The Smash Martians were the stars of a legendary series of British television commercials for instant mashed potato that first appeared in 1974. The adverts featured a group of robotic aliens who mocked the primitive habits of humans, particularly the "earthlings" who wasted time peeling, boiling, and mashing real potatoes instead of using the convenient Smash powder. The distinctive laughter of the Martians was not a digital effect but was achieved by the actors physically shaking the metal pup