Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Retro

I have been watching a retro TV show called Route 66 while resting my ankle in the afternoons. Route 66 was a famous highway in American history that ran from Chicago, Illinois through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and ended at Los Angelos, California...a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km).  This was the artery for those escaping the dust bowl recession in the 1930's, although the TV series was from 1960 to 1964...my high school years!  This highway has been removed and replaced by the Interstate Highway system, but parts of it still exist and are designated as scenic byways.  It still holds its romance for many road warriors.  (If you have read any of my blog posts about my youth you know that I had wanderlust big time.)

I was a fan of the black and white TV series not only for the wanderlust it satisfied and the edginess of the stories, but also because there were two young male leads.  One dark, handsome, and rebellious (Buzz), and one well-educated, rational, and boy-next-door (Tod).  I had a crush on both males in the series and had fun fantasizing how the romance would pan out with each one.  My decision recently to re-watch a few episodes revealed how well written this series actually was.  The dialogue might seem somewhat derivative today, but then it was written more like a play with emphasis on characters and with the words that were being said more important than any car chases or stimulating violence or naked skin that drives TV series today.  The themes dealt with the difficult social issues that were at the forefront of the 60's decade.  Still, CBS producers (most likely male) were concerned about the heaviness of the show and wanted to see more "broads, bosoms, and fun".  The older generation was more widely and fairly represented than today, although the series was darker than the perfect suburban family shows of the 1950's.  A bit of information that I learned about the series was that Robert Redford had been considered for one of the parts.  The crew moved to a different location every week and Newsweek called it "the largest weekly mobile operation in TV history."  Perhaps, this series was the precedent to "On the Road" and "Easy Rider."

My son had mentioned watching something from his youth and commenting on how times have changed!  Just wait, I thought.  I watch stuff from decades ago and am fascinated by the even greater cultural changes today.  Since there are no cell phones characters must run or race everywhere to deliver those important messages. Sex and violence are presumed and not shown in glorious HD.  Both the leads were always well-groomed unless emerging from some day spent in blue-collar toil.  And blue collar work seems to be romanticized.  Buzz's darker side is subtly represented...today they would have him getting drunk or taking drugs.  The rich are rich but not disgustingly so and the poor are poor but shown sometimes through overtly pink romantic glasses.

Apologies to those who were looking for a more interesting post.  When I reached the well and brought up the bucket, this was all that sat in the sludge of the bottom.  So, let me know, did you have a favorite TV show in your youth?

25 comments:

  1. My father and mother met Marty Melcher (? spelling) who played the fair one of the two. My folks were into rock hounding in the deserts of Eastern Oregon and Northern Nevada and he was out there with his wife. He said he was just the nicest guy.

    In my youth, I was in love with Cheyenne which meant Clint Walker. *sigh* I don't look at the shows now as fear they might not match up to how great I thought they were then. I really thought I'd meet him someday and bingo except he was married. Alas.

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  2. I loved that show...Route 66. We also watched Wagon Train and Marshall Dillon. In those days, parents got to pick all the shows in the evening. No Nick at Nite for us when we were kids.

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  3. I love posts like this!

    I've made much of my recent TV viewing from DVD. And mostly old sitcoms, at that. I've been enjoying Phil Silvers (Sgt. Bilko), The Life Of Riley, Dobie Gillis, and others from the late 50's and early 60's.

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  4. Wow.. after 50 years, we can still get our kicks on Route 66. ;) Thanks for the ride.

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  5. I don't remember many of the shows we watched as kids other than Ed Sullivan and Wagon Train. Seems like there were always chores... or books

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  6. I never missed Rawhide (had a crush on Clint Eastwood - Rowdy Yates). The other two were Combat and Palladin. Heavy into westerns, our Dad was too, all of glued to our seats in front of the TV, a green screened Hoffman easy vision.

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  7. Every show that paired two men (fair haired and raven haired) I fell for the raven haired man every time.

    Lancer/Alias Smith & Jones/The Big Valley/Emergency/Adam 12/.

    I think it was that "bad boy" image.

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  8. We live just off Oklahoma' Route 66 and there is a lot to see as we drive around.

    My favorite shows as a kid were Father Knows Best and Ozzie and Harriett. Plus I lived for Gunsmoke on Saturday evenings. Oh and we did not miss an episode of Perry Mason. We were always amazed that mother could always guess "who done it". LOL

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  9. I can still remember when TV first came out. We would go over to the neighbors on Saturday night and watch Superman, Beat the Clock, and Roller Derby all on a 8 inch screen in a big cabinet.

