The musical ads you saw if you grew up in New York in the '70s and '80s
The truth is, she never left me.
1:42 pm Sep. 4, 201216
There are local ads in every town and county in the United States, and the generation that grew up in front of the television in New York City isn't that different from any other regional in-group.
In New York though, between all those national toy ads, local supermarket ads, local car dealership and mattress and furniture-store ads (Huffman Koos! Rooms Plus!) that air in every market, kids watched a tremendous number of ads for ... musical theater.
Since I didn't grow up an a house that was obsessed with current theater, for instance, I can't sing a single tune from Evita. But on command I can recite the entire commercial, which I think must have appeared at least once during every after-school cartoon for a decade.
Here are some of the most memorable Broadway musical ads that are lodged in my brain forever alongside that one Toys 'R' Us Christmas ad, which was practically a seasonal carol for us, and the infamous Crazy Eddie.
CATS
OK, so some of the songs from Cats made it into many of our school choirs over the years, and none of them really stick out in my mind as clearly as this endless riff.
EVITA
This one runs through my head start to finish, precisely as it was when I first heard it, including the announcer, whose voice became a stock character for my repertoire growing up: "That's right Evita, clap your hands and stamp your feet, you've got a lot to celebrate!"
INTO THE WOODS
Even at a tender age we sang this with sarcasm.
A CHORUS LINE
I never really understood what this musical was about until I got much, much older. (People in bad outfits that magically turn into worse ones?)
OLIVER
Ruins all other versions for me, because that Oliver song runs through my head.
VICTOR VICTORIA
This one was seriously confusing, and I had the premise explained to me. By the time I really got it I was also old enough to see what was so funny about Vanessa Williams starring in Kiss of the Spider Woman.
THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG
In second grade we had "disco hour" at my school in the Bronx and one time when the main song of this came on I inadvertently screamed with delight. I was trying to downplay my interest in disco hour as much as possible so it was bad.
STARLIGHT EXPRESS
Since one of my neighbors, Braden Danner, was actually in this show (as well as playing Gavroche in Les Miserables) I knew rather more about this show than I might have otherwise. But it advertised constantly.
DREAMGIRLS
Who knew what this would become at the time?
THE WIZ
Nobody beats it.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
There have been several Fiddlers in my lifetime but this is the ad I remember.
PIRATES OF PENZANCE
We actually listened to Gilbert and Sullivan albums at home, but not this one. Not after this ad.
SWEENEY TODD
Was Angela Lansbury supposed to be fun to play with or scary? Either way, this, too, was confusing for us.
GRAND HOTEL
Adding this at the request of New York Observer theater critic Jesse Oxfeld. I'd forgotten it because I was focusing on the music in the ads, but watch until they interview one of the theatergoers outside, who is like the Platonic form of the old-school New York theatergoer. (The sleeper hit in her many, many lines must be "My husband works in the area.")
OK, now this is a roundtable! Mary Beth Williams (@embeedub) points up this 1972 ad for ...
PIPPIN:
This one isn't one of my earworms—I was a little young for TV still, but ... wow. The last line is the clincher: Would you like to watch 190 more minutes of this live, kids?
DANCIN
Pippin reminds me of a whole genre of Bob Fosse ads less catchy than, actually, terrifying to the 6-to-10-year-old demographic. Here's one.
CHICAGO
And here's another—though in this case we had the cast album at home, when we sang the songs in the living room they never seemed as risqué as this.
MILFORD PLAZA
OK people, read the directions! I only promised ads for Broadway musicals that seemed to air during cartoon time, mystifyingly. But, I relent. Here, by popular demand, is an ad that was obviously meant for people planning trips to New York weeks in advance, touting Broadway as an attraction. And, yes, I have to admit, I probably sat through this one about 100,000 times.
Tom, this isn't from a show, but I associate this commercial so very much with the ones above... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwlvkUMsDgI
You MUST remember it. It was on ALWAYS.
"...I'm gonna see it twice mooah!" Hee! That lady is an immortal memory!
The "Evita" ad makes me think of the SCTV parody "Indira" with Andrea Martin as Indira Gandhi and Joe Flaherty as...Slim Whitman! "Just a little touch of...Star Qualiteeeeeeeeee!"
That was brilliant! Let's get the link to the video!
You are not the first person to mention this ad to me. I'll tack it on to the end and if I get any more great suggestions for ads that advertise musicals they will go ON TOP OF THIS.
But before the crowds get really upset, this article has proven that old ads are good posts. And, I have lots more in my cannon. So stay tuned. Your non-musical ads may be available here yet.
That Cats ad must have aired everywhere. I remember seeing it on Detroit TV channels.
Loved spotting Kelly Bishop in the one for A Chorus Line.
The GRAND HOTEL commercial posted above is hideous and kind of a joke. This the the first, official and really good GRAND HOTEL commercial featuring members of The Original Cast and Directed by TOMMY TUNE himself.
http://youtu.be/582yXM9oB1A
Hideous? Hardly. It was daring and hilarious marketing. Can you imagine a commercial like that for a Broadway show today? It would be shot down by so many focus groups in favor of some watered down, cookie cutter montage of costumes and outstretched arms in finale numbers.
Great compilation, Tom! I remember most of these, but reading your commentary made the memories even more fun. By the way, that's Braden Danner in the clip for Oliver.
I thought it might be! But was too unsure to say it.
Also: I know who you are, obviously! Good to see you!
VICTOR VICTORIA WAS 1995!!!!!!!! REMOVE IT AT ONCE!!!!!
As a child who habitually sang (to the irritation of elders), "Gimmetheball, gimmetheball yeaaaah!" in the early '80s, without ever having seen A Chorus Line, I must thank you for this. You haven't missed a one, looks like.
And don't think I missed the reference to a certain home electronics chain. (Not Crazy Eddie.)
If you can devote your journalistic resources to digging up early '80s Milford Jai Alai commercials, I will pay top dollar. "Miiillll.... forrd.... Jai-AlaiiiiI!!!"
Or send you tickets to beautiful Mount Airy Lodge.
http://youtu.be/3dOsgyw7yBw
This reminded me the late 80's "All you have to bring, is your love of everything" Mount Airy Lodge jingle is STILL in my head...thanks
I'm from the Detroit-Metropolitan Area and a lot of these commercials are familiar to me as well. Including, oddly enough, the Milford Plaza one. I love musical theater and I've seen many touring productions here in Detroit. Perhaps I'll live out a dream and see a Broadway musical in NYC next year for my 45th birthday! Thank you for the trip down memory lane, I'm eager to read and watch your other articles!
P.S. I'm rooting for the Lions (vs. Rams), while my husband's watching, with cheers of, "Gi'mee the ball, gi'mee the ball, gi'mee the ball, yeah!"
What about "Gemini", the off-Broadway sensation? "I'm not hungry, I'll just pick" (slurps the spaghetti).. I still hear it in my head.
That Grand Hotel commercial is not hideous. It is pure genius. Kudos to whoever had the audacity to put that on television. They should be applauded and running a television network.