Culture

BIONIC DISCO: 1970s CULTURE

From Pet Rocks, Wacky Packages, and Billy Beer to disco dancing, Dittos Jeans and feathered hair. We celebrate the schlock and rock the block.

What was on the minds of the fabulous folks of the seventies? What were they wearing, eating, discussing and doing at home and in public? Let’s investigate!
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70s Shots: Bruce Lee Hong Kong Exhibit

School Movies: ‘The Crossroads Crash’ (1973)

70s Shots: Searching For The Seventies – The Documerica Photography Project

1970s Moments: ‘Batman’s’ Burt Ward meets his fans (1972) – “Signing autographs, in-store appearance.”

70s Shots: Everyday life in the hood: NYC, Ford & Pele – “Exceptional, early-1970s images.”

Rad Ads: Orange Coast magazine (1977) – “April and September, 1977 issues.”

Rare McDonald’s ‘McDonaldland’ industrial film (1972) – “The ‘Captain Crook Spiral Slide,’ ‘Mayor McCheese Roundabout…’”

70s Shots: McDonough’s New York City photos (1970s) – “Wonderful images of New York in the 1970s.”

Rare ‘Star Trek’ convention footage (1976) – “Amateur documentary covering an early Star Trek convention.”

‘Inside Woody Allen’ comic strip (1976) – “Artist Stuart Hample launched the strip and it ran for eight years.”

Rad Ads: Cincinnati Magazine (spring, 1971) -“Print ads found in the March through May, 1971 issues.”

Miss Universe: Bob Barker presents the ‘Evening Gown Competition’ (1974) – “Event took place on July 21, 1974 in Manila, Philippines.”

Rare Footage: Walt Disney World parade (1977) – “Two-and-a-half-minute clip captured at Walt Disney World in February, 1977.”

Rad Ads: Flying Magazine, Jan-Mar 1973 – “Fly back 40 years.”

70s Shots: The Reapers, Bowies & Bee Gees – “Early-70s NYC street gang The Reapers, more.”

Rad Ads: JET Magazine, January 16, 1973 – “Collection of print ads from the January 16, 1973 issue.”

School Movies: Skateboard Sense (mid-1970s) – “Seriously old school boards (and haircuts).”

Rad Ads: LIFE magazine, Dec. 03,1971 – “December 3rd, 1971 issue of LIFE magazine.”

Rad Ads: Black Belt magazine (Nov. ’79) -“Execute a graceful crane-kick and leap back 33 years.”

Rad Ads: LIFE magazine, Nov. 03, 1972 – “Edition featuring Joe Namath on the cover.”

70s shots: Shazam! cast photos – “Two freshly unearthed cast photos.”

70s shots: Anthony Hernandez, ‘Los Angeles Public Transit Areas’ (1975) – “10th Street and Long Beach Blvd., Looking East, 1975.”

Home video games are 40 years old – “The first home system, the Magnavox Odyssey, shipped to retailers in August of 1972.”

Rad Ads: Billboard (March, 1978) – “March 18, 1978 issue of Billboard magazine.”

Funny Cars!: 1970s drag racing footage – “Vintage 70s drag racing compilation.”

School Movies: ‘When You Grow Up’ (1973) – “Los Angeles scenes. Future careers.”

70s shots: Star Wars footprints at the Chinese Theater – “35 years ago, on August 3rd, 1977.”

The original 1970s Wonka Bar uncovered – “Wonka Bars which went into production after the release of the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in 1971.”

Rad Ads: Macho cigarettes & shiny cars (1975) – “Glossy new vehicles and macho fellows posing with cigarettes. This is where the magic happens!”

Rad Ads: LIFE magazine ’72 – cigarettes & alcohol – “A hearty half-dozen pages focused on cigarettes and alcohol.”

Rad Ads: Life Magazine, October, 1972 – “A number of charming, strange and frightening advertisements.”

Spring Fashion: April, 1978 – “Your eyes will thank me. Swing into spring!”

Rad Ads: Cincinnati Magazine, April, 1978 – “‘Rad Ads’ from the March and April, 1978 issues of Cincinnati Magazine.”

Mattel Electronics: Pocket Electronic Games – “The ‘players’ were tiny red LED dashes but it didn’t matter. I played that thing to death.”

‘Typical Female’ motorcycle rider contest, 1975 – “An American Motorcyclist contest held in December, 1975.”

Rad Ads: American Motorcyclist 1976-78 – “Half a dozen choice magazine ads from 1976 through 1978. Vroom, baby!”

Original ‘Love Boat’ sold for scrap – “the original Pacific Princess has been sold off for scrap and is headed to the ship junkyard.”

Continental Airlines flies into oblivion – “Nifty photos from the 1970s and a 70s-era commercial.”

70s Spots: Dick Van Dyke for Kodak’s instant camera, ‘The Handle’ – “The Handle was an attempt by Kodak to compete with Polaroid for the instant photo market.”

70s Sites: Retrospace – “The site features a ton of cool 70s magazine scans and fun articles.”

LIFE Magazine, 1971: Rock Stars and their parents – “The September 24, 1971 issue, of LIFE Magazine ran a photo story featuring rock stars posing with their parents.”

70s Magazines: Shazam’s Micheal Gray Tiger Beat Collection – “A trio of Tiger Beat magazines featuring (Shazam’s) Gray on the cover – along with David Cassidy, The Osmonds, Michael Jackson and others.”

70s Comic Books: Diversions of the Groovy Kind – “The diversions in question are comic books of the 1970s.”

AT&T Video: Novelty phones of the 1970s – “‘Design Line’ sales film from 1979 showing off the company’s catalog of novelty phones.”

1974 – A Geek’s First Journal – “Booksteve has gone further back in time and is now presenting his first journal from 1974.”

70s Spots: Polaroid – Garner & Hartley – “Many folks mistakenly believed that the two were married in real life, but that was not the case.”

‘Pitch In’ Public Service Spot – “When you’re done watching the PSA do remember to crumple it into a ball and toss it in the trash, mmkay?”

1970s Corvette Stingray Gallery – “Let’s take a look at Chevrolet Corvette Stingrays of the 1970s.”

Farrah Fawcett Barbie Doll Now On Sale, World Tilts Off Axis – “Designed by Bill Greening and part of the Pink Label Celebrity Doll Collection, the Farrah doll is “permanently posed” and will set you back $34.95.”

A Geek’s Journal – 1976 – “Each day Booksteve graces us with a new entry taken from his ’76 journal…It’s a fantastic slice-of-70s-life”

Rad Ads: Fancy Fashion (’78) – “Today, we revisit some fanciful magazine ads from 1978 featuring fashion-forward fabrics; polyester and fur.”

Rad Ads: Blondes Selling Booze (’76) – “Hey kids, here’s half a dozen eye-catching American magazine ads from mid to late 1976.”

TV Trading Cards of the 1970s – “Let’s take a look at some cool (and slightly bizarre) trading cards from the 1970s.”

Funky Fads: Pet Rock – “As the story goes, in April, 1975 California-based advertising executive Gary Dhal was out having drinks with a few friends when the topic of conversation turned to pets. Dahl told his pals that pets were troublesome, dirty and expensive. His chosen best buddy was a pet rock – much less trouble and a lot less mess.”


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