The Show 'n Tell was a toy combination record player and filmstrip viewer manufactured by General Electric from the 1950s to the 1970s.

"NOW see for yourself how this educator acclaimed audio-visual education unit can increase the daily learning experience of your child. Your four year old can operate! Nothing to thread or line up on this combination sceren, projector and record player. Case and screen of high impact plastic. This fun-while-learning unit keeps a child self-occupied for hours. Full Color pictures appear automatically on the big 10" screen with synchronized sound from unbreakable vinyl records. Each filmslide-record program is stored in a durable hard cover jacket."

It resembled a television set, but had a record player on the top. Records and slides (called Show'n Tell Picturesound programs) were sold for it in combination. The slide strip, which was a flat plastic key 8 inches long containing a strip of 16mm color film, was inserted into the top of the device. As the record played (typically telling a story), the slide strip, through which the images were projected on the screen, would automatically advance to illustrate it.

The mechanism by which the slide advanced was purely mechanical, and was based on the rotation of the turntable, so proper operation required manually spinning it a few revolutions before beginning the presentation.

It also functioned as a standard record player, able to play 16, 33.3, 45, & 78 RPM records through its built-in speaker.

The Show 'n Tell was also sold as the Show 'n Tell Phono-Viewer by CBS Toys, in the early 1980s, under the brand name "Child Guidance." These devices, which were drastically redesigned from their earlier version, only had two speeds (33.3 and 45 RPM), and couldn't play full 12" LPs. However, the Phono-Viewer could optionally move the projected image off the built-in screen and onto an outside surface (such as a wall or screen).

show n tell phono viewer

Licensed film strip and record packages were produced for many different children's properties, including Disney and Sesame Street.

Show N Tell value and price guide

What's your 'Show N Tell' worth? Here are some recently sold items (Canada):

Picture Title Date sold Price
Black Red Gold And Charcoal Saddle Pad 05/2019 C $ 528,06
Teal Black And Charcoal Saddle Pad 05/2019 C $ 528,06
Ge Phono Viewer W Original Stand 19 06/2019 C $ 167,11
Working Show'n Tell Phono Viewer Record 04/2019 C $ 40,09
Helen Kish Riley Mib Nrfb 05/2019 C $ 118,98
See all sold items for more prices

Show N Tell forum (4 comments)

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Dani - February 22, 2019

where can i find parts for my show n tell
►reply: I think the fastest way is to get a broken one for parts, try here: Show-n-tell parts. I also found a repair video on youtube: Shown n tell repair.

Jim - January 5, 2018

Hi,i need a belt for my 1964 show n tell. can anyone give the size of the belt? apparently somebody fixed it with a rubber band (long since decomposed) and i am looking for the size of oring (or other flexible belt) that i could use as a replacement.i saw one for sale for 19.95 or something and that is pretty steep for a belt that small.
►reply: Not sure, but maybe this YouTube video can help.

Carrie - December 16, 2016

I need a needle(stylus) for Model 51995. I have a Show'Tell and several records and stories.Thank you,Carrie
►reply: Nice! There are still parts for sale, some are interchangeable. Check out: Show 'n tell stylus to look for a stylus.

Blenda - February 25, 2013

I have a gabriel show'n tell picturesound program and we can,t get the record player to go can you help us with this our Grandchildren would love to play with it.
►reply: Couldn't be too hard to get it going I guess. If the player hasn't been used for a long time, then there is a good chance the rubber belt of the record player broke or 'crumbled' due to age. I don't have one myself so I can only suggest opening the record player carefully and take a peek inside, or ask the help from a handy neighbour or friend. Sometimes the belt can be replaced with a simple elastic band.