We've been talking about politics all week long. Enough - time for some random crap from the 70s.
If you are my age, chances are pretty good you'll remember all this stuff. If not, it's a powerful reminder how fortunate you were not to grow up in such an addled time.
First up, it's teen hearthrobs/Saturday morning superstars the Hudson Brothers, with perhaps the most redundant song in rock 'n roll history.
If you were lucky, you might have been able to see this after you watched the Hudson Brothers
But if you wanted to see something really special, you needed to see this, often featured on the Ray Rayner show on WGN in Chicago back in the day:
And when in doubt, you needed this Claymation Superstar
I didn't remember the doomy sitar music part at the beginning of the intro, did you?
Then there was the especially strange world of Sid and Marty Krofft, who brought a certain measure of lysergic majesty to Saturday mornings (and really long intros):
There was Lidsville, featuring the inimitable Charles Nelson Reilly
And we had H.R. Pufnstuf, featuring Jack Wild and Billie Hayes as the dreaded Witchiepoo
And who could forget The Bugaloos with Martha Raye as Benita Bizarre
To say nothing of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, which gave us Billy Barty, Johnny Whitaker and sometimes a visit or two from the immortal Rip Taylor.
There are times that I am concerned about the quality of the fare that my kids are watching on Cartoon Network. But when I remember what we watched, I'm not sure I have standing to say anything. So did you watch any of these growing up?
9 comments:
What, no "Banana Splits Bunch"?
Hudson Bros: "Ho-hum, another boring day on the island of Piggi-Piggi."
Just knew you'd have to mention HR Pufnstuf. I posted on this in March of 06.
i avoided almost everything on the list.
even by my kid standards i thought the bugaloos wasnt funny and hr puffinstuff was lame.
sigmund the sea monster was a favorite, along with land of the lost.
i never missed gumby, and can still sing the tune.
but you totally forgot about captain kangaroo,hobo kelly and dusty's treehouse. i loved all three.
You also forgot Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp.
I wish you'd forgotten Clutch Cargo. Now the nightmares will come back. That was freaky.
Well guys, I couldn't do everything....
May have to revisit some of those other ones in a subsequent post.
Gino, you are right, of course. My impression is that you would have found something better to watch; I picture you being the kid who would sneak into the movie and watch something like "Five Easy Pieces" instead of the Bugaloos.
I never saw Hobo Kelly or Dusty's Treehouse. Were those local shows?
Sorry about the Clutch Cargo, Artist Formerly Known as SA - I never thought it was freaky, I just thought it was totally cheeseball. Still do.
Just looked at your 06 post, NW. That does explain the strong resemblance between Fruity Pebbles and peyote buttons.
Pink Panther, Wacky Racers, Magilla Gorilla, The Reading Rocket with Miss Sandy, Wally Gator, Lippy the Lion (and Hardy Har Har), Sheriff Ping, Ping, Ping ... Richocet Rabbit.
One of my boys and I just watched the HR Pufnstuf intro and when he saw Jack Wild get into the magic boat and go off, he said, "Where is he going, Pedophile Island?" Wow! Another one of my boys started to watch it and walked away and said, "That is really weird, Dad, in a scary way." And to think I really liked that show....
Hey CB,
That's exactly it. Sensibilities have really changed. I don't think ol' Sid and Marty could get by with a lot of that stuff now. Just using someone like Charles Nelson Reilly in the cast would send up all kinds of red flags now. I don't know if that's progress or not.
Long Live Withcy Poo!
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