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dollar to page a "Mr. Philip Morris" throughout the lobby. The small bellboy repeatedly cried out "Call for Philip Morris" in his distinctive high-pitched voice, several times, not knowing that there was no such person. He did not realize that he had been performing an audition. "I went around the lobby yelling my head off," Johnny recalled later, "but Philip Morris didn't answer my call." Roventini initially thought that his call had been both legitimate and unsuccessful. He was soon to learn that he had been wrong on both counts. He was later quoted in
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different radio programs sponsored by the tobacco company. Roventini had been earning $ 15 a week at the hotel (about $ 350 today) and received $ 100 (about $ 2,350 today) for his very first radio commercial. He later recounted that he only accepted the new job after checking with his mother, with whom he lived much of his life. He was soon earning $ 50,000 annually, a substantial wage for such work in those years (as it was about $ 1,176,860 in today's money), according to his biography.
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and Arnaz, who were expected to promote products sponsoring their shows in that era, when embedding ads straight into programs and in having the stars of shows do ads for the sponsors was common practice. In a particularly memorable episode, "Lucy Does a TV Commercial", the actress dresses up in the
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In those days, hotel lobbies were typically elaborately furnished and used as meeting places, so situations with persons seeking each other were not uncommon. Biow and Lyons had apparently been unnoticed by the 22-year-old bellboy, when, according to the legend, Biow approached him and paid Johnny a
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The page had been a huge success, one that was to lead the young bellboy to a 40-year career. Biow and Lyons both visualized the performance of the small bellboy as ideal to bring life to their fictitious character. In April 1933, Roventini was hired to make a "Call for Phil-ip Mor-rees" on the
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in 1933 when he was discovered by an advertising mogul, who had him perform a page, issuing a "Call for Philip Morris". He reportedly could always vocalize a perfect B-flat tone as he repeated those words, literally over a million times during his career, according to his own estimate.
227:, was managing the advertising account of Philip Morris cigarettes. Biow had an idea to bring new life (literally) to the mature "bellboy with tray of cigarettes" campaign. He had heard of the distinctive voice and appearance of Roventini. Biow and Philip Morris executive
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brand cigarettes in radio, television and print advertising media. He was described by Philip Morris personnel as a "living trademark", and represented the company for over 40 years. He also played roles in the growth of broadcast media, most notably helping
376:(as neighbors Fred and Ethel Mertz), Johnny and Philip Morris gained into unprecedented national television prominence. Johnny's voice and face was often the first thing one heard and saw respectively on Monday evenings on the CBS television network as
291:, and participated in numerous parades and other public events. There were at least ten other Johnnys, known as "Johnny Juniors", including Albert Alteiri. This made it possible for Johnny to appear simultaneously in various sections of the country.
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executives, Arnaz traveled to New York to hawk the show, and struck a deal with advertising mogul Milton Biow, who bought the show for his client, Philip Morris cigarettes. The tobacco company sponsored
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It was obvious to his fans that
Roventini enjoyed playing the smallness of his character, which Biow and others helped him capitalize upon. Philip Morris Tobacco Company provided a small
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332:. In 1951, in the early days of commercial broadcast television in the United States, the new comedy show ran into difficulties when it first sought sponsorship. This was due to the
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Roventini was heard on popular live radio programs and appeared in his short-jacketed bellboy outfit on some of the most-watched television shows of the 1950s and 1960s, including
424:, a gesture of support from both Roventini and her show's sponsor, Philip Morris, which she never forgot. Although with much difficulty, Lucy was able to disprove the charges.
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478:"Johnny's fame as an advertising legend was enhanced by an ever-present smile and outstretched hand that won him friends wherever he went," Philip Morris eulogized.
340:. Advertisers were fearful of unknown public acceptance of the show featuring a marriage of mixed ethnicity in that era. After failing to win financial backing from
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went to the hotel where Johnny worked. They sat in the lobby and observed him, noting both his diminutive size and distinctive voice.
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starting on
January 2, 1971. In the years after tobacco advertising was prohibited in broadcast communications regulated by the U.S.
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exclusively from its premiere on
October 15, 1951, through Christmas of 1954 (it then shifted to an "alternate sponsorship" with
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Johnny
Roventini's original uniform (red usher's jacket, piped trousers, black pillbox hat and white gloves) was donated to the
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Radio aired a special half-hour program to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his career, describing him (with an apparent
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and the possibilities that subversive pro-communism activities were active within the United States became known as a
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and, probably to no one's surprise, was rejected for being too short. He shared a dinner table with
General and Mrs.
