When I was a kid, my first four Halloweens I wore the same costume: I was a pirate, and not a friendly one. I had two toy guns, spurs on my boots, and a scowl that I worked on in the car mirror as my dad drove my brother and me to the local subdivision. Making the rounds through the neighborhood, most of the other girls were puffs of pink, variations on the same princess theme, and I scoffed at them as we walked by.
Each piece of my costume-- a tri-pointed black hat, vest with skull-and-crossbones, and striped pants-- were graying from the wash, but I kept donning it every October, until I grew out of it. Why was I so dedicated to a costume that got me weird looks from each Cinderella we passed?
Because it had been my older brother Jay's, some years before. Jay was four years older than me and wiser than I could ever imagine being. Why I loved Jay so much was a bit of a mystery; his favorite past time seemed to be chasing me around the house, grabbing me, and tickling me until I cried. But still, he was older, and I was determined to follow in his footsteps.
Now, even though Jay and I are too old to go ourselves, we've still found a good excuse to make the candy-grabbing rounds. He has a daughter Madeline, who experienced her first Halloween last year, at four years old. Remembering our own Halloweens together, my brother asked me if I wanted to help take Maddy on her first trick or treat.
"Of course!" I replied, thinking of the pirate outfit I had stuffed in a chest somewhere in the attic. My mind raced through photo opportunities of little brown-haired Maddy hamming it up in the old costume, creating priceless photos to give to our parents.
I rooted through boxes of things from my childhood, and under some of my old elementary school workbooks and crayon drawings I found the costume. It looked pretty much the same, though plainer than I had remembered. I threw it in my bag and got ready to go to my brother's to dress Maddy up for Halloween.
As I pulled up to the house, I saw Maddy and Jay on the front porch. Maddy was striking poses, and Jay was snapping a digital camera. She was definitely wearing something fluffy and girly, though it wasn't pink.
"Auntie Joy, I'm Tinkerbell!" she yelled at me as ran up to the car. I got out, gave her a hug, and walked to my brother.
"Look what I've got," I said to him, showing him the pirate suit inside my bad.
"There's no way she'll agree to wear that ugly thing," my brother joked. And just like that, my hopes for bringing up the past, and finally getting someone to mimic me, were dashed.
"It's the benefit of being the first born," Jay said, ruffling my hair, as Maddy twirled on the porch in her puffy dress.
Joy Henry is a writer for Guide to Online Schools.
Thanks for the great story and photo Joy. Anyone else have something they'd like to share?
I'm proud to present, for the first time ever, a guest post on The Wonderful Wonderblog. See my comments at the bottom of this post.
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Often referred to as the decade of disco, the 1970s were a phenomenal and memorable set of years still widely referenced in today's culture. In addition to bell bottoms, platform shoes, Afro puffs, and white disco suits, the 70s are also renowned for their classic entertainment. Animated television was one form of this entertainment. Before 3D, high def, and blue ray, there was pure, old-fashioned animated TV that brought the quality entertainment its viewers so desired. Join us on a trip down memory lane as we revisit ten of the best animated television shows to air during the 70s!
1. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids: (First aired 1972, ran until 1985) "Hey hey hey! It's Faaatttt Albert!" This was the beloved expression of the characters on Fat Albert--an animated series that was created, produced, and at times voiced by comedian Bill Cosby. The show was based on remembrances of Cosby's childhood gang and focused on the lovable and oversized character Albert. Often featuring an educational lesson and a rock song performed by the characters, Cosby's upbeat kids had an impact on children across America, regardless of race. In 2004, the animated series was released as a film adaptation, but of course nothing tops the original.
2. Schoolhouse Rock!: (First aired 1973, ran until 1999) Remember how in grade school your teacher would turn certain lessons into a song to help you remember it better? Well that's exactly how the widely popular show Schoolhouse Rock! got its start. The show began after David Mcall noticed that his son was having trouble remembering his multiplication tables but knew the lyrics to several rock songs. Each episode was an animated musical and educational short film that covered topics such as grammar, science, economics, and math. Schoolhouse Rock! was short but sweet and adorned by kids and parents everywhere. It'll definitely go down as one of the classics. Rock on dudes!
3. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: (First aired 1969, ran until 1972) Who can forget America's favorite Scooby-snack loving, easily frightened, affectionate Great Dane dog and his four fun-loving mystery-solving pals? Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! was the first incarnation of the long-running Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo. Each episode involved Scooby and his four teenage pals, affectionately called "the gang," solving a super-natural mystery. Scooby and Shaggy were the somewhat clumsy, "fraidy cats" of the group, while Daphne was the damsel in distress, and Fred and Velma were usually the brains of the operation. These five personalities were combined to create a show that, despite its antiquity, is still being embraced today.
