Collectiblog

Forget the Tricks - Bring on the Treats!

TVLTheLink — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:52:36 GMT

Lisa Sutton discusses Dum Dums to Candy Corn in her new Collectiblog article, Forget the Tricks - Bring on the Treats!.

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 10-28-2009 12:07 PM

Re: Goodbye, Gumby, Goodbye

OklanP — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:36:34 GMT

I love gumby.. I have its printed image on my two shirts. There was a time when my brother wanted to get it from my locker but then i told him its worth getting loans just to have these shirts.. lol.

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 10-26-2009 10:49 AM

Takin' Care of Blogging with Elvis

Lisa_Sutton — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:40:24 GMT

It's been 32 years since the passing of Elvis Presley on August 16, 1977 -- though in many ways he never left the building. The songs of Elvis are still played on the radio daily. He still sells more albums than many new artists, and people still flock to his famously decadent Memphis home, Graceland, for a glimpse of how he lived.

There's also a lot of Elvis memorabilia out there; more than enough to write a book about. There are genuine outfits and personal effects, plus there are countless other items manufactured with the iconic image of the man still thought of as the King of Rock. Badges, wallets, gum cards, and of course, the LP collection -- which accounts for around $1 billion in sales since their original release dates.

However, there's one item that I see as the singular stand out of all Elvis products manufactured: the TCB emblem. Elvis reportedly designed the logo and had 14k gold bracelets made for each member of his “Memphis Mafia”. He gave one to each of his band members along with his oath of “more self respect and respect for fellow man,” among other things.

I've always admired the insignia, which is essentially a Captain Marvel lightening bolt (a symbol for “do it quick”) and initials T, C & B suspended from a gold chain. I never knew the origin until recently. I know TCB stands for Taking Care of Business, but wasn't aware that it was initially derived from a 1968 Motown TV special of the same name -- not the 1973 BTO song as many people assume. I never knew before this year that TCB is also what Elvis called his band.

There are conflicting stories of how many were originally made, but it's said that 13 insignia bracelets were crafted for the inner circle (including The King himself). Over his lifetime, it is thought that Elvis bought close to 1,000 of the gold emblems from the original jeweler who crafted them. Every now and then an original piece of TCB jewelry comes up for auction, but they're almost indistinguishable from the countless commercially available variations. Currently, the logo appears on T-shirts, necklaces, earrings, key chains and even Elvis' signature sunglasses.

The TCB emblem was made for the men in Elvis' world, but he also made a TLC (Tender Loving Care) charm charm for the ladies in his life (and really, there were more than a few). Although I can appreciate the distinction, I personally choose to wear my own TCB necklace, and wear it proudly in memory of the greatest rock icon of all time.

Message Edited by Lisa_Sutton on 08-28-2009 03:46 PM

Re: Happy Anniversary, SpongeBob!

Robert — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:34:52 GMT

Some cannot stand Sponge Bob, Square Pants, but really like him, actually adore him! In an age when cartoon characters have become weird, here comes one that you can actually laugh without offending ones beliefs or agreeing with someone's morbid sense of humor. Bring on more Sponge Bob! An actual Bob

Re: Goodbye, Gumby, Goodbye

sduncan — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:45:01 GMT

Dal McKennon also did voice work for Walt Disney Pictures, Walter Lantz Productions, and Filmation. He was voice of Buzz Buzzard, Woody Woodpecker's archnemesis on the WOODY WOODPECKER SHOW, Dapper Denver Dooley, another nemsis of Woody, Inspector Willoughby, the red fox being chased by fox hunters on horseback with their dogs in Walt Disney's MARY POPPINS, the voice of Archie on the ARCHIE SHOW, Jughead's dog Hot Dog, and Mr. Weatherbee, the principal of Riverdale High.

Re: Thank You for Being Our Friend, Bea

jenn — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:07:27 GMT

maude marathon '09 along with hopefully an all in the family marathon that show was amazing too!

she is greatly missed. You're golden Bea and we love you!

Re: Finger Lickin' Good Collectin'

talkerwa1ker — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:21:19 GMT

I have a KFC class righ with KFC on one side and the Colonel on the other. Looks just like a High School class ring. Gold with a red stone. Cna anyone point me towards a place to sell this?

Thanks.

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 10-29-2009 04:48 PM

Re: Finger Lickin' Good Collectin'

Talkerwalker — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:13:16 GMT

I have a KFC Class Ring. It looks just like a high school class ring with KFC on one side and the Colonel on the other. Any idea of the value?

Thomas

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 10-29-2009 04:47 PM

Goodbye, Gumby, Goodbye

Lisa_Sutton — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:57:24 GMT

There have been a lot of high-profile deaths in the entertainment world lately. The news touches each one of us in a different way, yet generally brings back a stream of memories based on our association with that famous name. The name Dallas McKennon will not necessarily bring on the flood of emotion that other recent celebrity passings have caused, but for me, hearing that the voice of Gumby had passed made me more than a little sad.

