March Miscellany: Archie Bunker's Card Game & 1970s TV Guides

It's time for more "March Miscellany."  I have been doing something different, and posting multiple times throughout the month of March.  This is post #4.

Did you know that TV's "Archie Bunker" had his own card game?  Well he did, and my brother had the game when we were kids.  For those who don't know, Archie Bunker was a character from the TV show, "All In The Family."  The show aired on the CBS network, from 1971 to 1979, and was #1 in the television ratings for 5 years in a row.  In 1972, Milton Bradley created a card game, themed to the show's characters.

The contents of the game included playing cards, and "Ding Bat Tallies."

Each of the four main characters, were featured on the cards.  In addition, there were "Ding Bat" cards.

The Ding Bat Tallies were used in the play of the game, and also to keep track of the players' scores.

I remember playing this game as a kid, but now when I read the instructions, it seems kind of convoluted.  The game was intended for "Ages 10 to Adult."

 

Inside the lid of the box, there was a much simpler explanation given on how to play the game.  It was written as if it were being told by Archie, in his "unique" way of speaking.

While I was scanning the individual pieces of the game, my cat decided that she wanted to sit on the scanner!

Members from the cast of "All In The Family" appeared on the cover of TV Guide, at least eight different times. I was able to find two of those covers, within my collection of vintage TV Guides.  I'm including the covers here, along with the related articles from inside.

The cover art from this January 1979 issue, was drawn by the famous American caricaturist, Al Hirschfeld.

This article was written during the final season of the original series.  At this time, two of the main stars, Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner, had already left the show, and Danielle Brisebois had been added to the cast.

F.Y.I.....home pregnancy tests had become available in the U.S., just two years earlier.

F.Y.I.....don't smoke, even if the cigarettes are marketed as, "low tar."  They are still dangerous to your health.  The Surgeon General says so!

This issue is from September of 1979.  This was the first season for the "spin-off" of the show, "Archie Bunker's Place."  This new show was a success and ran for another 4 seasons.

This article was written by Carroll O' Connor ("Archie Bunker"), himself.  He reflects on what it was like working on the show for 9 seasons, and why he agreed to come back for the "spin-off" series.

Again....don't smoke!  Is that guy lighting his cigarette with a roasted marshmallow on a stick?

Attention Kmart shoppers!

Since this was a Fall issue of TV Guide, there were a lot of listings for new shows, and the season premieres of returning shows.  Let's take a look at some of those listings for the week.

"CHiPs" was doing the "disco thing" again.  I've previously posted a TV Guide listing for the show, which described the officers delivering a baby at a discotheque.  I want to see Ruth Buzzi and Nancy Kulp on roller skates!  And I guess NBC's attempt to "Out-Bond Bond" didn't work, because "A Man Called Sloane" was cancelled after only 12 episodes.  According to Wikipedia, it was the last series produced by Quinn Martin.

Michelle Lee alert! "Disney's Wonderful World" was showing The Love Bug.  According to the ad, it was the film's first time on TV.  I could have sworn that I saw it on TV, prior to 1979.

The retooled "All In The Family" was returning as, "Archie Bunker's Place," this week.  Martin Balsam was joining the cast as Archie's business partner.  Who could forget him in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, as private investigator, ARB-O-GAST?

Telly Savalas was guest starring on the 4th season premiere of "Alice."  "Who love's ya baby?"  And "The Jeffersons" was beginning it's 6th season.  To date, it is one of television's longest running sitcoms (11 seasons).

This was the 7th season for "Happy Days."  And Don Knotts was joining the cast of "Three's Company," as the roommates' new landlord, Mr. Furley.

Shelley Hack was joining the cast of "Charlie's Angels," after Kate Jackson's departure from the series.  To quote Bea Arthur in "The Golden Girls," "IT WOULD BE BETTER WITH SHELLEY HACK, ROSE!"

A new series called, "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," was debuting that week.  Buster Crabbe, who had played the title character in the the 1930s serialized version of Buck Rogers, was guest starring.

