Vintage TV Commercials with Hollywood Stars

Here’s DL’s Goddess:

Vivian Vance for Maxwell House Instant Coffee.

Joseph Cotten for Bufferin, plus an ugly little girl selling toothpaste

Jane Withers (and Robby Benson) selling Comet cleanser

Margaret Hamilton for Maxwell House, with David Caruso

Patricia Neal - Maxim Coffee.

Her rich, basso voice commands attention. She’s lovely.

What was it about old Hollywood broads and coffee?

Joan Crawford for Mt. Dew (probably on the soundstage for Trog).

June Allyson for Depends

Agnes Moorehead for Coffee Mate

Jane Russell, that 'full figured gal"

Campbell's Soup commercial with Jimmy Stewart's voice.

Carol Channing for Litter Green

I wonder whom Agnes Moorhead is referring to when she says, "So now we use Coffee Mate at home!" She never married or lived with a romantic partner, at least that I know of.

Oppenheimer Funds, with Gene Hackman's voice:

Peter O'Toole for, believe it or not, Pizza Hut:

R13, She was twice married.

1981

1978

I'm not sure why she always looked so pissed off in the 80s. (Was it that Miami Vice-inspired pastel lighting?) She really needed Yvonne to help her select some more appropriate clothes for working out.

^ oops....

I'm not sure why she always looked so pissed off in the 80s. (Was it that Miami Vice-inspired pastel lighting?) She really needed Yvonne to help her select some more appropriate clothes for working out.

Diane Keaton puts in 5 miles a day, just being a mom. She needs her deodorant to go the distance.

R13: The royal "we"; she could play haughty enough to use it.

FLAVAH!

With this post, I'm pretty sure I win the thread.

Henry Fonda and Jodie Foster for GAF Viewmaster

Cant have R24 without:

Farrah Fawcett has to borrow Penny Marshall's shampoo, Head and Shoulders. She wonders if it's good to use on her "gorgeous hair".

R27, I posted that at R24.

I always felt bad that such a lovely woman and a brilliant performer like Rosie did commercials but, hey, we all got bills to pay.

The chicken’s got a certain Wessonality 🎶

Penny Marshall and Rosie O'Donnell for K-Mart

“Zsa Zsa sends me”

Samantha Eggar, for RCA Color Trak

Many a gay boy in 1976 memorized her every inflection and nuance in this.

John Travolta for Mutual of NY

4 out of 5 movie stars use Lustre-Creme shampoo.

“You’ll come back now, you hear?”

A pre-fame Marilyn for Union Oil's Royal Triton:

AMC Javelin, with Richard Dreyfuss and Vic Tayback:

Marilyn Monroe for Royal Triton Gas

OJ running for a boxy 1970s sedan for Hertz, on his way to a date!

Ben Affleck 1989

R13

See another thread; AM was married twice.

By "we" AM could also simply mean herself and household staff, this or when she has guests, parties, etc...

Mark Ruffalo double zapping his zits

Young and hot Stanley Tucci for Levis jeans.

TMI Bryan Cranston. TMI

Elizabeth Montgomery for Clairol Kindness hair setter.

John Goodman for Foot Locker

A very young John Travolta in a Band-Aid ad, lathering up in the shower with the boys. I'm sure he had to do a lot of research for that role!

Oh Rob!

Vickie Lewis for Cascade!

R50, wasn’t that Teri Garr also?

Another John Travolta ad. In this one he's a sad twink with a dead daddy!

Brad Pitt for Pringles

Peggy Lee for Halo

Brad Pitt for Levis

Louis Jourdan for Halo

Doris Roberts in her first television commercial (IIRC) for Glade air freshener.

He later stated in interviews she was able to buy her first apartment from money she got off these commercials.

Up your nose with a rubber hose R54, see R35

Another Halo shampoo ad, this time with a young Carol Lynley

r54, r40, r27, don't make me sic the READ THE FUCKING THREAD!-troll on your ass; it's not as if you have to scroll through 500 posts.

