Ruth Lyons: First Lady of Television is a documentary exploring the life and career of the woman who reigned for nearly two decades as America's highest-rated daytime TV personality. Carol Channing, John Davidson, Phyllis Diller, Phil Donahue, David Letterman, Johnny Mathis, Peter Nero, Oscar Robertson and others offered personal recollections and anecdotes about Lyons' influence on their careers, along with comments on her TV dominance during the 1950s and 1960s. The project also unearthed long-lost video, audio and photographs from original telecasts of Ruth’s “50-50 Club” (1949-1967), including appearances from Bob Hope, Tony Bennett, George Carlin, Oscar Peterson, Bob Newhart, Liberace, and Peter, Paul and Mary. First Lady of Television received a standing ovation at its public premiere on December 15, 2011; four days later, WLWT-TV preempted NBC programming to present the documentary as a two-hour primetime special. Cincinnati Enquirer media critic John Kiesewetter gave the program “an A+ on all counts,” finding it “worthy of a national audience on PBS or The History Channel...In a word, this is perfect.” DVDs of the show were briefly available at United Dairy Farmers convenience stores; overwhelming public demand resulted in a total sellout after only 10 days. UDF turned over all proceeds to the Ruth Lyons Children’s Fund, the charity established by the entertainer in 1939.
In July 2012, Ruth Lyons: First Lady of Television received six Emmy Awards from the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences: Documentary - Nostalgia Program (David Ashbrock, Mark Magistrelli); Writer - Program (Mark Magistrelli); Editor - Program (David Ashbrock); Photographer - Program (Ric Hine); Director - Post-Production (David Ashbrock); Musical Composition/Arrangement (Dave Powers). Although the website www.RuthLyonsDVD.com can still be accessed, First Lady of Television remains out of print. However, copies occasionally surface on Amazon Marketplace, commanding prices of $75 or more. Credits: Ruth Lyons: First Lady of Television (MoonDream Media, 2011). Produced by David Ashbrock and Mark Magistrelli. Written and created by Mark Magistrelli. Directed and edited by David Ashbrock. Director of photography: Ric Hine. Musical Adaptation: Dave Powers. Host and narrator: Nancy James. Running time: 101 minutes.