The cast of "Hello, Larry" was visiting the cast of "Different Strokes," for a special one-hour episode.  Everyone remembers the "Different Strokes" spin-off, "Hello, Larry," right?  Well, don't feel so bad, it only lasted a season and a half.  In 2002, TV Guide ranked the series as number 12, on their list of the "50 Worst Shows of All Time."

I wonder what show ranked at number 1?  "Holmes and Yoyo"?  "Pink Lady and Jeff"?  "Joanie Loves Chachi"?  What would be your pick, as the worst show in television history?

****Post Update - 8-24-22****

Since originally writing this post, I have found two more issues of TV Guide, featuring Carol O'Connor as "Archie Bunker," on the cover.  Each issue also included a "cover story" article.

From March 29, 1980:

The article in this issue was about Martin Balsam (also featured on the cover), who played "Murray Klein," Archie Bunker's business partner.

From August 8, 1981:

March Miscellany: "What Is It & Where Is It?" - The Disneyland Edition

It's time for more "March Miscellany!"  Just a reminder, I'm posting multiple times throughout the month of March!  This is post #3.

Do you want to play a game?  Yes?  Okay, name or describe what we are seeing in each of the photos below, and also the specific location where each photo was taken.  I will tell you this....they were all taken in Disneyland (Anaheim, California), and throughout various decades (1970s - 2010s).

I know this will be easy for some Disneyland fans, but perhaps it will be challenging for others.  You can leave your answers in the comments, below.  In about a week (or less), I will post the answers, along with some supplemental photos.  And feel free to leave other remarks in the comment section, and not just your answers.

Photo #1:

 

Photo #2:

 

Photo #3:

Photo #4:

Photo #5:

Photo #6:

Photo #7:

****ANSWERS****

Okay everyone, here are the answers to the "mystery" photos:

#1 - Taken from the Disneyland Railroad, on the "outskirts" of Adventureland.  I'm not sure when that panther, and the rock it was standing on, were added.  If I had to venture a guess, I would say that they were added sometime after 1989.  I think the very first time I noticed them, was in the early nineties.  And I took that picture sometime in the mid to late nineties.  I'm also not sure when they removed the panther, but the rock still exists along the railroad tracks, today:

#2 - Taken while going up the second "lift hill" on Space Mountain.  When the attraction first opened in 1977, the second lift hill featured glass panels and mirrors on either side of the track and on the ceiling, creating an effect that made it appear that you were looking out into infinity. At some point (in the eighties, I believe), they either painted over the glass, or replaced them with solid black panels, which darkened this section of the ride.  And at the top of the lift hill, they added a rotating circle of lights, which projected rotating beams down the lift hill, towards the riders.

#3 - Taken in Space Mountain, in between the second and third lift hills.  In the 2005 renovation of the attraction, a rotating cluster of rocks, or "asteroids," was added alongside this section of track.  From what I've heard, they were eventually going to be lit up, but that never happened.  The only reason they appear lit up in the photo, is because I used a flash when taking it.  Normally the rocks are just quietly rotating in the dark, and go unnoticed by most people.

When Space Mountain opened in 1977, there was an orange and black geodesic sphere in this same spot.  At some point (in the nineties, I think), a satellite dish was placed atop the sphere, and a lighting effect was added to make it appear that "transmissions" were being sent out from the center of the dish.  This is how the sphere appeared in the nineties, after the satellite dish had been added to the top of it:

#4 - Taken inside Innoventions, my most favorite Disneyland attraction, ever.  NOT!  This particular display was presented by Kaiser Permanente, and demonstrated how ultrasound imagery is taken on expectant mothers.  In fact, you could pick up an ultrasound wand yourself, and run it over the body of the manikin.  An image of a fetus would then appear on the computer screens above the respective "mothers."  And yes, this exhibit really did exist at Disneyland!

#5 - Taken alongside the Autopia track, in 2012.  The little car is located in the "park" section of the ride, and is an actual "bronzed" vehicle, from Disneyland's former Midget Autopia attraction.  After that attraction closed in 1966, the track and the vehicles were given to Walt Disney's childhood town of Marceline, Missouri.  This vehicle was reportedly reacquired from the city, and then added alongside the Autopia track in 2000.  That was the year that the Fantasyland and Tomorrowland Autopia tracks, were combined into one longer track.

