I came across this issue just the other day and realized I had missed my window for posting (I generally try to keep the vintage TV Guides to their respective weeks), but there was so much great stuff in it, I couldn't wait another year. Despite a cover that looks like a cheap carnival caricature, it's chock full of '80's goodness. Seriously, every time I opened this issue, I found something new. "Sweeps Week" occurs in May for the networks, and it looks like TV Guide followed suit.
Let's open the cover and dive in.
It looks like the big rig craze was still going strong in 1982.
I'm relieved to find out Potato Chips are actually good for you! Thanks Lays!
I had no idea Lori Loughlin was an actress before portraying Uncle Jesse's wife on "Full House".
For a really good movie, American Graffiti had an awful movie poster. It looks like a Mad magazine parody and I'm fairly certain it was in fact done by a Mad artist (just can't place the name at the moment). Okay, I cheated and Googled it. From imdb: "The cartoon movie poster was drawn by longtime Mad Magazine artist Mort Drucker, who ended up also doing the artwork for "American Confetti", a parody of the film in Mad's April 1974 issue #166."
I've never heard of Don Bluth's "Banjo" or "Stanley the Ugly Duckling". I was never a fan of Bluth's style of animation outside of the "Dragon's Lair" video game.
From what I've read, the "World's Smallest Air Conditioner" from CM Electronics was basically a swamp cooler.
Was Charo on every episode of "Love Boat"?
I didn't realize Lon Chaney Jr. played any other monsters besides the Wolfman.
I was a big fan of "Ripley's Believe It or Not" (I can still hear Jack Palance saying it). I mean, seriously. King Tut's Curse, a French Werewoman, Miraculous Sight? How could you miss?
I never liked the Bugs Bunny specials that used new animation to string together compilations of old Warner Bros. cartoons. I preferred to watch the original shorts on Saturday mornings.
Albert looks really relieve that he isn't the one getting the shaft this week on "Little House on the Prarie".
At first I thought the reference to "the most distiguished performance of his career" was leading to a "very special episode" of Three's Company, however, it appears to be a joke referring to the zany dance he performs.
"Real People", "That's Incredible", "Ripley's Believe It or Not!". Man 1982 was awesome. On the other hand, it had those very special episodes of "The Facts of Life" so it kind of balanced out.
"No Soap Radio" starred Steve Guttenberg and only lasted about a month, which is okay because its cancellation freed him up to star in every other movie during the 1980's.
Nell doesn't look worried.
And to cap it all off, "Battle of the Network Stars" was still running. 1982, I think I love you.
Virginia Slims were wrapping up their golden age of advertisements and would soon drop the turn-of-the-century comedy angle.
That concludes this episode of What was on TV. Tune in next time.
“More and more TV services are offering round-the-clock programming.” — how quaint! those were the days. they had no idea…
seeing cigarette ads still tends to be surprising for me, even though i remember them. now they look like some surreal faux artifact, or something from a parallel universe.
“American Graffiti” is SUCH a good movie. it was the Slackers of its day.
never a fan of Don Bluth’s style outside of Dragon’s Lair? BITE YOUR TONGUE, SIR.
Charo was on so many episodes of the Love Boat, Isaac had a chair at his bar with her name on it.
who didn’t love Ripley’s Believe it or Not? or That’s Incredible?
i had forgotten they had made a movie based off of “The Gambler” — i guess that puts the whole recent news that they are making a movie out of “Missile Command” into context.
…was that an “atomic bomb scare” episode of Lou Grant? i love the look on his face, haha.
“More TV Censored Bloopers!” — it’s funny because we choose what you hear FOR you!
i wonder what the “very special” Three’s Company episode was all about. it was such a distinguished performance by John Ritter that i have zero memory of anything that touching ever happening on that show.
AMEN to that Steve Guttenberg comment. he was everywhere!
>“American Graffiti” is SUCH a good movie. It's one of my favorites. I always amazed me how much story Lucas could get out of one night. >never a fan of Don Bluth’s style outside of Dragon’s Lair? BITE YOUR >TONGUE, SIR. Tongue duly bitten, but I stand by my opinion. It seemed like Disney swung away from the lush animation and went to the cartoonish style and stayed there for more than 20 years. >i had forgotten they had made a movie based off of “The Gambler” — i >guess that puts the whole recent news that they are making a movie >out of “Missile Command” into context. You got to know when to launch 'em... >…was that an “atomic bomb scare” episode of Lou Grant? I didn't know there was an "atomic bomb scare" episode of Lou Grant. I never watched the show with the exception of the pilot. When I discovered it wasn't the same Lou Grant from Mary Tyler Moore I turned the channel. >i wonder what the “very special” Three’s Company episode was all >about. I wondered too. I thought maybe it was a "very special" episode, but I don't recall Three's Company ever doing those. I looked up the episode ("Up in the Air") and I think the "distinguished performance" was a joke. Jack performs a zany dance in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJN3uHlpa3o
i was guessing about the Lou Grant episode... it just says it's about a NIGHTMARE, and asks "has the final countdown started?" -- what else could it be?
and as for Three's Company, they tackled some more serious subjects, didn't they? wasn't there one where Chrissy was attacked by a guy or something? anyway. nice dancing bit!
