2 Responses to “Exhibit: Vintage Sponsor Spots”

1. Barry I. Grauman Says:
   August 27th, 2009 at 11:14PM

   Well, I can tell you- now that I FINALLY have access to this exhibit, after “technical difficulties” were ironed out- that these “sponsor billboards” were quite common until the early ’70s, and they did appear after the opening title and just before the closing credits {sometimes, AFTER the closing credits as well} of most filmed TV series.
   Where to begin? At random, I guess:

   “THE TWILIGHT ZONE” was primarily sponsored by Liggett & Myers’ Chesterfield in the 1961-’62 season [Colgate-Palmolive was their "alternate sponsor" that season, but dropped out at the beginning of 1962, with "participating sponsors" filling out the alternate weeks until the series was temporarily shelved at the end of the season, as in the example above of the sponsor I.D. for Carter-Wallace's Arrid Cream Deodorant "sustaining" the show one week in '62]. Rod Serling even delivered a plug for Chesterfield at the end of his “next week’s preview” [and Maureen knows this, as she's seen the entire episode WITH the Chesterfield commercials].
   In the 1963-’64 season [when the series reverted back to a half-hour from the previous hour-long season], it was primarily sponsored by American Tobacco’s Pall Mall (but Rod didn’t “plug” the brand at the end of the episodes, because he insisted on NOT doing so, I believe; he still had a cigarette between his fingers at times, because American insisted on it), with Procter & Gamble the “alternate sponsor”. During the closing credits, a pack of Pall Mall or several of Procter & Gamble’s products [Crest, Prell, etc.] appeared in the lower-left hand corner of the screen (eliminated in syndicated prints, of course), as this was the custom of most sponsors at that time to remind viewers exactly WHO was paying for the privilege of bringing “their” show into your living room.

   “ROUTE 66″ had two primary sponsors, who sponsored half of each episode: General Motors’ Chevrolet division (one reason why Tod and Buz tooled around in their Chevy Corvette every week), and Philip Morris’ Marlboro {”You get a lot to like in a Marlboro/Fillter, Flavor, Flip-Top (or, pack or) box”} (and now you know why some people during the episode often “lit up” as well).

   “THE PATTY DUKE SHOW” was primarily sponsored by John H. Breck, Inc., makers of Breck shampoo and hair care products [and Patty (and her "twin") often appeared in an "integrated commercial" for Breck at the end of the episode]. Today, Breck products are marketed by the company behind Dollar Tree stores {Greenbrier Int’l.}, primarily available in those stores.

   The weekly “DISNEY” anthology had several sponsors over the years it was on network TV; Derby Foods, the makers of Peter Pan Peanut Butter, was one of the first (way back in the “DISNEYLAND” era), and continued to be one of their “rotating” sponsors at the time of the above 1960 “WALT DISNEY PRESENTS” sponsor I.D. [Dick Wesson, announcing]. Luden’s was also a “participating sponsor” in the 1960-’61 season, the last on ABC before Walt moved his “franchise” over to NBC in the fall of ‘61, as “WALT DISNEY’S WONDERFUL WORLD OF COLOR”, for new co-sponsors RCA and Eastman Kodak.

   “THE MONKEES” had two sponsors: Kellogg’s [the primary one] and Yardley Cosmetics [the "alternate"]. The boys appeared in “integrated commercials” for both at the end of the show, and the sponsor’s products originally appeared in corners of the closing credits as well.

   “RAWHIDE”, “LARAMIE”, “THE DEFENDERS”, “SHINDIG!”, “KAREN”, “WHERE THE ACTION IS” and “SECRET AGENT” had “participating sponsors”: in fact, I’ve also seen the closing Pillsbury I.D. [different announcer] at the end of a concurrent 1966 “LOST IN SPACE” episode as well. However, “SHINDIG!” had several “regular” sponsors, in which Jimmy O’Neill [and the "Shindig" dancers] often did “integrated” spots for: Sterling Drug’s Stri-Dex, and the American Dairy Association.

2. Barry I. Grauman Says:
   August 28th, 2009 at 9:41PM

   Just to give you an example of how “billboards” were an integral part of a TV series, here’s how a “typical” 1961-’62 episode of “THE TWILIGHT ZONE” unfolded:

   1) opening title
   2) episode teaser, with Serling introduction
   3) first billboard- “‘THE TWILIGHT ZONE’- brought to you by…”
   4) first commercial [one minute]
   5) act one of tonight’s story
   6) first transition featuring show title [five seconds]
   7) second commercial [one minute]
   8) act two, with Serling’s coda
   9) second transition, with title- “Rod Serling, creator of ‘THE TWILIGHT ZONE’, will tell you about about next week’s story…after this word from our alternate sponsor.”
   10) alternate sponsor’s message [one minute]
   11) “And now, Mr. Serling”; Rod delivers a preview of next week’s episode, AND a brief “plug” for Chesterfield, if they were the primary sponsor of the episode.
   12) second billboard-”‘THE TWILIGHT ZONE’, has been brought to you by…”
   13) closing credits
   14) sponsor’s tag; when Liggett & Myers was the primary sponsor, they often had James Arness remind viewers, over a “GUNSMOKE” title, to watch his show Saturday night, “over most of these stations” [L&M was their primary sponsor that season]
   15) production tag over “CBS eye wallpaper” {”‘THE TWILIGHT ZONE, Produced by Cayuga Productions, in association with the CBS Television Network”}
   16) network I.D.

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