wasproduced.Thiswas a timeof innocence.
It was also the heyday of catchy slogans and
ad campaigns, as cigarette companies
sponsored radio and TV shows in record
numbers. These commercials extolled the
virtues andglamour of cigarettes.Celebrities
like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Nat
‘King’ Cole were frequently photographed
with a cigarettedangling from their lips. Just
picture Lauren Bacall giving Humphrey
Bogartoneof those smoldering looks through
a cloud of her cigarette smoke, while Bogie
sitsthere, shrouded inhisowncloudofsmoke.
It’sawonder theycouldseeeachother.Bogart,
ofcourse,diedanot-so-glamorousdeath from
esophageal cancer in1957.DorothyLamour
appeared, cigarette dangling from her lips,
oppositeBobHope in thosedelightfulRoad
movies of the 1940s. In case youmissed the
message, Lamour also did ads for
Chesterfields, telling theworld theywere the
brand shealways ‘served’ toherguests.These
daysmostpeople servedinner to theirguests.
Ms. Lamour served cigarettes. And all you
had todowas smokeChesterfields andyou’d
be just as classy as one ofDorothyLamour’s
house guests.
In case you missed all those motion
picture promos,
Dragnet
star Jack Webb
toldanenthralled radioaudienceeveryweek
that Chesterfields not only tasted better,
but were actually
good
for you. Andhe had
doctors to prove it. So didRichard Powell,
star of radio’s
Richard Diamond, Private
Detective.
Week after week listeners were
told about surveys showing that more
doctors smoked Camels than any other
brand. Those same doctors promised that
Camels were best for you.Would they lie?
Comedian JackBennyalsousedhis celebrity
6
