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The manpower shortage of World War II necessitated the entry into the workplace of millions of women, many of whom had previously been denied employment on the basis of their gender. Because most of these women took jobs in defense plants, they were given the en masse nickname "Rosie the Riveter" (remember that classic Norman Rockwell painting?) The 60-minute documentary The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter combines black and white newsreel footage with color-filmed interviews of five "Rosies": Wanita Allen, Gladys Belcher, Lyn Childs, Lola Weixel and Margaret Wright. Disinclined to parrot the wartime propaganda concerning female defense workers, these women tell it like it was: harassment, discrimination, the whole shooting match. Despite any and all deprivations, the "Rosies" remain proud of their wartime accomplishments, both immediate and long-ranging. Since its original release in 1980, The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter has become a perennial attraction during local Public Television telethons.