Okay, so you've managed to con your mom into believing you're not feeling well so that you don't have to go to school. How will you while away your hours? With television of course. And you know I Love Lucy will be on at 9 am. I swear all over the country she was on at 9 am. But what else is on?
The world before cable. Make sure to take a look at the stuff that was on for the early risers who were trying to get their act together and get out the door to work. I'm sure there were a lot of people who got in late because they were enraptured by the 6:30 showing of "Superintendent of Schools Annual Report"* or perhaps "Group Therapy with Dr. Irene Kassorla." I don't even want to know what "Across the Fence" was.
Okay, by 1974 I was already one of those poor souls already out the door by a little after 6 for my two hour drive to work.
*Please note that should you not make the first viewing of "Superintendent of Schools Annual Report" you can catch it again at 10 am. Remember this is pre-VCR days so you could not tape it to watch later. Pity, huh?
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O.K., here's my schedule:
ReplyDelete6 am make coffee
6:30: Watch 'Group Therapy with Dr Irene Kassorla.' Switch to 'Black Experience' during commercials.
7:00 Bullwinkle (yes! I can't wait to see Dudley Doright.)
7:30 Gumby (makes my knees weak)
8:00 My Favorite Martian
8:30 Lucy
9:00 This is where it gets tough. I'd be flipping channels between Leave it to Beaver, Jack Lalanne, Badman's Country, and I Love Lucy.
9:30 OMG, now I'm really stressed out. Flying Nun, Green Acres or I dream of Jeannie? I want them all!
10:00 I'm already exhausted. Either I need to take a long nap or go to school.
I feel your pain. I remember when I first read about VCRs, before they'd come out, I was down at my local tv store asking about them. The guy just stared at me then said, "Those are YEARS away." I was not happy. Indeed, it was probably another 10 years before I got one.
ReplyDeleteI have some early TV guides I'll have to post! Good stuff, good memories. I loved those creaky old shows that were still playing in the early 1960s, like Pete n Gladys, My Little Margie, and of course I Love Lucy. The clothes really got me, maybe that's why a whole generation loves vintage and retro fashion...
ReplyDeleteI agree. These days kids can see tv shows from so many decades. It's old, but still relevant.
ReplyDeleteI'd be watching Tennessee Tuxedo for sure!
ReplyDeleteI know at 6:25 I'll be watching "Here Comes the Future" - will fresh foods become a thing of the past. They really thought the world would explode before 2011, didn't they.
ReplyDeleteI realize I'm a bit late with the comment, but you do understand that the programming listed by white station numbers wasn't actually available in that particular area?
ReplyDeleteIn short, it was even bleaker than we remember.
Actually I had forgotten that. I haven't bought a TV Guide in probably 15 years.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I remember that basically there was always enough to watch and not the nightmare overload of today. Except on weekends. I hated weekends because the days were filled with sports programs. There was nothing else to watch but sports.