Lena Horne - Gap Commercial 1997

[TheRocketVoltage]

We share the same birthday?! I'm so proud! <3

[Helenacious]

My son was 8 years old when this commercial came out and fell in love with her. :-)

[suddendee]

Rest In Peace, Lena. You're sorely missed.

[WarRogers]

omg there's not a wrinkle on her face. I'd kill to look that good @ 80. Jeans don't suit her though.

[1madDogz]

I don't remember that commercial at all. Thanks for posting.

[ashort36]

What a sexy grandma! Now that's what I'm talkin bout!

[MsKimmova]

I thought Lena was cool till she dissed Janet the way she did, as a black woman I didnt respect that, Imure she's done worse intenional shit back in the day to get by, Icon still but I lost some respect for her

[bolder2009]

@MsKimmova Nah she was entitled not to want Janet to portray her in a movie of her life after that 'nipple gate' incident that seemed to derail Janet's recording career in the last decade. You have to keep in mind, Lena was from a different era. The overtly sexual stage antics that has become a trademark of Janet's albums and performances since 1993, lost her some respect and credibility after the ground breaking albums she made in the mid and late 80's. Lena had a justifiable reason IMO.

[liacashmere58]

@bolder2009 To be honest Janet's best albums were the Janet and Velet rope albums in the 90's her 80's stuff was cool but not classic like her 90's albums. I think what hurt Janet was the nipple gate thing not the sex stuff in her music but I do agree with you about Lena being from a different era and lets be real Janet is not that great of an actress to be honest.

[bolder2009]

@liacashmere58 Well 'The Velvet Rope' might very well be her best work. Its certainly the last time she was on her game, and really made a record that didn't sound like it was phoned in. However, I personally feel her best work is 'Rhythm Nation 1814'. I think her acting has room to grow, but she needs a good script and a director that will push her or help to bring out more. I don't think we've seen the best of her as an actress.

[liacashmere58]

@bolder2009 Yeah the Velvet rope was her last classic album. Most will agree with that. I never really cared too much for 80's Janet but agree to disagree. The only movies I liked Janet in were Poectic Justice and The Klumps. Otherwise she's kind of weak. Maybe it's the Tyler Perry movies lol

[Mike6E]

Now THAT is a commercial.

[kitschking]

The Gap should rerun this ad. a gret tribute to Lena and god knows the ones they run now suck

[kitschking]

Lena was up for the part of Julie but the rules about race mixing on screen stopped it. What makes it weird it the part was about a woman who was part black and part white. THey used the Light egyption on Ava.

It sound stupid now but back then the world had not yet changed enough.

I Love Lena and miss her. Thank the gods we still have her music

[QueenUptown]

A true beauty! RIP Ms. Horne!

[JumpStreet1983]

It will be a permanent blot on film history that Lena did not play Julie in "Show Boat". Ava Gardner did a smashing job, no doubt, but the role was rightfully Lena's. I wish we could have seen the magic that she would have brought to that role.

[akajudy17]

LOVE the glasses! She is too cute! And still fabulous as ever!!!

[jograd08]

wow if even if shes old she beautiful

[Moviestar20]

Lena had a heart problem. R.I.P

[roblou62]

Her beauty defies all logic. I mean I cannot even begin to comprehend how she can really look almost better in this commercial then she did 40 or 50 years earlier. Madness. Her skin looks as smooth as silk.

[jobie123]

Love, love, love this commercial. Would like to see the Gap run it again this Christmas as a tribute to the fabulous Lena Horne.

[JustGod7]

damn she was looking hot at 80! rip ms. horne

[mca1218]

This is how you do 80!!

Rest in peace, Ms. Horne.

[goddessnoire]

thank god Lena got to see a black president!

[TheLovelylove]

I think for my generation, this was an introduction to her.I'll never forget how my grandfather,a modest,shy, man, looked at this commercial and talked about how beautiful she was. Much to my grandma's Chagrin,lol. Now they're all up there,kicking back,reliving the simpler days.

[Modacolorist]

All that soul in one body! Rest well beloved!

[jcextra]

a true American original. So graceful and classy. Shall never be repeated. God Bless

[Shango72king]

Thank you Lena!

[suze816]

RIP Lena Horne.

