The 1964 CBS-TV Commercial for My Favorite Martian

Early in 1964, Ray Walston and Bill Bixby filmed a 30 second CBS-TV promo commercial for "My Favorite Martian". The promo ran on Saturday mornings during station breaks.

The scene was filmed with the camera aimed straight at Uncle Martin.These 2 rare production stills, taken at an angle on the side of the movie camera, reveal the position of the Martian antennae which would rise during the scene.

These photographs were taken during a pause in the filming, possibly for rehearsal.

The skit was filmed in the dining room set of Mrs. Brown’s house. The glare in the upper left corner of the photograph might have been caused by an off-stage key light shining onto the glass of the picture on the back wall, or perhaps it is just damage to the film negative.

The skit ran something like this:

FADE IN:

2 SHOT of Tim and Uncle Martin having breakfast. After a few moments, Tim casually remarks, "They're watching us, you know."

UNCLE MARTIN: (stops eating, puzzled) Who is?

TIM (continuing to have breakfast) They are. Out there. (He indicates at the camera)

UNCLE MARTIN: (Irked by this. He puts down his cup.) Well, if you don't mind, I prefer some privacy when I eat.

UNCLE MARTIN RAISES HIS ANTENNAE. HE DISAPPEARS.

TIM: Wait! What am I supposed to tell them?!

UNCLE MARTIN'S VOICE: That's your problem.

CAMERA Zooms in on TIM who addresses the audience:

TIM: (with a shrug of resignation) That's my favorite Martian.

FADE OUT to Picture Card featuring a line drawing of people looking up at the title words: MY FAVORITE MARTIAN 

**

This was the only CBS-TV promo for the series that featured the actors in a skit. Another CBS promotion commercial, also issued in 1964, had Ray Walston doing a voice-over narration for assorted clips from the show, speaking as the Martian who was "enjoying my visit with Tim O’Hara, who calls me his favorite Martian." The first part of this voice-over TV commercial is included in a 1999 A&E BIOGRAPHY episode about Ray Walston. That show is available on home video.