This is an "in memoriam" post for actress, author, and businesswoman, Suzanne Somers, who passed away just last month. I will be sharing a few related TV Guide covers and articles, from my personal collection.
This first one is from May 20, 1978. I believe this was the first time she appeared on the cover of TV Guide. Also on the cover were Joyce DeWitt and John Ritter, her costars in the classic TV show, Three's Company. The show had debuted just about 1 year earlier. The cover art was created by famed artist, Richard Amsel.
I didn't include the cover story article from the issue above, because it was exclusively about John Ritter (nothing against John Ritter, however!).
Just six month later, Miss Somers appeared solo, on the cover of this November 25, 1978 issue.
This time, the cover story was exclusively about her.
Here is that Newsweek Cover, that was mentioned in the article:
A little over two years later, there was a lot of coverage about her being "let go" from Three's Company, by the show's producers. The article in this March 14, 1981 issue, covers both sides of the story.
On Tuesday of that same week, the characters "Mr. and Mrs. Roper" were making a return visit to Three's Company. This was almost a year after their spinoff show, The Ropers, had been canceled. Suzanne Somers' character of "Chrissy Snow," had made her final appearance on Three's Company, the previous week. She was replaced by Jenilee Harrison (pictured below), who played "Cindy Snow," the cousin of Suzanne Somers' character.
I was able to be in the audience for a live taping of Three's Company, on January 26, 1982. However, this was about 10 months after Suzanne Somers had already left the show. I just thought I would include the ticket, here.
****Editor's Note (written on my 16th consecutive day of "self-isolating" at home):
As some of you might have noticed by now, I usually publish only one post per month (and on rare occasions, two). I just got in the habit of doing that years ago and it's what works for me. I do work on some of my posts pretty far in advance. They are usually a work in progress and I am often adding things to them and tweaking them, before they ever get published.
This post was already written and pretty much ready to go, but it wasn't set to publish for several months from now. I thought I would bump it up to an earlier date, because of the current situation with so many people at home, either "sheltering in place" or "self-quarantining." This particular post has multiple videos to watch, for anyone who is looking for something to keep themselves and/or their loved ones occupied.
I would like to thank you in advance, for reading my post. And if you read my blog regularly, thank you so much for "following" it. I appreciate all of you! Please stay at home, if you are able to. Please be safe! And please stay well! -TokyoMagic!
In 1982, the Walt Disney Studios produced a "limited-run" television series (only 5 episodes), based on it's successful Herbie/The Love Bug movies. The TV series reunited the titular Volkswagen, with Dean Jones, who starred in two of those previous movies.
Here is the Wednesday night listing for the premiere episode of the All-New Adventures Of Herbie, The Love Bug, from the March 13, 1982 issue of TV Guide.
Let's take a look at what else was on TV that week! On Saturday night, Walt Disney was airing the 1964 film, The Moon-Spinners, starring Hayley Mills. This was the fifth, of six films that Hayley Mills did for Disney (not counting her three Parent Trap sequels, which were all made-for-TV movies).
T.J. Hooker, starring William Shatner and Adrian Zmed, was also debuting that night.
On Monday, Carol Burnett was starring in a TV special, featuring her "Eunice" character from The Carol Burnett Show. The success of this special, led to the series, Mama's Family, one year later.
Later in the week, an 18 year-old Rob Lowe was playing a 16 year-old, in the ABC "After School Special," School Boy Father. This was seven years, before he sang and danced with Snow White at the Academy Awards.
The Facts of Life was in it's third season, and Jack Klugman and Tony Randall where together again on television (just not in the same show).
KCET was airing a "Making Of" special, for the soon-to-be-released film version of the Broadway musical, Annie.
Police Squad was a TV series, from the creators of the film, Airplane. The series was cancelled after only 6 episodes, but it led to the creation of the successful The Naked Gun films, 6 years later.
The 1981 film, S.O.B., was available to "rent" on videocassette. This was the movie in which Julie Andrews says, "I'm going to show my boobies!" and then actually does it!
Here is the cover story article on actor, John Ritter:
The back cover of this issue featured an ad for cigarettes. I guess they wanted us to believe that smoking would lead to all sorts of "adult" fun and hijinks....instead of disease and death.
By the way....at some point, all five of the All-New Adventures Of Herbie episodes re-aired on The Disney Channel and they are all available on YouTube. I'm including a link to each episode, below. I also just happened to have the 1982 TV Guide listings for each episode, so I've included those as well.
