I remember there were a series of these. The other one was a guy fumbling with his cigarettes, they fell to the ground and someone with a broom pushing them down the sewer. I think they had 1 with Yul Brenner before he passed away telling people not to smoke. I loved this commercials. I wonder if they have the ones for RIF (Reading is Fundamental) on here too. These were the top commercials at the time.
When this PSA came out, I was six and my sister was dating a guy who filled cigarette machines for Lorillard. I used to drive him nuts singing it when he came over! Now I have a job that involves cigarette data. I guess payback's a bitch.
I got two words for you: Jim Fixx! You know, the guy who did the jogging book, the jogging video, jogged 10 miles a day, and dropped dead of a heart attack, when? When he was fucking jogging, that's when! And what do you wanna bet that two smokers, who are still alive, today, found his dead body?
This is one of those psa's that I was SURE I would never see again in my life!!! Not to "date" myself, but I remember when this one came on TV!!! However... I am still looking for the one (same message) where the guy was at the zoo smoking in front of the lion!!
I remember this and always wondered who the girl was singing. I remember that some of the commericals showed a longer version showing the girl singing. Anyone know if she ever recorded an album??? I'd love to find out who she was. I also remember hearing that the girl who sang "One Tin Soldier" was the same girl. This was the 70's so who knows where the mind goes.....
I like this psa. I like the humerous approach with the important message. I guess Flipper here was saying "Screw this! Not in my house you won't! I got a new episode to tape here!!!" lol
Of course that dolphin is probably not Flipper but that was the first thing that came to my mind as I saw this.
Hold it! I've been cheated! Where was that chilling jingle that used to happen, forming the logo together before "It's a matter of life and breath" that used to terrify me as a child? Foul! Foul!
Oddly, for me it's the music in this ad tnhat scares me the most! I have Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of Autism, which means I have various irrational fears that aren't in the books. While I have a great love and talent for music and art, oddly, certain musical endings, especially "up" endings when the notes go up the scale, or "short" endings, when the music stops suddenly, such as in this ad, often frighten me, and I don't knoiw why. I'm glad I'm not the only person who feels this way.
These commercials gave me the creeps too, and I never knew quite why. I had a feeling of dread and fear as they ended, kinda like you're saying, an "irrational fear". I have often wondered if I have asperger's as well. So no, you're not alone!
No, I used to get the dread feeling as well. I think the red Cross of Lorraine was probably it. I still get the shudders over the NAB Television Code logo as well.
Wasn't there another ALS spot with lions jumping through rings backwards?
When I first looked at the psa, before hitting "play", I thought I would remember it. The second I heard the music, a FLOOD of memories came back! Thanks for uploading this!
@noahf67 I recall ABC used to air this PSA in their "between-shows" breaks before the "This is ABC" v/o... with the "Let us be the one" logo that freaked me out then.
This commercial was oddly scary! Don't know about other parts of the country, but in New England in the early 70s, there was an aggressive, seemingly endless anti-smoking campaign and this was just part of it. I unknowingly grew up with a deep and lasting fear of cigarettes.
But I don't smoke - guess the American Lung Association gets the last laugh!
I might be "going off the deep end", but after reading this post, and WyQuahog's post about what program this PSA was played during... and the fact that my best friend reacted much like I did... with that same "unknowing deep and lasting fear"... I'm not too convinced that there isn't something weird going on with this ad. I'm just sayin'...
Pardon me, WyQuahog, but since your father was in this ad, you would probably know more about it than I do. I would like to know more-like, when was it filmed, and am I right about the earlier version with a different soundtrack? Any other facts you know about it? Thanks for posting!
I was 12 years old when my father, Dick Gage, made this PSA. He was the general manager and a dolphin trainer at a small aquarium called Sealand of Cape Cod in West Brester, MA. The spot aired on Saturday mornings during the show "Land of the Lost". Ironically, my father smoked a pack and a half of Pall Malls every day.
If anyone finds the 60 second version, I'd love to have it. Thanks.
