The All-New Adventures of Herbie, The Love Bug

****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:



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Episode 1 - "Herbie The Matchmaker" (Produced by Disney child star, Kevin Corcoran - Originally aired on March 17, 1982.)

Here again, is that ad and listing from the March 13, 1982 issue of TV Guide:

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Episode 2 - "Herbie to the Rescue" (Originally aired on March 24, 1982.)

Here's an advertisement and the listing from the March 20, 1982 issue of TV Guide:

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Episode 3 - "My House is Your House" (Originally aired March 31, 1982.)

The listing from the March 27, 1982 issue of TV Guide (there were no special ads for the remaining episodes):

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Episode 4 - "Herbie, The Best Man" (Originally aired April 7, 1982.)

The listing from the April 3, 1982 issue of TV Guide:

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Episode 5 - "Calling Dr. Herbie" (Originally aired April 14, 1982.)

The listing from the April 10, 1982 issue of TV Guide:

Happy Birthday, Hayley Mills!

Holiday Fun With That Darn Cat! - 1965

Let's take a break from theme parks for just a little while with some holiday fun! From 1965, we have the "Holiday Fun Book"...a gift for you from Canada Dry and your very good friends at Penneys, Luden's Candies, Purina Cat Chow, Scripto Pens and Yamaha Sportcycles!






"That Darn Cat!" which was released in 1965, happens to be one of my favorite Disney movies....along with two others that also star Hayley Mills, "The Parent Trap" and "The Moon-Spinners."



I've seen all of these Disney movies except for "Thomasina"....does anyone out there recommend it? I've heard that it's a tear-jerker, so I've avoided it.



I was going to cut this autographed picture out and carry it in my wallet like it suggests, but I decided to keep the book intact. Cologne and nail polish as Christmas gifts for your pets? Were the makers of Purina Cat Chow really recommending that?



My grandparents used to buy Wink from Canada Dry. I think they also bought Squirt which was another grapefruit-flavored soft drink.




An original Walt Disney Christmas story!





Scripto pens? Actually, I prefer writing with a Bic Banana. Of course, a Bic Banana Ink Crayon will do in a pinch....especially when it's endorsed by Charles Nelson Reilly wearing a banana costume!





Many of my childhood toys came from Penneys......and Sears! Are there any department stores that still have a toy department?



I believe this book was an insert from Look Magazine, but it's possible that it was available from another source. Perhaps it was a free gift from the Canada Dry display at your local super market?