Calvert Reserve dog endorsement.

Good morning, citizens! You know how Americans will buy any product if a famous person is paid to stand next to the product in a photograph, withe the consumers believing they will be as beautiful and famous as the celebrity if only they buy the makeup/car/shoes? Yep, the same goes for dogs. In this case, Basil Rathbone's dog.

No, not that way. Dog's don't care about celebrity endorsements. That would be stupid. No no, I mean that humans will buy a product if a famous person's dog sits next to it, of course.

No, the dog's name is not Basil Dogbone, like you'd hope. It's Moritza, like you'd be very bored to find out.

This ad was in the November, 1948 issue of American Legion Magazine, which means that not only is Basil Rathbone dead by now (1967, heart attack), but Moritza is almost as assuredly dead by now as well... probably of liver disease. I hear she was a surly drunk, taking a swing at anyone who walked between her and her Calvert.

It's frikkin cold out, people (-4 in Chicago). Have a drink with your dog.