Redartz: Good day, all! As we visit today, Summer is still with us, although Autumn is looming ever closer (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway). The end of summer has always been a bittersweet time for many, myself included. Years ago, it meant the imminent return of school, and the resultant loss of that summer vacation free time. Yet it also meant Fall- with Halloween, colorful leaves and cooler, invigorating weather. It also meant the return of new television programming, after three months of summer reruns. And, with the new shows, came the Fall Preview TV Guide! The Fall Preview issue became an anticipated tradition of Fall for me; giving notice of returning favorites and also the first news of brand-new shows (no internet buzz then, of course). This annual, special issue of the iconic tv magazine generally was expanded in size to accommodate the extra coverage and photo features. It also featured schedules of the week's programming, in the form of a chart highlighting the new shows (which sometimes generated anguish, upon seeing a familiar favorite show no longer in it's old time spot, cancelled to make room for some new show).
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| Schedule from Fall 1973-74 |
Usually a page was devoted to a brief write-up of each new program, along with a photo to whet your viewing appetite.
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| From Fall 1964-65 |
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| From Fall 1964-65 |
And a few from Friday night 1964...
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| From Fall 1973-74 |
Here's the great Friday night schedule from that fall of 1973...
Of course, a big highlight was the new Saturday morning cartoon schedule. Here we have the Fall 1973 Saturday morning shows...
Here's a link to the NBC 1974 Saturday Morning Preview show:
These vintage Preview issues are a veritable treasure trove of trivia, fun and nostalgia. Aside from the programming features, they are loaded with old ads (amazing how many cigarette ads there were back then). Plus, it's a kick to read the capsule descriptions of the week's shows, see the specials and movies broadcast during the week, and just to be reminded of the evenings spent watching some beloved classics.
Nowadays, the Fall Preview TV Guide lacks the indispensable quality it once had. The tv seasons have shifted, and summer replacements are often the rule. Cable schedules vary , starting and ending all year long. Yet the big networks still rely on the fall to debut much of their new shows, and the TV Guide still produces a Fall Preview issue (sometimes two weeks' worth). I still pick it up each year. Tradition, you know...
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| Fall Preview 2014 |
Looking at old TV and radio programming is fascinating - the BBC has recently created a website called BBC Genome which lists all the radio and TV schedules day by day from 1923-2009. So, for example, I remember watching the 1933 King Kong for the first time at Christmas 1976 but thanks to Genome I can pinpoint the exact date I first saw King Kong as Friday, December 17th 1976 and I first saw the 1936 Flash Gordon serial when it was broadcast from December 20th to December 31st 1976. There was a Tarzan movie on TV every morning too (except Christmas Day) so it was a great Christmas in 1976 :D
ReplyDeleteBrings back some great memories Redartz. I too remember flipping through the Guide to see what was coming, and also being confused or disappointed when a favorite got moved or cancelled. I recall watching a "special" that would introduce the new Saturday morning shows and mapping my viewing plan between the three networks.
ReplyDeleteColin, that BBC Genome sounds like fun to explore. There are so many shows that I only vaguely recall but tie to a time period in my life. It would be fun to hunt down what they were.
On a related note, does anyone else remember those Saturday morning preview shows, where the networks would show trailers for their upcoming Saturday morning kid's show fall schedule? Usually they aired on the Friday night right before the first show was to premiere, but I might be wrong about that. I lived for those things and I especially loved knowing there was going to be a science fiction themed or monster based show in the lineup.
ReplyDeleteWe never got TV Guide (still don't, actually); I think there is--or was--a Canadian version, but we never bothered with it since the TV listings were in the Friday newspaper. And nowadays, the schedule is right on the TV, so still no TV Guide for us!
ReplyDeleteMike Wilson
Colin- that BBC Genome sounds fascinating. If only the 'big three' networks in the U.S. would do something similar.
ReplyDeleteMartinex1 and ZIRGAR- yes, I remember those Saturday morning Previews! ZIRGAR, I think you're right; they were often seen the night before the new shows debuted. That was a part of the whole buildup of excitement for the new season, along with the Fall Preview TV Guide and also the appearance of network promo commercials ( still remember the great ABC promo from about 1970-71, " This is the Place to Be, on ABC.."- those promo's might make another good topic).
Mike- we got the tv schedules in the paper too, but I always enjoyed the Fall Preview issue for the photos and writeups...
Like Mike W., the TV guide came out every Friday here in Western Canada. I remember the two rival cable companies at the time, Videotron and Shaw. This was back in the late 80s, however. The newspaper did carry the evening schedule daily, but we did frequentlyuse the guide---it was on the table next to the TV sofa for convenient access. I would pore through the back where the movies were listed to see if there were any good flicks worth taping, which I would do---on Beta! At least until my parents entered the 90s like everyone else and FINALLY bought a VHS system for the household. These days, of course, one can watch almost anything at anytime, but that's how it once was.
ReplyDeleteThomas F.
Sorry, I didn't notice that Martinex had already mentioned those Saturday morning preview shows. Now I feel like an idiot.
ReplyDeleteHey ZIRGAR , I figure great minds think alike! The Saturday preview I seem to recall the most was the Sigmond and the Seamonsters hosted one. That is etched in my mind for some reason. I recall as a child that any network " Special Presentation" was greatly looked forward to from these previews to the Peanuts to the Rankin Bass specials. Saturday mornings of course consisted of a large bowl of cereal, not waking the parents, and hours of cartoons.
