# What questions would expose a youngster? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544 "2003-08-02T14:01:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/81 "2003-08-04T03:02:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > **"It was a one-eyed, one-horned…"** …flyin’ purple people eater? You’ve got me singing “Put your head on my shoulder” now. That’s not gonna leave for a while. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/82 "2003-08-04T03:07:59Z")
IIRC that was the Buster Brown Theater. Buster was a long haired laddie with girlish features, and Tighe was a Staffordshire Terrier, what many people now call a pit bull. A line of children’s shoes was produced with the Buster Brown endorsement. Froggie was an elf who would torment the adults to the point where they’d be ready to wring his neck, and his ‘magic twanger’ would be produced to help him disappear in a puff of smoke. I’ve no recall of the McConnell show. Might that have been a hosting show in another TV market where pre-produced Buster Brown bits were shown? I’m thinking again of the Sally Starr, Gene London, and Pixanne references, all Philadelphia specific. While I’m digging in the mental attic trunk, how about Tom Terrific and his faithful dog, Manfred. Also Chief Halftown, Captain Noah, and other forerunners to Captain Kangaroo. Does anyone remember the breakfast cereal that was accompanied by the tagline, _The one and only cereal that comes in the shape of animals_ followed by the sound of thundering hooves? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/83 "2003-08-04T04:14:14Z")
Yes, **Crayons** , the mimeograph produced those fragrant purple quizzes. I haven’t seen _Topper_ or _The Millionaire_ yet, but TV shows could run into the hundreds, possibly. How about curb-feelers? Or water-bags for those who had to traverse the Mojave. And motels sported the oval AAA signs. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/84 "2003-08-04T05:07:51Z")
I still have a rotary dial phone and yes, kids today don’t know how to operate it. Other things: Iron Eyes Cody (the crying Indian on the anti litter commercials.) During the 70’s when we saw someone throw litter on the ground we would accuse them of “making the Indian cry.” Later commercials had him smiling as people picked up litter. Woodsy Owl (Another anti-litter crusader) Drugstore soda fountains. When you were done with your shopping you could get a nice dish of lime sherbert. Roller rinks. Do they even still have those? In the 70’s it was the only place you could hold a children’s birthday party without being totally lame. Streakers. Please, God, don’t let this generation grow up without seeing at least one streaker. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/85 "2003-08-04T05:21:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Boyo Jim \* > \*\*OK, Bricker, let’s have some clarity here. > > How old is a “youngster”? I think of people under 30 as youngsters (I’m 44), and there are probably some here who think of ME as one. > > I’ll through in my suggestions: > > 1. How do you use carbon paper? > 2. Who played Gidget in the movies? > 3. What is a crooner? > 4. What TV show popularized the phrase “Sock it to me”? > 5. Who were Rob Petrie’s coworkers? > > I think these would knock out most people under 35. \*\* 1. Place it between two sheets of blank typing paper, Roll it into the typewriter, and type. You now have a copy. 2. In the TV show it was Sally Field. I don’t know the movies. 3. Frank Sinatra types. 4. Laugh In? 5. Sally Rogers, Buddy Sorrel and Mel Cooley Hey, I’m 17, and I knew these. Did I win anythig? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/86 "2003-08-04T07:00:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Did I win anythig? A Genuine Junior Geezer Badge to go with your \*Official Melvin Purvis Junior G-Man Badge \*. ---
**Author:** ![Hauky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/0ea827/32.png) [@Hauky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hauky)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/87 "2003-08-04T07:27:36Z")
People, people, can we please let the “kids don’t know what records are” thing die? I’m 19, and my first ever musical recording was on a record! (Go, Fraggle Rock, go. How many of you oldsters know what _that_ is, huh? 😉 ) My dad’s got 250 of the things in the basement. Heck, you can still buy the things for DJing and such. How else would we scratch? FWIW, I get a very large majority of the tech/government/etc. related ones, but very few of the TV/commercial/etc. related ones. Except for ol’ Cry-ey the Indian; I knew about him. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/88 "2003-08-04T08:23:20Z")
Thanks for the memories **Danceswithcats**. _The one and only ce-re-al that comes in the shame of an-i-mals_ would be Crispy Critters. And, please, it’s Tom Terriffic and Mighty Manfred, _the Wonder Dog_. I seem to recall he always got his full name. Do you remember Shredded Wheat Spoon Men? ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/89 "2003-08-04T09:46:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bugnorton \* > \*\ ***NinjaChick** , back in the day, long distance calls were, like a really BIG deal and if you only wanted to speak to one specific individual, you didn’t want to waste the call so you would have the operator make the call “person to person” which meant you didn’t have to pay for it if the person you wanted wasn’t there. \*\* My parents used this as a way to send messages to each other for free when they travelled. When my father reached his destination, for example, he’d make a person-to-person call back home and ask for Mr. Sublight (himself). My mom would answer, and tell the operator that sorry, Mr. Sublight wasn’t there. That way, dad didn’t have to pay for the call, and mom knew that he’d arrived safely. Steve Austin isn’t a wrestler, he’s the Six Million Dollar Man! ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/90 "2003-08-04T10:23:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tomndebb \* > \*\*A Genuine Junior Geezer Badge to go with your \*Official Melvin Purvis Junior G-Man Badge \*. \*\* Yes! I’m a geezer in training. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/91 "2003-08-04T10:26:55Z")
