Made by Cinecraft in 1954 for both consumers and the sales force, A FAN FAMILY ALBUM promotes the line of fans made by Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company with a focus on the innovations made in the late 1940s and 1950s. Made in an era before air conditioning when fans were extremely important, the movie is hosted by a group of “hot” swimsuit wearing models. The film begins with a brief history of the company and George Westinghouse’s invention of the electric fan in 1890 (he received a patent in 1892 — the same year that Nikola Tesla did). The fan was one of the earliest electric appliances ever created and took many forms. Electric fans were soon followed by electric toasters and coffee makers. Desktop fans were soon followed by ceiling fans (4:05), fans with guarded blades, whole room fans such as the Mobilaire (10:38) and improved fan motors that did not require the presence of an oil cup for lubrication.
At 11:32, the new “air jet vanes” fan is shown, the Whirlaire, which comes in counter and pedestal models. The Whirlair has “air jets” that drives an air stream forward like a Fresnel searchlight lens directs light forward. At 12:49 the oscillating, low cost Lively Aire is shown. At 13:20, the Debonaire hassock model is shown. A table model is shown at 14:00 with matching serving tray. At 14:18 the 1952 Window Fan is shown which can be removed from the window to become a floor circulator. At 15:00 the Riviera fan is seen which is “four fans in one” — a room circulator, an exhaust fan, and hassock fan all in one. At 16:50, a new kind of window fan is shown — the “Big Twin” window fan, which features overlapping blades. The Riviera 15 is shown at 18:50, an improved Riviera “air jet” fan that is called “revolutionary”.
At 20:04, a 16mm film projector is seen with a variety of sales films promoted including “Taking the Hot Air Out of Fan Selling”, etc.
The film ends with a parade of beautiful women promoting Westinghouse fans over the years. The swimsuits shown run the gamut from conservative 1890s full body suits to bikinis and one-piece suits. The women sing a special song about Westinghouse fans to encourage the sales force to — sell!!
George Westinghouse, Jr. (October 6, 1846 – March 12, 1914) was an American entrepreneur and engineer who invented the railway air brake and was a pioneer of the electrical industry, gaining his first patent at the age of 19. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for much of his career, Westinghouse was one of Thomas Edison’s main rivals in the early implementation of the American electricity system. Westinghouse’s electricity distribution system, based on alternating current, ultimately prevailed over Edison’s insistence on direct current. In 1911 Westinghouse received the AIEE’s Edison Medal “For meritorious achievement in connection with the development of the alternating current system.
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