YouTube Spotlight: Betcha Don't Know!

NBC has quite a rep for PSAs. The More You Know campaign was preceded by the One to Grow On series. But I BETCHA DON'T KNOW what came before that:

I run into these far less often than I do "One to Grow On," but there is the same kind of vibe here. That's character actor James Harder with Fields in this spot. Children's Television Workshop partnered with NBC for these segments, which ran Saturday mornings.

"Work it out, talk It out!" Now even easier than before!

Indulge me on this one, please! I was watching a block of old commercials when I saw a much better copy of this "Channeling Children's Anger" PSA we featured on our PSA episode a few seasons back:

I can't pass up the opportunity to post this better video and audio. I still don't know the whole story behond The Institute for Mental Health Initiatives, though.

Happy Memorial Day from BOTNS!

Happy Memorial Day to everyone here in the United States, with special greetings to those who have served our country and the loved ones of those who sacrificed their lives in service to the country.

One of the first things I think of when I consider the military and TV is the ad campaigns the armed forces ran in the Eighties. The Air Force had some impressive ads.

It's the Great American Smokeout!

For over 50 years, the third Thursday in November has been designated the Great American Smokeout, a day to encourage people to kick the habit. Cigarette ads were a staple of television up until New Year's Day 1970, when a Virginia Slims spot on The Tonight Show became the last cigarette ad on the public airwaves after a federal ban.

To me the most memorable anti-smoking ad remains this Yul Brynner spot that ran after the actor died of lung cancer in 1985:

Here is BOTNS Season 9 star Natalie Cole (from our SCTV episode) for the Smokeout event:

Here is that Virginia Slims ad. Note that future Hill Street Blues star Veronica Hamel appears in it:

Fire safety isn't just for Dick Van Dyke

In our PSA episode this season we explored the, many spots Dick Van Dyke did for the National Fire Protection Association. Well, not to be outdone, the International Association of Fire Chiefs present their own message in 1979: 

Who are the members of the International Association of Fire Chiefs? Do they have a cool meeting place like the Hall of Justice in some exotic location?

Whatever the case, they know their fires safety. I hope they appreciated the work of Dick Van Dyke and that there was some mutual respect there. The Chiefs are focusing on prevention while DVD talks about reaction. I think there is plenty of room for both approaches!

You Tube Spotlight: More PSAs

This week, we included all the spots we discussed in our YouTube playlist, so instead of highlighting one of those, we'll use this space to show a couple more public service announcements!

First up, here's the one I bet many of you thought was a lock for our podcast when you saw it was an all-PSA episode. Just because we didn't include it doesn't mean it's not one we know and love:

Next up is another PSA from the legendary Dick Van Dyke. He knew about a lot more than just fire safety!

The PSA episode video playlist is now live!

If you want to see all of the public service announcements we discuss in this week's episode, you're in luck because they are all right here in this week's video playlist!

You'll see Dick van Dyke, Sugar Ray and the Hitman, Timer, Ed Asner, a bunch of heartwarming kids, and more! Plus get a look at Gary Coleman playing with fire, and hear McGruff singing about the dangers of drugs!

And remember, you can visit our official YouTube channel anytime to hear past podcasts and episode-specific playlists for each one!

Show Notes: Episode 9-4: PSAs!

*Welcome to the newest edition of the show notes, brought to you this week from the home office in Pueblo, Colorado! We mean no offense to the fine people of Pueblo despite some of my hearsay on the podcast. Enjoy this look at what the place has to offer.  There is still a government office there!

*ARE TV stations required to show a certain amount of PSAs each broadcast day? It's confusing, as this site points out:

Here. for example, is a passage from a public relations handbook prepared by a large association for its members: “Television and radio stations are required by the Federal Communications Commission to allocate a certain amount of time to public service.”

Not so, says the National Association of Broadcasters, Washington: “Broadcasting is under no obligation to grant time to any specific group. There is no law which says a station must devote a fixed amount of time to community organizations.

The same website says the average station airs 200 PSAs a week!

*The Timer spots began on ABC in 1975. Longtime voice vet Lennie Weinreb voiced the character, who was created and animated by DePatie-Freleng. The character actually appeared earlier in two Afterschool Specials in 1973 and 1974 (voiced by Len Maxwell in the former).

The USDA currently recommends 3 cups of dairy each day, possibly including lower-fat cheeeses like part-skim or reduced-fat varieties.

*Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns II ("The War") took place June 12, 1989 in Nevada. I screwed up the result on the podcast; the rematch was a controversial draw, while Sugar Ray won the 1981 fight by TKO.

*BOTNS makes no claims nor assertions regarding substances used by either of the parties in the aforementioned PSA.

*Learn more about the NFPA here!