They still used mimeograph printed tests and quizzes when I was in fourth grade (1995 or so). We didn’t smell them, but sometimes a kid would actually lick off questions on the test. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/92 "2003-08-04T10:37:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KRC \* > \*\*I still have a rotary dial phone and yes, kids today don’t know how to operate it. > > Other things: > > Iron Eyes Cody (the crying Indian on the anti litter commercials.) During the 70’s when we saw someone throw litter on the ground we would accuse them of “making the Indian cry.” Later commercials had him smiling as people picked up litter. > > Roller rinks. Do they even still have those? In the 70’s it was the only place you could hold a children’s birthday party without being totally lame. > > Streakers. Please, God, don’t let this generation grow up without seeing at least one streaker. \*\* I remember when they re-ran these commercials in the 90’s. (Hey, I wasn’t born until the mid 80’s, but I like the 70’s better.) Roller rinks are a dying breed. The closest one is about a half an hour away from here, and is a well known gang hangout. I went to someone’s birthday party there when I was 8 or so. Streaking is still talked about in my high school, but no one actually does it. Someone said that there was a streaker at the local mall, but there weren’t any actual witnesses. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/93 "2003-08-04T13:50:24Z")
Johnny Cash for Standard Oil of Indiana. Abe Fortas scandal! George Wallace shot in Maryland. Afternoon delight. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/94 "2003-08-04T15:11:54Z")
It was Crispy Critters that was _the one and only cereal that comes in the shape of animals_. And the lion always got trampled when he mentioned the name of the cereal. Wheezed the crotchety oldster thru toothless gums. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/95 "2003-08-04T17:17:33Z")
Searching around the house on a Saturday afternoon, trying to find enough soda-pop bottles (all glass) so you could turn them in for a deposit and by a snack for the 7pm monster movie on T.V. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/96 "2003-08-04T17:43:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*A “youngster”? I’m in my thirties, and I don’t recognise most of the above references. \*\* And I’m only 20, and I _do_ recognize them. I give my phone number using the exchange name; if you can’t figure out what it means, I don’t want to talk to you. 😛 I also choose to use a rotary phone, and I live in a town that’s going to be testing its air raid sirens on Wednesday. My favorite car is the Hudson Hornet, I have a Sinclair sign hanging up in my bathroom and a glass motor oil bottle on the bookcase in my room, I have an inexplicable liking of Hopalong Cassidy stuff, and I know that Kool used to have advertisements featuring a penguin and the assertion that doctors _recommended_ you smoke Kools for your health! I know that Mobil in New York used to be SOCONY - Standard Oil Co of NY - and I’ve even refueled at a station with signs to that effect still hanging on the walls. I had a record player when I was a kid, I used to get a sandwich and an ice cream soda at the counter when Mom and I were done doing my back-to-school shopping in town, and I know that K-mart used to be S. S. Kresge’s. Can I get extra points now or something? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/97 "2003-08-04T20:25:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by danceswithcats \* > \*\* > Plunk your magic twanger, Froggie! > > Sally Starr, Gene London, and Pixanne (Phila natives should know these names) \*\* Froggie was from **The Ghoul** which I think had only minor syndication. It was a horror show that was a bit…different. I believe it originated from Ohio and had strong audiences in Philly & Detroit. He still makes the occassional appearance in the Detroit area. Was it my imagination, or did Sally Star actually smoke while hosting her show? And for all the people mentioning returnable bottles, Michigan is still 10 cents a bottle, and several other states also have returnables. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/98 "2003-08-04T21:23:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lost4life \* > **Froggie was from The Ghoul which I think had only minor syndication. It was a horror show that was a bit…different. I believe it originated from Ohio and had strong audiences in Philly & Detroit. He still makes the occassional appearance in the Detroit area.** The Ghoul was a Cleveland based monster-movie host on Channel 61 Saturday night at 11 pm. Wonderful stuff for a kid to watch. He had a little plastic froggie doll that he’d make do sick and twisted stuff. But he stole it from the earlier mentioned show. ---
**Author:** ![International\_Playboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/48db29/32.png) [@International\_Playboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/International_Playboy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/99 "2003-08-05T01:24:54Z")
“Tired of that greasy kid stuff?” “I came back to Bryllcream” “Hey! Meet the Swinger, Polaroid Swinger” “It’s Bash, Bash, Bash, brand new Milton Bradley game” “It’s Dr. Pepper time” “I want my Maypo” “Hooray! Hoorah! It’s Winchell-Mahoney time” “The Magical World of Ala-Kazamm” “Ah Cisco, ah Pancho” “Bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk, Chickenman (he’s everywhere, he’s everywhere)” ---
**Author:** ![International\_Playboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/48db29/32.png) [@International\_Playboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/International_Playboy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544/100 "2003-08-05T01:27:50Z")
Oh yeah, “You can trust your car to the man who wears the star. The big, bright, Texaco Star.” Since Texacos are changing to Shells, this will probably be even more forgotten. I wonder what the change over will do to the value of the Texaco banks I’ve bought. Wish I had bought more. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-questions-would-expose-a-youngster/192544.md?page=6)