Back to watching black and white TV

[masseyrider]

We caught the Beatles the first time around.

The same with Elvis in 1955 or '56. Meetings were dismissed so people could get home early, there were Elvis watching gatherings for those without TV's and a notable absence of people out and about. As a kid, I couldn't understand the excitement. We ran home to watch it and I think Ed Sullivan commented on what a nice young man Elvis was. It was all the better in black and white. But, you had to be there...

and I thought I was old.

 

[WinterDeere]

and I thought I was old.

Hmm... can't pretend to have seen the Beatles on Sullivan, but I remember staying home with Dad to watch the final episode of MASH, and a news brief interrupting my cartoons to announce the passing of Elvis.

 

[lman]

Hmm... can't pretend to have seen the Beatles on Sullivan, but I remember staying home with Dad to watch the final episode of MASH, and a news brief interrupting my cartoons to announce the passing of Elvis.

You are a youngster.

 

[Jstpssng]

Hmm... can't pretend to have seen the Beatles on Sullivan, but I remember staying home with Dad to watch the final episode of MASH, and a news brief interrupting my cartoons to announce the passing of Elvis.

One of my first memories was of JFK's funeral... I remember asking my mother about it, she simply said that a great man had died.

 

[sixdogs]

One of my first memories was of JFK's funeral... I remember asking my mother about it, she simply said that a great man had died.

We were in school and it was early afternoon when the radio news reports were suddenly blasted over the school PA system with "the president has been shot" from the principal. We listened for maybe 15 minutes and there were rumors he had died. School was quickly dismissed for that and the next three days. It was chaotic and every kid for himself.

Kids ran home in disbelief and the streets were deserted with traffic. In retrospect, it was like a sci-fi movie with all the people gone. There was almost no one and no cars on the street. Those few were crying. Businesses and stores had closed and activities were cancelled. Everyone stayed home watching small screen black and white TV.

 

[goeduck]

Compare that ^^ to what would happen today.

 

[bdhsfz6]

One of my first memories was of JFK's funeral... I remember asking my mother about it, she simply said that a great man had died.

I was a junior in HS when Kennedy was shot. I was so upset that a friend and I took a bus from NYC to DC. We stood in line all night in a light rain to view his casket lying in state under the capitol rotunda. A memory I will never forget.

 

[masseyrider]

We had a ninth grade teacher that was so upset when Elvis died.
To us kids it was, "who."

 

[Oaktree]

We were in school and it was early afternoon when the radio news reports were suddenly blasted over the school PA system with "the president has been shot" from the principal. We listened for maybe 15 minutes and there were rumors he had died. School was quickly dismissed for that and the next three days. It was chaotic and every kid for himself.

Kids ran home in disbelief and the streets were deserted with traffic. In retrospect, it was like a sci-fi movie with all the people gone. There was almost no one and no cars on the street. Those few were crying. Businesses and stores had closed and activities were cancelled. Everyone stayed home watching small screen black and white TV.

I was in the 7th or 8th grade when it happened. I don't recall being particularly affected one way or another but then, as now I don't pay a lot of attention to politicians. I guess because of that I was a bit baffled as to why someone would shoot the president.
I do remember that all radio stations suspended regular programming for several days, either playing somber music or running talk programming.

Compare that ^^ to what would happen today.

Very true, it was a much more respectful time. Would be nice if we could get a little bit of that back.

 

[WinterDeere]

You are a youngster.

Yep, it's all relative. Coming up on 50 now, I get to tell guys in their 30's about how great the 1980's were, and that we used to talk on phones attached to the kitchen wall. Yet those born in the 1950's look at me and shake their heads, knowing how much stuff I missed in the 1960's.