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 post has been written in front of a live studio audience.
1973-1978 / Kojak featuring: Telly Savalus, Dan Frazer, Kevin Dobson
A series I was never really exposed to. Which pretty much means my parents never watched it, or it was on at a time I was supposed to be in bed. I do remember the series. Difficult to forget a show featuring a bald headed guy walking around eating lollipops.
1976-1978 / the Kroft Supershow featuring: Dr. Shrinker, Wonderbug, Electra Woman & Dyna Girl
Though I don't recall Kaptain Kool and the Kongs very well, but I do recall the shows they presented. A wacky sci.fi. show about an evil scientists and his shrink ray, an awesome sentient sports buggy and a pair of super powered girls. What's not to like?
1982-1986 / Knight Rider featuring: David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, Patricia McPherson
What middle school boy is not interested in cars? It was first during an episode for Dukes of Hazzard I first saw a promo for this awesome new series. This was the first time I ever remember waiting for a new series to premier.
This A-Z list has been brought to you today, by....
1977 - Kenner's Star Wars Action Figures
1978 - Kmart
1987 - Kellog's Corn Flakes (Featuring Keanu Reeves)
Hi Jeffrey - Kojak and Knight Rider ...we were allowed to watch them in South Africa - the Equity Union (for actors) banned shows etc from the UK - this was lifted in the early 1990s ... the shows take me back to that era .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHope it was a nice era to return to.
DeleteWe picked two of the same shows today. I LOVED Kojak! Telly Savalas was so tough and hardass, I loved him! I also loved the Knight Rider. It was so far-fetched back then. The other day I was driving in downtown Austin and saw a Google Self-Driving Car making a left turn. It was cool to see. I only saw it for a second but I thought, already they're here!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the Krofft Supershow.
Great spot with Keanu Reeves. So young!
And the Star Wars spot brings back some memories for sure...
Michele at Angels Bark
I'm surprised you don't recall the Krofft Supershow. They went on to have so many early morning shows it was ridiculous.
DeleteKMarts haven't changed much on the outside, have they? Well, except for those that have closed.
ReplyDeleteWatched all of those shows. Yes, watched the Kroft Supershow. It was a Saturday morning staple.
Krofft was a staple for us too, especially Land of the Lost.
DeleteHi, Jeffrey!
ReplyDeleteI watched and loved Kojak and Knight Rider. Telly Savalas was one of my favorite actors and I'll always remember his role as the sick puppy who had major issues with black people and women in The Dirty Dozen. I loved the car stunts in Knight Rider but my favorite part of the series was listening to the voice of KITT, a role played by another actor that I admire, William Daniels, who was Benjamin Braddock's dad in The Graduate and a doctor on St. Elsewhere. That Kellogg commercial starring Keanu reeves is "100% pure adrenaline."
Thanks, good buddy Jeffrey!
KITT was an awesome car. I always wanted to have a car that talked to me. Now I plug in my cell phone and use blu-tooth and hear my car talk to me any time someone calls.
DeleteMan those Krofft shows were so cheesy hahaha. And yeah I watched them too.
ReplyDeleteYep, all the cheese you could handle.
DeleteKnight Rider for sure! I loved that car and pretended that my favorite matchbox car (a gold Jaguar) was just like it:-)
ReplyDeleteThe Kellogg commercial was surprisingly good! I bet they sold a ton of cereal;-)
Well, they are still selling the Corn Flakes, so I guess it worked to some degree. I used to play with cars as a kid too.
DeleteLoved Kojak and Knight Rider. And don't forget Knot's Landing. Those were some good times :)
ReplyDeleteMary
#AtoZChallenge K is for Karen
Good call on Knott's Landing, but I never really watched the Soaps, even the prime time ones.
DeleteOh, Jeffrey, you're much too young for me. My childhood TV-watching centered around Mr. Ed, Petticoat Junction, and Gilligan's Island. You've dug up some fascinating old TV ads, though!
ReplyDeleteNever fear. I use TV themes from all decades.
DeleteKnight Rider...my husband was browsing through some of our weirder channels (we have an actual antennae) and came across Knight Rider without me knowing it. I was in the other room and heard the voice of the car and knew immediately what it was!
ReplyDelete~Katie
TheCyborgMom
I have an antenna TV too. I got rid of cable a few years ago.
DeleteI was a Kojak fan. I don't think I missed an episode. When I moved to Germany, they were still playing it and so I learned German looking at Kojak in German.
ReplyDeleteShalom,
Patricia @ EverythingMustChange
That is an interesting way to learn a language. :)
DeleteI remember Kojak. Were his lollipops actually Tootsie Pops? We watched Knight Rider because our son was young when the show was on. It was something we could watch together. The K Mart commercial is hilarious. I always hated K Mart, and now I have made most of them disappear with my royal magical powers.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I always The wondered what lollipops he was sucking on. I was never big on K-Mart too. Was not sad to see them disappear. The only thing I ever thought was cool about it was there was a 'restaurant' inside. I don't know if that was all K-Marts or just the one by us.
