This is an extremely late post, it has been a busy day for me. Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that ran from 1966 thru 1971. I can honestly say I have never watched a full episode, it was too slow for me, but it does have a huge cult following.
Dark Shadows broke the soap box mold when it started to introduce ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and zombies into it’s story lines. It had become immensely popular with the younger viewers, but when the recession of the 70s started taking place, ABC decided to cancel the series in 1971 in order to cut costs.
Where you a fan of Dark Shadows?
Fun fact: According to Wiki a total of 1,225 episodes were produced, but the fact that really amazed me is that all of the episodes are still intact today except for one!
I was more into model trains that I was race tracks, but my brother was really into racing. He and his friends were always modding their cars, trying to end up with the fastest one.
There where two basic kinds of tracks that I remember, slotted and not slotted. The ones that were not slotted you could change lanes with the speed controller. They even had pieces of track that had an HO Scale railroad intersections so that you could run your train across the racing track. The only downside was the cars were really big in comparison to the train. But the concept was still cool.
Aurora AFX Race Tracks from 1975 a
(My car was the 57 Nomad but mine was blue.)
Aurora AFX Race Tracks from 1975 b
There were a lot of different trace tracks in the 70s so I will have to covering them over several posts. These are some of the race tracks that I remember seeing commercials for. The Aurora “Golden Gate Road Race”, “Double Dare Devil Road Race”, and “Challenger Road Race”.
I have been putting this one off because there is just so much stuff out there. I decided that instead, I will just tackle a little bit at a time.
What can I say that everyone doesn’t already know about Star Wars. Even though I am a Battlestar Galactica guy, let’s face it, Star Wars was one of the greatest movies to ever come out in the 70s.
It released the imagination in almost every child that I knew.
Star Wars Toy Ad 1979
So, for our first round we have the Millennium Falcon, Vader’s Tie Fighter, X-Wing Fighter, and an assortment of action figures. They also are selling the Boba Fett as a 13″ action figure.
I didn’t have any of the big action figures but I did have a whole slew of the smaller ones. The one I will never forget is Boba Fett. I can’t remember which cereal it was, but one of the brands was offering a free Boba Fett figure with whatever number of box tops that was needed. He actually came with a rocket that could be launched from his back!
I ate heartily, saved up my box tops, and then mom sent it in for my free figure. Weeks and weeks went by as I anxiously awaited the arrival of Boba Fett. I was beginning to think it was a lost parcel because it was taking so long! But then that one magical day arrived and there was a package in the mailbox for me. I torn into and then discovered why it took so long to get my Boba Fett. Child safety… they removed the launching rocket and put in a stationary one.
Here is a selection of ladies perfumes from Eatons 1973 catalog.
Women's Perfume 1973
There were several that I recognized like “Prince Matchabelli”, “Tigress from Faberge”, and “Coty’s Emeraude”.
It may be a bit of a cliche, but my first memory of a women’s perfume was when my first “serious” girlfriend used to mail me letters that she sprayed with the perfume she wore. I couldn’t even tell you what perfume it was, but I still remember that smell even today.
I was a tad to old for Fisher Price Little People, but my wife, who would have been four in 1976, loved these Fisher Price play sets. Her favorite one was the Play Family Farm.
Fisher Price Little People from 1976
As you can see Fisher Price had a plethora of play sets to chose from like Play Family Village, Play Family House, Play Family Action Garage, and Play Family School. They had lots of add-on items which I will get to it future posts.
If you were young enough to enjoy these sets, what was your favorite?
I wonder if this is in demand anymore? With all of the events that have surrounded his life I wouldn’t think so, but sometimes that kind of press has the opposite reaction and the demand may be quit high. Either way we have the O.J. Simpson action figure from 1977.
Do you remember, I think it was 1976, during the US presidential elections when they wanted the kids to vote whether the rabbit could have Trix cereal or not?
I couldn’t find the 70s version but this from 1984.
I didn’t eat Trix, so I did not vote, but that was one of the cereal commercials that I remember. Here are a couple more commercials from the 70s.
It is time for another fantasy song post. I can’t say that Steeleye Span is one of my favorite bands. There music is unique however and they do have several fantasy themed songs. I don’t always agree with their interpretation because, as you all know, I am a Tolkienist. But I do like the mix of modern and Renaissance style of music in this song. This is Seven Hundred Elves from 1974.
Chorus
Seven hundred elves from out the wood
Foul and grim they were
Down to the farmer’s house they went
His meat and drink to share
There was a farmer in the west and there he chose his ground
He thought to spend the winter there and brought his hawk and hound
He brought with him both hound and cock alone he begged to stay
And all the dear that roamed the wood had cause to rue the day
He felled the oak, he felled the birch, the beech nor poplar spared
And much was grieved the sullen elves at what the stranger dared
He hewed him baulks and he hewed him beams with eager toil and haste
Then up and spake the woodland elves: “Who’s come our wood to waste?”
Chorus
Up and spake the biggest elf and grimly rolled his eyes:
“We’ll march upon the farmer’s house and hold on him assize
He’s knocking down both wood and bower, he shows us great disdain
We’ll make him rue the day he was born and taste of shame and pain.”
Chorus
All the elves from out the wood began to dance and spring
And marched towards the farmer’s house their lengthy tails to swing
The farmer from his window looked and quickly crossed his breast
“Oh woe is me,” the farmer cried, “The elves will be my guests.”
In every nook he made a cross and all about the room
And off flew many a frightened elf back to his forest gloom
Some flew to the east, some flew to the west, some flew to the north away
And some flew down the deep ravine and there forever stay
I thought this bike looked really cool. A little reminiscent of the chopper motorcycles. I could have seen myself cruising around town on this bad boy when I was younger.
