John Guillermin's version of KING KONG received it's first television airing in an extended cut in 1978. This ad from that extended version (thus far only ever seen on television in this country) contained over an hours worth of footage not in the theatrical release. This repeat event was spread out over two two hour time slots beginning on Thursday May 8th, 1980 and Friday May 9th, 1980. Notice how the artwork is different, yet it mimics the theatrical poster. On the same Thursday night at 10pm, a TV movie entitled THE CURSE OF KING TUT'S TOMB (1980) debuted on NBC. An hour of it aired that night, and the second hour aired the following Friday night at 10pm.
Now that's a lineup! I vividly remember watching Love Boat and Fantasy Island many times on ABC. My mom was really into those shows, so I ended up watching along, too.
I had a couple different train sets, although I don't recall one of them being this one. Train sets were cool toys to have back in the day.
These were originally two separate ads, I just combined them together. Both played on the same night an hours apart from one another. Also airing on this night (Saturday November 24th, 1979) at 11:30pm are FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED (1969) on Virginia's channel 7 and THE MUMMY (1959) on ABC channel 8. At 12:30am REVENGE OF THE CREATURE (1955) was aired on channel 5.
"The Candy Man", Sammy Davis Jr. was part of an Alka Seltzer campaign in 1979. Sammy Claus knows whose been naughty, nice, has upset stomach, heartburn and acid indigestion.
This was the network television premiere of OH, GOD! (1977) on Sunday night November 25th, 1979.
On the same night of OH, GOD!'s CBS debut, NBC had the network premiere of SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (1977). ABC had a TV movie premiere entitled WHEN SHE WAS BAD starring Cheryl Ladd and Robert Urich.
Do you remember Tender Chunks? This was a popular 80s dog food brand. I have idea if it's still made anywhere, but the commercials were often seen on television throughout the 1980s.
Beggarman, Thief was the sequel novel to Irwin Shaw's popular book Rich Man, Poor Man -- which was turned into a television ratings smash success in 1976. It did so well, the network wanted a sequel series to debut the following year, but Shaw had only an outline of his Beggarman, Thief story. Instead, a direct sequel entitled RICH MAN, POOR MAN BOOK II was put into production instead. BEGGARMAN, THIEF, when it was finally ready for television adaptation, picked up and ran with details not covered in either of the RM, PM series's. It wasn't intended to have been a series, but the two part, four hour movie aired November 26th and 27th, 1979. Apparently it wasn't as successful as its two predecessors.
This is a 1979 TV Guide ad for Fotomat, one of those photo development kiosks that branched out into videocassette rentals before the big video store boom of the early 80s. You can read more about this service in the ad above.
Above is a brief piece and behind the scenes photos on an upcoming CBS kids show entitled SPACE ACADEMY; a show some of you might remember.
This three hour Irwin Allen television production made its premiere May 7th, 1980. This thriller had an all-star cast and ended up being the last completed production of its star, Natalie Wood.
SALEM'S LOT premiered Saturday November 17th, 1979 at 9pm. This is the original TV Guide ad for that airing. It concluded the following week at 9pm. That ad will be featured in the second half of this installment. Other movies that showed that night were -- THE MUMMY (1959) on ABC channel 8, the 1932 MUMMY on channel 5 and DIRTY MARY, CRAZY LARRY (1974) on Roanoke's channel 7.
This Friday night special aired November 23rd, 1979. Richard Dawson and Hugh Hefner were the hosts of this Playboy Mansion Party. Chuck Mangione performed 'Feels So Good' and 'Land of Make Believe' while The Village People sang 'Ready For the 80s' and 'Rock and Roll Is Back Again'. Movies and TV programs that aired that night include the conclusion of HELTER SKELTER (1976), KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER episode with the underground dinosaur, THE DEADLY BEES (1967) and the 'Gamesters of Triskelion' episode of the original STAR TREK.
I kinda like that doghouse shaped, hotdog-bun warmer thing. A 1979 product ad in TV Guide.
The following color spread is a Christmas advertisement for savings and listings of stores where you can purchase Kenner toys. These is from November, 1979.
CAPTAIN AMERICA 2 (1979) premiered November 23rd, 1979 on Friday night at 8pm. For whatever reason, CBS decided to air the TV movie in two parts -- the second hour would air the following night just prior to the conclusion of SALEM'S LOT (1979). Those ads are featured in the second half of this Vintage TV Guide Ads article.
This is the two hour conclusion for THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974), an Irwin Allen production directed by John Guillermin. This was from May 4th, 1980 on Saturday night. On Wednesday the following week, a new Allen production would make its premiere. That ad will be featured in the second half of this installment. THE MUMMY'S GHOST (1944) aired later at 12:30am.
Here's a whole host of ads that appeared in the Thanksgiving week, November 1977 issue of TV Guide. There's a little bit of everything here from popular shows, variety specials, product ads, cartoons and movie premieres.
This was a short-lived series from Aaron Spelling. I don't remember it, but it's interesting running across so many ads for shows that never made it.
WSET-13 was probably my favorite channel back then. They had some great monster movies on virtually every day. This particular week was a Karloff-fest with THE BLACK ROOM (1935), THE MAN THEY COULD NOT HANG (1939), WHEN THE DEVIL COMMANDS (1941), THE MAN WITH NINE LIVES (1940), and THE BOOGIE MAN WILL GET YOU (1942).
