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#1
05-23-2006, 11:37 AM
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Vintage RCA Color TV commercial from 1961!
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#2
05-23-2006, 11:50 AM
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That's a great commercial! There was some discussion on that among us a few weeks ago, because that TV and its remote has never been seen in person. I can't find any RCA service manual for it either. Dr. Dan and I believe it was a prototype. BUT........ If it's a real working prototype, what if an RCA engineer hauled it home and it's sitting in a basement somewhere in New Jersey? I've owned a few prototype TVs including a Hoffman color set, and they were all ordered destroyed but were sneaked out of the factories and "saved" by engineers
 Charles
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#3
05-23-2006, 03:42 PM
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This set is the first commercial remote control color television.
It is the 1958-59 CTC7 "Worthington", Model 21RC899, available in Walnut or Mahogany. It is the first of the series of "top-of-the-line" really-deluxe RCA color sets (another example is the later first all solid state "G2000"). It is shown on the "Color Television History" web site in the collage of CTC7 sets at http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Gallery/CTC7_Gallery.html and in its individual product sheet at http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Galler...hington300.gif I am pleased to have a Worthington in my collection. Ed Reitan
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#5
05-24-2006, 04:51 AM
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This model is featured in the Doris Day movie "Pleas Don't Eat the Daisies" towards the end of the film ..the family sit down to watch TV on their beautiful RCA color set!!
 The commercial is a hoot ....but where would they have shown it ...it runs nearly six minutes!!
__________________
____________________________ ........RGBRGBRGB ...colour my world
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#6
05-24-2006, 11:15 AM
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Quote:
 Charles
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#7
05-24-2006, 10:24 PM
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Is that really a 'commercial'? It's pretty long, looks more like a kind of promo film. Wonder where they would have shown this. Or did they have some really long commercials back then?
Last edited by frenchy; 05-25-2006 at 01:10 AM.
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#9
06-23-2006, 01:32 PM
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Hi Jstout66,
Do you know where your friend got that Worthington set from or any info about it?
Could you get a photo? Does he have plans for it? I think that set is one of the coolest ever!
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#10
06-23-2006, 06:47 PM
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I could try and get a photo. The guy who owns it isn't really "into" tv's. He collects washers and appliances! He thought the set was cool, and I actually need to set up a time with him to look at it. (he would like me to check out condition) I'll find out what his plans are.
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#11
06-23-2006, 08:52 PM
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As long as we're speculating:
I think this must be a promo piece rather than a commercial. The announcer is trying to be forceful, but is still just reading the text - something intended for the public should have had an announcer that came across as genuinely agog at the features. Also, the announcer doesn't have the "neutral midwest accent" typically looked for in commercial productions. Of course, commercials progressed from basic hard sell to more sophisticated soft sell over the years, so maybe... but it's just too long unless it played as the major or only sponsor for a special sponsored by RCA.
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#12
06-23-2006, 11:14 PM
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RCA made several of these types of promotional/industrial films especially during the '50's. RCA would invite high volume dealers and distributors to new model announcement parties, wine and dine them, and show off their products via these well produced color films. Some included dancers and singers with elaborate sets and high budget musical numbers worthy of Hollywood.
-Steve D.
__________________
Please visit my CT-100, CTC-5, vintage color tv site: http://www.wtv-zone.com/Stevetek/
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#13
06-24-2006, 12:02 AM
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Jstout66, that would be real neat!
I would fly across the country to see that Worthington if my budget would allow it. I suspect many of those Worthington's may have been originally owned by the rich and famous. Perhaps some super luxury hotels had them?
I wish one could trace the serial #'s back to the original buyer. I wonder if that model was offered in blonde wood? Do we have anybody here that actually sold one new or knew anybody that had one when it was new? Thanks
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#14
06-24-2006, 08:12 AM
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Quote:
Even into the '70's the big guys produced live productions to promote products. GE hired a bunch of Broadway singers and dancers then and produced a stage show that traveled around the country to promote silicon rubber stuff! They opened it in NYC figuring among other things that if it flew with a New York audience, it would work anywhere. They premiered it for the press at one of the Park Avenue South Hotels. At the end of the last number there was wild applause. You could see the relief come over the GE PR-guy.
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#15
06-24-2006, 01:23 PM
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Worthington magazine ad
[QUOTE=Bobby Brady]I would fly across the country to see that Worthington if my budget would allow it.
Bobby and fellow AK'ers, To follow up on Ed Reitan's wonderful RCA catalog pictures, here's a link to a photo from my collection of early color tv ads. This photo is from a full page ad that included the RCA Worthington model from Sept. 1958. That was towards the end of production for this model. This set was not only expensive to buy but to produce. http://community-2.webtv.net/Stevetek2/doc/ -Steve D.
__________________
Please visit my CT-100, CTC-5, vintage color tv site: http://www.wtv-zone.com/Stevetek/ Last edited by Steve D.; 06-24-2006 at 07:32 PM.
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