The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / This Week's "Under The Influence": When TV Characters Do Commercials

**Posted by RadioActive** May 22, 2025 11:58 am

I have to say the CBC radio show hasn't been as great as it once was, but this week's is stellar.

It involves commercials featuring famous TV characters shilling for everything from desserts to booze. Some I recall, some I've never heard before. But I knew all the characters and my two favourites are from Hogan's Heroes and a "reunion" of everyone from Eddie Haskell and June Cleaver to Grandpa Munster. Walter White from Breaking Bad also makes an appearance as - what else - a "pharmacist."

All classics and a great listen. It can be found online (although not up yet as I post this) and repeats on air Saturday morning at 11:30 AM.

**Posted by mic'em** May 23, 2025 6:22 am

RA, I believe Mr O'Reilly said at the very beginning this was a repeat show. It was, however, well done.

**Posted by RadioActive** May 23, 2025 6:47 am

Thanks for the update. I missed the first two minutes so I didn't hear that, but it's still worth a listen. Don't recall hearing this episode before, but it's been on for 10 years, so it's impossible to keep up with every one of them.

I loved the excerpt from the Eddie Haskell-June Cleaver spot, where the original actors (Ken Osmond, Barabara Billingsley) do one of those over-the-top complimentary things Eddie did, with Beaver's mom seeing right through his unctions actions and shutting him down. It was like a mini-episode of the show I've never seen before.

**Posted by mace** May 23, 2025 9:00 am

It was common in the early days of television for stars to do ads for the shows sponsor. Probably one of the most famous ones features several of the Flinstone's characters puffing on Winston cigarettes. I have seen Jed Clampett and Mr. Drysdale do the same while Jethro and Miss Jane Hathaway discuss how tasty Kellogg's Corn Flakes are. Over on the Dick Van Dyke Show Rob and Laura Petry can be seen enjoying a Kent cigarette. Over at Stalag 13, Colonel Hogan and the other prisoners get to enjoy Jello topped with Dream Whip. Why there is even enough of the sponsor's product for Colonel Klink and Sgt Shultz to enjoy it as well.

**Posted by RadioActive** May 23, 2025 9:22 am

The one I remember best for some reason is Perry White going ballistic and having a temper tantrum over running out of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, as Superman races to the rescue. What a bizarre spot.