In the 1974 Rankin-Bass holiday spectacle, The Year Without a Santa Claus, the unforgettable Heat Miser and Snow Miser captured imaginations with their signature musical showdown. See it here!
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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!
In the 1950s, canned fruit cocktail was added to everything from jello salads to slices of meat. Here, see 42 old-fashioned ways they used to eat the sweet and fruity mix!
With songs like the title tune and ‘Have a Holly Jolly Christmas,’ the holiday TV special ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ was a delight for the ears and, thanks to the stop-motion photography, for the eyes.
Love’s Baby Soft hit the market in the mid-’70s with a creepy ad campaign with lines like ‘that irresistible, clean-baby smell, grown-up enough to be sexy’ and ‘innocence is sexier than you think.’ So how did America respond?
Dairy Queen history involves decades of transformation, innovations, and, of course, a few yummy vintage menu items that make folks nostalgic.
American band The Lovin’ Spoonful – fronted by singer John Sebastian – scored four hit singles, starting with the upbeat and catchy ‘Do You Believe in Magic.’ Find out more about this group of talented musicians here!
Land of the Lost was a gateway into a world filled with wonder, excitement & mystery. Let’s rewind & reminisce.
The lives of Holly, Valens, and Richardson were cut tragically short by the Buddy Holly plane crash. Here’s a look at some of the news stories from the time, and photos of the plane.
There were only 17 episodes made of H. R. Pufnstuf, but the kitschy kiddie TV show earned its cult status through reruns that aired through the ’70s and into the ’80s. Here’s a look back!
Good Times wasn’t just about humor; it tackled pressing social issues of its time — including unemployment, racism, and poverty.
First appearing on TV in 1975, Welcome Back Kotter would go on to become one of America’s best-loved sitcoms. Most notably, it starred a young John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino.
In her short, but impactful life, Patsy Cline managed to change the landscape of country music forever. Read on for feature stories and photos about the famed singer, both before and after her death.
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!
Nominated for 7 Oscars, the 1970 Love Story movie starred Ali MacGraw as Jenny, the romantic-tragic girl, and Ryan O’Neal as the rich college boy who won her heart.
See what it looked like inside the Titanic – the interiors of fancy lounges, dining rooms, first-class cabins and other luxurious delights – before the ship sunk to the ocean floor on her maiden voyage in 1912.
In the early 1960s, The Supremes emerged as Motown’s brightest stars. Their infectious blend of pop & soul was irresistible. Have a listen!
Looking back over the history of vintage camcorders showcases the incredible advancements in technology we have experienced over the years.
The Incredible Hulk TV show from the 70s, starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, proved that fans liked Dr David Banner even more when he was angry.
“I Love Lucy,” a domestic comedy TV series, reduces the role of husband to roughly that of the male spider, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if, at the end of the season, Miss Ball ate him.
Revisit the ABC Afterschool Special episodes that shaped our childhood! We’ve listed every one of the vintage TV movies, along with photos and dozens of promos and full-length videos.
See the surprising reasons so many old silent movies have completely disappeared — leaving us to wonder what cinematic treasures have been lost to the ages.
Swiss watchmaker Swatch revitalized the industry with a bold and vibrant analog quartz marvel, sparking the colorful watch craze of the 1980s and 1990s. See dozens of retro Swatch designs here!
New York in 1911: Watch Edwardian New Yorkers come to life in this amazing rediscovered film footage
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to have lived a century ago, or to have wandered the streets of a much younger Manhattan, you will be amazed by the footage in New York 1911!
For those of us who lived any portion of our lives when the Yellow Pages phone book was an essential community resource — could we
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!
The party favorite – more fun than throwing custard pie! Wham-O Silly String shoots a plastic stream of plastic string 1/4 mile long!
NBC TV’s midseason situation comedy series, ‘Sanford and Son,’ about an aging black Los Angeles junk dealer, appears to be an instant, impressive hit.
Unboxing Betty, a fun YouTube channel featuring America’s [fictional] sweetheart, Betty Crocker, has all the ingredients you crave for a fascinating trip down memory lane.
The Batman TV show was a live-action series that aired on the ABC network from 1966 to 1968. The show was based on the DC Comics character Batman, a superhero who fought crime in Gotham City.
“I have a dream” by the Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, President, Southern Christian Leadership Conference March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom –
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.
Lee Majors starred in the Six Million Dollar Man TV series as astronaut Steve Austin, who, after a crash that nearly killed him, was remade in a bionic man – essentially a cyborg – and turned into a government agent.
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.
Hot on the heels of the flower child era, back in 1974, Mattel introduced a set of toys that were sort of the anti-Barbie: The Sunshine Family dolls.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a fanciful children’s movie from the ’60s, starred Dick Van Dyke as a crackpot inventor who builds a magical flying car. This classic musical has stayed in the hearts and minds of millions.
Back in the mid-1960s, the newly-invented marvel of Shake’n Bake coating mixes was kind of a big deal – or at least the shake and bake concept was marketed that way!
As great an actor and director as Orson Welles was, it would be remiss of us if we did not touch on some of his later, slightly less epic works… like his classic ads for Paul Masson wines.
What was the Disney World opening like? See how it looked and get some facts and figures about Disney’s grand opening here.
Anyone who lived through the great videotape format war of the late 1970s to early 1980s will never forget the big question: VHS or Beta? Here’s the Betamax side – the player that ultimately lost.
Old Halloween songs never die – they just reappear on the chart every decade or so! Such is the case with Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett’s million-seller, ‘Monster Mash.’ Here’s the story – and meet the singer!
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.
See a dozen cute vintage play kitchens – toys for kids who wanted to pretend to cook, and have fun with mini appliances and plastic food.
The original Star Wars trilogy was like a comic strip come to life, with eye-popping special effects of flashing light swords, ray guns, strange creatures, spaceships and eerie planets.
The Picturephone, an electronic moving picture device that debuted in the late 60s, let you video chat long before the internet, and way before Zoom, Google Meet, Facetime et al.
In 1975, Chrysler released the Cordoba – and sales were helped along by TV ads featuring the great Ricardo Montalban and his famous mention of the car’s soft Corinthian leather.
Check out some original ‘Wizard of Oz’ cast photos from 1903, and see if you don’t think the characters seem creepy — maybe even a little bit ghoulish.
In the sixties and seventies, when it came to vintage mini dresses and miniskirts, the rule was short and sassy! If you want to recreate these retro clothing fashions, here’s where to begin.
Dragnet was one of the original police procedurals, which began as a radio show, then as a (now-iconic) TV show from 1951-1959 — later followed by a faithful reboot from 1967 to 1970. They all starred Jack Webb as police sergeant Joe Friday.
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.
Spooky sitcom stars Fred Gwynne & Yvonne De Carlo talked about their lives & what it was like to film the vintage 1960s Munsters TV show in these classic cast interviews!
See what was needed to put you in the running for a coveted stewardess job back in the ’50s and ’60s! Some requirements were grounded in reason, but many were just plain sexism in action.
Judging by audience response to PBS new children’s show, Zoom may turn into the kind if household word television hasn’t heard since the halcyon days of Uncle Milty.
When the infamous zeppelin airship Hindenburg caught fire and crashed as it was landing in New Jersey back in 1937, the spectacular disaster was caught on film and audio. Here’s how it went down.
While she was known to millions as Carol on The Brady Bunch, Florence Henderson had a vibrant, successful career as both an actress and singer.
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?
Many critics were surprised that the ‘Emergency!’ TV show was a success. One factor for sure: actors Randy Mantooth and Kevin Tighe, who played paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto, made indelible impressions on viewers.
We have heard Mathis’ voice for years – but who’s the man behind that rich, smooth sound? Find out more about this extraordinarily talented singer here, and see Johnny Mathis as he lived in his Hollywood home back in the 1970s.
Based on the famous books, The Hardy Boys-Nancy Drew Mysteries TV series debuted in 1977, starring Parker Stevenson & Shaun Cassidy as the brothers Frank & Joe, and Pamela Sue Martin as Nancy.
Somewhere in that golden haze after Sesame Street, there was a little TV show called New Zoo Revue. Take a look back to that oh-so-retro kids’ show 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!
Here’s a look back at the group Tommy James and the Shondells, who were behind top charting singles like Hanky Panky, Crimson and Clover, Mony Mony, and Crystal Blue Persuasion.
Back in the 1960s & 1970s, if you asked someone on the mainland about Hawaiian music, chances are the first (and probably only) songs they’d know would be by Don Ho. The singer’s smooth, laid-back style delighted millions. Find out how it all began here.
The Monkees may have been a prefab TV band, but there was nothing made up about their real-world success. Here’s a look back!
There’s a lot of magic and humor practiced in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Written and directed by John Hughes, this energetic and offbeat comedy captures the best feelings about being young.
The Foundations were a band that burst onto the music scene in the late 1960s with a fantastic soul sound that was straight out of Motown. Except it wasn’t.
