This year, I'll be recalling some of my favourite programs from television, via A-Z, of course.
How many of these do you remember?
Were these before your time?
This blog has been written in front of a live studio audience.
1965-1970 / I Dream of Jeannie featuring: Larry Hagman, Barbara Eden
It's interesting how many shows were on before my time, that I caught later in reruns. This was another rerun I would watch any time I was home for school. At least if my mom let me watch TV. When I was a youth, I had to truly convince her I was sick. As you'll learn later, I missed a lot of school. It's a wonder I don't need a Jeannie of my own to survive.
1977-1982 / the Incredible Hulk featuring: Bill Bixby & Lou Ferrigno
I was never big on Marvel Super Heroes, I preferred DC. But even so, this was a Super Hero television show. So this was always a must see.
1980-1989 / It's A Living featuring: Gail Edwards, Ann Jillian, Marian Mercer, Paul Kreppel
I remember this one well. Mostly because it was one of the few things to watch on TV when I stayed home from school. Here's a shock for you. I was not very studious in school and there were many days I played hookie and spent the day watching TV. Oh, if I could have those days back. At the time, this was a particular favourite of mine, most likely because it had pretty women in it.
The A-Z list has been brought to you today, by....
1957 - Ipana Toothpaste (Hey look! It's Jan)
1978 - the Incredible Edible Egg
1980s - Intellivision
I loved I Dream of Jeannie and definitely the Incredible Hulk was a must-see. I always liked Bill Bixby... I'm not familiar with It's a Living. Looks like a good show.
ReplyDeleteLoved the Ipana commercial: it's before my time but it's hilarious! The K Germ?? Have you ever heard of it?? So funny! Loved that beaver: "Brusha brusha brusha..." Lol.
And I definitely remember the Incredible Edible Egg spots. That was a good campaign...
Great stuff here Jeffrey, as always...
Michele at Angels Bark
I only remembered Ipana because it was in the original Grease film.
DeleteDid you see that? Do you remember when the spot aired in the film?
I watched I Dream of Jeannie all the time! And I Love Lucy. I was never as big on the Incredible Hulk. And I don't remember the other show at all. I do remember the egg commercials. For a while eggs got all the blame for cholesterol. I think the adds were to offset that.
ReplyDeleteRevisit the Tender Years with me during the #AtoZChallenge at Life & Faith in Caneyhead!
It's funny how often eggs have gone to being bad for us, to being good for us.
DeleteI had a feeling 'It's a Living' was going to be uncommon to a few.
Realistic! Not the words I would use for Intellivision. And it didn't take Atari long to squash it.
ReplyDeleteFor the time, Intellivision was THE game to get. There are still games on it I would play to this day. My dad could never play right and would always blame the controller. One day I was beating him in a Baseball game and when he complained about the controller, I asked to switch controllers with him. I came back from behind and still beat him. LOL
DeleteI loved the Incredible Hulk, and the later 90s movies too. I never saw I Dream of Jeannie, I don't think it was rerun over here very much, at least not at the times I used to watch TV.
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
I did love Jeannie, such great fun. Incredible Hulk was always good, but even as a kid I wanted to see him battle super villains and he never did. Except in the TV movies.
DeleteHi, Jeffrey!
ReplyDeleteYou found some excellent relics for the letter "I," good buddy. I haven't thought about It's a Living in decades. As you know by now, I am fascinated by the behind the scenes trivia about TV series and the actors that appeared in them. I remember It's a Living star Ann Jillian playing Mae West in a movie. I also remember her well publicized bout with breast cancer resulting in a double mastectomy and the TV movie The Ann Jillian Story which was based on her struggle with the deadly disease. Happy Days alumnus Crystal Bernard, whose most memorable role was as Helen on Wings, joined the cast of the syndicated version of It's a Living that ran from 1985 to 1989. I remember Ipana toothpaste. My family used the dental hygiene product. I also remember the 70s ad campaign for "The Incredible Edible Egg."
