Johnny Cash, along with Carl Perkins and The Tennessee Three, created music for the motion picture Little Fauss And Big Halsy and the soundtrack was released on Columbia Records in November of 1970.
One of the standout tracks on the LP is the studio version of “Wanted Man” penned by Bob Dylan. You can find a live version of the tune on 1969’s smash Johnny Cash At San Quentin. Let’s spin the soundtrack cut below.
We’ve reached 1979 and the end of the decade. Don’t worry, there’s many more seventies commercials to come, but they’ll be sprinkled out in a more random fashion for a while. This year-by-year thing takes five weeks every time I commit to it.
From 1979, enjoy spots for Ideal’s Maniac tabletop electronic game, the AMC Spirit, Post Alpha-Bits cereal, and the movie Running starring Michael Douglas.
MANIAC VIDEO GAME COMMERCIAL (1979)
Ideal Maniac electronic video game commercial aired November 1979.
’80 AMC SPIRIT CAR COMMERCIAL (1979)
1980 model American Motors Corporation Spirit commercial featuring a comparison to Chevy Chevette. Beginning & end narrator likely Karl Weber. Spot aired November 1979.
ALPHA-BITS CEREAL ‘PRIVATE EYE’ COMMERCIAL (1979)
Post Alpha-Bits cereal commercial featuring Alphabet Al the Private Eye, a magician, his assistant, and a rabbit. Spot aired in 1979.
‘RUNNING’ MOVIE TRAILER (MICHAEL DOUGLAS, 1979)
TV trailer for the movie ‘Running’ starring Michael Douglas and Susan Anspach. Beginning & end narration likely by John Erwin. Spot aired November 1979.
“Authenticated and approved by the Smithsonian Institution.”
These are right up my authenticated alley scene. Daily 70s Ad #356: Tonka Dioramas originally appeared in the January, 1975 issue of Boy’s Life magazine.
Alice Cooper’s second solo album Goes To Hell hit record shops in June of 1976. The disc carries on the concept theme from Cooper’s prior solo LP Welcome To My Nightmare.
Goes To Hell features the single “I Never Cry” which documented the artist’s ongoing troubles with alcohol addiction. The song made it to #12 on the US Hot 100. The album grabbed #27 on Billboard’s chart. Give it a listen.
1978 is here and we’ve achieved “Prime Seventies.” Just watch the following ABC promo for back-to-back TV specials featuring The Carpenters, John Davidson, Suzanne Somers, Olivia Newton-John, Andy Gibb, and ABBA. Just…wow!
Following that, enjoy spots for Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips, the Subaru Brat, and C.W. Post cereal. On a minor note, I never saw an Arthur Treacher’s growing up in 70s-80s Southern California. Guess they were/are more of a Midwest and East Coast thing.
‘CARPENTERS’/’OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN’ TV SPECIALS PROMO (1978)
ABC promo for ‘The Carpenters: Space Encounters’ and ‘Olivia!’ TV specials. In addition to Karen and Richard Carpenter & Olivia Newton-John, guest stars include John Davidson, Suzanne Somers, Andy Gibb, and ABBA. Narration by Ernie Anderson. Spot aired May 1978.
ARTHUR TREACHER’S FISH & CHIPS COMMERCIAL (1978)
Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips restaurant commercial. Narrator may be Danny Dark. Spot aired in 1978.
SUBARU BRAT COMMERCIAL (1978)
Subaru Brat car commercial featuring a ‘fun’ theme. Spot aired May 1978.
C.W. POST CEREAL COMMERCIAL (1978)
C.W. Post cereal commercial. Spot aired January 1978 (likely produced in ’77).
Bill Chase’s rocking jazz band Chase released their biggest hit “Get It On” in 1971. The song was written by Bill Chase and Terry Richards and appeared on the group’s eponymous debut LP. 50-years-ago this month “Get It On” grabbed a #24 chart placing on the US Hot 100.
Tragically, Bill Chase and band members Walter Clark, John Emma, and Wally Yohn were killed in a plane crash in August of 1974. Let’s spin the tune below in their memory.
