L.A. Vintage Commercials: Cal Worthington
By DF - Thursday December 15th 2005 |
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If you, like me, were a latchkey kid in the LA area in the 80s, you may well have passed more than a few, or perhaps a few hundred, post-school afternoons watching cartoons. I spent countless blissful hours of my tender youth vegetating in this manner, but if you asked me to recount the plot of a single Voltron or G.I. Joe episode, I’d draw a blank (except for the Scooby-Doo where Phyllis Diller guest-starred).
What do I remember? The commercials. Not all of them of course, but the really good ones, the ones with the themes and the jingles that bring back the smoggy-lunged, air conditioned, TV-brainmushed afternoons like they were yesterday. And to my surprise, I found that I’m not alone in this. I went to college on the east coast, and whenever I ran into anyone from southern California, all I had to do was sing a few bars of the Pete Ellis Dodge jingle and baby – we had a stew goin’. Instant cultural camaraderie – like the ethnicity I always wanted but never had.
I’ll begin with perhaps the most famous and beloved of all these commercials, the Cal Worthington genre. Cal is a car-selling cowboy; the closest visual equivalent I can think of is the Sam Elliott character in Lebowski. Cal was a throwback to the days when California still had a bit of a wild-west aesthetic, though why he bought ad space for his several Ford dealerships during children’s cartoons remains unclear to me.
The genius of the Worthington commercials was severalfold. First was their jingle – a simply and catchy tune that wormed its way into your head like a weevil, based on its uncanny similarity to the camp ditty “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” Even trickier was his lyrical sleight of hand. The song’s chorus “Go see Cal” was often replaced with the sound-alike nonsense phrase “Pussycow” so that impressionable young viewers such as myself were titillated. Did Cal just say “pussy”? Is there something adult-themed going on at Worthington Ford? I swore years ago to find out, but never got around to it.
The Cal Worthington commercials stuck in the adolescent brain also thanks to their thematic bait-and-switch. The introduction to these ads invariably promised “Cal Worthington and his dog Spot”yet the animal accompanying Cal was never a dog. It was an elephant, a tiger, a goat, or some other god-forsaken fauna, but the promised dog never materialized. Watching these ads as a nine-year-old, I first realized: grownups are filthy, filthy liars.
To be fair to Cal, though, making these commercials was hard work, because showbiz animals, like human actors, piss all over you. The difference is that with animals it’s not merely a euphemism. Cal braved both a mighty geyser of elephant urine and a close-up stream of baby-goat whiz to bring us these classic ads. Thanks pardner. And for what it’s worth, Cal’s business still appears to be going strong, and while I may have an unhealthy obsession with the guy, at least I’m not as stalker-y as the person who created this cyberhagiography.
This should help answer the Cal Worthington bio questions: http://www.answers.com/topic/cal-worthington?cat=entertainment
When I was a little girl my mother owed a little resturant across the street from Stanley Chevorlet, I remember winning a doll in a glass case for singing a jingle that went like this.
Stanley, stanley Stanley Chevorlet two blocks off the santa anna free way 11980 east firestone Stanley Chevorlet. that had to be in the late fifties I live in chicago now and wonder if the resturant is still there?
Hey Nancy, Helms bakery, mmmmmmmmmmmmm. The best donuts and potato chips. I love hearing the whistle and the long pull out drawers and you kept a long card that logged your purchases and paid once a month. I lived in Long Beach and Lakewood until I was 13 and then moved to Huntington Beach when it was a lazy old surf town. Remember when you went on the wonder bread field trips and got a minature loaf of bread? Remember Wallechs Music City across from the Lakewood Center and Vic Tannys next door and Hody’s Coffee shop with car hops. Ok that’s enough i could go on forever.
Hey Teresa…
Helms was the best. Why can’t we find anything that tastes as fresh and good as that today? I remember the field trips to Helms.. and you got that little loaf of bread. I also remember the Star Kist Tuna factory in San Pedro. They gave us tuna cans that were piggy banks with a slot on the top of the can. Wallachs Music City featured records you could play to see if you liked the albums. I went to the one at South Bay Center at Hawthorne and Artestia. Down the street was “THE AKRON” store and “Zody’s” and later “White Front”. Hody’s was also at the northwest corner of Hollywood and Vine. They were good, but I really loved Tiny Naylors at Sunset and La Brea and Carolina Pines Jr., which later became “Copper Penny” in the 1970s.
