Henry Ford on PBS
- Thread starter Dick C
- Start date
Sid the Maineiac
Well-known member
I watched it and thought it was a very good depiction of his life. Made me feel badly for his son Edsel who never got much respect from his father and died young from stomach cancer.
51 MERC-CT
Well-known member
Mark Slight
Senior Member
Excellent!
As a Henry Ford Trade School graduate I had the privivege of being in three of the assembly plants mentioned in the film. The Piquette Plant near West Grand Blvd. in Detroit, Highland Park Plant,in Highland Park now in runes and the Ford River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, home of the Henry Ford Trade School.
I was amazed to learn it took 10 years to build the River Rouge Pant!
The River Rouge plant first assembled some kind of attack boat for the U.S. Navy during WW1, before automobiles.
It was very accurate as far as I could tell. I also felt sad that Edsel died at 49 years old.
Mark HFTS1018
As a Henry Ford Trade School graduate I had the privivege of being in three of the assembly plants mentioned in the film. The Piquette Plant near West Grand Blvd. in Detroit, Highland Park Plant,in Highland Park now in runes and the Ford River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, home of the Henry Ford Trade School.
I was amazed to learn it took 10 years to build the River Rouge Pant!
The River Rouge plant first assembled some kind of attack boat for the U.S. Navy during WW1, before automobiles.
It was very accurate as far as I could tell. I also felt sad that Edsel died at 49 years old.
Mark HFTS1018
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blucar
Well-known member
I have seen the H. Ford program before, I think it was on PBS about five months ago..
In some respects the content of the program was not very kind to H.F. It has been well documented that he was a dictator of the first order, however, that is life, the easy going big hearted "play boys" Wm Carpo Durant and David Dunbar Buick are perfect examples..
Having owned my own business for over forty years, I can a test to the fact that given the chance, some employees will steal anything that is not bolted and/or welded down... I disliked time clocks with a passion, yet, the smartest thing I ever did was to put time clocks in my facilities.. Sure did stop a lot of arguments.. The same thing was true of vehicle logs, covering fuel consumption and mileage.
I guess we can be thankful that H.F. was so dictorial. He insisted that his dealers carry ample parts to service the vehicles they sold... This insured that many vehicles would survive for future generations to enjoy..
I learned a long time ago that "if everyone is saying what a nice guy Bill is, lookout you're on the verge of bankruptcy".. However, if the general opinion is that you're a tyrant, things are good...
In some respects the content of the program was not very kind to H.F. It has been well documented that he was a dictator of the first order, however, that is life, the easy going big hearted "play boys" Wm Carpo Durant and David Dunbar Buick are perfect examples..
Having owned my own business for over forty years, I can a test to the fact that given the chance, some employees will steal anything that is not bolted and/or welded down... I disliked time clocks with a passion, yet, the smartest thing I ever did was to put time clocks in my facilities.. Sure did stop a lot of arguments.. The same thing was true of vehicle logs, covering fuel consumption and mileage.
I guess we can be thankful that H.F. was so dictorial. He insisted that his dealers carry ample parts to service the vehicles they sold... This insured that many vehicles would survive for future generations to enjoy..
I learned a long time ago that "if everyone is saying what a nice guy Bill is, lookout you're on the verge of bankruptcy".. However, if the general opinion is that you're a tyrant, things are good...
meteor
Junior Member
This was the 3rd time I've seen this documentary. I enjoy watching it. Like many great men, Henry had many serious personal flaws. Obviously he never intended to give up any control of his company to anyone. Investors were only invited to join and share the profit Henry had "left over" after paying the bills, paying labor and reinvesting in the business. It was his way or the highway. I don't think that was really any surprise to the people who took the time to know how he viewed things.
My takeaway was the Ford Motor Co. was very good for our economy and the average family who now could afford the mobility only the rich enjoyed. Think about the new jobs created in the steel industry, oil industry, tire & rubber, etc. etc.. Anything related to producing a car saw increased demand. I wonder how things would be today if Ford had not taken the US auto industry to the next several levels he pushed it to.
Appears to me that the closer you were to Henry's success the more you had to deal with his flaws. So investors and employees had to deal with him in order to share in his obsession (and wealth) or simply "go away". At some point, Edsel's loyalty to his Dad became unreasonable and eventually fatal. If I were Edsel I would have pulled out when Henry cancelled Edsel's "hole in the ground" project. Then I would have converted to Judaism just to piss him off some more..........lol.
My takeaway was the Ford Motor Co. was very good for our economy and the average family who now could afford the mobility only the rich enjoyed. Think about the new jobs created in the steel industry, oil industry, tire & rubber, etc. etc.. Anything related to producing a car saw increased demand. I wonder how things would be today if Ford had not taken the US auto industry to the next several levels he pushed it to.
