The Mysterious V-7

Vitalis Hair Tonic's history dates to the mid-1920s when it was introduced by Lewis Brothers, Inc., originally based in New York City. The product was trademarked as "Elbee Vitalis" in 1924, with ELBEE being a phonetic spelling of the founders' initials, L.B. Though initially marketed as a scalp treatment to stop dandruff, by the 1930s, the focus shifted toward styling, and it became a staple in men's grooming routines. Vitalis remained particularly popular in the 1940s to 1950s, aligning with the neat hairstyles of numerous Hollywood leading men.

Bristol-Myers acquired the product from Lewis Brothers, Inc. in 1931, and began extensive national advertising campaigns, including the famous "60-second workout" slogan, which emphasized its use for a healthy scalp and well-groomed hair. The product was further refined with the incorporation of a new greaseless grooming discovery called V-7, which was later identified as trimetazidine, a sedative, years before it was used to treat angina and, more recently, as a performance-enhancing drug. Vitalis's primary active ingredient was alcohol (not for performance), which provided the drying and styling properties. The mysterious V-7 was eventually removed, and the new Vitalis became merely scented water that did not offer any hold.

Despite more rumors of its demise, Vitalis Hair Tonic remains available for purchase through major retailers and online platforms.

Master of the Hat

Slayton Underhill (1913-2002) was an "under the radar" commercial illustrator, perhaps best known for his portraits and his Stetson contract featuring Hollywood celebrities. It earned him the moniker, "Master of the Hat," something the more famous Norman Rockwell would never achieve.

Underhill's early works appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, Redbook, Collier's, and Life. Two of his portraits were chosen for the covers of Time magazine. The artist was also behind advertising campaigns for Viceroy cigarettes and Lincoln and Mercury automobiles. The clever 1948 ad above suggests there are (at least) two Bing Crosbys depending on his choice of hat, like the brown "Flagship" echoing the American Airlines Flagship airliners in the background. Across the bottom (L-R) are Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Bob Hope, David Niven, and Dana Andrews.

Buy Milk?

 

The American advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners created the phrase "got milk?" for the 1993 California Milk Processor Board campaign. However, the ad agency thought the phrase was lazy, not to mention grammatically incorrect and almost did not become reality. The phrase did become very popular and was often parodied, but did little to increase the consumption of milk. Mostly liberal celebrities, sports figures, as well as fictional characters, got their upper lip "painted" white in mock milk fashion. It has gotten so phony there may not even be a glass of milk in the image while other ads suggest sex appeal over milk endorsement. The national campaign, run by the Milk Processor Education Program added the "got milk?" logo to its "Milk Mustache" ads beginning in 1995. In 2014, the phrase was officially dropped for a new tagline, "Milk Life," yet it continued to be used. Two years later the branding was used for a line of snack foods called "Got Milk Snacks." If the dairy farmers did not benefit, seems the celebrities did.

Toward The Unknown for Test Pilots

 

On this date in 1956, the first of two prototype Martin XB-51 three-engine attack bombers crashed on takeoff from El Paso International Airport which shared runways with Biggs AFB. The pilot, Major James O. Rudolph, survived the crash, although he died the next month from severe burns. Staff Sergeant Wilbur R. Savage, engineer, was killed instantly. 

This XB-51 had finished its flying sequences the previous month for the movie Toward The Unknown, 1956. Read my comments at FORGOTTEN CINEMA. “Gilbert XF-120” was the fictitious name given to the bomber in the film. Pieces of the wreckage were still marked as such. The second prototype had previously crashed at Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards AFB) in 1952. The XB-51 was a serious competitor to Boeing's B-47, but the Air Force contract was awarded to Boeing. Pilots have said the XB-51 was nimble, innovative, and fast, but casting a pall on the whole program was the crashing of both planes.