August 17 in A.A. History

1958: Henry Berton “Bert” D. married Hazel Martin in Saline, Arkansas. In October 1935, Hazel would give birth to a daughter, Dorothy Sue, who, tragically, would die of acute enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine, usually caused by ingesting food or drink contaminated with pathogenic microbes) a few days before her first birthday. Bert and Hazel would remain married until Bert’s death in 1970, and together, they would found Harbor House [right: logo], a treatment center in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1962.

In 1976, Harbor House would publish a biography of Bert, titled Bert D.: Hardhat, Inebriate, Scholar [far left: 1st edition cover], written by Al S. [near left, 1947]

A.A. History—month & day unknown

1956: The American Medical Association (AMA) recognized alcoholism as an illness. In the words of one doctor, Marvin A. Block, M.D. [left, 1959], who was a member of the AMA’s Committee on Alcoholism:

A resolution was brought before the House of Delegates of the AMA urging all general hospitals throughout the country to admit alcoholic patients to their general medical floors. This resolution had been approved by the Council on Mental Health and the Board of Trustees. It was imperative that if physicians in training were to understand the problem, that patients with the diagnosis of acute or chronic alcoholism must be admitted without prejudice to general hospitals. The resolution was unanimously passed by the House of Delegates. This represented a tremendous victory. The largest medical organization in the world had now recognized alcoholism as a disease which warrants admission to general hospitals for those suffering from it.

The AMA defined alcoholics as:

those excessive drinkers whose dependence on alcohol has attained such a degree that it shows a noticeable disturbance or interference with their bodily or mental health, their interpersonal relations, and their satisfactory social and economic functioning.

1956: WWJ-TV in Detroit, Michigan, launched a program titled “Mr. Hope.” Featuring Alcoholics Anonymous members wearing Lone Ranger masks [right], the show gave members a chance to share their personal stories while preserving their anonymity. After its debut, A.A.’s Detroit headquarters was flooded with phone calls and letters from people seeking more information. Broadcast Sundays at noon, the program included appearances by Bill B. (who remained sober as late as 1998), the Detroit police commissioner, and several local judges.

The program was one of three from WWJ-TV nominated for a 1956 George Foster Peabody Award

[left], widely considered the most prestigious honor in electronic media.

1956: Bill W. and Eve M. from the General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous appeared as guests on the popular Martha Deane Show, an interview and entertainment program that aired on WOR radio [left: WOR radio and TV Tower, North Bergen, New Jersey, c. 1956] in New York City from 1934 to 1973.

The 45-minute show was broadcast daily at 10:15 am and was hosted by Marian Young Taylor ^* [right], who was the last of three women to use the persona of “Martha Deane.” Taylor is known for having interviewed over 10,000 guests, including many prominent figures, some of whom made headlines on her program. She has been described as “the most famous female journalist almost no one remembers.”

The interview, during which neither Bill nor Eve disclosed their last names, began…

Ms. Deane:	I agree to abide by the rules of Alcoholics Anonymous. But Bill, co-founder of A.A. is here. Good morning, Bill!
Bill W.:	Good morning to you! Thanks very much for having us on the air with you.
Ms. Deane:	I’m glad you’re here too.…

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^*The three hosts of the Martha Deane Show were (1) Mary Margaret McBride, who began in 1934 but left to start her own radio show on CBS; (2) Bessie Beatty, from 1940, up to the time that (3) Marian Young Taylor took over in April 1941. She became the longest-running host, continuing until her death at age 66 on 9 December 1973, spanning more than 32 years. In the film Bill W. by Dan Carracino and Kevin Hanlon, she was portrayed by Laura Kauffmann.