Pardon me, but in regards to your comment regarding "You Mind Very Much If They Smoke", I was wondering-since your dad was the one who made the Psa, I thought maybe you might know more about it, such as how it was filmed, what year it ran, etc. Also, I left a comment before mentioning that there was another version of this ad that came out earlier-same video clip, but with a different soundtrack-a kids chorus sang a simple dityy-"Yes, I mind if you Smoke!" at the end. Was I right about that?
There was also an earlier version of this ad that used the same video clip, but a different jingle. After the dolphin had removed the cigarette from the man's mouth a chldren's chorus sang "Yes, I mind if you smoke!" The melody of this little jingle was
completely different-it only used three different notes-but the video clip was just the same. It came out about a year before this particular version. Does antone else remember the earlier jingle?
I remember this ad, and the one with the lion too. I have the one with the lion on DVD, but because I am not computer smart I have no idea how to post it. This jingle used to freak me out too-it still does a little, which is why I like it. There was a 60 second version of this ad too, in which the man enters the dolphin arena, the dolphin looks up at him as if expecting something, the man lights up a cigarette, and the dolphin jumps up and removes it from his mouth several times.
SCARED THE F OUTTA ME TOO, BIGCAP!! STILL DOES!!!!! 'johnny smoke' was ANOTHER that wigged me out. i'm glad to know it's not just me that has this reaction to the ALA and AHA psa's of yore. i must say though, to be under 10 years old, and be watching the brady bunch on some afternoon, and have THESE ads come on, in HEAVY ROTATION, was very terrorizing. i wonder if that's why those groups backed off dramatically in the 80s with those ads....
Does anyone remember the old anti-smoking PSAs where the people in it give up smoking and kicking their heels in the air, and the announcer suggests that you "kick the habit and join the unhooked generation"?
I remember there were a series of these. The other one was a guy fumbling with his cigarettes, they fell to the ground and someone with a broom pushing them down the sewer. I think they had 1 with Yul Brenner before he passed away telling people not to smoke. I loved this commercials. I wonder if they have the ones for RIF (Reading is Fundamental) on here too. These were the top commercials at the time.
lepoetress 1 month ago
Do you happen to have the "you've come a long way" parody PSA..? That was also a great ACS one, around the same period.
noahf67 3 months ago
what if i dont fucking mind if they smoke??? fuck the anti smoking snobs
oHelmslyoRisesAgain 4 months ago
I remember that tune very well, but it was for the Canadian Lung Association.
Remember, it's a matter of life and breath!
mrceleb2006 7 months ago
Hmm, I always saw this as Flipper having a nic fit and saying "F this, I need a drag before the next show!"
rdmb57 8 months ago
When this PSA came out, I was six and my sister was dating a guy who filled cigarette machines for Lorillard. I used to drive him nuts singing it when he came over! Now I have a job that involves cigarette data. I guess payback's a bitch.
bobfritz1466 1 year ago
I got two words for you: Jim Fixx! You know, the guy who did the jogging book, the jogging video, jogged 10 miles a day, and dropped dead of a heart attack, when? When he was fucking jogging, that's when! And what do you wanna bet that two smokers, who are still alive, today, found his dead body?
NinjaGhostScorpion 1 year ago
This is one of those psa's that I was SURE I would never see again in my life!!! Not to "date" myself, but I remember when this one came on TV!!! However... I am still looking for the one (same message) where the guy was at the zoo smoking in front of the lion!!
Nimrod1966 1 year ago
At least it wasn't as scary as "Deep Blue Sea."
StukInBuf 1 year ago
interesting.
yeah, a little creepy. :P
i was in my advertising class yesterday, and we watched the one about the kid hearing coughing in the other bedroom.
so he got out of bed, and asked "is daddy going to be okay?" and voiceover guy said "no."
it freaked me out.
pretty good ad though.
themainex0x0 1 year ago
I remember this and always wondered who the girl was singing. I remember that some of the commericals showed a longer version showing the girl singing. Anyone know if she ever recorded an album??? I'd love to find out who she was. I also remember hearing that the girl who sang "One Tin Soldier" was the same girl. This was the 70's so who knows where the mind goes.....
melaniejunkie 2 years ago
I like this psa. I like the humerous approach with the important message. I guess Flipper here was saying "Screw this! Not in my house you won't! I got a new episode to tape here!!!" lol
Of course that dolphin is probably not Flipper but that was the first thing that came to my mind as I saw this.
