1969 PONTIAC COMMERCIAL - Leo Gorcey, Broderick Crawford

1969 Pontiac commercial with the absolute best cast of well-known character actors ever assembled for a sixty second spot: Broderick Crawford, Mike Mazurki, Elisha Cook Jr., Lon Chaney Jr., Robert Strauss and Leo Gorcey.
One of a series of animated Halo shampoo commercials from the 1950s that parodied well-known children's fairy tales.
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[@DmPmRr1959]

Mike Mazurki, Elisha Cook Jr. Lon Chaney Jr. Robert Strauss, Leo Gorcey and Broderick Crawford. With Paul Richard's narrating. WOW! They marked the end of an era. God love 'em!

[@michaelwhalen2442]

Man, this is better than "Cool Hand Luke!"

[@DmPmRr1959]

@@michaelwhalen2442 You got that right!👍

[@DennisMSulliva]

You are good.. I couldn't think of all the names.

[@danielhurley2894]

Thanks for posting this. I really "depreciated" seeing Slip Mahoney from The Bowery Boys in this commercial. It's been an "extinct" pleasure to see this. And the commerical showed some beautiful "landscrape." P.S. This commercial was for the '69 Pontiac cars, so it was probably made in late 1968? Leo Gorcey died at age 51 in June 1969 - - alcohol-related health decline.

[@briandyer8356]

Let me regurgitate😜

[@jfryza]

They deranged their escape and desecrated their post. Slip said he was not an accomplice because he never accomplished anything in his life.

[@michaelwhalen2442]

Slip decided one time that he need a new pair of glasses, so went to visit an optimist.

[@FCSchaefer]

That commercial is so good it could have been the opening scene of a movie.

[@crystalgrose]

Those cars still look good even now in 2019.

[@ksteiger]

Late 60s was a classic era for the American auto.

[@maydom04]

better

[@dtnetlurker]

Leo Gorcey wearing his famous Bowery Boys hat at the very end of the chain gang: was arguably the most memorable Dead End Kid and was actually only 52 when he died in 1969. This commercial was probably THE VERY LAST time he was on camera. Sadly he never was able to kick the alcohol and he died of liver failure. That's also why he looks older than he was in this commercial. A Great actor that was unfortunately badly typecast, but accepted it and kept milking it while he enjoyed life to the fullest. He now lives forever on film.

[@Djames-bp2tf]

And married many many times - 6 Maybe ?

[@jfryza]

It would be between Huntz Hall and him. In the later movies they dominated the screen with the other boys downgraded to almost being extras.

[@muffs55mercury61]

He appeared in a long forgotten flick "The Phynx" that was filmed sometime in 1969 and released in 1970. It was a box office bomb that ran in most places for about one week at the most.

[@specterman2000]

I would loved to have met all those guys and get their autographs!

[@davea2288]

That is the coolest commercial ever! I had the 69 Grand Prix and it WAS the gentleman's muscle car!

[@davidmckibbin4440]

it sure was, lots of fun

[@IMCcanTWEESTED]

Lon Chaney Jr. Impressive. Each one of those guys were the tops in the character acting field. Broderick Crawford also had an appearance as his Dan Matthews Highway Patrol character along with Aldo Rey and Jack Palance in a Canada Dry Ginger Ale, "Not Too Sweet!" ad 8 years later.

[@HunterMann]

Great to see you this rare TV commercial. From an advertising industry perspective, it’s interesting that Broderick Crawford had no speaking part in this so the other character actors portraying the prisoners in this actually made more than money than him because of the residuals they got for the run of this TV commercial in broadcast. Great script, almost seem like it could’ve been written or directed by Mel Brooks HM, a Clio Award winner

[@michaelmakes4883]

Mike Mazurki...tough guy incarnate..Moose Molloy in Murder My Sweet,right up to terrorizing Rod Stewart in the video"infatuation"

[@michaelboyce9028]

Gorcey Chaney Jr. The whole cream of actors is here!

[@ronnierice9815]

I remember that ad.Maybe that's why I bought a 69 Grand Prix ,and the following year a firebird trans am,or maybe it's because back then, I had money!

[@magoo9767]

OMG, what a load of great character actors!! love it, thanks for posting.

[@saturdaysworld6626]

My pleasure!!

[@fromthesidelines]

Strauss.

