Vintage TV Cigarette Advertising

[Jim Wynne]

Beginning in 1971 in the U.S., cigarette advertising on TV was banned by an act of congress. Up to that point though, it seemed that cigarette ads were everywhere on TV, often using celebrities and sports figures as endorsers.

I just ran across a site called Tobacco Videos that has a lot of old TV cigarette ads, dating as far back as the late 1940s. One of my favorites is this one that shows the intro (and Pall Mall ad) from Lee Marvin's late-fifties "M Squad."

Note that a lot of the dates and descriptions are wrong. For example, there's a Lucky Strike ad that's described as, "Luckies taste better. Cleaner, fresher, smoother" Humphrey Bogart type is interrogated by Bob Newhart, sings Lucky Strike jingle." It is Humphrey Bogart, and I don't know how anyone could mistake Jack Benny for Bob Newhart.

No matter, it's fun and interesting to see the old ads, and especially how, towards the mid-sixties, the push on "Low tar" cigarettes begins.

[Sidney Vianna]

And much like the anthropogenic impact on climate change discussion currently, (the Tobacco) Industry and their corrupted pseudo scientists vehemently denied, for decades, science supporting the correlation between smoking and lung disease/cancer, nicotine level & chemicals manipulation to enhance addiction, etc...

[Jim Wynne]

Originally Posted by Sidney Vianna

And much like the anthropogenic impact on climate change discussion currently, (the Tobacco) Industry and their corrupted pseudo scientists vehemently denied, for decades, science supporting the correlation between smoking and lung disease/cancer, nicotine level & chemicals manipulation to enhance addiction, etc...

Yes, but let's not travel down the "controversial" road here, please.

[Wes Bucey]

I suspect folks who use a term like "Humphrey Bogart type" have no direct memory of ANY Humphrey Bogart performances and have only seen comics imitating Bogart and some of his characteristic mannerisms. Bob Newhart and Jack Benny are both from the Chicago area, with Midwestern accents, and used pauses effectively in their comic routines. Other than that, they were both "challenged by a paucity of hair follicles" middle-aged white guys when they were at the height of their fame.
Added in edit:
I note Humphrey is wearing one of his more obvious hairpieces in the referenced commercial.

[Furby]

very cool! I'm in to the whole "vintage" era. I might be using these commercials in an upcoming project