Manhattan Color Stereo Theatre, Magnavox, October 1966

This ad captures a section of the typical living room of exactly 50 years ago, what designers affectionately call the Mid-Century Modern look today. The gold walls and carpeting, matching drapes in a bold pattern, the faux palm tree, the record album resting on the seat of the walnut Danish Modern armchair...these were all elements of the look, but the focal point of this and many other living rooms of the era was the console television or TV/stereo combination, such as the Magnavox Manhattan Color Stereo Theatre pictured here.

In the 1960s and 1970s (and even extending into the '80s), TVs and stereos were often purchased as much for their appearance as furniture as for the quality and features of the electronics housed within. The wood cabinets came in all sorts of models to complement the furniture styles of the era...Early American, Mediterranean and Contemporary were some of the most popular. Sometimes the TV screen would be housed behind doors, or completely open as in the pictured set. The screens were not very large compared to today's standards - this model's screen was 270 square inches, or 18 by 15 inches.

The Quick-On feature was a nice option, as typically TVs of the era would require a warm-up period of a minute or so before the picture would come on. The Automatic Color was also a bit advanced, as most TVs came with manual controls for adjusting the color balance. And although not mentioned in this ad, I'm sure there was the vertical hold control, essential for stopping the vertical roll of images so common with mid-century TVs. This model was not inexpensive, as $795 in 1966 U.S. dollars would be the equivalent of over $5,900 today. But Magnavox was a quality brand, and many of these sets lasted for quite a few years.

Can't you just picture a family gathered around this set, watching "Green Acres" or "Gilligan's Island"?"