What was the Partridge Family TV series about? In an eggshell: Five siblings made the big-time playing rock ‘n’ roll music, and, led by their mom, toured the country. Squabbles, catchy tunes and hijinks ensued.
Charlie McCarthy was the impudent little dummy who sat upon the lap of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen, his creator, and entertained millions every week with his comedy.
A shag carpet toilet lid cover with matching tank cover sound good? our counterparts in the ’70s loved their fuzzy toilet covers, and weren’t ashamed to admit it.
Back in the ’60s, The Mamas and The Papas were no ordinary band or singing group – they had that certain extra something that made sure their music would stand the test of time. Here’s a look back.
Buddy Holly was one of rock and roll’s early pioneers. He remains influential to this day, despite his untimely death in a plane crash. Here’s a look back at his career!
Check out some classic hit songs that all have a common theme: a lot of us have misheard the lyrics, so we’re singing them wrong – sometimes hilariously so.
The Godfather of Soul. Mr Dynamite. The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. Whatever you called him, James Brown was a music legend who released hit records in four different decades.
Just 18 years old, Aretha Franklin moves flawlessly in her vocals — from spiritual, to blues to jazz and to pop; and her ability as a pianist is something more to reckon with. Aretha is the girl to watch!
The original Gilligan’s Island pilot had three actors who were cut before the series began, a slightly different name, and a completely different theme song. Get the scoop here!
While orchestra leader Glenn Miller himself disappeared, his music has done rather the opposite – reaching and speaking to generations well beyond his untimely death during WWII.
After launching their career in the ’60s, in the early ’70s, Sonny and Cher turned to television, and to everyone’s surprise, they were a huge hit – leading to adventures both good and bad.
Before vintage Disneyland opened in 1955, Walt Disney said the huge amusement park would be ‘the most fabulous playground on earth.’ See what it looked like!
Walt Disney’s ready to spring his latest full-length animated movie, Cinderella, on the world. And the face-lifting it got in Hollywood may have the original author rattling in his grave.
Johnny Cash kicked off his country-music series, The Johnny Cash TV Show, with guests Bob Dylan, singer-songwriters Joni Mitchell and Doug Kershaw, and comedienne Fannie Flagg. Here, see a video performance with Roy Orbison.
When the Titanic sank, it was the biggest ship in the world – and although the movie industry was still young, many cameras were able to cover the disaster. Here’s a look.
The vintage ‘Real People’ TV show debuted in 1979, and focused on everyday folks and their stories, ranging from heartwarming to silly to strange.
The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 – the deadliest natural disaster in United States history – after which floods swept thousands of people to their death, and many more left homeless as millions of dollars worth of property was destroyed.
Did you ever have one of these vintage Paas Halloween makeup kits from the eighties, so you could go trick-or-treating looking like a vampire, clown, werewolf or ghost?
In the movie Cocktail, Tom Cruise goes behind the counter to play star bartender Brian Flanagan, who works the Manhattan watering holes in spring and summer and spends his winters in the tropics.
In 1975, Steven Spielberg’s movie Jaws single-handedly drove more Americans away from beaches and into theaters than any other force of nature ever could have.
Ranked #13 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, The Dick Van Dyke Show ran from 1961 to 1966, racking up 15 Emmy awards along the way.
Besides reporting the news on CBS News, Walter Cronkite selected and edited film, and was often his own crew so he could cover fast-breaking news stories on the spot.
‘The Jeffersons’ was an offshoot of ‘All in the Family’ that took on a life of its own, and made a star out of Sherman Hemsley, who played George Jefferson.
The monumentally-successful ‘I’d like to buy the world a Coke’ ad campaign was heard all over the world back in 1971. See the commercial here!
Beatlemania, a generally harmless form of madness for The Beatles, which deluged the United States in 1964, was nothing short of a phenomenon.
‘Donald Gets Drafted,’ was a vintage movie short released by Disney early in World War II. Shown nationwide, the cartoon earned the high marks of a ‘swell’ rating.
Remember Lucy and the chocolate factory? Many people consider this classic scene from ‘Job Switching’ one of the series’ funniest.
In 1906, a short film called ‘A Trip Down Market Street’ ended up being a valuable record of old San Francisco just before the huge earthquake and fire destroyed much of the city.
Neil Diamond has had more than 38 hits on the Top 10 charts, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. Here’s a look back to his life and career in the ’70s!
Unlike most rock groups, Creedence Clearwater Revival doesn’t have a booking agency or a manager, yet they were the most successful pop-rock group in the world – and the richest.
Gunsmoke, one of the longest-running TV shows in history, gave viewers a look at the old west – saloons and sheriffs, cowboys and horses.
