Kings Island celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. I wish I had a Kings Island brochure from 1972 to share (the year it opened), but the oldest brochure I've got is from 1975...
I thought I'd point out that the International Restaurant mentioned above with its "splendid cuisine" is no longer operating and is basically closed to the public. The space is now used for employee training and other boring stuff.
This is a shame. My first memory from our first visit to Kings Island is when my family took refuge from the rain by having lunch at the restaurant when we arrived at the park. Those large picture windows offed a great view. Well I guess they have their reasons for closing the restaurant. Maybe middle-aged business men aren't having swanky suit-and-tie dinners at amusement parks like they use too.
Lastly here's some old timey home movies of Kings Island taken around 1975 that I found on ye olde YouTube...
Here's a quick post of a few newspaper ads from 1973. They're ads from the Redford Township edition of The Suburban News for the week of May 30, 1973 to be exact...
Kresge's was the discount store that spawned Kmart. The Kresge's stores lasted well into the late 70's, and I'm pretty sure even into the 80's. The sale prices in the above ad are very good. I'm particularly impressed by the price for Puffs which inflation adjusted for 2012 is $1.19. I challenge you to find a box of Puffs for $1.19 anywhere.
Above is a very long ad for Sentry Drug. You can see there's two sizes of Selsun Blue on sale, but it doesn't seem like much of a sale to me. Adjusted for inflation that $2.69 on the 8oz size is $13.90 in 2012 dollars. Selsun Blue goes for about $7 today, and that's an 11oz size.
Get ready for Memorial Day with stylish fashions for men and boys at SIMS. I'm in awe of those "Bold Cuffed Bells." I kinda wish I was bold enough to wear them today. In case you're wondering about the price on those pants - $10 in 1973, is $51.66 in 2012
Here's a program from July 24, 1956 for the Northland Playhouse. It features headliner Cesar Romero on the cover...
... and here's the little write-up on Mr. Romero...
Click to enlarge
Cesar was the biggest star in this production of Strictly Dishonorable by Preston Sturges, but there was also a future big star in the cast by the name of James Coburn...
Over on IMDb the TV and Movie credits of James Coburn start in 1957, but here in this 1956 program it says James has worked in television on Paul Coats' Confidential, and in a movie called Beverly Hills Woman - which is a movie that isn't listed anywhere on the net.
Here's the full cast and crew for this production...
I don't know much about the Northland Playhouse, but from what I can gather it was once located on the Northland Center property in Southfiel Michigan. There's a few historical newspaper shots of the Playhouse I found that were up for auction on Ebay...
As you can see the Northland Playhouse was fabric-like dome that looks fairly temporary. I think the Northland Playhouse lasted less than 10 years.
Less than 10 years is a safe bet since the above photo is what the Playhouse supposedly looked like in 1960.
Lastly just for fun I found this movie ad in the Northland Playhouse Sketchbook for the classic French thriller Diabolique (1955)
The Orange Bird returned to Walt Disney World last week. The news of this has a number of the Disney fan blogs buzzing. It's nice this little bit of WDW history has returned, but personally it's not something I can get too excited about. The Orange Bird was a Disney designed mascot for the Florida Citrus Growers, and was used in ads for Florida orange juice - like this magazine ad from 1973 that entices you to save 50¢ on your next juice purchase...
... but saving that 50¢ wasn't so straight forward. First here's the 10¢ coupon to use in the store...
... and then to collect the other 40¢ you needed to fill out the 40¢ cash refund form and send in various proofs of purchase. Mail-in refunds aren't done much anymore, and especially not for 40¢.
Although to be fair this is 1973, and according to an Internet inflation calculator 40¢ in 1973 is worth $2.07 in 2012. However collecting the refund is going to cost at least one first class stamp. So using 2012 numbers again, a first class stamp is 45¢, and therefor your net refund is actually $1.62. I don't know if that's really worth the trouble.
