By the 1960s, television had begun to interest itself widely in the documentary form. Modern techniques and a more intimate style of presentation became increasingly popular. In the spirit of much of that decade, social and environmental issues came to the fore. We see such developments in THE MINERS’ STORY, produced in 1964 by WCAU-TV, Philadelphia. The film is narrated by actor Jack Palance, who had grown up in the region. As a document of terminal industrial decline, it emphasizes both the human and the environmental toll on the region taken by the lengthy mining of coal. Similar issues are taken up in THE INVISIBLE MAN, produced in 1961-62 by WRCV-TV, Philadelphia. The film follows Burton Hiram White, the last of five generations of Welsh-American miners. His story is that of an individual who has “become invisible in broad daylight,” of a man who has lost his identity in the industry’s decline. Though the narration places great store on methods of rehabilitation through retraining and relocation, as well as on material support via state welfare programs, the overriding mood, as in THE MINERS’ STORY, remains one of loss, regret, and an uncertain future.
About the presenterPhilip Mosley
Philip Mosley is Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Penn State University - Worthington Scranton. He has published widely on literature and film including, in 2006, ANTHRACITE! AN ANTHOLOGY OF PENNSYLVANIA COAL REGION PLAYS.