Imagine a family, all sitting around a TV, which may be the only TV in the house. My father held the remote control, which everyone referred to as a "press machine." The remote has only two functions. One of the functions shuts down and turns on the TV. One changes channels, all 7 or 8, with the click of a button. Now try to imagine what that family was watching. Can you picture them watching one of the oldest TV shows of the 1970's?
In the 1970's many families had only one TV, perhaps two in the house, and the second television was often hidden in Mom and Dad's room where they could watch classic games that children could not yet watch, such as Maude or Soap. Indoor televisions may show black and white programs.
What kept families clinging to these televisions that had only a few channels, clicked old, and often colorless? Classic TV shows from the 1970s, of course. There were many family-friendly shows in a variety of genres.
For families who enjoyed comedy, the 1970s had the most memorable sitcoms. Families in the 1970's learned all about families in the 1950's by watching the famous Happy Days and its equally popular spin from Laverne and Shirley. Happy Days also presents the work of comedian Robin Williams who has continued to shine in another ending of the show - Mork and Mindy.
Other classic family-oriented television shows in the 1970s include the Partridge Family (with young David Cassidy), a program presented by John Travolta, Welcome Back Kotter, One Day at a Time, Chico and the Man, The Odd Couple, Good Times , WKRP in Cincinnati, What's Happening, Third Party and The Jeffersons.
Families with older children enjoy humorous consciences like everyone else in the family, Maude, Barney Miller or Mash. These old sitcoms of the 1970s spoke to the social media of the day in a sad but humorous way.
Families also have many different shows to choose from to enjoy. Classic shows such as Donny and Marie Show and The Sonny and Cher Show featured music, comedy shows and celebrities visiting each week. The Carol Burnett Show put together some of the most humorous comedians of 1970 each week and The Muppet Show brought together the ingenuity of the great creations created by Jim Henson and the music and comedy stars who shared the stage with Kermit, Miss Piggy and Animal.
There were many one-hour family dramas, too. Eight is Enough, Little House on the Prairie, and the Waltons were a few of the oldest television dramas that feature families in front of the television each week.
There was also an anti-crime scene with action heroes in the old 1970's TV shows. The world has learned what bionics was in Six Million Dollar Man and it comes out in Bionic Woman. Each week the families sang to see how Lee Majors and Jamie Sommers would use their living eyes and ears. The CHiPs have given us an overview of the life of California Patrol Highway police. Starsky and Hutch are rushing to buy a bad one on their hot rod and BJ and Bear are tracking the bad guys with an 18-wheeled wheel.
There was also an anti-crime scene with action heroes in the old 1970's TV shows. The world has learned what bionics was in Six Million Dollar Man and it comes out in Bionic Woman. Each week the families sang to see how Lee Majors and Jamie Sommers would use their living eyes and ears. The CHiPs have given us an overview of the life of California Patrol Highway police. Starsky and Hutch rush to buy the worst in their hot rod and BJ and Bear track down the bad guys with 18.
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