Ernest Borgnine as Sheriff Lyle ‘Cottonmouth’ Wallace in Convoy, 1978
Ernest Borgnine died today at the age of 95. Perhaps best known for his Academy Award-winning turn in the film Marty and for being a series regular on McHale’s Navy (1962-66) and Airwolf (1984-86), Borgnine worked actively in the 1970s and I’ll list out a few appearances you may remember.
In 1976, Borgnine starred as Joe Cleaver in the short-lived TV series Future Cop (which we featured back in April). Borgnine also made many TV movie appearances with roles in Jesus of Nazareth (1977) and All Quiet on the Western Front (1979) among others. He also appeared in a two-part Little House on the Prairie in 1974.
Thank you, Mr. Borgnine for the entertainment – especially The Poseidon Adventure which, for some reason, really struck a chord with my family in the 70s. I was a huge fan when I was five and six-years-old.
“During an acting career of more than 60 years, the Connecticut native worked with Helen Hayes on Broadway, with Gary Cooper and Spencer Tracy in film, and, for a much younger generation, as a voice actor in SpongeBob SquarePants on television. He and Frank Sinatra signed their Christmas cards ‘Fatso’ and ‘Maggio,’ their respective characters in 1953’s From Here to Eternity, a breakout role for Borgnine.
Borgnine’s secret for long-term success was to not be another Hollywood pretty face.
‘I was a character actor. Do I look like a good-looking man? No,’ he said in a 2011 interview timed to his acceptance of the Screen Actors Guild’s Life Achievement Award. ‘But, see, I keep working when the rest of the boys are retired.'”
Kenner Smash-Up Derby Set, 1970s. ‘Comes with everything you see right’char.’
Here’s a quick TV spot for Kenner’s SSP Smash-Up Derby Set circa early to mid-1970s. I well remember this commercial being in heavy rotation when I was a kid. 35 years later I can still sing along.
“Crash, bang, smash ’em up! it’s Smash-Up time my friend!”
Hey, 1970s fans – Don’t forget – you can find Bionic Disco on Facebook and Twitter! Get your nostalgic memories massaged daily via the miracle of modern social technology. It’s coated in sugar yet still low in calories. You’re soaking in it!
Creepy, kooky and animated – The Addams Family, 1973
Hanna-Barbera’s animated version of The Addams Family sitcom debuted in September of 1973 and 16 episodes were produced. Voice actors for the series included Ted Cassidy, Jackie Coogan, Janet Waldo, Lennie (H.R. Pufnstuf) Weinrib and Jodie Foster (as Pugsly).
Enjoy the show’s intro and have a happy Funshine Friday!
Hello, fellow streakers and Pepsi Light drinkers! How was your holiday? I hope it was dandy. Here’s a trio of 1970s-related stories you may wish to explore on this fine post-Independence Day…day.
Deliverance– 40th Anniversary
Burt Reynold’s first (and finest?) big film – Deliverance, 1972
The cast of Deliverance (released to theaters in July, 1972) gathered together on the Warner Brother’s lot last week to chat about old times and promote a new 40th Anniversary Blu-ray release of the classic film. You can read more about the gathering here and read a review of the Deliverance Blu-ray here.
Home Media Magazine Quote:
“‘We’ve got 6,700 films in our library, and about 500 of those have made it to Blu-ray,’ said Jeff Baker, EVP and GM of theatrical catalog for Warner Home Video. ‘We’re very selective, based not just on consumer demand, but also the quality of the content. Deliverance is special. It was old-style film-making, and they just don’t make films like it anymore.’
No they don’t. Director John Boorman (Excalibur, Hope and Glory) shot the entire film in linear sequence, a rarity in 1972, much less in 2012. All four actors did their own stunts, and paid the price during filming: Reynolds busted his tailbone. Beatty almost drowned. Voight came within a foot or two of having his head split open on a rock while climbing a cliff.”
Gary Susman at Moviefone writes about the 40th anniversary of the hugely successful and game-changing pornographic film Deep Throat (released to theaters in June of 1972). Seems that writer/director Gerard Damiano aspired to turn porn films into a “couples’ date-night experience” and maybe even raise the genre into the realm of “art”. Read it.
Moviefone Quote:
“Four decades after the pornographic film ‘Deep Throat,’ we need not one, but two biopics on the star of the movie, Linda Lovelace. (The first stars Amanda Seyfried. The other which may never happen — stars Malin Akerman.) These dueling projects are just one measure of how big a deal ‘Deep Throat’ remains 40 years after it went into wide release, on June 30, 1972.
Other measures include the multi-billions in profits earned each year by a porn-film production industry that scarcely existed before ‘Deep Throat,’ the level of household-name fame the film’s title earned amid the Watergate scandal, the countless courtroom challenges over whether porn merits First Amendment protections, and the still-ongoing debate over whether porn is good or bad for women — a debate embodied by the life story of Lovelace herself, still the most famous/infamous porn star who ever lived. And then there’s the snickering or prickly reaction you had upon reading the phrase ‘Deep Throat’ a few moments ago. Yes, the movie is still a controversial topic about which no one feels indifferent.”
Barry Becher, the infomercial pioneer who brought you Ginsu Knives, the Miracle Slicer, Armourcote Cookware and many more products, has passed away at the age of 71. The Huffington Post has the story behind the man and advertising sensation that took root in 1978. Read the obit and watch the original ’78 Ginsu spot below.
HuffPost Quote:
“In the course of a decade, the men said they amassed more than $500 million in sales. Armourcote was the most profitable, but Ginsu remains the most widely known, a household name across the U.S., and fodder for countless comedians.
Millions were sold from the commercial’s debut in 1978 into the early 1980s, with audiences mesmerized by images of an exotic-sounding knife that seemed able to cut through anything. The infomercial promised a 50-year guarantee and ‘much, much more.'”
Knowles Family Reunion, Park City, Kansas, July 4,1972
Happy 4th of July, celebrants in the US and elsewhere! On this American holiday I thought we’d cast ourselves back in time to the 1970s and relive days gone by. Last year we took a look at the Bicentennial celebrations occurring on July 4, 1976. This time around we head back 40 years to the quieter party that was Tuesday, July 4, 1972.
Events
On this day at 10 AM, simultaneous announcements were made by North Korea and South Korea that the nations had negotiated an agreement to discuss unification.
The New York Mets beat the San Diego Padres 2 to 0 in a “1-hitter” at Shea Stadium.
