GEORGE LOIS

A DOWN-HOME MESSAGE FOR A STOCKBROKER FROM THE MICK.

 

Like Joe Louis, the great Mickey Mantle’s fame was no guarantee of financial security; he was known to have lost a bundle investing in lousy business deals. So we shot the Mick for Edwards & Hanly, in glorious black and white, looking square in the camera as he bared his soul: Boy, I’m telling you when I came up to the big leagues, I was a shufflin,’ grinnin,’ head-duckin’ country boy. Well, I’m still a country boy, but I know a man down at Edwards & Hanly. I’m learnin.’ I’m learnin.’ A few nights after the spot hit the airwaves, Johnny Carson had a field day with I’m learnin.’ I’m learnin,’ and the line became an au courant phrase among talk show denizens and stand-up comics all over America.