1979 CBS "We're Looking Good" Promo

Here is a 1979 CBS Promo "We're Looking Good". There are a lot of old favorites, like Alice, The Jeffersons, Trapper John, MASH and One Day at a Time. There are also some I don't remember... and since I was a TV junkie, they were more than likely canceled after a few airings. They include California Fever, Working Stiffs and Struck By Lightning.

The New Scooby-Doo Movies

The New Scooby-Doo Movies was a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera from 1972-1973.

Each of the episodes of this series featured a special guest star, who would help the gang solve the mystery of the week. Some of these guest stars were living celebrities who provided their own voices (Don Knotts, Jonathan Winters , Sandy Duncan, Tim Conway, and Sonny and Cher, among others); some were dead or retired celebrities whose voicing was done by imitators (The Three Stooges and Laurel and Hardy), and the rest were present or future Hanna-Barbera characters: the characters from Harlem Globetrotters, Josie and the Pussycats, Jeannie and Speed Buggy all appeared on the show during or after their own shows' original runs; The Addams Family and Batman and Robin both appeared on the show a year before they were incorporated into Hanna-Barbera shows of their own The Addams Family and SuperFriends.

Baby Tender Love

Baby Tender Love was made by Mattel in the late 60's/early 70's. She was a baby doll that had skin as soft as silk, a head full of blond curls and you could take her in the bath tub.

1986 Big Red Gum Commercial

Here is a 1986 commercial for Big Red Gum.

Go ahead... Kiss a little longer!

PSA "Forest Fire Prevention"

Here is a memorable PSA about Forest Fire Prevention circa the 70's.

Gimme a Break!

Gimme a Break! was a sitcom which ran on NBC from 1981-1987. It starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief and his three daughters.

The sitcom took place in the fictional Los Angeles suburb of Glenlawn, California. Nellie Ruth "Nell" Harper agrees to be a housekeeper for the Kanisky household as a special favor to her late friend, Margaret Kanisky, who was the wife of police chief Carl Kanisky. Nell also served as a confidante to the chief's three daughters, 17-year-old Katie, 15-year-old Julie, and 13-year-old Samantha.

Supporting characters included: Officer Ralph Simpson - a dopey police officer who worked with Carl; Grandpa Stanley and Grandma Mildred - Carl's parents; Uncle Ed - Carl's brother, an overweight mortician who loved to play practical jokes; Adelaide "Addy" Wilson, Nell's childhood friend who worked as a teacher; Joey Donovan, a six-year-old orphan who joined the Kanisky household.

Schoolhouse Rock! Interplanet Janet

Schoolhouse Rock! is a series of animated musical educational short films that aired during Saturday morning children's programming on ABC. Topics covered include grammar, science, economics, history, mathematics, and politics. The best of the series aired between 1972 and 1986.

Here is another one of my favorites from 1978, Interplanet Janet!

Fisher-Price Play Family Farm

Play Family Farm was released in 1968 by Fisher-Price. The big red barn and silo held an array of large-scale farm figures and equipment. The seven sculpted animals – cow, pig, sheep, horse, hen, rooster and dog – with movable parts were complemented by a four-piece fence, tractor, cart with harness, through, and a four member play family. The barn door opened with a “moo-ooo” sound.

80's Fisher-Price Commercial

1982 Freshen Up Gum Commercial

Commercial Break! Here is a 1982 commercial for Freshen Up Gum.

The gum that goes squirt!!

Kids Incorporated

Kids Incorporated (also known as Kids Inc.) was a children's television program that ran from 1984-1993. It was largely a youth oriented sitcom with musical performances as an integral part of the plot and show.

The series revolved around a group of children and teenagers who performed in their own rock group, Kids Incorporated. The band members struggled to deal with issues ranging from divorce to violence to schoolyard crushes while performing regularly at a local restaurant/theatre, The P*lace.

The most memorable characters on the show were Stacy (now better known as Fergie), Renee, Gloria, "The Kid" and Mickey.

Dynomutt, Dog Wonder

Dynomutt, Dog Wonder was produced for Saturday mornings by Hanna-Barbera from 1976-1977. It was about a Batman-esque super hero, the Blue Falcon and his assistant, a bumbling yet generally effective robot dog Dynomutt, who could produce a seemingly infinite number of mechanical devices from his body.

