of Congress catalog entry

External links

Light's Diamond Jubilee at IMDb
Light's Diamond Jubilee at BFI Database
Light's Diamond Jubilee at National Library of Australia

Films directed by King Vidor

Hurricane in Galveston (1913)
The Grand Military Parade (1913)
The Lost Lie (1918)
Bud's Recruit (1918)
The Chocolate of the Gang (1918)
Tad's Swimming Hole (1918)
The Accusing Toe (1918)
I'm a Man (1918)
The Turn in the Road (1919)
Better Times (1919)
The Other Half (1919)
Poor Relations (1919)
The Family Honor (1920)
The Jack-Knife Man (1920)
The Sky Pilot (1921)
Love Never Dies (1921)
The Real Adventure (1922)
Dusk to Dawn (1922)
Conquering the Woman (1922)
Peg o' My Heart (1922)
The Woman of Bronze (1923)
Three Wise Fools (1923)
Wild Oranges (1924)
Happiness (1924)
Wine of Youth (1924)
His Hour (1924)
The Wife of the Centaur (1924)
Proud Flesh (1925)
The Big Parade (1925)
La Bohème (1926)
Bardelys the Magnificent (1926)
The Crowd (1928)
The Patsy (1928)
Show People (1928)
Hallelujah (1929)
Not So Dumb (1930)
Billy the Kid (1930)
Street Scene (1931)
The Champ (1931)
Bird of Paradise (1932)
Cynara (1932)
The Stranger's Return (1933)
Our Daily Bread (1934)
The Wedding Night (1935)
So Red the Rose (1935)
The Texas Rangers (1936)
Stella Dallas (1937)
The Citadel (1938)
The Wizard of Oz (1939) (Kansas scenes)
Northwest Passage (1940)
Comrade X (1940)
H. M. Pulham, Esq. (1941)
An American Romance (1944)
Duel in the Sun (1946)
On Our Merry Way (1948)
The Fountainhead (1949)
Beyond the Forest (1949)
Lightning Strikes Twice (1951)
Japanese War Bride (1952)
Ruby Gentry (1952)
Light's Diamond Jubilee (1954) (TV special, with 6 other directors)
Man Without a Star (1955)
War and Peace (1956)
Solomon and Sheba (1959)
Truth and Illusion (1964)
The Metaphor (1980)

v t e Films directed by William A. Wellman
Second Hand Love (1923) The Man Who Won (1923) Big Dan (1923) Cupid's Fireman (1923) Not a Drum Was Heard (1924) The Vagabond Trail (1924) The Circus Cowboy (1924) When Husbands Flirt (1925) The Boob (1926) You Never Know Women (1926) The Cat's Pajamas (1926) Wings (1927) The Legion of the Condemned (1928) Ladies of the Mob (1928) Beggars of Life (1928) Chinatown Nights (1929) The Man I Love (1929) Woman Trap (1929) Dangerous Paradise (1930) Young Eagles (1930) Maybe It's Love (1930) Other Men's Women (1931) The Public Enemy (1931) Night Nurse (1931) The Star Witness (1931) Safe in Hell (1931) The Hatchet Man (1932) So Big (1932) Love Is a Racket (1932) The Purchase Price (1932) The Conquerors (1932) Frisco Jenny (1932) Central Airport (1933) Lilly Turner (1933) Heroes for Sale (1933) Midnight Mary (1933) Wild Boys of the Road (1933) Female (1933) College Coach (1933) Looking for Trouble (1934) Stingaree (1934) The President Vanishes (1934) Call of the Wild (1935) Robin Hood of El Dorado (1936) Small Town Girl (1936) A Star Is Born (1937) Nothing Sacred (1937) Men with Wings (1938) Beau Geste (1939) The Light That Failed (1939) Reaching for the Sun (1941) Roxie Hart (1942) The Great Man's Lady (1942) Thunder Birds (1942) Lady of Burlesque (1943) The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) Buffalo Bill (1944) This Man's Navy (1945) The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) Gallant Journey (1946) Magic Town (1947) The Iron Curtain (1948) Yellow Sky (1948) Battleground (1949) The Next Voice You Hear... (1950) The Happy Years (1950) Across the Wide Missouri (1951) It's a Big Country (1951) Westward the Women (1951) My Man and I (1952) Island in the Sky (1953) The High and the Mighty (1954) Track of the Cat (1954) Ring of Fear (1954) Blood Alley (1955) Good-bye, My Lady (1956) Darby's Rangers (1958) Lafayette Escadrille (1958)