Appears to me that the closer you were to Henry's success the more you had to deal with his flaws. So investors and employees had to deal with him in order to share in his obsession (and wealth) or simply "go away". At some point, Edsel's loyalty to his Dad became unreasonable and eventually fatal. If I were Edsel I would have pulled out when Henry cancelled Edsel's "hole in the ground" project. Then I would have converted to Judaism just to piss him off some more..........lol.
keith oh
Well-known member
Maybe I missed it but there was hardly any or little mention of the great accomplisments of the 30s, such as building an economical mass produced V8 engine that was changed very little for 25 years and we all are very fond of to this day. The comparison to Hitler is hardly fair considering that FMC built more second WW equipment than any other company in the USA.
What's interesting is, in history, H.F.'s view weren't that uncommon (please don't misconstrue-I'm not saying they are right).
What made it news worthy as the how his words were accepted as gospel by the common man. Like one of the historians said, many took it as truth just because H.F. said it.
Even with in all of his vanity, I don't H.F. fully realized, or accepted, the power he had over people.
Rock Hornbuckle
Well-known member
H.F. was a true narcissistic megalomaniac. Traits that usually promote success. He obviously new nothing about industrial psychology. Although his natural engineering ability achieved much success. As with most people that have achieved great success with something (Model T) it is difficult emotionally to leave it behind and move on.
keith oh
Well-known member
My God, I guess I must be the only one that remembers the great Fords of the 30s and 40s. Speaking of moving on, I would say that, as I mentioned before, designing the affordable V8 engine was quite a move forward along with a little V8 very popular in Europe's small cars. Ford's sidevalve 6 would compete with any engine of its size. Also Ford Ferguson was the first to come out with a hydroylic drawbar equipment tractor that was far ahead of the other mid sized economical farm tractors. I think maybe Left leaning public brodcasting ( that is supported by mostly government money) be a lot more truthful in thier programs.
BrianCT
Well-known member
I think you would find that PBS gets very, very little gov. money.
It is mostly foundations and private individuals, including myself
Keeping politics out of the disscussion.......
The HF that started out building the Model T and the HF of later years are almost like two totaly different people.
As his company got bigger he became more intrusive into the live of all those around him including his huge work force.
One of the best quotes that I heard about HF was from I belive one of the Dodge Bros. It was something to the effect that the biggest mistake that HF ever made was believing his own press clippings.
It got to the point where he felt that he had to voice his opion in regards to every thing that went on in the world. If he had stuck to doing what he knew best history's view of him would be quite different.
The HF that started out building the Model T and the HF of later years are almost like two totaly different people.
As his company got bigger he became more intrusive into the live of all those around him including his huge work force.
One of the best quotes that I heard about HF was from I belive one of the Dodge Bros. It was something to the effect that the biggest mistake that HF ever made was believing his own press clippings.
It got to the point where he felt that he had to voice his opion in regards to every thing that went on in the world. If he had stuck to doing what he knew best history's view of him would be quite different.
nelsb01
Well-known member
Hey, did anyone catch the copywrite at the end? It said 2013. So those of you that said you have seen it 3 times or more, must have paid the $29.95 and own it. This show was aired in January of this year, and I guess you could have been lucky and had it repeated by your local PBS station.
If you want to learn more about Henry Ford, I suggest you join the Henry Ford Hertiage Association. www.hfha.org
If you want to learn more about Henry Ford, I suggest you join the Henry Ford Hertiage Association. www.hfha.org
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blucar
Well-known member
Before I stated my own business, I worked for a company for almost fourteen years that was owned by a man very similar to Henry Ford.. The owner, Jim, was a Russian immigrant to the U.S. during the early 1920's.. He went to work for the "company" shortly there-after. During the Great Depression the company went broke.. Jim had nowhere to go so he slept in the storeroom while he tried to find work to support himself..
Through Jim's hard work and good business sense, he built the company into the largest of it's type in the U.S., Fifty-eight branches scattered across the country.
Jim was ruthless, yet he was very fair, if you did your job, you were well rewarded.. I never drove my own car to work for fourteen years, always had a company car...
The company had two big motto's; "everyone is expendable, and the real big one, what do you do with an old pair of shoes?"..
I can truthfully say that my fourteen years with the "Company" made me a better man, preparing me for the future and the success that my own company enjoyed..
Strong people like Henry Ford is what built the U.S., sure he had his faults, don't we all, however the pluses out weigh the minuses...
Through Jim's hard work and good business sense, he built the company into the largest of it's type in the U.S., Fifty-eight branches scattered across the country.
Jim was ruthless, yet he was very fair, if you did your job, you were well rewarded.. I never drove my own car to work for fourteen years, always had a company car...
The company had two big motto's; "everyone is expendable, and the real big one, what do you do with an old pair of shoes?"..
I can truthfully say that my fourteen years with the "Company" made me a better man, preparing me for the future and the success that my own company enjoyed..
Strong people like Henry Ford is what built the U.S., sure he had his faults, don't we all, however the pluses out weigh the minuses...