Allee Willis Blog » Products

14Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Vintage Bab-O Cleanser Can

14Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Vintage Bab-O Cleanser Can

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Instant action can o’ Bab-o, good for cleaning the usual stuff plus “rubber rollers on wringers, etc.” I’m one of the few people who do, in fact, have “rubber rollers on wringers, etc” as I use a 1940’s wringer washing machine as a beer barrel at my parties.

One of my favorite product names ever, the can-o Bab-o’s from the early 1950’s.

Instant action can o’ Bab-o, good for cleaning the usual stuff plus “rubber rollers on wringers, etc.” I’m one of the few people who do, in fact, have “rubber rollers on wringers, etc” as I use a 1940’s wringer washing machine as a beer barrel at my parties.

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One of my favorite product names ever, this can-o Bab-o’s from the early 1950’s.

I always loved the drums in the Bab-o commercial. I still use that muffled tribal beat in tons of songs I write.

07Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Howdy Doody Salt & Pepper Shakers

07Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Howdy Doody Salt & Pepper Shakers

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I, like so many others of my vintage, was a Howdy Doody freak. Howdy was a pop star before there was such a thing. Although I wasn’t big on Western TV motifs I was really into Buffalo Bob Smith’s fringe laden shirt and I was so laden with freckles growing up I was totally into Howdy’s speckled face too.

Howdy Doody ran on NBC from 1947 until 1960. One of the first TV shows in color, NBC, which also owned RCA who manufactured color TV sets, used the show in part to sell color sets to an enamored tot audience.

These salt and pepper shakers were one of the first pieces of memorabilia I found when I discovered thrift shops.

To this day, every time I shake one of them I get a hit of my childhood. I wanted to be Princess Summerfall Winterspring and Flub-a-dub, 8 animals in one – combo duck, cocker spaniel, seal, cat, elephant, dachshund and pig – was a true inspiration to my budding multimedia self.

Although the thought of anything food related like these S&Ps coming from a town named Doodyville isn’t the most appetizing of thoughts I like shaking Howdy’s head every time I need to spice things up.

I, like so many others of my vintage, was a Howdy Doody freak. Howdy was a pop star before there was such a thing. Although I wasn’t big on Western TV motifs I was really into Buffalo Bob Smith’s fringe laden shirt and I was so laden with freckles growing up I was totally into Howdy’s speckled face too.

Howdy Doody ran on NBC from 1947 until 1960. One of the first TV shows in color, NBC, which also owned RCA who manufactured color TV sets, used the show in part to sell color sets to an enamored tot audience.

These salt and pepper shakers were one of the first pieces of memorabilia I found when I discovered thrift shops.

To this day, every time I shake one of them I get a hit of my childhood. I wanted to be Princess Summerfall Winterspring and Flub-a-dub, 8 animals in one – combo duck, cocker spaniel, seal, cat, elephant, dachshund and pig – was a true inspiration to my budding multimedia self.

Although the thought of anything food related like these S&Ps coming from a town named Doodyville isn’t the most appetizing of

thoughts I like shaking Howdy’s head every time I need to spice things up.

05Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – French Fries Bubblegum

05Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – French Fries Bubblegum

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Not sure what it is about gum that allows it to have more flavors than any other consumable substance on earth but French Fires is one of my favorite flavors and if I can save calories by chewing rather than sucking down actual spuds I’m all for it!

Bubbles Fries come with a pack of play ketchup to smear on the 23 individual fries.

These were as hard as a rock when I bought them 15 years ago so I’m certainly not willing to risk my teeth for a sample chew now. I’ll just enjoy the essence of potato loveliness the packaging promises and chomp on some some bubblewonderful golden nuggets or a pink cigar for my mouth aerobics today.

Not sure what it is about gum that allows it to have more flavors than any other consumable substance on earth but French Fires is one of my favorite flavors and if I can save calories by chewing rather than sucking down actual spuds I’m all for it! Bubbles Fries come with a pack of play Ketchup to smear on the 23 individual fries.

They were hard as a rock when I bought them 15 years ago so I’m not willing to risk my teeth for a sample chew. I’ll just enjoy the esensce of potato lovliness and chew my newer

04Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Hopalong Cassidy’s Favorite Popcorn

04Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Hopalong Cassidy’s Favorite Popcorn

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I have a bunch of Hoppy memorabilia but none so rare as this 1950’s can of “hybrid yellow” popcorn, actually called Hopalong Cassidy’s Favorite. H. Cassidy lunch boxes, paper plates, comic books, roller skates, wristwatches, guns and jackknives were just some of the products that made this cowboy one of the most successful personality brands from early TV.

