Gadget exhibit really, really works

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the greatest kitchen appliance ever made. But don't delay. This is a limited-time offer. And it's only $19.95." Handy gadgets advertised on TV are showcased in Isn't That Amazing!, a new exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center

Veg-O-Matic, Dial-O-Matic, Peel-O-Matic, Kitchen Magician, Chop-O-Matic, Mr. Microphone, Pocket Fisherman, the Miracle Broom -- they're all here.

The 150 products, dating from 1946 to 2002, were produced by the Chicago-based Popeil Brothers and Ronco companies. Text panels explain the story of the successful manufacturers and marketers of inventive items. One section in the exhibit is devoted to Dan Aykroyd's 1976 "Saturday Night Live" parody of TV ad gimmicks.

Vintage TV commercials run continuously in the gallery. "Everyone likes coleslaw -- everyone except Mother. She's the one who's got to make it on that old grater. Oh, the scrapes on her poor knuckles," says the pitchman in the Chop-O-Matic commercial.

Just when you thought the commercial was finally, mercifully almost over, the announcer would invariably say: "But wait, there's more!" and tell you about a bonus product. With the Chop-O-Matic, you got "at no additional charge, during this television offer, a valuable recipe book -- containing 50 secret recipes by world-famous chefs."

The exhibit even has an area for visitors to demonstrate their own pitching skills.

The Popeil family went from being street peddlers in the 1930s and '40s to international celebrities through television and their innovative products. Popeil Brothers was established in 1945 by Samuel and Raymond Popeil. Ronco was co-founded in 1964 by Samuel's son, Ron, and his former college roommate.

"I freely confess that I found the Popeil and Ronco commercials to be extremely annoying when I first saw them. But I guess they finally won me over," said Tim Samuelson, the curator. He has been collecting TV ad gizmos since the early '90s, when he discovered a '50s Popeil Brothers plastic doughnut maker in a resale shop. He has assembled his collection from thrift stores and online auctions as well as closets, attics and basements throughout North America.

"Underneath the layers of promotional hype, the Popeil products are true devices of ingenuity and utility, and sometimes beauty," he said. "Each was created with the simple goal of improving everyday life at a price everyone could afford. They often made people wonder: 'Why didn't I think of that?' "

The exhibit will run through May 16. Programs at various times will include demonstrations, curator talks, an improvisational-style comedy show and a disco party. The museum is at 78 E. Washington. Admission is free. Call (312) 744-6630.

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