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2008 RoadOde.com
Just commercials...really old ones

Now available...ClassicTVAds DVDs

ClassicTVAds DVD Sets

Here's a brief description of what's on the DVDs. More information is on the Storefront page:

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We now have a limited supply of ClassicTVAds DVDs available for shipping. There are three volumes.

We want you to know exactly what is on the DVDs before you order. This is why we've created complete details on the storefront page. You can get there by clicking on the permanent link in the left menu on this page or by using this one: ClassicTVAds Storefront.

Our storefront is in partnership with Amazon.com, which is the safest, most trusted store on the Internet. You need a regular Amazon account. Your credit-card information is not shared with ClassicTVAds.com, and you will have all the usual protections that Amazon provides, including the A-Z Guarantee Protection. If you don't want an Amazon account, we will accept checks and money orders to the Post Office Box listed on the storefront page. ClassicTVAds will also honor Amazon's A-Z Guarantee for those who send us payment via the P.O. Box.

Please write to this address if you have any questions or concerns:

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Lyndon Johhson's Daisy Girl, Aired Once (August 8)

One, two, three, four, five, seven, six, six...

Daisy GirlAwesome, hard-hitting Democratic ad that aired only once, on September 7, 1964, and helped sweep Lyndon Baines Johnson into the presidency.

Apparently, this ad caused many a bent Republican nose, and was so controversial that it never aired again.

Times haven't changed much, except for the fact that the Democrats today are more like a collective bunch of panty-wastes. Perhaps they should revisit history by watching this ad again and again...and learn from it.

time 1:02 size 1.47 mb aired Sept 7, 1964

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Campbell's Soup and Sandwich (1962) (July 8)

Any time or weather, soup and sandwich go together.

Campbell's Soup and SandwichVery famous Campbell's soup jingle, a spinoff of Love and Marriage.

Campbell's always seemed to score with one famous jingle or theme after another. The "soup and sandwich" theme was a long-lasting one.

time 1:02 size 1.54 mb aired 1962

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Pepsodent with Lucy Arnaz (1970) (July 8)

Thanks, Marge. You've done it again...

Lucy Arnaz for PepsodentLucy Arnaz, daughter of Lucy and Desi, taking a break from Here's Lucy to do a sponsor commercial.

Arnaz, like everybody else on the later Lucy shows, tended to be uncomfortably loud...but, nonetheless, was still quite the looker.

time 0:33 size 802 kb aired 1970

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Camels with Vaughn Monroe (1948) (July 4)

How mild, how mild, how mild can a cigarette be?

Vaughn Monroe and the MoonmaidsCrooner, Vaughn Monroe and the Moonmaids made several commericals for Camel cigarettes. Monroe was a popular baritone vocalist from the World War II big-band days.

If you would like to read up on this group, there is a website dedicated to them at the Vaughn Monroe Appreciation Society.

time 1:04 size 1.54 mb aired 1948

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Crest Test (1962) (June 28)

Who comes home this happy about a test?

Crest TestLittle Jane Fuller just can't contain her excitement over getting 21 percent fewer cavities in her scientific "test".

I think that after three years, I'd like a grade a lot higher than 21 percent.

time 1:03 size 1.55 mb aired 1962

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Lustre-Creme Shampoo (Sandra Dee, 1961) (June 22)

...the star of the Ross Hunter production, Tammy, Tell Me True...

Sandra DeeRare TV ad featuring Tammy star and wife of Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee (1942 - 2005).

Lustre-Creme Shampoo was right up there in popularity with Halo Shampoo in the mid-1900s. It used to come in liquid form as well as a squeeze/paste tube.

time 0:32 size 784 kb aired 1961

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Summer Blonde by Clairol (1960s)

You know they won't know it isn't the sun...

Summer BlondeThis commercial is just so much fun!

Watch as those wacky summer kids illegally deface a billboard...and have fun at the same time! <giggle, giggle>

Features a spin-off of the '60s pop hit song, Come To The Sunshine, by Harpers Bizarre.

time 0:21 size 517 kb aired 1960s

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Hello

ClassicTVAds: Just commercials...really old ones, and a section devoted to a favorite Wizard of Oz star, Margaret Hamilton.

