The Detrola Radio & Television Corporation was an American manufacturer of radios. Founded in Detroit in 1931 by John J. Ross, Detrola became a brand of affordable radios in the midst of the Great Depression. They may well have been the world's most prolific manufacturer of private brand radios for department stores and small retailers, likely building sets under more than 100 different brand names. The company also manufactured large quantities of radios under the Truetone name for Western Auto and Silvertone brand for Sears. Popular models were the "Super Pee Wee" and "Catalin 281" known for being cheap economy sets. At the company's height in 1936, Detrola claimed to be "The sixth largest radio manufacturer in the United States" and had about 1,000 employees, and sales representatives i