The Electric Company’s secret weapon for getting kids to read in the 1970s (hint: it was very funny)
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The Electric Company’s secret weapon for getting kids to read in the 1970s (hint: it was very funny)
The Electric Company ran on PBS from 1971-77 with Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno & Bill Cosby -- and actually worked as a reading tool for millions of kids.
Vintage food processor ads and history from the '70s & '80s -- how Cuisinart went from trade show curiosity to the most coveted appliance in the American kitchen.
These fun 1970s Playskool toys were built to last (and usually did)
1970s Playskool toys like Dressy Bessy, Tyke Bike & Alphie didn't happen by accident -- here's the story behind the brand that taught a generation through play.
Adam-12: The accurate LAPD codes and cop lingo that made the show feel so true to life
Adam-12 leaned on real LAPD codes, ride-alongs and an actual police dispatcher to make this 1968 cop show feel like the real deal.
50 slick Hide-A-Bed sofa styles that turned any living room into a secret guest bedroom (1940s-70s)
Hide-a-bed sofas turned a regular couch into a guest room overnight. See vintage styles and ads from the 1940s through the 1970s.
Dynamite magazine had 1970s & 1980s celebrities GenX kids loved: See 60 classic covers here!
Dynamite magazine was published from 1974-1992, and delivered a little bit of pop culture to kids' mailboxes all across the US. Here's a look back!
Cheddar baked beans cooked right on the grill are the ultimate retro summer side from the 1970s
Cheddar baked beans go right on the grill in this easy 5-ingredient recipe from 1973 -- plus a sweet orange bean bonus!
Benji movie magic: How a stray dog stole America’s heart in the 1970s
Explore the heartwarming legacy of the Benji movie, a 1974 dog film that turned a shelter pup into a Hollywood star and charmed a generation.
Mr Potato Head used to require a real potato — here’s how the famous toy has changed since 1952
Mr Potato Head started with real vegetables and push-pins in 1952 -- and became the first toy ever advertised on TV. Here's the full story behind the famous spud.
These vintage trash compactors from the 1970s & 80s could perform amazing feats
Trash compactors were a genuine 1970s kitchen status symbol -- and they almost became a necessity. Here's why they rose, peaked and quietly faded out.
Bonanza: The fascinating story behind TV’s biggest Western hit of the 1960s
Bonanza almost didn't survive its first season. Here's how the show went from near-cancellation to the No. 1 Western on TV -- and what ended it for good.
Juneteenth: What it means, and why it’s still celebrated
Juneteenth is a celebration of Black freedom, marking the day enslaved people in Texas at long last learned of their emancipation. But if you aren't very aware of this Federal holiday, you're not alone. Find out more here!
Jerry Mathers was Beaver Cleaver. Tony Dow was Wally. Here's what really happened after the cameras stopped rolling in 1963.
1970s Chevy Nova: From muscle car holdover to hero of the oil crisis decade
The '70s Chevy Nova went from muscle car holdover to police fleet favorite -- here's the full story of this decade's most dependable compact.
Jigsaw puzzles: The fun & addictive fad that took over American living rooms — more than once (1908)
Jigsaw puzzles swept America not once but twice -- first in 1908, then again in the Great Depression. Here's the wild history behind the hobby.
Soap-on-a-rope: The old-fashioned gift that made a real splash in the 1970s
Let’s consider for a moment the soap-on-a-rope phenomenon — a peculiar fusion of the useful and the whimsical that once occupied a prominent place in
Rocky and Bullwinkle: How a moose & squirrel became TV’s sneakiest, funniest satirists
Rocky and Bullwinkle debuted in 1959 as a kids' cartoon – and spent five seasons smuggling Cold War satire past network censors. Here's the full story.
Hawaiian luau parties swept American backyards in the late '50s and '60s -- here's the real history behind the roast pigs, paper leis and pineapple punch.
Easy, low-cost household tips from the ’70s for cleaning, home improvement & more
Household tips from the '70s, straight from Bert Bacharach's legendary "Now See Here" column -- dozens of tricks for cleaning, repairs and everyday life.
Old-fashioned magic cookie bars: 7 ways to make deliciously decadent 7-layer bars
Whether you call them 7-layer bars, magic cookie bars or something else, It's just layer after layer of delectable ingredients, spread on top of the other right in the baking pan. No mixing!
The Hoppity Hop was just an inflated ball with a handle -- and it sold 300,000 units in months. Here's the history behind one of the '60s biggest toy crazes.
Little House on the Prairie: From popular 1974 NBC hit to a Netflix reboot, 50 years later
Little House on the Prairie ran on NBC for nine seasons starting in 1974 -- and now it's back on Netflix. Here's the full story.
International long-distance calls cost $75 in 1927 and $12 in the '60s -- which was considered a bargain. Here's the history of how we got connected.
The Doors turned every concert into something unpredictable. Here's what it was actually like to see Jim Morrison and the band perform live in the 60s and 70s.
Laura Ingalls Wilder didn't publish her first Little House book until she was 65. Here's the full story behind the series and the woman who wrote it
40 vintage cake mixes you can’t get anymore — and the wild flavors we lost along the way
Burnt sugar, chocolate malt, pink lemonade, black walnut -- vintage cake mixes once offered flavors you'd never find on shelves today. Here's how it all happened.
Sprite lemon-lime soda: From small-town test markets to worldwide bestseller (1960s)
Sprite launched in 1961 as Coca-Cola's long-shot bet against 7-Up. Here's how the lemon-lime soda went from Ohio test markets to a global top-three bestseller.
Bad News Bears: The scrappy Little League movie from 1976 that actually got kids right
Bad News Bears, about a drunken ex-pitcher who transforms a bedraggled group of kids into a winning little-league baseball team, won raves for showing kids as real people.
170 hip vintage 1970s dresses, skirts, pantsuits & other trendy retro fashion for women
1970s dresses ranged from maxi hems to miniskirts, A-lines to wrap dresses -- see the full spectrum in these vintage JC Penney catalog pages from spring 1973.
Alice in Wonderland: A look back at Disney’s wonderfully weird 1951 movie masterpiece
Walt Disney spent a decade on Alice in Wonderland, called it a disappointment in 1951, then watched college kids turn it into a midnight cult hit.
Why the vintage wall paneling in these 1950s & 1960s homes still works
This gigantic collection of vintage wall paneling from mid-century (and beyond) makes for a surprisingly delightful scroll down nostalgia lane!
Mad magazine: How a wicked 1952 comic book taught America to mock everything
Mad magazine launched as a 10-cent comic in 1952 and grew into America's most influential humor mag. Here's the wild story behind Alfred E. Neuman.
Wacky Packages: The outrageous 1970s sticker series kids couldn’t stop collecting
Wacky Packages were the sticker craze that outperformed baseball cards in 1973. Here's the full story behind the parody packs that kids couldn't get enough of.
Card tables started out as elegant colonial furniture and ended up in nearly every American home. Here's how they got from one to the other.
Carol Burnett: How talent, charm, generosity & luck made her comedy career skyrocket (1960s-80s)
Her name is Carol Burnett, and her elongated, restless, expressive and oddly beautiful face is one of show business's favorite funny valentines.
Weebles history: How a silly wobbly egg became one of the ’70s most cherished toys
Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down -- and they've been proving it since 1971. Here's the full history of this classic Hasbro toy.
