John Ratzenberger's Made in America

John Ratzenberger's Made in America

2004
★★★★☆ 8.0/10
📺 5 Seasons
🎬 90 Episodes
📅 Ended
🌐 EN
⏱️ 22 min/episode
Documentary
John Ratzenberger's Made in America is an American documentary television series hosted by John Ratzenberger. The series premiered January 6, 2004, on the Travel Channel. Ratzenberger visits various American manufacturers, taking the show's viewers along on the tours and showing how various everyday items are made. The show has visited a variety of factories, including Crayola, Airstream, Yankee Candle, Samuel Adams Brewery, Ruger, Delta Faucet Company, and Rodgers Instruments.

Seasons

Season 1
2004 • 20 Episodes
First stop is Nashville, Tennessee, home to the guitar company, Gibson. John chats with country music stars Steve Earle, Dan Seals and Joe Diffie, who all swear by Gibson. Seals and Diffie -- whom John meets with at The Gibson Bluegrass Showcase -- even perform an original song that Seals wrote in honor of their guitars. Later, John heads to the Gibson rough mill, where he sees a Les Paul Supreme (named after the legendary guitarist) being constructed. At the mill, John is given a tour by manager Tom Montgomery, and watches sander Matt Branch, neck-setter Jimmy Wright, waxer Brenda Reid, airbrush artist Rebecca Green, buffer Rich Coleman and tuner Jay Thompson in action. Next stop is Oaks, Pennsylvania, where flag outfit Annin & Co. is located. John chats with V.P. of Manufacturing Carter Beard and flagmaker Gerry Miller, assists with the carrying of a giant flag, makes a bungled effort to sew a star pattern, and provides instructions on how to handle a flag the patriotic way. Finally,
Season 2
2004 • 19 Episodes
First stop is the Yankee Candle factory, located in the small town of Deerfield, Western Massachusetts. John talks with Yankee's V.P. of Manufacturing, Art Rubeck, and joins the factory's employees on the assembly line. John also visits the nearby candlemaking museum, where he chats with museum associate Michelle Held and learns how bee's wax candles are mass produced, before dropping by one of Yankee's outlets to discuss candle scents with Fragrance Committee Chairman Bob Nelson. Next stop is Shelton, Connecticut, where Shelton's Better Packages are manufactured. Co-owner Phil White and Director of Sales and Marketing Ken Backman demonstrate how water-activated packing tape is stronger and safer than plastic tape. After John gives a history lesson on Wonder Bread, it's back to the Yankee Candle factory, as he partakes in employee Chris Curtain's farewell party after 18 years on the job. Last stop is John's hometown, Bridgeport, where he meets up with his buddy, Kay Williams, a boating
Season 3
2005 • 20 Episodes
Season 4
2007 • 21 Episodes
Season 5
2008 • 10 Episodes

Crew

Writer
Aaron Tippin

Network

Travel Channel