Remember the L.A. Zoo commercials in the early 70′s with a jingle that ends:
At the LA Zoo,
It’s a crazy zoo
?
I know, it is hard get good baked products like Helms now. So much has changed. Yes, I remember the little loaves of bread and field trips to Wonder Bread Bakery and Star Kist Tuna. It is amazing what we did as a generation back then. Van de Kamps was great back then too. The little blue windmill and ladies that dressed up in dutch clothes and hat. What about when MacDonalds was new, and not on every corner, things have changed so much now with all the processed food. The tastes just are not the same.
Does anyone remember going to the Los Angeles Farmers’s Market (3rd & Fairfax) in the late 50′s and early 60′s? So many unique smells and food for a young kid. I seem to remember a deli booth that had a kicking horse on the counter. Of course that drew your attention and when you went up to look, you would get a “kick” of strong horseradish aroma. Always made the eyes water!!! Manning’s Coffee?
I discovered a lot of great radio station and ad ‘jingles’ from fairly low priced CDs by a group called Rockit Radio. Their stuff is on Ebay, and they painstakingly list every song and commercial on each CD. Lots of KHJ, KRLA, with the likes of Real Don Steele, Humble Harve, Wolfman Jack, Sav-On Drugs, Wrigley’s gum, Burgie Beer, Der Weinerschnitzel, you name it. They are derived from what are called radio checks, and people used to record the radio broadcasts as they happened. My favorites are from the mid-1960s, complete with radio jingles, weather, news. etc.
Don, if you are interested, Rocket Radio has a website http://www.palmsradio.com They also have a newsletter which is free (I subscribe to it). I have bought many CD’s from them plus California Air Checks through the years. I’m not pushing their products but they are quite interesting. KMPC, KHJ and other Historic Southern California stations have websites with plenty of airchecks on them too. Collecting Air Checks is a major hobby for some.
Christian: I’m seeking information about LIPO on Alameda Street that you mentioned in one of your postings. Was it a bar – a restaurant? You have any rememberance of its appearance, nearby buildings/businesses, kind of patrons, etc. Anything you can recall would be a huge help.
Hi Weston! Oh my God.. yeah, I remember LIPO very well. At least 2 of my aunts worked there back in the 1950s. It was a very beautiful bar and restaurant. I remember going there as a child and eating in the restaurant. The bar was off limits to kids, but I also recall they made me a drink called a “Shirley Temple” and that was the first time I ever heard of that. I felt all grown up after being served that. I was only about 8 years old at the time. I also recall the grand entrance, the ladies in tightly fitted Mandarin silk dresses and the smoke at the bar. My mom could go into far more detail than I could. She is 80 this year, but went to LIPOs quite a bit in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Christian: Thanks so very much! I’ve so many questions that I wish I could put to your mother. The research I’m conducting has to do with a book I am writing about the efforts of LA County Sheriff’s detectives to solve a number of related cases during the 1950s and 60s. The story goes that in their off-hours some of these detectives would meet at LIPO or Li Po to hash over the details of the cases. A few starter questions would be: (1) Was the restaurant/bar called “Li Po.”? Li Po was a Chinese poet who wrote several poems extolling the joys of drinking, and his name was attached to a famous bar in San Francisco. I’m wondering if his name was not also used to label the LA establishment. (2) Does your mother have any recollection of LIPO or Li Po being used as a watering hold for off-duty law enforcement officers?
Hello Weston,
I will give mom your questions. Meanwhile, yes, LIPO was located on Gin Ling Way in Chinatown. Yes, it was a restaurant. Many non-Chinese used to dine there. Here is an image of a photo cover from 1940…
http://jpg1.lapl.org/sola2/00000920.jpg
Here is a photo of a non-Chinese family having dinner at Lipo in 1940…
http://jpg1.lapl.org/sola2/00000921.jpg
I will have my mom write you what she knows and will post it here. You can go to my website and email me.