4. Josie and the Pussy Cats: (First aired 1970, ran until 1972) Before Hannah Montana and the Cheetah Girls, there was Josie and the Pussy Cats--an animated series that featured an all-girl pop music band that toured the world getting swept up by delectable adventures along the way. The show became famous for its music and the girls' leopard-print leotards complete with tails and ears. The original show only ran for 16 episodes before it was transformed into the amusing spin-off Josie and the Pussy Cats in Outer Space. Even after its final airing, the spunk and charisma of Josie and her team continued to influence animated series for years to come. Hooray for girl power!
5. Star Trek: The Animated Series: (First aired 1973, ran until 1974) Geeks, hold on to your seats as we take a brief journey into what some might call the biggest asset known to geek-kind. After Star Trek: The Original Series but before Star Trek: The Next Generation, there was Star Trek: The Animated Series, sometimes referred to as The Animated Adventures of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek. Star Trek: The Animated Series was an animated science fiction television series set in the titular Star Trek Universe following the original series of the 1960s. The animated episodes were largely modeled after the original show, with a bit more flexibility in introducing new characters and technologies. (Because let's face it--it's easier to draw a Klingon-speaking, non-humanoid alien than it is to actually build one.) The series went on to receive critical acclaim and a Daytime Emmy Award.
6. Jabberjaw: (First aired 1976, ran until 1978) As part of the overall shark mania of the 1970s and shortly after the then-recent film Jaws, Hanna-Barbara Inc. released Jabberjaw--a Saturday morning animated series about a 15-foot talking great white shark. Jabberjaw was the drummer for a rock group made up of four teenagers who all lived in an underwater civilization in the year 2076. As Jabberjaw and his rock band buddies traveled to different underwater cities, they would encounter and attempt to conquer diabolic villains with plans to take over the undersea world. The format and writing for Jabberjaw was similar to that for Scooby-Doo and Josie and Pussycats, but for a time when people were scared out their minds of sharks, you've got to admit it was pretty cool to create one that was heroic and loveable.
7. Super Friends: (First aired 1973, ran until 1986) The Super Friends were an animated group of superhero comrades. The show was based on the Justice League of America--a fictional superhero team that appeared in then-recent comic books. During its 13 year span, the show existed under several different titles, all involving some combination including the words 'super' and "friends.' Plotlines for the show focused on the often far-fetched schemes of mad scientists and aliens, who were eventually revealed to be well-intentioned but pursuing their goals through unlawful means. Typically, each episode would end with the Super Friends convincing the antagonsits to adopt more reasonable methods. The Super Friends and the Justice League of America were merely the animated embodiment of the "justice for all" atmosphere that cloaked the nation at that time.
8. Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels: (First aired 1977, ran until 1980) This series can be accurately described as a cartoon take off of Charlie's Angels. After being set free by the Teen Angels from a block of glacier ice, Captain Caveman emerged as the world's first superhero. Along with the three Teen Angels, the Captain solves crimes with his super strength and an endless assortment of gadgets that he keeps hidden in his caveman fur. Even after the Captain's own superhero days had ceased, he continued to make appearances in other shows and was featured in The Flintstone Comedy Show, the Flintstone Kids, Robot Chicken, and a few others. Who says our Stone Age brethren can't make it in the modern day?
9. The Funky Phantom: (First aired 1971, ran until 1972) The 70s were all about getting down at the disco and keeping it fresh, so it only makes sense that the Phantom had to be funky too. Attempting to find shelter from a rain storm, three teens take refuge in an abandoned house. While there, they discover the ghost of an old coward who had hidden in his clock from British soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Not to worry, however, because this ghost was far from frightening and soon became the gang's favorite "Funky Phantom!"
10. Groovie Goolies: (First aired 1970, ran until 1972) Groovie Goolies was an animated spinoff of Sabrina The Teenage Witch (the original comic book series, not the one with Melissa Joan Hart). Keeping with their name and the atmosphere of the time, the Groovie Goolies were indeed quite groovy. The show actually produced a hit song for Richard Mondo called "Chick a Boom." The Goolies themselves were a group of hip monsters who sang a pop song during each episode. What you might not have guessed from their name, however, is that the Goolies were drawn to be funny and not scary.
Brittany Johnson is a writer for Guide to Online Schools.
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A great big thank you to Brittany Johnson for the guest post. Well, What do you think? I think this is a pretty good list. It would be tough for me to choose just 10. My list would definately include Fat Albert, Schoolhouse Rock, Super Friends and Groovie Goolies. I also really like Hong Kong Phooey, Grape Ape, Tarzan and the Super 7, Battle of the Planets and The Godzilla Power Hour. What are your favorite 70s 'toons?
