Jackie Gleason — born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr. on February 26, 1916, in Brooklyn — became one of America’s most recognizable personalities by mixing bold
After a teen gets a record score on a video game called The Last Starfighter, an intergalactic visitor tells him the game was just a test – and asks him to come help fight a space battle.
Donna Summer burst onto the disco scene in the 1970s with a bang – her four #1 singles all reached the top chart spot within 13 months of each other – including ‘I Feel Love.’
Occasionally, top TV show theme songs aren’t just popular – they join the soundtrack of a generation. These 16 hits won acclaim for being more than being the tune played over opening credits. Have a listen!
Misheard lyrics have fooled music fans for years — turns out, “Hold me closer, Tony Danza” was never right. See the funniest lyric mistakes from classic hits!
The Outsiders starred several young actors on their way to fame: Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, C Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze and Tom Cruise.
The ’70s TV classic ‘Match Game’ redefined the modern game show. It went against convention, appealed to a younger, hipper audience and ushered in a new era of television.
‘Family Ties’ has the most enviable time slot in network TV, following ‘The Cosby Show.’ But the four-year-old sitcom has managed to create its own following, and now clocks in at #2.
Dick Van Dyke interviews and personal appearances can be hard to come by, but we found a few times the talented actor and comedian talked about his life and career.
To get in the proper holiday spirit, Americana-style, let’s revisit some of the most iconic moments from the timeless TV classic, “A Christmas Story” – plus find out where to watch the sequel!
Relive the magic of Quantum Leap, the iconic time-travel series that took viewers on unforgettable adventures and made history in ’90s sci-fi television.
Vintage View-Master reels offered a trip into another dimension – ‘with stereo color pictures so real, you’ll feel you are actually part of the scene!’ Take a look!
The movie ‘Stand By Me’ evokes childhood memories, condensing them into a remarkably realistic weekend excursion by four boys on the verge of their teens.
Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion is filled with 999 retired spooks and spirits who have taken up permanent residence at this California theme park. Sneak a peek!
For those who have not seen it, ‘The A-Team’ is a straightforward pile-driver of a show, a blue-collar ‘Mission Impossible’ without the finesse. Here’s a TV show review from 1983!
E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial, with his oversized, glowing heart, has been capturing the fancy of moviegoers since he touched down in earthbound theaters to the tune of about $3 million a day.
Step back in time with Michael J Fox. From Back to the Future hero to Parkinson’s advocate, discover his enduring legacy in our exclusive vintage collection.
Vintage lunch boxes from the mid-century are a very specific, quirky slice of Americana. Featuring fanciful designs, lunch boxes back then featured everything from scenes
Tiddlywinks (originally Tiddle-dy Winks) seems like a simple kids’ game… but there’s a lot more to it! Find out about it – including how to play – here.
When these Classic Walt Disney Home Video VHS tapes were finally available back in the 1980s, it was huge for fans. No more waiting for the movies to appear once a year on TV, or to be re-released in theaters. Here’s what you could see back then!
Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid,’ based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, is a movie with the richest colors, the brightest melodies, and the most vivid illustrations.
Explore the history and enduring appeal of Wonder Horses, the iconic ride-on spring rocking horse toys that galloped into the hearts of children from the 1950s to the 1980s!
These old mail-order record clubs offered super-cheap music to the masses – on vinyl, l8-track tapes, cassettes, and, finally, CDs. But there was a catch.
The invention of the Ferris Wheel was a jaw-dropping innovation of its time! Find out the history of the Ferris Wheel ride we now know so well, plus see pictures of the HUGE first one.
Take a look back at the history of Knott’s Berry Farm – the fun California amusement park known as a Disneyland alternative, but one that boasted its very themes and even a ghost town.
Miami Vice was a ground-breaking American television show that aired from 1984 to 1989. Its blend of fast cars, flashy fashion, and synthesized music captured
Do you recall playing with vintage clicker and Clacker toys trend of the early 60s and 70s. Inexpensive and fun hard plastic balls on strings, their popularity spread like wildfire over the course of just a few years.
Before the Police Story TV show burst onto the scene, television was filled with crime dramas that lacked the realism which became a hallmark of the genre.
See some long-forgotten photos of today’s celebrities before they were famous – young stars who paid the bills with modeling gigs until they hit the bigtime.
Released in 1985, The Goonies didn’t just entertain Generation Xers – the movie left an indelible imprint on pop culture, turning into a touchstone for many growing up in the era.
Millions know ‘Say, Say, Oh Playmate’ – also known as ‘Playmate’ – but few today know much about the rhyming song & hand clapping game. Find out more here!
In 1976, Marriott’s Great America theme parks were born from a simple yet ambitious idea: give families an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind experience. Here, see the parks in California & Illinois in the 70s & 80s!
Star Hits magazine was a riff on the hugely popular British music mag, Smash Hits… and in the ’80s, America’s teens loved it. Here’s a look at what was hot back in the day!
Take a trip down memory lane and browse this virtual newsstand of 16 Magazine covers to remember who was hot (at least in the hearts of teen girls) during the eighties!
Remember when every kid you knew couldn’t get enough of the literary phenomenon known as the Choose Your Own Adventure books? Take a look back, and see lots of old covers here!
