Margaret Hamilton
What's a Fantasy Video?
Note: The clips on this page and on My Attic Treasures 2 are not necessarily focused on Maggie or The Wizard of Oz.A "fantasy video" is not porn, so calm down...it's me doing something to improve original footage or make it more interesting. For example, back in the 1960s, stereo TV was not around, so even though a stereo track may have been available, everything was aired in mono. A fantasy video would be a clip in which that mono track is replaced with its identical stereo track, thus making it a better experience today. The Hullabaloo clips here are perfect examples.
A fantasy video could also be one in which I've taken the musical soundtrack, only ever recorded in mono, and used sophisticated software to isolate voices and instruments to create a "true" (but fake) stereo version.
Please do not post these videos anywhere, especially YouTube, or monitize them in any way. I do monitor this and will act accordingly.
Fantasy Restoration: Campbell's Soup & Sandwich 1961
Wildly successful Campbell's soup campaign from the early 1960s, one of several same-themed television ads made during that era. No doubt this ad was shown during the Sunday evening broadcast of Lassie, as well as other family-oriented shows.
This restoration was improved using A.I. along with colorization. The soup can at the end of the clip was replaced with a similar looking image to replace the muddied looking one in the original ad.
Fantasy Restorations: Edie Adams for Muriel Cigars, mid-1960s
Edie Adams, wife of comedian Ernie Kovacs, was featured in a years-long, famous series of ads for Muriel Cigars. Most of them were extravagant productions and fun to watch. The one at the left is my favorite and features a song and dance with The HiLo's, a vocal pop/jazz quartet famous for their harmonies.
Edie as a gunslinger was aired back in the days of TV Westerns, so it was an instant hit. This ad, at left, was in terrible condition: Most copies on the web are washed out at the beginning, to the point where you can't really see any details. This one—as with the other two—has been restored.
Finally, Edie plays a trio of sisters in the ad at left: Edith, Editha, and Edie. This ad first appeared on my previous site many years ago; I was contacted by the owner of Edie's gown, who had won it at auction and who wanted a copy of the ad so he could play/loop it at a showing of memorabilia. I was happy to oblige...but this copy is much better.
UPGRADED Fantasy Video: Juicy Fruit Tree, 1976
Very rare television commercial from the mid-1970s. Although there were several variations of the Juicy Fruit Tree theme, this particular version is missing on the web. My copy was a muddled-sounding, poor quality clip I found on a very old VHS tape decades ago. Other, better-quality variations of this theme have dated disco-sounding music...and worse.
The catchy tune in this ad got my attention when I first heard it. In this update, there is a general improvement in audio quality and slight separation of some sounds. Please don't: Placement of this video and audio on YouTube (or any other site) is not allowed.
Fantasy Restoration: We've Only Just Begun, Crocker Bank 1970
So much could be said about this bank commercial, one of three from 1970. Paul Williams and Roger Nichols wrote and sang the jingle, and famously, Richard and Karen Carpenter turned it into a smash pop-hit.
NOTE: In May of this year, after I decided to include this video on the site, I had no clue that Roger Nichols would be passing away...AND that he lived not far from where I live. What an ironic coincidence. There is a very good news video of him at the Central Oregon Daily News site.
The ad was filmed in Mendocino California; it opens with a view of the historic Mendocino Presbyterian Church (founded in 1854...see 1870s pic at left), which sits near the magnificent coastline of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the people in the commercial were locals, not actors full-time. The bride was Jan B, who had a shop on Main Street. The groom was recently married John, who answered a casting call and got the part (sadly, he passed away—too soon—in the early 1990s). About 17 seconds in was another local who also appeared in many other films, shows, and commercials; he passed away in 1999.In 1981, Crocker Bank was acquired by Midland Bank; in 1986, Wells Fargo acquired it and fired most of Crocker's executive staff. Dilbert cartoonist, Scott Adams, worked at Crocker Bank 1979 to 1986.
Fantasy Restoration: Nikki, Burt Bacharach 1972
If one of the purposes of life is to learn from our mistakes, there is no doubt that Burt Bacharach learned lessons from his daughter, (Lea) Nikki...and he never forgot them. Their relationship was a struggle from the start, and it ended with Nikki taking her life, leaving behind a note for her father, which he never read (he later admitted that he knew what it said). The story is well documented on the web, so I won't get into details here.
This clip is from one of Bacharach's highly successful television specials, Chevrolet Presents Burt Bacharach...it was also known by the fanciful title, Burt Bacharach and Associates (yes, really). At the time, stereo was not a feature on American TV. I was able to lift Bacharach's voice from the mono soundtrack and match it to a stereo version of the song. The studio recording is nearly identical to the orchestra's "live" television performance, but in stereo.
As an added bonus, here's the seldom-heard lyric version of Nikki, as sung by Ed Ames.
Fantasy Restoration: Time for Livin' The Young Americans, 1970
Time for Livin' was originally released in 1968 by the "sunshine pop" band called The Association. I thought it was released on the "45" flip side of one of the group's bigger hits, but that auction site shows 45s for sale that tell a different story.
This version of the song was performed by The Young Americans in 1970, broadcast on Australian TV. The group lip-sync'd the song from a recently released (and now hard-to-find) album.
If you've never seen this video, halfway through, be prepared for a workout that goes haywire: It is like watching an exercise program meant to kill the participants...and that's what happens at the end, when Time for Livin' ends up being a time for dyin'...but it's all pretend, of course.
Fantasy Restoration: Up Up and Away The 5th Dimension, 1967
How many people remember a seemingly low-budget, kinda corny TV show called Upbeat, originating out of Cleveland's TV station WEWS? Probably quite a few.
Over the years, Upbeat featured the very first TV appearance of Simon and Garfunkel. It also featured the very last TV appearance of Otis Redding; he died in a plane crash shortly thereafter. Local all-around good guy, Don Webster (died 2018), was best known as longtime WEWS' weatherman, talk-show host, and...the host of Upbeat.
This clip features an appearance of the 5th Dimension singing their smash hit, Up Up and Away. There isn't a decent source of the entire performance that I could locate, but I found some fairly decent segments that were spliced together and included in this video. On the same show, the group performed Paper Cup, and better source material for that appearance is out there. WEWS appears to have archived copies of the series, but they've never been commercially released.
Fantasy Restoration: 7Up the Uncola The Cyrkle, 1968
Catchy late-60s television commercial that ran for a brief period...and was never seen again, until recently. For many years now, I thought I was only imagining that a cool ad featuring a Thing-like hand (see Addams Family) once existed. Couldn't find a copy anywhere (that is still the case, pretty much). But then one year Sundazed released a limited-edition 45 record with music by The Cyrkle; one of the songs on the record was a mostly original soundtrack of this commercial, but with slightly different lyrics. That's when I knew I wasn't just imagining the existance of this ad. Cyrkle group member, the late Tom Dawes, wrote the jingle (he also wrote the Plop Plop Fizz Fizz jingle for Alka Seltzer, among many others).
So here's the ad, created from multiple sources that were diced and spliced together to form a mostly intact ad, as broadcast in the late 1960s.
Incidentally, members of The Cyrkle are still together and recently released a new album that features remakes of their old hits...and the new versions are fantastic.
Fantasy Restoration: VD Is For Everybody PSA, 1969
In 1969, when this public service announcement first aired, venereal disease had made a big comeback due to the swinging '60s sexual revolution. I guess the purpose of this ad was to dampen the promiscuity using a little G-rated likeable fear.
I've had the source material for this ad for decades, and it appears to be higher quality than everything I've seen on the web, especially the audio. The video has been slightly processed; the audio has slight DES (digital enhanced stereo) applied. Nothing severe.
Fantasy Restoration: Benson & Hedges Cigarettes Ad, 1960s
Oh yes, even though some might not like it, cigarette television commercials were a big thing in America, right up to about 1970, when they were banned. Among the most famous and well-received ads were the ones for Benson & Hedges cigarettes...and it was the jingle that we favored most. Ultimately, the jingle was released on a 45 record entitled, The Dis-Advantages of You, and it became a hit on the pop charts. The group of studio musicians that performed it called themselves "The Brass Ring"; they went on to produce a few other hits...and then they disappeared.
