Retro Viewing: BBC’s I Love 1979: A Funny Way to End a Funny Decade

Source: Retro Viewing: BBC’s I Love 1979: A Funny Way to End a Funny Decade

What do I remember about 1979? Not much. First year of nursery school and unfortunately I do remember that. I still have a class photo from June, 1979 that proves I was there. Living in Bethesda, Maryland, a very cold winter and a very hot summer. Consequence of living right between Florida and Maine you get the extremes when it comes to weather. And if you remember 1979 you know that the economy sucked like 1976 0-14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and that cost of energy and cost of living in general was very high in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I do remember Jimmy Carter as President, I remember meeting my paternal grandparents for the very first time. Which was 1978, or 79.

I do remember the designer denim jeans revolution that started in the late 1970s. (Thank God for miracles!) Which actually started in 1977-78, but I guess became real big in 1979. And seeing all of these beautiful sexy women with great legs and butts walking around in those jeans. And generally wearing them with boots and a leather, or suede jacket. Which made watching sitcoms in the early and mid 1980s and in 79, a lot of fun for guys, including myself. Because those designer jeans for women were all over the 1980s on TV. Today those jeans would probably be called skinny jeans, but didn’t have the same low-rise and were a bit higher. Seeing Catherine Bach on Dukes of Hazzard in those jeans and cowgirl boots, was all the motivation I needed to watch that show and see those legs.

The Dukes of Hazzard, comes out in 1979. And I mean it had every single country rural Anglo-Saxon stereotype about that culture that you could possibly find in real-life all on one show. Dirt roads, men and women with not one, but two first names. I guess they were selfish when God was giving out first names, or their parents couldn’t make of their mind what to call them. So they called them Billy Joe, or Betty Sue, because they couldn’t decide on Billy, or Joe, or Betty, or Sue. So their parents named them Billy Joe and Betty Sue and gave them both names. The Dukes, was actually a very good show. But some of the writing even though a lot of it was very funny, made you feel like you were always at a Southern Baptist Convention, or went back in time to 1955. You didn’t even hear the words hell, or damn. Like, “what the hell?” Or, “I don’t give a damn!” Or just, damn! It was always, “what the heck?” Or, “dang it!? The show had a real Leave it to Beaver vibe to it that was pretty cheesy.

I would talk about the politics and current affairs of 1979, but the problem with that is I don’t want be accused of sending anyone into a depression and being committed to a mental institution. A very depressing year economically especially, but crazy weather, high crime, big problems oversees. Wait, I guess it is too late for that now, but if I went further it would just get worst. Thank God for Hollywood and the American entertainment industry in general, because without them I think would have been a country of Fins. And you would see long lines of people not waiting for gas, but to get to the nearest bridge to jump off from. All of those great movies, like The Electric Horseman and The China Syndrome, two great Jane Fonda movies, WKRP, becoming a hit in 1978-79, The Dukes of Hazzard, Threes Company, (speaking of designer jeans revolution) there was were plenty of great innocent distractions for people to forget about (if that was humanly possible) how bad the State of the Union was in 1979 was. So in that sense it was a great year.

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Video Detective: The Seduction Of Joe Tynan 1979: About a Politician Who Wants it All and Almost Loses Everything

Meryl Streep & Alan Alda

Source: This piece was originally posted at The Daily Review

The Seduction of Joe Tynan is one of the best political movies I’ve ever seen and it reminds me a little bit of the Ted Kennedy-Jimmy Carter 1979-80 Democratic race for president, which I’ll get into later. Alan Alda plays Senator Joe Tynan from New York, who has solid Progressive Democratic credentials. Who is in love with his job and wants to move up and be a national player in the party if not President of the United States.

What separates him from Senator Ted Kennedy is that Senator Tynan, actually wants to be President. Ted Kennedy ran for president in the 1980, because he didn’t like where the country was going with the bad economy and everything else, didn’t think President Carter was progressive enough, but more importantly he felt some obligation to the progressive wing to run for president and put another Kennedy in the White House.

Joe Tynan, loves the president, loves campaigning, loves politics. I would say loves his kids back in New York as well, just not enough to make them a major priority as far as attending their major events. And I would say likes his wife a lot and perhaps loves her and is attracted to her, but doesn’t have much respect for her and sees her as bit of lightweight, at least as far as the people he deals with in Washington. And I believe this comes out pretty clearly in the movie as far as how Tynan talks about his wife whose played by the adorable and funny Barbara Harris.

What makes Tynan a strong potential presidential candidate is that the President a Democrat, has a U.S. Supreme Court nominee up. Who is a bit of a right-winger, at least on civil rights issues and supported forced segregation in the past, who comes from Arkansas. And that puts Senator Tynan in a tough position of having to consider taking on the leader of his party.