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to take
Roventini to the live radio broadcasts. He became a friend to movie stars, sitting on popular actress
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The famous "Call for Philip Morris" advertising campaign predates Johnny
Roventini's role and began during
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until June 1955). Although Philip Morris had a rich return for its investment and risk-taking in backing
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A Philip Morris representative once described Johnny
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The show was enormously popular with the viewing public, and with Lucy and Desi, and sidekicks
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A Century of
American Icons: 100 Products and Slogans from the 20th-Century Consumer Culture
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for alleged communist ties. Johnny traveled from his home in New York to be with her at
459:(FCC), Roventini made personal appearances for Philip Morris until he retired in 1974.
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in New York City, he was promoted by the hotel as the "smallest bellboy in the world".
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He was probably most well known for his Philip Morris promotional work in the sitcom
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opened. Johnny also did a number of commercial spots with stars of the hit show,
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Less than four feet tall as a fully developed adult, Roventini was working as a
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johnny roventini philip morris bellboy bellhop bellman call for philip morris
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was enjoying its enormous popularity, the U.S. was in an early period of the
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Ticket for the Philip Morris
Program radio show, 1945, presented by "Johnny"
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Collection of mid-twentieth century advertising featuring Johnny Roventini
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142:, (August 15, 1910 – November 30, 1998), was an American actor.
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Johnny Roventini - Entertainment News, Obituary, Media - Variety
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Character of Johnny the Bellboy for Philip Morris advertising.
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Johnny Roventini as "Johnny the Bellboy" for Philip Morris,
404:. In September 1953, allegations surfaced from columnist
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239:: "I had no idea that Philip Morris was a cigarette."
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749:, Cigarette TV ads 1940s-1955 at Internet Archive
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743:from The TJS Labs Gallery of Graphic Design.
807:Television personalities from New York City
747:Johnny Roventini's "Call for Philip Morris"
698:Biography of Lucille Ball, famous TV clown
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447:banning the advertising of cigarettes on
410:House Committee on Un-American Activities
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497:His catchphrase was the inspiration for
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361:shows, effectively inventing both the "
576:Paid Notice: Deaths ROVENTINI, JOHN -
265:American Austin convertible automobile
676:Dean's World - Call For Philip Morris
275:, he patriotically tried joining the
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541:. Greenwood Press. pp. 87–88.
445:Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act
443:In April 1970, Congress passed the
271:'s lap in a publicity shot. During
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817:20th-century American male actors
792:American actors with disabilities
753:Lucille Ball and Johnny Roventini
457:Federal Communications Commission
176:comedy series beginning in 1951.
665:Little Johnny A Famous Pitchman
215:In 1933, advertising executive
716:History of Tobacco Regulation*
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440:) as "an advertising giant".
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797:American radio personalities
727:Good-bye to Johnny Roventini
687:Sitcoms Online – I Love Lucy
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499:Call Federal Credit Union
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630:"Call for Philip Morris"
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184:Roventini was born in
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277:Coast Guard Auxiliary
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787:Actors with dwarfism
535:Cross, Mary (2002).
351:Procter & Gamble
336:character played by
309:The Red Skelton Show
281:Dwight D. Eisenhower
140:Johnny Philip Morris
136:John Louis Roventini
49:John Louis Roventini
703:2007-08-09 at the
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396:. The politics of
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186:Brooklyn, New York
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428:Later years
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420:studios in
390:I Love Lucy
378:I Love Lucy
359:I Love Lucy
355:I Love Lucy
347:I Love Lucy
330:I Love Lucy
323:I Love Lucy
297:I Love Lucy
285:Red Skelton
221:Biow Agency
206:World War I
173:I Love Lucy
125:Bill Todman
89:Nationality
771:Categories
640:2007-09-09
505:References
469:retirement
453:television
338:Desi Arnaz
180:Early life
168:Desi Arnaz
55:1910-08-15
402:Red Scare
398:communism
261:chauffeur
200:Discovery
701:Archived
394:Cold War
263:-driven
92:American
412:in the
237:Variety
149:at the
147:bellboy
127:(1952)
100:bellboy
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482:Legacy
418:Desilu
255:Career
210:mascot
83:, U.S.
449:radio
363:rerun
334:Cuban
190:dwarf
39:1940s
762:IMDb
556:2020
543:ISBN
451:and
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45:Born
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