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Published byPhillip Wheeler Modified over 7 years ago
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Popular culture (1950s) A quick look at the gimmicks, fads, toys and things that “caught on” during the Fabulous Fifties
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Task 4/29/16 By yourself or with a partner, you have 6 minutes to use your phones to: 1. Identify(5+) some of most popular toys of the 1950s Draw a line on your paper_______________ 2. Identify (5+) fads of the 1950s Fad: an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object's qualities; a craze
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Toys of the 50s Top 10? Barbie Play Doh Wham-O Frisbee Tonka Trucks
Matchbox cars Yahtzee Skateboards Hula hoops Mr. Potato Head Pez
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Original Barbie The original Barbie, (or Barbie #1 as she is called), was sold at the above-mentioned American Toy Fair for a mere $3.00. Her value now ranges in-between $8,000-$12,000. So, how can you tell if you own a true vintage Barbie doll? Look for the following identification marks: Hair: Blonde or brunette ponytail with curled bangs Eyes: White irises in her eyes, she is looking sideways, and has very pointy eyebrows Clothes: Black and white zebra striped 1-piece swimming suit. White sunglasses with blue lenses. Black open-toed high heel shoes. Jewelry: Gold hoop earrings Body: Partially solid with metal tubes in her legs. She has matching metal holes in the bottoms of her feet to fit on a doll stand. Other markings: Right side buttock, Barbie ™ (not Barbie ®), may have other small markings on back and inner arms and thighs from production. Her right foot is marked "Japan".
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One of the most common criticisms of Barbie is that she promotes an unrealistic idea of body image for a young woman, leading to a risk that girls who attempt to emulate her will become anorexic. Barbie's vital statistics have been estimated at 36 inches (chest), 18 inches (waist) and 33 inches (hips).
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Modern Barbie (& Ken)
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Malibu Stacy Lisa challenges the makers of the Malibu Stacy doll to create a less sexist and pro-feminist doll. Together with the original creator of Malibu Stacy, Stacy Lovell, Lisa creates the doll Lisa Lionheart in an effort to positively influence young girls.
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Other toys Silly Putty Gumby Spud guns
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Crazy fads Coon skin hats Disney’s Davy Crocket $100 M market
4 M records sold
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Crazy fads Poodle skirts Duck tails Panty raids
1952: 50+ college campuses Cont. throughout the 1950s
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Some TV Heroes Lone Ranger Hopalong Cassidy Heroic animals Lassie
Rin-Tin-Tin My Friend Flicka
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Sock hops and dances You might see some of these on American Bandstand w/host, Dick Clark. Clark died a couple years ago The Stroll The Hand Jive
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Phone booth cramming 24 is the record!!
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Ant Farms
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Tiki Culture As Hawai’i was entering the nation (1959), US went polynesian
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The Beat Generation Beatniks
group of American writers who emerged in the 1950s. Poets, song writers, etc. Later the hippie movement Central elements include: rejection of mainstream American values, experimentation with drugs and alternate forms of sexuality, an interest in Eastern spirituality Jack Kerouac On The Road Mike Myers spoofs Beatniks Phoebe from Friends
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Poem-Howl A biting commentary on the values of post-war America.
Controversial for its hetero and homosexual references as well as drug usage.
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New restaurants came from the ’50s
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The Open Kettle, a coffee and donut shop in Quincy Mass
The Open Kettle, a coffee and donut shop in Quincy Mass. is renamed Dunkin' Donuts (’50) The first Jack-in-the-Box opens in San Diego (’51) Pete Harman of South Salt Lake, Utah, opened the first Kentucky Fried Chicken (’52) the first Pizza Hut in Wichita, Kansas (’58) Denny's Restaurants (’59)
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50s firsts 1952 The first sugar free no calorie soft drinks are introduced. 1953 Kraft Cheez Whiz is introduced. 1953 Kellogg’s Sugar Smacks are introduced - they contained 56% sugar. 1954 C.A. Swanson & Sons introduced the first TV dinner: roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, sweet potatoes and peas. It sold for 98 cents and came in an aluminum tray, so you could just open the box and heat the dinner in the oven. 1955 The first microwave oven for home use was introduced by the Tappan Stove Company. It cost about $1,300. 1955 Instant Oatmeal is invented by the Quaker Oats Company. 1958 Jif peanut butter was introduced
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Sports Stars Hank Aaron Willie Mays Outstanding outfielder
Would breaks Babe Ruth’s HR record in 1974 Willie Mays Outstanding outfielder
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Television Some top rated shows I Love Lucy You Bet Your Life Dragnet
Jack Benny Show This Is Your Life The Honeymooners The $ 64,000 Question >>>Quiz Show Scandals
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Television continued Ed Sullivan Show December Bride Our Miss Brooks
Gunsmoke Father Knows Best Ozzie and Harriet Mouseketeers Annette Funicello Rocky & his friends
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Vintage commercials
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Movie stars James Dean Elizabeth Taylor Kim Novak Charlton Heston
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Elvis & Marilyn
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3D Movies & Comics(too) 1952-Bwana Devil
~50 movies during the “Golden Age of 3D” 3-D Today…like it or not?
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Other Entertainment 1955 Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California.
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Dr. Benjamin Spock Wrote “Baby and Child Care” (1946 but BIG in the 1950s) During the baby boom, this book was the “Bible” for raising children. Has sold over 50 million copies. Key message: Not one strict, one-size-fits-all from discipline to toilet training, Spock urged parents to be flexible and see their children as individuals. Criticism afterwards: Child centered = more defiant, spoiled and has led to decline in our culture How Dr. Spock destroyed America
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Architecture Levittown house >>>>> Frank Lloyd Wright
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Art Jackson Pollock “New York School” Abstract impressionism
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Willem de Kooning William Baziotes 1950 “Woman”
1952 “The Flesh Eaters” <<<David Smith “DS 1958 “
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The Century Happy Days (1953-60)
The entire clip is good but for this section of history, watch: 3:10-21:20
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