*Anyone remember these?

*The Instititute for Mental Health Initiatives may indeed be out of action according to this.

*You can check out XCrimeDogX here.  You can check out McGruff singing "Crack and Cocaine" here and in our YT playlist this week:

*The credited production company on the Dough Nuts is Greengrass Productions, which worked on a lot of ABC Weekend Specials.

*RIF is still around and active!

*I'm not convinced that IS John Vernon in the "Bookmobile" RIF ad, but it's possible. Does anyone know?

*Credit to YouTube commenter Louis Garrison for pointing out Wendell Brown is the star of that ad, but Brown is not credited with a role in Claudine. Is it possible two child actors were conflated here?

*The great oral history of the Star Wars PSAs is right here.

*Remember to not ever tell a lie (not even small ones)!

9-4: PSAs

Along with entertainment and advertising, public service announcements, or PSAs, filled the airwaves in the seventies and eighties. This week, we pick a range of them to discuss, featuring lessons on nutrition, health, safety, and morality, plus music, celebrities, animated characters, and Droids. Most importantly, we might all learn a little something along the way.

Check out this episode!

Tomorrow on Battle of the Network Shows...

 

Happy (early) birthday, Daffy Duck!

Multiple sources cite April 17 as Daffy Duck's birthday, but were gonna celebrate a day early!  The character debuted in Porky's Duck Hunt on this date in 1937 and went on to a great run in films and TV...sullied somewhat, IMHO, by his relegation to a stooge for Bugs Bunny after many of the most famous Chuck Jones Looney Tunes.

Let's celebrate this day with a look at Duck's underappreciated work as a spokesman for public service causes:

Daffy was a fixture on Saturday mornings for years and even had his own program for a while on NBC. Is that theme song inspired by the Wing and a Payer Drum Fife Corps version of "Baby Face"?

We got a collective extension, but it's still Tax Day

 So why not watch two of the greats help us out?

Do you think the IRS had any trouble getting stations to run its PSAs? I doubt it! 

Looking at this 1977 spot with modern eyes, you can't help but lament the fact that two of the most innuendo-spouting performers of the era recorded a "clean" public service announcement. There's not even one suggestive comment about Rue helping Norman "get an extension." She says nothing when he uses the phrase "tax package." Sure, Fell's character makes a mild alimony joke, but it's rather tame. What a missed opportunity!

YouTube Spotlight: St. Elsewhere's Denzel Washington on nutrition

I'd like to see stars re-record these PSAs after they become megastars. For example, I enjoy this 1980s food stamps PSA from Denzel Washington, then a regular on St. Elsewhere, but imagine the intensity and gravitas a late-1990s Denzel would give it!




I mean, he comes across as very pleasant and a regular guy, but, man, I want to see some urgency.

(Click here for our whole St. Elsewhere video playlist.)

Happy Birthday, Clint Eastwood!

May 31, 1930 saw the arrival of Clint Eastwood, who was certainly more a movie star than a TV star during the BOTNS era, but don't forget his awesome anti-crack PSAs of the 1980s:

Happy Birthday, Ted McGinley!

On this day in 1958, Theodore Martin McGinley was unleashed on the world with the mission to eradicate as many popular shows from TV as poss--No, we're not gonna rip Ted. It wasn't his fault, and besides, he did cool stuff like appearing in this as for a March of Dimes campaign:

Happy Memorial Day!

From all of us at BOTNS, Happy Memorial Day, and let's all take a moment to think of those who sacrificed their lives for the country.

Does anyone else remember this Army video playing on TV often in the 1980s?

Happy birthday, Dwight Schultz!

Happy 61st to Howlin' Mad from The A-Team, Dwight Schultz! Here's one to grow on--and is that who I think it is showing up at the kid's door?



Odd to think that Schultz is only 3 years older than Stanley Livingston from My Three Sons, who was always born on this day. 


(H/T to Retrostatic for posting the video!)

A public service announcement from BOTNS and Tracy Scoggins

On today, the birthday of Dynasty alum Tracy Scoggins, we present this special message:

Great Moments in 70s and 80s TV History: Popeye says no to dope!

One of the best, and by best I mean most bizarre, aspects of  CBS' late 1970s Popeye revival, The All-New Popeye Hour, is the PSA segments. One of the worst, and by worst I mean most bizarre, aspects of same is the annoying group of Popeye's nephews. These features come together in this great segment from 1978. Note that the shady dealer doesn't seem to know the advice about never using your own product:

 

 

Great Moments in 70s and 80s TV History #3: OJ Supports the Boys' Clubs of America

Let's celebrate the time (circa 1980-1981) O.J. Simpson implored us to support the Boys' Clubs of America. He didn't even add an "or else."