Dean Jones sang the show's theme song, "Herbie, My Best Friend." If you would like to watch just the show's opening credits and theme song, here it is:
Well, we're approaching the end of the school year and that means Grad Nites have already started. Unfortunately, there are no longer any "private-party" Grad Nites at Disneyland. Instead, the graduates have their Grad Nites at California Adventure. I don't think it would be the same having a Grad Nite over there, but maybe the kids these days, don't mind.
I remember being really excited about my Grad Nite. This poster went up inside the trophy case at my high school, once the Grad Nite tickets went on sale. I asked one of the secretaries in the Administration Office if I could have the poster when they were done with it, so she wrote my name and phone number on the back of it. I had forgotten all about it after graduation, but she ended up calling me in the middle of the summer and told me that if I still wanted it, to come to the school and pick it up!
This was the form for ordering tickets:
The tickets came with this brochure explaining the dress codes for the evening.
They don't even make the kids get dressed up for Grad Nite anymore! Why did we have to do it? And when did they stop requiring that?
It only cost $11.00 for a whole night at Disneyland (until 5:00 a.m.!)
More dress guidelines were listed on the back of the ticket:
The price of the ticket included a deluxe program:
Bertie Higgins was not appearing the night of our Grad Nite, so we didn't get to "...sail away to Key Largo!" Sister Sledge was appearing on the floating River Stage out in front of Tom Sawyer Island. I remember they changed the lyrics in their song, "We Are Family," from "I got all my sisters with me," to "The Class of '82 is free!" The only other performer that we saw that night was Tommy Tutone, whose song, "867-5309/Jenny" had gone to #4 on the Billboard chart the previous month.
They were giving out an Entertainment Flyer at the gate with the same cover as the deluxe program:
The cost of the ticket, also included a Grad Nite photo with a Disney character.
I'm not sure why Donald wasn't wearing a cap and gown, like the other characters were. Maybe it has something to do with him not ever wearing pants?
The souvenir photo came in a cardboard frame/holder:
This was the address label that you had to fill out so they could mail the photo to you.
And here's the envelope that the photo arrived in:
The photo came with a form to order additional copies. (I saved EVERYTHING!)
Other than the entertainment and having our pictures taken, the only other memory I have from that night, is getting VERY tired around 3:00 a.m.! Instead of finding a bench somewhere to rest, we decided to go ride the Disneyland Railroad. Since there isn't a point where they ever force you to disembark (like on other attractions), we just stayed on the train and rode it around the park, over and over again!
I also bought a few souvenirs that night. In addition to the pin-back button that we saw at the beginning of this post....
....I also bought a Grad Nite T-Shirt:
And a Grad Nite pennant:
And a Grad Nite Winnie the Pooh plush:
A plastic "Grad Nite '82" mug was also available, but for some reason, I did not purchase one.
Back in 2011, I did a vintage trip report about my eighth grade graduation trip to Disneyland. If anyone is interested in reading that post, here is the link: Eighth Grade Disneyland Trip
Congratulations, to all of the graduates out there!
****Post Update (June 15, 2019)****
I just came across some "non-Disney" graduation goodies and decided to add them to this post.
This '82 Avon pomander was just one of the things my mom gave me for graduation. It was made of a hard plastic and came in the shape of the "'82" pictured on the box. The outside of the plastic was covered with a rubbery material, infused with the scent of "Herbal Mist," whatever that is! It had a blue cord and tassel and it hung in my car until it got very faded and sticky! For that reason, I did eventually throw it out, but I have kept the box that it came in, for all these years.
One of the gifts that my aunt and uncle gave me, was this "Class of '82" mug, which was made by PAPÉL. I was actually given a second one of these (with red lettering), by one of my teachers. I had been a "teacher's aide" for her, during the last semester of my senior year.
About halfway through my senior year, Josten's Inc. sent this order form to all seniors. I ordered the graduation announcements, name cards, "thank you" notes and a "senior key."
Here is my "senior key."
I checked online, and Josten's Inc. is still in business today. According to Wikipedia, "Jostens is the primary supplier of Super Bowl rings, and has made 31 champion rings in the Super Bowl's 50-year history, through 2017." They also still make their traditional "Senior Keys." However, now the price for just the key (without an accessory), is $31.00, as opposed to the $6.00 that I paid back in 1982.
.jpg)
