Whad'ya get???

[twinsrwe]

I was surfing the internet and came across the following interesting tidbits of information, which sport fans probably already know:

In 1893, according to legend, a unique popcorn, peanuts and molasses confection that was the forerunner to Cracker Jack caramel coated popcorn and peanuts is introduced by F.W. Rueckheim and Brother, at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago's first World's Fair.

In 1896, Louis Rueckheim, F.W.'s brother and partner, discovers the process for keeping the molasses-covered popcorn morsels from sticking together. Louis gives the treat to a salesman who exclaims, "That's crackerjack!" "So it is," says F.W. Rueckheim, who then has the words trademarked. "Cracker Jack," prior to being associated with the caramel coated popcorn and peanuts treat, was slang for something considered really great. Much the way people today use the word, "awesome," people then used the word "crackerjack."

In 1899, the wax-sealed, moisture-proof box was introduced.

In 1908, the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was written by Jack Norworth and composed by Albert Von Tilzer. It has been ranked in survey polls as one of the top ten songs of the twentieth century and is second only to "Happy Birthday" and "The Star Spangled Banner" as the most easily recognized songs in America. Cracker Jack brand is immortalized with the third line, "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack." This song is copyrighted in the Library of Congress.

In 1912, "A Prize in Every Box" is introduced when toys are inserted into every Cracker Jack box.

In 1927, Jack Norworth changed some of the lyrics in the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", and a second version appeared.

In 1964, the Cracker Jack Company was sold to Borden Foods, a division of Borden, Inc.

In 1997, the current manufacturers Frito-Lay purchased Cracker Jack from Borden.


Lizzie and Emma would have had the pleasure of eating the forerunner to Cracker Jack the year after Andrew and Abby were murdered, and the year Lizzie was acquitted. Three years later they would know this unique treat as Cracker Jack.

Weather the girls were baseball fans or not, by 1908 they would have been exposed to the original version of the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game. The second version of this song was not written until the year they died and only the verses were changed - the chorus remained the same; so they would have been familiar with the same chorus lines that we sing today.

1908 Version

Katie Casey was baseball mad,
Had the fever and had it bad.
Just to root for the home town crew,
Ev'ry sou1
Katie blew.
On a Saturday her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said "No,
I'll tell you what you can do:"

[Chorus] Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowds;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.


1927 Version

Nelly Kelly loved baseball games,
Knew the players, knew all their names.
You could see her there ev'ry day,
Shout "Hurray"
When they'd play.
Her boyfriend by the name of Joe
Said, "To Coney Isle, dear, let's go",
Then Nelly started to fret and pout,
And to him, I heard her shout:

[Chorus] Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowds;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.


Although the girls would have pasted on by the time the Cracker Jack Company was sold to Borden Foods, I have to wonder if the founder of Borden, Inc., Gail Borden, was related to the Borden's of Fall River, MA.

I also wonder if Lizzie ever went to a baseball game, sang the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game, munched on a box of Cracker Jack© and asked anyone, "Whad'ya get???"

Sources:
http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/exhibit ... /colum.htm
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poetry/po_stmo.shtml
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.n ... fault.html
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.n ... fault.html
http://www.crackerjack.com/history.php
http://www.crackerjack.com/trivia.php
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/fea ... index.html
http://inventors.about.com/library/inve ... rjacks.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/borden-gail
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0808333.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracker_Jack

[Tina-Kate]

This is funny.

I checked Cracker Jack history on line just last week---I had been watching the old movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's.

"Paul" finds a ring in the Cracker Jack box & later he & Holly decide to get it engraved at Tiffany & Co. The counter man asks, "Do they still have prizes in Cracker Jack boxes?" He said it was good to know they did, as it gave one a continuity with the past.

This movie was 1961/62 & I got curious.

[DJ]

Thanks for both these posts! I'm partial to the taste of molasses, particularly in cookies (also in gingerbread), as Lizzie evidently was. She seemed to have enjoyed treats, and no doubt Cracker Jack was one of them.
A sidebar about "Breakfast at Tiffany's"-- Truman Capote wrote the novella with his friend Marilyn Monroe as the model for Holly Golightly. He wanted her to portray the part in the film, too. You receive more of a sense of "Marilyn as Holly" from reading the work. (And, I never could picture Audrey as a hick named Lula Mae, married to Buddy Ebsen!)
Still, Audrey pulled it off, and she's probably best known for that film, in spite of all the other big things she did: "Sabrina," "Roman Holiday," and "My Fair Lady," among them. She was perfect for the first two, and, as much as I like Julie Andrews, I still think Audrey was fine as Eliza Doolittle, even though her voice was dubbed.
However, I wish there were a Marilyn Monroe version of "Breakfast at Tiffany's." I'd love to see her on a fire escape, strumming and singing "Moon River."
************************************************************
Speaking of which, I saw an excellent PBS special featuring saxophonist Dave Koz, this past weekend, performing memorable movie songs. Great! He played "Moon River" while Barry Manilow sang, and it really made my day!

[1bigsteve]

I always loved Cracker Jack and those cute prizes.

I first saw Breakfast at Tiffany's just a few years ago and fell in love with it. Did you get the hidden meaning when Paul asked Doc if he wanted the Cracker Jack prize? The prize was Holly and when Paul asked Doc if he wanted "it" Doc said no. Paul kept the prize, Holly. The meaning was very subtle. I love that scene.

I never could see Marilyn as Holly in the film. Personally I can't see Marilyn being serious enough to nail the emotional scenes, and make them believable, like her saying goodbye to Doc at the Bus Station, dressing in the cab, looking for the cat in the rain, etc. I feel Marilyn, as much as I liked her in Bus Stop and a few other films, wouldn't have played those scenes straight enough. There would have been just a bit too much "swiggle." Right now I'm looking at a photo of Audrey on my calendar taken during the production of Breakfast at Tiffany's. Oddly enough a few of my last calenders have been of Marilyn. I like both girls.

"Moon River" was written in one octave for Audrey. I heard that song sung thousands of times by others for years and got to where I couldn't stand hearing it... until I saw Audrey singing it and now I love it! Crazy. Barry Manilow was a singer I never cared for until I recently found out he wrote "Even Now." I have Nana Mouskouri's recording and it is such a beautiful song.

I have to stay away from Cracker Jacks. I can't eat just one box.

-1bigsteve (o:

[Tina-Kate]

I should read Capote's original work again. It's been a LONG time since I read it. This time, I'll keep Marilyn in mind when I do. It should add another dimension, thanks!

[twinsrwe]

That is funny, Tina-Kate. I'm not sure anymore just what I was doing a Google search in regards to anymore, but I ran across the Cracker Jack web site, and the dates of 1893 and 1927, as well as the Borden name just stood out for me - you know? So, of course, I had to do some deeper digging.

David, I'm glad you enjoyed my post - I know, I sure enjoyed putting it together. You're right, Lizzie did enjoy her treats!

Steve, I also loved the prizes that used to come in the Cracker Jack boxes. My sister and I couldn't wait to open the wax-sealed box to find the prize, then ask, "Whad'ya get???" The actual Cracker Jack treat was the last thing we wanted until the prize was obtained!


It is sad that in recent years, the toy and trinket prizes have been replaced with paper prizes displaying riddles and jokes. (The wax-sealed moisture-proof boxes have also been replaced with regular bags that all chips come in now days.) The prizes one gets today are not the 'Fun Fact' they claim to be - what fun is it when you already know what your prize will be? It saddens me that the era of actual toy and ticket prizes has passed, and been replaced with the new and improved prize.

Today prize is...

[Angel]

Oh, Lord- I am soooo old. This reminds me of when I was a small girl and my mother was listening to the radio (Art Linkletter or some such thing). The announcer was advertising "Hostess Cupcakes" and he said that they contained a "surprise inside." I thought it was like the Cracker Jack thing, so I bugged my mother until she got the cupcakes. I was surprised all right- it was the whipped creme inside, not a toy. They must have been new to the market for them to advertise it in that way.

