Thomas Scott Cadden

Thomas Scott Cadden (December 2, 1923 – November 2, 2007) was an American pioneering television commercial producer, director, writer, and songwriter during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. He is best known for composing the famous Mr. Clean advertising jingle written in 1957 for use with the product's introduction in 1958. He produced, directed and wrote the Mr. Clean commercials until the 1970s. The Mr. Clean jingle is still used today in a more contemporary arrangement.

Early life

Thomas Scott Cadden was born on December 2, 1923, in Baxter Springs, Kansas, to Estelle Norma (née Scott) and John LeRoy Cadden. He learned to play the piano at a very early age. He grew up in Kansas. He received a degree in journalism from the University of Kansas in 1947, but his college years was interrupted by Army service in World War II. He lived for a time in Lawrence, Kansas. He initiated into Kappa Tau Alpha Journalism Society in 1977. He was also a very active member of the Kansas Alpha Phi Kappa Psi fraternity in Lawrence.

Career

Cadden worked as a continuity director and publicity director for KSTL Radio in St. Louis from 1948 to 1951. He worked for WIL Radio in St. Louis in 1951. From 1951 to 1953, he worked at Smith, Taylor & Jenkins Advertising Agency as a TV and radio writer and producer. He then worked as a director of TV and radio from 1954 to 1955 at Krupnick and Associates Advertising Ageny in St. Louis. In 1955, he moved to Chicago and worked for Geoffrey Wade Advertising Agency for a year. He worked at the Tatham-Laird & Kudner advertising firm from 1956 to 1970. In 1957, Cadden wrote an advertising jingle, both the words and music, for Mr. Clean. He wrote dozens of jingles for products like Head & Shoulders shampoo, Bold detergent and Libby's sloppy joes. He was vice president and director of commercial production for television and radio. Other Cadden highlights were commercials written for Curad adhesive bandages, Pringles potato snacks, Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo, and Alka Seltzer, and scores of other commercials and jingles. Cadden was a part of a Chicago trio of jingle writers featuring Bill Walker and Dick Marx (father of singer/songwriter Richard Marx).

In 1970, he did freelance work and traveled to the west coast for production jobs and recorded his own music. He recorded over 200 original songs. He retired in 2001. In 1984, he published the book ''What A Bunch of Characters'' about Hollywood stars he had met in Southern California in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1990s and early 2000s Cadden would make special appearances as a guest of Procter & Gamble during Mr. Clean advertising promotions.

Personal life

Cadden married Loretta Thorwart on July 10, 1954, in Indianapolis. They had two sons and one daughter, including Thomas S. Jr., Timothy W. and Holly. He was a bicyclist and would bike in Cook County.

Cadden died of pneumonia on November 2, 2007, aged 83, at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, Illinois.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cadden, Thomas Scott
1923 births
2007 deaths
People from Baxter Springs, Kansas
People from Lawrence, Kansas
Mass media people from St. Louis
Mass media people from Pittsburgh
Mass media people from Chicago
University of Kansas alumni
American advertising people
Jingle writers
Deaths from pneumonia in Illinois
19th-century American songwriters
19th-century American writers