In his secret identity, Blue Falcon is millionaire Radley Crown, proprietor of Crown Art Gallery, and Dynomutt is his loyal pet, smartly dressed in a sweater and ascot (although his "civilian" name, if any, is never revealed). But when called to action in their base of operations, Big City, the duo quickly change into their superhero guises to hunt down spies and super-villains.

Welcome Back, Kotter

Welcome Back, Kotter ran on ABC from 1975-1979. It featured Gabe Kotter, a wise-cracking teacher who returns to his high school alma mater - the fictional James Buchanan High in Brooklyn, New York - to teach an often unruly group of remedial wiseguys known as the "Sweathogs." The school's principal, Mr. Woodman, dismissed them as worthless hoodlums and only expected Kotter to attempt to control them until they inevitably dropped out. Recognizing that he is those students' last chance to have a decent enough education to allow them to survive beyond school, he soon befriends them while they learn to recognize and appreciate his commitment to them. This extended to his students often visiting his Bensonhurst apartment, sometimes to the chagrin of his wife, Julie.

The Sweathogs:

• Vinnie Barbarino ("Up your nose with a rubber hose!")
• Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington ("Hi there.")
• Juan Epstein ("Hey, Mr. Kotter, I got a note!")
• Arnold Horshack ("Ooh-ooh-ooooh!")

1989 PSA "Drug-Free America"

Here is a PSA from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America in 1989. Better know what you're jumping into!

1984 Boo Berry/Count Chocula Cereal Commercial

Here is a 1984 Boo Berry/Count Chocula Cereal commercial. I remember watching this during Saturday morning cartoons!

"Once There Was a House" Book

Another book I had when I was a child was called Once There Was a House, written by Milton Wynne and illustrated by Ruth Wood. It was released in 1965 by Wonder Books.

Fisher-Price Pocket Radios

Pocket Radios were released in 1966 by Fisher-Price. They had the traditional “transistor” design with wood case, plastic front, large knob that couldn’t be overwound, moving picture story “screen” and durable plastic strap.

I had the “Happy Birthday” radio – the seventh title in the series.

Schoolhouse Rock! Interjections!

Schoolhouse Rock! is a series of animated musical educational short films that aired during Saturday morning children's programming on ABC. Topics covered include grammar, science, economics, history, mathematics, and politics. The best of the series aired between 1972 and 1986.

Here is another favorite from 1974, Interjections!

1986 Clorox 2 Commercial

Here is a 1986 Clorox 2 commercial. Catchy tune!!

Good Times

Good Times ran from 1974-1979 on the CBS television network.

Florida and James Evans and their three children lived in a rented project apartment in a housing project in a poor, black neighborhood in inner-city Chicago. Florida and James' children were James, Jr., also known as "J.J.", Thelma, and Michael. Their exuberant neighbor, and Florida's best friend, was Willona Woods, a recent divorcée. Her daughter Millicent 'Penny' Woods joined the show later.

1983 CBS "We've Got the Touch" Promo

We've Got the Touch is the name of a CBS campaign from 1983. Shows highlighted in these two promos include The Jeffersons, Dallas, Dukes of Hazard, One Day at a Time, Alice, Trapper John, MD, Knots Landing, Magnum PI, Simon and Simon and Newhart.

Wham-O Slip 'n Slide

The original Slip 'n Slide, made by Wham-O, first became one of the most popular hot weather pastimes for millions of youngsters in 1961.

We loved this in the summer! Caution: Prolonged use of it kills the grass (at least that's what my mom reminded us of EVERY TIME we played on it!).

The Great Space Coaster

The Great Space Coaster was a children's television show that ran from 1981 through 1986.

The show is about 3 young singers (Francine, Danny, and Roy) who are brought to a habitable asteroid in space by a puppet clown character named Baxter who pilots the "space coaster", a rollercoaster-like spaceship. The asteroid is populated by strange-looking, wise-cracking puppet characters like Goriddle Gorilla, Knock-Knock the bird, Edison the Elephant and Gary Gnu, who hosts the "The Gary Gnu Show". Baxter is forever on the run from M.T. Promises, a nefarious circus owner (played by a large, top-hatted puppet) who plans to re-capture Baxter and return him to the circus he worked at before he escaped. Each episode ends with a different life lesson, and various celebrity guest stars occasionally dropped by.