To read this article about THE HOBBIT, a 90 minute animated feature which premiered Sunday, November 27th, 1977, right click then open in tab or window to enlarge the text.
UNTIL NEXT TIME...
It's killer ANTS, Godzilla in the evenings, failed TV pilots, Savalas advertising razorblades, variety specials, The Bee Gees and more in this seventh entry of Vintage TV Guide Ads!
IT HAPPENED AT LAKEWOOD MANOR was a Made For Television horror picture that had its premiere as the ABC Friday Night Movie on December 2nd, 1977.
The plot concerned a new resort built over an old chemical site. Millions of ants are affected by the chemicals toxicity and begin attacking the guests and construction workers before the place even opens. So not only do you have killer ants, but their bite is lethal since they're saturated with this poisonous chemical.
A small scale disaster movie, the sort popularized by the films of Irwin Allen, this eco-horror, 'Nature Amuck' movie stars Lynda Day George (GRIZZLY, PIECES), Robert Foxworth (PROPHECY), Myrna Loy, Suzanne Somers, Bernie Casey and Barry Van Dyke among others. It was later released on videocassette as ANTS.
Here's an ad for the Gilette Twinjector razorblades. The man pictured is that lover of lollipops, KOJAK himself, Telly Savalas!
Hugely popular singer Barry Manilow did four television variety specials. This is an ad for the third one from Wednesday, May 23rd, 1979.
His special guest was country crooner, John Denver. This special was nominated for two Emmy's and won for 'Outstanding Achievement in Choreography'.
Among the highlights for those interested, Manilow sang the hits, 'Ready To Take A Chance Again', 'Weekend In New England', 'Even Now' and 'Somewhere In the Night'. He also does a production number set to 'Copacabana'. Denver, outside of participating on some songs with Manilow, solos 'What's On Your Mind?'. An elaborate spoof of Hollywood musicals is the programs big number.
Here's an ad for the William Conrad narrated show THE WILD, WILD WORLD OF ANIMALS, a series that ran from 1973 to 1978. The opening show montage and music has stuck in my head since watching it as a kid back then.
Kodak's cutting edge movie camera in 1977!
An ad for the 'What If?' Hallmark Hall of Fame TV Movie THE COURT MARTIAL OF GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER. This 95 minute feature debuted December 1st, 1977. James Olsen (AMITYVILLE 2: THE POSSESSION) played Custer. Among the other cast are Blythe Danner, Brian Keith, Richard Dysart and Anthony Zerbe.
From the November 10th issue of TV Guide is this shot of The Bee Gees. Both Robin and Maurice have died, the former in May of 2012 and the latter in January of 2003. Barry is the sole remaining member alive.
Now this is something you won't see nowadays! An entire week of Godzilla movies on the 6:30 movie! Yes, this was a time you could come home from school, do your homework, have supper, then settle down to some creature features any day of the week... before and after bedtime!
THE NIGHTINGALES was a pilot for an NBC lady cop show starring Marcia Strassman (WELCOME BACK, KOTTER) and Colette Blonigan. Both played undercover policewomen working the Hollywood beat. The show, not part of the networks Fall lineup, apparently was never picked up. There is no IMDB listing for this pilot.
This same night, May 19th, 1979, viewers could stay up late and catch THE INCREDIBLE TWO-HEADED TRANSPLANT (1971) at 11:30 and MONSTER ZERO (1965) at 1:00am on the ABC network.
Two years later in 1981, CAGNEY & LACEY would take off for a successful seven season run for a lady cop double team.
Also on the same night, but on the CBS network, was STEELTOWN, another potential series pilot not on that stations announced schedule.
This one took place in 1963 and, judging by the ad, was an action-drama about social class collision within a small town whose economy is built around a local steel mill. Among the cast are Michael Biehn (THE TERMINATOR), Bibi Besch (STAR TREK 2) and DEATHSTALKER himself, Richard Hill!
This series seems to not have been picked up, either. Unlike THE NIGHTINGALES, the IMDB does have a listing for this 60 minute pilot episode.
Perry King got to (sort of) relive his MANDINGO (1975) days with the 1979 TV Movie, LOVE'S SAVAGE FURY. What a title! This Civil War drama was set during the last days of the war and saw King playing a Confederate soldier in love with Jennifer O'Neill's character, the daughter of a plantation owner played by Raymond Burr. Tons of buried gold figure into this story of North and South. The film was shot in Natchez, Mississippi.
REAL PEOPLE was a popular television series that was something of a light-hearted MONDO CANE for the small screen, but dealing with humorous and amazing scenarios within the United States. The success of this show led to the even more popular THAT'S INCREDIBLE!, which debuted the following year.
These Vintage TV Guides contain an extraordinary amount of cigarette ads. Not only were there several ads for them throughout the digests, but they often would feature them on the back covers, too. Here's one of the more silly, and unusual ones from 1979.
Shot in Hawaii, four women and one man take A VACATION IN HELL when their raft sinks and they end up stranded in the jungle on the other side of the island resort they are staying in. Some natives provide menace, but there's another threat here--the TV level sexual tension between the characters. It's reminiscent of Eastwood's THE BEGUILED (1971).
Priscilla Barnes (THREE'S COMPANY, TINTORERA) and Maureen McCormick (BRADY BUNCH, MOONSHINE COUNTY EXPRESS) are among the cast. This was a trashy TV flick that debuted on the ABC Monday Night Movie, May 21st, 1979.
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