This ad was in very poor condition. It has been colorized; the closing scene has been re-created due to the dismal condition of the source material. The original voiceover (who sure sounds like Burgess Meredith but I can't validate it) has been lifted from the mono soundtrack and added to a stereo version of the same music.
Other cigarette commercials may appear here in the future, as I have a very large collection of them.
Honeycomb Cereal, Jimmie Rodgers, 1960s
Late 1960s television ad for HoneyComb cereal, featuring the vocals of Jimmie Rodgers.
The most famous song version of Honeycomb was by Rodgers himself. He was once again hired to sing this version of the cereal ad, and as usual, he did a great job.
This ad was processed using AI and has been colorized and restored to its original glory.
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, Pretty World, 1969
Few groups in the 1960s rivaled the sophistication and universal appeal of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. Back then, they created one hit after another—most of them still well-liked today.
In this clip, Lani Hall (lead vocalist) and Karen Philipp (the taller one) perform their magic singing, Pretty World. Hall is married to Herb Alpert; Philipp was with the group only four years, after which she pursued an acting career in M.A.S.H.... as well as a Playboy spread in September 1972, promoting the TV show.
This wasn't a pristine copy of the video, but it is partially restored and sharpened using four softwares. The mono soundtrack has been replaced with the stereo version. Note that the lip syncing in the first 25 seconds seems to be slightly off with the taller singer. Not sure if she bungled the lyrics or if the video itself was corrupted.
Pontiac GTO, Paul Revere & the Raiders, 1969
Classic TV ad for The Judge Pontiac GTO, featuring Paul Revere & the Raiders, with Mark Lindsay credited as writing the catchy song (listen to the Raiders' Time After Time to see where Lindsay got his inspiration). The ad music was memorable and is one of the earliest rock-music videos. Many years later—in 1990—the song was released on CD.
There are many copies of this ad on the web; this one might be the cleanest...it was processed using three softwares, with additional manual clean-up to remove many-but-not-all remaining glitches. What. A. Mess.
The GTO budget-minded muscle car has since become an expensive collectible among auto enthusiasts, with pristine models costing tens of thousands of USDs.
TV commercial: Kentile Vinyl Asbestos Tile, 1960s
Corporate irresponsibility at its finest showing a smart woman, a wise woman laying down dangerous asbestos tile all by her clueless little self.
This ad—likely aired in the early 1960s judging by the hair style and clothing—nicely demonstrates the toxicity of corporations, how they're more than happy to goad consumers into buying their waste products by using flattery, a friendly smile, and a patronizing voice by a man more plastic than human..."greaseproof" floor, dude?
Asbestos had been a known cancer danger since before the 1930s, but that didn't stop Kentile and others from including it in their products (think baby powder, World Trade Center, some popcorn ceilings). In the case of Kentile, as corporate secrecy over the dangers of asbestos was exposed, lawsuits multipled until Kentile was forced into bankruptcy and out of existence.
Restored: Soundie: Take the A Train, 1941, Delta Rhythm Boys
I've seen this video a hundred times or more, and never get tired of it. It's by the Delta Rhythm Boys, and is a soundie from 1941 (soundies were the first music videos). These were 3-minute musical interludes that were shown in movie theaters...in the olden days.
I'd never heard of the Delta Rhythm Boys, but it turns out they were a very successful vocal group, not only in soundies but as backups to singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, who happens to be one of my favorite singers. The DRBs were known for their perfect harmonies, so it follows that Ella would have wanted them.
The audio and video in this clip were in pretty rough shape. As much as possible, they have been restored (vertical scratch lines in these old clips are very difficult for AI to remove...the lines are mostly still there).
In the first half of the clip, when the guys are standing inside the train, you can see a man in the background (about center) having the time of his life, whooping it up. How much you want to bet he was their manager...or played some other role in the group's existence?
As a side note, all of the singers are now gone, but at the funeral of the lead (shown in conductor suit), one of the later group members collapsed while performing at the service and died—cause was a heart attack. Such a terrible, sad scenario.
