Tom Mix says Eat Ralston, The Straight Shooters Cereal [sic].

The cowboy Tom Mix appears on an eight-foot paper reel of black-and-white pictures and text and is vertically displayed as if on TV. This presentation is also known as a myriopticon. The images are stills from Mix’s movie, Rustler’s Roundup. At the end of the double reel, Mix gives reasons to eat Ralston cereal, saying, “Ask your Mother to get you a box of Ralston” and Ralston “brings the glow of the western outdoors to your cheeks.” The TV could be had free with a coupon and cereal box top. Many other advertising collectibles were offered in the Tom Mix newspaper cartoons and given away free. Tom Mix also had a career in radio where there was additional advertising. The sales power of media heroes was harnessed beginning in the 1930s. [See No. 184 Little Orphan Annie.]