P&G and Philip Morris(Marlboro/Virginia Slims and others)

Procter & Gamble and Philip Morris were the co-sponsors of "HAZEL" in its final season on CBS, in the same time period [Mondays, 9:30-10pm(et)], in the 1965-'66 season. They sponsored "FAMILY AFFAIR" during its first three seasons on Monday nights as well.

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Looking back at this in retrospect, it's unusual that cigarette ads were shown during Family Affair, considering the fact that children of minor age were among the stars of the show. Along with the cigarette ads, they might as well have shown beer commercials too. :lol:

Maybe so, but there was at least one earlier precedent: Make Room for Daddy had cigarette ads years earlier, and it too featured young children.

I guess the thinking was different back in those days. In the 50's & 60's, smoking wasn't really taboo yet and still considered fashionable. But I don't think it was right though, to air cigarette commercials with any family friendly show where children of minor age were present in the cast. I imagine the audience for these shows contained a fair percentage of children as well. In the 1970's is when the public began being warned on a regular basis about the dangers of smoking. I believe it was around 1971 when cigarette ads were forbidden from TV.

You're right..the American Tobacco company sponsored "Make Room for Daddy" during the earlier years..Lovely picture of Ralna from "The Lawrence Welk Show"

You're right..January 1971..cigarette ads would not be aired on television.

...that a tobacco company would sponsor a sitcom supposedly intended "for the family"- as in Philip Morris' original sponsorship of "I LOVE LUCY" (1951-'55). "THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES" was originally co-sponsored by R.J. Reynolds {Winston} during its first five seasons (1962-'67)- Kellogg's was their primary sponsor- but around 1967, tobacco companies voluntarily decided not to sustain sitcoms that had a large number of children watching. In the case of "FAMILY AFFAIR", Philip Morris decided that more adults were watching than kids; same as their co-sponsorship of "HOGAN'S HEROES" {and "FAMILY AFFAIR" did appear at 9:30pm(et), which was a bit late for most children to stay up and see}. Another example was "GET SMART", which had Reynolds' Salem cigarettes as its primary sponsor during its first three seasons [it, too, was aimed more at adults than children]. I could give you other examples, but you get the idea.


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...that a tobacco company would sponsor a sitcom supposedly intended "for the family"- as in Philip Morris' original sponsorship of "I LOVE LUCY" (1951-'55). "THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES" was originally co-sponsored by R.J. Reynolds {Winston} during its first five seasons (1962-'67)- Kellogg's was their primary sponsor- but around 1967, tobacco companies voluntarily decided not to sustain sitcoms that had a large number of children watching. In the case of "FAMILY AFFAIR", Philip Morris decided that more adults were watching than kids; same as their co-sponsorship of "HOGAN'S HEROES" {and "FAMILY AFFAIR" did appear at 9:30pm(et), which was a bit late for most children to stay up and see}. Another example was "GET SMART", which had Reynolds' Salem cigarettes as its primary sponsor during its first three seasons [it, too, was aimed more at adults than children]. I could give you other examples, but you get the idea.


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I get the idea and you're welcome to give as many examples as you wish...i'm am listening:)

Yes the shows, many of them, were sponsered by Tobacco companies back then. But many of the shows characters also smoked ciggarettes in the shows.

Here people are picking on the tobacco comapanies today and yet they condone the Alcahol companies. Infact they (Alcahol) are even the biggest sponsers of football. I never understood the american thinking. Yes ciggarette smoke is harmful, but I hever heard of anyone running a person over with a car while intoxicated on Ciggarette smoke. I think we are going after the mouse and letting the rat get away.

Yes the shows, many of them, were sponsered by Tobacco companies back then. But many of the shows characters also smoked ciggarettes in the shows.

Here people are picking on the tobacco comapanies today and yet they condone the Alcahol companies. Infact they (Alcahol) are even the biggest sponsers of football. I never understood the american thinking. Yes ciggarette smoke is harmful, but I hever heard of anyone running a person over with a car while intoxicated on Ciggarette smoke. I think we are going after the mouse and letting the rat get away.
They tried going after the alcohol people back in the 20s, look what happened. They won't mess with them again.

The first season of "Father Knows Best" 1954-55 on CBS was sponsored by Kent Cigarettes. In the opening of the show, Robert Young is seen standing in front of the clock in the living room smoking a cigarette. It might be noted the show aired on Sundays from 10:00 - 10:30 that season (a factor given for its low rating).

...that a tobacco company would sponsor a sitcom supposedly intended "for the family"- as in Philip Morris' original sponsorship of "I LOVE LUCY" (1951-'55). "THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES" was originally co-sponsored by R.J. Reynolds {Winston} during its first five seasons (1962-'67)- Kellogg's was their primary sponsor- but around 1967, tobacco companies voluntarily decided not to sustain sitcoms that had a large number of children watching. In the case of "FAMILY AFFAIR", Philip Morris decided that more adults were watching than kids; same as their co-sponsorship of "HOGAN'S HEROES" {and "FAMILY AFFAIR" did appear at 9:30pm(et), which was a bit late for most children to stay up and see}. Another example was "GET SMART", which had Reynolds' Salem cigarettes as its primary sponsor during its first three seasons [it, too, was aimed more at adults than children]. I could give you other examples, but you get the idea.

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I've read that Family Affair was more for adults than kids not only in its late timeslot but also in that the characters. Uncle Bill & French, having to change their lives to allow kids into it, were much more real as characters than the kids were, who seemed to be too good and too phony for any real kids to relate to. This is a reverse of what I've read about Leave It to Beaver, which was said to have real kids and phony parents, so it was more for kids than parents.

Very good observation regarding Family Affair and LITB.

Brian Keith smoked cigarettes on the series fairly frequently, especially in the early seasons unless I'm mistaken.

The show also never pretended that Bill Davis was celibate, either.

He sure had some gorgeous ladyfriends around, that's for sure. And all through the series, played by some of TV's most beautiful actresses in their prime...!

I thought that was hilarious. There he was, a father figure on a family show, entertaining a never-ending supply of gorgeous women. Uncle Bill sure should have been grateful he was a character on a late 60s show. But it was always very classy - they would go out to theater, opera, fancy restaurants... We never actually saw one of them staying for the night, did we? Maybe he was celibate after all. Maybe he just wanted to spend quality time in their company. No? :)

I'm glad that Uncle Bill's extracuricular activities were left to the imagination. If this was filmed today, there would probably be the awkward scene at the breakfast table with Bill's lady friend in her bathrobe drinking a cup of coffee and Buffy and Jody looking at each other and asking 'Who's she???'

I'm glad that Uncle Bill's extracuricular activities were left to the imagination. If this was filmed today, there would probably be the awkward scene at the breakfast table with Bill's lady friend in her bathrobe drinking a cup of coffee and Buffy and Jody looking at each other and asking 'Who's she???'
"Progress," I guess. Give me the old shows any day.

I'm glad that Uncle Bill's extracuricular activities were left to the imagination. If this was filmed today, there would probably be the awkward scene at the breakfast table with Bill's lady friend in her bathrobe drinking a cup of coffee and Buffy and Jody looking at each other and asking 'Who's she???'

Oh you are funny, Old Grouch.

I remember seeing this show in my youth and I couldn't tell you what commercials I saw. How times have changed. Most ads were so tame, coffee toothpaste, etc. Now mostly I see ads for medical stuff.