1972 PBS Promos

Five promos for Public Broadcasting Service programming from 1972. I wonder to myself why anyone else hasn't uploaded animations like these ones of the PBS I.D. from all the years it was used. Still looking for the Christmas promo variant of it that was interstitial material between programs. If anyone out there previously worked for PBS and has any animations on film, would they please come forward and post them? I would enjoy seeing them.

[@jerricaleonard2123]

That is the cutest 1970s PBS logo variant I've ever seen.

[@joelharris1335]

I agree, seeing the 1970's P-head meeting a female P-head would be a nice touch for valentines day! Why couldn't they bring the pink P-head back - but updated?

[@damondiogostine2925]

Why were there only 4 PBS kids shows in the 1970s

[@WillCWilson]

​@@damondiogostine2925Because PBS Kids wasn't really a thing until 1993

[@damondiogostine2925]

I wish PBS made adult animated shows like the ones we see on Fox and Adult swim. Maybe we might get that one day

[@damondiogostine2925]

If PBS made an adult animated sitcom, we can learn about drugs, murdering, violence, sex, etc

[@greatrey]

Wish PBS could bring this back in an updated way.

[@vidmaker208]

Now that is what I call a true PBS classic

[@brooke050870]

Monday, May 8, 1972...I turned 2 that day. Love this.

[@thetoolbox112394]

Wow! Not to make you feel old, but this was 22 years before my time. My mom was 13 1/2 and my dad was 28! I just think this is nice to watch.

[@LogoMan7777]

Actually, "Antigone" debuted on PBS on October 7, 1972. This must have been from September.

[@ZakWolf]

My mom turned 14 years old that day! She was just finishing up middle school then.

[@ThunderFist1978]

These are really cool! I wasn't alive to see them, so thanks for uploading!

[@vinkoivomilicdiaz6932]

A true PBS classic. From original tapes. And we want coming soon many episodes of NOVA!!! We want classic science!!!

[@StimpyGir]

I love the song so much. This is so cute! I wish to hear the full song without the announcements.

[@LuigiArts]

I agree ❤

[@jamesborlan2850]

I love these classic pbs promos

[@anthonyaddison2383]

Wow these were uploaded in the best quality available.

[@murielsartre]

Thank you. Incredible. What a find. I was not yet 3 years old when these were aired.

[@carriewilkerson54]

Guys, I finally found the May promo! It's on the 1972 PBS promo of the series The More you Know.

[@saraflint2982]

22 years and about 6 months before my time. Sounds like some great public TV!

[@danielslade9485]

My mother was 9 at the time these were broadcasted.

[@JasonDelarosa2000]

Tonight is what you make it... so make it good!

[@huntonpeck]

I wish I could remember when these promos aired. They were from a time when TV stations, especially public television, aspired to do something more than just appeal to the lowest common denominator. Television seemed to be so much more "adult" and sophisticated then. Greek dramas; Shakespearean plays; Fine arts; Public affairs; Educational shows; Adaptations of classic novels ... this stuff just doesn't sell now and we're all the poorer for it.

[@josephconciatori9824]

Stirling, you have definitely made your point. However, the novel Vanity Fair was first published in 1848, making it over 100 years old (and hardly "new") when these promos were made.

[@huntonpeck]

You are correct; thank you. Fixed it.

[@brycelandon6387]

I still get the impression that PBS appeals to a higher class of viewer - at least with their adult programming - what with all the British shows they air like Downton Abbey.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

PBS used to be this way. There was always something snooty on at night and if you were a kid, you simply tune to something else since it wasn't really for you.

[@4611mathman]

I like some of the show's on PBS Nova cosmos etc but. I knew some PBS members they were very entitled and sad suto intellectuals that played fallow the leader more then any independent thought they are no smarter the anybody else though they like to tell them selfs that. There eletist attude and their ego trips were big turn offs if you questioned anything you were a an ignoramous not worry of their time. People who watch PBS are no smarter or better then anybody else

[@zeldafan1942]

This was also the same year that the popular Marlo Thomas LP Record album "Free To Be You And Me" was first released!

[@youngsonic3dgamingscm64ori6]

i love this pbs heart song cause it's beautiful.

[@Ian16545]

Major retro-ness FTW! Great find, Aspergian!

[@blakewilliams6051]

These promos were shown on WHRO (A PBS Station in Norfolk, VA) in 1972

[@bluray2012ify]

The promos sound old, but I love them!!!