[Harry]

Cool post, Judy, thanks.

The one prize I remember getting was a little plastic purple World War II airplane (a P-38).

Yes, Ebay does have the prizes on auction.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dl ... category0=

There was also a cereal (maybe more than one) that had a hidden prize in it.

And in the nostalgic vein how many remember the ice cream dixie cups that had a Hollywood star photo on the top inside? My sister collected those.

[kssunflower]

Most of the sugary cereals marketed for kids had prizes in them, at least in the 60's and 70's. My brothers and I used to fight over the boxes.

My dad is an antique collector and has a whole box full of Cracker Jack prizes, I think from the 50's.

[1bigsteve]

Oh, Lord- I am soooo old. This reminds me of when I was a small girl and my mother was listening to the radio (Art Linkletter or some such thing). The announcer was advertising "Hostess Cupcakes" and he said that they contained a "surprise inside." I thought it was like the Cracker Jack thing, so I bugged my mother until she got the cupcakes. I was surprised all right- it was the whipped creme inside, not a toy. They must have been new to the market for them to advertise it in that way.

I know what you mean, Angel. I hate deceptive advertising. During my childhood I saw an ad for a toy rifle that looked like the real thing in size and shape. I was all juiced up but when it finally arrived it was a tiny plastic piece of garbage that didn't hold up. I was heart broken. Remember the Big Mac commercials? Those burgers always look better and bigger on TV. They had actors hold the burger with their tiny hands held close together so the burger looked bigger to the camera.

Judy, Cracker Jack is sold in a local store in both boxes and bags. I still prefer the boxes. You can't play around with tradition! Unfortunately the prizes are mainly paper cut-outs of some sort just like you mentioned. I remember getting little toy cars, rings like Holly's, spy glasses, two-way mirrors and such. Now days it's mainly paper. Cheaper I guess for the corporate bottom line.

Whenever I buy Cracker Jacks I tell the clerks I'm buying them for my "young nephew." I don't want them to know that this big brute is buying them for himself. Hand over the prizes and no one gets hurt!

-1bigsteve (o:

[DJ]

Well, we're really weaving a pop-culture web here--
Speaking of McDonald's, Steve-- Barry Manilow wrote one of their famous commercial jingles: "You deserve a break today ... " along with other jingles, including, "I am stuck on Band-Aid ..." which is being rerun!
Speaking of your "late coming" to Manilow-- my younger brother is an Army officer who has talked to more than one young soldier who loves the song "Mandy," then double-takes when they find out it was a Manilow hit.
Harry, surely you've heard the Statler Brothers song that goes, "Movie stars' pictures on Dixie Cup tops, and knickers to your knees / Oh, do you remember these?"
As for prizes in cereal boxes, Cracker Jack boxes, et al: Kids today are so blase about such things. I often wonder: What do they consider a treat? (To me, it was going to the drug store for a hamburger, then my Dad letting us pick out ONE thing from the candy display at the cash register-- and I'm still in my forties.)
At one of my nephews' birthday parties, there was a pinata (among other divertissements). When it "busted," the kids all moved on to the next big thing. I turned to my brother's mother-in-law and remarked, "Gosh, when we used to have those at parties when I was a kid, the real fun was the scramble for the goodies inside."

[Tina-Kate]

I just have to mention this. One of my brothers in his younger years had a strong resemblance to Barry Manilow---it's why his 1st wife married him.

There was also an episode a long time ago on Will & Grace where they describe his fans as, "Fanilows".

[Harry]

Harry, surely you've heard the Statler Brothers song that goes, "Movie stars' pictures on Dixie Cup tops, and knickers to your knees / Oh, do you remember these?"

Yes, I have the album on CD somewhere. Another one from them was "What Ever Happened To Randolph Scott" about all the cowboys in the movies and how the movies have changed.