Films directed by William A. Wellman

Second Hand Love (1923)
The Man Who Won (1923)
Big Dan (1923)
Cupid's Fireman (1923)
Not a Drum Was Heard (1924)
The Vagabond Trail (1924)
The Circus Cowboy (1924)
When Husbands Flirt (1925)
The Boob (1926)
You Never Know Women (1926)
The Cat's Pajamas (1926)
Wings (1927)
The Legion of the Condemned (1928)
Ladies of the Mob (1928)
Beggars of Life (1928)
Chinatown Nights (1929)
The Man I Love (1929)
Woman Trap (1929)
Dangerous Paradise (1930)
Young Eagles (1930)
Maybe It's Love (1930)
Other Men's Women (1931)
The Public Enemy (1931)
Night Nurse (1931)
The Star Witness (1931)
Safe in Hell (1931)
The Hatchet Man (1932)
So Big (1932)
Love Is a Racket (1932)
The Purchase Price (1932)
The Conquerors (1932)
Frisco Jenny (1932)
Central Airport (1933)
Lilly Turner (1933)
Heroes for Sale (1933)
Midnight Mary (1933)
Wild Boys of the Road (1933)
Female (1933)
College Coach (1933)
Looking for Trouble (1934)
Stingaree (1934)
The President Vanishes (1934)
Call of the Wild (1935)
Robin Hood of El Dorado (1936)
Small Town Girl (1936)
A Star Is Born (1937)
Nothing Sacred (1937)
Men with Wings (1938)
Beau Geste (1939)
The Light That Failed (1939)
Reaching for the Sun (1941)
Roxie Hart (1942)
The Great Man's Lady (1942)
Thunder Birds (1942)
Lady of Burlesque (1943)
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
Buffalo Bill (1944)
This Man's Navy (1945)
The Story of G.I. Joe (1945)
Gallant Journey (1946)
Magic Town (1947)
The Iron Curtain (1948)
Yellow Sky (1948)
Battleground (1949)
The Next Voice You Hear... (1950)
The Happy Years (1950)
Across the Wide Missouri (1951)
It's a Big Country (1951)
Westward the Women (1951)
My Man and I (1952)
Island in the Sky (1953)
The High and the Mighty (1954)
Track of the Cat (1954)
Ring of Fear (1954)
Blood Alley (1955)
Good-bye, My Lady (1956)
Darby's Rangers (1958)
Lafayette Escadrille (1958)

v t e Films directed by Norman Taurog
Lucky Boy (1929) The Diplomats (1929) In Holland (1929) The Medicine Men (1929) Troopers Three (1930) Sunny Skies (1930) Hot Curves (1930) Follow the Leader (1930) Finn and Hattie (1931) Skippy (1931) Forbidden Adventure (1931) Huckleberry Finn (1931) Sooky (1931) Hold 'Em Jail (1932) The Phantom President (1932) If I Had a Million (segments "Prologue" and "Epilogue", 1932) A Bedtime Story (1933) The Way to Love (1933) We're Not Dressing (1934) Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1934) College Rhythm (1934) The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1936) Strike Me Pink (1936) Rhythm on the Range (1936) Reunion (1936) Fifty Roads to Town (1937) You Can't Have Everything (1937) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) Mad About Music (1938) Boys Town (1938) The Girl Downstairs (1938) Lucky Night (1939) Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940) Young Tom Edison (1940) Little Nellie Kelly (1940) Men of Boys Town (1941) Design for Scandal (1941) Are Husbands Necessary? (1942) A Yank at Eton (1942) Presenting Lily Mars (1943) Girl Crazy (1943) The Hoodlum Saint (1946) The Beginning or the End (1947) The Bride Goes Wild (1948) Big City (1948) Words and Music (1948) That Midnight Kiss (1949) Please Believe Me (1950) The Toast of New Orleans (1950) Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone (1950) Rich, Young and Pretty (1951) Room for One More (1952) Jumping Jacks (1952) The Stooge (1953) The Stars Are Singing (1953) The Caddy (1953) Living It Up (1954) You're Never Too Young (1954) The Birds and the Bees (1956) Pardners (1956) Bundle of Joy (1956) The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown (1958) Onionhead (1958) Don't Give Up the Ship (1959) Visit to a Small Planet (1960) G.I. Blues (1960) All Hands on Deck (1961) Blue Hawaii (1961) Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) It Happened at the World's Fair (1962) Palm Springs Weekend (1963) Tickle Me (1965) Sergeant Deadhead (1965) Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) Spinout (1966) Double Trouble (1967) Speedway (1968) Live a Little, Love a Little (1968)

