In posts past, we took a look at eye-catching Time Magazine covers from 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975. Today, we turn our attention to the year 1976.
Major events included the election of US President Jimmy Carter, the Summer Olympics, the nation’s Bicentennial and entertainment reports on Charlie’s Angels, Paul McCartney and Doonesbury. By clicking one image you can easily enlarge and scroll through them all (look to the lower right and click the next image link).
Gone and almost forgotten: ‘Baggy Pants & The Nitwits,’ 1977
DePatie-Freleng’s Baggy Pants & The Nitwits is one of those animated shows not currently available for sale and still lost in the recesses of your childhood mind. This one only rang a bell with me when I saw the characters in action again after 35 years.
Baggy Pants is a take off on Charlie Chaplin’s “Tramp” character, only this time the “Tramp” is an anthropomorphic cat. The Nitwits are played by Ruth Buzzi (Gladys) and Arte Johnson (Tyrone) and are characters based on their live-action Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In counterparts. 13 episodes of Baggy Pants & The Nitwits were produced and they originally ran September through November, 1977.
Excite your memories and take in the show’s intro and closing credits below.
Baggy Pants & The Nitwits Wiki, IMDb
The animated Ruth Buzzi and Arte Johnson are ‘The Nitwits’
Previously, on Funshine Friday: Emergency +4
Welcome to Walt Whitman High and ‘Room 222,’ 1969-1974
Room 222 first hit the airwaves on ABC in September of 1969 and ran until January, 1974. The show, set at a fictional Los Angeles High School, dealt with hot issues of the day and featured a large cast of teachers and students and offered up choice roles for a variety of guest stars.
Room 222 started out weak in the ratings but after grabbing three Emmy Awards in 1970; Best New Series; Best Supporting Actor (Michael Constantine); and Best Supporting Actress (Karen Valentine), the series took off.
Cast regulars included Lloyd Haynes as Pete Dixon, Denise Nicholas as Liz McIntyre, and David Jolliffe, Eric Laneuville and Judy Strangis (Electra Woman and Dyna Girl) as students. Guest stars included Mark Hamill, Bruno Kirby and Cindy Williams.
A 1970s star is born. Karen Valentine. ‘Room 222.’
Previously, on Show Toppers: Angie (’79-’80)
‘Baby baby baby baby baby baby…’
Devo first recorded and released their Rolling Stone’s cover song, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” in the summer of 1977. The band’s version of the angst-ridden song really gained traction when they re-recorded it for their debut L.P., Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, and performed a live version on TV’s Saturday Night Live in October of 1978.
I can remember seeing Devo for the first time on SNL and having my little 11-year-old mind blown. There was a buzz around school the next day of the “Did you see that weird band last night?” variety. I had, and I became a huge fan. Enjoy the official video below.
Previously, on Mood Music: Talking Heads, ‘Life During Wartime’
Gary Grimes and his drop-gallon hat in The Culpepper Cattle Co., 1972
The Culpepper Cattle Co., written and directed by Dick Richards, released to theaters in April of 1972.
This Revisionist Western stars Gary Grimes (Summer of ’42) as teenage farmboy Ben Mockridge and Billy Green Bush (Five Easy Pieces) as Frank Culpepper. Young Ben gets hired on for his first cattle drive and trouble rears its ugly head.
The tagline for the movie reads: “How many men do you have to kill before you become the great American cowboy?”
The Culpepper Cattle Co. Wiki, IMDb
Culpepper review at Every70sMovie
Previously, on Trailer Tuesday: Lucky Lady
‘Play That Funky Music,’ Wild Cherry shake The Midnight Special, 1976
Happy Monday! Ready to get tha funk out? Wild Cherry released the “Play That Funky Music” single in late spring/early summer of 1976 and it rose all the way to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on September 18th, ’76.
Here’s the band performing live, in a funky fashion, on The Midnight Special.
Rob Parissi’s pre-show checklist:
Perm – check!, shiny clothing – check!, chest hair on display – check!, gold medallion – check!
Let’s get funky!
Previously, on Music for Monday: The Osmonds