Netflix Documentary: Bathtubs Over Broadway

Okay, that was exceedingly weird.

In the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s a bunch of industrial companies, like Westinghouse, Ford, American Standard, Coke, ball bearing manufacturers, you name it, put together elaborate Broadway-style musicals with singing and dancing and some name brand stars, to energize their sales forces. These productions were never meant to be seen or heard by the general public, but the companies put huge budgets -- bigger than Broadway in many cases -- behind them and the performers made good money on the “industrial circuit.” By and large they disappeared without a trace after they played once or twice to company conventions.

This guy, Steve Young, a production assistant on the Letterman show, got interested in them and started collecting soundtrack albums, unearthing 16mm film, contacting the surviving performers. He loves these kitchy shows about sinks and faucets and washers and dryers.

I thought MY hobbies were weird.