Films directed by Norman Taurog

Lucky Boy (1929)
The Diplomats (1929)
In Holland (1929)
The Medicine Men (1929)
Troopers Three (1930)
Sunny Skies (1930)
Hot Curves (1930)
Follow the Leader (1930)
Finn and Hattie (1931)
Skippy (1931)
Forbidden Adventure (1931)
Huckleberry Finn (1931)
Sooky (1931)
Hold 'Em Jail (1932)
The Phantom President (1932)
If I Had a Million (segments "Prologue" and "Epilogue", 1932)
A Bedtime Story (1933)
The Way to Love (1933)
We're Not Dressing (1934)
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1934)
College Rhythm (1934)
The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1936)
Strike Me Pink (1936)
Rhythm on the Range (1936)
Reunion (1936)
Fifty Roads to Town (1937)
You Can't Have Everything (1937)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)
Mad About Music (1938)
Boys Town (1938)
The Girl Downstairs (1938)
Lucky Night (1939)
Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)
Young Tom Edison (1940)
Little Nellie Kelly (1940)
Men of Boys Town (1941)
Design for Scandal (1941)
Are Husbands Necessary? (1942)
A Yank at Eton (1942)
Presenting Lily Mars (1943)
Girl Crazy (1943)
The Hoodlum Saint (1946)
The Beginning or the End (1947)
The Bride Goes Wild (1948)
Big City (1948)
Words and Music (1948)
That Midnight Kiss (1949)
Please Believe Me (1950)
The Toast of New Orleans (1950)
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone (1950)
Rich, Young and Pretty (1951)
Room for One More (1952)
Jumping Jacks (1952)
The Stooge (1953)
The Stars Are Singing (1953)
The Caddy (1953)
Living It Up (1954)
You're Never Too Young (1954)
The Birds and the Bees (1956)
Pardners (1956)
Bundle of Joy (1956)
The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown (1958)
Onionhead (1958)
Don't Give Up the Ship (1959)
Visit to a Small Planet (1960)
G.I. Blues (1960)
All Hands on Deck (1961)
Blue Hawaii (1961)
Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962)
It Happened at the World's Fair (1962)
Palm Springs Weekend (1963)
Tickle Me (1965)
Sergeant Deadhead (1965)
Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965)
Spinout (1966)
Double Trouble (1967)
Speedway (1968)
Live a Little, Love a Little (1968)

v t e Films directed by Roy Rowland
Hollywood Party (1934) A Night at the Movies (1937) A Stranger in Town (1943) Lost Angel (1943) Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945) Boys' Ranch (1946) The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947) Killer McCoy (1947) Tenth Avenue Angel (1948) Scene of the Crime (1949) The Outriders (1950) Two Weeks with Love (1950) Bugles in the Afternoon (1952) Affair with a Stranger (1953) The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953) The Moonlighter (1953) Witness to Murder (1954) Rogue Cop (1954) Light's Diamond Jubilee (1954, TV special) Hit the Deck (1955) Many Rivers to Cross (1955) Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956) These Wilder Years (1956) Gun Glory (1957) Slander (1957) Seven Hills of Rome (1958) The Girl Hunters (1962) Gunfighters of Casa Grande (1964)