DeleteI've seen a little of Knight Rider
ReplyDeleteIt was a great show, at the time.
DeleteThe only one of these I watched was Knight Rider. Who doesn't like the idea of a talking car??? KIT!
ReplyDeleteIt seems every decade has that one show everyone loved. I think Knight Rider was one of those in the 80's.
DeleteI never liked Telly Savalas, but the Knight Rider was fun, at first. Grew old fast. LOL
ReplyDeleteI watched the new series, Team Knight Rider. Now THAT one got old fast.
DeleteI don't remember that Keanu Reeves Kellogg's commercial, but I probably wouldn't have paid much attention, not knowing he was going to be a mega movie star in the next few years. I don't even remember that jingle.
ReplyDeleteKellogg's had so many commercials for so many of their cereals. I'm sure a lot of them came and went without many people remembering them.
DeleteDaddy loved Telly in Kojak! I never watched it much, but I remember how he loved his tootsie pops. I liked the Knight Rider when it was on. Then in the mid 90's I had an Oldsmobile that little pieces of timing chain kept coming off and lodging in the oil pump. It's run, hot. And it would say "Engine failure is imminent.: Reminded me very much of Kit. LOL
ReplyDeleteRevisit the Tender Years with me during the #AtoZChallenge at Life & Faith in Caneyhead!
The funny thing about Knight Rider. He had like a dozen or so special feature buttons but he only used one. The turbo jump. Perhaps the other buttons were simply to turn off the 'engine failure is imminent' warnings. LOL
DeleteI've never watched Knight Rider but I've heard of the show. But because I haven't seen it, I find myself associating David Hasselhoff with Baywatch, a show I might've seen once or twice.
ReplyDeleteI think I saw Baywatch a time or two, also.
DeleteKate & Allie was a favourite show, as was Kojak. "Who loves ya, baby?" ☺ Haven't heard of the Krofft Supershow but Knight Rider was must viewing. Loved KITT, the smart-ass car, voiced by William Daniels. David Hasselhoff was easy on the eyes, too. Cool theme song! Those commercials are new to me. Fun to see such a young Keanu Reeves.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad someone else remembered Kate & Allie. I was beginning to think I was the only one.
DeleteI've never heard of the Kroft Supershow, but Knight Rider was awesome. Used to have the Hoff on my wall in the 80s :)
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Kroft Supershow was a Saturday Morning kids show. They aired things like Dr. Shrinker, the Wonder Bug and were also responsible for shows like Lost Saucer, Land of the Lost and Sigmund and the Sea Monster. Lots of crazy shows that are very nostalgic for me.
DeleteJeffrey, I watched Kojak and I remember he always had a sucker. It wasn't my favorite detective show in those days, but I still watched it. Oh, my goodness I forgot about The Kroft Supershow. Geez, I loved it! Thanks for the flashback! I wasn't much of Knight Rider fan, but my son loved it when they aired reruns of the program in early millennium. I do remember the Kenner Star War action figure commercials. lol Wow, the Kmart commercial is fabulous! What a big production! It's a shame there aren't many Kmart around these days. They closed all, but two in our area. I use to like shopping there when we were first married. Thanks for all the good memories!
ReplyDelete~Curious as a Cathy
All Things Vintage: Kisses #AprilA2Z
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, most or all of the K-Marts here are closed now too. I think the competition from Target and Wal-Mart was too great for them. It didn't help that every time I went into a K-Mart it looked like a lost city and there were shelves with nothing on them.
DeleteI loved Kojak and yes, my mom watched the show. This was when the detective shows were grittier and their precincts were a bit dirty. Now everything seems glitcy. I would add Kolchak, the Night Stalker-a really great horror tv show with Darren McGavin.
ReplyDeleteSo true, I like how you say not everything seemed so glitzy. Now that I think about it, that is absolutely true. All the crime shows now seem to be perfect in every way.
DeleteKojak! It was one of my favourite shows when I was a kid. Haven't seen it in decades!
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, many other of the show you showcased have be aired again even recently, but not this one.
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - Jazz Age Jazz
I wonder why that is. Now that you mention it, I don't recall seeing this one on TV recently.
Deleteoddly enough i never watched knight rider and i was the right age for it. but i loved kate and allie, although i wrote about Knots Landing for my K tv show of the 1980s
ReplyDeleteI wasn't big into the soap, not even the daytime ones. I was just watching Knight Rider last night. Such a great show, it's a pity they ruined the tarnished it by making mediocre reboots/spinoffs.
Delete