"New York": 1967 TV Commercial for Clairtone Sound Corp.

At its peak in the 1960s, Clairtone Sound Corporation was one of the most admired companies in the field of electronics. Founded by Peter Munk and David Gilmour in Toronto, Canada, Clairtone made the wildly modern Project G hi-fi system and, later, the G-TV. This commercial, shot in Manhattan in July 1967 by famous Canadian cinematographer Frank Spiess, was produced by Young & Rubicam. "Opening with car----elegant Rolls-Royce type in front, coming over bridge into the city as the sun comes up," the 1967 production notes specify. "Traveling through deserted streets to an elegant store about to be opened, perhaps with men pulling down store canopy, rolling out carpet. Car pulls up at store, TV set is taken out, pull back as city comes alive, action, busy streets, people walking by." The bridge is the Brooklyn Bridge. The elegant store is B. Altman's, then on Manhattan's lower Fifth Ave. As for the car, it's a restored 1936 Pierce-Arrow convertible with Munk and Gilmour up front and a G-TV in the back seat. This commercial, which won a gold medal at the New York International Film and TV Festival, was one of only two television commercials made by Clairtone.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Peter
• Munk
• David
• Gilmour
• Clairtone
• B.
• Altman's
• Pierce-Arrow
• Brooklyn
• Bridge
• Frank
• Spiess

[beenie3]

When I was a youngster (in Toronto) I had a Clairtone AM radio. It was about 1 1/2" high and 1" wide w/a large dial in the center. No speaker of course, operated on earplug only, and was powered by 2 hearing aid batteries. This was probably late 60's early 70's when the miniature age was beginning. It had terrible selectivity but it was amazingly small. But It worked!

[hebneh]

I presume Clairtone TVs were only sold in Canada, because I've never heard of them, nor do I remember this commercial.

[Pookatube]

OW! The GWB Looked like an accident waiting to happen until the divider was installed!

[coolitababy]

Good commercial. If it was 1967, I'd want one.

[wilkes85]

That is a really nice TV. I want a used Claritone Colour TV!

[gli7utubeo]

Well, it's still really fascinating. I never heard of Clairtone, so I learned something.

Thanks for this rare spot!

[kyyzurri]

It's the George Washington Bridge

[profnewman]

This is not the Brooklyn Bridge-- the towers here are made of steel, not granite.