Vandal626 2 years ago
Hold it! I've been cheated! Where was that chilling jingle that used to happen, forming the logo together before "It's a matter of life and breath" that used to terrify me as a child? Foul! Foul!
Maskedmutant 2 years ago
okay, I know... I was the last person to comment... but does anyone know what year this commercial was released?
Meatpies62 2 years ago
Around about the mid-'70's
Maskedmutant 2 years ago
Oddly, for me it's the music in this ad tnhat scares me the most! I have Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of Autism, which means I have various irrational fears that aren't in the books. While I have a great love and talent for music and art, oddly, certain musical endings, especially "up" endings when the notes go up the scale, or "short" endings, when the music stops suddenly, such as in this ad, often frighten me, and I don't knoiw why. I'm glad I'm not the only person who feels this way.
spy4863 2 years ago
These commercials gave me the creeps too, and I never knew quite why. I had a feeling of dread and fear as they ended, kinda like you're saying, an "irrational fear". I have often wondered if I have asperger's as well. So no, you're not alone!
pazzensutra 2 years ago
@pazzensutra
No, I used to get the dread feeling as well. I think the red Cross of Lorraine was probably it. I still get the shudders over the NAB Television Code logo as well.
Wasn't there another ALS spot with lions jumping through rings backwards?
columbusmozart 1 year ago
When I first looked at the psa, before hitting "play", I thought I would remember it. The second I heard the music, a FLOOD of memories came back! Thanks for uploading this!
Meatpies62 2 years ago 4
I remember this song & longer versions of it vividly! Great PSA campaign!
selloutasaurus 2 years ago
yes, I remember a 30 second spot with this as the end piece...this jingle was huge back than then...great to see even a clip of it!
joadhenry 2 years ago
I remember actually being worried if the dolphin burned himself by grabbing the cigarette from the burning end.
4thtroika 2 years ago
This series decorated the breaks on those mid-70s Channel 2 Late Shows
in NY. The one with the lion was also great.
noahf67 2 years ago
@noahf67 I recall ABC used to air this PSA in their "between-shows" breaks before the "This is ABC" v/o... with the "Let us be the one" logo that freaked me out then.
StukInBuf 1 year ago
I remember this when I was a younger. I wish I could go back to the '70's. Things were a lot more simple.
hsmarlon 2 years ago 6
You're not alone, hsmarlon.
gingermol76 2 years ago
Amen!
mthivier 2 years ago
thanks for posting! I was thinking about this commercial today, so i thought i would google it... and here it is!!!
robins23 2 years ago
anybody got a light?
mrwrister 2 years ago
That was great. And I remember it from the 70's. Thanks for posting. Funny....all the years of getting an
"F--- you" from smokers, it's turned around. They killed my Dad, by the way.
pazzensutra 3 years ago
This commercial was oddly scary! Don't know about other parts of the country, but in New England in the early 70s, there was an aggressive, seemingly endless anti-smoking campaign and this was just part of it. I unknowingly grew up with a deep and lasting fear of cigarettes.
But I don't smoke - guess the American Lung Association gets the last laugh!
davita1111 3 years ago
I might be "going off the deep end", but after reading this post, and WyQuahog's post about what program this PSA was played during... and the fact that my best friend reacted much like I did... with that same "unknowing deep and lasting fear"... I'm not too convinced that there isn't something weird going on with this ad. I'm just sayin'...
Meatpies62 2 years ago
Pardon me, WyQuahog, but since your father was in this ad, you would probably know more about it than I do. I would like to know more-like, when was it filmed, and am I right about the earlier version with a different soundtrack? Any other facts you know about it? Thanks for posting!
spy4863 3 years ago
I was 12 years old when my father, Dick Gage, made this PSA. He was the general manager and a dolphin trainer at a small aquarium called Sealand of Cape Cod in West Brester, MA. The spot aired on Saturday mornings during the show "Land of the Lost". Ironically, my father smoked a pack and a half of Pall Malls every day.
