Johnny Roventini

Johnny Roventini, also known as John Louis Roventini and popularly as Johnny Philip Morris, (August 15, 1910 – November 30, 1998), was an American actor.

Less than four feet tall as a fully developed adult, Roventini was working as a bellboy at the New Yorker Hotel in 1933 when he was discovered by an advertising mogul, who had him perform a page, issuing a "Call for Philip Morris". He reportedly could always vocalize a perfect B-flat tone as he repeated those words, literally over a million times during his career, according to his own estimate.

He soon became famous as a product spokesman for Philip Morris brand cigarettes in radio, television and print advertising media. He was described by Philip Morris personnel as a "living trademark", and represented the company for over 40 years. He also played roles in the growth of broadcast media, most notably helping Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz with the initial success of their innovative I Love Lucy comedy series beginning in 1951.

Early life Roventini was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Italian immigrants. Physically, he was a dwarf. As an adult, he was 47 inches tall (3'11") and weighed 59 pounds. Employed as a bellman (or "bellboy") in the New Yorker Hotel in New York City, his size and distinctive, high-pitched voice led the hotel to promote him as the "smallest bellboy in the world". The campaign was successful, continuing for fifteen years with minimal changes.

In 1933, the advertising account of Philip Morris was managed by Milton H. Biow, the principal of the Biow Agency. Set on revamping Call for Philip Morris, and having heard of Roventini, he went to the New Yorker with Philip Morris executive Alfred E. Lyons to observe Roventini at work. According to legend, he paid Roventini a dollar to page a man named Philip Morris. Roventini repeatedly cried, "Call for Philip Morris!", not knowing until later that he was auditioning to become a mascot for cigarettes.

Ticket for the Philip Morris Program radio show, 1945, presented by "Johnny" The page was exactly what Biow and Lyons wanted. In April 1933, Roventini was hired to make a "Call for Phil-ip Mor-rees" on the different radio programs sponsored by the company. a substantial wage for such work in those years (as it was about $ in today's money), according to his biography.

Career It was obvious to his fans that Roventini enjoyed playing the smallness of his character, which Biow and others helped him capitalize upon. Philip Morris Tobacco Company provided a small chauffeur-driven American Austin convertible automobile to take Roventini to the live radio broadcasts. He became a friend to movie stars, sitting on popular actress Marlene Dietrich's lap in a publicity shot. In a particularly memorable episode, "Lucy Does a TV Commercial", the actress dresses up in the "Johnny the Bellhop" costume. Industry watchers reported that Lucy, Desi and Johnny had soon become fast friends while working together.

As I Love Lucy was enjoying its enormous popularity, the U.S. was in an early period of the Cold War. The politics of communism and the possibilities that subversive pro-communism activities were active within the United States became known as a Red Scare. In September 1953, allegations surfaced from columnist Walter Winchell that Lucille Ball was being investigated by the House Committee on Un-American Activities in the U.S. Congress for alleged communist ties. Johnny traveled from his home in New York to be with her at Desilu studios in Los Angeles, a gesture of support from both Roventini and her show's sponsor, Philip Morris, which she never forgot.

Later years A Philip Morris representative once described Johnny Roventini as a "living trademark". In 1959, NBC Radio aired a special half-hour program to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his career, describing him (with an apparent double entendre) as "an advertising giant". In the years after tobacco advertising was prohibited in broadcast communications regulated by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Roventini made personal appearances for Philip Morris until he retired in 1974.

Death In retirement, Roventini enjoyed sailing. He never married and died in a hospital near White Plains, New York, in 1998, at the age of 88. The cause of death was listed as "natural causes".

"Johnny's fame as an advertising legend was enhanced by an ever-present smile and outstretched hand that won him friends wherever he went," Philip Morris eulogized.

Legacy Johnny Roventini's original uniform (red usher's jacket, piped trousers, black pillbox hat and white gloves) was donated to the American Advertising Museum, which was located in Portland, Oregon, before closing in 2004.

His catchphrase was the inspiration for Call Federal Credit Union, a credit union that initially served only Philip Morris employees.