She passed away Sun. May 9th 2010.

She was 92.

What a class act.

[amesmb]

I can't believe she was 80 then.... WOW.

There's no one who could ever compare. RIP, lovely lady.

[46punter]

I`m home now watching Lena Horne on Sanford and Son.She was a beautiful person inside and out!!!

[b17ek]

She was so georgeous !!! even in this commercial

[logenisti]

Best commercial ever!

R.I.P. Ms. Horne

[lovelydiva06]

i never saw this one, beautiful woman, she aged beautifully, r.i.p

[Tipsyt33]

Beautiful Woman!!!

[duhjuce]

wow

[MrRainbowDwarf]

Thanks Lena, RIP

[germansuse]

She was still good looking with 80 years. Can't believe that she's gone :( Rest in Peace, you will be missed.

[jwatley1]

Forever Fabulous. Rest in Power and Peace Ms. Lena Horne, a true legend and inspiration.

[buckleysdead]

Look at her, she was 80 then! That's how you do it!! RIP.

[hygeia511]

She was still fab! RIP.

[DragonfLion]

R.I.P Ms. Horne.  Still Beautiful Well Into Her 80's <3

[tabby12]

RIP Lena Horne !!! She was Class (with a "C" )

[mikenycmike]

Iconic STYLE & GRACE...MIss Lena Horne!

[wharris75]

RIP Lena Horne

[reejuice2]

RIP Beautiful Mrs Lena Horne

[cincytuckyblk]

RIP Lena! We will miss you.

[littleprincey]

R.I.P., Lena--you will always be a legend! And we will miss you...

[andiamoTV]

RIP Ms. Lena!

[gan0nsl4y3r]

RIP

[OldMotownFan]

RIP

[tigermichal4]

BEAUTIFUL WOMAN! RIP

[DiAcorea]

One of my favorites. Rest in peace, Ms. Horne.

[stevevandien]

The sexiest octagenerian woman of all time:) --

[dwebrocks]

@yurherenow obviously you know NOTHING about good music or singers.

[GsShay]

Love Ms. Leana Horne.

[RememberTheTime09]

COOL! .Lena is so important as was as beautiful. I'm glad she is still here with us.

[teeizhot]

@yurherenow but if it weren't for trailblazers like this woman...we wouldn't have a Beyonce. Thanks Ms. Horne for opening the doors...I'll remember and be grateful.

[logenisti]

BEST COMMERCIAL EVER!!!!!!!

[jcextra]

wow she is so classy and she always bridges the gap between what is real and what is rumor. Truly an inspirational figure of American society

[butterflygreatone]

hey she sang on sesemae street!

[jobie123]

Absolutely love this commercial. She is a gem, a true talent.

[letish]

Still amazing, always beautiful; a rare gem. Priceless.

[BronkoScunkadelik]

LENA IS A PRICELESS TREASURE!

[ColaBling]

I love this advert of Lena so much so that, I know before I die this memory will pop into my mind along with family times and all count down memories. lol. Why do people have to get old, its not fair. Wish entertainers like Lena could get a heaven pass for youth regeneration, come back to the planet and entertain us for another 60+ years.

[LuvScrubs2]

I soooooooooooo Love Ms. Lena Horne:)))))

[Trimiliac]

OMG! I Love Lady Horne!!!

[7Keninho]

Love the bossa nova beat that accompanied that wonderful voice.

[Rolco64]

Can one imagine having the Great Lena Horne singing for their company? We love this lady!

[brixtongun]

:24 Did anyone else see the magic in her eyes!?!

I love Lena!!!!

[DrJColeman]

The Jazz Street, Miss Horne just celebrated her 92 B-Day on June 30 this year. And I believe she still looks this good cause she aged so slow and gracefully.

[TheJazzStreet]

i dont have any doubt about that, Mrs Horne is one the most beautiful singers ever

[TheJazzStreet]

how old is she now?

[jbTUBEny]

Happy b'day, Miss Lena! :)

[darthchaosofrspw1]

Happy early 92nd birthday, Lena!

[justboycrazy45]

Classic! (Both the commercial and Lena!)

[priscillaofmanila]

Fantastic.

[anikadiamond007]

She looks soo good ~ Ageless!