ReplyDeleteTV guide was simply not something that was purchased in our household - we usually just made use of the weekly listings supplement that came with the Sunday newspaper. I only recall flipping through them occasionally when visiting a friend's house, or sitting in the waiting room of a doctor, dentist or optometrist. Like the cover of that 1965/65 fall preview, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually a bit surprised that it's still published - it seems like the shifting TV landscape, i.e., the way television programming is released and consumed, and the ready availability of listings online and via teletext, as well as the bottomless well of entertainment coverage, information and gossip online, would have killed a hard-copy publication like that.
Anyway, I used to love those Saturday preview shows - they always succeeded in getting me all excited as a little kid. I particularly remember the ones that were aired on ABC, which were - I think - Krofft productions, and often featured the Osmonds (esp. the annoying youngest brother, Jimmy); also there was one that was hosted by my very favorite band at time: the Bay City Rollers.
In response to the comments above, I've added a link above to the 1974 NBC Saturday morning preview courtesy of YouTube. Kind of odd to see all the 'dancing girl' puppets...
ReplyDeleteEdo- good observation about the survival of the magazine in today's entertainment world. With so many magazines and newspapers folding (sorry...), and all the information available online, it is amazing that TV Guide endures. Of course now they often feature variant covers {now where have we seen that gimmick?}, and publish in a larger size format than the former digest-size. They do a big feature on ComicCon, and often focus on some current trend or celebrity. Don't know what their sales figures are now, but they just keep on going...
As a kid, I read the TV guide the way a rabbinical student studies the Torah. It was delivered to our house, and I would read through all the descriptions of my shows.
ReplyDeleteI spent way too much of my childhood in front of the TV.
My sister is seven years older than me (I've mentioned her a few times in the past as a strong enabler of my youthful comics habit), and once she had a regular afterschool job starting at like 16, the one thing she splurged on was a TV Guide subscription. Before that we'd but it most weeks, but not all - but the Fall Preview Guide issue was like a holy relic - hotly anticipated like Christmas. I read it religiously.
ReplyDeleteI remember those! They were awesome...but the best? TV guide's April Fool's issues! My brother and I used to fight over the Fall Preview issues, and I loved the full page photos promoting the new shows. I don't recall when they started, but they were well done. We only had the one TV in my house, though, and the parents had control of it, so a lot of what the magazine presented I wouldn't see for decades (or if summer reruns meant that the parents' first choice was second-run, and they might opt for something they hadn't seen. At some point we got a color TV, but I don't recall whether the B&W just conked out or went to some neighbor. I remember wishing it might have gone to the back room or our bedroom, but the 'rents were not approving of such frivolity.
ReplyDelete". . . And during the few moments that we have left, . . . We want to talk right down to earth in a language that everybody here can easily understand."
ReplyDeleteI love how BAB can start on one topic then we find ourselves on a worldwide discussion of the TV Guide.
I do believe we had a subscription. Our first TV that I remember was a huge 3-1 console. TV in the middle with a record player on one side, the right(?), and a radio on the other side. When a fuse would blow, it was my job to squeeze down behind, wiggle the tube out and then off the Eckerd's Drug Store we would go. Find a replacement, then get it in and the console back in it's place!!! Good times...... When it finally died, we had replacement black and white TV that sat on top of the console. You could not lose the pliers or you were stuck on one channel. So many times, my sister and I were locked in a psychological battle of who would break first, walk across the room, take the pliers in hand and change the channel......so many times we would watch until sign off. Who remembers the Inspirational Minute and the playing of the National Anthem!?! ...oh, ain't we lucky we have 'em? Good Times.......
(Beautiful beautiful
Girl from the north
You burned my heart
With a flickering torch
I had a dream that no one else could see
You gave me love for free
candy, candy , Candy I can't let you go
All my life you're haunting me
I loved you so)
PS: If you're reading this, then you know I AM NOT ROBOT!!! (Not that there's anything wrong with it).
Thanks for commenting, everyone!
ReplyDeleteDr. Oyola- Your sister sounds like a gem; cool with comics and springing for the guide! And yes, the Fall Preview issue was filled with enough photos and info to absorb the hungriest tv addict. I actually kept them each year, but somehow most vanished over time. The ones shown here are the only ones I still have.
Kenn- what were the April Fool's issues? I don't recall them, but they must have been fun. And like yours, our parents also made the viewing choices, until that fabulous birthday when I got a portable b/w set...and wasn'the getting that first color set a huge event?
Prowl- your parents let you change the tubes? Impressive, we weren't allowed anywhere near the back of the set.
Oh, and watching until sign-off was great- the Anthem, and then that (somewhat terrifying) test pattern afterwards, staring at you like a glowing eye in the dark, screaming that "ooooooooooooooooo....."
These were always my favs.., I still have most of 'em from the '70s, a few from the early '80s.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest enjoyment is to look at celebs who later achieved fame elsewhere (movies, other TV roles..), but were in some low-rated show for a few months then disappeared, paired with another actor who went somewhere else, etc..
Kinda cool memories.
As for the Saturday Morning preview on Friday nights, it was always a kick, especially who they got to host it.., it got tough when other networks muscled their way in, so you now had to go back and forth between channels to somehow watch all 2 or 3.. Oy.