In Memoriam: Barbara Walters (1929 - 2022)

Following Barbara Walters' passing just two weeks ago, I remembered that I had this December 1, 1979 issue of TV Guide, featuring her on the cover.  The issue also included an article written by Miss Walters, herself.  I scanned the article, as well as a few other pages, and thought I would share them here.

One her famous "Barbara Walters Specials" was airing that week.

For this special, she was interviewing Suzanne Somers, Sylvester Stallone, and Stevie Wonder.

In her article, she wrote about the various people she had sat down with in past interviews.

Here are just a few of the other TV listings from that week.  Since it was December, there were a lot of Christmas shows and specials airing.

The Hollywood Christmas Parade (formerly the Santa Claus Lane Parade) was continuing it's annual tradition, which started in 1928.  The grand marshals this year were husband and wife, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood.  Two years later (almost to the day), Natalie Wood would die tragically, at the age of 43.

John Denver and the Muppets were hosting their own Christmas special.  The very first Muppet film, The Muppet Movie, had been released earlier that year.

RCA Records released a soundtrack album, featuring songs from the television special.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer was continuing it's tradition of airing annually, since making it's television debut in 1964.  And Johnny Cash was hosting his own Christmas special, "A Johnny Cash Christmas."

Two early "pay television" companies were "ON TV" and "SelecTV."  Later they merged and became "ON/SelecTV."  This week, both companies were pushing the film, Saturday Night Fever, in their TV ads.

Sears was advertising stereos, calculators and typewriters.....electronic devices that would make good Christmas gifts.

Just a few years later, my mom would purchase an electronic typewriter from Sears.  The model was "The Scholar" (seen below), instead of "The Graduate" shown in the ad above.  The models are almost identical.  My mom made the purchase, after she decided to go back to school and earn her masters degree.  And I ended up typing many college papers on it, myself.  I recently donated the typewriter to my local Goodwill store, but I took a picture of it before saying "goodbye."

Michael Landon was the current spokesperson for Kodak and was advertising another perfect Christmas gift, the Kodak EKTRA camera.

And last up, is this Pepsi-Cola sweepstakes ad, to win a trip for four to Walt Disney World.  There was only one Disney park in Orlando at this time.  The entry form on the next page had been torn out, but I don't really remember sending it in.  If it was, we didn't win.

Barbara Walters did many of her famous Barbara Walters Specials over the years, beginning in 1976.  As I find more TV guide ads for her specials, I will add them to this post.

Rest in peace, Barbara Walters!

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: