Set The Wayback Machine to 1965 Sherman
Today I start a new feature here at IRBB. Since I've recently acquired Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine (it's amazing WHAT you can find on eBay nowadays) I'll use it to travel back in time to either stories from my distant past or posts from my not-so-distant past that you may not have read before. 
This weekend I happened across a marathon of retro television shows. As luck would have it, I caught a couple of episodes of my all-time favorite: the Munsters. When I was but a small child, I loved the weekly antics of Herman, Lily, Grandpa, Eddie and Marilyn. And since we only had a black and white TV, I never realized they purposely filmed the show that way.
One of the episodes they showed this past Sunday featured Herman at tryouts for the LA Dodgers. I wonder how many of today's generation really got some of the gags or references... especially when the real-life Dodgers coach Leo Durocher announced that if Herman didn't make the team, they could send him as a secret weapon to Vietnam.... wow.
That got me thinking of a very special Christmas toy I found under the tree in the late 1960s: my very own movie projector. Not the cheapo plastic Give-A-Show. Oh no. My parents got me a REAL metal projector that played 8mm film.
Sadly, I had but one film reel however. With no sound and a runtime of oh about 5 minutes, it included a Mr. Magoo cartoon, Mighty Mouse, Woody Woodpecker and a Munsters short (okay, reeeeally short). I used to love to play the film backward just to watch Herman slide OUT of the hearse instead of in. Oh, how I wish I still had that projector!
Now if you'll excuse me, I may just return to eBay to see if I can find one. Then again, maybe it's just better for me to add the Munsters DVD to my Christmas wish list. Hopefully I can even play it backwards and experience a childish giggle once again.
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18 People would rather be commenting:
I get so nostalgic thinking about childhood Christmases. I miss my Cabbage Patch doll.
I love eBay...I've been able to find several toys from childhood...what a haven for those old memories.
I had one of those suit case record players that played the plastic not vinyl records. They all had story books with them and fit under the record player. that thing went with me everywhere. hehehehe
I have no nostalgia about my childhood. Even the Lego blocks are better now.
Oh, my gosh...you're taking me back. Sadly (or maybe not so sadly), I still have almost everything from my childhood. It completely fills my parents' attic. Little by little, I'm dragging it here. I'm actually lucky to have that stuff, as sentimental as I am about childhood. My husband was/is a HUGE fan of the Munsters. He has about 3 items from his childhood, and one of them is a talking Herman Munster head. Pull a string and he goes on and on.... :-)
Ebay is the greatest for many things...
My dad had a reel to reel projector and I wish we still had it...no idea what happened to it!
Bradley
The Egel Nest
Hey, there Maureen...come see me, I have something for you.
Hi, just popped over to have a look from 'Princess and Monkey' site. I love your page design, so crisp and clean. I will read more of your blogs over the weekend to learn more about 'you folks over the pond'. We see so many shows about Americans that aren't true to life so it's really nice reading about what 'real' american women do on a day to day basis - not that we don't do much the same here, but I'm sure you don't all swan around the Mall, having coffee and chatting the day away with pretentious friends do you? (or do you?). I have visited Florida lots of times and have met some lovely people so I know you're not all as scary as Janice Dickinson who is currently on our 'I'm a Celebrity Get me Outta Here' TV show.(or are you?)
So hiya everyone! (Gail from England!)
Andi: Ah, Cabbage Patch dolls missed our family... I am too old, and daughter too young for those... she did get the first Tickle Me Elmo though; and I kept it, box and all for her to keep. I wish my parents were the packrats I seem to be!
Worker Mommy: Yeah, ain't it the truth; there's another post in the making about another Christmas toy I found there too...
JP: That is great that your parents kept your stuff; I wish mine had... I have a few things from childhood, but I wish I had kept more (like my Barbies). Your hubby had Munster stuff??? So cool!!!! Post pics one day!!
Bradley: There was something special about watching films, wasn't there? It was the whole long setup procedure, the way you had to delicatly handle the film, the inevitable tangles, tears and slippages, but it was great fun and such an event to gather everyone around to watch... sigh.
Oooh, Dixie Chick! Now you have me curious! I will pop by today..... thank you!
Hi Tismee2! Welcome, and thank you for your kind compliments. I love meeting people from all over the world, and have a few blogging friends from the UK. I will definitely check out your blog as well; I hope you enjoy reading my older posts. And no, no-one is like Janice, except Janice herself... thank goodness!
Burfica: We had one of those too! When you opened it up, the speakers were on the other side of the suitcase! I loved that old square gray case too... and carrying around 45's to play at my friends house was so cool.... wow, okay, I feel REAAAALY old now (glancing at her iPod)... my how times have changed!
Sweet Irene: You are right about some of the toys are better nowadays (ie. iPods versus old suitcase record players)... but we treasured them, I think a bit more than a lot of kids nowadays. In the 60's we weren't in the "throw away" state of mind with possessions yet. I had toys that lasted years, and a few I still have today. When I look at photos of Christmas' past, I can still recognize many of the gifts I got...
My favorite Christmas was when I got baby alive. I still remember how excited I was and I was so young. It might be one of my earliest memories. OH and easy bake oven!!!! That was a rockin Christmas also. FUN post!
Easy Bake Oven!!!! I had that too; daughter has one I have kept for her; but it sure isn't like the green metal one I had when young. I remember one recipe was for, believe it or not, bubblegum.... yeah, they actually wanted you to bake it. It was awful baked, so I ate the gum straight from the package instead... it was yummy "raw".....
I didn't know Herman tried to play baseball?
Very odd...
I'm off to play with my Snoopy Snow cone machine.
Oh, I always wanted a Snoopy Snow Cone machine!!!!! Will you make me one???? Cherry please.
Christmas time always makes me reflect about past years...mainly because it was the one day of the year that my father wouldn't spend the day screaming at us, then ignoring us.
I wasn't a fan of the Munsters...I loved the Partridge Family..lmao.
Funny, the Addams family always scared me...and that picture even gives me the willies now.
Maureen - Just catching up on blogs tonite...I have my ORIGINAL Easy Bake Oven. Still works great! :-) I'll have to post some pics one of these days. Janet
The projector sounds like FUN! Wow - I had gotten REALLY behind with all the December madness!
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