Gumby was actually voiced by several different VO artists, starting with Norma McMillon (a.k.a. Casper the Friendly Ghost) and Dicky Beals (Speedy Alka-Seltzer), but McKennon was the classic voice from 1959 to 1964. When Gumby was revived in the '80s it was Dal McKennon who supplied the voice as well. McKennon also took on the voices of Pokey and Prickle, a task he shared with Gumby creator Art Clokey.

Gumby first debuted in 1957 and ever since has remained a pop culture favorite. The clay animation series had several resurgences in popularity over the years and spawned many products. The first, of course, was the bendy Gumby figures, which remain the staple of the Gumby collection. There have been dozens of variations on the Gumby figures over time and they're still available today (individually and in sets). In the '60s, you could buy some great action outfits to go with your Gumby, an idea that was revived in the '90s with "The Incredible Adventures of Gumby" line. There were board games, books, coloring books, puppets, bop bags and a long list of others.

The '80s saw a huge Gumby revival, possibly spurred by Eddie Murphy's characterization of Gumby on Saturday Night Live. Gumby T-Shirts, coffee mugs, stickers, plush dolls, watches, badges, buttons and videos were bought and sold as fast as they could be produced. To this day, you can still find current products featuring Gumby, plus his buddies Pokey, Prickle, Goo and the Blockheads. I personally remain ever vigilant on my search for any thing featuring Nopey, Gumby's contrarian pooch who could only say, well, "nope." Anyone out there got the goods?

Message Edited by Lisa_Sutton on 07-29-2009 11:00 AM

Re: Kooky Spookys and Other Ghostly Collectibles

Dolldebbie1 — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:11:58 GMT

have you found a baby kooky spooky yet? i have one without a sign or box for sale e-mail me and let me know.

Happy Anniversary, SpongeBob!

Lisa_Sutton — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:54:51 GMT

Imagine, if you will, a pineapple. Not just any pineapple, but one that is located under the sea. Alright, if you've read this far, you've already know where I'm going: right to the sub-aquatic town of Bikini Bottom and the home of the world's most famous sponge, SpongeBob SquarePants.

It's hard to believe the ubiquitous sponge is celebrating his 10th year on the air. That not only represents a lifetime in kid years, but a hefty challenge for a collector with an appreciation for TV-inspired kitsch.

I first became interested in the effervescent yellow rectangle while seated in my dentist's chair. He has (and for the past decade HAS had) a shelf of SpongeBob SquarePants tchotchkes to give to the little ones for enduring their teeth cleanings. For years I've wanted to ask for the SpongeBob sippy cup, but have continually settled for the hopelessly generic floss samples saved for adults. Not surprisingly, saving face with my dentist lead me to the local toy store where a virtual tidal wave of SpongeBob products can be purchased for far less than the price of a hygienic cleaning.

SpongeBob was a hit with kids and adults alike from the time the series premiered on July 17, 1999. By 2000, kids (and less mature adults like myself) could start picking up plush SpongeBobs, T-shirts, key chains and a barnacle load of other trinkets. Today, a simple search turns up more than 350 separate items.

Since I am a lover of vintage items, some of my must-haves are boxed games and toys based on things I also loved as a kid; SpongeBob Ants in the Pants, SpongeBob Lego and the SpongeBob Plastigoop kits that remind me of my Mattel Fun Flowers with all the goofy faces and bright colors. SpongeBob Monopoly is a hoot whether it be the board game or the electronic version. And who can resist playing "Operation" with a SpongeBob theme?

As a fan of great commercials, I had to archive the recent Burger King ads with the creepy King dancing to "I Like Square Butts," advertising SpongeBob kids' meals. Though the ads may be a speck more adult than some thought they should be, the toys are pretty cool. SpongeBob has turned up many times at Burger King over the years, so there are a quite a variety of these little keepsakes floating around.

I think the ultimate in all SpongBob tie-ins has to be the SpongeBob roller coaster at the Mall of America. For those who can't make it out to the world's biggest indoor mall, SpongeBob bounce houses are available for your next party. Had I been asked to design it, I may have opted for a giant pineapple, shape but for pure bouncy fun, the rectangle shape will do.

After a decade of SpongeBob, there's a long list of items I'd like to add to my collection: camera, bedding, pajamas, costume and sno cone maker and, of course, the 10th Anniversary Play-Doh Playset. I look forward to the challenge as the list continues to grow, right along with the phenomenon of SpongeBob SquarePants.

What's your favorite SpongeBob collectible?

