A viewer asked for Hostess commercials with Ann Blyth. Fortunately, this one was easy to find.
I do get requests for things that take a lot of digging, and sometimes no matter how detailed the search is, nothing turns up. Maybe our audience can help us locate one for viewer John — “Chick, chick, chiarina soup” from the 1970s. Does that ring a bell with anyone?
As for Ann Blyth and Hostess, I never really stopped to wonder why a major Hollywood movie star wound up selling us Twinkies, CupCakes and Fruit Pies.
Turns out, Hostess chose her pretty cleverly.
By the time this commercial aired in 1972, Blyth was an Academy Award-nominated actress, best remembered for playing Joan Crawford’s spoiled and downright nasty daughter Veda in Mildred Pierce. But away from Hollywood, she had become almost the exact opposite.
Blyth had stepped away from making movies, married Dr. James McNulty and was raising five children. So Hostess wasn’t just hiring a celebrity — they were selling us Ann Blyth the mother.
Some commercials even featured her own children, and her role was basically the sensible mom who knew when to say no and when a Hostess treat was okay.
And this wasn’t a quick celebrity endorsement either. Blyth’s association with Hostess lasted well over a decade, with her appearing in commercials for Twinkies, CupCakes, Fruit Pies and other Hostess products.
That’s a pretty long run for an advertising spokeswoman, and it tells you Hostess clearly liked the image she brought to the brand — wholesome, familiar and believable as a mother.
Quite a contrast when you remember that the young actress who played one of Hollywood’s nastiest daughters eventually became known to another generation as the nice Hostess lady handing out Twinkies.
Do you remember Ann Blyth from Mildred Pierce, or mainly from these Hostess commercials — and can anyone help John find that “Chick, chick, chiarina soup” commercial?