Gary Coleman stars as Arnold, a street-wise youth from Harlem, who is adopted by a white millionaire and becomes confused and suspicious about his sudden change of fortune on the comedy series, Diff’rent Strokes.
Let’s take a dive into the nostalgic maze of the original Pac-Man game – plus see point values and scoring, plus home and arcade version of the OG and his family, including Ms and Baby Pac Man!
Sunset portrays an imaginary meeting between legendary western hero Wyatt Earp (played by James Garner) and legendary western movie star Tom Mix (Bruce Willis), who team up to solve a murder in 1929 Hollywood.
Adrian Lyne’s ‘Flashdance’ widens the eyes. Equal pans of shamelessness, brainlessness, and perverse energy have been scrambled into a movie that’s laughable, preposterous and truly awful.
Disneyland in the 1980s was one of the ultimate vacation destinations for people of all ages. See some of the maps and materials they were using to promote their attractions — old and new!
Laverne & Shirley was a series about two spirited young women – Penny Marshall as Laverne DeFazio and Cindy Williams as Shirley Feeney – who worked in a brewery and managed to have fun on and off the job in Milwaukee in the 1950s.
Intellivision gaming systems from the 80s were supposed to be more realistic than anything else available at the time. You may be surprised to see (or remember) how simplistic and pixelated the games really were!
While Lisa Marie Presley had very impressive parents – Elvis and Priscilla Presley – that’s not what made her so memorable. It was all about her presence: her strength, dedication, and independent spirit.
In this 80s movie, The US military is training chimpanzees to fly bomber mock-ups, and putting them in real danger. It’s up to airman Jimmy Garrett and researcher Teri to stop the Air Force’s nefarious plot and save the chimps.
Introduced in the late 1970s, Underoos were a popular brand of colorful children’s underwear featuring characters from popular franchises like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Star Wars.
The old Disneyland TV show, known by various titles since its introduction in 1954 (and currently entitled The Wonderful World of Disney) was Walt Disney’s first foray into the weekly television show format.
Before he was Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings, young Sean Astin was a hardworking up-and-coming actor. But he wasn’t just any actor – he was the son of Patty Duke and John Astin. Here’s a look back at Sean’s early career, from when he was a teen!
M*A*S*H debuted on TV in 1972, and centered around a team of doctors during the Korean War in the early 50s. M*A*S*H was a huge success, lasting for 11 seasons, and broke records on its way out.
Let’s look back at the popular sitcom The Facts of Life – meet the actresses, hear that catchy theme song one more time, and get the lyrics for the hit show’s opening credits!
Billions of 80s stickers were collected by millions of kids – and appeared on everything from binders to books, cassette tapes to sticker collection albums. Do you recognize any of these vintage stickers?
Despite a slow start, by the mid-’80s, REO Speedwagon’s hit singles ‘Keep On Loving You’ and ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ had topped the charts, and they were known across the globe. Here’s the story.
Even in his late 70s, Barry Manilow still performs relentlessly — much to the delight of “Fan-ilows” everywhere. Check out this bicentennial-year interview he gave early in his singing career.
What did Carowinds theme park look like back in the 1980s? Here’s a look at the vintage Hanna-Barbera-affiliated amusement park that straddled the line between two states.
For decades after their introduction in 1963, Easy-Bake Ovens showed up on wish lists for Santa and for birthdays, and millions of them were sold. Take a look back!
For two years, Tom Hanks pounded the streets of the city searching for a job. Then he was flown to LA, screen tested, and finally selected for the role of Kip Wilson in ‘Bosom Buddies.’ And so a star was born.
Merlin, the ‘electronic wizard,’ was a red telephone-shaped toy used buttons, lights and sound effects to let kids play a variety of simple games, and was one of the earliest gaming consoles.
Vintage book clubs have been around since before the Depression – and while the titles have changed, the concept behind the membership isthe same. Here’s a look back!
Back in the late ’80s, who would have thought that young Robert Downey, Jr – the kid who acted in a few random films – would, a couple of decades later, be one of America’s biggest movie stars?
Remember Vintage Wacky Packages (also called Wacky Packs for awhile) that were popular when Gen Xers were kids? Here’s a look back at some of the best of these wild and crazy collectible stickers from way back!
Since 1952, Mad Magazine has poked fun at everything from Superman to Yoda, M*A*S*H to hippies. But it’s about more than humor – it’s big business, too.
When the Disney Channel started in 1983, it was a cable subscription service with shows like Mousercise and Mickey Mouse Club, along with many of the famous Disney movies. See some of the schedules and more here!
Do you remember these vintage Mad magazine back page Fold-Ins – where, with a couple of folds, you could change the page’s picture, and its message? Look back at a few of these clever pieces of art created by Al Jaffee.
While popular cartoon kids talking about life insurance and IRAs might not seem like a natural match, in the ’80s & ’90s, the combination was a hit. Take a look back here!
CHiPS, a light-hearted one-hour action-adventure series, follows the exploits of a pair of young California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers on the busy Los Angeles freeways, and their encounters with the infinite variety of people who drive there.
Debuting in 1976, the classic TV series Charlie’s Angels was widely popular with viewers, eventually becoming a cult classic favorite and spawning feature films and reboots.