My most memorable segment of the show was Gary Gnu, a gnu newscaster who always said "No Gnews is Good Gnews with Gary...Gnu".

Yogi's Gang

Yogi's Gang was a Hanna-Barbera Productions cartoon which aired from 1973-1975.

The series featured Yogi Bear and Boo Boo accompanied by Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw & Baba Looey, Atom Ant, Wally Gator, Magilla Gorilla, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy, Squiddly Diddly, Peter Potamus & So-So, Touché Turtle and Dum Dum, Secret Squirrel and Morocco Mole, Hokey Wolf, Pixie and Dixie, Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-Long, Lippy the Lion & Hardy Har Har, The Hillbilly Bears and others as they travel around the world in a flying ark, searching for a paradise to call home, a place without pollution or crime.

During the course of the Yogi's Gang series, Yogi and his friends encounter a variety of villains such as Captain Swashbuckle Swipe, Smokestack Smog, Lotta Litter, the Envy Brothers, Mr. Hothead, Dr. Bigot (and his henchmen Professor Haggling and Professor Bickering), the Gossipy Witch of the West, J. Wantum Vandal, the Sheik of Selfishness, Commadore Phineas P. Fibber, I.M. Sloppy, Peter D. Cheater, Mr. Waste, Hilarious P. Prankster, and the Greedy Genie, who act as their friends, hosts and/or guests, but embody some of the most common human faults and vices.

Time for Timer: I Hanker for a Hunk of Cheese

Time for Timer was the collective title for a short series of public service announcements broadcast on Saturday mornings on the ABC television network starting in the early 1970s. The animated spots featured Timer, a tiny (often ranging on microscopic) cartoon character who promoted healthy eating and personal hygiene for children, using clever songs and animation.

I Hanker for a Hunk of Cheese

1978 Fruit of the Loom Commercial

Another great and memorable 1978 commercial for Fruit of the Loom undies...

Gilligan's Island

Gilligan's Island was TV sitcom that ran from 1964-1967.

The two-man crew of the charter boat S.S. Minnow and five passengers on a "three hour tour" run into a tropical storm and are shipwrecked on an uncharted, uninhabited island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The show followed the comic adventures of the seven castaways as they attempted to survive and ultimately escape from the island. However, they typically failed due to some bumbling error committed by Gilligan. Sometimes this would result in his saving the others from some unforeseen flaw in their plan.

The castaways were Gilligan - the bumbling, dimwitted, accident-prone crewman of the S.S. Minnow; Jonas Grumby "Skipper" - the skipper of the S.S. Minnow and the father-figure type; Thurston Howell, III - the condescending millionaire; Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell - Thurston's wife; Ginger Grant - the movie star; Roy Hinkley (The Professor) - a research scientist and well-known Scoutmaster; and Mary Ann Summers - the good girl.

CBS Saturday Morning Television Bumpers

Here are some CBS Saturday morning television bumpers from 19779-1980. Ah, the memories!

Old Maid Card Game

I loved playing Old Maid when I was a kid. We had these jumbo cards that had funny characters with funny names on the cards. Their large size made them especially easy to hold for little kids' hands. They were released in 1968.

Solid Gold

Solid Gold was a musical television series which aired from 1980 to 1988, usually on Saturday in the early evening time slot.

The main premise of Solid Gold consisted of the "Solid Gold Dancers" doing elaborate (and sometimes borderline risqué) dances to the top ten hits of the week. Show hosts included Dionne Warwick, Marty Cohen, Marilyn McCoo, Andy Gibb and Rick Dees.

Here is the intro and closing credits for Solid Gold

Cap'n O.G. Readmore

Cap’n O. G. Readmore was the fictional-character host of the ABC Weekend Specials from 1984 through 1989. He was an anthropomorphic cat puppet, dressed in a nautical outfit, that encouraged children to read for pleasure.

He also appeared in animated form in a few Weekend Specials, including Cap’n O. G. Readmore Meets Chicken Little and Cap’n O. G. Readmore Meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; in these features, he was the president of an all-feline book club who often found himself physically pulled into the story he’s reading.