My Favorite Martian Cast Commercials
In the 1950s and 60’s, it was a common practice for a television series to have only one sponsor for all its commercials. In return for this corporate endorsement, the actors of television comedies were often obligated to film a number of commercials for a sponsor product. These cast commercials usually involved a scene between the characters to advertise the product. They were presented after the episode and were sometimes written as an extra tag scene to the story.
My Favorite Martian, regularly sponsored by Kellogg’s on alternate weeks, was included in this routine policy.
One such commercial had a scene between Tim O’Hara and his boss, Mr. Burns, who finds Tim having breakfast when he should be working. It aired after the "How to Be a Hero" episode.
……………
Another commercial, at the end of the "Super-Duper Snooper" episode, continued the story line of that show:
"…You see, he thinks it’s beneath his dignity as a Mar…uh—as a man, to be thrown by a woman."
……….
"Oh, lots of men have been thrown by women…"
Here is a transcript of a third season commercial: (with sincerest thanks to Rick Payne, 7/9/06)
Tim sits at a small round table throughout the commercial.
Tim: (Eating breakfast in kitchen alone; looks off-camera when Martin is speaking)
Martin: (Standing against a backdrop, obviously not in the house set) "Think there's a market for this, Tim?" (film trick pushes his sides together)
Tim: "What'd you do?"
Martin: "I'm testing a skinny pill. It's my own invention for weight control."
Tim: "A skinny pill? I'd rather work on weight control with Kellogg's Special K...the low-fat protein cereal in the Special K breakfast. Only 240 calories...altogether."
Martin: "Taste good?"
Tim: "Delicious!"
Martin: (reverting to normal width, then walks into kitchen shot with Tim) "May I join you?" (Pulls out a chair to sit after Tim gestures to join him)
Superimposed Title: "My Favorite Martian' (title logo appears against black background)
Superimposed Title: "Presented by" (remainder appears over film of Martin eating cereal)
Superimposed Title: "Kellogg's"
Superimposed Title: "of Battle Creek" (joins below "Kellogg's")
In addition to the commercials for Kellogg’s cereals, two MFM cast commercials were also filmed for its first season’s occasional sponsor, Paper-Mate Pens. (12/22/63 & 6/21/64)
More cast commercial details and scripts are in PDF-DVD-Rom files
on the bonus material of the
3rd season dvd of My Favorite Martian
text © 2003-2011 JH Harison
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