Archive for Toys
Christmas 1973 – Mom in White Go-Go Boots
Yesterday’s post had pics of my Christmases between 1972 and 1976, with the exception of 1973. Here’s 1973 with my Mom in a miniskirt and go-go boots! Don’t know if there’s a picture of Dad from that day, it appears he was working the camera. I’ve still got a whole shoebox of photos to go through, so there may be more Christmas pics in years to come. These are NOT found photos, this is my family. Click on the picture to see the whole thing.
First you can see my Mom, and all the stuff my sister got. Some Barbie stuff, Gnip Gnop
is a back-and-forth ball game which you can still get. And she’ holding a pogo stick.
is a back-and-forth ball game which you can still get. And she’ holding a pogo stick.
I got Operation, the unfortunately named Boob Tube (I found it awkward even at 7-years-old), a pogo stick, a ship from my parent’s trip to Mexico (it had secret compartments and I loved that thing), a figure 8 race track, a G.I. Joe outfit, and a Big Jim Fishing Trip set. Kind of an odd choice of all the Big Jim stuff to get me. My Dad never once took me fishing. My maternal Grandfather took me a few times, but I don’t think fishing was ever a big deal with me. Maybe it was when I was that young, I don’t know.
Here’s my Mom with a Club aluminum skillet and a cookie jar that she still has. That was one of the best gifts we ever got her.
Here’s my sister with her Barbie head. You could fix the hair and I think put make-up on her.
Christmas Photos Me and My Toys 1972-1976
Here’s a few family photos of the ol’ Retro Hound as a kid with the cool stuff I got. I’ve got several of 1973 that I’ll post tomorrow. Let me emphasize, these are NOT found photos. This is me and my family. Click on a pic to get full size or see the whole thing.
First in 1972 I’m 6 years old and I got a G.I. Joe ATV (all terrain vehicle)! Also some bi-planes and a split-tail boat (the blue and white thing on the floor), a fishnet stocking(!) full of candy, and what is that in my left hand? A sarcophagus? UPDATE: Yes, it’s the G.I. Joe sarcophagus! I know the picture says May 1973, but it took that long for my folks to get the photos developed. See the stocking in my right hand? Wow, I remember that sofa of my grandparents and the smell it had, isn’t that odd?
This is at my other grandparent’s house. I’m holding an Air Blaster in my hands, and that Matchbox Autopark got A LOT of use. On top of that box is a snubnose .38 and what is that other box? Then some bowling stuff which I think my Mom gave me for my kids and some Viewmaster slides of The Aristocats and what looks to be some fairy tales. Also on the floor is my panda bear poster. My sister has some kind of Barbie house. And my Grandmother is in purple and she still has that chair.
In 1974 I got a G.I. Joe, a couple G.I. Joe outfits, and the Abominable Snowman set! That would be worth some money if I still had it in good condition. My Mom sold all my G.I. Joe stuff in a garage sale when I was out of town once. She bought into all that crap about guns and stuff not being good for kids and was always conflicted about letting me have anything “violent.” Plus I was about 13 and she figured I was too old for toys. Bummer is she didn’t’ even give me the money. There’s also a Lego tow truck and car from back when middle class people could afford Legos. I think that box on top of the Snowman set is soap in the shape of an alligator. Maybe that’s what’s in the previous photo, some kind of soap. A Snoopy Avon bottle, Ker-Plunk, a wide belt and the thing in my left hand is a 3-D painting project. There’s a background, and made out of plywood, a car body and wheels. Oh, and gum.
In 1975, I have a ruler-comb (kinda odd), Going, Going, Gone the flea market auction game, a custom van model, my Funky Favorites album that I still have, a hot wheels car, a Rook game that I don’t think I played even once, some Nurf-like rockets, a Hardy Boys book, some clothes, and a ship-in-a-bottle.
My other grandparents again. A Super Toe football kicker, some Dallas Cowboy PJs, gloves, some paint-by-numbers that I think I let my sister do (it was a doe-eyed cocker spaniel or some sissy thing), a How and Why Wonder Book – Weather that I still have, best of all, an Empire Chuck Wagon Jeep! I loved this thing.
Finally we have these Disney shirts and aprons that my Mom made using DIY pillows.
Tomorrow! Several pics from Christmas 1973, when my Mom wore white Go-go boots.
Marx Toys “Nutty Mads” Waldo the Weight Lifter
Marx Toys had a series of these Nutty Mads. This one won’t stand by himself, he falls on his face. Probably why there’s that gunk on the bottom, we tried to glue him down or something. We also had a similar figure on a motorcycle, but I haven’t found a picture that looks like I remember him. It could be, I’m not remembering correctly. My siblings remember the figure, but no one knows where he’s gone. Waldo the Weight Lifter is dated 1963, so my Dad probably bought it while he was in high school.
Tarco Whee-Lo! with Whee-Lets!
This cool toy is a Whee-Lo from Tarco. Probably several companies made them, some of them called it a “magnetic rail toy.” Whee-Lo started in the 1950s. This one is my Mom’s (and not for sale, at least not cheap), and it was at my Grandparent’s house for us kids when we visited. Dated 1976. When I showed it to my kids I said, “Boys, this is what a gameboy looked like when I was a kid.” Frankly, I find these preferable to texting or video games. They’re still made, a couple of my sons had some of these and they were chincy. The one pictured here is pretty solid, heavy gauge wire, etc. You can find some info at Skool Days and Retroland.
Hound Family Photos from the 1970s
Here’s the beginning of some family photos of mine from the 1970s. I’ve got a shoebox full that my Mom just gave me to scan. Please note, these are not FOUND Photos, these are photos of my family; people I know and love. I’ll have more this week and again around Halloween and Christmas.
First up, here’s my Uncle Bill and his daughter with my Mom and us kids in June 1972. Mom had quite the look going on. My Uncle Bill looked a lot like Burt Reynolds. In fact, once at a business dinner, someone told the waiter that he was Burt’s brother. Apparently you could see the rumor spread across the restaurant as people whispered from one table to the next.
One of the joys of these are looking at the backgrounds. The first pic is at my Grandparents. They still have that table in the same spot and one chair still in the living room. The other chair is in the garage, Grandad couldn’t bear to part with it after sitting in it for 40 years. The seat is completely caved in. In the 2nd one you see some kind of groovy stand with a metal ship on it and the chrome chair that my sister still has. It has been reupholstered though. And I still have that Animal Stamps book. And I’m wearing my Big Mac t-shirt! I loved that thing! My birthdays, 1974, 1975 and 1977 (the one with the striped socks).
Next are just some pics of various places we lived and stuff we had. My room in 1972. I wondered why someone decided I needed a panda bear poster, but I had it for a long time. Next two are this cool table we had that my Dad built from giant spools and auto wheels. After we got a real table, that was outside for many years, painted red.
Spinwelder from Mattel
Spinwelder Race Car Builder, Weld a dragster and a Can-Am special! Rev them up and run ‘em! Cool toy from Mattel No. 7331. Copyright 1974. Runs on a 6-volt lantern battery, that’s a big flashlight. My grandfather still uses one like that. One of my boys picked this up, but he hasn’t built it. It’s probably worth more if he doesn’t, but I won’t stop him if he decides to do it.