[DJ]

I've still got my Barry Manilow albums, including "Even Now," as well as ABBA's. When I was a teenager, they were so "uncool," but I didn't care. Am not surprised at the success of "Mama Mia!" I knew the U.S. would catch up, sooner than later. Love the movie "Muriel's Wedding," with the ABBA soundtrack. Would love to see Barry in Vegas at the Hilton. Those catchy songs and heartfelt ballads just live on and on.

[twinsrwe]

Oh, Lord- I am soooo old. This reminds me of when I was a small girl and my mother was listening to the radio (Art Linkletter or some such thing). The announcer was advertising "Hostess Cupcakes" and he said that they contained a "surprise inside." I thought it was like the Cracker Jack thing, so I bugged my mother until she got the cupcakes. I was surprised all right- it was the whipped creme inside, not a toy. They must have been new to the market for them to advertise it in that way.

Ellen, you're not alone in feeling old. I'm right behind you...

A lot of advertising is misleading and very disappointing, especially for a kid.

[twinsrwe]

Cool post, Judy, thanks.

The one prize I remember getting was a little plastic purple World War II airplane (a P-38).

Yes, Ebay does have the prizes on auction.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dl ... category0=

There was also a cereal (maybe more than one) that had a hidden prize in it.

And in the nostalgic vein how many remember the ice cream dixie cups that had a Hollywood star photo on the top inside? My sister collected those.

I'm glad you enjoyed this post, Harry - kinda thought you would.

Ebay has quite a few prizes on auction, don't they? I also remember getting a prize in a cereal box - for the life of me, I can't remember which cereal! Maybe Wheaties?

I don't recall actually having an ice cream dixie cup with a hollywood star photo on the lid, but that doesn't mean I didn't. However, if I did, the hollywood star photo wouldn't have meant diddly–squat to me because we were not allowed to go to a movie, nor were we allowed to watch TV, except for a couple of hours on Saturday nights- shows like Lawrence Welk, Ed Sullivan and the like.

[twinsrwe]

Most of the sugary cereals marketed for kids had prizes in them, at least in the 60's and 70's. My brothers and I used to fight over the boxes. ...

Cindy, I think you're right, in that most the surgery cereals had prizes in them. However, my father would not allow us to have the sugary cereals - Corn Flakes, Cheerios, All Bran and Wheaties were the ones we were allowed to choose from.

[twinsrwe]

... Judy, Cracker Jack is sold in a local store in both boxes and bags. I still prefer the boxes. You can't play around with tradition! Unfortunately the prizes are mainly paper cut-outs of some sort just like you mentioned. I remember getting little toy cars, rings like Holly's, spy glasses, two-way mirrors and such. Now days it's mainly paper. Cheaper I guess for the corporate bottom line. ...

You mean you can get Cracker Jack in a box? Hmmmm, I'll have to do some checking around, but the stores I go to, in my area of the world, only sell Cracker Jack in bags. I also prefer the boxes - sometimes the 'old' ways are much better! Unfortunately, you're right - the bottom line is cost. - sad but true.

...Whenever I buy Cracker Jacks I tell the clerks I'm buying them for my "young nephew." I don't want them to know that this big brute is buying them for himself. Hand over the prizes and no one gets hurt! -1bigsteve (o:

Steve, you crack me up!!!

[twinsrwe]

... As for prizes in cereal boxes, Cracker Jack boxes, et al: Kids today are so blase about such things. I often wonder: What do they consider a treat? (To me, it was going to the drug store for a hamburger, then my Dad letting us pick out ONE thing from the candy display at the cash register-- and I'm still in my forties.) ...

I know what you mean, David. Kids today have no idea of what it is like to be allowed only one thing.