Films directed by Roy Rowland

Hollywood Party (1934)
A Night at the Movies (1937)
A Stranger in Town (1943)
Lost Angel (1943)
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945)
Boys' Ranch (1946)
The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947)
Killer McCoy (1947)
Tenth Avenue Angel (1948)
Scene of the Crime (1949)
The Outriders (1950)
Two Weeks with Love (1950)
Bugles in the Afternoon (1952)
Affair with a Stranger (1953)
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953)
The Moonlighter (1953)
Witness to Murder (1954)
Rogue Cop (1954)
Light's Diamond Jubilee (1954, TV special)
Hit the Deck (1955)
Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
These Wilder Years (1956)
Gun Glory (1957)
Slander (1957)
Seven Hills of Rome (1958)
The Girl Hunters (1962)
Gunfighters of Casa Grande (1964)

v t e Films produced by David O. Selznick
Roulette (1924) Forgotten Faces (1928) Chinatown Nights (1929) Betrayal (1929) The Man I Love (1929) The Four Feathers (1929) Street of Chance (1930) What Price Hollywood? (1932) A Bill of Divorcement (1932) Rockabye (1932) The Animal Kingdom (1932) Topaze (1933) Our Betters (1933) Christopher Strong (1933) Dinner at Eight (1933) Night Flight (1933) Meet the Baron (1933) Dancing Lady (1933) Viva Villa! (1934) Manhattan Melodrama (1934) David Copperfield (1935) Vanessa: Her Love Story (1935) Reckless (1935) Anna Karenina (1935) A Tale of Two Cities (1935) Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) The Garden of Allah (1936) A Star Is Born (1937) The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) Nothing Sacred (1937) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) The Young in Heart (1938) Made for Each Other (1939) Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939) Gone with the Wind (1939) Rebecca (1940) Reward Unlimited (1944, short) Since You Went Away (1944) I'll Be Seeing You (1945) Spellbound (1945) Duel in the Sun (1946) The Paradine Case (1948) Portrait of Jennie (1948) The Third Man (1949) Gone to Earth (1950) Stazione Termini (1954) Light's Diamond Jubilee (1954, TV) A Farewell to Arms (1957)

Films produced by David O. Selznick

Roulette (1924)
Forgotten Faces (1928)
Chinatown Nights (1929)
Betrayal (1929)
The Man I Love (1929)
The Four Feathers (1929)
Street of Chance (1930)
What Price Hollywood? (1932)
A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
Rockabye (1932)
The Animal Kingdom (1932)
Topaze (1933)
Our Betters (1933)
Christopher Strong (1933)
Dinner at Eight (1933)
Night Flight (1933)
Meet the Baron (1933)
Dancing Lady (1933)
Viva Villa! (1934)
Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
David Copperfield (1935)
Vanessa: Her Love Story (1935)
Reckless (1935)
Anna Karenina (1935)
A Tale of Two Cities (1935)
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936)
The Garden of Allah (1936)
A Star Is Born (1937)
The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
Nothing Sacred (1937)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)
The Young in Heart (1938)
Made for Each Other (1939)
Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939)
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Rebecca (1940)
Reward Unlimited (1944, short)
Since You Went Away (1944)
I'll Be Seeing You (1945)
Spellbound (1945)
Duel in the Sun (1946)
The Paradine Case (1948)
Portrait of Jennie (1948)
The Third Man (1949)
Gone to Earth (1950)
Stazione Termini (1954)
Light's Diamond Jubilee (1954, TV)
A Farewell to Arms (1957)

v t e Films directed by Christian Nyby
The Thing from Another World (1951) Light's Diamond Jubilee (1954) Hell on Devil's Island (1957) Young Fury (1965) Operation C.I.A. (1965) Elfego Baca: Six Gun Law (1966) First to Fight (1967)