Behind each Sprite factory grows a grove of Lymon trees.
“Lymon is the secret of Sprite”
Our Daily 70s Spot is a Sprite commercial featuring a country music hoedown. And Lymon. Lots of Lymon – that freakish, magical mix of lemon and lime. Commercial aired in 1977.
Previously on Daily 70s Spot: Tic Tac ‘mouth whack’ (1977)
‘Kotch’ opening title, 1971
Kotch, the only film directed by Jack Lemmon, hit theaters in September of 1971. The movie stars Lemmon’s buddy, Walter Matthau as Joseph Kotcher, a retired salesman who befriends a pregnant teenager played by Deborah Winters. This charming comedic drama deals with old age, loneliness and changing moral values.
I viewed Kotch this evening, and while I wouldn’t call the film a classic, the always charismatic Matthau is a pleasure to watch and he received an Academy Award nomination for his role. Larry Linville, later to co-star in M.A.S.H., has a small but effective part (in his first movie role) as Winters’ brother.
Walter Matthau and Deborah Winters (‘Kotch,’ 1971)
The TV trailer below lists the film as rated “GP,” for “Parental Guidance.” A few years later the designation was changed to “PG.”
Previously on Trailer Tuesday: ‘Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid’ (1973)
“Berry on one side and cherry on the other.” (Eric Laneuville for Tic Tac, 1977)
“There’s only one Tic Tac. The original mouth whack.”
Our Daily 70s spot contains no innuendo whatsoever. It’s for Tic Tac breath mints and was part of their ‘mouth whack’ campaign. The actor at the end of the spot is Eric Laneuville of Room 222 and The White Shadow. Commercial aired in 1977.
Previously on Daily 70s Spot: ‘The FBI’ ABC promo (1972)
“Make it last all night…” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 1978)
Happy Monday, musical maniacs. Here’s a good one. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performing “American Girl” live on the UK’s Old Grey Whistle Test in 1978.
“American Girl” was recorded on July 4th, 1976, the American Bicentennial, and appeared on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ self-titled debut L.P. of November ’76.
Previously, on Music for Monday: The Rolling Stones, ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ (live ’75)
Inspector Lewis Erskine in action on ‘The FBI.’ (1972)
“Efrem Zimbalist Jr. stars in ‘The FBI.'”
Here’s an action-packed Daily 70s Spot for the start of a new week. Check out an ABC promo for the TV series “The FBI.” The detective series ran from 1965 to 1974. This particular commercial aired on New Year’s Day, 1972.
Previously, on Daily 70s Spot: Pepsi ‘Live!’ (1973)
ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog returns with a new album in 2013
The 1970s-related news stories have been piling up over the past weeks – so let’s get right to it. First up, comes the news that ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog has released a new single and an album is due May 13th. “When You Really Loved Someone” is the name of Fältskog’s single and you can take in the official video below. For more info hit stories at The Guardian and Billboard and Agnetha Fältskog’s Web Site.
‘OMG! The cellphone turns 40’
London UK, a model demos a new mobile phone, 1972. (Photo: Getty Images/CNN)
Next up, mobile communication is celebrating a milestone as the cellular phone turns 40-years-old. Doug Gross at CNN has a story about the first mobile handset making its debut on April 3, 1973.
More 1970s-related stories you may want to ingest:
The Bay City Rollers Did NOT Suck… (HuffPost)
Cheryl Tiegs Lists L.A. Mansion For Sale (HuffPost)
Voyager Solar System ‘exit’ debated (BBC)
‘Dark Side of the Moon,’ ‘Saturday Night Fever’ Added to National Recording Registry (Time)
‘Big Bang Theory’ cast members find their inner ‘Rocky Horror’ (L.A. Times)
Barbara Walters to retire in 2014 (EW)
Steven Soderbergh’s Liberace Movie Looks Glorious (Slate)
Jane Fonda Calls Vietnam Photo ‘An Unforgivable Mistake’ (HuffPost)
Valerie Harper reunites with co-stars (USA Today)
25 Terrifying Characters From Your Childhood (Babble)
Recent passings of 1970s-era notables
Milo O’Shea – Actor
Roger Ebert – Film Critic
Jane Henson – Co-Creator, The Muppets
Phil Ramone – Record Producer
Harry Reems – Pornography Actor
James Herbert – Horror Author
Frank Thornton – ‘Are You Being Served?’ Actor
Bobbie Smith – Spinners Singer
Previously, on 70s stories in the news: Star Wars, Willie Tyler & Lester, recent passings