[leplaq]

ive always said that! lol i swear Alicia keys could be her daughter she looks almost exactly like her

[LavenderDreams17]

Good god, she STILL's got it goin' ON! 80 years old THEN, and NO CRACKS...Let me be half that sexy and cool if I get to that milestone age...GurlCaa, you're right...melanin IS a blessing!!! LOL!

[ginegine76]

alicia keys favor her a little

[SpankRamen2]

Ginegine76:

OMG!!! Back in '01 when, Alicia made her debut, I said that if they did a biopic of Lena Horne, they should get Alicia Keys!

[whthevoice2009]

OMG she was like 70 or 80 here. I've never seen this. She's still a very classy, elegant lady. Wow.

[darthchaosofrspw1]

She was about 80 in that commercial. Her 92nd birthday is in two days on the 30th.

[GurlCaa]

Damn she was like 70 or 80 in this commercial!!!!!!!!.

Ahhhhh,Havin Melanin is a blessing. =P

[kuson22]

tell me about it!

[splorp2]

Sexy and cool knows no age.......she's timeless in her musicality and beauty.

[ccaammiiittoo]

Horne does justice to this clip, as usual! Her MGM classmate, Ann Miller, does dancing justice to her equally entertaining commercial for Great American Soup.

[sfden50]

I should look this good at 50!

[xsultrysongstress79x]

Gorgeous!

[dirtyberts]

I'd beat

[kwilli33]

classy woman! where are they now?

[fly00gemini8712]

lena horne is absolutely divine!

[BlyssAngel]

I love Lena and I love this commercial!

[walksbyf8h]

Brava! Still got serious pipes at 80! I bet she can STILL belt a song out. Brava!!

[poughkeepsiejohn]

I love the Gap commercials from the 1990's, especially the ones featuring Luscious Jackson, Lenny Kravitz and Sarah Jessica Parker. I was never a big Lena Horne fan, though. But after seeing this, that changed.

[knique8590]

i simply adore this woman :)

[Dominique913]

She was 80 when she did this!! and sounded WONDERFUL! thanxs for posting!

[rjam1974]

Have you ever seen an 80year old woman this gorgeous. Insane!!!

[kalisteau]

WOW thank you :)

[mamabear0106]

Wow! I never even saw this commercial before. Thanks for sharing!

[luvsmovies79]

Thanks for the info!

[kellydjelly]

still beautiful

[luvsmovies79]

Really, only wanted? She did appear as 'Julie' in one of those MGM movie musical follies celebrating musicals, but I thought she was ready to be cast. I read that they even created a makeup for her called 'Light Egyptian'. But since you are part of her club, you problably have more accurate info.

[lenahorneclub]

Yeah, well...the film where she sang a Show Boat song was 5 years earlier. The Light Egyptian thing was 8 YEARS earlier. Lena was on suspension for a long time and didn't do many movies after 1946 because of that...she left MGM in 1950 when the Show boat movie was being filmed.

[luvsmovies79]

Even though alot of light skinned Blacks may have tried to pass as White, Ms. Horne was never one of them. As a matter of fact she was supposed to play 'Julie' in the film musical "Showboat" but they were afraid of audiences reaction of an actual Black actress playing a love interest of a White actor (even though the character "Julie" was a singer who passed for White before she was busted). So they gave the role to her friend Ava Gardener.

[lenahorneclub]

No she wasn't ever going to play Julie in Show Boat - she WANTED to play Julie in Show Boat. There is a vast difference. That being said, she would have been good in that role!

[missVeemack]

@lenahorneclub No she would of surely played the part if it were not for the racism of that time. she said so herself.

[lenahorneclub]

@missVeemack SHE LIED

[SHERETTA123]

Well, I heard the Ms. Lena Passed for White back in the day.... which most did in that era.... the more she became popular then she was ....out as BLACK

[JollofSchnitzel]

No Sheretta are you are more than misinformed... Lena Horne was approached to pass as Latino or Mediterrean by film executives they even gave her a skin cream to lighten her complexion....

When she REFUSED they cast her in only singing roles in movies, she never had a substantial dramatic role in mainstream cinema...

To say she 'passed as white back in the day' means you heard wrong, and is unfair to accuse somebody who was championing civil rights and better roles for blacks like Lena.