If anyone finds the 60 second version, I'd love to have it. Thanks.
WyQuahog 3 years ago
Pardon me, but in regards to your comment regarding "You Mind Very Much If They Smoke", I was wondering-since your dad was the one who made the Psa, I thought maybe you might know more about it, such as how it was filmed, what year it ran, etc. Also, I left a comment before mentioning that there was another version of this ad that came out earlier-same video clip, but with a different soundtrack-a kids chorus sang a simple dityy-"Yes, I mind if you Smoke!" at the end. Was I right about that?
spy4863 2 years ago
LOL! I thought I would never see this again!! Thank you!!
soln4suhreborn 3 years ago 2
There was also an earlier version of this ad that used the same video clip, but a different jingle. After the dolphin had removed the cigarette from the man's mouth a chldren's chorus sang "Yes, I mind if you smoke!" The melody of this little jingle was
completely different-it only used three different notes-but the video clip was just the same. It came out about a year before this particular version. Does antone else remember the earlier jingle?
spy4863 3 years ago
I remember this ad, and the one with the lion too. I have the one with the lion on DVD, but because I am not computer smart I have no idea how to post it. This jingle used to freak me out too-it still does a little, which is why I like it. There was a 60 second version of this ad too, in which the man enters the dolphin arena, the dolphin looks up at him as if expecting something, the man lights up a cigarette, and the dolphin jumps up and removes it from his mouth several times.
spy4863 3 years ago
@spy4863
Is this the lion leaping through the ring backwards? I'd love to see that one.
columbusmozart 1 year ago
wow, this used to scare the shit out of me when I was little, but now that I see it again, it's actually quite cool. That's an awesome trick!
Usagi1992 3 years ago
I remember it very well and never smoked. Thank you for posting this.
AmethystWillow 3 years ago
This is an AMERICAN flick? I'll be damned.
Yeah I agree. I remember the one with the lion.
UglySean 3 years ago
AHAHAHAHAHAA
suzylux 3 years ago
OMG. You took me back with this one. I remember this spot very well when I was a kid.
driley1969 3 years ago
Where's the one with the lion?
rosario508 4 years ago
Yeah, that's the one that I remember...the lion jumping backwards though the hoop.
columbusmozart 3 years ago
Gosh this is pretty cool and what's even better is I know the man's son. He's a good friend.
Plumcrzy27 4 years ago
I remember the tagline, "It's a matter of life and breath!" Hence, sometimes, I call them, "the life and breath people!"
AlbieGray 4 years ago
SCARED THE F OUTTA ME TOO, BIGCAP!! STILL DOES!!!!! 'johnny smoke' was ANOTHER that wigged me out. i'm glad to know it's not just me that has this reaction to the ALA and AHA psa's of yore. i must say though, to be under 10 years old, and be watching the brady bunch on some afternoon, and have THESE ads come on, in HEAVY ROTATION, was very terrorizing. i wonder if that's why those groups backed off dramatically in the 80s with those ads....
stonewaydrums 4 years ago
When I was a kid, this commercial scared the hell out of me. Needless to say, I don't smoke. So I guess it worked.
BigCappuccino 4 years ago
The Cats anti-smoking PSA was the one which did it for me. But I know the feeling.
PioneerGrrrl 4 years ago
the only thing scary about this psa is the distorted sound at the beginning. But that's probably just a capture card glitch or something.
SpamNapkin 3 years ago
If there are any more of these American Lung Association PSAs in a large series, please post them!! The one with the lion I still remember very well.
MarkMMattus 4 years ago
I remember this commercial. Its from around 1976 or 1977.
dcat918 4 years ago
Does anyone remember the old anti-smoking PSAs where the people in it give up smoking and kicking their heels in the air, and the announcer suggests that you "kick the habit and join the unhooked generation"?
stifrudy 4 years ago
I remember the one with the lion. Does anyone else remember that one?
Kukojin 4 years ago
I have that one as part of a video documentary on cigarettes that I bought a long time ago.
stifrudy 4 years ago
This is the commercial that got me off my two pack-a-day habit. Of sardines.
Lectronimo 4 years ago 2