>i was guessing about the Lou Grant episode... Reading the synopsis, it looks like you guessed right: "Atomic-age paranoia hits the Trib when a revolution in the Middle East signals hostilities between U.S. and Russia--and a threat of nuclear war." >wasn't there one where Chrissy was attacked by a guy or something? I believe you are correct.
heck, reading that Lou Grant synopsis, it would be rather interesting to see that episode NOW, what with middle-east politics and our situation with russia being what it is and all... everything old is new again!
Wow, it's crazy how printed material and documentation really clear out the spider webs of memory. I absolutely LIVED for Saturday morning cartoons (who didn't, right?) but didn't think toons like Scrappy Doo and Heathcliff were around until about '83 or '84. I was still glued to Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry and Roadrunner to care about that though. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing it all back!
>Wow, it's crazy how printed material and documentation really clear out >the spider webs of memory Yes, the only thing that rivals how much TV I watched as a kid is how TV I've forgotten about as an adult. >thanks for bringing it all back! You're welcome. Stick around for more memory-inducing issues!
“More and more TV services are offering round-the-clock programming.” — how quaint! those were the days. they had no idea…
ReplyDeleteseeing cigarette ads still tends to be surprising for me, even though i remember them. now they look like some surreal faux artifact, or something from a parallel universe.
“American Graffiti” is SUCH a good movie. it was the Slackers of its day.
never a fan of Don Bluth’s style outside of Dragon’s Lair? BITE YOUR TONGUE, SIR.
Charo was on so many episodes of the Love Boat, Isaac had a chair at his bar with her name on it.
who didn’t love Ripley’s Believe it or Not?
or That’s Incredible?
i had forgotten they had made a movie based off of “The Gambler” — i guess that puts the whole recent news that they are making a movie out of “Missile Command” into context.
…was that an “atomic bomb scare” episode of Lou Grant? i love the look on his face, haha.
“More TV Censored Bloopers!” — it’s funny because we choose what you hear FOR you!
i wonder what the “very special” Three’s Company episode was all about. it was such a distinguished performance by John Ritter that i have zero memory of anything that touching ever happening on that show.
AMEN to that Steve Guttenberg comment. he was everywhere!
>“American Graffiti” is SUCH a good movie.
DeleteIt's one of my favorites. I always amazed me how much story Lucas could get out of one night.
>never a fan of Don Bluth’s style outside of Dragon’s Lair? BITE YOUR
>TONGUE, SIR.
Tongue duly bitten, but I stand by my opinion. It seemed like Disney swung away from the lush animation and went to the cartoonish style and stayed there for more than 20 years.
>i had forgotten they had made a movie based off of “The Gambler” — i
>guess that puts the whole recent news that they are making a movie
>out of “Missile Command” into context.
You got to know when to launch 'em...
>…was that an “atomic bomb scare” episode of Lou Grant?
I didn't know there was an "atomic bomb scare" episode of Lou Grant. I never watched the show with the exception of the pilot. When I discovered it wasn't the same Lou Grant from Mary Tyler Moore I turned the channel.
>i wonder what the “very special” Three’s Company episode was all >about.
I wondered too. I thought maybe it was a "very special" episode, but I don't recall Three's Company ever doing those. I looked up the episode ("Up in the Air") and I think the "distinguished performance" was a joke. Jack performs a zany dance in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJN3uHlpa3o
i was guessing about the Lou Grant episode... it just says it's about a NIGHTMARE, and asks "has the final countdown started?" -- what else could it be?
Deleteand as for Three's Company, they tackled some more serious subjects, didn't they? wasn't there one where Chrissy was attacked by a guy or something? anyway. nice dancing bit!
>i was guessing about the Lou Grant episode...
DeleteReading the synopsis, it looks like you guessed right: "Atomic-age paranoia hits the Trib when a revolution in the Middle East signals hostilities between U.S. and Russia--and a threat of nuclear war."
>wasn't there one where Chrissy was attacked by a guy or something?
I believe you are correct.
heck, reading that Lou Grant synopsis, it would be rather interesting to see that episode NOW, what with middle-east politics and our situation with russia being what it is and all... everything old is new again!
DeleteWow, it's crazy how printed material and documentation really clear out the spider webs of memory. I absolutely LIVED for Saturday morning cartoons (who didn't, right?) but didn't think toons like Scrappy Doo and Heathcliff were around until about '83 or '84. I was still glued to Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry and Roadrunner to care about that though. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing it all back!
ReplyDelete>Wow, it's crazy how printed material and documentation really clear out
Delete>the spider webs of memory
Yes, the only thing that rivals how much TV I watched as a kid is how TV I've forgotten about as an adult.
>thanks for bringing it all back!
You're welcome. Stick around for more memory-inducing issues!