Above, Ryan O'Neal and Ali McGraw in a still from the movie "Love Story" - a girl favorite.
There were the movies. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'd say for the girls that among the movies that defined their years at BF were movies like "Love Story", "To Sir With Love" to name a couple - remember Lulu's hit theme song? I remember the girls talking about "Love Story" and Ali McGraw and unable to hold back the tears - you know, "Love is never having to say you're sorry" - the original chick movie! For the guys there were James Bond movies, Matt Helm, Bonnie & Clyde and The Dirty Dozen. The Graduate was one movie that defined the time - when Ben (Dustin Hoffman) is relentless in his pursuit of Elaine (Katherine Ross) and arrives at her wedding "Elaine!!!", "Ben!!!" 2001: A Space Odyssey, Midnight Cowboy - wow what a difference a few years makes right?
Above, Katherine Ross and Dustin Hoffman in the movie "The Graduate".
Above, click the arrow above to hear Lulu sing "To Sir With Love".
Above, click on the arrow above to play the song "Mrs. Robinson" from "The Graduate".
Television was at its peak and was still a novelty and something we all loved. The variety shows were huge with my parents - Hollywood Palace, Dean Martin Show, Kraft Music Hall and (gulp!) Lawrence Welk! I would watch Hollywood Palace once I realized they had bands on there like Ed Sullivan. We had our own variety shows in the mid-sixties in the afternoon that had girls and bands - "Shindig!", "Where the Action Is!" and "Hullabaloo!" - loved those shows - remember Go-Go boots!?
Above, click the arrow to play The Yardbirds playing "I'm A Man" on tv's Shindig. I loved that song. Note the go-go dancers! As soon as you play you'll see a 15 second clip of who presented this video - once you get past that - very cool!
Then there was the endless stream of sitcoms - "I Dream of Jeannie", "Bewitched", "I Love Lucy" reruns, "Partridge Family", "Brady Bunch", "Batman", "The Monkees", "F Troop" - it was endless! Other shows that kind of defined our generation included shows like "Room 222", "Lost In Space", "Star Trek" and "Mission Impossible".
Above, the trials and tribulations of "Room 222" made an impact on tv at the time.
There were 2 shows that I remember made an impact for me at BF. One was "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" which we always talked about at the bus stop on Tuesday mornings - repeating the classic lines! It was such a cool show at the time - full of double entendres! Then there was Goldie Hawn! She was my favorite star as a kid - I had a huge poster of her in my room - I thought she was so funny! Listening to some of her clips from Laugh-In she's just hysterical!
Above, Goldie Hawn!
Above, click on the arrow above to play a short clip of Goldie Hawn at her best!
Another show I really dug was "The Smothers Brothers Show" which was cutting edge at the time and marched to its own drummer particularly where the Vietnam War was concerned and opinions go. I thought it was a very cool show. And its why they cancelled it in the end.
Above, Jim Lang hosted "The Dating Game"- a popular Saturday night show - pick him! pick her! and the chaperoned "overnight" trip/date!
Above, click the arrow to play Simon & Garfunkel's "For Emily, Wherever I May Find Her" - "What a dream I had, Pressed in organdy, Clothed in crinoline, Of smoky burgundy, Softer than the rain......" - are you kidding me? Truly one of the simplest and most meaningful love songs! Adjust your volume - I couldn't find a better version.
There were the game shows too like "The Dating Game", "The Newlywed Game" and "Let's Make A Deal". I used to make a list of all the things I'd bring with me if I ever made it to the "Let's Make A Deal" show - you know, for the end of the show when Monte Hall would say things like "I'll give you 500 dollars if you have a buffalo nickel!" When I was 10 I thought it funny too that young married couples would get together with other couples and trash each other on tv all for the sake of winning a washer!
Music by far was the best - I started to discover all sorts of music! I loved music as far back as I can remember thanks to my sisters Sharon and Ginger. Watching The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show" with Ginger was memorable - my sister took me into the bathroom immediately following that February 9, 1964 show and tried combing what hair I had down into bangs! The weeks leading up to the Beatles arriving in New York were cool - I'd sit on the counter in the kitchen with Ginger while she was doing homework or whatever and we'd be listening to the radio - WABC-NY am radio - remember Cousin Brucie? - for those weeks leading up to Sunday February 9 it was "The Beatles are coming! The Beatles are coming!" and they'd play a song that was called "We Love You Beatles" - incredible build-up for a band - I thought these guys must be amazing! It was timely to have such a distraction so soon after the death of JFK. By junior high The Beatles were singing "Hey Jude" and the White Album had come out - seemed a long way from the days of "It's A Hard Day's Night" but wonderful! Before we left junior high, The Beatles would break up!
Above, The Beatles had changed quickly from the days of 1964 and Beatlemania - 1967 brought "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - wow - talk about a game changer!
I bought tons of records by the time I reached junior high - 45's were only like .59 cents. Started out buying the one hit wonders, then The Beatles, Beach Boys, Monkees, Rolling Stones. Then in 1968 the album "In A Gadda DA Vida" came out - now that was different - is it possible to keep up with it all!? Simon & Garfunkel, Dylan, Lennon's solo albums - I would get lost in the lyrics. To this day I still love discovering new music. Music was another bus stop or school conversation subject - "Have you heard the latest album by....?" I love all kinds of music - Simon & Garfunkel was certainly up there as far as music that was meaningful. I mean just listen to some S&G songs like "The Sounds of Silence", "Kathy's Song", "For Emily, Wherever I May Find Her", "The Dangling Conversation" or "A Most Peculiar Man" - the lyrics are amazing - how can someone write like this?
Above, click the arrow to play Simon & Garfunkel's "Kathy's Song" - its a beautiful song.
The price of color tv sets came down in 1967 making it easier for many to get color tv. I'll never forget when my dad brought the first one home. It was such a monstrosity! You know - they were the stereo, radio, tv combo! We were like "Wow!" "Ooooohhhhh!" - for sports it was "Look at the grass - its green!" We were so impressed by such things! There were peace signs, discoteques, granny glasses, mod clothing and Smiley Faces. There were posters, love beads and the Polaroid Swinger camera.
Twiggy led the way with the Mod's!
It was a great time to grow up but with lots of sobering things going on outside our bubble called Ben Franklin Junior High!
Be sure to come to the BF/GW reunion November 12 - no matter what year you were and rediscover your classmates and make new friends!
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