UPGRADED Fantasy Video: Ali MacGraw, Barry Manilow for Polaroid Swinger Camera, 1965
NOTE: The other two original Polaroid TV ads featuring Ali are temporarily suspended and will return before years' end, improved and in a larger format.
This is the award-winning ad that saved Polaroid from bankruptcy in the mid-1960s and launched Ali MacGraw's career as a film actress. As with all copies on the web, this ad was in terrible condition. It has been restored using multiple softwares, both video and audio.
The colorized version of this ad is still inferior, with a lot of color flicker. This is due to the comparatively "noisy" condition of the original footage...and this is the best copy on the web. I've had it for a couple of decades but never presented it on my previous sites, at least not in cleaned-up condition. In the colorized version, the photos shown needed to remain black-and-white, as the Swinger was not yet able to take color photos.
A very young Barry Manilow sang the jingle, but didn't write it. The Swinger camera itself was a smashing success at first, but after a couple of years, the novelty wore off due to the poor visual quality of the photos, their dinkiness, and the smelly coating that had to be applied to the photos to preserve them. A number of accessories were available at the time (carrying cases; photo albums), but it was all just another passing fad of the 1960s, not particularly collectible today.The subliminal sexual imaging is rampant: The bikini scene (crotch shot), the dancing female's nipples outlined in her top, the writhing bodies in the water...typical "sex sells" marketing. Even the "Swinger" name was sexual (a swinger that says yes...ooooo). All of this was still risque in the mid-1960s, when Jeannie's belly button was not allowed to be shown on TV. But, subliminal was the corporate rage.
Placement of this video and audio on YouTube (or any other site) is not allowed.
Restored: Three Legendary Television Ads: 7UP, Faygo, Coca-Cola
The first legendary TV ad is 7UP's award-winning Bubbles commercial. There was at least one other similarly themed ad, but this one is the best. It's not an exaggeration to say that it's one the best commercials ever made. It first aired in 1974, and was such eye-candy for viewers that they looked forward to seeing it on the tube. Ground-breaking '70s TV, for sure.
Detroit viewers still fondly remember The Boat Song commercial from a local beverage company, Faygo, which created several memorable ads over the decades (Which way did he go, which way did he go?...). This one evoked memories of better times in Detroit, which in the 1950s and early 1960s was an incredibly vibrant and fun place to live. The song in this commercial became so popular that it was eventually released on vinyl record, with different short/long/television versions. The actor with the dapper striped coat is Harold Peary; the actual singer is jingle-writer Kenny Karen.
Finally, there is the 1963 Things Go Better With Coca-Cola ad, one of several made during that period. The Limelighters were the singers in this one, with legendary vocalist Glenn Yarbrough as lead singer and voice-over. It must have been just before the ad's release that Glenn left the Limelighters after surviving a chartered plane crash in late 1962...he said he was tired of folk music.
Placement of these videos on YouTube (or any other site) is not allowed.
Fantasy Restoration: Paul Mauriat: Love Is Blue, 1982.
Paul Mauriat's pop hit, Love is Blue was released around 1967 and was a sensation in the United States. It was during this period that many instrumental pop hits were released, still remembered today: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Music to Watch Girls By, Casino Royale, Classical Gas, Love Theme Romeo & Juliet, and many others.
This clip is from a televised concert from 1982, with Mauriat as conductor. The soundtrack was lifted from a studio version and slightly modified to fit the video.
Fantasy Restoration: Pepsi "Street", 1984-5
All of the 1980s Pepsi ads featuring Michael Jackson were entertaining and memorable. This one was amazing. It is called Street, and it features a Broadway child star named Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Willie in the musical, The Tap Dance Kid. Alfonso—who is rumored to be a nice guy—went on to star in several television series, notably as Carlton Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
I happened to have a vinyl 45 of this ad, containing stereo music of both the short and long versions. It was probably intended for radio-station ads...I don't know for sure. I don't even remember where or when I got the record, but I incorporated it into this video. It required some tweaking, but turned out well.Fantasy Restoration: Pepsi:Cola Nickel Nickel, 1940s
Back in the 1940s, when Americans went to the movie theater, they were often shown commercials in between double-features. This is one of those cartoon ads, and it is for Pepsi:Cola.
