Stockton Helffrich

Stockton Helffrich (October 23, 1911 – February 2, 1997) was a progressive activist who worked for NBC for twenty-seven years, holding several positions such as: script reader, script division from 1934-1935; assistant manager and then manager in the script division and literary rights division from 1935-1942; manager of radio/television Continuity Acceptance Department, 1942-1955; and Director of Continuity Acceptance Department from 1955-1960.

Career with NBC Helffrich was one of the first men to be chosen to wear the distinct NBC page uniform. He was a member of the first class of "The Long Blue Line." Early NBC page members were required to dress in a dark-blue, double-breasted uniform that had six brass buttons, gold braids worn on the right shoulder, epaulettes, circular gold markings at the base of the sleeve, and white flannel trousers. These original NBC page uniforms were based on the ones worn by the U.S. naval ensigns.

As early as 1948, Helffrich wrote of his concern about violence portrayed on television, especially about the portrayal of sensitive topics such as killings and suicide. He felt the latter was highly suggestive to any viewer, and decided that the network's program department should avoid similar themes of suicide methods.