[@MauroDanielMezaZamora1998]

Excellent vintage PBS promos from 1972!! But still can't figure it out which date my local PBS station KPBS San Diego conducted pledge nights throughout 1972!!

[@CoffeeFlavoredMilk]

Honestly I'm not here to go all "PBS promos/bumpers were so good back then they suck now" but the one thing I wish they would do more often is mess around with the P-Head. PBS Kids had the P-Pals which IMO I prefer way more to Dot and Dash. Those two are perhaps more appropriate for the shows they precede but the P-Pals was still really fucking cool. If these are anything to go by even main-line PBS could make the P-Head be more expressive and whatnot. I'm guessing these were dealt away with because of professionalism or whatever but still I really liked these.

[@MinaSmol]

“Vanity Fair + Another Part Of The Forest” is the only one missing.

[@brianoneill7186]

I wonder if these ads were intende to air on commercial TV? In the eraly years of PBS, it wasn't unheard of to see PBS promos on other channels.

[@matthewbrown8486]

🎶 Look for something special on your Public TV Station! Tune in Tonight! Tune in Tonight! 🎶

[@thetoolbox112394]

cool! this is classic public television! i wish i had seen this but i wasn't even a thought in 1972. (My mom was only 14!)

[@ilmamartinez522]

Igor Stravinsky's "Firebird" - International Performance(he was from Russia) Antigone - Playhouse NY Vanity Fair(Susan Hampshire) - Masterpiece Theatre "Another Part of the Forest" - Lillian Hellman Election '72(at the time this bumper was broadcasted) - A Public Affair

[@JohnWatsonPuppetChannel]

This very nostalgic.

[@the_Sam20]

I first saw that back then on Thanksgiving or somewhat in 2011. Good memories...

[@stephanierossi2586]

There are two PBS stations that might have the christmas variant WHYY in Philadelphia/Wilmington/Atlantic City might have it or WETA in Washington DC may have it with their founding mother the late Elizabeth Campbell

[@jerrygil1965]

Ah, the good days of TV

[@PGMEagle]

This was back when PBS stations had fundraisers like twice a year now they're on like 5 times a year

[@kascnef]

Phil Smith which is annoying

[@6-leggedhedgehogproduction519]

@@kascnef How else are they gonna make money?

[@zymaymyn]

No scary Moog synthesizer here, dang!

[@alyssamurray6306]

I thought reality TV didn't exist until the 1990s. Thanks for telling me!

[@misterhot9163]

Oh no, it’s been around for years before Ozzy and the Kardashians!

[@blxxdbvrn]

2:38 this mentioned my birthday!

[@WolfKing-dv6xd]

Cool!

[@anglobostonian]

FTW stands for For The Win. Always happen to help a fellow Aspergian!

[@ZakWolf]

How long did these "Look for something special" -style promos last for? They appear to have been animated by whoever did the 1971-1984 PBS closing logo, but with a more mellow stereotypically-1970s soundtrack instead of Moog synthesizers.

[@Pdasilva0324]

I heard someone say through the late 70s but not sure to be honest. This is very 1972.

[@professeurgeopaul]

P

[@EricEbac22]

+Paul DaSilva The PBS "P Head" logo was used from the fall of 1971 until fall 1984; prior to that, after PBS succeeded the old NET (National Educational Television) in October of 1970, they only used a barebones graphic with Macdonald Carey announcing "This is PBS: the Public Broadcasting Service".

[@Pdasilva0324]

EricEbac22 Yes, The P-Head was 1971-84, but these specific "Look for Something special" promos. I don't remember them growing up. I was born in 1977 and have watched PBS since infancy.

[@EricEbac22]

Paul DaSilva This was from late winter-early spring of 1972; the first five or six were narrated by "Boy Meets World" and "Knight Rider" star William Daniels, while the last one for May of '72 was narrated by Didi Conn, best known for her role as Frenchy in "Grease" and "Grease 2".

[@tannerin]

weird how choppy the audio editing is in the may promo

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

I wouldn't say choppy as it's typical of the soundtrack on film to sound that way anyway, it's not entirely clear like if it was done on tape. You often have the problems associated with age, wear and usage.

[@blakewilliams6051]

PBS - Tonight is What You Make It 5-7, 10 (Partly Found PBS Promos) (1972)

[@traviswittliff6368]

Skip to 0:14 for all the promos.