[SHERETTA123]

She helped make a way when there was No Way...

[lenahorneclub]

You don't have the story right, JollofSchnitzel. Lena was contracted to play a singer in movies but she did have substantial speaking roles in Stormy Weather and Cabin in the Sky. She never passed for white nor was she expected to. You guys have to understand the times and how they were and not apply this to today's.

P.S: How some of you get *upset* when it's pointed out that Lena had plastic surgery to help her later appearance is very peculiar and unrealistic.

[SHERETTA123]

yada yada yada.... happy Now

[aTellerOfTruths]

Quit making an issue of color and living in the past. All that matters is that she is an incredible talent, an extremely graceful lady, unearthly beautiful, and an inspiration to all of us.

[luvsmovies79]

Even though alot of light skinned Blacks may have tried to pass as White, Ms. Horne was never one of them. As a matter of fact she was supposed to play 'Julie' in the film musical "Showboat" but they were afraid of audiences reaction of an actual Black actress playing a love interest of a White actor (even though the character "Julie" was a singer who passed for White before she was busted). So they gave the role to her friend Ava Gardener

[SadieMirsade]

I don't get it...."white-skinned Black"??? What's that mean any more? If you're black....you're black! If you'ren not....you're just not!....and that's thaaaat!

[Treasures4Food]

LOLOL. Simple, but well said.

[luvsmovies79]

I know that, you know that...but unfortunately that prejudice still persist. For example: a number of Black people who were against Obama would say that his "light skin" was the reason why Whites voted for him. Yes,thats riduculous!

[SadieMirsade]

Well....next to his wife....he definitely looks Caucasoid. But so what!

Obama has a great body, an amazing smile...BRAINS to boot....and endless Charisma. The guy could sell fridges to Eskimoes. And it h

[luvsmovies79]

You said It!

[MrJackGrayson]

Lena has aged so gracefully and is still exceedingly talented.

[heeriyujaxhunin]

she still got it

[mismooth]

very classy lady!!!

[pm222444]

She is stunning.

[dinasaur2]

Go Lena-

[4DECO1]

Absolutely gorgeous!!! What a beautiful & classy lady!

[mca1218]

Amazing...beauty dazzling, voice still tremulous and sassy, and probably the only time Ms. Horne showed something of a maturing age on-camera- the white hair in a bun, the glasses, the relaxed on-camera look. But still able to sell a note; love how she turns up the word "Winter" into a full-out belt at the end.

This is what 80 looks like! "Wow" indeed.

[kingcrimson234]

wow. i can't believe that's an 80 year old. she looks not a day older than 50. 60 at the most.

[SEFYH]

That's right, Lena! Show um how it's done! I just LOVE that woman!

[robthomp2]

Unreal!!! How can she be that beautiful at that age??? One of the sexiest women ever!!!!

[HighlyExalted]

wow, when i get old I want her plastic surgeon, she looks amazing! I hope i can keep myself up that well at that age.

[90trinity]

Thats Lena 100%! She only got work done on her neck. Thats the only thing she got fixed,which is amazing. She's always looked like a million bucks...probably still does.

[NYCguys2007]

WTF? Lena had work done on everything just like every star did - so what?

[REDDOG525]

Dayum! A sassy grandmother with jeans, white cotton shirt, and a sweater. Just class personified! Wouldn't anyone just be proud to show her off as a relative?

[ImpatraZ]

She sounded exceptionally good for her age! No slurring, or other vocal deterioration.

[90trinity]

You know what you're right and she adds her own sassiness in there as well! Not to mention she is still such a beauty in this(at 80). Lena indeed gets a 'Wow...yeeeah' anyday of the week in my book!

[OldHollywood1]

oh wow! i don't remember seeing this! Thanks for posting!

[90trinity]

Long live Lena Legend she is such a  phenomenal figure!

[caesar6882]

wow she was still very beautiful at 80 years old in this video from 1997 !

[defundthewar]

She's 90 now and doesn't go out much.  But she couldn't be anything but beautiful.

[davidhazard71]

Amazing. I saw the Basie Orhcestra Concert from 2003? its good to see more recent stuff from her.

[vpradasport]

Black Elegance @ its best!!!!

[MyBlackAmerica]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!! :)