Leo DiCaprio for Kraft Free Singles

Paul Masson will sell no wine before it’s time.

Robert De Niro in some car commercial:

R59 and many others....

Those commercials would cost a small fortune today which is why they are no longer done that way. From full orchestra, then classically trained singer, and finally scale pay rates for a star like Louis Jourdan would make for a substantial bill.

Until rather recently however trained musicians could make decent extra money doing studio sessions for commercials. That has largely dried up now sadly...

Diana Ross and her sweaty stinky armpits advertising Arrid Extra Dry.

Kevin Costner and the dog from "Flashdance" for Apple MacIntosh (directed by Ridley Scott)

Ricardo Montalban - Rich Corinthian Leather

My brothers and I drove our parents crazy intimidating these commercials.

I miss the days when commercials had jingles. I'm glad to hear that Folgers has recently brought back it's jingle, "The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup."

Sorry, directed by Adrian Lyne, not Ridley Scott

Linda Evans - Forty isn't fatal!

[quote]Young and hot Stanley Tucci for Levis jeans.

Bruce Willis, from the same campaign:

Brenda vaccaro for Playtex tampons.

Why is she gasping for breath after every line?

The story of Corinthian leather is a favorite of mine. Corinthian leather was Chrysler leather.

From Wikipedia:

[quote]Much of the leather used in Chrysler vehicles during the era originated from a supplier located outside Newark, New Jersey.

R75, because she’s got a huge tampon stuck in her twat.

Meredith Baxter Birney, America's favorite lesbian for L'Oreal hair color

Beyonce , Feria Hair Color by L'OREAL

Orlando Bloom and Kate Beckinsale (sorry for the bad quality)

Yes, that was Teri Garr in the Band-Aid commercial at R50.

Ann Miller

Betty White for Kodacolor film!

AnnE for Better Homes:

Supremes Wig Collection

The Bruce Campbell thread reminds me:

RM tells David Letterman how Corinthian leather came to be.

R73

That commercial could only have been shot in California and IMHO represents style of wealth out west which is (IMHO) different from out east.

Whenever am out there staying with friends who are natives am constantly being corrected as to what is a "New York thing".

Maybe because it is (or was at least) cold here much of the year commercials don't feature manicured lawns and so forth.

Obviously wealthy guy waiting for Linda Evans also reminds me of difference between rich guys out west versus east I've noticed same thing when watching films or television programs shot in California in 1970's or 1980's. Guess they are what Margaret DeLorca refers to as "old California up to their necks".

"I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV." 1984. Vicks Formula 44 cough syrup commercial. (According to Mental Floss.)

Chad Everett in the parody of r89:

Linda Gray (pre-fame) for L'Eggs

"It was TERRIBLY embarrassing.. but the little rascal was right!"

Joyce DeWitt (during her fame) also for L'Eggs.

"JOYCE!!!... You've got a great pair of L'Eggs!"

Victoria Principal for Jhirmack

Miss Angie Dickinson and Burt Bacarach for Martini & Rossi, on the rocks.

^^ Oops. This one.

R78 she really should have been the last person to do hair color commercials. Even watching her on Family Ties when I was 8 years old, I could tell her hair was a very obvious dye job (and not highlighted, dyed). It always looked like yellow straw.

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!

Ann Blyth for moist snack cake

Lauren Bacall for the beef industry

Sandy Duncan - Wheat Thins

Mamie van Doren, Aqua Velva

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Pop Tarts

International film star Rula Lenska!

Orson Welles - Zip Quick Cherry Crisp

There are really two categories of these types of ads: The first is when an then-unknown actor who later became famous worked in a commercial playing a part. The second is when a well-known celebrity appears as him- or herself, sometimes going so far as to imply endorsement of the product. There's a third, sort of hybrid, where you have a well-known actor playing a part and not him- or herself.

Dustin Hoffman for Volkswagen.