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  10. I liked Perry Como, Lawrence Welk, Ozzie and Harriet, American Bandstand, I guess music was the theme for me. I loved "Laugh In" later on. Now I only watch a little "TV" online or on DVDs. I'll check out Rt 66.

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  11. We got a TV in 1954, but I wasn't allowed to watch it.

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  12. I used to hold my breath to see Spin and Marty and Annette on a weekly feature on The Mouskateers show. Loved them.

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  13. Oh, dear Tabor, I can't even remember my favourite TV shows! Although some of names mentioned here in he comments ring a bell. Actually, I have a good excuse, I've seen them in different countries and different languages.

    I do remember Seinfeld being one of the more recent favourites.

    Do you know, I'd never have seen you as vain from the many posts of yours I've read. Perhaps a bit proud? Not wanting to show weakness? Or not being in control? I may be wide off the mark with all of them, of course. I certainly understand and join you in wanting to look my best when I go out for a social occasion. I can never understand English women and their lack of pride in their appearance.

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  14. Cowboy shows were big when I was a kid. I watched Roy Rogers and Bonanza and had a crush on Clu Gulager in The Tall Man. My dad loved Jackie Gleason, my mother liked Lawrence Welk and I turned on American Bandstand every afternoon after school. I miss those days. I hardly ever turn on the TV now.

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  15. Seems I liked Carol Burnett, Jackie Gleason and Ed Sullivan - liked anything that was happy. Loved Lawrence Welk. Think these shows were in my early married years.
    Do not remember watching TV in my growing up years...

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  16. Anonymous9:34 PM

    I have vague memories of Route 66 but I was more hooked on westerns - Have Gun, Will Travel and Branded are two that come to mind, but they might have been 'repeats' by the time I watched them.

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  17. Tabor, I have only just discovered this your second blog. I enjoyed reading this about Route 66. Although I am old enough I never did see the movie/series, but I am familiar with the song. Maybe it wasn't shown here in NZ.Thanks for this informative blog. - Dave

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  18. I remember Route 66
    I loved it

    I used to run home to see Dark Shadows
    and believe it or not, I was a teenage girl who adored Ed Sullivan
    not just the guests, but Ed himself
    I thought he was cool

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  19. FAmiliar with the song but not the show.

    We've lost our subtlety, haven't we? Unfortunately, once you start down the road there's no where to go but to show more and more... I personally blame the loss of analytical thinking, but I could as easily blame Hollywood. :-)

    Pearl

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  20. Red Skeleton, Jackie Gleason, Ed Sullivsn, Bonanza, Zorro, etc. I could go on and on! Lots of good programs then! Ha!
    I leave very near Rt. 66!!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  21. The main producer of "66" did not want more "broads bosoms and fun". He was responsible for the social context and "real" feel. He also produced the Rin Tin Tin series. One of my old favorites. There is a very good book out called "Rin Tin Tin." Really a good read. About the dog of corse. And movies, tv, connections, nature, lonliness. I think you'd enjoy it.

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  22. TV sitcoms are getting raunchier and raunchier these days. And many of the scripts on cop shows are so manipulated to tell you the story like your a dummy and in ways that people don't talk.

    I don't remember seeing Route 66 but I did drive on it once and knew it's fame.

    Since we don't get many network channels (since HD came) I've been watching a retro station called MeTV and having some of the same feelings you bring up. Watching Dick Van Dyke and Lucy. Can you believe they slept in separate double beds?!

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  23. Tabor, I loved that program and often dreamed of driving Route 66 myself. Do you remember the Manhattan Transfer vocal version of the theme song? It rocked...

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  24. My father was a television repairman, and yet we hardly watched any tv at all. I can't remember anything. There was some Sunday night Disney thing...but I don't remember what it was called.
    I love the jazz standard "Route 66" and have driven n it a few times. It's a classic.

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  25. I never saw Route 66 - my favourite show in the 1970s was the Waltons and I have been enjoying looking at some of the early ones courtesy of DVD. Because the are set in the 1930s they have aged well. On UK TV my favourite had to be a hospital drama "Emergency Ward 10". Nothing much changes as I still like Casualty and Holby City. I also enjoyed Dr Kildare!! Happy Days. PS Did I watch too much TV?

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