Margaret Hamilton for Maxwell House CoffeeThis site is designed for high-speed internet access only; 56k modems will not have a pleasant experience here.

If you are viewing the site through a proxy and/or firewall server, you may see broken images. ClassicTVAds and its parent site, RoadOde, are configured to prevent bandwidth theft. The broken image problem is a known consequence of these measures; nothing anybody can do about it. The videos on both sites, however, should still play properly.

Commonly asked questions

Q. I get a bunch of raw code when I try to watch a movie.
A. This site was designed for Windows Internet Explorer. Firefox and Netscape users will see raw code when they click on a video. As of March 27, all new videos appearing on the site will have options for Firefox and Netscape users (as you can see elsewhere on this page).

Q. Why are all of your images broken?
A. You are looking at the site through a proxy and/or firewall server; mechanisms are in place to prevent bandwidth theft from the site, and the broken image problem is a known consequence of this measure. I've experienced it myself, and, yes, it's not pretty.

Q. Are your ads for sale?
A. No.

Q. Do you know where I could find such-and-such an ad?
A. In all honesty, no. There are a few commercially available DVDs that contain ads (check Amazon.com); I know of no reliable sources. I don't recommend Web sites that charge admission.

Q. Do you have such-and-such an ad?
A. Infrequently, I do have an ad somebody is looking for. If that is the case, I'll put it on the site for everybody to see. I do not distribute custom ads on an individual basis.

Q. How do I download such-and-such an ad?
A. Look in your temporary internet files directory after watching one.

Q. The ads don't work; is something wrong with your site?
A. I usually know about any problems on the site. If the videos are not working for you, it is usually your configuration, your old browser, your slow connection, or your firewall that is at fault. This site is frequently tested using latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Netscape.

Kennedy Kennedy (1960) (August 25)

...old enough to know, young enough to do...

Kennedy KennedyJohn F. Kennedy ushered in a very short-lived era when the lower classes felt they were in control and that there was hope.

And wouldn't you just know that the usual cowards, the ones who work behind the scenes to kill anything and anyone that interferes with their desire for power, had deadly plans for JFK?

Here's JFK in happier times. Let's hope somebody else like him comes along real soon.

time 1:040 size 1.6 mb aired 1960

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GM's EV1 Electric Car (1996) (August 5)

How does it go without sparks and explosions?

EV1 by GMIf you haven't seen Who Killed the Electric Car?, please, buy it now. It exposes the most infuriating story you will ever see and hear about the electric car, about the Bush/Cheney administration, about Big Oil, and about GM.

The EV1 was a stunning all-electric vehicle that was test-marketed in California back in the late 1990s. Everybody who drove it praised it for its performance, looks, and speed. And then one day, in appareant backroom deals by the usual dark forces in our government and industries, the EV1 disappeared from the roads. Not only did it disappear, all of the EV1s were shredded by General Motors.

We have the technology to be completely independent of fossil fuels in our automobiles. And we don't have to settle for golf-cart styling. But then, none of this is new; the United States has been spoon-fed a pack of lies about our oil "needs" for several decades now, right after Jimmy Carter left office and Ronald Reagan took over (his first bone-headed move was to remove the solar panels from the White House).

The real story about the death of the EV1 will probably never be known. However, it's time to stop believing the lies about our future needs for oil. There are alternatives, and those options have been intentionally kept off the table by industries and people who stand to lose everything if the world no longer needs the dinosaur known as gasoline.

time 0:49 size 1.5 mb aired 1996

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Harry Belafonte for JFK (1960) (August 8)

As a negro, as an American, I have many questions...

Harry Belafonte for JFKYes, back in 1960, Harry Belafonte was just another "negro" and just another "artist". Here he is, sitting with John F Kenney, who was just another "Democrat".

Belafonte is a long-time activist and a staunch critic of the Bush regime. When he bad-mouthed the US's entry into the bogus Iraq "war" (make that "occupation"), he was further demonized by the demons on the right. At least he wasn't taken out permanently, like JFK.

Belafonte, as it turns out, has pretty much been correct about the Bush regime all along.

time 1:00 size 1.45 mb aired 1960

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Post Cereals (1960) (July 31)

Most any cereal is fine with me...

Post CerealsCatchy little jingle that aired during the Danny Thomas Show/Make Room for Daddy in the early 1960s. Each character in this ad represented one of the characters in the show.

