Seventy-five years ago, the millionth clock radio was getting ready to roll off the General Electric assembly lines, and GE planned to celebrate. They were conducting a contest to give the radio to a lucky winner, who would also travel to New York to meet Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians.

The set, a model 506, was billed as the world’s most useful radio.  It would lull you to sleep and then waken you to music or buzzer.  It could even control a light to waken the hard of hearing.  And in the kitchen, it could be used to control a coffee pot or other appliance.  And, of course, it could remind you of important appointments.

This ad appeared in Life Magazine, March 13, 1950.