70s In The News: SF Photo Archive & VCR Dating

George Harrison – Cow Palace, Daly City – November 7, 1974 By Alvan Meyerowitz

Thanks to a spotlight at Boing Boing, I’ve been made aware of 70s-era photographer Alvan Meyerowitz and his Instagram image archive. You’ll want to peruse these San Francisco-related shots from the swingin’ sixties and salty seventies at your leisure. There’s much to enjoy.

After that, jump over to Vox and read all about Great Expectations, the seventies dating service that utilized VCRs and video tapes to help you find a mate. Whatever will they think of next?!

Vox Quote:
“Starting in February 1976, lonely people across Los Angeles drove to a windowless, one-room office on the 18th floor of a building in Century City — the first outpost in what would soon become a national dating franchise called Great Expectations. There, in a room crammed with two TVs, a set of chairs for interviewing, and a stack of cassette tapes, they stepped into the future of dating.”

Links:

Alvan Meyerowitz Instagram Archive

Vox: How 1970s VCR dating paved the way for Tinder and Hinge

70s Spots: Charlie The Tuna, Morris The Cat & More

Mascot Alert! There’s two fine examples of seventies media mascots on display in the latest batch of commercials; Charlie the Tuna and Morris the Cat.

And a reminder, there’s almost two thousand 70s spots to be found on the Bionic Disco YouTube channel. Don’t be afraid to use the search function on my channel and explore around for your favorite memories.

Star-Kist Tuna ‘Sorry, Charlie!” Commercial (1976)

Star-Kist commercial aired March 1976. Charlie voiced by Herschel Bernardi. Narration by Danny Dark.

‘9-Lives Presents Morris’ Commercial (1977)

9-Lives commercial aired August 1977. Morris voiced by John Erwin.

Buick Opel Car Commercial (1978)

Buick Opel commercial aired November 1978.

Polaroid OneStep Commercial (Garner-Hartley, 1979)

Polaroid OneStep commercial featuring James Garner & Mariette Hartley aired April 1979.

*Funny note about the above Polaroid spot: After watching it multiple times I realized you never see a two-shot of Garner and Hartley. I think they may have been shot separately for this one. Clever!

Previously on 70s Spots: ‘Dancin’,’ Rose Marie For Pledge & More

More Star-Kist: Funshine Friday: Star-Kist Tuna, ‘Sorry, Charlie’ (1975)

More 9-Lives: 70s Spots: 9-Lives’ Morris & Purina Cat Food (1978 & ’75)

More Buick Opel: Daily 70s Spot: Buick Opel 1900s (1970)

More Polaroid: 70s Spots: Polaroid Big Shot (1971)

70s Top Ten: Feb. 08, 1971

Dawn – featuring a mustache-free Tony Orlando (1971)

Let’s step into the DanceBack Machine and travel in reverse for 50 years. Upon arriving, we check Billboard‘s singles chart and explore the tunes riding the Top Ten.

The Week Of February 08, 1971

1. Dawn – “Knock Three Times”

2. The Osmonds – “One Bad Apple”

3. George Harrison – “My Sweet Lord”

4. Bee Gees – “Lonely Days”

5. Lynn Anderson – “Rose Garden”

6. Dave Edmunds – “I Hear You Knocking”

7. King Floyd – “Groove Me”

8. Elton John – “Your Song”

9. The Fifth Dimension – “One Less Bell To Answer”

10. Gladys Knight and the Pips – “If I Were Your Woman”

A fine selection of seventies soothers, but let me pick one from the above that may not live on as strongly in your memory. Ladies & gents, here are The Fifth Dimension with “One Less Bell To Answer”!

The Fifth Dimension: “One Less Bell To Answer”

https://youtu.be/ETNM6x1xfuU

70s Spots: ‘Dancin’,’ Rose Marie For Pledge & More

A new batch of fresh and healthy seventies commercials is now live on the Bionic Disco YouTube channel. Use the serving tongs, friends – they’re smokin’ hot!