Hello again Weston, I wrote you a long email. Hope you got it.
does anyone remember all the words to the Mission Pack Christmas jingle, this always started off the Christmas season for us, my wife and I remember the words, but not the phone number , I know it was Adams *********, how many can remember when phone numbers had a letter prefix, we lived in Monrovia, and ours was, El for Elliot, and Arcadia was Hi for Hillcrest, and pasadena (sierra marde)was El for Elgin, and ElMonte was Gi for Gilbert, I think covina was Ed , if you can remember the phone number for the Mission Pack, please email us at desertsun92225@aol.com
[...] from a car dealer named Cal Worthington. He’d get upside down and proclaim, “I’ll stand on my head to beat anyone’s deal.” Well, Cal Worthington was willing to stand upside down to win a deal; liberals are [...]
[...] from a car dealer named Cal Worthington. He’d get upside down and proclaim, “I’ll stand on my head to beat anyone’s deal.” Well, Cal Worthington was willing to stand upside down to win a deal; liberals are [...]
Bob… what was the Mission Pack jingle words? I remember the commercial, but can’t quite remember the jingle. Also.. does anyone remember the KENT cigarette commercial words that went something like “Kent with the micronite filter… refines away harsh flavor, refines away harsh taste”? Though I have never smoked in my life, I still think the cigarette commercials were among the most fun and catchy.
Say the magic word, say Mission Pack, and it’s on its merry way. A gift so right, so gay, so bright, give the Mission Pack magic way.
Cal Worthington ” would eat a bug to sell you a car. I need your used car. I want your used car.”
Remember the commercials for Doughboys? ” you could get anything there. You could buy a shoe would kill a horse!”
A Shirley Temple was usually 7-up and grenadine. A Roy Rogers was the same as an S.P. but with coke instead of 7-up.
“Wallachs Music City” was at Sunset and Vine not Hollywood and Vine. Across Vine St. was NBC before it moved to Burbank. When the “Tonight Show” was still based in New York it would do the show from there periodically. I think I was in the audience once, along with “Queen for a Day” and “It Could be You” with Bill Leyden. Across from NBC, on Sunset, was what to become the “Aquarius Theater”, named for the tune in “Hair” which ran there for quite some time.
A friend and I somehow got ahold of Tom Hattens phone number and kept doing the “Prince Albert in a can” bit. Poor guy was either a partier or had a night job. He pleaded us to please stop so we did. I don’t recall if that was before or after we snuck away from a line at KTLA, found the “Popeye” set and half-destroyed part of it (an accident I swear).
One time Engineer Bill came to a big store called the White (something or other, I forget). For some reason a friend and I went there with decorated paper bags over our heads. Engineer Bill had us take the bags off and filled them with candy. Score.
The Steve Allen Playhouse was across La Mirada (I think) from the Hollywood Ranch Market. Once Steve took the entire audience out of the studio and into the Market where he got on a soapbox and ranted about something or other. Another time he got into a big plastic bowling ball and was bowled down La Mirada. Another time, Professor Julius Sumner Miller put Steve into a box and blew him up. Another time, they put raincoats, hats and pies under each of the audience-members seats then they had a huge pie fight. Too much more on this subject to write here.
A friend of my fathers worked at Allied Artists (now KCET studios} so I was able to get onto the lot. While climbing around in an attic I found all of the pods from the original “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”. Good lord, what would they be worth now?
My grandfather would take me to “Kikos” a Mexican restaurant in Burbank. There was a hostess with a beehive hairdo. Some two or three decades later I went there again and the same woman was there with the SAME HAIRDO. The first movie I remember seeing was “Rebel Without a Cause” also in Burbank, at the “Cornell Theater”.
There was a club on Vine St. called “Shellys Manhole” named after Shelly Manne, a noted jazz drummer.