Wonderful stuff, good buddy Jeffrey!
Back in the day, I was in love with Ann Jillian. I even watched the short lived, "Jenniver Slept Here". I almost forgot all about that till I did research for this article.
DeleteI don't recall ever watching It's A Living. Hmmm. Of course, I watched the other two a LOT. It's funny, but I thought about I TV shows a couple days ago and couldn't think of anything. So, well done!
ReplyDeleteI had a few 'I' shows ready, but the commercials were difficult to find. And then when I did think of a decent 'I' commercial I wanted, I couldn't find a video for it. That why this AtoZ is called work. LOL
DeleteAh, Lucy - such a "competary secretant" ;-) when she had what was likely a temporary office job.
ReplyDeleteI think I saw the Hulk only twice and was sure it was painful for him to change forms like that.
Before the Incredible Edible Egg commercial, who knew there was such a thing as the 'American Egg Board'?
Poor Jeannie was so under-appreciated by her master (grin).
My sister and mother loved watching I Love Lucy. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but I always laughed.
DeleteJeffrey, The I love Lucy show and I Dream of Jeannie are two of my favorite shows from my childhood. I had the privilege of meeting Barbara Eden last fall when she participated in the Mayberry Days' event in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. She looked great for her 83 years and was very nice. Thanks for the reminder of so many good memories associated with these TV programs!
ReplyDelete~Curious as a Cathy
All Things Vintage: Ivory Soap #AprilA2Z
She's always 'aged' very gracefully. That's so cool you got to meet her.
DeleteIs there anyone on earth that doesn't know I Love Lucy? Yeah, the incredible edible egg. Actually, I'm hungry, great idea! LOL
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of people reading my blog will eventually get hungry. There seem to be a multitude of vintage food commercials.
DeleteOh, Jeffrey... The I Dream of Jeannie intro drove me to tears, hahahahaha... I loved that show! Yes, before my time too, but—like you—I caught it on reruns. And dubbed in Spanish... eek! Speaking of dubbed, Hulk was another of my favorites back in the 80s, and this is the first time I've heard the original audio of the Hulk intro. How's that for pathetic? :D
ReplyDeleteLoving your A-Z!
Guilie @ Life In Dogs
I don't think it's pathetic, I think it's awesome! I'm happy to share these fond memories with you to allow you to hear the original themes in English.
DeleteI loved I Dream of Jeannie - Major Nelson was a favorite of mine :) I also enjoyed Incredible Hulk, but I don't remember It's a Living. I'm sure I watched it, I just don't recall it.
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying your theme.
Mary
#AtoZChallenge I is for Imbruglia
Glad you are appreciating. It seems 'It's a Living' is taking a lot of you by surprise. I always say it in reruns, I don't even knowwhen it ran prime time, if it ever did.
DeleteI remember watching that opening song to I Dream of Jeannie. I used to wonder how Jeannie was able to use the bathroom being cooped up in that bottle.
ReplyDeleteThe things we think about sometime. LOL
DeleteI remember Luciel Ball. She married into showbizness and sold the studio when I dream of Jeanie got a little rough but Im sure theres more to thats story. God bless her soul.
ReplyDeleteThere's always more to the story that we are unaware of.
DeleteYesssss. I still get weepy from the piano music from The Hulk...I always felt so sad that he had to move around so much...I'm a sap!
ReplyDelete~Katie
TheCyborgMom
I agree, knowing he was a vagabond was difficult to understand as a youth.
DeleteI remember the first 2 shows, not the 3rd. And oh yes, the incredible, edible egg!
ReplyDeleteI'm blogging about productivity for creative people this month. Happy A to Zing!
Yvonne
Thanks for stopping by Yvonne. Enjoy an egg today!
DeleteJ here, of the #atozchallenge Arlee Bird's A to Z Ambassador Team. Thanks for stopping by Arlee's blog to comment on my Manhattan story.