‘Dancin” Musical Commercial (Broadway, NYC, 1978)

Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ musical – original Broadway run – commercial aired May 1978

Maxim Coffee Commercial (1977)

Maxim Freeze-Dried Coffee aired in 1977.

Lipton Iced Tea Commercial (Don Meredith, 1976)

Lipton Iced Tea commercial starring Don Meredith (Dallas Cowboys, Monday Night Football) aired in 1976

Pledge Spray Commercial (Rose Marie, 1975)

Pledge commercial starring Rose Marie (The Dick Van Dyke Show) aired in 1975. (*Note: ’75 or late ’74 is my best-guess based on another Pledge Rose Marie spot I posted a few years ago.)

Previously on 70s Spots: Planters Peanuts, Johnson’s Diapers & More

More: Bob Fosse: Trailer Tuesday: ‘All That Jazz’ (1979)

More Maxim Coffee: Daily 70s Spot: Maxim Coffee ‘You’ll Swear It Perked’ Commercial (1976)

More Lipton: 70s Spots: Lipton Tea & Carnation Breakfast (1972)

More Pledge with Rose Marie: 70s Spots: Bold Detergent & Pledge (Rose Marie, 1975)

70s News: LA Photos & Jackie O’s Secret Visit

Air Show 1978 By Gary Krueger.

I’ll point you in the direction of two stories at The Guardian today. First up, take a long, loving look at the seventies street photography of Gary Krueger.

If you grew up in LA , as I did, the shots will bring up lots of memories. If you spent your formative years elsewhere, not to worry, the images are still well worth a peek. Krueger has an exhibition entitled City of Angels, 1971-1980 at the Joseph Bellows Gallery in Los Angeles through March 19, 2021.

Second, you’ll want to take a look at a brief story outlining Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and her secret visit to the White House in 1971.

The Guardian:
“Onassis had been invited by Nixon to attend the official unveiling of hers and Kennedy’s portraits. For Onassis, who had only returned to the Washington area to visit Kennedy’s grave at Arlington national cemetery, the idea of an official event was too much.”

Links:

The Guardian: La-la land: the playful side of Los Angeles – in pictures

The Guardian: Jackie Kennedy made private White House visit eight years after JFK’s death

Previously on 70s News: ‘Sesame Street’ HBO Doc Arriving

70s Memories: Michael McKean’s Credibility Gap

(Photo: David L. Lander, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean send up Tom Snyder, mid-1970s – From Flotation Device blog)

It’s my pleasure to point you towards some quality seventies memories today. At Michael McKean’s Flotation Device blog there’s two reminisces to enjoy.

First, you’ll want to read McKean’s warm stories of meeting David Lander in college in the sixties and how their life-long friendship came to be. After that, dig into the tale of McKean’s move to Los Angeles and his joining The Credibility Gap comedy team and helping to craft their 70s-era shenanigans.

Michael McKean:
“I flew into Los Angeles on February 11, 1970, my first trip to California and the farthest from home I’d been. First movie on a plane, too. Ice Station Zebra. I was greeted at the airport by David Lander’s wife, Thea, who stuck a lit joint in my mouth and whisked me off to West Hollywood in her aqua-and-white Nash Metro. It had been twelve Fahrenheit in New York. It was sixty-eight here. Farewell, Ice Station Manhattan.”

Next, jump over to the always-enjoyable News From ME blog and read Mark Evanier’s seventies memories of competition between Marvel and DC comics.

Mark Evanier:
“Every year or two, I’d go spend a week — once it was three weeks — back in New York and I’d hang around the DC offices or the Marvel offices where absolutely no one ever said to me, ‘What are you doing here? You don’t work here.’ Most, if they noticed me at all, just presumed I did. And once in a while, I’d be asked to do something as if I was an employee and I’d do it.”

Links:

Michael McKean’s Flotation Device: D.L. AND THE MALT SHOP BOYS & THE REALITY BUILDING: Some Words on The Credibility Gap

Mark Evanier’s NewsFromME: Team Spirit – Part 2