Stopette: industrial design, and interpretive dance
June 21, 2019 8:59 PM Subscribe
Jules Montenier was a cosmetic chemist who improved antiperspirant, making them less irritating to the skin, and developed a new squeeze-bottle applicator with the product name of Stopette (Cosmetics and Skin). He became sponsor of What's My Line? (Old Time [Radio]), as seen in this collection of ads. But wait, one of them is not like the rest. That would be Dorothy Jarnac's Stopette pantomime. She's more than the Deodorant Dancer -- Miss Jarnac started out as an exponent of the classical ballet, but her sense of humor got the upper hand and she gained some small renown for interpretive dance (Periodically Vintage).
There's not much record of Miss Jarnac online. In fact, her TMC bio page includes the biography for writer-director Jim Jarmusch, instead of her own. IMDb has more credits for her and a press photo from 1951 lists her as a comedienne-dancer.
Back to Jules Montenier -- the "world-famous cosmetic chemist" appeared on What's My Line? in 1956.
There's not much record of Miss Jarnac online. In fact, her TMC bio page includes the biography for writer-director Jim Jarmusch, instead of her own. IMDb has more credits for her and a press photo from 1951 lists her as a comedienne-dancer.
Back to Jules Montenier -- the "world-famous cosmetic chemist" appeared on What's My Line? in 1956.
Wow coincidence, I was watching some 'What's my line' on youtube the other day and saw one of the dance routines.
Poof!
posted by freethefeet at 10:41 PM on June 22, 2019
Poof!
posted by freethefeet at 10:41 PM on June 22, 2019
This puts old snide references to "interpretive dance" in a new light for me -- I think I'd always thought of it as a drab, histrionic form like the modern dance parodied in the "Choreography" number in the movie White Christmas. This is altogether cheekier and more self-aware, and I kind of like it.
Myself, though, ASCII interpretive dance has always kept me entertained through a dull lecture
o>-=
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o{~L
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posted by gusandrews at 4:32 PM on June 23, 2019
Myself, though, ASCII interpretive dance has always kept me entertained through a dull lecture
o>-=
o)-<
o{~L
o]-/
posted by gusandrews at 4:32 PM on June 23, 2019
Amazon Prime has a nice little collection of golden-age What's My Line? episodes available for streaming, complete with commercials. In addition to Dorothy Jarnac's deodorant-inspired dance routines, you'll get to see the man-sized Remington Rand electric razor shave the bristles off a brush and the fuzz off a peach.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:05 AM on June 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:05 AM on June 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
Seeing those videos on Amazon is what inspired my brief research in the first place.
And I wonder if "man-sized" is their way of saying "we're not going to apologize for the size of our mechanical face-mower is, we're saying you're a wimp if you can't manage it."
posted by filthy light thief at 9:34 AM on June 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
And I wonder if "man-sized" is their way of saying "we're not going to apologize for the size of our mechanical face-mower is, we're saying you're a wimp if you can't manage it."
posted by filthy light thief at 9:34 AM on June 24, 2019 [1 favorite]
My spouse and I have watched a lot of What's My Line in the last couple of years and these Stopette interstitials have always been utterly mindblowing to us. Thank you so much for the links.
posted by radiosilents at 12:43 PM on June 24, 2019
posted by radiosilents at 12:43 PM on June 24, 2019
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