[Shelley]

I recall the dixie cups with the photos underneath the lid! Gene Autry was my favorite. The carton was paper with a little tab to pull and half was chocolate and half vanilla. I only ate the vanilla part. My favorite Cracker Jack toy was the little compass with the spinning needle. Remember Jets cereal with the balsa wood glider planes or the Deep Diver plastic divers you could put baking soda in a watch 'em go up and down in your granny's clear Pyrex measuring cup? And what a thrill Tiny Tears doll was- you feed her water and tears would come out of her eyes. That was a real big deal. Now dolls can do everything. I also miss Nehi grape and orange soda pop, Zero and Zagnut bars, OHenry bars, Fizzies, Bosco Chocolate Syrup,dime comic books (and boy how I wish I had saved all my old comics) and the biggest treat of all was riding in Granddaddy's Chevy truck to deliver the eggs, followed by a trip to the general store for a little brown bag of penny candies and a new Little Dot comic book and a nickel Dreamsicle. AH, life was much simpler then and we were happy making mud pies on the back step.

[Angel]

I could hardly wait each month when a new "Little Lulu" comic book would come out for 10 cents and I would jump on my bike to go to the store and get it. Amazing, isn't it, the little things that seemed so important when one was little? And how those things would make us so happy?

[kssunflower]

I also miss Nehi grape and orange soda pop, Zero and Zagnut bars, OHenry bars.

Yes, I miss these too, and can somebody please tell me what happened to Keebler HeyDay cookies and Betty Crocker Date Bar mix........sigh.

[Nadzieja]

What ever happened to Zarex?? I remember Zagnut bars, and believe it or not you can still buy them from a store called "Vermont Country Store". I think they also have Ice Cubes. They had a couple pages of the candy we grew up with. They have a catalog & are also on line. (They might wonder what happened when their candy sales skyrocket)

[Nadzieja]

Wow, I remember those comics. Little Dot the Little LuLu, also The Archies. To my mothers horror I loved the comic called "Metal Men". I can't remember if it was once a month or once every couple months the publishers would come out with the thick comic books that cost 25 cents.

[Shelley]

Oh yes- date nut bars! My Mom made those all the time and they were yummy hot from the oven with Ovaltine. We had a pink and aqua kitchen with pink vinyl and black wrought iron table and chair set and the only pink refrigerator in history and I can still see those square pink Melamine plates! The television set which was the size of a VW Beetle was near the kitchen so we could all watch Science Fiction Theatre while we ate all together and cleaned our plates (my Dad worked for NASA) . Tuesday nights were TV dinner nights from Swanson and Fridays were always creamed chipped beef on homemade waffles. Mom had a waffle iron the size of a Rolls Royce grille. Saturday night was the big night for TV with Jiffy Pop which Mom always burned on the bottom and Yahoo soda pop, and then it was Checkmate and Perry Mason time. After school snacks were always little bottles of Welch's grape juice and a box of animal crackers. There were the circus ones and one brand called TOYS which had neat cookie clocks and toy soldiers. Ah, and then the pin-ups: Paul Anka, Pat Boone, Johnny Crawford, Ricky Nelson, Sal Mineo,Troy Donahue, Rip Torn, and of course The King. I googled some of them recently and YUCK- wrinkled old tortoises! Ricky was my true love and Lonesome Town was my favorite tune to croon while slooshing through the mudpuddles walking to school holding the red and green plaid lunch box with a THERMOS bottle in it. When Ozzie and Harriet came on at the part where Ricky would sing -nobody was allowed to breathe in the room. I hated all the pony-tailed girls who giggled and winked at Ricky. I still have his first album from 1958- the year of the great blizzard in Wilmington, Delaware. The snow was so high we kids had to stay inside. We were lucky to have gas and not electric so Mom could cook. People ate cold cereal for a week and huddled in one bed to stay warm. Yeah, those were the days.

[kssunflower]

What ever happened to Zarex?? I remember Zagnut bars, and believe it or not you can still buy them from a store called "Vermont Country Store". I think they also have Ice Cubes. They had a couple pages of the candy we grew up with. They have a catalog & are also on line. (They might wonder what happened when their candy sales skyrocket)

My search online for date bar mix actually led me to Vermont Country Store a couple years ago. They had a mix at one time, but had just discontinued it when I discovered them. Anyway, I still get catalogs and it looks like they've got a lot of unique stuff.