A Helms bakery truck still came to our neighborhood in the early ’70s. A TV producer lived in the building and when we heard the jingle we’d both run out,like little kids, to wave the truck down. I was in my 20′s and he was probably in his 50′s.
There was a local TV show (on KABC) called “The Hub Talent Hour” sponsored by Hub Furniture Store. It was co-hosted by Dick Lane (of wrestling fame) and Dee Parker. I went on it to do a ventriloquist act. Unbeknownst to me, Dee decided to come sit down with me at the beginning of the act (this was live TV you understand). Problem is, a major part of the act was that the dummy had laryngitis and Dee kept trying to talk with him and screwed up the whole bit. All I remember after that is that some baton-twirlers won the competition.
But I digress.
Did Engineer Bill come to WHITE FRONT?
Ron:
Thanks for sharing all of your neat memories with us. I was in high school during the time that Steve Allen was doing his show from the Playhouse. During the semesters I could only stay up late enough to watch him on Fridays, but during Christmas and summer vacations I hardly ever missed him. In a post above there are the lyrics to the Stanley Chevrolet jingle. I remember that Molly Bee – the young lady who sang that jingle – was a guest on Steve’s show many times. I also seem to recall that Phyllis Diller and Tim Conway were frequent guests early in their careers. Remember the “funny phone calls” ? One night Steve called Johnny Carson.
Oh yes – saw a restored Helms Bakery truck at a car show not long ago.
Hey Ron,
I remember some of the regulars on Steve Allen, even though I was going to school at Micheltorrena on Sunset Blvd in Silverlake at the time. Molly Bee was a guest on Steve’s show. Do you rememember “Gypsy Boots”, the health nut who advocated a healthy lifestyle and natural foods? He indeed lived a LONG life… he finally died in 2004 at age 89… and is buried at Hollywood Forever, of course. Do you recall he had “Mr. America George Eiferman” who used to work out at “Muscle Beach” in Santa Monica used to be an occasional guest dazzling the audience with his “dancing muscles”. He passed away in 2002 at 77. Do you recall “George Carlin, Tom Poston, Don Knotts (doing his nervous man routine) or the “hip hypnotist” Pat Collins? Those were great folks!
My mom did commercial announcements for “George Allen Motors” a Nash/Rambler dealer. Her Nash was “Peaches and Cream” in color back in 1954.
We used to eat at Coffee Dans on Hollywood Blvd. That was a great little place near the Egyptian Theater as I recall.
Helms Bakery and the big oak wood drawers that smelled like cinnamon rolls and crumb donuts. Yum.
Christian
I remember way back when — when Worthington Ford was Worthington DODGE! Must have been the early 70s. I used to watch tv late at night when I was babysitting, and I can’t remember most of the shows or movies I watched– but I remember Cal Worthington’s commercials by heart. Not to mention that goofy rabbit in Trix are for kids!
Engineer Bill came to the old Pioneer Market on Sunset Boulevard in the Echo Park area around 1962 and it was great seeing Bill Stulla again. I was on the show around 1957. He remembered me! He was there with the Oscar Meyer Weeniemobile and “Little Oscar”. Speaking of advertising icons, does anyone remember the “Frito Kid”? I remember seeing his image on the advertising at Disneyland back in the mid-1950s right after the park opened. Fritos was a sponsor in “Frontierland”.
I forgot FRITOS and the “Frito Kid” helped sponsor “Frontierland” at one time. This brings to mind the “politically in-correct” FRITO BANDITO. Hey, I still have some of those advertising items!
Anyone still have their Oscar Meyer WienerWhistle?
Wow, and to think this website started with a comment about Cal Worthington!
My mom took me to see Sheriff John at a local market in the early 1950′s. Little Oscar was there handing out weenie whistles but ran out of them before he got to me ! Was I ever ticked off ! Never did get one.
I still remember parts of the Sheriff John bithday song. does anyone know it all?
“I still remember parts of the Sheriff John bithday song. does anyone know it all?”
Well, for Nancy, and anyone else interested, here (at least for the next 48 hours) it is: http://ken.strophyx.com/Birthday.wav
Nancy, you can find the entire song online.
