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Redartz: Hello, all! Once upon a time, Saturday mornings were the subject of great anticipation by cartoon-hungry kids with bowls of cereal, a glass of milk and a tv set (color preferably, but black-and-white would do). It was loads of fun, but there was a conundrum: there was much to choose from, on three whole networks; but you could only watch one at a time. You couldn't tape the other shows, you couldn't hunt it down on YouTube, you couldn't dvr. You had to pick one show, and thereby miss at least two others. What's more, you had to negotiate with brothers and sisters as to what entertainment would be viewed at what time. How to make such a decision? There was TV Guide, and the tv schedules were usually available in the newspaper. But each summer, those American TV networks reached out to us with some teasers, through the pages of our favorite comic books!
Usually found in comics hitting the stands in July, August and September, these Saturday Morning promo ads were found in countless comics starting in 1966 and running well into the 80's. Some years they were scarcely seen, other years they were everywhere all summer long. Marvel, DC, Archie: the promos were found in all (making for the amusing sight of Archie showing up in DC comics, Superman in Marvel, and Spider-Man in Archie). Some networks were more forthcoming with their offerings than others, and the shows varied widely. But regardless, these previews served to whet our appetite for the Saturday morning treats awaiting in the Fall, and helped us start planning our watch schedule.
And now, for your enjoyment and appraisal: a collection of many such ads, in chronological order identified by date and network (yes, my obsessive nature is showing):
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| CBS 1966 |
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| ABC 1967 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| CBS 1967 |
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| CBS 1968 |
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| ABC 1969 |
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CBS 1969
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| CBS 1970 |
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| NBC 1972 |
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| CBS 1975 |
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| CBS 1974 |
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| CBS 1977 |
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| CBS 1978 |
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| NBC 1978 |
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| ABC 1979 |
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CBS 1979
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| ABC 1980 |
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| NBC 1979 |
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| CBS 1980 |
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| NBC 1980 |
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| NBC 1981 |
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| CBS 1981 |
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| CBS 1984 |
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| CBS 1982 |
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| NBC 1984 |
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| NBC 1985 |
How many of these do you remember? Who had the best-looking schedule? The most attractive ad? For our friends outside the USA, how many of these shows made it onto your screens? And most importantly, did these promos get you to tune in (that 1967 ABC schedule certainly pulled me in, for the whole morning)? Grab a bowl of "Lucky Charms" and a spot on the floor, and have at it...
