The Middleton Family, from Everywhere, U. S. A. !

[write-light.livejournal.com]

Apologies for the low-quality phone picture, it was all I could manage at the moment this ad appeared.



It's the text that really sells this Westinghouse World's Fair tie-in:

"Here's a family of folks you know --- friends who live just around the corner from everyone.  Doing the Fair -- because that's what everyone is doing this year.  Thrilled by its beauty . . . amazed at its wonders . . . the Middleton Family, from Everywhere, U. S. A. !

There are Babs and Bud, overflowing with the exuberance of 18 and 14 . . . romping through Wonderland like two kittens across a rug.  There are Father Tom and Mother Jane, trying unsuccessfully to be calm and judicious about it all.  And there's Grandma, whose eyes, bright with the memories of other Fairs, grow brighter still with the vision of a new Tomorrow for her dear ones.

Watch the pages of your favorite magazines for the diverting adventures of this lovable family.  Better still, join them in person at the Great Court of the Westinghouse Building.  A warm welcome awaits you --- and a fascinating exhibit of electricity's greatest marvels.

IN SAN FRANCISCO---the Westinghouse "Welcome" sign is out at the Electrical Building on fabulous Treasure Island --- another storehouse of electrical wonders at the beautiful Golden Gate International Exposition."

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MFG. CO. PITTSBURGH, PA.

Westinghouse turned this into film, believe it or not.  You can find it online by searching "Middletons Worlds Fair" (archive.org)

Comments

[etinterrapax.livejournal.com]

Bud looks like he's just discovered the health-enhancing properties of bran, but Babs looks pretty stoned. What were they serving at the food concessions, I wonder?

[write-light.livejournal.com]

romping through Wonderland like two kittens across a rug

well, perhaps drugs WERE involved :D

[singeaddams.livejournal.com]

The kids look sinister. And I bet that film would have been gold in the hands of the MST3K crew.

[mary-shelley77.livejournal.com]

I agree. I know they did at least one short about the World's Fair. They kept remarking about how white everyone was.

[singeaddams.livejournal.com]

MST3K's 'A Date With your Family' is also, uh, relevant. Hee!

[murakozi.livejournal.com]

This picture raises so many questions. Why does 14 year old Bud look like he's 40? For that matter, why does Dad look to be even older than Grandma? How come there's zero family resemblance among any of them? What the heck has Babs been smoking/drinking? To what is Bud giving the thumbs up? Is Dad sticking his tongue out or did he get collagen injections in his lower lip? Should a brother and sister romp like two kittens on a rug?

[pikkewyntjie.livejournal.com]

Before I read the text, I though Dad was Grandpa and I was wondering where Dad was. Fighting the war, maybe, or dead as a result? Then I realized, oh that IS Dad and figured that 18 years ago Mom was a trophy wife and this is probably Dad's 2nd family. His oldest kids are Mom's age and he has grandchildren older than Bud and Babs.

And, yeah, it does seem a little weird for middle-aged teenagers to be frolicking like kittens.

[meleth.livejournal.com]

Those are teenagers?

[minniemousegirl.livejournal.com]

yeah....kids worshiped their parents so much they wanted to look like them too!

[leahtaur.livejournal.com]

Bud looks a bit like Bobby Flay. o_O

[whoseline_wlsc]

Holy crap he does! hahaha

[kip-w.livejournal.com]

I remember this movie from The World of Tomorrow. I like how the kid pronounced Television with the accent on the penultimate syllable. The robot was particularly good, too, delivering his pre-recorded lines and getting pre-recorded laffs.

[luke-russell.livejournal.com]

Today many people in the UK and Australia still say teleVISion. I even hear it often on UK tv. It's very odd sounding to an American.

[herbadness.livejournal.com]

The kittens look like they're on the business side of 40.

But I LOOOOOVE the Worlds Fair exhibit advertising. I think they're the best.

[leoprincess.livejournal.com]

18 and 14? Wow, they must have had a rough life!