Clairtone was already history by the time I was a child. By the time I was old enough to talk about those kinds of things to my father. But for him, it loomed large. It had always loomed large right to the end of his life.

He would say ’Clairtone was my first great love. And you never forget your first love.’

So begins Clairtone, Ron Mann’s new archival documentary about the rise and fall of the Clairtone Sound Corporation. For a decade, in the 1960s, Clairtone Sound Corporation captured the spirit of the times: sophisticated, cosmopolitan, liberated. From its modern oiled-walnut and teak stereos to its minimalist logos and promotional materials, Clairtone produced a powerful and enduring body of design work.

Founded in 1958 by Peter Munk and David Gilmour, Clairtone quickly became known for its iconic designs and masterful advertising campaigns. Its acclaimed Project G stereo, with its space-age styling, epitomized the Swinging Sixties. Famously, Hugh Hefner owned a Project G. So did Frank Sinatra. Oscar Peterson affirmed that his music sounded as good on a G as it did live.

Sponsored by JRWagner Architect.