Guinness: Mr Pastry

1956
Sound
1m

Marvellous Mr Pastry clowns about in suitably silly style in this acrobatic mid-fifties advert for Guinness.

Marvellous slapstick clown Mr Pastry (Richard Hearne) - no stranger to acrobatics - is seen performing some rather unlikely stage stunts in this cheerful 1950s advert for the beautiful black stuff, which invited viewers to 'have a Guinness when you're tired'. A popular performer on stage and screen, best known as moustachioed bumbler Mr Pastry, Hearne was - so legend had it - once lined up for the plum part of Dr Who (number three). Apparently, he intended to play the role as Pastry, but the BBC had other ideas - and the gig went instead to Jon Pertwee.

Commercial Television

The launch of ITV on 22 September 1955 brought advertising to the small screen. Commercial television spread rapidly across the country, inviting the salesperson into every living room.

This collection shows how some advertisers struggled to find the right voice and formats for the new medium, while others hit the ground running. Look out for rare examples of the shortlived 'admags' - banned in 1962 for blurring the distinction between programmes and adverts.