Aggh, writing about that Orange Bird has me doing financial calculations. Who would have thunk it.
Let's forget about that Orange Bird because there's another Disney designed advertising mascot (who also happens to be a bird) who I'd truly like to see make a return - it's 7-Up's Fresh Up Freddie...
The ending of that commercial looks like it could have influenced the Pixar movie Up (2009).
Here's a late 70's 'brochure card' for Homosassa Springs in Homosassa, FL - back when Homosassa Springs was a privately owned attraction...
Here's little bit of trivia I stumbled across, the photo of the alligator with the No Swimming sign was taken by photographer Bob Moreland who won a newspaper Photo of the Year Award for it.
Okay here's the flip-side...
Now that Homosassa Springs is part of the Florida State Parks you can't hand feed the animals anymore, and the monkeys are completely gone now. Also making the gators leap out of the water to grab their food is a thing of the past. Although you can still "walk under water," but it's more accurately (or boringly) called a underwater observatory.
Yup. Been there, done that. Except for that inflatable egg thing.
I was thinking there might be some packaging remnants of Dudley's Shake-An-Egg tucked away somewhere, but instead of going to the hassle scrounging around for it hither and thither I've discovered that Flickr is my friend...
... a big thanks to fellow blogger Dan Goodsell for posting that photo.
Dudley is still around, but the character has had a redesign to make him look generically cute and not like a cross-eyed moron.
Although I don't think Dudley has made a dent in the PAAS empire...
Hmm, this has reminded me of something. When I was growing up there were some jackhole neighbors with an inground pool. I once fantasized about rolling a giant PAAS into their pool in the middle of the night. The very next day the family would blissfully dive into their pool completely oblivious to the color of the water. They surface in shocked horror to discover both themselves and their precious pool are permanently stained.
I don't usually talk about stuff like this, but look at that lottery ticket of mine up there. I don't normally buy lottery tickets, but the feverish hype about the record breaking jackpot of the Mega Millions last Friday enticed me to take a chance. So I put three bucks down on three easy picks. If you'll notice not a single one of my numbers matched the winning numbers drawn on March 30: 2-4-23-38-46 and Mega Ball 23. I didn't really expect to win, but I thought I'd probably match one number at least.
I've been strangely lucky with the number "69" in the past. This is NOT a cheap attempt at crude humor, and if you check out my post from March 3, 2008 you'll see I'm telling the truth. Unfortunately, there's no "69" in the Mega Millions game.
Yeah, I won't be buying another lottery ticket anytime soon. The odds of winning are so ridiculous it's foolish to throwaway money on this game.
Here's something else foolish to throw your money away on according to these Yelp reviews, and it's something a little more in keeping with the spirit of this blog - it's the World of Illusion in Gatlinburg, TN...
I didn't intend to post this retro brochure since it can be easily found elsewhere on the internet. In fact some of my fellow blogger acquaintances have blogged, and blogged well about this place. But then I noticed that my brochure is slightly different than ones I've seen online. The difference is that last bullet point, or more accurately star point on the purple page. It reads, "Create pure energy in a Star Sculpture exhibit." I have no idea what a "Star Sculpture exhibit" is or was, but I'm thinking maybe it was one of those novelty plasma globes.
Speaking of novelties, I pity the fool who hasn't seen the awesome Stunt Rock (1980) trailer. The reason I mention this it features a bad-ass white bearded wizard that looks similar to the wizard on the front of the World of Illusion brochure...
This movie has been popping up on TCM recently (the last time was late "Mega Millions" night March 30, 2012). You might wish to check it out the next time it plays. I'll warn you it doesn't quite live up to its trailer, but then again it won't really cost you anything either.
Since I posted the Flintstones Vitamin poster earlier this month I thought I'd finish the month with some more of the 'Stones.'
