Geritol is apparently a combination of the words geriatric and tolerance.

Geritol liquid tonic was introduced in 1950 by Pharmaceuticals Inc. as a remedy for those who felt tired because of iron poor blood.

With Ralph Bellamy and Ted Mack touting Geritol's unique ability to prevent iron poor blood, Geritol quickly became the number-one high-potency iron tonic in America.

Geritol remained the best-selling iron and vitamin supplement until 1979 when health-conscious consumers began seeking more complete vitamin formulas.

While one dose of the original formula for Geritol contained twice the iron in a pound of calf's liver, today one dose of Geritol Complete contains approximately two-thirds the iron in a pound of calf's liver.

In 1956, Geritol sponsored Twenty-One, the game show featured in the 1994 Hollywood Pictures movie, Quiz Show, directed by Robert Redford and recounting the game show scandal in which producers fed answers to contestants.

In 1971, Geritol launched the television commercial that created the catchphrase, "My Wife, I Think I'll Keep Her," which, in 1994, provided the inspiration for the Mary Chapin Carpenter song "He Thinks He'll Keep Her."

Wimbledon tennis champion Evonne Goolagong supplemented her on-court activities with Geritol tablets.

In 1989, after challenging heavyweight champion Mike Tyson to a fight for the title, former heavyweight champion George Foreman told Time magazine, "If I win, every man over 40 can grab his Geritol and have a toast."

Geritol, at less than one calorie per tablet, contains no sodium, sugar, lactose, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.

Three out of four people surveyed in 1994 said Bob Barker is the TV game show host most likely to take Geritol.

Copyright © 2008 Joey Green. All rights reserved. "Geritol" is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline.