1950 Hoffman Easy View Television

Hi everyone! Happy to have found you guys. This is my first collectable TV. I have been collecting pottery and everything else, but nothing like this.

I picked it up in Galt, California at a garage sale. The person said that it was the second TV purchased in Galt in mid 1950. A big thing. He said that there was a newspaper person out but I have not researched that yet.

Since I do not have a clue as to what to do first, I cleaned it. I know, I know I can't help it, I am a woman. I was careful and just dusted it out inside. I removed and numbered the Sylvania and GE tubes and reinstalled them. I plugged it in, played around with the knobs and the Sony antenna, and I have sound No picture.

I tried to add pictures, inside and out, but I need to read up on that before I try again. Also, while I was looking for info on this TV I found a little background, gossip sort of a story about Hoffman TV Company. Here is what I found: Crane found that filming his sexual exploits was a wonderful way to relive them – and his interest in keeping such records led to his friendship with John Carpenter. Thin-lipped, long-nosed, and sporting thick black hair, Carpenter was of three-quarters Native American heritage and one-quarter Spanish. Carpenter had suffered a severe emotional loss in 1936 when he was only 8 years old. His father had left his mother. Dad did not bother to visit his growing son who was to see him only once more, in 1950.

The fatherless boy was sent to California’s Morongo Reservation to go to school when he was not yet a teenager. He tried to make a few dollars by picking apricots after classes. It was hard, physical work but the huskily built John had the muscles for it.

He married when he was 18 years old. The marriage produced a son. John went into the army and served in Korea, where he was made a tank commander.

Carpenter and his first wife divorced in 1952. Three years later, in 1955, he married Diana Tootikan. He discovered a talent for electronics when he went to work for television set manufacturer Hoffman Easy Vision in 1949. He made use of that talent when he later worked for Lear Aviation, then Hughes Aircraft, installing radios in planes.

How would I go about finding out exactly what he did at the company and if he had anything to do with the making of my TV?

Here are the numbers that I could get off of the TV: Chassis by 155 case number Aooo993 - Made on January 5, 1950 and the big square thing on the left has 5020 on it. I also have the original stand.

Any help would be great and I am planning to sell it

[peverett]

I have also heard the story about Carpenter and Hoffman on TV during a show about Bob Crane. Hoffman is still in business today as Hoffman Video Systems. Their website is:
http://www.hoffmanvideo.com

They possibly could provide information about what Carpenter did, I am sure that they have been asked by others. Go to the "About Us" tab to see Hoffman Easy vision TV pictures.

[polaraman]

California is a hot spot for pottery. Franciscan, Metlox-Vernon ware, Miramar, and many others. I have a large collection of Franciscan wares. Welcome to TV land.

polaraman