Enough with the Dead Celebrities...Let's Fly Away

Man, they are dropping like flies, aren't they? Things are so bad I'm forced to lighten things up with a blog post I was originally planning way back in September 2011 - when PAN AM was the hottest thing on TV. Remember PAN AM?

Well, I for one was very excited about this show. When I first heard about it, I thought it would be right up my runway. After all, I've been a fan of Pan Am - the vintage airline - since as far back as I could remember. In fact I've been crazy about flight attendants since I was a wee lad.

After all, what's not to love about Pam Am stewardesses?

Well, after watching about 2.5 episodes of PAN AM...I realized I'd rather look at old ads from the 60s than watch a painfully annoying show about bland characters.

Like this one.

Other TV shows and films tried to capture the thrill of the airline experience.

Films like COME FLY WITH ME (1963).

How great is this poster? Even in French...

And then there's BOEING, BOEING (1966)...

And the awful Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle VIEW FROM THE TOP (2003). What a stinker!

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A much better film which used Pan Am as production element was Spielberg's CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (2002), which I believe is currently having a second life as a big splashy Broadway musical.

On TV, there was the adaptation of the saucy novel COFFEE, TEA OR ME? (1973)

The ABC MOVIE OF THE WEEK version was a bit tamer.

Starring Karen Valentine and John Davidson.

Looks like the original book has been re-issued by Penguin. Didn't they used to publish classics?

Another attempt by network TV to capture the stewardess experience was the CBS dramedy FLYING HIGH (1978-79).

Starring Connie Selleca, Pat Klous and Kathryn Witt.

It was called a "jiggle show" or "CHARLIE'S ANGE:LS in the air."

Looks intense.

Apparently it's still popular somewhere...

Years later, FOX gave us THE CREW... 

 Yes, THE CREW (1995-96) from Marc (DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES) Cherry starring soap icon Lane Davies.

A little more racy was the British series MILE HIGH (2003-05)...

Which was kind of a throw back to the sexploitation flicks like...THE STEWARDESSES (1969)...which was in 3D.

 Or STEWARDESS SCHOOL (1986) featuring Donny Most, Judy Landers and Sherman Hemsley!

I'm not gonna go into the AIRPORT series of films, but I really must mention that the all-time best Airplane movie is, of course AIRPLANE! (1980).

But by all means, avoid the sequel...

...and avoid PAN AM. Is that show still even on?

How to Beat Your June Gloom...

It's not that I don't have plenty of important things  to blog about...it's just this crazy "June Gloom" that makes me want look at colorful old advertising that I've had it my design  "swipe files" for years. For example:

Wow - these colors are already cheering me up!  I've always wanted my outfit to match my furniture and my artwork. Who knew it was such "Effortless Ease"?

Talk about colorful! These PSA flight attendants not only "pop" - but all their uniforms are unique, but compliment each other's. How hot is that? If flight crew still dressed liked this, I'd be flying a whole lot more often.

And finally, The Cologne of the Future. I clipped this ad from an old French fashion mag from the 1960s. Not only did the perfume have a "futuristic" name, but the packaging and the ad imagery looked like they could be from another time and place as well. I'd love to have that box sitting on my bathroom shelf.