Nancy Quan shilling for Pearl Cream

That's Kwan to you R107

Orson did a lot of silly crap for the money, didn't he?

Here’s Susan Sarandon.

Ann Sheridan for Lustre Creme

Pedo Stephen Collins for Folgers

Susan Sarandon again!

Deborah Kerr for Yardley's Old English Lavender Soap (1976). One person comments on Kerr's tv ad for Black Magic Chocolates but I can't find a copy of it although I do remember seeing it.

Polaroid Camera - James Garner & Mariette Hartley. I loved those commercials!

Marietta Hartley - Nestle Chocolate Chips

James Dean and Gig Young promote safe driving.

And James Dean for Pepsi! (Was he personally auditioned by Mrs. Steele?)

Here's a whole bunch.

Ben Affleck for Burger King

Too lazy to look for a link right now, but Kim Basinger did a "Body on Tap" shampoo ad before she was famous

"Those hands he holds are soft as can BEEEEEEEE..."

R98 You and your snake cakes, get out before I kill you!

R122 Did Sondheim write those lyrics?

Tigress cologne- because men are such ANIMALS!

Noxema with Farrah and Joe Nameth

Phyllis usin’ her snatch to sell power tools

Madame X for Mitsubishi

I can imagine this blowing my mind as a young gayling

Andie MacDowell (and her old accent) for Calvin Klein jeans:

...and Martha Plimpton:

...and the infamous Brooke Shields one:

Paul Stanley of Kiss, for Foldgers

James Brown pimpin' miso noodles

Sharon Stone for Finesse

Kim Basinger for Maybelline Kissing Potion

Cybill Shepherd for Cover Girl

Does television commercial work pay higher rates for actors, or is it just standard scale? Are residuals better from say a commercial than a sitcom?

DL fave Susan Dey!

Charles Bronson for Mandom cologne -- how is this not a DL fave?

By the way, it only aired in Japan.

Was Bronson big in Japan?

In some talk show appearance, Diane Keaton mentioned that she was able to live in New York for en entire year on the earnings from that deodorant commercial.

r21

The Flintstones were big Winston smokers!!!

Light up, little Billy and Susie!!!

Little Billy: "But look mommy, Fred Flintstone smokes these!!" Mom: "Okay, fine. I'll get you a carton for your birthday."

Ali McGraw and the Polaroid Swinger...

Andrea Martin’s perfect send up of Brenda Vacarro posted up thread.

R212 Andie MacDowell recently spoke about that commercial, which was a true life story, and another about a 9" dick (at 2:12), which obviously didn't make the cut.

Oops, r146 is meant for r130.

It's funny to not see her "acting". She's such a stiff on screen.

Here’s a subdued Brenda Vaccaro, for Playtex Tampons.

Joan Collins - wine commercial.

Miss Barbara Stanwyck - Maxwell House Instant Coffee.

Sir Laurence Olivier - Polaroid Camera.

R24 both dead now

*SOB*

Loretta Swift - MasterCard.

John Gielgud for Paul Masson wine

Because even legends have bills to pay!

After they had Linda Gray and Joyce DeWitt at R91 and R92 L'eggs ran out of budget....a few years later they hired one of the CBS soap stars that was a dancer.

Betty White - Tastykake - a Philadelphia classic.

[quote]R10 Jane Russell, that 'full figured gal"

I wonder how they hit upon calling it “the 18 hour bra”. Was there a study, where shrieks of pain only began after that?

Who wears a bra for 18 hours?

Shelley Hack -“Charlie” perfume. Those commercials were glamorous and sophisticated. Mel Torme sings in the background, too. They were marvelous commercials.

LIZA hawks METROPOLIS

FAYE hawks THRILL

Orson Welles has difficulty with frozen peas

....and wine.

The Dance Mix

R143 You have to remember that The Flintstones started out being marketed, not as a kid's show but the first "adult" cartoon, similar to how The Simpsons and South Park would be viewed later.

