1960s
The Talking Fish Lure
Ads for the "Talking Fish Lure" began to appear in papers in 1959. They promised that, thanks to this new talking lure, fishermen would be guaranteed to catch fish:
The Vancouver Province - May 30, 1959
Eight years later, the promoter of the lure was indicted on 60 counts of mail fraud. From the New York Daily News (May 12, 1967):
Named in the indictment was Monroe Caine, 38, of 222 Daisy Farms Drive, Scarsdale, described as an advertising man and mail order promoter whose ads for a "remarkable European talking fish lure" ran July 19, 1964, in newspapers across the country.
The jurors, who were shown the ads, found the whole thing somewhat fishy, especially after being told that fishermen who sent in $1.98 or $2.49 for the lure got either a worthless gadget or nothing in return.
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jun 16, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Sports, Fish, 1950s, 1960s
The 1964 Amphicar
We've featured various amphibious vehicles on WU before. But my research seems to indicate we have not highlighted the most famous, seen in this video. Please note that inventor Hans Trippel was working on this concept thirty years previously, as seen in the clipping.
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 13, 2021 -
Comments (4)
Category: Inventions, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1930s, 1960s, Cars
Leader of the Laundromat
Their Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jun 12, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Hygiene, Music, 1960s, Parody
UK Shopping: 1949
Halfway to Christmas!
Source: Wilkes-Barre Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) 29 Jun 1949, Wed Page 3
Uncle Holly apparently dates to 1950:
Source.
Info on Ginger Nutt here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jun 02, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Holidays, Advertising, Retailing, Myths and Fairytales, Cartoons, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, United Kingdom
International Society for the Abolition of Data-Processing Machines
The International Society for the Abolition of Data-Processing Machines (or ISADAPROM) was founded by Harvey Matusow in the late 1960s. Its aim was "to conduct guerrilla warfare against the computer by such means as sending a penny too much or too little when paying a utility bill."
San Francisco Examiner - Oct 27, 1968
Matusow also authored The Beast of Business, which was supposed to serve as a manual for the guerrilla warfare against the computer. I wonder if any of the techniques he detailed would still work today?
However, Matusow is best known for giving evidence in court against individuals during the McCarthy era. Later he claimed that the FBI had paid him to give false testimony, and he detailed these allegations in his book False Witness.
He seems to have had a rather eccentric life and career. Some other highlights of it, from the University of Sussex's page about him:
- Founded a band called the Harvey Matusow’s Jew’s Harp Band
- Married approximately twelve times
- Is possibly part of the reason The Beatles broke up – he held the party where John Lennon met Yoko Ono
- Worked as a children’s TV clown called Cockyboo in Tucson, Arizona
- Converted to Mormonism and spent his last years known as Job Matusow
Posted By: Alex - Sat May 29, 2021 -
Comments (7)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Technology, Computers, 1960s
Learn To Ski
Released in 1960, this record promised to teach you how to ski in the comfort of your home.In this record Réal Charette has presumed that the student, whether teenager or adult, has never skied before. He has taken the ski techniques one at a time—kick turn, straight running, snow plow, stem christie, Walden and explained each in turn. He starts with the proper selection of equipment, explained basic and advanced ski techniques and ends with safety hints of value to every skier.
image source: discogs.com
I couldn't find any clips from the record online, but I did find a video from 1953 featuring Réal Charette.
Posted By: Alex - Fri May 28, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Sports, 1960s
Jody Sten, “Smiling Teddy Bear”
Posted By: Paul - Sat May 15, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Music, Toys, 1960s
Various Commercials 1950s and 1960s
A few observations.
* Nowadays, to our shortened attention spans, sixty seconds feels like WAR AND PEACE.
* Is that the voice of Orson Welles for American gasoline?
* Why is the narration for the Coke stewardess ad a hybrid of THE TWILIGHT ZONE and DRAGNET?
* This was surely the apex of pop surrealism in advertising.
Posted By: Paul - Sun May 09, 2021 -
Comments (7)
Category: Advertising, Surrealism, 1950s, 1960s
“Dumbbell Lethal”
Source: The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington) 25 Jun 1960, Sat Page 19
Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 30, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Accidents, Death, Hollywood, 1960s
Martian Hop
The Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Apr 25, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Aliens, Fads, Music, Spaceflight, Astronautics, and Astronomy, Science Fiction, 1960s, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |