Tony Schwartz, reclusive ad man, dies

NEW YORK, June 17 (UPI) -- Media consultant Tony Schwartz, whose most famous political advertisement was aired only once, died in his New York City home Saturday, his family announced.

Schwartz was 84 and died of heart disease, his daughter said.

Schwartz's career included work as art director, advertising executive, college professor, radio host and author, The New York Times reported.

Although Schwartz suffered from agoraphobia since age 13 and rarely left his Manhattan home, he helped create ads for hundreds of political candidates, including former U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, who went to Schwartz's home to be filmed.

His most famous ad featured a young girl counting up as she plucked petals from a daisy. A voice-over of a man's voice then took over, counting down. When he reached zero, the image of the girl was replaced by an atomic blast.

The ad, produced for the 1964 election campaign of U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, was quickly pulled after both Republicans and Democrats complained. But, it was aired frequently on news programs and hit the mark, portraying Johnson's opponent Sen. Barry Goldwater, R-Ariz., as unable to handle the responsibilities of a nuclear arsenal.

Schwartz is also credited with creating some of television's first anti-smoking advertisements, the Times reported.