Another TV History Surprise…Jon Gnagy, One Of TV’s First Stars
Another TV History Surprise…Jon Gnagy, One Of TV’s First Stars
Before Howdy Doody, Lucy, Berle, Kukla, Fran or Ollie, there was Jon Gangy.
His TV career began May 13, 1946, in NBC Studio 3H (pictured here) on a trial video version of NBC’s “Radio City Matinee” radio program, which was carried on NBC’s three market network to New York City, Schenectady and Philadelphia.
Gnagy was the opener of the show which also featured a comic, a cooking demonstration, and a woman who modeled hats. When Gnagy picked up his crayon to begin, he found the lights had melted it into a useless glob, so he switched to charcoals. For seven minutes, he showed his viewers how to draw an old oak tree.
There were not many television sets in use then, but the creators of television knew Gnagy was onto something.
Vladimir Zworykin, who had invented the cathode ray tubes that made television transmission and reception possible, was there and rushed over to shake Gnagy’s hand. RCA and NBC President David Sarnoff called to congratulate him. The show’s producer exclaimed that his segment was “pure television.”
By November, Gnagy had his own 15-minute NBC series, “You Are An Artist”, airing on Thursday nights in prime time. In The New York Times, critic Jack Gould praised Gnagy’s ”thoroughly engaging setside manner.” Writing in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Merill Panitt, later to become editorial director of TV Guide, said that ”Gnagy’s Midwestern easy-going manner conceals the hours of rehearsal and gives an air of spontaneity to the proceedings.”
And while Gnagy could never boast Uncle Miltie’s influence, he did have an impact. At the height of his popularity, Manhattan bartenders handed out paper and pencils to patrons who put down their cocktails to sketch along with ”America’s Television Art Instructor.”
It didn’t last, of course. Like so many early TV staples, “You Are An Artist” was cancelled in 1950 to make way for shows with broader appeal as the number of sets and stations multiplied, BUT, there is more to come!
The video above is what most of us remember…the syndicated series, “Learn to Draw”, that Gnagy subsequently co-produced and marketed to local TV stations to fit into their Saturday or afternoon schedules alongside the likes of Meet Mr. Wizard and Howdy Doody.
His show remained on television until 1971 and in syndication on PBS beyond that. He received no royalties, but now had a platform from which to promote his lesson books and art kits. Doubleday sold a copy of his book to one out of every fourteen television set owners in the United States.
His art supply company moved fifteen-million art kits. He even spawned some successful imitators, most notably Bob Ross, whose show “The Joy of Painting” ran on PBS from 1983 to 1994.
Believe it or not, you can still buy Gangy’s kits today, complete with the gum eraser many of us ate.
It’s impossible to know just how many artists were inspired by Gnagy’s show, but here is a quote from someone who was. Andy Warhol said, “I watched his show every week and I bought all his books.” -Bobby Ellerbee
I remember seeing him that Emerson B&W TV and getting his learn to draw set.
Thank you, Bobby.
I had one of his drawing sets.
Every Sunday morning we would watch “Learn to Draw”, and “The Horn & Hardart Children’s Hour, with Ed Herlihy” (‘Less Work for Mother’)…on WNBT, before going to church. I remember going on the NBC Tour, and seeing his (and Tex Antoine’s) set-ups/easels at 30 Rock…
“If you can draw these four basic shapes……..”. I can still hear the organ music that started the show.
I don’t see any happy little trees in that picture.
Loved his show, still on a stick figure level…
My favorite program was Mr Wizard in the mid to late ’50s. I recall that Gnagy came on afterwards. Intriguing, but very frustrating to me as I’m Dyslexic and couldn’t draw to save my life. (Later on as a camera op, I’d get a call to pan left and move the camera left… “No, the other left.”)
I also watched the syndicated program and my parents got me his art kit.
I remember him!!! He could draw a picture before you eyes. I was always so jealous, I couldn’t do that then and I still can’t.
I had no idea. Watched him as a little kid in Cleveland on WJW.
I ordered his art kits when I was a kid from his “Learn to Draw” show. Didn’t know of his earlier endeavor until now.
At the time they were not afraid to take risks in prime Time
I often wonder how he felt about Ernie Kovacs’ lampooning of him on “The Ernie Kovacs Show”? 🙂