Joe Tynan, doesn’t want to take on the President and his Democratic Leadership in the Senate, but he’s not going to support right-wing Supreme Court nominee who supports forced segregation either. Especially since he’s looking at running for president himself. And is approached by civil rights and labor lawyers in the party who want him to vote against Supreme Court nominee. And is approached by Karen Traynor. (played by Meryl Streep)

Who is one of the Democratic activists trying to bring Tynan to their side and oppose Edward Anderson (played by Maurice Copeland) who is the Supreme Court nominee. She gets Tynan real evidence that he’s against civil rights with video of a speech that he gave in the 1960s and that’s how Senator Tynan comes out against Anderson. Which pisses off his close friend Senator Birney (played by Melvyn Douglas) who is a close friend of Anderson and a big supporter of him.

What you have in Joe Tynan is a workaholic who has become a career politician whose always focused on politics and always looking for the next big move in his career and when he’s not doing that and takes any free time, he does it with people other than his wife and family. Starts an affair with Karen Traynor, becomes a national player and hero in the Democratic Party, decides to run for president without even talking to his wife and kids.

Who starts off the movie having basically everything he wants and has everything going for him as a young influential U.S. Senator who can move legislation. But sees an opening to furthering his political career and jumps on that and in the process almost loses everything that he has. I think this is a very good movie about an ambitious workaholic career politician who is never completely happy and satisfied. And is always looking for more, even if it means losing everything that he already has.

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Jas Bains: Catherine Bach: The Real and Only Daisy Duke From The Dukes of Hazzard

Source:Jas Bains– Tom Wopat, as Luke Duke and Catherine Bach as Daisy Duke, from The Dukes of Hazzard.

Source:The New Democrat

“One Daisy Duke Video to rule them all! Awesome collection of Daisy Duke ( Catherine Bach ) clips compiled to an awesome song by Lamb, called Gorecki. Visit my site at:Jas Bains. Video blocked in Germany due to music copyright issues.”

From Jas Bains

When I was growing up my favorite TV show was probably The Dukes of Hazzard. A CBS action comedy where everyone on the show met about every single stereotype both good and bad of what life and the people were like living in the country. It took place in a small county called Hazzard. Naturally with a police department that had two sometimes three cops including the sheriff who was named Roscoe. It had people with names like Daisy, Roscoe, Cletus, Enos, Cooter.

Guest stars with people with names like Billy Bob, Billy Joe, Marly Lu. It had every two name, name you can think of. It had dirt roads, country music, car races and car chases. Great country food, with the fried chicken, mash potatoes, biscuits and gravy. Fast cars being chased by big police cars. A town where everyone knew each other and where the whole town knew when someone from out of town was in Hazzard.

It had Pickup Trucks, farms, crooked politicians and cops, ignorant people who didn’t seem to know what they were doing. It had moonshine whisky, a county next door called Chickasaw that only had one cop, the Sheriff on the Police Force. And it had a lot of beautiful sexy women on it. Including Catherine Bach who played Daisy Duke. Forget about Jessica Simpson who played Daisy Duke in the movie Dukes of Hazard. She’s more qualified to play Sally Smith head cheerleader at Valley High, then to play a country girl.

The hot, sexy baby-faced country girl was the perfect role for Catherine Bach on Dukes of Hazard. Because she was and actually still is gorgeous, baby-face adorable with a great body. Two of the best legs this country has ever seen, just like Tina Turner or Raquel Welch. She was very funny and even though she was (actually still is) baby-face adorable, could probably kick ass as well as he her cousins Bo and Luke Duke. Played by John Schneider. (Great last name by the way) And Tom Wopat the brains of the operation. And as adorable and sexy as Daisy was, you didn’t want to mess with here, because she could kick your ass and look hot doing it. In her famous tight denim jeans and shorts.

And her tight denim jeans and cowgirl boots, Catherine Bach now has her own Denim Line. She was no Sally from the Valley, but a tough but adorable sexy country girl. Who could be sweet as candy until you messed with her. Catherine Bach will always be Daisy Duke and since she played that role perfectly. Unfortunately will always be typed cast, because its so hard to to think of anything else other than Daisy Duke when it comes to Catherine Bach. But she has done other things and has actually has been very active and successful pre and after. Dukes of Hazzard and is someone who’s career should be looked at. To give her the type of respect she actually deserves.

The original Dukes of Hazzard tv show, was and still is the Dukes of Hazzard, at least as far as I’m concern and as far as a lot other Dukes fans are concern as well. The recent movies and everything else are for a younger generation where everything that was around before they were even born or old enough to remember is considered, “like so yesterday and so over and needs to be changed for the new century. But there are reasons why sequels to great shows and movies tend not to be as good as the original. Because the original was done so well, that any new version of it looks like pretend or a copy.