Courtney Cox (allegedly the first person to say "period" on TV)

I like that the lady behind her’s doing squats. How apropos.

CZJ for Visa

^ I was only 12 when I filmed that commercial

Bette Davis for GE dishwashers...

And now you're a RAVISHING 35, R169!

Victoria Chase for Mrs Lady Pants

DL fave Patty Duke....and Cathy, too!

Sheena Easton

Farrah Fawcett Shampoo

I'm Dick Butkus and plugging holes is my business!

Cindy Crawford and Little Richard. I remember people making fun of Cindy's singing!

The other stewardess with Sarandon was P.J. Soles Norma in "Carrie"

How does anyone not watch that Ann Miller soup commercial and not smile?

[quote]R178 The other stewardess with Sarandon was P.J. Soles, Norma in "Carrie"

Norma’s friend Chris Hargensen made a lot of commercials, herself.

British movie villains (Ben Kingsley, Mark Strong, and Tom Hiddleston) for Jaguar.

My favorite as a young gayling. David Naughton was so dreamy. I even emulated his outfit!

David with Mickey Rooney. There’s a team!

Charlie with Shelley Hack and the one and only Bobby Short.

Charlie with the Shelley Hack and the one and only Bobby Short.

Ms. Bacall for Norell perfume.

One of the most iconic commercials. Chanel No. 5 with voiceover by actor Len Cariou.

One of the pleasures of being a woman...

Jaclyn Smith - KMart collection

Jodie!

[quote]R185 Ms. Bacall for Norell perfume.

Take down that BITCH of an overbearing broad and put a Norell Girl where it OUGHT TO BE!

I also hawk hardboiled eggs.

#ReasonableRates #CallMe

Jeanne Crain for DeSoto

R192 Fantastic commercial. So glamorous and “It’s De-lovely”!

Wow ! I want to go right out and buy myself a DeSoto.

Can you imagine today's ADD addled audiences sitting thru full minute commercials nowadays?

No one watches traditional tv, anyway, so they're not sitting through commercials anyway

R196 Even with many streaming services you are still watching ads, that can't be skipped.

1957 was a terrible year for Chrysler products like the Desoto---new body styles that were rushed into production and had problems with rust, water leaks, etc.

Groucho was a big DeSoto spokesperson. They sponsored his quiz show, "You Bet Your Life."

Groucho, with Jeanne Crain, Gordon MacRae, Diana Lynn, and George Fenneman

[quote] George Fenneman

Why has no one has posted one of his ads selling his grill.

Chris Meloni eating a Burger King

Lucy & Desi... no cigarette hangover

I’m little Brooke Shields, taking off a band aid incorrectly.

Ray Bradbury for prunes!

Donna Reed hawking soup bowls and mugs

If anyone DESERVED celebrity, it was the Mind Sticker.

Unfortunately, it eluded her.

Dr. Pepper's Donna Loren!

Wow you had to buy 10 different kinds of soup to some plastic bowls.

I AM big...it's the PICTURES that got small.

"Hazel" cast for sponsor Ford with the new 1964 Ford Mustang.

Sean Young for Nuance

I'm Brooke Shields and I love Wella Balsam!

Connie Sellecca shilling perfume

Re: Brooke Shields, she wrote that Susan Sarandon really slapped her HARD in this scene, and they did several takes. You can see her face is already reddened when she leans in to say, “I’m gonna stay here.”

The angry, even look she gives Sarandon after the slap, with narrowed eyes, comes out of that. Unfortunately, you had to actually HIT poor Brooke to get her to act [bold]: (

They wanted to give Brooke a real reaction, that’s why Brooke’s face looks red and bloated. Sarandon slapped her so hard, that her teeth chattered.

I wonder if she left that day thinking, [italic]”Do I really want to be an actress??”

R217…yes, she did. But, it was the mother who pushed her to be an actress.

Rene Russo for Finesse

You’ll love your hair!