Nancy… you can find the lyrics right here…
THE BIRTHDAY CAKE POLKA
From the TV Show “Sheriff John’s Lunch Brigade”
“Sheriff” John Rovick – 1952
Put another candle on my birthday cake
We’re gonna bake a birthday cake
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
I’m gonna have a party with my birthday cake
Come on and take some birthday cake
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
We’ll have some pie and sandwiches
And chocolate ice cream too
We’ll sing and play the day away
And one more thing I’m gonna do
I’ll blow out the candles on my birthday cake
And when I do, a wish I’ll make
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
(Musical Interlude)
Put another candle on my birthday cake
We’re gonna bake a birthday cake
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
I’m gonna have a party with my birthday cake
Come on and take some birthday cake
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
We’ll have some pie and sandwiches
And chocolate ice cream, too
We’ll sing and play the day away
And one more thing I’m gonna do
I’ll blow out the candles on my birthday cake
And when I do, a wish I’ll make
Put another candle on my birthday cake
I’m another year old today
(Happy birthday to you)
I’m another year old today.
Anyone remember the old jingle for Downey Savings? It was sung to the same melody as “Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main”…
Saving, saving,
The Downey Savings way…
The dollars mount in your account
Each and ev’ry day!
Saving, saving,
Insured?
You bet!
Okay!
To gain the goal you’re saving for,
Start your account today!
I used to sing that to my parents all the time and drive them nuts. And how about the song for Cormier Chevrolet?
If you thing you’d like a hand…
in buying a Chevy today…
Come on down to discount land…
Cormier… Chevrolet.
As for Sheriff John? I loved that show! He read my name on the air the day I turned five years old (thanks mom!) — I felt like he was singing that birthday song to ME!
I have a different memory of the old Sav On jingle. The tape that STILL rolls in my head hears:
Sav On! Sav On!
Great radio bargains every day
Save your money in every way (at)
Sav On Drug Stores, Sav On Drug Stores
BOOM! BOOM!
SAV ON!
Ahhhh, memories…!
Going back to the “Dial Chevrolet” Jingle. I believe it was originally:
Stanley, Stanley, Stanley Chevrolet
Two blocks off the Santa Ana Freeway
11980 East Firestone
Stanley Chevrolet
Anyone remember the “Curry’s Mile High Ice Cream Cone” jingle?
or
Thriftymart Drugstores?
“Whatever you put in your shopping cart you save and save at Thriftmart, THRIFTYMART”
See Posting # 73 among others. How about one of the other drug stores in town:
Thrifty Drugs:
“Save a nickel, save a dime.
Save at Thrifty every time.
Save a dollar and much more,
at your Thrifty Drug and Discount Store.”
Remember that famous “tube tester” in every store?
I always heard it “Pussy Cal”. Thought I was mistaken or misremembered when I searched the internet with that term and only came up with porn references. Then I remembered it was Cal Wothinging Ford. Does anyone remember the annoying “Fall into the Gap” commercials and the ridiculously cheap jeans they advertised. Back then the Gap was not what it is now. Also, does anyone remember who was the guy that always made fun of Gov. Deukmeijan on his show? He had one of those mechanical capuchian monkeys that beat little symbols together.
I lived in Claremont and Pomona in 78-81 and then moved to Bakersfield. It seemed my childhood was very surreal growing up in Cali compared to people who aren’t from there.
I really enjoyed this stroll down memory lane.