Above are three rubber Flintstones figures I got as a kid around 1977 (I'd guess). I remember they were purchased at Sears. They were sold individually out of a container (like a plastic fish bowl if I remember correctly) sitting by a cash register near their cafeteria. The Flintstones weren't the only characters available either. Mixed in the same container were a bunch of Warner Bros. characters too. For a while there whenever I was shopping at Sears with my Mother I'd ask if I could get a new figure.
The characters are made of a strange rubber. They almost seem to be made of a pencil eraser-like material, but they do not work as an eraser. If you're wondering about the scale, Dino is approximately 2 ¾ inches tall.
That's about all I know about these things. An image search on Flintstones toys didn't really turn up any more of these figures. If anyone reading this knows who manufactured these things please leave a comment.
I know I had Fred too, but he's currently MIA. So for now Wilma and Barney will have to make do alone (I always thought Wilma and Barney should get together anyways. They both have the same eyes). Along with Dino, and that strange stone-age cat sitting by Wilma's feet.
This is important because Magic World's General
Manager Sonny Thrower has graciously answered a few burning questions about "The Never Neverland Like You've Never Ever Seen."
Sonny also sets the record straight on why Magic World eventually shut down.
If you're a fan of that famous modern stone-age family, and have been searching for a cartoon 'fun map' of Bedrock search no further. Get ready for an internet exclusive (presented this clearly at least) with this Flintstones Vitamin promotional poster from 1970...
Click to POSTER-SIZE!
Here's a close-up of the "History of Bedrock" text, and its sketchy information of a mysterious "tribe of twelve families" that founded Bedrock.
Another mystery is the little known first leader of Bedrock - Cornelius Granitebuilt. How little known is Cornelius Granitebuilt you might wonder. According to Google this is the first time the name "Cornelius Granitebuilt" has been written on the Internet. Well whoever he was, Cornelius was important enough to have a hospital named after him complete with a bust of his likeness placed outside.
Also Cornelius Granitebuilt is craved into Bedrock's Mount Rockmore, and that seems fitting for the first leader of Bedrock. Sometime later Fred, Barney and Dino were bestowed this honor. Not bad for a guy who works at a quarry, and another guy who works... well, wherever Barney works, and a pet dinosaur.
It wouldn't be Bedrock without lots of stone-age versions of modern day landmarks with one of the words replaced with a similar sounding rock or mineral. Although it doesn't have the prestige of something like the "Empire Slate Building" I'm kinda fascinated with the County Quartz House.
Probably my favorite thing in this poster are the Bedrock Playground's very literal, and therefore wildly impractical monkey-bars.
In case you forgot who's responsible for this poster here's the Flintstones Factory the very place that makes those delicious chewable Flintstones Vitamins.
I found an early Flintstones Vitamins commercial featuring the Flintstones Factory. This commercial answers the important question, "Are there child labor laws in Bedrock?" Also check out that very off-model Dino...
J.R. Wainwright is the name of the artist who signed this poster. I think J.R. did a great job, and it wouldn't surprise me if he worked for Hanna-Barbera - but I can't find any info to support that. If you happen to know anything about J.R. Wainwright please leave a comment.
And just to be complete, for those who like to read the fine print, here's the fine print...
Here's some photo's from the Bulman School Fair in Redford, MI taken in 1958 and 1959.
Do you prefer your photos of vaguely disturbing clowns in "portrait"...
...or in "landscape" modes?
The photo above of "Mr. Thomas Saunders operating the cotton candy machine" looks amazingly timeless to me. If I were told this photo was taken last year I could believe it.
And that's latest a Bulman School Fair photo could have been taken (if they were still having school fairs). In researching this post I learned that the Bulman Elementary School closed , and was scheduled for demolition after the 2011 school year.
To end the month long celebration of Valentines here's a sizzling selection of tiny vintage B&W ads found in the back of popular magazines...
This above ad for a set of naughty strip tease hi-ball glasses seems like something I might have found in some smutty gentleman's magazine. Nope it's from Family Circle November 1976. Yeah that surprised me too.
