It didn't take much to make us laugh back then.

I don't know how else to explain it....

Show 'N Tell record players

From about 1973 to 1975, I wore mine out. It was a record player with a picture screen on the front, and had a slot where you would insert a strip of slide pictures. As the record played, the slide show would correspond with the story. I had a couple of dozen records with the picture slides. I guess you could say it was kind of like a 70's-era DVD player for kids. I loved shutting the shades and making my room as dark as possible, and sitting down for a show. Good times.
With the exception of my Fisher Price Castle, this ranks up there as one of the best.

Random fact:

Back in the early 70's when we'd visit my grandparents on Cape Cod, there was no TV. Instead there were board games, bike riding, the beach, walking to the harbor, playing cards, etc. You'd be surprised how easy it was to get used to.

Fractured Fairytales:

Fractured Fairytales was a segment of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. I loved the artwork in these cartoons. High art, indeed.

The Underdog Show:

A fave of mine. I've also been thinking about the Rocky and Bullwinkle show lately..

The Gong Show:

Classic T.V. They just don't make 'em the way they used to, I'm afraid...
Click pic for a larger image.

When the good old days weren't always good:

Back then, they were cool.

God help us all...

If I just hadn't played with all the stuff I had back then, I'd be rich... I had the camper, btw (alot of good that does me now, of course.....)..

Columbia House Record Club:

Back then, if you sent in a penny and filled out the form, they would send you a few albums of your choice (record or 8-track), as long as you agree to buy several more albums within a year. I joined when I was 9, because they were giving away a free radio as well. So I got the 7 albums, then I didn't buy anything else. I also remember that if you weren't buying, they'd send you a crappy record and charge you for it anyway....
Eventually I started getting nasty letters from Columbia, and then from a collection agency. Mom stepped in and informed them that I was only 9, and since I wasn't an adult they were basically screwed. Well, serves them right, the radio was a total piece of crap..

And this is one of the records I chose:

I also got Neil Diamond, Diana Ross, Captain and Tennile, Barry Manilow, and Donny and Marie (hey, they were free..).

Wacky Packs:

For some reason, I was thinking about Wacky Packs today. Above are just a handful, there were tons of them.

To this day I mourn the loss of Body On Tap. Sorry, can't help it...

Okay, so I still like the smell of strawberry shampoo..

Back in the 70's, shampoo looked very edible..

... cry, and you cry alone..

I'll never let you see The way my broken heart is hurting me. I've got my pride and I know how to hide All the sorrow and pain - I'll do my crying in the rain. If I wait for cloudy skies, You won't know the rain from the tears in my eyes. You'll never know that I still love you So, though the heartaches remain - I'll do my crying in the rain.

December 1974 TV Guide, the week I turned 7:

In the 70's, there was always a TV Guide lying around in our home.

A very Brady blueprint:

This is for Gilligan, who loves sitcom floorplans.

Click pic for larger image.

Do they even still make these things?:

Rabbit foot keychains. How gross was that..

True story:

While it's true I had the above lunchbox, this post isn't about that.
In the mid-70's, at the height of his career, Evel Kneivel planned a jump everyone knew he couldn't make. The landing strip was far too short for the length of jump he had to cross. But he had a packed audience, so he went ahead with it anyway. He made the jump, but when he landed, he couldn't stop in time, and crashed into a wall.
Broke every bone in his body.
As he was laying there, half-conscious because of the pain, his manager was kneeling beside him saying "Why, Evel??? Why didn't you just call it off??". And Evel looked up at him and said: "What, and give 'em their money back???"
I laughed my ass off when I heard that.

Gayla Kites:

http://gaylaclub.com/kites/index.html

Back in 'the day', I loved Gayla kites. I just found the above site today. I had the three kites pictured, but my favorite was the spacecraft. When we would go to Cape Cod to visit my grandparents, my folks always let me get a kite for the beach. Good times, for sure.

Click pic for larger image.

Paperback Writer (paperback writer):

Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book? It took me years to write, will you take a look? It's based on a novel by a man named Lear, And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer, Paperback writer. It's the dirty story of a dirty man And his clinging wife doesn't understand. His son is working for the Daily Mail, It's a steady job but he wants to be a paperback writer. Paperback writer.

I remember watching Bewitched re-runs when I was home sick from school. Back then they were only a few years old. I loved the cartoon intro. I heard Elizabeth Montgomery didn't think she had any talent as a comedic actress, but she was so, so wrong. I think she was one of the best in the history of television. Although, I must admit: I was kind of disappointed when she ended the show and went on to other projects, like the Lizzie Borden movie. It was kind of a let-down to see someone who was funny and sweet, and who could fly and work magic on a whim become an emotionally unstable ax-weilding murderess....

Random:

I used to watch Donny and Marie, but I never heard of Crazy Magazine before..

70's "Fashions":

Why do I keep thinking "Dracula's Wives" when I look at this pic?? Groovy threads, though. I guess.....

Tab:

I never cared for Tab. I was a Coke kid. I also remember Fresca (although I just thought of Fresca now, which is why I don't have a pic of it). The concept of diet soda was brand new, and we all thought you could lose weight just by drinking the stuff, not realizing that any sort of carbonated beverage is fattening, diet or not...

Marathon bars:

In 1975, I could have lived on Marathon bars... well, not really, but I thought I could. The pic of the guy is from an actual Marathon Bar commercial.

Hmm, doesn't ring a bell...

I can't quite say I remember Falstaff Beer, but judging from my pic on the sidebar I pretty much drank anything I could get my hands on...

Just sayin':

My folks would have never allowed this in our home...

Um, okayyy.....

http://a-list.msn.com/default.aspx?cp-searchtext=Puppy%20Prozac

I remember when "puppy uppers" was a 1975/76 SNL skit..