Early Market Strategy
"......Regency president Ed Tudor figured out that with the cold war
going on at the time, and with the fear of a nuclear attack (A.K.A.
"The Bomb") from USSR, the transistor radio was going to become an
essential life survival item. He projected sales of at least 20
million sets in three years" ref: Enrico
Tedeschi, UK radio historian
Should a nuclear attack hit your neighborhood, simply 'Duck and Cover' 
hear how to Duck & Cover. Then, with your Regency TR-1 in hand, tune-in to one of the Civil Defense stations designated by the tiny red triangles at either 640 or 1240 kHz on the tuning dial.
view how to Duck & Cover - YouTube video
A Change in Market Strategy
As Regency progressed in the market place, upscale consumers were targeted. An ad in Holiday magazine reads rather humorous by today's standards......."He Drives a 300 SL, She Charges at Cartiers, He's a Letterman in His Junior Year/They All have This in Common/A Winter Vacation with a Regency Radio." ref: M. B. Schiffer
Dallas' Neiman-Marcus ran an ad in 1956 featuring the TR-1 as a fashion accessory for graduation and Mother's Day. Colors were presented as......."Petite model eased in black plastic $41.98. Or colorfully in ivory, red, green, grey or mahogany plastic $52.20. Very chi-chi one in jeweled iridescent sky blue, pink, orchid or pearly white plastic $67.58, white leather carrying case $2.00. Prices include tax and batteries."ref: DALLAS TIMES HERALD, April 22, 1956, pg E-8.
Regency Goes HOLLYWOOD
Movie producer mogul Michael Todd
(husband of Elizabeth Taylor in the mid-fifties), placed Regency
TR-1's in gift books to commemorate his movie "Around the World in 80
Days."
View some of these radios below - click 'back button' to return:
* Shirley MacLaine's TR-1, Steve Reyer web site http://people.msoe.edu/~reyer/regency/shirley.jpg
* British actor Trevor Howard with TR-1 , Steve Reyer web site http://people.msoe.edu/~reyer/regency/Trevor_Howard.jpg
* Arthur Miller's green TR-1, Kaczowka collection at http://www.oldradios.com/radios/trans0.htm
front view http://www.oldradios.com/radios/todd5a.htm
inside view http://www.oldradios.com/radios/todd5.htm
binder case with radio inside http://www.oldradios.com/radios/todd0.htm
TR-1 in gift case http://www.oldradios.com/radios/todd2.htm
2005 DreamWorks movie "The Ring Two": The Daily Astorian newsroom hears the police report on a Regency E-106 scanner about the fate of "The Ring's" next victim. Naomi Watts on the far right, follows-up with the investigation (Watts was also the female lead in "King Kong" in the same year).
.......
Regency Rocks on Aussie Stamp
In 1998, the
Australian Post issued a series of stamps to commemorate Rock 'n Roll
songs of the 50s, 60s and 70s. The Regency TR-1 was illustrated on a
stamp that featured the 1970 hit "Turn Up Your Radio" by the group
Masters Apprentices. The song was considered one of the great
Australian rock anthems. The radio was supplied from the collection
at The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney. Australia
Post web site. information provided by Bruce Barnett
The portable transistor radio is credited with advancing rock 'n roll into the American culture. Quote PBS
program, Transistorized,
"Now that kids could listen to music out of earshot of their disapproving
parents, music became more daring and revolutionary." The timing was
right, and in 1954, Bill Haley's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" and soon to
follow, "Rock Around the Clock" hit the charts, along with Elvis'
first record, "That's All Right."
But this success was something that the transistor radio inventors had not anticipated nor were pleased about. When Regency co-founder John Pies' children became teenagers, it was common to hear "turn that music down" barked at the Pies household. Nobel prize winner (for co-inventing the transistor), Walter Brattain, complained that his only regret for inventing the transistor was that it stimulated rock and roll.
Roger McGuinn and the transistor radio
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist Roger McGuinn of The Byrds was featured in the History Channel's program 101 Gadgets that Changed the World where he discussed how the transistor radio inspired him.
Roger McGuinn got a Regency TR-1G transistor radio for his 13th birthday. Quote McGuinn: "I only had the radio for a short time before I heard Elvis; it was a game changer for me". And on his 14th birthday he got a guitar. McGuinn: "It's hard to say whether or not I would have done what I do now if it hadn't been for the transistor radio…I really loved it, it was my favorite gadget...I think it was why rock 'n roll got so big".
hear Roger McGuinn (his voice starts 48 seconds into this audio) Ref:
History Channel's program 101 Gadgets that Changed the World
Pictured on record album cover - Roger McGuinn, David Crosby (later with Crosby, Stills and Nash), Michael Clarke ?or? Gene Clark and Chris Hillman
________________TR-1 and the Electric Guitar________________
While the Regency TR-1 amped up rock 'n roll in 1954, another product hit the market in the same year for those creating the music...the Fender Stratocaster guitar. The iconic 'Strat' was pushed into fame by artists such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly and others. The Jensen speaker company had already built speakers for Fender amplifiers in the early 1950s; and in '54, Jensen developed the tiny speaker that went into the TR-1.
The chic gadget magazine, T3, published a montage of hot gadgets in 1954 that included the Strat and the Regency TR-1. Click here to view the full-sized illustration and the magazine cover.
The two-tone '58 Strat in the photo to the right was purchased by Regency co-founder, John Pies, in the mid-'60s, and given to his son. Pies' personal TR-1 is shown sitting on the amp. Click photo to enlarge.
Two Elegant Designs
BBC's John Ousby caused quite a stir in 2005 when he posted this picture on the internet. Quickly, accusations were made that Apple had based the iPod design on the TR-1. But in reality, it's highly unlikely this claim merited any truth. What was likely was that both Apple and Regency based their design successes on the proven principle of 'Simple Elegance' and not flashy trim. Click here to view the BBC News piece covering this controversy.
For the record: In 1954, Regency hired the Chicago firm, Painter, Teague and Petertil, to design the plastic case for the TR-1.
For Inquiring Minds
Much has been written about the origin of the transistor - was it humans, or was it space aliens? Here are some keywords to continue the search.
KEYWORDS: alientel.com, Roswell, American Computer Company, AT&T, Jack Morton
What were the Visionary Companies Doing at the Birth of the Transistor in 1947?
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