Post and Kellogg's seemed to sponsor all of the wholesome family sitcoms in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Kellogg's usually had the better jingles, but this one by Post, although long forgotten, was one of its best.

time 0:22 size 536 kb aired 1960

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Dippity-Do (1968) (July 22)

Nothing holdsl like Dippity-Do!

Dippity-DoVery difficult to find commercial; especially one that has good audio. At one time, this ad and other versions were seen all the time. Then, Dippity-Do disappeared from the airwaves...and the stores.

A product by the same name is available through Amazon, but it's doubtful that it is the original product from the '60s.

time 0:32 size 783 kb aired 1968

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Polaroid Swinger, Ali McGraw (1965) (upgraded July 12)

It's more than a camera, it's almost alive...

Polaroid SwingerAward-winning Polaroid commercial from the mid 1960s, featuring Ali McGraw, future star of Love Story and wife of Steve McQueen.

Although this is the commercial McGraw is remembered for, she actually did more than one for Polaroid, including a holiday version. Look for that one here in the annual Christmas page at ClassicTVAds (November 2008).

time 1:01 size 1.45 mb aired 1965

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Helene Curtis' spray net (1959) (July 8)

Here's rhe picture on hair sprays...

Helene Curtis' spray netVery dated commercial showing the joy of naturally curly hair, including the ever-comical woman with her hair being "set".

You don't often see special effects in vintage ads, but this one employed quite a few.

time 1:03 size 1.50 mb aired 1959

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Kellogg's Special K with Dennis James (195?) (July 8)

My mother's favorite performer...

Kellogg's Special K with Dennis JamesDennis James, host of many '40s through '70s daytime game shows, was also the distinctive voice for Kellogg's.

Special K was always associated with low calories and diet food, but here the accent is on "protein".

time 0:57 size 1.36 mb aired 195?

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Boston Market with Keith Olbermann (1997) (July 5)

Eat something!

Keith Olbermann for Boston MarketElusive commercial with Keith Olbermann when he was a sports anchor at ESPN.

Apparently, this ad and another spoofed designer cologne ads at the time, which featured skinny, gaunt-looking models.

Keith Olbermann is currently one of the finest journalists (a dying breed) on any network...and Boston Market, though no longer in Oregon, is one of the best restaurants around in other states.

time 0:33 size 809 kb aired April 1997

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Winstons with the Flintstones (1960) (July 4)

You know I never smoke nothing else.

Winstons with the FlintstonesThere is something about seeing Fred and Wilma lighting up that just doesn't set right.

When it came to shamelessness, the cigarette companies knew no bounds. Sort of like oil companies today.

Here's a commercial that ran during the show, along with a "sponsored by" snippet at the end.

time 1:17 size 1.41 mb aired 1960

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Mr. Clean (1964) (June 28)

While all this really needed was Mr. Cleaning.

Mr. CleanRather far-fetched claims in this one.

Back in '64, paint was commonly oil-based. Yet look at how, after a "Mr. Cleaning", the paint just melts away from the corroded brush. Fudge anyone?

time 1:02 size 1.53 mb aired 1964

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Colgate Toothpaste (Dabney Coleman, 1961) (June 22)

More future sea captains...and their families.

Colgate ToothpasteHere he is again, this time with a different wife. It seems Dabney was in a lot of commercials in the 1960s.



time 0:32 size 798 kb aired 1961

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Remember these?

Vam Hair CreamVam Hair Cream

Actual tube from 1957. Smells horrible. Vam? Vegetable, Animal, Mineral. Comes with pamphlet: The whole Vam story (a Wildroot product).



Dimension Shampoo and ConditionerDimension Shampoo & Conditioner

From the early 1980s. Still smells wonderful. Discontinued by Lever Bros. in mid 1980s.

time 0:19 size 457 kb aired 1980s

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ipana Toothpaste
Ipana Toothpaste

Sometime in the '60s, before ZIP codes. Still smells minty fresh.



Vaseline Cream Hair Tonic
Vaseline Cream Hair Tonic

Actual product from the 1950s. It's been a long time since it came in a bottle like this. And this hair tonic smells about as good as Vam, above. We're talking wretched.



It's a graphic