Icons tagged with 70s

Have you ever noticed that the sinister spirits are the ones who get all the press? Meanwhile, for over 65 years, one benevolent soul, Casper, has lived a virtuous (after)life - the Gandhi of the ghost world, as it were. Possessing not a single sadistic bone in his body (nor any other bones for that matter), Casper’s intentions were purely peaceful; he just wanted some friends, and we rooted him on in his quest. Today, we thought it was time to give some props to the apparition you couldn’t help but love, Casper, The Friendly Ghost.

Charles Atlas

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Anyone with a penchant for comic books from yesteryear has encountered the story of the 97-pound weakling. Losing his girl after having sand kicked in his face by a bully, he discovers the miracle of “dynamic tension” and comes back a mountain of muscle, exacting revenge upon his former tormentor. This comic strip advertisement would be enough of an enticement to get millions of males between the ages of 15-25 to send Charles Atlas their money and make him a household name the world over.

Colonel Sanders

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When it comes to iconic characters in advertising history, most are fictitious, the product of someone’s vivid imagination. One colorful exception was Colonel Harland Sanders. Wearing his immaculate white suit, skinny tie and sporting his trademark goatee, Colonel Sanders professed the virtues of his plump juicy chicken, fried up with his secret “11 herbs and spices,” to anyone who would listen - and it turned out that millions did. Today, we honor the real man responsible for bringing Kentucky Fried Chicken to the dinner table.

Crunchberry Beast

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Ah, there is nothing like the fresh taste of Crunchberries in season. With hints of strawberry and, of course, a crunchy exterior, it would almost seem you could live on the little pink fruit. And, in case you were wondering, there was a particular species of animal that thrived upon these berries for its daily nutritional needs - the Crunchberry Beast.

Dick Clark

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If anyone ever discovered the location of the mythical fountain of youth, it was Dick Clark. Over many a decade, his seemingly inability to age led to the nation affectionately dubbing him "America's teenager". Host of American Bandstand for three decades, and the man who collectively led us into every New Year's celebration for forty years, Dick Clark was nothing short of an icon, beloved by millions.

Doug Henning

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For centuries, magicians have been captivating audiences with the power of illusion - making objects seemingly float through the air, or appear and disappear at will. And while there have been hundreds of amazing practitioners of the art throughout history, one name stands out when it comes to the 70s and 80s. Looking like one of the most colorful and happy hippies to ever walk the earth, Doug Henning was a master of the art of magic, and his ever-present smile and enthusiasm compelled millions to tune in with amazement to his numerous television specials over the years.

Evel Knievel

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It was just about impossible to be a kid in the 70s and not know who Evel Knievel was. He was the iconic folk hero of a generation that grew up a little too late to catch the space race or Daniel Boone. Eyes were transfixed to television sets everywhere each time he would put on his helmet and propel his motorcycle towards a ramp that would send him flying over cars, buses, fountains, canyons, and anything else that seemed to have a need to be jumped over. Of course, part of the allure of these spectacles was that Mr. Knieval didn’t always make the most graceful landing.

Iron Eyes Cody

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The story of Iron Eyes Cody is a rather fascinating one. With a solitary tear dripping down his cheek as he mourned the increasingly polluted land around him, his image served as a catalyst for modern environmentalism and encouraged many to do their part in helping to clean up the growing litter problem. A champion of Native-American causes, an actor that appeared in dozens of films, he is without doubt the single most recognizable Native -American face in modern culture. Of course, there’s just one little tiny detail, a seldom -mentioned tidbit of information that somewhat clouds the history of this iconic character – he wasn’t really an Indian.

Jolly Green Giant

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He was a man of few words, those of which had clearly been plagiarized from Santa Claus. He was green, he was a giant, and had it not been for an extreme makeover, he might never have found his way into our collective hearts. Hawking his wares of freshly canned vegetables, he is none other than the Jolly Green Giant. Let’s take a look back at this memorable mascot.