In the same issue of Family Circle was this ad for Frederick's of Hollywood. That's not so surprising, but I'm kinda confused by the copy in this ad. Take a round trip to Hollywood? How is a catalog subscription a round trip? Is that supposed to be an allusion to something? Well anyways, I get an excuse to post the the pic of the sexy 70's cartoon lingerie lady.
This is my favorite ad of those tiny B&W ads. Various versions ran continually for years, but I like this one from 1973 the best. The "BLOW YOURSELF UP" really catches ones eye. It's probably too much of a stretch to think this service for enlarging (or blowing up) of a photograph has any connection to the popularity of Antonioni's Blow-up (1966). I don't think the film was that popular. I mean when I saw that film I thought it might have been fun to be a mod fashion photographer in 60's London - not a desire to blow-up my photographs.
Actually "blowing yourself up" makes me think of that classic SCTV skit...
Last month I posted a bunch of comic book ads for muscle building systems and products directed at young male readers, and since turnabout is fair play here's something for the ladies - it's a 1976 ad for the Mark Eden Bust Developer...
As you might have guessed this product didn't quite live up to the claims, and after 11 counts of mail fraud it was finally taken off the market in 1981. If you'd like to see what you got if you sent in your $10.45 back in the 70's check out Julie's Tacky Treasures for some photos and more info.
Here's a magazine ad from 1973, this time it's an ad for Big Wally...
...and in keeping with my sexy Valentine's theme this month, the name "Big Wally" reminds me of Big Jim Slade from Kentucky Fried Movie (1977). And the capitol of Nebraska is Lincoln!
Hey, I found another "Big Jim" from the 70's, it's the Big Jim action figure by Mattel. Here's a Big Jim commercial with a "joke" added by the uploader...
Hmm, Big Jim & Big Josh reminds me of the work of Tom of Finland. Tom's work is certainly 'BIG' in a matter of speaking, but before you click the link I must warn you - if you don't know who Tom of Finland is you may not like where the interweb rabbit holes take you. I try to keep things pretty clean around here, and I've only linked to the "TOF" Wiki, but you'll very quickly find yourself in XXX territory if you search for more "Tom."
Let's take this post full circle, and finish with something more in the spirit of this blog. So as sort of a palate cleanser here's the commercial for Big Wally who will clean more than just walls, and that's more cleaning than any of those other 'Mr. Bigs' I wrote about will do for you...
Here's a rather suggestive magazine ad from 1976...
This hip and happening 70's guy doesn't want your judgement, but just so you know he's packing Winston Super King - it's got "extra length." wink, wink...
By chance I also found his hip and happening female advertisement counterpart online. She likes the taste of a Winston Long...
Here's a very 'sexy' magazine ad from 1973 for stinky cheese...
This Liederkranz cheese ad uses words like "sensuous" and "lusty" to describe its smell, but over on Dave's Cupboard his Liederkranz review and reader comments use words like "flatulent," "outhouse" and "rotten socks on a humid August day."
If you didn't already know by now, Liederkranz is the American version of Limburger cheese. Also interestedly, Liederkranz returned to the market in 2010 after a 25 year absence.
Well although the ad's copywriter tries hard, it's difficult to make any sort of cheese sexy. The makers of the erotic eighties film Nine 1/2 Weeks(1986) knew this, and excluded la fromage from the famous food scene...
... hmm, maybe it's just me, but this seems like a big mess that would need to be cleaned up after your done.
It's February, and that means Valentine's Day is coming up soon. In celebration of Valentine's Day I thought I'd get all sentimental and 'romantical' with the posts this month. Maybe even a little bit sexy, but not too sexy, so cool your jets there rocket boy.
That naked redhead has a little bit of a Red Hot Riding Hood thing going on.
This card is from the now defunct and essentially forgotten Laurel Cards Inc. of Cleveland. I don't know the date of the card, but I'd guess it's somewhere between 1955-1965. Here's the back of the card in case these numbers should mean anything to anyone out there.
