How a Borax Company Created One of Television's Longest-Running Western Anthologies
In short: Before it became a television staple, Death Valley Days was a radio hit born from a corporate marketing strategy. Sponsored by the Pacific Coast Borax Company, the series used the American Old West to sell laundry products, eventually launching the acting career of a future U.S. president.
Created in 1930 by copywriter Ruth Woodman, Death Valley Days began as a radio program designed to promote the obscure location of the Pacific Coast Borax Company’s mining operations. Woodman, who had never visited the region, initially relied on reference books to craft stories about miners and homesteaders. The show’s success eventually led to a television adaptation in 1952, which defied industry norms by opting for syndication to local markets rather than a national release.
The series was a masterclass in corporate branding. Hosts, including Stanley Andrews, Robert Taylor, and Ronald Reagan, frequently doubled as spokespeople for products like 20 Mule Team Borax and Boraxo. The strategy proved effective; the company reported increased sales of its laundry additives and a rise in visitors to its Furnace Creek Inn resort. When Reagan left the show in 1966 to pursue his political career, he was succeeded by other Hollywood stars, maintaining the show’s focus on historical, albeit dramatized, pioneer events.
Production was a logistical feat, often filmed on location in Death Valley National Park on tight, three-day schedules. Over its 18-year run, the show produced 452 television episodes. Because the series was an anthology, it could easily recycle content; by simply reshooting host segments, the company could repackage old episodes under different titles like The Pioneers or Trails West to keep the brand visible in competitive syndication markets.
The legacy of the show persists through modern preservation efforts. In 2013, Cinelicious began restoring 458 episodes, scanning 16mm and 35mm film at 4K resolution. Today, the show remains available through various channels and retail releases, serving as a rare example of a long-running broadcast program that functioned primarily as a sophisticated, decades-long advertisement for a single consumer goods manufacturer.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Death Valley Days
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