William Boyd played Hopalong Cassidy from 1935 in films through the 1950’s on radio and tv and was one of the earliest stars to own the copyright to the character he played.

Hoppy’s favorite kernel kontainer is made of tin by the Maryland Popcorn Cooperative Association, Inc.

I have a bunch of Hoppy memorabilia but none so rare as this1950’s can of “hybrid yellow” popcorn, actually called Hopalong Cassidy’s Favorite. H. Cassidy lunch boxes, paper plates, comic books, roller skates, wristwatches, guns and jackknives were just some of the products that made this cowboy one of the most successful personality brands from early tv.

William Boyd played Hopalong Cassidy from 1935 in films through the 1950’s on radio and tv and was one of the earliest stars to own the copyrights to the character he played.

Hoppy’s favorite kernel kontainer is made of tin by the Maryland Popcorn Cooperative Association, Inc.

02Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Come ‘n Get It BBQ Apron

02Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Come ‘n Get It BBQ Apron

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Look how proud “I’m The Chef” is of his well seasoned steaks! This apron is speckled with the residue of much pit grease but it makes me think of my father who faithfully grilled every Sunday, making certain that vegetarianism was the one socially conscious practice I could never embrace (without a provision for T-bone Sunday).

31Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Cowboy Hat Ashtray

31Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Cowboy Hat Ashtray

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Cowboy hat ashtrays had their heyday in the 1950’s. Made of tin, the dings and dents in this one make it more actual hat-like so I accept that the manufacturer didn’t spend the extra dime on sturdier material to grind ones butts out against. I have several of these but this coppertone one is my favorite. I’ve actually turned the ashtray over and used it as an appetizer size jello mold too.

Other models, two of a trillion:

30Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – 1970 Avon Eiffle Tower Perfume

30Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – 1970 Avon Eiffle Tower Perfume

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Originally 3 oz. of Avon perfume of undetermined name – Unforgettable, Topaze or OCCUR!, all of which came encased inside the Tower back in 1970. I used this once and couldn’t stand being around myself it reeked so bad so much of the contents remains.

The bottles are fairly easy to find but usually sans perfume. I screwed off the cap for the first time in decades in order to write this and it still smells like vinegar and whiskey might have been some of the ingredients. Bottle is 8-1/2″ tall with a goldtone plastic cap. Not a nick in sight.

Originally 3 oz. of Avon perfume of undetermined name – Unforgettable, Topaze or OCCUR!, all of which came encased inside the Tower in 1970. I used this once and couldn’t stand being around myself it reeked so bad, so much of the contents remains.

The bottles are fairly easy to find but usually sans perfume. I screwed off the cap for the first time in decades in order to write this and it still smells like vinegar and whiskey might have been some of the ingredients. Bottle is 8-1/2″ tall with a goldtone plastic cap. Not a nick in sight.

29Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Lovin’ ‘More Healthy More Beauty’ Soft Skin Towel

29Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Lovin’ ‘More Healthy More Beauty’ Soft Skin Towel

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I love this packaging so much that if I ever chose to actually use this thing I’d scrub myself with the plastic on. The Photoshoped suds with the totally artificial drip pattern, the Disco-y lettering of Lovin’, the pink of the towel against the bleached pink of the skin – all kwintessential Kitsch aspects of this “More Healthy More Beauty” body scrubber.

The translations on the back, though not as off as I Lovin them to be, still suffer from bad punktuation, grammar and spelling. For example, the towel helps “bad circularion”.

The mesh towel inside looks pretty rough – I don’t dare ruin the packaging to confirm – altho not of the strength of a loofah which it’s clearly patterned after.

I also love the simplicity of the directions: “To avoid soap suds from rinsing away, keep Lovin’ towel away from the direct flow of water.” Anyone who doesn’t know that before they use the towel doesn’t deserve to be scrubbin’ with the Lovin’ in the first place.

I love this packaging so much that if I ever chose to actually use this thing I’d scrub myself with the plastic on. The Photoshoped suds with the totally artificial drip pattern and same yellow hue as the towel, the Disco-y lettering of Lovin’, the pink of the towel against the bleached pink of the skin – all kwintessential Kitsch aspects of this “More Healthy More Beauty” body scrubber.