[@Ax18NY]

OMG. I remember seeing this as a 7 year old boy. Brought back memories. 💙

[@muffs55mercury61]

One of Leo Gorcey's last roles. He looked a lot older than his 51 years. On the other hand Elisha Cook, Jr would later have another rebirth in his career on 'Magnum PI' and Mike Mazurki was far from finished as well, later appearing in an MTV video with Rod Stewart. Narrator Paul Richards was just 50 when he died in 1974 but left a huge body of work behind.

[@johnpripusich2876]

Priceless! Leo Gorcey with Slip hat, Lon Chaney, Jr., Broderick Crawford, Elisha Cook, Jr., et al.. This is heaven. Thank you!

[@davidlove827]

and Robert Stroud.

[@Mynamesalexa]

I had a '69 GTO. Found it in Stars And Stripes. Ice cold a/c. Drove it from Miramar to Philadelphia in 1 week.

[@johnwow2646]

Can we get one more shot of this scene Mr. Crawford? Sure, can I get another double on the rocks?

[@scribe570]

Oh, you missed it: "Would you like a double for this scene, Mr. Crawford?" Yeah, a double on the rocks."

[@user-wu9xt1tv5j]

Mike Mazurski, Elisha Cook Jr., Lon Chaney Jr. and Robert Strauss were the actors posing as cons, with the aged Bowery Boy, Leo Gorcey, at the end of the chain gang. Broderick Crawford is the guard.

[@user-yz3ul9ny7j]

Wish I could get break away to that time again 😪. When the only thing you plugged in was a toaster and not a damn car !

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

More then those two stars, there are a bunch more here, pretty cool, thanks for posting!

[@michaelarbassio5761]

When I wa a kid, Robert Strauss was even more menacing than Mike Mazurki.. Mazurki was much more well read. You can see it in his performances.. Strauss was one scary dude!! I felt the same about Peter Brocco, & of course Joseph Ruskin was TGE scariest guy on T..V. You guys may not know his name but you ALL know his face!! This guy was the scariest dude outside of Vincent Price I’d ever seen, Go to Untouchables Season 2, Episode 29 calked “The Seventh Vote” he played a character named Stavro. You’ll immediately know his face!! Great Actor!!

[@Rick-mx5kh]

My earliest memory of Strauss was his recurring character on Bewitched. He was comical, but still a bit menacing. I love him and Harvey Lembeck in "Stalag 17"...

[@josephmazzotta8813]

These were actors when actors were actors

[@Juliaflo]

AMEN.

[@antoniotutt4894]

Loved this commercial

[@jyonno]

That is Great!!

[@taratupa73]

Also Mike Mazurki, Elisha Cook, Lon Chaney Jr, and Robert Strauss.

[@GialloEurocrimeWorldChannel]

Leo Gorcey looked a lot older than he really was.

[@Mynamesalexa]

Booze

[@mssolitare]

Wayne Pitty 👀👀👀😮😮

[@jfryza]

When he died at 51 not that long after this commercial, those that knew him were not surprised.

[@elianamiller2666]

@@jfryza Those who knew him knew it was all due to the fact Leo Gorcey quit acting and started drinking heavily ALL DUE to losing his Father Bernard Gorcey for the loss of his Father was just too overwhelming devestating for this great, forever phenomenal actor Mr. Leo Gorcey, of whom my Brother and I had the great privilege of growing up in the 1960's watching him, his Father and the great Huntz Hall and the rest of those 'hooligans'. We watched him through them all; Dead End Kids and The Bowery Boys, we waiting for them to bring those back onto a channel to get to watch these again, just as they have put back on some channels a lot of the so many other of those REALLY TRUE old shows, programs and movies from those real days gone by so long ago. There has not been practically anything even close to truly really being of any good for decades with too many non-acting of so-called actors anymore as most all just is being of themselves with only the change of their names bring the character/s they ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ACTING OUT----BUT ARE NOT DOING SO WHATSOEVER, as they are just exactly the same person on every show as they are being interviewed----as they proove of them not at all of being actors.

[@michaelboyce9028]

He also got painted out of The Beatles' Sgt. Peppers album cover because he demanded payment for using his face! So they removed him but kept his buddy Huntz Hall.

[@johnhollingsworth2132]

The 4th guy, between Chaney and Strauss - who is never really seen except in long shots (where you can see there are 6 guys) - is J. Carrol Naish. Got cut out.