ReplyDeleteHow was the first week of the challenge for you? Are you meeting your goals of posting and hopping to other blogs?
My blog's giveaways are still going!
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com
Thanks for getting the I Dream of Jeannie theme song stuck in my head.
Okay, my fault. I had to click it. It made me. LOL.
If I got the theme song stuck in your head, then I did my job. LOL
DeleteYes, I am meeting my goal. As a Ninja Minion, I kind of have to visit new blogs on a regular basis. It's nice when I get return visits.
I'm really surprised that I don't know "it's a living," I guess I watched something else when I was home from school. Like I Dream of Jeannie reruns. Loved it! That and Bewitched. I got to meet Lou Ferrigno at a Wizard Con a few years back. His arms were still huge and he was a very nice guy!Thanks for stopping by my blog. Looking forward to more of your blog. I am a big TV fan:)
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember Bewitched. It was a staple when I was home from school. I'm hoping you enjoy the rest of the posts.
DeleteAnother trip down memory lane Jeffrey. Mum and Dad loved I Love Lucy and I always wanted to be Barbara Eden - Jeannie! Thanks for the memories. Sue @Sizzling60 from
ReplyDeleteSizzling Towards Sixty
My sister and mother always loved I Love Lucy. I wasn't so in love with it, but I still laughed.
DeleteSorry - missed this one! I Love Lucy is a classic and will always be popular. I Dream of Jeannie was okay, but Bewitched was better, IMO. Never really got into The Hulk, although I remember Bill Bixby from other shows.How cool to see "It's a Living"! I was a fan of that show and of Ann Jillian's in particular, following her life story in later years of her courageous battle with breast cancer. That first commercial was cute - would've made a good cartoon show. Don't remember the other two. The last one sounds Australian. Loving these fun posts, Jeffrey! ☺
ReplyDeleteBill Bixby was also in Courtship of Eddies Father, which I remember the theme song, and that's about it. Wow! It's awesome to meet another 'It's A Living' fan. It seems no one else knew it was even on TV. Yes, I followed her too when I could. Even watched her follow up show, 'Jennifer Slept Here'. Do you remember that one?
DeleteBill Bixby was also in "My Favorite Martian" and "The Magician"."Jennifer Slept Here" sounds familiar. It's a bit hazy, but I believe I did watch it. She was a ghost, yes?
DeleteYes, she was a ghost living in the house. I watched it, but it wasn't on long.
DeleteMy Favourite Martian was a good show too.
I still watch I love Lucy and, if I find it, I Dream of Jeannie. The beaver commercial is just a little weird.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose between the two, I think I'd watch I Dream of Jeannie. I'm not sure why exactly. Lucy is funny and all, but perhaps I can only take so much wacky antics.
DeleteI don't think I've ever seen It's A Living, but the other two were favourite of mine. I watched Hulk as a kid, it was a time were a lot of superhuman people were on shows ;-)
ReplyDeleteJinnie, I saw tht the first time many years after it was first aired. Really liked its humour :-)
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - Jazz Age Jazz
For me, seeing the Hulk and Wonder Woman was very exciting. Before that, it was unheard of to see super heroes on TV. Or at least very rare.
Deletedid i miss something? you have a tv guide of Lucy but didn't include I Love Lucy, which i think is the best show ever (even though my favorite is Happy Days). Any tv show that is still funny for over 60 years and still on reruns everyday, has to be brilliant! i'm glad i'm not the only one who didn't forget about It's a Living! I loved that show and wrote about it for my 1980s I tv show.
ReplyDeleteNo you didn't miss anything. Each letter I include 3 nostalgic commercials, 3 nostalgic TV theme songs and 1 bonus nostalgic TV guide cover. The TV Guide does not necessarily match any of the theme songs. Wow, someone beside me remembers and WATCHED It's a Living? Awesome!
Delete