Polaroid camera commercials from the 70s with James Garner and Mariette Hartley

Woman here. Can't see what's offensive in this. Cute ad poking fun at stereotypes about women, but obviously with Hartley as the rep for feminism. Both she and Garner are charming.

I wish I could live back in 1979 for about 12 hours, so I could breathe again.

100% agree, R1. It's a sweet ad with two people who are (in the ad) fundamentally nice and obviously fond of each other.

I'm so tired of everyone being so fucking angry all the time.

I remember actually looking forward to these commercials with the two of them lightly and fondly teasing each other. Never thought I'd have any fond memories about the late 1970s other than high school graduation and leaving for college. OK, and maybe SNL and David Bowie.

Hartley & Garner had an updated Hepburn & Tracey-like chemistry that has stood the test of time, even when the product has faded from dominance. They are utterly charming.

I always liked them as a kid. I didn't get the "chemistry" part of it - they just always seemed funny to 6 year old me.

I was in my teens and looked forward to their commercials. Polaroid did a good job of keeping the commercials updated every few weeks so you didn't get bored. They had great mutual charm -- you either wanted them to be your parents or your friends.

or your friends' parents

"I can have a thousand women here in an hour..."

...because James Garner is here.

The great Doyle Dane Bernbach ad agency, who also did Volkswagen, Alka-Seltzer, Avis.

I remember many (most?) people thinking the two were a couple in real life -there was so much chemistry.

Marietta Hartley and James Garner were delightful.

James Garner found out they were going to pay Mariette Hartley less than and let her know before she negotiated her contract so she would get paid the same as his.

James Garner was SUCH a cool, affable guy. Always loved him.

They should have done a sitcom together playing a married couple. I always loved Garner, and I never understood why she didn’t have a bigger career-she is relatable.

Mariette Hartley almost replaced Jane Pauley as co-host of The Today Show.

I was four/five years old when this ad campaign ran and I loved it and was very sad when I found out they weren't together.

I was a senior in college when these were on. I was always baffled as to why two famous actors were appearing as a couple on a TV commercial when they were not a couple.

I think it was one of the few times this was ever tried. An anonymous couple of actors playing a couple is common but for two celebs appearing “as themselves” it didn’t make sense to me. yes they were cute, anyway.

Didn’t she guest star on The Rockford Files first and that was how they were established as a high chemistry duo? I think that was the origin of this pairing. Or then she guested after the ad campaign. She definitely guested at one point on The Rockford Files.

Of course, she guested on everything in the ‘70s but yes, 8th of January 1980, one episode, Paradise Cove: “Jim's Malibu neighbourhood becomes the site of a treasure hunt for a stash of gold bullion, stolen fifty years earlier.”

Apparently they were already known for the ad campaign and she guest starred on this highly-rated Season 6 opener. I remember there being a bit of buzz around this at the time. It’s probably on YouTube somewhere.

Remember her bisexual made for TV drama "My Two Loves"? It had a great scene where her Mom, played by Sada Thompson, walked in on her making out with Lynn Redgrave. "You're kissing her LIKE A MAN!", she cried.

James Garner was the man. Read his autobiography. Such a cool thoughtful guy. He said his wife chuckled when people found out she wasn't Mariette Hartley. They were pissed.

R20, If I had a nickel for everytime I said that...

Found it on YouTube, R20. I'll check it out.