NBC Fall 1984 - Sundays & Specials

I conclude my look at the NBC 1984 fall line-up with Sunday nights and Specials. The sticky sweetcom SILVER SPOONS opened the night at 7PM.This four-season atrocity was like RICHIE RICH in sitcom form, except it wasn't funny and it felt like poor Erin Gray was waiting around to be rescued by BUCK ROGERS. Broadway hoofer Alfonso Ribeiro joined the cast this season and the premiere tried to cash in on the wave of Michael Jackson mania that was sweeping the nation at the time. Whatever happened to that guy?
Speaking of sweet, the sugar coma of TV comedy was PUNKY BREWSTER, a two-season oddity about a Little Orphan Annie-like who is taken in by a creepy old curmudgeon named Henry. An animated variation on the show aired from 1985 to 1989.
At 8PM, KNIGHT RIDER drove into it's third of four seasons. The show would return several times over the next few decades. KNIGHT RIDER 2000 aired in 1991 on NBC. KNIGHT RIDER 2010 aired in 1994, also on NBC. A new 22-episode series, TEAM KNIGHT RIDER aired in 1997 in syndication. Yet another two-hour KNIGHT RIDER TV-movie aired in February 2008, with a new KNIGHT RIDER series premiering in September 2008 and ending in March 2009. Not sure how many of these revivals featured appearances by David Hassellhoff. mostly because I just don't care.
For many years, THE MISS AMERICA PAGEANT was an annual event on NBC. Originating live from Atlantic City, the mother of all beauty contests aired on NBC for 30 years from 1966 to 1996. After that it aired on ABC until 2005, CMT in 2006 & 2007, finally finding a new home on TLC, the Learning Channel. Go figure.The late Nell Carter was a larger-than-life talent. The sassy Broadway star was scheduled to star in her own variety special during the 1984-85 season. Research shows that the hour didn't air until the following season. I always enjoyed Ms. Carter and still find it hard to believe she's gone.
Back to Hasselhoff, here he is again with co-host Jayne Kennedy hosting what appears to be the forerunner of today's reality competition shows: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN THE WORLD.
Home viewers actually got the vote on the contestants - choosing one woman to be the winner.
25 Years Later....

Dougsploitation Before Photoshop (& the Internet)

Yes, children there actually was a time before Photoshop when graphics had to be created the old fashioned way. I recently came across a file of dumb old magazine and advertisement parodies that I made when I was in high school and "that year I took off before college". I thought it would be fun to post some of them and review them through my seasoned Art Director's eye.

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Exhibit A: The Hollywood Squares gossip column by Mildred Snatch and The TV Answer Man by Belvedere Thib. Originally published in the August 1981 issue of National People Magazine.

Well, first of all, Mildred Snatch and Belvedere Thib are great names. Wonder where I came up with those? The idea of a gossip column being about one particular show - a game show no less - is pretty genius. Notice how I used mixed media here. Actual clippings from TV Guide combined with real typewriter type. Very fancy.

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Exhibit B : No Frills Granny advertisement, originally published in the January 1982 issue of Ladies' Life Magazine .

Wow! Completely hand-drawn type with a photo stolen from somewhere. I guess my obsession with fake NBC shows can be traced back to here. Spazzola Productions was a recurring entity in these ads.

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Exhibit C: "I Can't Believe It's A Jockstrap!" from The March 1983 issue of Playhouse, The Sophisticated Mens' Magazine.

Infecto Laboratories created many unique products that pertain to the genital region.

Once again, completely hand-drawn type - including the Infecto logo!

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Exhibit D: "I Can't Believe It's a Tampon!" from the January 1982 issue of Ladies' Life.

Once again, Infecto Industries creates something unmentionable in polite conversation. Notice celebrity spokesperson Juliet Prowse. Poor dear.

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Exhibit E : Best Little Whorehouse on the Prairies from TV Guard magazine (circa Spring 1982)

Ah! I've discovered Press Type! And I've created a new network, SBS! Poor Laura, I always know al that whoring would lead to trouble. I've revisited this concept years later in my Slideshow presentation.

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Exhibit F : The Natalie Wood Story circa 1982

What can I say? My design skills have improved greatly as I was using Press Type like there was no tomorrow, plus actual clip art! Pamela Sue Martin and Erik Estrada? Why not? "The neglected swimming lessons!"  - I'm sorry, Natalie.

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Exhibit F : "Planet Eartha" from Persons magazine (Fall 1982)

More Press Type with clips from real movie ads. I wish someone really made this movie. In Dolby Stereo and 3-D!

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Exhibit G: Gimme a Bust! also from Persons magazine.

A mix of clips and Press Type and a great photo of the late, great Nell Carter!

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Exhibit H - Equaliza circa 1983

Okay, now we're talking. This was actually a photo stat composite of a real TV Guide ad and a photo of Ms. Minnelli. (Happy Birthday Liza!) Pretty soon after this I'd be employed and designing actual TV Guide ads - only those were not as much fun. I hope you all enjoyed this twisted trip down my memory lane.