[Kat]

I get their catalogs at Christmas- black and white and drawings, yes? They draw the nightgowns as if there was a headless woman in them- I love those!

I remember Jets cereal! I always loved those and no one else remembers them except finally Shelley- I lived in Baltimore when I had those. I would eat my Jets cereal and rock in my little child's rocker and when Gene Autry came on TV I would kiss the TV screen. I wanted to marry him.

I also remember Tom Terrific and Gerald McBoingBoing.

[Angel]

And don't forget Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and Quickdraw McGraw!

That Squarepants guy could never hold a candle to them!

[Tina-Kate]

Breakfast at Tiffany's trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urQVzgEO_w8

[DJ]

Going back:
Nabisco, I believe, used to make a molasses cookie, back in the '60s. It had a "daisy" edge, not perfectly round, was brown, with a thin white icing completely covering the top. And, across the white icing, some diagonal brown stripes.
Does anyone remember these? What was the name? I loved 'em, and they disappeared, just as the Mystic Mints did later. They were like the Girl Scouts' mint cookies, only better. I know Nabisco made them.
Nabisco also used to make a cracker called Sip 'n' Chips (NOT Dip in a Chip), during the '60s, which was my favorite snack.
One of my all-time favorite candies was Brach's Sour Balls (gotta love the cherry), and I haven't seen those in years.

[Shelley]

Ya know Kat, maybe Jets was a local Maryland brand cereal because nobody else recalls them. Tom Terrific! YAY! His little funnel hat would change into shapes and Tom could be anything he wanted. Now- do you remember the name of his DOG? Trivia time!

Yes, DJ, I do remember those lace-edged spicy cookies with the white frosting and stripes but I forget the name! I thought they were made by Kebler. Good news, Hydrox oreo-like cookies are BACK in stores by popular demand after being retired a while back.

Roy Rogers was my cowboy hero, along with Palladin, Sugarfoot and Pancho and Cisco. And out of the East came SKY KING and his cute niece Penny- brought to you by Nabisco. Mostly I just loved Trigger. Those were the days when the TV songs were great and everybody knew the words. Have Gun Will Travel reads the card of a man... a soldier of fortune in a promised land- etc. No more good TV songs nowadays. Hey, remember the name of Dale Evans' horse? How about Tonto's? And Bullet and Rin Tin Tin and Nellie Belle the jeep of Roy's hired hand Pat Brady? There just are no more Andy Devines and Walter Brennans and Gaby Hayes anymore. Even the commercials were memorable. A favorite of mine is the beavers Ipana Brusha brusha brusha toothpaste one and Brillecreme a little dabba do ya- she loves to run her fingers through your hair. And whatever happened to that bright orange Lifebuoy soap and GREEN Prell? It was so much fun to watch that silly pearl drop through the shampoo. Oh the things kids are missing out on today.

[doug65oh]

Tom Terrific's dog? Was it Manfred? I remember seeing the cartoon just a few times, on Captain Kangaroo.

[Shelley]

YAY! Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog indeed! Prize to Doug!

[doug65oh]

You mentioned Roy Rogers up there too. Did you ever get a chance to see the Roy Rogers Museum at Victorville, California? (It has since been relocated elsewhere I think.) I visited the Victorville museum ... oh I guess it's 20 or so years back and was amazed at what all they had preserved there: Both Trigger's - Sr. & Jr., the dog, the jeep...many things. (The name of Dale's horse was Buttermilk, incidentally...I saw her, too.)

One of the highlights though - I thought - was a large framed portrait of Gabby Hayes. Another has to be one of the ugliest cars I've ever seen - it was a mustard-colored convertible that Roy owned, a yellow green sort of hue. (If not for the color, the car would be absolutely gorgeous.)

I just looked to see if we still have 'em, and discovered that we do: A Roy Rogers thermos bottle, with the cork intact! My father picked it up probably 30+ years ago when a local drugstore here closed out.

