E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, commonly referred to as the DuPont Company, is a chemical company which was established in 1802. The company began as a manufacturer of black powder, but expanded considerably during the early 1900s. The company began establishing plants all over the United States and began to manufacture other products in addition to gunpowder and explosives. The company manufactured paints, dyes, photographic products, synthetic fibers, plastics, biochemicals, and focused on applied research.The DuPont Company films and commercials (Accession 1995.300) collection consists of moving images documenting the research, development, training, safety measures, products, and promotional aspects of DuPont Company history. This includes commercials, short films, feature films, and television programs. The collection has not been digitized in its entirety.
Episode of Calvalcade of America. Hearty captain's wife takes over for her ailing husband and drunken second mate to get ship carrying an annual allotment of supplies for the Indians of California and Oregon into San Francisco in time to prevent an outbreak of war.
Production #2265. A musical comedy about a romantic, meddlesome teenager who gets involved in everyone's business. When she tries to set her uncle up with her father's boss's daughter, she risks getting her father fired. Commercials for DuPont 'better living through chemistry.'
Production #2276. A broke scholar bargains to marry a headstrong woman in exchange for tuition. Once his career is established, however, he begins to reconsider his decision. Commercials celebrating twenty years of DuPont Nylon.
Production #4056. A television writer with a $5k bet on the line comes across an unexpected adventure as he solves a puzzling mystery of why seven individuals all want a share of $300k hidden at the Baldpate inn. Commercials for DuPont products 'better living through chemistry.'
A man discusses how DuPont transports chemicals safely via railroads, such as creating tank cars made of thick steel. "You and Du Pont. There's a lot of good chemistry between us."
Film transfer of a multi-projector slide show produced for a DuPont Shareholders meeting. Talks about the eight business segments of the DuPont Company: petroleum exploration and production; refining, marking and transportation; coal and minerals; agriculture and industrial chemicals; polymer products; industrial and consumer products; and biomedical products.
Film narrated by Orson Welles about the role of agricultural chemicals in American food production. Argues that harvests can be richer and larger thanks to safe, effective chemicals that combat disease, weeds, pests, and other issues that disrupt plant growth. Shows scientists researching and developing chemicals in the lab. The second half of the film focuses on the Bailey family in Anita, Iowa. Responsible for growing corn and grass and raising livestock, the Baileys speak to the challenges and rewards of running a farm and the benefits that agricultural chemicals provide. Directed by Lee R. Bobker and Ann Eisner; produced by Stephanie Chan; camera operation by Herbert Raditschnig and Tom Hurwitz; editing by Paul Z. Marcus, assisted by Elizabeth Dasheff; sound by Albee Gordon and Chat Gunter.
Includes several DuPont laboratories and plants showing the manufacturing of chemical products and household settings using the products, including Neoprene, Zelan, Nylon, Rayon and Lucite.
Film explains new process of extracting copper without physically mining the ore and waste. Panel with Maxy Anderson, President of Ranchers Exploration and Development Company; Jim Todd, Development Manager, Minerals Section, DuPont Polymer Intermediates Department and Harold Carluvato, National Sales Manager, Explosives Products Division, DuPont.
Parody of the soap opera "Return to Peyton Place." Helen Champion and Vanessa Vertigo square off in Teflon Place's annual fry-off contest. Helen Champion wins because she uses Teflon II cookware, ensuring that her fried pie does not stick to the pan. Includes informational segments about how Teflon II is created, tested, and used.
An actress rehearses for a commercial promoting Teflon-coated cookware. She speaks with the director and practices cleaning a baking dish and frying pan that have been treated with Teflon.
A man and his two daughters cook and bake a variety of foods while his wife laments off screen about the eventual clean up job. With Teflon-coated cookware, however, washing dishes is quick and easy.
An updated version of the "Husband Cleans Up" commercial. A man named George does the dishes as his wife raves about how easy Teflon-coated cookware is to clean.
Spotlights Corfam, a man-made material from DuPont that was used to create shoes. Film explains the research done to assure Corfam was the best material for shoe ware.
Film depicts many DuPont products such as Nylon, Dacron, Kevlar, Zytel, Mylar and DuPont pigments. Current research and company principles are also discussed.
A struggling food salesman is knocked unconscious and dreams he meets 'Peter Profit' who shares ideas on how to improve sales. These include good packaging and displays, and having the salesman create ideas for the grocery store owners on how to increase impulse buys, also known as store decisions, which account for two thirds of all grocery purchases. There are several scenes of shoppers in grocery stores, and DuPont Company employees taking surveys at those stores.
Scrambled eggs are prepared in a pan that is half-coated with Teflon II. The pan is then washed to demonstrate how much easier the Teflon side is to clean. A shorter version of this commercial is titled "Half Pan Test."
