Rad Ads: Blondes Selling Booze (’76)

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Hey kids, here’s half a dozen eye-catching American magazine ads from mid to late 1976. I think we’ll make this a new Bionic Disco feature and from time to time bring you a selection of memorable, forgotten and ridiculous advertisements from the 70s. Feast your eyeballs on the first batch of goods below.

Lord Handsome-Smythe and his award-winning facial hair about to enjoy an Ambassador Scotch



The Triumph TR7 in Forest Green. I'll take two!



It's a Fact that no one remembers this brand



Portable 8-Track players. Now with 100% less Chevy Van.



What a stunningly fantastic television image!



'Aalborg Akvavit' Danish lover, uh...liquer

Steve Martin’s ‘The Jerk’ Trailer (1979)

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Steve Martin in The Jerk ('79) - 'Be somebody!'

Just coming in at the tail end of of the 1970s we have the trailer for Steve Martin’s The Jerk. The Jerk released on December 14th, 1979 and is still a highly-watchable, very funny movie. In fact, The Jerk sits at #89 on AFI’s list of top comedies and at #48 on Total Film’s.

For myself and my Jr. High buddies The Jerk loomed large in our lives, was quoted often and in the most inappropriate of situations. I still don’t see why my teachers didn’t find Navin Johnson’s words of wisdom as humorous as we did. “He hates these cans! Stay away from the cans!” and “The new phone book’s here! The new phone book’s here!” Sigh. Comedy gold.

“It was never easy for me.
I was born a poor black child.”

‘The Jerk’ Trailer, 1979



The Jerk Wiki, The Jerk IMDb

TV Time: Star Wars Millennium Falcon Commercial (’79)

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One of the ultimate toys of the late 70s. Got one hiding in your attic? Send it over!


It’s time for another classic Star Wars toy commercial from the 1970s. Let’s take a look at this :30 spot featuring one of the most prized and collectible Star Wars toys – the Millennium Falcon! Watch carefully, this may be the only time you see Chewbacca speak English.

*Note: I know this spot has a 1977 copyright but the Falcon wasn’t released until 1979 and is more likely from that year. Enjoy.

Kenner Toys Millennium Falcon

The Runaways: ‘Saturday Night Special’ (’79)

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The Runaways - Saturday Night Special - 1979

Alright folks, I may have just missed a ‘Music for Mondays’ post (I was out of town at San Diego Comic-Con) but here are The Runaways performing ‘Saturday Night Special‘ in 1979. This awesome tune appeared on the ‘And now…The Runaways‘ L.P. released on Cherry Red in the U.K. in 1979 (it didn’t make it to the States until ’81.) Rock on!



The Runaways Wiki

Race With the Devil Movie Trailer (’75)

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Peter Fonda is 'Easy Rifle'. Ouch. Sorry 'bout that one.

Movie trailer time, Bionic ones. On tap today we have a thriller from 1975. Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Loretta Swit and Lara Parker in Race With the Devil. I caught this film on TV one night as a kid and found it enjoyably creepy. Normally, this wasn’t my type of thing but the chase aspect may have kept me watching. Fire it up.

“When you race with the devil
You’d better be faster than hell.”



Race With the Devil Wiki, IMDb

Time Covers 1971

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A while back we took a look at a choice selection of Time Magazine covers from the year 1970. Let us now have a look at a gathering of eye-catching covers from 1971. Of particular interest is a cover featuring Governor Jimmy Carter five years before he became president. It’s a fascinating collection and we’ll be sure to check in with ’72-’79 in future posts.

Time/Cover Source