20070616 Old Natty Boh commercials present Maryland history lessons

Old National Bohemian Beer commercials present Maryland history lessons

June 16th, 2007

(Image Credit: Atomic TV)

I had meant for this to be posted last Friday, for a ‘Thank God It’s Friday’ feature and life got in the way…

Anyway, please enjoy Maryland history lessons by way of some very old National Bohemian Beer commercials. These will take ya back to the very early days of television.

Many of the younger readers of “Soundtrack” may remember their first computer or first cell phone. Well, I remember life before television – and although very young, I remember our first TV. I found it quite fascinating. We could only get 4 channels: 2, 11, 13 and 5. And the TV went off the air in the late evening…

Also – for the younger readers, please note that the commercials were approved by the Maryland State Board of Censors [1] (Folks like Mr. Crablaw will appreciate this Supreme Court case:

GROVE PRESS, v. MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF CENSORS, 401 U.S. 480 (1971), 401 U.S. 480, GROVE PRESS, INC., ET AL. v. MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF CENSORS, APPEAL FROM THE COURT OF APPEALS OF MARYLAND, No. 63., Argued November 10, 1970, Decided March 8, 1971)

Enjoy

National Bohemian Beer "Natty Boh" Commercials Part 1




National Bohemian Beer "Natty Boh" Commercials Part 2

[1] Maryland State Board of Censors

In 1916, the General Assembly created the Maryland State Board of Censors to scrutinize "all films, reels or views" to be exhibited in the state (Chapter 209, Acts of 1916). The board consisted of a chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary. Each was appointed to a three-year term by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.

The board approved only those films that they deemed "moral and proper." Approved films received the board's official seal, which was required to be displayed on every film shown in Maryland. Films that the board judged sacrilegious, obscene, indecent, immoral, or tending to debase or corrupt morals did not receive the required seal. Exhibiting disapproved films was illegal. The board enforced its own rules. Members of the board and its employees were authorized to enter any theater to prevent the exhibition of films that did not display the board's seal.

Although it had no power of arrest, the board organized police raids on offending theaters. Persons who submitted films to the board for examination, if dissatisfied with the result of the first judgment, could, upon appeal, submit the same film to the board for reexamination, and then to the City Court of Baltimore. Some censorship cases reached the Maryland Court of Appeals.

In 1970, administration of the Maryland State Board of Censors was assigned to the newly created Department of Licensing and Regulation (Chapter 402, Acts of 1970).