(CBS)

Since the earliest days of moving pictures, the Murphy bed – you know, the disappearing kind – has played a starring role.

From Abbott and Costello . . . to 007 . . . and Laverne and Shirley.

Gene Kolakowski, who runs the Original Murphy Bed Company on Long Island, says nobody really gets stuck in them. “Only in Hollywood,” he laughed.

“There’s a lot of jokes about that. But, no, it’s impossible for the bed to go up. You have to put it away manually.”

The company’s been making the floor-mounted steel beds since it was started by William Lawrence Murphy in 1900 near San Francisco.

Family legend has it that Murphy was pursuing a young lady but dating rules back then wouldn’t let him bring her up to his one-room apartment.

“He was a tinkerer, inventor, and he came up with the idea, ‘If I could put the bed away then she can come into my living room,” Kolakowski said. Genius!

“And it’s only a bedroom when she leaves – that was the concept, and that’s what got him started.”

That idea helped Murphy invent and patent the mechanism that would make him famous. What makes the Murphy bed the Murphy bed is really the mechanism.

Murphy soon moved his company to New York – a booming city where every inch of space counts.

Bed historian Robyn Einhorn is with the Smithsonian in Washington. She says owning one of Murphy’s designs became a status symbol.

“People would move into these hotels in New York and they would have a suite which would include a Murphy bed, so they could pick up the bed and have a parlor,” Einhorn said.

New York University student Dustin Kreitzberg lives in one of those old hotels. The 1929 building is now apartments, but still has a handful of original, creaky Murphy beds, from their heyday in the 1920s.

“Yeah, it’s super nice,” Kreitzberg said.

“And how do you sleep on it?” Altschul asked.

“I sleep wonderfully, it’s super-comfortable, and I always have a good night’s sleep to be honest,” he said.

In the 300-square-foot studio apartment, the bed frame is a relic from a different time, but the design idea endures – providing two spaces that fit into one.

“It’s completely true,” said Kreitzberg. “I can entertain people with a nice living room and then when I’m ready to go to sleep I can pull it down and I have a wonderful bedroom.”

And these days, he’s not alone. Murphy beds are hip again.

Fancy hotels like the St. Francis in San Francisco have them in their suites. Bed stores sell expensive high-end units. There are automated Murphy beds, futuristic Murphy beds . . . even one for Dido.

And they’re not just for apartments.

For Ivy Fahrer, a Murphy bed was appealing when she built her whimsical, five-thousand square foot house in Westchester County, New York, even though it has six bedrooms. She showed us her king-size Murphy bed.

“By having a Murphy bed that retracts, I have exactly what I wanted – an all-purpose utility room for all reasons,” she said.

Fahrer had the Original Murphy Bed Company build the $20,000 unit she designed, complete with metal finish. Her friends and family all have the same reaction.

“They absolutely love the bed,” Fahrer said.

William Murphy probably wouldn’t have imagined making beds like that 100 years ago, but no doubt he’d be proud of his invention that’s saved so many so much space.

… and along the way, given us plenty of laughs.

Click here for original story.

Keith Belair (middle), More Space Place Franchisee. Marty Juarez (left), COO and Bob Wood (right) Chairman & C

Survey respondents mentioned three fundamental character traits that make veterans exceptional franchisees. First is their tenacious work ethic – the ability to hang in there in the face of adversity, as franchising is not always a walk in the park. Second is their sense of self-discipline and focus, because running a successful business doesn’t allow one to be easily distracted. Third is their ability to follow directions and inplace systems, since it is absolutely critical that franchisees follow the franchisor’s time-proven systems.

Exceptional examples of veteran franchisee success include More Space Place franchisee Keith Belair, an Army veteran who has won every corporate award offered by the company, and Jeff Anderson, from the Marine Corps, who is a successful 8-year franchisee of Window Genie.

Jeff Anderson, Window Genie Franchisee.

The determinants of what we consider the “best” franchises for veterans include: 1) the overall program offered to veterans; 2) the percentage of veterans among existing franchisees; and 3) the percentage of veterans among a company’s senior management ranks.

It is interesting to note that the presidents of two of the 50 Top companies are in fact veterans themselves. Mary Thompson, President of Mr. Rooter, a Dwyer Group franchise brand, and Joe Lindenmayer, President of TSS Photography, both indicated that their experience as Marine Corps officers was an invaluable element in their future success.

Among the 50 Top franchisors, the incentives offered to prospective veteran franchisees often include a significant reduction in the franchise fee, where most offered at least a 20% reduction. Other franchisors waive or significantly reduce royalty payments for extended periods. Still others offer special inhouse financing of the investment, a discount on the initial order from the franchisor, a Grand Opening allowance or any number of creative ways to entice and reward servicemen for their sacrifices.

Mary Kennedy Thompson, President of Mr. Rooter

While these front-end inducements are extremely inviting, it is critical that prospective franchisees not focus solely initial shortterm savings. It is absolutely essential that each franchisor’s entire franchise program be evaluated from every angle. Is their product/service viable over the long-term, do they have a competitive advantage, do they provide superior initial training and on-going support, would existing franchisees make the same decision to invest today if they had the opportunity, are franchise fees and royalty fees competitive within the market segment, etc. Due diligence is fundamental to long-term success. For more information about the franchise programs offered by the 250 survey respondents, please visit www. Franchises4Vets.com. Jeff Anderson, Window Genie Franchisee. Keith Belair (middle), More Space Place Franchisee. Marty Juarez (left), COO and Bob Wood (right) Chairman & CEO 50 Top Franchises for Military Veterans COMPANY INTERNET AAMCO