The translations on the back, though not as off as I Lovin them to be, still suffer from bad punktuation, grammar and spelling. For example, the towel helps “bad circularion”.

The mesh towel inside looks pretty rough – I don’t dare ruin the packaging to confirm – altho not of the strength of a loofah which it’s clearly patterned after.

I also love the simplicity of the directions: “To avoid soap suds from rinsing away, keep Lovin’ towel away from the direct flow of water.” Anyone who doesn’t know that before they use the towel doesn’t deserve to be scrubbin’ with the Lovin’ in the first place.

28Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Pepsodent Tooth Powder

28Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Pepsodent Tooth Powder

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This “giant”(all 4 1/2” of it!) can of tooth powder was all the rage in the 1940’s and 50’s when the jingle, “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent!” flooded tv and radio waves. Pepsodent was famous for its powerful whitening ingredients, “I.M.P.” and Irium, but in 1994, then-FCC chairman Reed Hundt claimed that there was actually no Irium in the product at all. Despite this, the popular jingle and mere promise of whiter teeth made Pepsodent a huge success and the first product that used “radio as a medium for gathering listeners for the purpose of advertising to them”.

Arrogance on the part of Lever Bros., the company that manufactured Pepsodent, actually stopped the tooth policing agent in its tracks. Confident that the non existent Irium insured its proliferation, the company was very slow to add fluoride to the formula. Other brands like Crest, Gleem and Colgate took over the market until Pepsodent was relegated to discount stores, bargain bins and buyers with terminal yellow teeth.

But in its heyday decades earlier Pepsodent ruled, even included in popular song lyrics. From South Pacific: “Bloody Mary’s chewing betel nuts/ And she don’t use Pepsodent” (where’s the rhyme??). And in Cole Porter’s “You’re The Top”: “You’re the basic grand of a lady and a gent, You’re an old Dutch master, you’re Mrs. Astor, you’re Pepsodent.” (excellent rhyme).

1950’s commercial – See where the yellow went:

This “giant”(all 4 1/2” of it!) can of tooth powder was all the rage in the 1940’s and 50’s when the jingle, “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent!” flooded tv and radio waves. Pepsodent was famous for its powerful whitening ingredients, “I.M.P.” and Irium, but in1994, then-FCC chairman Reed Hundt claimed that there was actually no Irium in the product at all. Despite this, the popular jingle and mere promise of whiter teeth made Pepsodent the first product that used “radio as a medium for gathering listeners for the purpose of advertising to them”.

Arrogance on the part of Lever Bros., the company that manufactured Pepsodent, actually stopped the tooth policing agent in its tracks. Confident that the non existent Irium insured its proliferation, they were very slow to add fluoride to the formula. Other brands like Crest, Gleem and Colgate took over the market until Pepsodent was relegated to discount stores, bargain bins and buyers with terminal yellow teeth.

But in its heyday decades earlier Pepsodent ruled, even included in popular song lyrics. From South Pacific: “Bloody Mary’s chewing betel nuts/ And she don’t use Pepsodent” (where’s the rhyme??). And in Cole Porter’s “You’re The Top”: “You’re the basic grand of a lady and a gent, You’re an old Dutch master, you’re Mrs. Astor, you’re Pepsodent.” (excellent rhyme).

1950’s commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPsoxmXjtfc&feature=related

27Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Missing Male Model Afro Comb

27Jul 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Missing Male Model Afro Comb

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Anyone see the male model who was supposed to show up for that Afro Comb photo shoot? The Freedom Comb by Cornell was anything but for this poor guy who thought he was getting his big break here. Wouldn’t want to have been around when that free case of combs they promised him in his contract arrived. The packaging boasts “Guaranteed Forever” but forever will have to wait for this brokenhearted mystery man.

Previous Kitsch O’ The Day models missing in action:

Anyone see the male model who was supposed to show up for that Afro Comb photo shoot? The Freedom Comb by Cornell was anything but for this poor guy who thought he as getting his big break here. Wouldn’t want to have been around when that free case of combs they promised him in his contract arrived. The packaging boasts “Guaranteed Forever” but forever will have to wait for this mystery man.

Other Kitsch O’ The Day models missing in action: