STORM2K

Okay, so this is REALLY gonna show my age; but WTH... I think I've done that any number of times here, and I kind'a enjoy the layed-back threads I've enjoyed here in "Off Topic". This also might have already been done; but I'm new here, so forgive me if I'm doing a deja vu.

This is about any of you senior statesmen/women out there, who can remember when the TV was on a console, and with speakers usually at the side through some cloth covered grid, or underneath, and it really was a piece of furniture. Those who can recall TV when it had this funny curved grayish tube surrounded by a plastic frame and all covered with a piece of glass. Those who can recall when the shows were actually in black-and-white, and later those who first came in with that often "green people-shaded" COLOR version with the NBC peacock proudly proclaiming when this was the case. Those who remember when the CBS logo looked like an eye, and the circle in the middle like a camera's aperture. And some of the fun when the family came around and sat down for a good night's viewing of the TV "set", (before it became known as a boob-tube). Those who might only remember 3 channels, (or at best 4--the "public" station) consisting solely of ABC, CBS, and NBC chanels.

I guess I'm waxing nostalgic here; because even though I was quite young, (really I was! ), some of my fondest recollections were with my mom and dad, while enjoying some of these shows. I don't remember when RADIO was king, although my mom and dad talked a lot about it, and I doubt any of you youngsters here do... so I'd like to take a trip with you down memory lane and discuss some of those wonderful shows.

Yes, channels like TV Land, and "Nick at Nite" bring back some of them; but they truly don't capture them all, albeit I'm grateful for a chance to watch them now and then--and just reminisce!

No rules... just post your recollections, and/or opinions... this might be fun.

*pulls up his Lazy-Boy to reminisce*

A2K

I'll start it off with what was unquestionably my FAVORITE during this era... being a kid, it was without question the Mickey Mouse Club. I STILL can sing (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) both their beginning and closing tunes.

OMG I had developed SUCH a crush on Annette Funicello! I must have sent that gal a hundred letters.

A2K

Anyone care to post that wonderful opening song/jingle???

Just for "ol' times sake"?

A2K

I'm trying to remember if it started with the M-I-C-K-E-Y bit or not!!!! Fuzzy memory of mine....found this for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Mouse_Club

Yes I'm an oldster around here, born in 1955. My first recollection of a TV was a gray Muntz, on a stand. The screen in itself was probably no larger than 9 inches! But we'd all huddle around that black and white TV, as if it was the best thing going on the planet (it was!). Our next TV was a maple console cabinet RCA TV. Yes, a piece of furniture! With a much larger screen, the largest at the time I believe - 26 inches? It had a predominant spot in our living room, was never, ever moved from that spot. Never! I wonder how my mom cleaned under it.....LOL I remember my family (mom, dad, two older sons, one younger daughter) watching only a few shows - all together. My brothers were teens by this time and wanted to be with friends. But Mission Impossible and the Saturday or Sunday ABC Wide World of Sports comes to mind. We'd all watch together. And possibly the Walt Disney hour on Sunday nights, I can still remember when it aired in our time zone - 7 pm. I recall watching many, many Disney family movies in that hour, to be continued next week. The Parent Trap or Thomasina (an old fave of mine, very-very old Disney flick!), Pollyanna.......

We had a large wall hanging above this TV and one day the wire broke, knocking out the picture tube on back. Nothing we could do would make that console TV work. So out came my portable TV that I was given for xmas a few years before. It had a 9 inch screen. The All Star game was on that night and we had to watch it on that tiny, tiny screen. After that my dad made sure the wire was on good and tight (but he never moved the TV or picture!).

I remember when shows starting going to color. It was a big deal when that happened. I remember the peacock too! This was such a big deal, my husband still asks when one of us sees a classic Andy Griffith episode scheduled, when was it made (ie was it in color or B/W?). He firmly believes the AG's shows went a little downhill when it went to color! LOL

A sad, sad time that I remember involving that Muntz TV was when President Kennedy was assassinated. We all crowded around that TV, for 4 days straight. We were watching live when Ruby shot and killed Oswald too. I remember seeing John-John salute his father's casket. I was only 8. Vivid, vivid memories I'll never forget.

Mary

Back in those days, we got two channels with our antenna: A CBS affiliate from Altoona PA, and an NBC affiliate from Johnstown PA. When cable first came to town, it was a local independent cable company. We got a PBS affiliate from Penn State Univ, an ABC affiliate from I forget where, and an independent station from Washington DC: WTTG I think. It came in on channel 5, but I think it broadcast on UHF.

Here's the kicker: On the WTTG local news, guess who was the anchor: Maury Povich! I remember that name from 40 years ago!

Does anyone remember tuning in stations on portable TV's you could place near a window, with foil on the antenae? And then touching the foil covered antenae to the window? I do! If someone was watching with you, they'd keep telling you how to turn the TV, this way or that.....LOL

Mary

I'm trying to remember if it started with the M-I-C-K-E-Y bit

LoL .. a good effort. I seem to remember:

"Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?"
M-I-C-K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!
Hey, there, hi! there, ho! there, you're as welcome as can be!" (Jimminy Cricket tosses out letters from Dumbo's trunk:)
M-I-C-K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!


Ahhh, well... hey, thanks for the link...there she is... those big beautiful black eyes!

As Bob Hope would say: Thanks, for the Memories!


A2K

I think it broadcast on UHF.

Yes, I recall having to do some fine tuning on the "UHF" bands when some "new" channels came into the area--fun.

Does anyone remember tuning in stations on portable TV's you could place near a window,

Remember that too-- remember those old antennae were called "Rabbit Ears?"

Anyway... I digress. Since there doesn't seem to be any former "Mousketeers" out there (That was such a NICE show for children--taught 'em courtesy, courage, without all the "hip" lingo and shock value many today have)... My dad's favorite was always the Gilette Friday Night Fights....
Mom favored Gunsmoke... with James Arness,
And we almost never missed... Ed Sullivan!

A2K