My Favorite Martians. 'You won't believe the things they do...'
Filmation’s My Favorite Martians, an animated show based on the 60s sitcom, first aired September-December, 1973. 16 episodes were produced and featured the characters Uncle Martin, Tim, Mrs. Brown, Detective Brennan, Katy, Andromeda and an alien pet named Okey.
Unfortunately, none of the actors from the live-action series provide voices but the great Jonathan Harris (from Lost in Space) provides the voice of Martin. Enjoy the intro and have a happy Funshine Friday!
Head & Shoulders with Marshall & Fawcett, early 1970s. 'Hates your dandruff. Loves your hair.'
Commercial break time. Here’s one for Head & Shoulders shampoo from the early 1970s featuring two future TV series stars. Watch as wacky roommates Penny Marshall (Laverne & Shirley) and Farrah Fawcett (Charlie’s Angels) lather up the laughs in the bathroom.
I’ve got a golden…wrapper! Jason Liebig over at CollectingCandy.com writes about and shows off recently-uncovered real life Wonka Bars which went into production after the release of the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory film in 1971.
You may remember various types of Wonka-branded chocolates, such as Super Skrunch and Peanut Butter Oompas, but these are the famed “Wonka Bars” which only appeared for a brief time in the mid-70s. Hop over and indulge your sweet-tooth memories.
Collecting Candy Quote:
“The Wonka Bars of the mid-1970′s were a taffy type of confection, and they’re ones I remember enjoying, too. Based on what I’ve been able to research though, I don’t think they were around all that long.
In my years of collecting and talking with other folks about 1970′s Wonka, there aren’t that many people that even remember these. As for turning up wrappers from them, I’d never been able to find an image of one, let alone an actual example, until earlier this year. Finally, from out of the L.M. Kallok Confectionery Collection came not one, but four examples of 1970′s Wonka Bar wrappers – one representing each flavor released.”
Tatum O'Neal in International Velvet (aka Bad News Horses), 1978
International Velvet, the sequel to famed Elizabeth Taylor-vehicle, National Velvet, released in the summer of 1978. The movie stars Tatum O’Neal as Sarah Brown, an American girl who’s been shipped off to England to live with relatives after the tragic death of her parents. Many horses are ridden and numerous tears shed in this sentimental coming-of-age tale.
Grab a look at the trailer and keep your eyes open for Anthony Hopkins and Christopher Plummer. There’s some quality actors and nice scenery in this one even if the end result is less-than-classic status:
Happy Monday, Bionic people. Please enjoy one of my favorite Peter Gabriel songs from 1977. “Solsbury Hill” was Gabriel’s debut solo single and reached the top 20 in his native UK and top 70 in the US.
Unfortunately, we have another passing to report; Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees has died today of colorectal cancer, aged 62. Brother, Maurice, passed away in 2003. You can read more about Robin Gibb’s illustrious life and early passing at USA Today and The Los Angeles Times.
USA Today Quote: “Robin, who had been hospitalized for pneumonia and underwent surgery last year to remove a growth from his colon, was central to the group’s success both as a songwriter and a vocalist. He was the original lead singer, and his tangy, tremulous tenor and older brother Barry’s deeper, breathier, falsetto-prone voice were constants as the Bee Gees traversed a wide range of musical styles.
Though the family act first gained attention in the ’60s for Beatle-esque pop tunes, they moved into orchestral rock and then the soaring disco that made them superstars in the late ’70s. Their contributions made 1977’s Saturday Night Fever soundtrack a No. 1 album for 24 straight weeks, earning them chart-topping singles in Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever and How Deep Is Your Love.”
Here’s a video remembrance – the Bee Gees singing a medley live in 1975:
