Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Old Videos For a Cold Day

I've had fun this morning sifting through a lot of old advertising videos on YouTube. Since Afton Station is a former D-X service station which is now a Packard showroom museum, I've decided to share these two. Then, I added a couple of interesting videos relating to Afton, too. So, when you have about 15 minutes to spare, sit back and enjoy!

The first is a (Circa) 1967 D-X Gasoline ad. Win a thousand dollar jackpot in a scratch-off game at your friendly local D-X dealer! The actors playing both the attendant and the customer look familiar, but I can't place them. Any ideas?





Next, the latest innovation by the Packard Motor Car Company! Push Button Drive! "What a wonderful convenience!" "Like taking off for a trip to the moon!" By 1955, when this was aired, Packard was just a couple of years away from its demise. What a shame to lose such a great, well-made vehicle. The push buttons, however, never caught on.





Next, since we're talking about Afton, Oklahoma here, I present a totally random video I found on YouTube -- Melvin Birks Makes Biscuits. He's an Afton resident, and I think this video will make you smile. . . and make you hungry, too! I don't know Mr. Birks, but I hope to meet him some day!

Ok, one more. I can't resist adding another Melvin Birks video. His son has recorded a series of interviews with Mr. Birks in which he recalls his life as a young boy in Afton. This one references the iconic Rest Haven Motel, just down the street from Afton Station. Melvin's grandmother had a taxi service in Afton. Hard to imagine such a thing, but apparently it did well for a while. Mr. Birks himself had a bus station and a funeral parlor.

7 comments:

DennyG said...

Perfect timing. 15 minutes neatly done away with. I thought the station attendant in the DX commercial looked like Jesse White the original Maytag Man and I'm now pretty sure it is. There are interweb clues that he did a DX commercial with Herb Vigran and a search for Vigran turned up that familiar face whose name I never new.

As the new owner of a not new push-button transmission, I've become more interested in them than normal. What I've read is that fleet standardization by outfits like the federal government and Hertz doomed the buttons.

Anonymous said...

DennyG you are correct that was Jesse White, the "loneiest repair man in the world".

Also the other fellow's face was one I remember seeing in an old TV show, do not know his name.

Laurel said...

Hey Denny, thanks for doing the research! As soon as you mentioned the Maytag Man, I relized you were correct. That's him!

The push button thing reminds me of slot machines. I don't have much experience with them, but a few years ago I had occasion to be in a casino, and I was kind of disappointed to see that slot machines now work with the push of a button rather than the pull of a handle. It just seems too easy. I didn't realize that the federal govt. had something to do with the disappearance of the push button tranny.

Anonymous (Who are you anyway?)- Thanks for your input, too.

Trevor Hilton said...

I remember DX, Gulf, Exxon, Sinclair, etc. stations. And I'm old enough to remember when an attendant came out, filled your tank, checked your oil, checked your tire pressure, and cleaned your windshield. There was a station in Coffeyville, I can't remember which brand, where we were on a first-name basis with the attendant.

It's strange that li'l old Afton was once so busy that it had a taxi service. I once heard about some people starting an organization that encourages people to record their life stories so that their experiences won't be forgotten. After all, the recently deceased Dick "Band of Brothers" Winters, and Bob Waldmire aren't the only people who led interesting lives that people need to remember.

DennyG said...

The fellow in the car is Herb Vigran. I tried to say that in my first paragraph's muddled last sentence. He seems to have appeared in just about every TV series ever made including Andy Griffith, Bonanza, & The Beverly Hillbillies.

Lulu said...

Dammit Laurel!
I started watching the videos that you posted. Then, there were more videos with Mr. Birks.
He kind of reminds me of Earnie Edwards from the Pig Hip in Broadwell.
I can listen to "old timers' tell their stories for a very long time.
I was on You Tube watching that stuff for almost an hour.
It is kind of like Gary Turner at Gay Parita and not letting go! LOL
Thanks for sharing!
Big hugs to you,
Lulu

Laurel said...

I absolutely agree, Lulu. I love Mr. Birks videos! Betty told me that I've met him, but I just don't remember it. And if that's true, how could I forget? Hopefully, he'll be coming in to Afton Station again so I can hear some of his stories first hand.