The museum had one too, but it was in absolutely terrible shape. Ours is near-pristine. You could probably wash the dust out and use it.

Ever see a Cisco Kid cereal bowl? We have one of those too. My father used it as a child, during the late '40s or early 1950s.

[Harry]

Tonto's horse was Scout.

[doug65oh]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7WMABRjTjM <- Ipana Toothpaste advert., starring Bucky Beaver.

[kssunflower]

Yes, DJ, I do remember those lace-edged spicy cookies with the white frosting and stripes but I forget the name! I thought they were made by Kebler. Good news, Hydrox oreo-like cookies are BACK in stores by popular demand after being retired a while back.

Phone calls and petitions to Kelloggs brought the Hydrox cookie back. Maybe we can do the same to Nabisco for the HeyDay Bars (my error, thought they were made by Keebler), and the Mystic Mint cookies. I recall those molasses cookies too, but can't think of their name.

The shampoos I remember from the late 70's while in college were Wella Balsam, LemonUp, and the one containing beer, Body On Tap. This was very popular in our dorm.

[Nadzieja]

Speaking of shampoo---When I was little they had this product which I can't remember the name, it was a powder you sprinkled on your hair & combed out. It was suppose to make it cleaner (it was yucky) It was before PSSSSSST which was along the same lines. I remember the lable had a drwan picture of a woman with redish hair. I also remember Breck shampoo but it came in actual glass bottles.

[DJ]

Halo shampoo was similar to Prell, only it was blue and smelled nasty to me.
I remember "Tom Terrific" on "Captain Kangaroo." There was a "Jeopardy" question this week about a cereal festival in a Michigan city, and the contestant missed it. Must not have watched the Captain-- I loved the little train that advertised Kellogg's and Battle Creek, Mich.
Those advertisers did a swell job of ingraining their products into our long-term memories.

[Shelley]

Yes, the Breck girls were so beautiful and each portrait was hand painted. I remember Halo! And White Rain too. Remember Cashmere Bouquet soap and Woodbury with the cameo lady on it? And Friendship Gardens talcum and Evening in Paris cheap perfume in the blue bottle? Advertising was a real art form then. I love to page through magazines from the past- some real imagination there.

[DJ]

All my friends' mothers used to use Topaz face cream, which came in a small, opaque yellow jar with a fake topaz on the lid. So cool! We children used to beg for the lids and play treasure hunt with them.
Also thinking about Ann Page baked goods at the A&P, Morton's sugar & spice frozen doughnuts, and Howard Johnson's brand freezer toastees: blueberry and corn, especially. Plus, stopping at the HJ for mint-chip ice cream served in a shiny, silvery-looking dish with that cone-shaped cookie on top. Buttered hot-dog buns at the HJ, too.
Mrs. Paul's apple fritters and fried eggplant. For awhile there, Mrs. Paul was offering quite an array of frozen foods. It's difficult just to locate "her" fish anymore. And it doesn't have the "create a sauce" mix!
I miss "her" old square fish cakes. Used to make sandwiches with those for school lunches.

[1bigsteve]

All my friends' mothers used to use Topaz face cream, which came in a small, opaque yellow jar with a fake topaz on the lid. So cool! We children used to beg for the lids and play treasure hunt with them.
Also thinking about Ann Page baked goods at the A&P, Morton's sugar & spice frozen doughnuts, and Howard Johnson's brand freezer toastees: blueberry and corn, especially. Plus, stopping at the HJ for mint-chip ice cream served in a shiny, silvery-looking dish with that cone-shaped cookie on top. Buttered hot-dog buns at the HJ, too.
Mrs. Paul's apple fritters and fried eggplant. For awhile there, Mrs. Paul was offering quite an array of frozen foods. It's difficult just to locate "her" fish anymore. And it doesn't have the "create a sauce" mix!
I miss "her" old square fish cakes. Used to make sandwiches with those for school lunches.

