‘The new Town Coupe’ (Lincoln Continental commercial, 1972)
“Introducing the 1973 Continentals. It is a very good year.”
Here’s your Daily 70s Spot. A Ford commercial featuring the new Lincoln Continental line-up for ’73. Spot aired in November of 1972. Test-drive it below.
Previously on Daily 70s Spot: Roi-Tan Falcon Cigars (1971)
‘Sealab 2020’ title card, 1972
Hanna-Barbera’s Sealab 2020 originally ran Saturday mornings on NBC beginning in September of 1972. 13, 20-minute episodes were aired. According to a few sources, three additional episodes were produced but never shown. Warner Brothers recently made the show available again as a manufacture-on-demand DVD collection.
Go, go oceanauts! (‘Sealab 2020,’ 1972)
Sealab 2020 was set in the far future (jinkies! only 7 years away now) and centered around an undersea colony of 250 researchers and explorers led by Captain Murphy and Dr. Paul Williams. Williams was voiced by Ross Martin (The Wild Wild West) and other cast members included Ann Jillian (It’s A Living) and Pamelyn Ferdin (A Boy Named Charlie Brown). In 2000, Cartoon Network ran a successful parody of the show entitled Sealab 2021.
Sealab 2020 Wiki, IMDb
Sealab 2020 DVD collection review at AnimatedViews
Previously on Funshine Friday: ‘Korg: 70,000 B.C.’ (1974)
“You make me feel like a man should feel…” (Roi-Tan Cigars, 1971)
“Roi-Tan Falcon…if you could only cook.”
Let’s light up our Daily 70s Spot. Here’s an anachronistic Roi-Tan Falcon Cigars commercial featuring a man making verbal love to a cigar. Is this one sexy, sexist or just plain silly? You make the call. Spot aired in April of 1971.
Previously on Daily 70s Spot: Chevrolet With Jerry Orbach (1977)
Not Dennis Weaver but an incredible simulation (Billy Howard as McCloud in ‘King of the Cops,’ 1975)
Here’s one for the “What the heck?” file. Comedian and impressionist, Billy Howard occasionally appeared on the British TV show Who Do You Do? which ran from 1972 to 1976.
In late 1975, Howard released a novelty single about American cop shows wherein he imitated McCloud, Columbo, Cannon and other iconic TV detectives. By January of 1976, “King of the Cops” had reached a high of #6 on the UK charts. You’ll recognize the tune as it’s a take on Roger Miller’s “King of the Road.” View it below.
Jerry Orbach stacks up the cubic feet for Chevrolet (1977)
“Now that’s more like it.”
Daily 70s Spot time. Here’s famed Broadway star and TV icon, Jerry Orbach for Chevrolet. Spot aired in 1977.
Previously on Daily 70s Spot: Edge Shaving Gel (1972)
“It’s the freakiest show…” (David Bowie, ‘Life on Mars?,’ 1973)
Recorded in April of 1971 and first released on David Bowie’s Hunky Dory L.P., “Life On Mars?” was re-released as a single in June of 1973 where it went to #3 on the UK charts.
The song features piano work by Rick Wakeman and though Bowie has called the tune a love song, the lyrics are surreal and open to interpretation. But who cares? “Life On Mars?” is one of life’s musical treasures. Let it enrich you.
Here’s Bowie’s promo film directed and shot by Mick Rock backstage at London’s Earl’s Court venue on 12 May, 1973.
Previously on Mood Music: The Ramones, ‘I Want You Around’ (1979)