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NBC Sports: MLB 1979-All Star Game-National League @ American League: Full Game

Source:NBC Sports– Cincinnati Reds 2b Joe Morgan.

Source:The New Democrat

“1979 MLB All-Star Game (Seattle) Original Broadcast”

From Classic MLB

Playing an all-star baseball game at a football stadium. The Kingdome despite being fairly close to the action for baseball and a very loud stadium for both baseball and football, was basically a football stadium, because of its size, sixty-five thousand seats for football. And in the high fifty-thousands for baseball.

This was a great game where Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Dave Parker who was a five-tool player up until the mid 1980s, throws out a baserunner from the outfield wall unassisted. Perhaps the best defensive play in MLB All Star game history.

For all the talk about this game being a slugfest with the lineups that both teams had and the stadium they were playing at, this game could’ve been played at Shea Stadium in New York, or Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Kaufmann Stadium in Kansas City. Because this was a pitchers duel with the Americans beating the Nationals 3-2.

Goes to show you that great pitching, especially when that great pitching throws hard with control, will beat great hitting. Especially if those great hitters are expecting a big game because of the ballpark that they are playing at.

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NBC Sports: MLB 1979-ALCS-Game 2-Anaheim Angels @ Baltimore Orioles: Full Game

Source:MLB Home Video– former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres 1B Steve Garvey.

Source:The New Democrat

“Steve Garvey is the host of Baseball’s Greatest Games, a weekly cable TV show from the early 90’s. Some innings were edited out to make time for a 2-hour broadcast.

To order other classic games like this one on DVD, contact Joe at:AA Classic Sports.”

From Joey D B Ball

Game 3 of the 1979 ALCS being played at Anaheim Stadium. And if you guessed Anaheim Stadium is located in Anaheim, California, you have a solid grasp of the obvious.

It’s ironic that 1979 would be the season that the Anaheim Angels would finally make to postseason play, since this was the last season before the converted what was a beautiful baseball park, to what would become another artificial, multipurpose stadium, with the Los Angeles Rams moving to Anaheim in 1980 and becoming the Anaheim Rams. But pre-football, Anaheim was similar to Royals Stadium in Kansas City, except Anaheim has always had grass. It was a beautiful ballpark.

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NBC Sports: MLB 1979-NBC GOW – New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals: Full Game

Source:NBC Sports– meet a Kansas City Royal.

“Recent restoration of the NBC Game of the week with Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek digitalized/remastered off the original recorded VHS tapes converted to DVD (cir.2002) there have been other version posted on Youtube before but this one right off the master recorded tape after some searching in the late 90s.

Starting pitchers in this Saturday afternoon game are Tommy John for New York and Larry Gura for Kansas City in a rematch of the 1978 ALCS teams from Royals Stadium
Great game as we go back n forth with the scoring as nine pitchers are used in the game for both clubs. Homer’s from Chris Chambliss (8th) off Gura in the second inning and Darrel Porter hits his 7th of the season in the 4th off Tommy John as the game is tied going into extra innings as Willie Wilson leads off in the 13th and get an inside the park HR off reliever Ken Clay as the Royals get the win in this dramatic game from the 1979 season.”

From Phoenix Films

Both the Yankees and Royals missed the AL Playoffs for the first time in a while in 1979. This was an excellent inter divisional rivalry in the American League in the 1970s and 80s, because both clubs were very good, won championships, and played a lot of great game against each other.

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NBC Sports: MLB 1979- ALCS- Game 4- Baltimore Orioles @ Anaheim Angels: Orioles Advance To The World Series

Source:MLB– the Orioles advance to the 1979 MLB World Series.

“10/6/79: Scott McGregor completes shutout as the Orioles defeat the Angels for the 1979 AL Pennant.”

From MLB

Great to hear Dick Engberg and Sparky Anderson call a baseball game together.

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ABC Sports: MLB 1979- Baltimore Orioles @ New York Yankees: Farewell To Thurman Munson (8/06/1979)

Source:ABC Sports– New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson.

