**Post originally appeared on Bionic Disco August 9, 2013.**
‘Rubber Duckie I am awfully fond of you…’ (‘Sesame Street,’ 1970)
To assist you in the creation of a most wonderful weekend, Bionic Disco joyfully presents Sesame Street‘s Ernie singing his signature tune, “Rubber Duckie.”
This particular clip is the second appearance of the song on Sesame Street and occurred during season two in 1970. Did you know that “Rubber Duckie”(written by Jeff Moss) was a top 20 tune on Billboard’s “Hot 100” chart in September, 1970? Fact!
‘SESAME STREET’ SEASON TWO: ERNIE SINGS ‘RUBBER DUCKIE,’ 1970
We’re spooling the reels back to 1975 & 1976 today. Right ahead, you’ll find 30: second wonders for Presto Burger (with Marc McClure, Nora Denney, and Paul Barselou), Romper Room’s Hugabee’s dolls, La Choy Chinese vegetables, and Rain Barrel fabric softener (with Carla Borelli). I hope the memories amaze and delight.
PRESTO BURGER COOKER COMMERCIAL (1975)
Presto Burger electric hamburger cooker commercial. The first woman is actor Nora “Dodo” Denney (‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’). The actor in the green shirt is Marc McClure (‘Superman,’ ‘Back to the Future’). The older actor with the checked shirt is Paul Barselou.Spot aired November 1975.
HUGABEE’S DOLL COMMERCIAL (HASBRO, 1975)
Hasbro Romper Room Hugabee’s doll commercial featuring a Wedding Dress outfit. Spot aired in 1975-76.
LA CHOY ‘POTLUCK’ COMMERCIAL (1976)
Beatrice Foods La Choy Chinese food canned vegetables commercial featuring a potluck theme. Spot aired March 1976.
RAIN BARREL FABRIC SOFTENER COMMERCIAL (1976)
Rain Barrel fabric softener commercial featuring a comparison to ye olde times. The “old fashioned” actor is Carla Borelli (‘The Betty White Show’). Spot aired January 1976 (produced in ’75).
The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, produced by Jack Daugherty, and made it to #1 in the US and Canada and #6 in the UK. Here’s the group performing on The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday, October 18, 1970.
CARPENTERS, ‘(THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU’ (‘ED SULLIVAN SHOW,’ 1970)
Happy Friday, friends. Today, we’re cranking it back to 1977 and ’78 with commercials for Colgate toothpaste, Chrysler LeBaron, Coca-Cola, and Pepto-Bismol. Have a grand weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday.
COLGATE TOOTHPASTE JINGLE COMMERCIAL (1978)
Colgate toothpaste commercial featuring a sing-a-long jingle. Spot aired May 1978.
’79 CHRYSLER LEBARON ‘STYLE’ COMMERCIAL (1978)
1979 model Chrysler LeBaron commercial featuring a “Style” song, glider flying, and horse jumping. Spot aired November 1978.
‘COKE ADDS LIFE!’ COMMERCIAL (COCA-COLA, 1977)
Coca-Cola soft drink commercial featuring a group of wacky young folks. Spot aired in 1977 (best guess ’77, but it could go as far back as ’75).
PEPTO-BISMOL ‘VACATION’ COMMERCIAL (1977)
Pepto-Bismol commercial featuring motherly vacation advice. Spot aired August 1977.
**The following post originally appeared on Bionic Disco August 30, 2012.**
Wait Till Your Father Gets Home intro,1972
Hanna-Barbera’s Wait Till Your Father Gets Home made its debut on primetime TV in 1972 and ran until 1974. 48 episodes were produced. After The Flintstones and before The Simpsons came along, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home was the only animated show on in the evening that lasted more than one season.
I was a big fan of this show and especially enjoyed Bosely’s interactions with his wacky, right-wing conspiracy theorist neighbor, Ralph (played by Jack Burns). “It’s the Russians, Harry. The Russians!”
‘Rich Kids’ ad via New York magazine August 13, 1979
1979 – the summer of New York rich kids. Coincidentally, I made my first visit to New York in the summer of ’79 as a fresh-from-California 12-year-old. I had a grand old time in the town where my father and grandmother were born.
I saw the film Rich Kids on cable TV, likely the pay channel known as ON TV, in 1980 or so and enjoyed it. I watched it again about 30 years later and still found it worthy. I suppose it now serves as a document of a certain time and place alive only in celluloid and memories, though many of the themes are evergreen.