[@RyanSchweitzer77]

Thanks for posting these, these are pretty interesting to see!!! I too would like to see more early public tv-related promos and interstitials as well here on YT, they seem to be quite a rarity... How did you come across these, if I may ask?

[@RyanSchweitzer77]

+David Merrill Gill (Bonzai) Yes, the MBC--I've viewed a portion of their collection online on their website (some of it they have up for video streaming), a great archive for broadcasting. Thanks for the info!

[@satamsonic4026]

0:18 P HEAD HAS A GIRLFRIEND?! That's it! I'M RETIRING FROM THE LOGO COMMUNITY AFTER SEEING THIS! (NOTE: Just kidding, i'm not gonna retire from the logo community entirely.)

[@cbs70sfan49]

I always had a thing for Erin Esurance, but then Allstate had her killed. Why, Allstate, why? You knew I was going to marry her!!

[@Mcfaddenskyler]

This was like somewhere in May of 1972.

[@stephenfisher5129]

3:13 P-Head Is Sneezing! ACHOOO! XO

[@denisejordan7648]

Stephen Fisher

[@dolphn842]

3:13 Gesundheit!

[@marissawolff8491]

Yeah. Poor little guy!

[@Hilkintanah2013]

3:13 AhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhChooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@Hilkintanah2013]

3:13 Poor P-Head

[@gilkintanah2013]

1:30 Vanity Fair + Another Part of the Forest Is Gone

[@seanesullivan21]

Does anyone remember the bumper or sponsor promo on PBS WNET in the early 70's that had exterior footage from the Cloisters? Can't find anywhere

[@shelbypickett5813]

R.I.P Fred rogers 1968-2001

[@damondiogostine2925]

Fred rogers died in 2003, it was just his show that ended in 2001. Even after Fred roger's death in 2003, PBS kids reran mister rogers neighborhood episodes

[@astralisvideocollection]

*L00K FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL*

[@johnnyballenatl]

Now if somebody can unearth some NET promos from until 1970...

[@Ian16545]

And I'm gonna venture a guess that the voiceover on these "look for something special" promos is Burgess Meredith...

[@LogoMan7777]

William Daniels.

[@the_Sam20]

P heads fall in LOVE!!!! yay @52Hacker cool dude

[@ekaterinalekkas2356]

Who sings Look for Something Special?

[@vioreldroj9760]

Dan Russell

[@PrinceDisneyFanTV]

Even KERA showed these in 1972

[@blakewilliams6051]

3:05 The forerunners to the P-Pals

[@steelmag9]

So that's what P was doing when he wasn't scaring the hell out of me with B and S!

[@EricEbac22]

The person who did the voiceover for the last commercial sounded like Frenchy from "Grease".

[@LogoMan7777]

2:59- So, it looks like Reality TV existed earlier than we thought.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Although in the context of that "Reality" was promoting, I'm thinking it's a documentary on the Hopi Indians' plight to save their land from being taken over by a mining organization, so I don't see it the same as a reality show today. This was a documentary on a real event.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Just looked up the entry for the film itself. www.worldcat.org/title/black-coal-red-power/oclc/20267058?referer=di&ht=edition trove.nla.gov.au/work/21628423?q&versionId=25953504

[@sterlingiverson5017]

you mean 2:59?

[@LogoMan7777]

@@sterlingiverson5017 Yes

[@Pdasilva0324]

50 years ago now

[@stephenfisher5129]

2:29 P-Head Is Happy! :)

[@stephanierossi2586]

Where is the Christmas variant this and the Christmastime variant are in my novel memories of the 1970s PBS logo

[@kadenvanciel9335]

The PBS page on the CLG Wiki might need some context on the Christmas variant. How do you remember seeing them?

[@vioreldroj9760]

Here

[@GameTipsAndMoreBlog]

Were these William Daniels (voice of "KITT from Knight Rider" and much more)..? Thanks for sharing them!

[@EricEbac22]

+GameTipsAndMoreBlog As far as the first voice, I couldn't tell you if it was William Daniels, AKA Mr. Feeney from "Boy Meets World", but the second one sounded like Didi Conn, AKA Frenchy from "Grease".

[@michaelglickman1300]

Amusingly, Didi Conn would later work for PBS full time, when she was cast as Stacy Jones on "Shining Time Station."