Message Edited by Lisa_Sutton on 07-10-2009 07:55 AM

Re: Remembering Farrah

mary ruth — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:45:40 GMT

The reason there is all the characters before the word cancer on my above post is because for some reason, I guess the kind of cancer that Farrah had is not postable....go figure....I'm sorry Farrah, I figured that since the correct cancer was not mentionedin the article, I'd put it in my post, but being a Family blog, that must be why.

Re: Remembering Farrah

mary ruth barranca — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:41:16 GMT

Farrah was an amazing woman. She fought so hard, not only to live but also make many people aware of *&^%$# cancer. God bless her! She is with God now and healthy and whole again.

Re: Remembering Farrah

Babette — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:08:48 GMT

Farrah Fawcett became famous at the same time I started becoming aware of pop culture. I remember watching Charlie's Angels religiously and being jazzed when she married the Six Million Dollar Man. I remember watching her show "Good Sports" and falling in love with it's sexy, funny vibe. I remember being amazed at her sudden maturity when she did Extremities and the Burning Bed. I even remember the night she kooked out on Letterman. Even though I wasn't really a fan, she was always there, creating these cultural touchstones and everytime I admired the lady's gumption. Who knows what else she would have done had she been given more years. She died too young and will truly be missed.

Remembering Farrah

Lisa_Sutton — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:26:03 GMT

It is with great sadness that I reflect on the passing of Farrah Fawcett, who died at a Santa Monica hospital this morning. She was 62.

Although it was commonly known that she was battling colon cancer for the past two and a half years (recently documented in the jarring NBC special Farrah's Story, which was viewed by 9 million people) it still hurts to lose someone so culturally significant. Fawcett wasn't merely an actress or a starlet, but a symbol of youth and beauty. She was as much an icon as a person, loved for reasons as varied as her numerous fans.

The sparkling Texas beauty arrived in Hollywood in the late '60s and almost immediately found herself garnering small parts on shows like I Dream of Jeannie, The Flying Nun and The Partridge Family. She turned heads in the outlandish cinematic farce Myra Breckenridge (which also starred a pre-famous Tom Selleck) in 1970, and, not surprisingly, was singled out that same year by Look Magazine as a face to watch. They couldn't have been more right.

Fawcett married actor Lee Majors in 1973, while still building her burgeoning resume, which included four appearances on her then-husband's show The Six Million Dollar Man. She had appeared in a number of TV commercials earlier in the decade (most notably for "creaming" Joe Namath's face for Noxema) but her 1975 gig as the Wella Balsam girl led to a paradigm shift in the world of pop culture.

Based on the shampoo ads, the Pro Arts poster company hired Farrah to pose for a pin-up. The poster was released right around the same time Charlie's Angels, her first blockbuster series, debuted. The combination was explosive. Suddenly, Fawcett was catapulted past the status of "It Girl" and directly to international star. Almost what seemed like overnight, everyone wanted anything associated with the glamour girl -- her poster ended up on a record-setting 12 million walls.

Fawcett's feathered coif became the hairstyle of the decade, far surpassing the Jackie O or the Dorothy Hamill by leaps and bounds. The combination of her wildly popular "jiggle" TV show and the iconic poster was magic, and her image was quickly merchandised in every imaginable format. Dolls, purses, shampoo, jewelry, T-shirts and countless magazines -- ranging from gossip rags to teen ‘zines -- flew off the shelves. A personal favorite from the era was the unlicensed "Farrah's Fawcetts," spigot-shaped pendants that were sold in the back of the tabloids and in gumball machines at the height of her fame.

It's hard to think of Fawcett without thinking of the fresh-faced, fluffy-coiffed sex symbol of the ‘70s, but part of the phenomenon of Farrah was that she was able to transcend the hype and reinvent herself as a serious actress. Although legions of fans were disappointed when she opted out of Charlie's Angels after its first season, the decision proved wise as it led her to the more serious roles she desired. After getting her feet wet in a few lighter cinematic roles, Fawcett proved she was a true talent in 1984 with her Emmy-nominated portrayal of a battered woman in The Burning Bed.

Her equally dramatic part in the Broadway play "Extremities" (and the subsequent film adaptation in 1986) left no doubt that Fawcett was more than just a pretty face. As recently as 2003, she was still gaining accolades for her dramatic prowess with her guest spot on The Guardian, which also earned her an Emmy nomination. Always more self-aware than she may have seemed, Farrah appeared in TV Land's seven-part reality series, Chasing Farrah, and more recently allowed her illness to be the subject of the documentary A Wing and a Prayer: The Fight for Farrah's Life.

There are stars, there are divas and, less frequently, there are pop-culture phenomenons. Fawcett was all of these. In fact, she exceeded all definable terms and will remain an icon of such huge proportions that will never be forgotten, and forever be missed.