The original source for this ad (I believe it came directly from people who worked at Pepsi, many years ago) said that the ad was dated 1946. The bottles shown in the ad have the double dot between the words Pepsi and Cola. Some sources say the double dot wasn't used until 1948; others say 1945.
The footage in this ad has been processed using AI, which sharpened the images and colors, and removed the artifacts throughout the film. Some blurred sections of the footage could not be restored. The audio has also been enhanced.
Dino, Desi, & Billy: RC "Mad Mad Mad Mad" RC Cola, 1967
Teen idols from the 1960s, "Dino, Desi, & Billy"...and let's face it, it helped to have ultra-famous parents in order to star in this polished ad for "RC Cola", made exclusively for the Nancy Sinatra special, Movin' with Nancy.
Dino was Dean Paul Martin, son of Dean Martin and Olivia Hussey. Desi of course was Lucy and Desi's son. Billy Hinsche was a high-school friend of Dino and Desi.
Dino was the pride of his father, appeared in his dad's popular television series, and truly seemed like a nice guy. At age 34, his tragic death in a military plane crash shattered his dad, who understandably never got over the loss. Ironically, the mountain where the plane crashed was the same range that took the life of Frank Sinatra's mother in an earlier (private plane) crash, according to Nancy.
Desi is the only surviving member of the group. Billy died in 2021...and by twisted coincidence—or blessing—his mom died the same day.
This ad was in sub-standard condition on the out-of-print DVD of the Sinatra television special. The audio track was especially poor. Both are now improved, and with simulated stereo.
Fantasy Video: Evening at Pops: Carpenters "Close to You", 1974
This show has the reputation of being one of the worst quality Carpenters footage ever (go check that big site if you don't believe me). That's because it was likely shown once on PBS, and (presumably) never broadcast again and never released on tape or disc.
A few years back, PBS broadcast a tribute to Arthur Fiedler, and sometime during that program, about one minute of pristine footage of Close to You surfaced. I just happened to be recording that show directly to my computer at the time...purely coincidental. But I got it.
Since I had a comparatively good copy of the entire 1974 show, I wove the new footage into the old, and placed a 6-second countdown in the bottom left corner of the video, just before the pristine footage starts. Without a doubt, this is the best available copy of this show segment anywhere.
Fantasy Video: Look For the Union Label, 1978, followed by Joe Glazer Rendition
Again...which came first, the ad or the song? This time it was the song. The ILGWU (International Ladies Garment Workers Union) chose this song for a series of television ads/PSAs broadcast in the 1970s. At the time, the ILGWU was one of the largest labor unions in the US.
The ads were a resounding success. The song and the air of patriotism caused viewers to swell with pride for American-made products. Alas, corporate conglomerates ultimately snuffed out most of the unions...one of the biggest mistakes Americans ever let happen. Just move production facilities to other countries where slave labor guarantees big profits for shareholders and not workers...problem "fixed". Also note that back in 1978, the myth of "white supremacy" was missing in this ad. There appears to be true percentage representation of whites, blacks, women, men in this women's labor union. It wasn't the misleading propaganda that infests corporate media today.
Joe Glazer, American folk singer, recorded this song along with an uncredited female vocalist (her name is impossible for me to find anywhere). After the ad plays, Joe's version immediately follows, along with 1953 footage that has been processed using AI. This footage is courtesy of the legendary Prelinger Archives.
Fantasy Video: Great Shakes TV Ad, 1965
Very famous TV ad from about 1965, featuring a pop song that was played just about everywhere.
Any place can be a soda fountain now...well, not exactly. The rather large packets were added to a rather small plastic shaker cup (included with the kit), and you were supposed to have an instant milkshake, sans the ice-cream parlor. A lot of people swore by the quality of the drinks, but in reality, they were so-so shakes, more like a milk sweetener. I believe the flavors were the basic three: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. This product was around for a few years, but when '60s pop music declined, Great Shakes was discontined by General Foods.
