I’ve been catching up on season two of Mad Men, before season three premieres on August 16. I’m absolutely in love with the stylish look of this show, from the smart fedoras to the taffeta dresses. It makes me think of other shows that took place in the 1960s, including one of my all-time favorites, My Three Sons.
Yes, I know these two shows are vastly different, but the characters of Steve Douglas and Don Draper have more in common than you might think at first glance. Let’s compare and pay homage to these two guys in hats…
Suits and Cardigans. Like all professional businessmen in the 1960s, both Steve and Don are quite dapper in their crisp suits, starched shirts, and no-nonsense hats during the work day. During their off-hours, though, they relax in cardigans, sweater vests, and tweeds. I guess the big difference here is that Don is never ruffled or unsettled. Everything is very restrained, never a hair out of place. Steve? Well, he’s got those rambunctious boys and Bub/Uncle Charlie to contend with. He’s bound to get a little flustered at times.
Tragic Pasts. In case anyone hasn’t watched all of Mad Men, I won’t give away too much about Don’s history. Suffice to say it’s filled with grief, much like Steve and the loss of his wife, leaving him to raise three boys on his own. Yet both of these men made the best of their situation and persevered to achieve success in their chosen fields. Speaking of which….
Ads and Aeronautics. Don, of course, is a respected ad man — well, so far anyway. I’m just part-way through season two, and I have a feeling things take a turn for the worse by the end of this season. But Steve never had work issues that I recall. He was always jetting off to some exotic locale to manage some crisis for his important job as an aeronautical engineer. I think Steve Douglas pretty much shaped the face of aviation and the space program as we know it.
Cigarettes and Pipes. They sure smoked a lot during the 1960s. I just watched a Mad Men episode where Don told his doctor he smoked two packs a day. Right. More like two packs an hour. Steve’s nicotine of choice was tobacco in a pipe, usually smoked while reading the newspaper after a long day at the office.
A Way with the Ladies. Even though Don is married to Betty, he’s got all sorts of women jumping him at every opportunity. The guy can hardly hold a business meeting without being accosted by some rabid female in the elevator on the way home. Amazingly, family man Steve had that exact same problem. Apparently, being a successful engineer with three boys and a crotchety house manager drives the ladies wild.
Brooding Souls. I don’t know that I’d call Steve brooding, but you certainly never saw him burst into laughter or guffaw with his buds at the pub. Maybe he was just weighed down by the loss of his wife and the task of raising three boys on his own. Don, on the other hand, conceals his emotions most of the time, but deep down, he’s the epitome of brooding. If you look up the word in the dictionary, you’ll find Don Draper’s name. He definitely has a dark side. Very dark.
Feel free to add your own thoughts on these two titans of industry in the 1960s.
Clacked by Jane Boursaw 
on Jul 23, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