[@obbzerver]

They probably realized no one was going to know who he was. I recognized all the others - I looked him up and don't recognize him at all. I wonder why he was even included. Someone doing him a favor?

[@johnhollingsworth2132]

@@obbzerver Yeah, I mean I know who he is - from old movies - but still would never recognize him at this time. I have seen a picture of him from this shoot mugging with Gorcey and would never have known. Still, kind of feel bad for him to have been so thoroughly removed from the thing.

[@williamcampbell4137]

Naish played Charlie Chan on British TV.

[@Diosprometheus]

J. Carrol was a good friend of Lon's and wonderful character actor playing many ethnic types even though he was really Irish. He was in more than 200 productions going all the way back to 1926. He was nominated for an Oscar twice for his role as Giuseppe in the movie Sahara (1943) and the movie A Medal for Benny (1945). He also starred as Luigi Basco on the popular CBS radio program Life with Luigi (1948-1953). The show was translated to TV but J. Carrol got a raw deal for the same reason the popular Amos and Andy was pulled from the airways. CBS replaced him with Italian actor Vito Scotti. The controversial show lasted five episodes. J. Carrol was in a number of movies with Lon including the dreadful final one for them both Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971).

[@pauljones9773]

2 of the biggest drunks on television.

[@luislaplume8261]

I wonder if Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden made commercials for Pontiac? My late uncle always had a Pontiac. Larry Hagman always drove a Pontiac on I Dream of Jeannie TV series in the 1960s.

[@robertboydston3787]

I recognize everyone of the "convicts"...great commercial

[@johnwow2646]

They found Broderick Crawford at a bar and asked him if he wanted to do a commercial when he sobered up.

[@MontrealMan1970]

the real getaway car was the 69 Grand prix 428 ho 390 hp.

[@crystalgrose]

LOL!!!!!! This is awesome!

[@celsonascimento5235]

Very cool

[@jessstone7486]

Great spot!!!

[@ChaChiVooDoo]

Sadly Leo Gorcey would come to the end of the line right after and Lon Chaney Jr a few years later and Robert Strauss a few years after him. By 1975 half of those prisoners were gone. There's also 6 guys on the chain gang but we only see 5 but hear the 6th one say " What a beauty! " but dont know who it is. Also, only 4 made it into the car. Leo Gorcey wasnt one of them and possibly our mystery man as well.

[@worldsgreatestimpressionis6462]

A truly great assortment of fine but mostly forgotten character actors

[@sharoncooper2405]

Forgotten? Broderick Crawford's an Academy Award winner. Elisha Cook, Jr. had a huge role in 'The Maltese Falcon'. Lon Chaney, Jr., played 'The Wolfman'. All of them are familiar faces in classic movies, and unless the person watching the commercial has never seen a classic movie, they're not forgotten even now.

[@pgh45rpms]

Six in the chain gang, but just four in the car.

[@borisspringsteen1987]

Broderick Crawford is the voice of god.

[@kurtb8474]

If they're trying to get me t believe that Broderick Crawford could run like, they're crazy.

[@ELAW67]

...Dan Matthews can do anything.

[@justina249]

He jumped out of copters and did his own stunts

[@MontrealMan1970]

Matthews would trust you as far as he could shoot you!

[@Mynamesalexa]

Hecouldwaddletohispatrolcarandbarkordersinrapidfirefashion

[@vleldaddio210]

All the greats even Paul Richards with the last words in the scene 😮👍🙌👏 Quess they were in the twilight of their careers but still appreciated by fans all over the world 💯🤗

[@OFFCODEV2]

Damn if I could have those cars right now

[@donstarr7261]

I wonder why they didn't shoot this on the Ventura County Railway like most auto commercials were back then?? Did the Engr, get a form B authorization to pass those chain gang workers red flag??

[@None-zc5vg]

Gorcey looked ravaged in that brief clip: so much for booze.

[@billhammonds4930]

What a hoot!

[@roberthuot7887]

Broderick must of had a stunt double running those rail tracks. There's no way he could have pulled this off in 1969.

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

Or ever in his fat ass life, no offence Broderick I love you!

[@scribe570]

Of course he did. And most actors who can run have doubles doing long shots anyway, especially in cars driving by where you can't really see the driver. Why take up the star's time when it doesn't matter?