Restaurants:
McGoo’s Pizza (Hollywood)
Copper Penney Restaurant (Valley)
Peaks Hamburgers (Valley)
El Chollo’s
The Garrett (Hollywood)
Radio:
KHJ DJ’s Sam Riddle, Lord Tim
Tina Delgado’s alive, alive
Humble Harve “Spread Love”
Wink Martindale
TV:
“Fury” – the story of a horse and a boy who loved him (Parodied in the movie Airplane – “Joey do you like Gladiator movies? Peter Graves played the father in the TV series Fury and the boy was named Joey)
“Wednesday Night Wrestling” (with woah-nelly Dick Lane) Freddie Blassie, the Destroyer, Tricky Ricky Starr and Lou Thez usually ending with the interviews called “Wrestler’s Lament” sponsored by Lou’s Garage “se hable espanol” where you can get “a complete motor overhaul that includes new factory piston rings, align the valves, set the timing, you get your gaskets and oil, all parts steamed cleaned a thorough motor tune up and a 90 day or 10,000 mile guarantee all for $39.95 for most sixes”
“Roller Games”: Ralphy Valaderes, Shirley Hardman, Danny Riley and the sin bin
“Chucko the Clown”
“Joe Pyne” (with Fred Wiffletree)
“I Married Joan”
“My Little Margie”
Newscaster George Putnam
Sportscaster Jim Healy
Million Dollar Movie
Sea Hunt
Misc.:
Good Humor Ice Cream Trucks
Pacific Ocean Park (POP)
Well, the best hamburgers to my memory was TOMMY’S out on Rampart. You could go there after a show with all your friends piled in the car and feed the multitude. The biggest burgers i have ever seen and cooked right on the grille in front of your eyes. What a great place that was.
Little bit of heaven, 94.7, KMET… twidle de
Remember when the Busch tour was just a ride around the beer plant? No Busch Gardens back then.
Hey Nancy… Tommy’s is still there and the food is still the same…. yum! They still make an amazing chili dog.
Talk about radio stations of the past… remember the “beautiful music station” KPOL which played Montavani, 101 Strings and Paul Mariaut records? Do you recall when 93 KHJ actually printed out a little “BOSS 30″ list and we all got the list to see if our favorite record was number 1?
http://93khj.blogspot.com/2008/04/khj-boss-30-july-28-1965.html
Busch Gardens, The Japanese Deer Park, Movieland Wax Museum, Pacific Ocaan Park, and Nu-Pike in Long Beach were the best!
White Front Base Ball score jingle
Watch out, coming your way, the White Front score board for today- Angles 6 Dodgers 2- You always win with White Front, ’cause White Front knows the score.
Christian,
How about Lion Country Safari or KWIZ Radio,
K-W-(“p-o-p”)-I-Z Radio?
I noted the Stanley/Dial Chevrolet being mentioned. Molly Bee – the singer that did those jingles passed away at the age of 69 a few days ago. She was on the Pinky Lee show, Cliffie Stone’s “Hometown Jamboree” and I remember seeing her often on Steve Allen’s show during the 1960′s.
I also noted Jim Healy mentioned above. Used to listen to him on the radio on the way home from work every day. A fellow Healy fan once remarked that if you were stuck in a traffic jam it was easy to recognize people who were listening to Jim. They were laughing instead of cursing the trafic.
Jim
I just noted some of the well-known “wrasslers” from the Olympic Auditorium being mentioned above. One that sticks out in my memory is Ray “Thunder” Stern. Ray was not only one of the top wrestlers of his time but also a very good aerobatic pilot. I got to see him perform in his Pitts Special at a couple of airshows during the early 1970′s.
Jim
Baby Boomer here, lived in Riverside (The “Inland Empire”) in the 60′s and 70′s.
Listened to K/MEN 129, KFXM, and “The Real Don Steele” on 93/KHJ.
Does anyone remember the jingle for Coast Federal Savings? It went something like this:
Sung:
“Half a million dollars now,
Coast Federal Savings.”
Spoken (male voice): “9th and Hill, Los Angeles
And this is what I remember from the Mission Pak commercial:
“Say the magic word, say Mission Pak,
and it’s on its merry way.
No gift so right, so gay, so bright.
Give the Mission Pak magic way.”
All I can remember of the Coast Federal Savings commercials, was the bunny who stacked the blocks to read “Coast Federal.”
Pamela — Now I remember that too. Thanks!
Oh, and the jingle was to the tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel!”
You’re right! I could/can sing the jingle, but it didn’t dawn on me that the tune was “Pop Goes the Weasel”.
I just found this on YouTube; remember Engineer Bill and drinking milk to “Red light/Green light”(…”and a lead bell for those who miss.”)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzvdlE45XEI