Marvin Rothenberg; Co-Founder of Studio

Marvin Rothenberg, 79, who gave television audiences dancing cigarettes and Madge the manicurist. He made memorable commercials, particularly in the 1950s and ‘60s. Growing up in Manhattan, Rothenberg wanted to become a filmmaker and did turn out short features for Warner Bros. in New York before making Army training films and filming European combat during World War II. After the war, he produced film versions of the Gian Carlo Menotti operas “The Medium” and “The Telephone.” But a developing demand for television commercials in the late 1940s offered great opportunity. Rothenberg and several partners founded MPO Television Films (later MPO Videotronics), which became the largest studio making commercials, churning out about 2,000 a year. Among Rothenberg’s hits were the Lucky Strike dancing cigarettes, the Cmdr. Whitehead campaign for Schweppes and Palmolive liquid detergent’s Madge the manicurist. Welcoming Hollywood’s shunned talent, Rothenberg hired blacklisted actors and writers during the McCarthy era and minority actors and technicians. He was equally adept working with unknown actors and celebrities such as Edward G. Robinson and Lucille Ball. On Sept. 25 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.