“With the 34 year Anniversary Of The Death Of Yankee Great Thurman Munson approaching (August 1 ) YankeesRetro has decided to post the Farewell To The Captain Game. Arguably One Of The Finest Yankee Games Ever. A MUST SEE FOR ALL YANKEE FANS. This video cannot be found anywhere on the internet .Yankees Retro is the only place to catch this legendary game in it’s entirety.Yankee great Thurman Munson Was Tragically Killed In A Airplane Crash just 5 days prior to this game.This day he would be buried in his native Ohio, just several hours later the Yankees flew back to New York To take on the First place Baltimore Orioles,The game was telecast on August 6,1979 on ABC TV. The Yankees were well out of the pennant race at this point but their task was to win this one for their beloved captain.Falling quickly behind 4 To 0,it seemed likely they would loose,But The Heroics Of Bobby Murcer (Who was a One Man Wrecking Crew ,driving in all 5 Yankee Runs was enough to win it for Munson).Murcer Belted a 3 run homer in the bottom of the 7th to bring the Yankees to within 1 run. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th with Bucky Dent and Willie Randolph on Base .Murcer jerked a line drive double down the left field foul line,scoring both men.The Yankess won the game 5-4…. Keith Jackson,Don Drysdale & Howard Coselle bring you the play by play. Commentary from then Oriole Outfielder ,now Yankee Broadcaster Ken Singleton, And the hero The Late Bobby Murcer. Video Quality is quite good !………Moderators of Yankees32Retro.”

From Yankees 32 Retro

Thurman Munson definitely would’ve been a Hall of Famer had he lived and not have died prematurely. Because he was that great of an all around player. A great defensive catcher and hitter who hit for average, power, and a great clutch hitter.

When the New York Yankees lost Thurman Munson, they didn’t lose their starting catcher. They lost their captain, their leader, their best all around player. The man who is in the same class as a Johnny Bench or Carlton Fisk, when it comes to catchers in baseball. The best of the best, because that is exactly who Thurman was. You couldn’t of had a better player  and man than Thurman Munson as your starting catcher back in the 1970s and I would argue certainly today.

There has really only been on catcher who is in the same class of a Bench, Fisk, or Munson, today. Ivan Rodriguez, who really does represent old school MLB players and catchers. Someone who was great at calling the game and defending his position,  first. But who was never an easy out and someone you would ever have hitting in the bottom of your lineup, because he was not only a great catcher, but a great hitter as well. Both Thurman and Ivan, were catchers who you could have sitting at the top of your lineup, because they hit for average, didn’t strike out much, and could also hit for power.

That is how great a player Thurman was. Before the 1970s, catchers were almost looked at like pitchers. You expected them to defend their position and if they could do anything other than that, that was considered a plus. Bench, Fisk, and Munson, changed how we look at the catcher position today. We look at them now as great athletes and not just guys who call the game and defend home plate.

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NBC Sports: MLB 1979-ALCS-Game 1-Anaheim Angeles @ Baltimore Orioles

Source:GI Bomber– The Earl of Baltimore: Orioles Manager Earl Weaver.

“Nolan Ryan’s last start as an Angel.”

From GI Bomber

Nolan Ryan vs. Jim Palmer, I mean you couldn’t ask for anything more. Perhaps the two best pitchers in the American League at this point and in Jim Palmer’s case perhaps the best pitcher in the American League.

I have Palmer, Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver as the top three pitchers of this era in Major League Baseball. But Ryan didn’t pitch very well against the Orioles at least at Baltimore Memorial Stadium. He was a much better pitcher at Anaheim Stadium for the Angels than he was on the road.

This was an excellent matchup for an ALCS. Both the Angels and Orioles had good pitching, in the Orioles case great pitching. Both teams had very good lineups offensively and played good defense. The Orioles just simply did those things better than the Angels in this series.

You can also see this post at FreeState MD, on WordPress.

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Juan Traverus: 1979 Jordache- Denim Jeans Commercial

Source:Juan Traverus– Uploaded by Juan Traverus

“Classic Jordache Jeans commercial from 1979!!!”

From Juan Traverus

I just want to say thank God I was born in 1975 and I’m old enough to remember the tight dark wash denim designer jeans revolution of the late 1970s, that went up to 1984 or 85 or so. Before 1977 or 78 jeans on women tend to be baggy and real thin and loose in the legs and in many cases the pant would hit the ground. If you are familiar with the early 1970s and even the mid 1970s, or the hippie era, you know what I’m talking about.

In 1977 and 78 that changed and women’s jeans denim leather became tight and reveling. Showing your legs and butt as a sexy women became popular. And you started seeing a lot of women in their tight dark wash designer denim jeans on TV a lot and in the movies and out in public and you saw sexy female celebrities showing off their hot bodies in them. The jeans in boots look started in the late 1970s, not 2005-06.

The designer denim jeans for women sort of went out of style by 1986 or so and unfortunately were replaced with acid wash and unfortunately I’m old enough to remember that as well. But smart enough to never where them. And then in the late 1990s the dark wash designer denims came back into style and have been with us ever since and have just gotten tighter with skinny denim trend.

You can also see this post at The Action Blog, on WordPress.

You can also see this post at The Action Blog, on Blogger.

You can also see this post on FreeState MD.

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