There are zero pristine copies of this ad circulating on the web. The ones that exist are either black-and-white or a red-tinted color, and they are loaded with artifacts, scratches, and audio hiss. This clip is still sub-standard quality, but it has been AI improved and colorized (not sure if it was originally filmed in color).
Fantasy Video: No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In), Alka-Seltzer, 1965
Which came first, the ad or the hit song? In this case, the ad! Filmed and recorded in December 1965 for Alka-Seltzer, this ad's music soundtrack (recorded by studio musicians) later became a pop-radio hit in 1966 and beyond.
The pop song was by newly invented group, the T-Bones. Some of the group members were from the original studio musicians; the T-Bones became the face of the song.
Everything about this version of the ad has been enhanced and re-invented. It was filmed in black-and-white; the original music was mono; the quality of the master footage was in need of a major clean-up. Here it is, presented in color with a stereo soundtrack. The beginning notes are borrowed from the later stereo recording of the song by the T-Bones (originally, there was a peculiar silence for a few seconds at the beginning, when the one guy poked the other guy's belly).
Fantasy Video: Fictional Restoration of The Seekers' I'll Never Find Another You, 1968
Restored to its original glory, here is the Australian group, The Seekers, featuring the vocals of Judith Durham.
Durham had a voice second to none; for such a wisp of a woman, her vocals always soared above the instrumentation and background vocals.
For a short while, she left the group for a solo career; the impact on the remaining members was beyond traumatic...she didn't realize how devastating it was to the group's morale and success, impacts she never intended. Ultimately, she returned, and they all remained close thereafter. Judith died in August 2022.
The source video for this clip was in good shape, but loaded with artifacts, video noise, dirt, and those strange little hairs we often see on older film. It has been processed several times to remove those blemishes and to sharpen the picture. Stabilization was added to remove the video's annoying jitters. The resulting high-grade version was reduced for web presentation here.
To the best of my knowledge, this song was recorded in mono only. A few years back, Eric Records released a synthetic stereo version (called DES...digitally extracted stereo). I did request a DES version of this song about a year before they released it...not sure if my request was honored or if it was just coincidence. All of their products are superior; highly recommended.
Fantasy Video: A Song For You, Carpenters, 1972
Poignant rendition of Leon Russell's A Song for You (you can hear his version on that site...you know which one).
Pay attention to the lyrics. "And when my life is over..." gets me every time.
This is from a 1972 television special, "The Bob Hope Show". Karen, Richard, and the band were syncing to the studio recording, which was highly edited. The entire saxophone section by band member Bob Messenger--who passed away in November 2021--was removed for TV...a shame. However, you can see him in the background holding the instrument...a nice touch to include him, but...it was one of his finest performances in the studio. The drummer is James Anthony Squeglia (Jim Anthony; d2019), a high school friend of Richard's...and a brief member of the group.
Once more, the footage was processed using A.I., and as usual, it did a fine job of showcasing Karen in her close-ups (that unflattering hair helmet sure dates this one, don't you think?). The stereo recording was edited to perfectly match the original mono audio from the TV show. There were three fixes to that recording, to remove slight crackles. The phony audience applause was intentionally omitted.
The Jitterbug, 1964
This is from the old Judy Garland Show, filmed in October 1963, but not aired until March 1964. Without doing any research on these dates, I'd wager that the murder of John F Kennedy factored into the delayed airing.
The Jitterbug song was originally supposed to be in the 1939 Wizard of Oz, but it ended up on the cutting-room floor and was never included in the film.
With Ray Bolger as guest, it was an opportunity for Judy to introduce the song and its story to the world. This was back in 1963, long before the Harold Arlen home-movie footage of the The Jitterbug surfaced in 1983...few remembered that there was this song cut from the movie. Jane Powell—who had one of the best singing voices in the business—is perfectly matched with Garland, and Ray Bolger's brief role as the bug is silly fun.This clip is from the original black-and-white footage of the show. It has been processed using AI, colorized, and the audio is enhanced with simulated stereo. Fantastic early '60s jazzy music and dancing...dig those crazy bongos, as Maynard G Krebs would say. There are at least two missteps in the choreography...can you spot them?
(continued on My Attic Treasures 2)