Photos courtesty Getty Images Entertainment and Wire Images.

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 06-25-2009 02:05 PM

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 06-25-2009 02:32 PM

Returning to Land of the Lost

Lisa_Sutton — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:57:54 GMT

Like many people who grew up at the tail end of the Baby Boom and beyond, my Saturday mornings were always spent watching one Sid and Marty Krofft show or another. I was savvy enough at an early age to recognize these shows as cheap and juvenile... even though I myself was fairly juvenile when the best-known ones debited. But that didn't matter. They were colorful and engaging, and had an unexplainable charm regardless of their low budgets.

Earlier Krofft shows like Lidsville and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters were on the silly side, but Land of the Lost , with its time travel and magic crystals, actually stood out as a solid piece of Science Fiction Fantasy that transcended its Saturday AM roots. Because of its combination of retro cheese and moviegoer's fascination with dinosaurs, this summer's big-screen remake will most likely be a big hit.

The first time around, Land of the Lost was so popular it lasted three seasons on NBC. That was unheard of at a time when most kiddie shows made 16 episodes that ran endlessly until the following fall, never to be heard from again. It was also popular enough to warrant the release of many tie-in items that are now quite collectible.

In the '70s, having a lunch box is the ultimate symbol of success in the kid market, and Land of the Lost had one. There was also a second Land of the Lost lunchbox two decades later when The New Land of the Lost debuted on ABC in 1991. Though harder to find, the later one was merely mold-injected plastic with an illustrated decal of the show's logo and some dinos. The '70s model featured action scenes with Will, Holly and Chaka fighting Grumpy, the T-Rex and was way cooler. There's also a trio of Sleestaks depicted on the side. And speaking of Sleestaks, one of my all-time favorite Halloween costumes was that of a Sleestak. I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt that way, as I hear there will be a new Sleestak costume available this coming Halloween. Very scary! I'll probably just stick with the Sleestak Bobblehead.

There were the requisite coloring books, puzzle and board game, but Land of the Lost also spawned a series of carded toys of the dime-store variety including a plastic pinball machine, plastic telescope and "Time Machine" (also known to the less imaginative as a toy watch.) There was also a View Master and Give-A-Show Projector film-strip as well. These days, you can by the whole DVD set, but back in 1974, these two items were the only way you could watch your favorite Saturday morning characters at a will.

While the original Land of the Lost memorabilia is generally harder to find, the New Land of the Lost had the benefit of being after the post Star-Wars toy licensing renaissance. There were action figures, bendies, wind-up toys and plush dolls. There were also VHS tapes of the episodes (remember those ancient relics?) along with the fanfare generated by the theatrical release, will hopefully appear for the first time on DVD. In the meantime, the original series which was reissued in a collectible lunchbox.

The new movie will no doubt spawn some collectibles. There already is a set of collector cards and drink cups at Subway sandwich stores as well as T-Shirts and posters popping up. I've also seen a very creepy Chaka backpack. Subway even transformed a Santa Monica, California branch into its own virtual Land of the Lost. For those prefer collectables for the modern world, the Land of the Lost movie web site offers ring tones.

I'm generally not a fan of remakes of classic TV shows, though I believe the new Land of the Lost movie has the right sentiment. With the creative participation of Sid and Marty Krofft, it retains essence of the original while adding the benefits of modern filmmaking. The fact that Sid Krofft has Enik's original crystals built into the staircase of his wonderful tree house home in the Hollywood Hills is proof enough that these guys really care about their work. And, after seeing the fabulous and warmly received tribute made to the Kroffts at the 2009 TV Land Awards, I believe the world is ready to ride down the waterfall again.

Re: I Still Dream of Jeannie

Jean Maxwell — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:36:02 GMT

I am looking for a Playset that was out in the '70's that is shaped like her pink bottle and it opens up and has the doll, a bed, and I can't remember exactly what else was in it. My daughter had one when she was little but was lost somehow in our move. I would love to find one. Do you know anyone that has one for sale? Thanks.

Re: Thank You for Being Our Friend, Bea

TVLTheLink — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:41:07 GMT

Unfortunately, TV Land no longer has access to Maude. However, we did play both on air and online tribute spots to Ms. Arthur and aired the episodes of All in the Family in which she appeared as Maude.

Re: Thank You for Being Our Friend, Bea

ALIETA — Sat, 30 May 2009 15:17:07 GMT

I was so sad to hear Bea Arthur had passed , i was even sadder to not see Maude on TV LAND as a memorium. You used to play Maude , what happened??

Re: Kooky Spookys and Other Ghostly Collectibles

TRUNGNGHIA171988 — Sat, 23 May 2009 15:40:38 GMT

HELLO! I WANT....