[@JAC_Pittsburgh]

Bye Bye! Gonna Go Into 2020 And Revive These ID's

[@dylaninpieces2]

This is trippy.

[@stevekapschock6785]

Yeah play Stravinsky's "Firebird"!! Wooooo!

[@MinaSmol]

Can you do a video remake out of this?

[@x1224]

Zoom! 1970-1999 1999-2005 love that show

[@x1224]

I already knew that.

[@EricEbac22]

+Seth Cardona That was the second incarnation; the original aired from 1970 until 1986.

[@x1224]

cool!

[@jamezpipe]

Published on Feb 5, 2016

[@looneytoon76]

I don't know, but I think that be Didi Conn (Frenchy from Grease) narrating the last one

[@LogoMan7777]

looneytoon76 And William Daniels narrating the rest?

[@readwithmecandyb3220]

Look for something special on your public tv station tune in tonight tune in tonight! I love you!

[@annikacartier2355]

I know there is to much love from P-Head

[@gagebowie7825]

3:13 P Head's First Sneeze

[@Ian16545]

It means "for the win", just so you know.

[@damondiogostine2925]

are there any promos of NET from the mid-to-late 1960s and early 1970?

[@tmdthehedgehogpoe930]

PBS 70s May Promo at 2:19!

[@jamezpipe]

1972 PBS Promos

[@foxxyloxx]

Great find- I adore these! So simple, sweet & mellow, as opposed to the annoying in-your-face-loud-loud-loud-do-i-have-your-attention-yet commercials they hurl at us these days. The animation of the flowers blooming for May is gorgeus. The whole thing is gorgeus, actually. Very Schoolhouse Rock. It just irks me that the P-headette is scowling at the begining, like she can't be happy untill the MAN shows up. Couldn't her face just have been passive & normal? (I know, my feminisim is showing.)

[@MarioMario456]

Taken of a LaserDisc?

[@twcoursolle]

+Gabriel Brito DVD-R,it seems

[@pope9012]

The p - head is in love

[@Marbles471]

I'm just astonished watching this stuff. (1972 was ten years before I joined the human race). You know, back then people already said television was bad for you, and it probably was, but JEEZ. It has to be a thousand times worse for you now, because today it's constant sensory overload----sensory assault, really. I watcth these old PBS promos and I can't believe how quiet and peaceful they are. Now compare that to, say....ABC Family promos today, which to me are the worst of the worst.

[@2014perezf]

19... / Creative Video - Colourful!

[@TintotTanah]

🎶 Tonight Is What You Make It So Make It Good Look For Something Special On Your Public TV Station Look For Something Special On Your Public TV Station Tune In Tonight Tune In Tonight🎶 PBS Just Replaced NET

[@alexleo172]

Tonight is what you make it,so make it good! Look for something special on your public TV station? (x2) Tune it tonight! Tune it tonight!

[@blakewilliams6051]

I 1st saw it in the 2010s

[@damondiogostine2925]

Only 4 shows on PBS kids in 1971? That's sucks

[@jcfbell3001]

we have lost so many of the fundamentals

[@smittykins]

3:14: Gesundheit!

[@dolphn842]

3:14

[@InanimateOSC]

You downloaded the file but how this footage comr from??

[@xXx_murp_xXx]

Cute

[@RJSchex]

Was it William Daniels doing the voiceover?

[@LogoMan7777]

I believe so, yes.

[@randydubin7118]

"Antigane", LOLZ!

[@luismarines6473]

KLRN PBS 9 San Antonio TX

[@hifidistortion27]

the PBS head getting some!! lol

[@4HBirtcher]

No Angry P-Head!

[@pocomom07]

i used to be scared of the PBS P-Head lulz

[@1Soniccool]

if someone find the Xmas logo of the 1971 logo

[@emiplayz91]

2:20 It's gonna be May

[@billyplayz123]

2:28 ok

[@mackenziewachter2508]

My birthday is in May!

[@mackenziewachter2508]

@Jonathan Franco-Martin Ayyyy!

[@eroskulet5011]

@@mackenziewachter2508 Ayyyy!

[@eroskulet5011]

@@mackenziewachter2508 Ayyyy!

[@ALOHA_2327]

MINE IS IN NOVEMBER.

[@jackscreativestudio7356]

My birthday is in May too!

[@misterhot9163]

William Daniels?