[@michaelboyce9373]

Here is that 1965 commercial I was talking about! See if you can identify all the prisoners.

[@MichaelBoyce-tm2vw]

The last Chaney thing.

[@MisterMasterShafter1]

LOL Cool. Except that Leo Gorcey passed away not long after this.

[@leonardwilsonsr8198]

Broderick Crawford so thats what he did after Highway Patrol

[@gregoryj.m.8985]

He Did another series called King of Diamonds after the hit series Highway Patrol...and he did some movies and some made for T.V. movies....late 1930s through the early 1960s were more his time of acting ...he was in many movies and the Highway Patrol series was very popular...he won Best actor best picture in 1950 When he portrayed a real life Character nicknamed " The Kingfish( Huey P. Long) in the movie " All the Kings men "......a good movie...good acting....and scripted after a true story..

[@dreamepiphany9093]

They all were famous actors in the commercial.

[@scribe570]

They were all famous faces. I think you needed to be a film buff to know most of the names, which is part of the fun.

[@moonshinerman]

That cant be Broderick Crawford that is running after the train. He was 58 years old and I don't think he ever moved that fast

[@arkfodao]

Maybe it was a double hahaha

[@gregoryj.m.8985]

Some of those guys were hard drinkers...Crawford and Cheney were drinking Buddies and liked to spar in their younger days..another one of their buds was Lawrence Tierney as well....I've heard they could be a handfull on the set. ..in their younger acting days they could move fast..Like in the 1940 movie called " seven sinners " Broderick Crawford ran through most of the movie...and in a scene towards the end ...a Young Broderick Crawford and young John Wayne clean out a entire bar...and Crawford did all the stunts...then he throws a knocked out John Wayne over his shoulder and hops out a ground floor window..haha....he worked as a Long Shoreman , and on a cargo ship for a time....

[@borisspringsteen1987]

"Anyone on the crew want to chase the train?"

[@doughelms558]

With the voice at the end of Peter Lorre.

[@MrWosclifton]

Impossible. HE PASSED AWAY IN 1964 !!!!!

[@doughelms558]

@@MrWosclifton Well, drat. (Sounds a bit like him - but thanks for the correction.)

[@wchomes106]

@@doughelms558 HA!

[@dangelo1369]

The voice over was done by character actor Paul Richards (1924-1974). He also did the voice overs for the early Michelob Beer commercials and "Beneath The Planet of The Apes" (1970)

[@Diosprometheus]

@@dangelo1369 Paul was in the premier episode of Gunsmoke playing the near sighted gunfighter that almost killed Matt Dillion. That is the one introduced by John Wayne for his good friend. He had the same name as a then famous baseball manager and former big league catcher.

[@jeffjohnson3065]

Long Chaney Jr was also in the line of prisoners

[@andreawelch4109]

Lon not long.

[@Mynamesalexa]

Wheredoyouguysthinkyouregoin?

[@obbzerver]

All those cars in good condition are worth a mint now. That can't be Broderick Crawford running at the end, by that point he was doing good to walk across the street.

[@themysteriousunknownrevealed]

Is that Forrest Tucker?

[@tomflorio3639]

Two questions: There's six guys in that line - why don't we see the fourth one's face, and why are only 4 of them in the car at the end?

[@Jackinbarr]

The fourth one that we don't see was J. Carrol Naish, who, for whatever reason, was left out of the single shots. And if you freeze frame the ending, it's Mike Mazurki, Elisha Cook Jr., Lon Chaney Jr., and Robert Strauss in the back of the GTO. It was probably a struggle for Leo Gorcey just to say his one line on the ground, considering the state of his health.

[@tomflorio3639]

@@Jackinbarr gracias

[@davidjones9661]

@Jack Daugherty And knowing Leo (I just finished the son's book, "Me And The Dead End Kid") he probably wanted his salary doubled, to get up on that railcar, then into the GTO...

[@donstarr7261]

Lonely Pine Branch? SP Mojave crew

[@moosejawventure]

Broderick Crawford running...I don't think so 😅

[@simul8guy75]

Leo must have made this spot shortly before he died as he passed in June 1969... RIP.

[@steveskouson9620]

I'd rather have a Plymouth. B body and A833, 383. Yes, the Roadrunner. 1970 model. steve

[@pooky1959]

Who’s here because of Gilbert Gottfried ?

[@haroldwighard7059]

sad in a way