DJ, you brought back some old memories for me. I remember the first fish I ever ate. I thought I would throw up it was so rank! It must have been old. In the second grade I sat next to a "vedy vedy up posh" girl who always wore a white mink coat, had her nose in the air, never smiled, and ate fish sandwiches every day for lunch. It about ran me out of the class room. Later when I learned to fish I found myself liking the taste of fresh fish.

I remember Mrs. Paul but never had any of their stuff. Does anyone remember "Post Toasties" cereal? My grand parents ate that every morning. Cardboard! When staying over I had to put on a pound of sugar just to give it some flavor.

How about that flat sheet of multi colored taffy (pink and white I think) that came sandwiched between two layers of wax paper? Cost five cents. They had some good stuff in the "old days."

-1bigsteve (o:

[DJ]

Steve,
I wasn't much of a seafood lover till my family moved to New Orleans, when I was 10. I dream about oyster po'boys, now that I'm no longer there, and they're so hard to find! And they still don't taste like the ones in NOLA.
I think most kids get turned off to fish because of the canned stuff (with which I have NO problem).
Once worked in a restaurant with an Italian chef from Upstate New York. His tuna salad was incredible! He used Starkist, premium, in water. The trick is to PRESS out all the water, via a sieve or collander, so that the fish is dry and will SOAK UP your seasonings. He used Hellman's, fresh lemon juice, chopped celery, celery salt, and some white pepper.
I fry salmon croquettes (in olive oil) with the canned stuff. Pick out the bones, add a good dash of vinegar or lemon juice, beat in an egg, and add enough Bisquick or generic pancake mix to firm it up, for making patties. You can also use self-rising flour.
You can make a decent dip with canned salmon, cream cheese, a little mayo, a dash of Worcestershire, and Liquid Smoke. But go easy on the Liquid Smoke, and taste as you go-- great on Townhouse Crackers!

[twinsrwe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7WMABRjTjM <- Ipana Toothpaste advert., starring Bucky Beaver.

Doug, this brought back memories of the 1978, Grease, movie! There is a scene where Jan (Jamie Donnelly) does an imitation of Bucky the Beaver in an Ipana Toothpaste commercial.

[twinsrwe]

Talk about bringing back memories - I found this really neat link to, Life in Black and White.

Turn up your sound, then click on this link: http://members.shaw.ca/grandmafaiths2/b ... white.html

[Harry]

That says it all, Judy. Thanks!

Progress....hardly.

[twinsrwe]

My thoughts exactly, Harry! Glad you enjoyed it.

[Harry]

While waiting on the check-out line the other day in Wal-Mart I glanced at the magazines and saw an "Archie" comic book for sale. Wow, that brought back memories.

And those ads in the back of the comics. The Charles Atlas course where the bully on the beach kicked sand in the thin fellow's face in front of his girlfriend. He'd sign up for the course and a few frames later no one dared to bother him.

And there was always those x-ray glasses..... I don't remember anyone every buying them but we wondered if they really worked.

Yes, we were naive back then. Thank goodness.

[twinsrwe]

Ohhhh, I remember the x-ray glasses!!! I don't recall anyone ever buying them either, but we were sure curious...

It didn't take much to amuse us, did it?

[Nadzieja]

Steve, I remember that taffy and I just loved the purple & orange ones. Wow, you are taking me back. That website called Black & White is just a riot. It is so true. It's like we are from another planet sometimes. I can't believe all the safety stuff out there now. I'm surprised I survived until I was 10. I never wore a bike helmet etc..... I never wore knee pads & had a skateboard. On a Friday night it was how many kids can we pack in the car because each car was only $5.00 bucks to get into the drive in. So you had a few in the trunk, you'd let them out for the movie!!!!! We never even thought of half the things people do today. You left home to go anywhere you wanted on your bike without fear, you just came home when it got dark. Ted used to hike everywhere in the woods usually by himself with his pack & compass & lunch. He never worried about anything. Neither did his parents. We had alot more freedom with alot less worries.