The Very 1st "TV Guide" Was Published Today With Infant Desi Arnaz Jr on the Cover - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 04-03-2010, 08:58 AM

April 3rd, 1953 - "TV Guide" was published for the first time. The cover was a photo of Lucille Ball's infant Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV

catlover79 · 04-03-2010, 10:30 AM

MickeyMac · 04-03-2010, 12:47 PM

Nice!

I would love to have an original copy of that.

Benno123 · 04-03-2010, 08:11 PM

Every now and then a copy appears on Ebay for a reasonable price. About 10 years ago I bought an original "Issue 1" from a seller on Ebay for undr $200, and the magazine was in almost near mint condition except for one staple was kind of rusty (not bad) and someone had marked a few TV shows they wanted to watch with a pen. Besides that, all complete, no mailing label.

MickeyMac · 04-04-2010, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benno123

Every now and then a copy appears on Ebay for a reasonable price. About 10 years ago I bought an original "Issue 1" from a seller on Ebay for undr $200, and the magazine was in almost near mint condition except for one staple was kind of rusty (not bad) and someone had marked a few TV shows they wanted to watch with a pen. Besides that, all complete, no mailing label.

Nice!

TV Knowledge Fan · 04-07-2010, 03:02 AM

...was originally intended to be an "exclusive" for another magazine. A TV GUIDE representative met with Desi in his office a few weeks before the premiere issue, practically begging him for a picture of Desi, Jr., telling him it would help the magazine's initial circulation. Arnaz officially told the man that he'd already promised "another magazine" the exclusive rights for his son's picture. However, he had a number of different "proofs" from the photo session (which yielded the picture) scattered on his desk. Desi informed the rep that he was going out for a brief smoke, strongly hinting that when he returned, if one of those "proofs" were missing from his desk, he wouldn't notice. The rep took the hint....and that's why the picture wound up on the cover of the magazine. And it did help TV GUIDE to become the national magazine it once was.

Today, it's a pale imitation of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (with some of its ex-staffers working for the magazine), featuring "programming grids", "Hollywood fluff", "fan magazine/tabloid mentality" stories, and self-promotion for key Fox TV series [News Corp., Fox's "overlord", still owns a majority stake in the publication after almost 22 years]. "TV Guide" is more of a "brand name" these days, anyway, with their cable channel (which, also owned by News Corp., is about as effective as the magazine is) and online website. I stopped buying it years ago. I only thumb through it on occasion....

Zoneboy · 04-07-2010, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Knowledge Fan

...was originally intended to be an "exclusive" for another magazine. A TV GUIDE representative met with Desi in his office a few weeks before the premiere issue, practically begging him for a picture of Desi, Jr., telling him it would help the magazine's initial circulation. Arnaz officially told the man that he'd already promised "another magazine" the exclusive rights for his son's picture. However, he had a number of different "proofs" from the photo session (which yielded the picture) scattered on his desk. Desi informed the rep that he was going out for a brief smoke, strongly hinting that when he returned, if one of those "proofs" were missing from his desk, he wouldn't notice. The rep took the hint....and that's why the picture wound up on the cover of the magazine. And it did help TV GUIDE to become the national magazine it once was

This is certainly news to me, Where did you hear about it?

TV Knowledge Fan · 04-08-2010, 02:08 AM

...I read about that in a book concerning the history of Desilu, 'zone'- I believe it was the one by Coyne Steven Sanders and Tom Gilbert....

04-03-2010, 08:58 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	The Very 1st "TV Guide" Was Published Today With Infant Desi Arnaz Jr on the Cover April 3rd, 1953 - "TV Guide" was published for the first time. The cover was a photo of Lucille Ball's infant Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV Attached Images
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04-03-2010, 10:30 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382
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04-07-2010, 03:02 AM	#6
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	The cover on the first issue... ...was originally intended to be an "exclusive" for another magazine. A TV GUIDE representative met with Desi in his office a few weeks before the premiere issue, practically begging him for a picture of Desi, Jr., telling him it would help the magazine's initial circulation. Arnaz officially told the man that he'd already promised "another magazine" the exclusive rights for his son's picture. However, he had a number of different "proofs" from the photo session (which yielded the picture) scattered on his desk. Desi informed the rep that he was going out for a brief smoke, strongly hinting that when he returned, if one of those "proofs" were missing from his desk, he wouldn't notice. The rep took the hint....and that's why the picture wound up on the cover of the magazine. And it did help TV GUIDE to become the national magazine it once was. Today, it's a pale imitation of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (with some of its ex-staffers working for the magazine), featuring "programming grids", "Hollywood fluff", "fan magazine/tabloid mentality" stories, and self-promotion for key Fox TV series [News Corp., Fox's "overlord", still owns a majority stake in the publication after almost 22 years]. "TV Guide" is more of a "brand name" these days, anyway, with their cable channel (which, also owned by News Corp., is about as effective as the magazine is) and online website. I stopped buying it years ago. I only thumb through it on occasion....

04-03-2010, 12:47 PM	#3
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,006	Nice! I would love to have an original copy of that.

04-03-2010, 08:11 PM	#4
Benno123 Jenna Fischer Rocks My World!! Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,036	Every now and then a copy appears on Ebay for a reasonable price. About 10 years ago I bought an original "Issue 1" from a seller on Ebay for undr $200, and the magazine was in almost near mint condition except for one staple was kind of rusty (not bad) and someone had marked a few TV shows they wanted to watch with a pen. Besides that, all complete, no mailing label.

04-08-2010, 02:08 AM	#8
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	...I read about that in a book concerning the history of Desilu, 'zone'- I believe it was the one by Coyne Steven Sanders and Tom Gilbert....