Martin Sheen in ‘Apocalypse Now,’ 1979
“The most eagerly-awaited motion picture of all time.”
Your Daily 70s Spot is a rare TV promo for Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam epic, Apocalypse Now. Commercial aired in November of 1979.
*Note: If you’d like to see the Apocalypse Now theatrical trailer hit this post.
Previously, on Daily 70s Spot: Golden Grahams cereal (late 1970s)
Curious George and the case of the Golden Grahams
“Oh, those Golden Grahams! Golden honey – just a touch – with Grahams’ golden wheat.”
Time to wake up and and feign great excitement for breakfast in our Daily 70s Spot. Today we have a sun-soaked, family camping trip and much happiness generated by General Mill’s Golden Grahams cereal…and the color yellow. Commercial aired in the late 1970s.
You can thank me later for getting the “Golden Grahams Song” stuck in your head. It’s been hiding in the recesses of your brain patiently waiting for this moment.
Previously, on Daily 70s Spot: Sugar Free Fresca ‘Wow!’ Commercial (1977)
‘Laff-A-Lympics’ TV title, 1977
Hanna-Barbera’s Laff-A-Lympics first appeared on ABC in September, 1977 as a segment of Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics which also included The Scooby-Doo Show, The Blue Falcon & Dynomutt and Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels. 24 episodes were eventually produced through 1979.
The Yogi Yahooeys (‘Laff-A-Lympics,’ 1977)
Laff-A-Lympics was inspired by the Olympics (naturally) and ABC’s Battle of the Network Stars (where celebrities competed against one another in Olympic-style events). The cartoon series was hosted and co-announced by Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf – who wore yellow jackets much like ABC’s top sports announcers Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford. Three teams of Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters; The Yogi Yahooeys, The Scooby Doobies and The Really Rottens battled each week for a gold medal win.
The Scooby Doobies (‘Laff-A-Lympics,’ 1977)
I was a big fan of the series and even picked up a few issues of Marvel’s Laff-A-Lympics comics that were published for a year (1978-79). The heady mix of all of those cartoon characters from across the decades coming together, combined with still-fresh memories of the 1976 Olympics and the magnificent inanity of celebrities competing on Battle of the Network Stars was too much for my young mind to resist. Catch the intro below.
The Really Rottens (‘Laff-A-Lympics,’ 1977)
Previously, on Funshine Friday: ‘Saturday Morning Sneak Peek’ (ABC, 1973)
‘Wow!’ (Sugar Free Fresca, 1977)
“Wow!”
Daily 70s Spot incoming! Today we have a “sugar free” Fresca soda ad for your consumption. In the 1970s, Fresca was sweetened with saccharin. These days it’s NutraSweet-brand aspartame and acesulfame potassium. Yum? Commercial aired 1977.
Previously, on Daily 70s Spot: Norm Crosby for Natural Light Beer (1978)
‘When Things Were Rotten’ TV title, 1975
When Things Were Rotten, created and written by Mel Brooks, John Boni and Norman Stiles, originally ran Wednesdays at 8 PM on ABC from September to December, 1975. 13 half-hour episodes of this sitcom about Robin Hood and his Merry Men were produced.
Dick Gautier as Robin Hood. (‘When Things Were Rotten,’ 1975)
In When Things Were Rotten Hood and his gang were portrayed as nitwits and even Maid Marian was something of a numbskull. Although the short-lived series was well-reviewed and featured sight-gags galore and Mel Brooks’ trademark wacky humor it failed to find enough of an audience.
Dick Van Patten as Friar Tuck. (‘When Things Were Rotten,’ 1975)
The cast featured Dick Gautier as Robin Hood, Dick Van Patten as Friar Tuck, Bernie Kopell as Alan-a-Dale and Misty Rowe as Maid Marian. Brook’s pal, comedian Marty Feldman directed an episode or two. Not long after cancellation, greater TV success awaited Van Patten on Eight Is Enough and Kopell on The Love Boat.
When Things Were Rotten Wiki, IMDb
Previously, on Show Toppers: ‘The Jimmy Stewart Show’ (1971)
‘Just ask for a Natural. That’s easy to vocalize.’ (Norm Crosby, 1978)
“Just say Natural.”
Our Daily 70s Spot is a quick, 10-second number featuring comedian Norm Crosby. Crosby, famous for malapropisms, is extolling the virtues of Anheuser-Busch’s then-new Natural Light Beer. Commercial aired in 1978.
Previously, on Daily 70s Spot: McDonald’s ‘family of four’ commercial (1972)