Here's what the Midget Autopia cars looked like, when they were operating at Disneyland.  The attraction was located just east of Storybook Land.  It was removed in 1966, in order to widen the walkway leading up to the soon-to-open "It's A Small World" attraction.

#6 - Taken inside the Haunted Mansion.  The photo shows a rotating "wheel" with four arms/hands attached.  This is actually situated behind the vehicles, and normally out of sight to the riders.  A spotlight behind the slowly rotating "wheel," creates the creepy shadow of the hand moving across the grandfather clock, which is striking "13."

#7 - Taken in Big Thunder Ranch.  It shows a pile of "mule shoes," which were used on Disneyland's Pack Mules, when they were a park attraction.  I spoke with multiple ranch hands, who tended to the animals in the Big Thunder Ranch.  They all confirmed the story, that back in the day, when the pack mules would be re-shoed, the old shoes were just thrown into a great big pile.  With time, and the elements, they all rusted together into one connected "sculpture."  Supposedly, the pile had been relocated on a couple occasions, but had eventually become so rusted and "brittle," that it could not be moved again.  I was told shortly before the closing of the Big Thunder Ranch, that they were going to be disposed of.  I don't know if that actually happened, or if some of them survived.

The Pack Mule attraction operated at Disneyland, from 1956 to 1973:

How did you do with your answers?  Did you know all of them?  I hope everyone enjoyed this little game.  And a great big "thank you," to all of you who participated!

March Miscellany: "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" Paper Dolls & Toy Train Models

Welcome back to "March Miscellany!"   Just a reminder, I'm doing something different for the month of March, and posting multiple times throughout the month.  This is post #2.

This set of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" paper dolls is another childhood item, which came from a "Lucky's" supermarket.  During a visit with my grandparents in the early 1970s, I went with my grandmother to her local "Lucky's" grocery store.  As usual, I was drawn to the store's "toy aisle."  I don't remember if I was looking at this item and my grandmother told me she would buy it for me, or if she told me to pick something out and this is what I chose.  But I ended up coming home with it.

"Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" was an NBC television show, that aired from 1968 to 1973.  This unused set (from ebay) has "1969" printed on it's front cover.

Back cover:

Inside pages:

This is what's left of my set.  Unfortunately, Jo Anne Worley went missing a long time ago.

Dick Martin was one of the show's co-hosts:

Dan Rowan was the other co-host:

Goldie Hawn left the show after the third season, and went on to have a very successful film career.

Judy Carne (the "Sock It To Me Girl") kind of looks sunburned, here.....or jaundiced.  The discoloration on her face is from a piece of Scotch Tape, which I used to try and keep her head "on."

Jo Anne Worley was lost, but she left behind most of her wardrobe.

Arte Johnson's military helmet also mysteriously disappeared.  "Veeeeery interesting!"  Unfortunately, there was not a Ruth Buzzi paper doll, for his "old man" character to offer a Walnetto.

I think the only reason that any of these paper items survived at all, is because I stored them in this box.  The box originally contained pieces for building a "miniature chapel," to use with model train sets.

The side of the box pictured other models, which were available from the ATLAS company.

While growing up, my family did have a train set, which would get set up every year, underneath our Christmas tree.  The "Chapel On The Hill" model can be seen in the photo, below.  There are also some other models visible....a couple of houses, a little train station, and some animal holding pens/stalls.

These next two models aren't visible in the photo above, but were a part of my family's train set.  My dad was the one who would buy these, and he was always the one who would assemble them.

The Sears price tag was still on this one, but I can't make out what the actual price was.

I'm not sure why these empty model boxes survived, but they did, and were found stored in my family's garage.  My brother has the actual assembled models, now.  If I get a chance, I will photograph them and include them in a future post.

This one still contained it's instructions for assembly:

Please check back throughout the month of March, for more "miscellany!"