Talk:Bicentennial Minutes/Archives/2015

Praise

Excellent article!! Great topic. The Bicentennial Moments were also sometimes sardonically referenced in other programs, most notably Norman Lear sitcoms. Good work. Moncrief 21:06, Mar 26, 2004 (UTC)

Thanks. I've been wanting to do this for a while (I think the Bicentennial was the golden age of my childhood). There isn't a single page on the web about it though. -- Decumanus | Talk 21:12, 26 Mar 2004 (UTC)

Two comments about my additions. The dates of the B.Minutes can be found here (under 1974): http://www.cbs.com/specials/cbs_75/timeline/1970.shtml and the name of the Sonny and Cher show is accurate. It was a later incarnation of their original program and so should not be redirected or rewikid. Thanks. Moncrief 01:40, Mar 27, 2004 (UTC)

And if you're curious, the All in the Family reference probably won't be found on the web. The reference is found in a book I have called "Archie & Edith, Mike & Gloria" (Workman Publishing, 1987), p. 200 (though of course re-worded here). Moncrief 01:45, Mar 27, 2004 (UTC)

Funny, I was going to write that it started on July 4, 1974 when I wrote the original article, because that's what I remembered it starting, exactly two years before the event. But I got conservative and doubted my memory. I do however dispute that it ended on the Bicentennial. I am very convinced from personal memory that it continued at least through the end of 1976 and that CBS history site is in error. I can remember seeing ones later after the event and thinking "wow, they are still showing those". It seemed sort of pathetic yet beautiful. Also the site about Bob Markel, the executive producer, lists him as being the exec producer until 1977. -- Decumanus | Talk 01:59, 27 Mar 2004 (UTC)

In any case, I'm willing to go with the CBS site unless something better is found. Unfortunately the IMDb page for Bicentennial Minutes contains no information at all. -- Decumanus | Talk 02:15, 27 Mar 2004 (UTC)

Perhaps they kept broadcasting reruns after July 4, 1976? Maybe only the original episodes ended on that date but reruns were still broadcast for a while (after all the events of Date X in 1776 are the same whether today's date is Date X in 1976 or 1977). Also, do you remember a Sunday-morning one or two minute program called "In the News"? (Think "Schoolhouse Rock"-length bits but about current news stories: I think they probably ran on CBS). It was interspersed between cartoons and offered a recap of major news stories for the under-14 set. I haven't found many references on the Web about it, but would love to do a Wikipedia article on the series. I think I am little younger than you (born 1971) so I don't have any solid memories of the Bicentennial Minutes (I know about them because I'm a bit of a 70s TV freak not from personal recollections), but I do have clear memories of "In the News." Moncrief 02:19, Mar 27, 2004 (UTC)

In the News Of course, now you're talking! Definitely deserves an article. That was CBS definitely. I can remember that little globe symbol. -- Decumanus | Talk 02:31, 27 Mar 2004 (UTC)

Well, Jumptheshark.com has probably the most comprehensive coverage, but of course it's POV: [1] . IMDB.com has a minimal entry: [2] Anyway, feel free to have a go starting it if you feel like it; unfortunately, I have to go now. Moncrief 02:34, Mar 27, 2004 (UTC)

I was seven years old in 1976, but I am quite certain that this series ran through to the end of the year. rockhopper10r 21:17, 10 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Can you find a link that might support your memory? In a cursory Google search, I found this PDF file, in which (page 42) it says the original Bicentinnial Minutes aired only until July 1976.

Also, the link above http://www.cbs.com/specials/cbs_75/timeline/1970.shtml (look at 1974) at CBS.com says they only ran until 7/4/76. Perhaps (as I mentioned above, a year ago) there were repeats through the year.

Moncrief 21:24, Mar 10, 2005 (UTC)

This link shows a document from the Gerald Ford Library about Helen Collins, President Ford's Television Coordinator. It notes that the President taped a "Bicentennial Minutes" for CBS on December 10, 1976. http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/guides/Finding%20Aids/Collins,%20Helen%20-%20Files.htm rockhopper10r 21:37, 10 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Interesting. If that's true, I wonder why CBS.com has it wrong? I wish we could find conclusive evidence either way. At this point, I'm inclined to believe CBS over that other site. Moncrief 23:27, Mar 10, 2005 (UTC)

Yes, thank you so much for finding that reference, rockhopper10r. When I started this article, I would have bet anything you were right, that they ran through the end of 1976. I remember watching them in late 1976 and thinking to myself that they seemed tired, now that the Bicentennial was actually over. I could be wrong, of course, but the idea of repeats seems very unlikely to me, since the spots were so tied to a specific anniversary date, and I don't recall any memory of repeats per se. It was the kind of thing I would have noticed at the time with my 12-year-old mind. -- Decumanus 01:48, 2005 Mar 11 (UTC)

I agree with you, Decumanus. I also remember thinking it odd that the series continued on past July 4, but repeats would have been totally contrary to the nature of the program. I think this is a case where the network's Web site is wrong (it happens). Rockhopper10r 05:06, 11 Mar 2005 (UTC)

I have nothing personally invested in it either way. If you guys think you have the conclusive answer, then go ahead and change the article (I was only five years old in 1976 so I can't rely on any first-hand memories). I just wish we could find a smoking gun. Meanwhile, Decumanus, to go back to something else further up this Talk page, I finally created an article for In the News. Please have a look. Moncrief 07:06, Mar 11, 2005 (UTC)

Splendid article, Moncrief. If only we could get that spinning globe graphic. Anyway, I think it was program unlike any other today because it didn't talk down to kids. It was very "grown up". Our paradigm is very different now, I think. I'm no expert, but mostly my impression is that now I mostly see things like "kids presenting news to kids". That kind of stuff disgusted me when I was that age. But those were different times. Vietnam War, Watergate. There was sense that the grown ups didn't know what the hell was going on, so sugarcoating it for kids didn't even come into the picture. Times change. -- Decumanus 07:48, 2005 Mar 11 (UTC)

Regarding changing this article, how about something like: Sources differ as to whether the series concluded on July 4, 1976 or continued until December 31 of that year. President Gerald Ford presented that final segment. Rockhopper10r 17:47, 11 Mar 2005 (UTC)

I would be fine with that - are we sure Ford presented the final segment though? Could it be that he presented the July 4th segment and then others presented the segments after that (if there were any)? Moncrief 18:03, Mar 11, 2005 (UTC)

Again, I'm going on memory here. I remember Gerald Ford giving the final installment on New Year's Eve of that year. I actually recall someone else on the July 4 telecast, but he may well have done both July 4 and December 31. It would make sense, if he taped an installment on December 10 that it would be aired a few weeks later--and if he indeed did one in December, then December 31 would be the logical date. Rockhopper10r 19:10, 11 Mar 2005 (UTC)