Behind The Scenes In A Chicago Skyscraper In 1980s

I have got to say, this was a fun job. Just going into the Chicago Sears classic skyscraper ad knocking on people's doors and asking them if we could film what they were doing at that moment was surprisingly interesting. Most people's jobs were interesting and people seemed involved. The jobs were probably more interesting then than they are today if I had the same responsibility to knock on people's doors in any skyscraper in America.

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

Here are some amazing office scenes that I filmed in the early 1980s. - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZqtmIqgbZmjia8

[@danishwachman5988]

Today is the 35th anniversary of my grandpa Burt Spitz’s passing. My siblings and dad have never had a chance to hear him speak so these clips of him are awesome! Brought a huge smile to my moms face! Thank you so the other viewers who brought this to our attention!

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

I am so glad that you and your family got to see this. David Hoffman filmmaker

[@SAXONWARLORD1000AD]

the kick ass insurance guy ? - he must have passed young

[@josephgarrett5693]

@@SAXONWARLORD1000AD The info I found was he died in 1985 aged 49.

[@1337fraggzb00N]

04:25 nobody messed with Burt Spitz, this guy meant business.

[@princegroove]

@@josephgarrett5693 Stress and smoking are killers indeed.

[@biffboffo]

I could’ve watched two hours of this. I love this old footage.

[@garrettshepard3392]

Yeah same here!

[@RichieRouge206]

Me too

[@yvonjasser]

It is ironically refreshing for me, love it too

[@Cryptokat]

I love David Hoffman's work full stop - may he continue to bless us with his beautiful work! David, if you're in the UK in the future (once we get out of Corona waves!) - I'd love to meet you.

[@gabrielortiz665]

Yesss the 70s 80s Chicago was magical

[@kimshwachman4045]

David Hoffman, thank you so much for this!! My dad, Burt Spitz was featured in your Prudential video and my daughter showed it to me today. Someone googled him to see what he was doing today and came across my post about him on the AIDS Memorial page. He passed away at the age of 49 35 years ago today. My husband and children never knew him. This video allowed me and my family to see him and hear his voice today. Thank you for this gift today on a day that I am especially missing him.

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

I am so glad that you got the chance to see it. David Hoffman Filmmaker

[@chickenmuffin]

"Smell of smoke on 22nd floor" Everyone: Smoking on all the floors.

[@victorpena3129]

That’s how you know you better check it out if that’s being reported.

[@QueenBee-xd1xk]

And in the elevator too!

[@analogidc1394]

It's impressive to see a filmmaker capture the spirit of an era in only ten minutes.

[@christiancardenas6811]

Man I just love this Slice of Life stuff. It makes history actually REAL.

[@jacobmarley8350]

History is real regardless but i totally get what your saying !!!

[@The_ZeroLine]

My mom was probably one of Chicago’s first female CEOs of an international company. After a smaller skyscraper on Ontario, she worked in the Standard Oil Building (later Aon Center) on the 65th floor. It’s the huge white skyscraper on the right you see when they pan over the loop from the lakeside (edit: look@6:30). I used to love to visit her in the office because there was always so much stuff I could take (client products). I would later work on the 66th floor and I hated the feeling you would get if you looked straight down for too long. The building also swayed a lot in violent winds, but I got so many beautiful pictures from up there.

[@90srule96]

This was vintage early 80’s (which was still the 70’s). The flowing, nonchalant style of this feature made it seem like you were actually there. There is no such thing as a time machine, but there is KZbin.

[@keaton718]

It feels like the setting of a modern offbeat comedy, how we go through a lot of effort today to make scripted TV "feel" like Gonzo style journalism where people do what they do irl and say what they think irl (albeit whilst knowing a camera is filming them).

[@ralphgould2783]

David, I worked for CBS TV 2 in Chicago in 1981, 1982 at the Hancock building. Our transmitter was on the 98th floor. If there was a strong storm or wind, you could see the water in the toilets sloshing side to side. Some times the clouds would actually be below our floor. I only worked there for vacation relief as I was a studio engineer. They found out I had transmitter experience and I was assigned there now and then. Chicago was not as messed up as it is now. I would ride to work from the suburbs on the Chicago Northwestern RR. That was the best parts of the day. I had been a rail fan since my dad used to take me to South Station in Boston a couple of times a year in the mid 50's. Have a Happy New Year.

[@Bennevisie]

Ralph Gould These days they install the toilets with gyroscopic stabilisers to ensure its users have a slosh-free experience. Hurrah for modern technology!

[@ricochetey]

@@Bennevisie For real? 😂

[@markgalassini8742]

I grew up in Lagrange and Hinsdale in the 1970s Miss those days, miss that tv. Ray Rayner, bozo, family classics.

[@Tmidiman]

Mark Galassini Bozo and Ray Rainer. You make me feel old.

[@LaytonAlex]

Ralph, I was in an art appreciation course in college and we were doing a section on architecture. My professor told us that the Hancock building was so advanced and full of amenities that if a person were to live and work there, they'd never have to go outside unless they wanted to. Is there any truth to that statement?

[@hoilst]

"Norman, wake up, man" *Norman drops lightbulb"

[@grxengine6188]

3:44. Haven’t we ALL worked with a guy like this. LOL!!!

[@jockejocke1]

Pretty sure his name was Bob, Norman seems to have been the husband who needed to use the visitors mens room.

[@MJK1965]

Notice it was a woman asking for the men's room.

[@jockejocke1]

@@MJK1965 She was asking for her husband Norman who was off camera.

[@MJK1965]

@@jockejocke1 I don't doubt it.

[@thaintriguing1]

Next up: “Office buildings are slowly becoming obsolete due to massive amount of employees working from home due to the coronavirus”

[@nunyabusiness896]

It's long overdue. Office buildings are a waste of money and space and contribute to traffic congestion and waste people's time (commuting, getting super dressed up in some cases, etc). IMO there's no more "social interaction" between a video call and a face to face meeting, I don't need to smell the person to converse with them. Save in-person meetings and commuting for people that *need* to do that, everyone else should make working from home the standard.

[@geeterdun5966]

@@nunyabusiness896 I hear ya. Not good for a large part of the economy though. Food services that rely on the breakfast/lunch hour surges. Retail clothing stores closing down because people don't need to buy clothing for work (especially women). Parking lots losing the monthly/daily customers. Auto shops less vehicle maintenance required. Gas Industry... The list goes on and on. Having said all that, I don't want to go back. I'm saving $600/month not commuting to/from work. Like you said about waisting time. I get about 24 full calendar days per year of my life back not sitting in traffic.

[@Salpeteroxid]

This is our Babylon, when it falls it falls and in thousands of years they will remains of a past civilization that was pre WW III known as the big event.

[@Z_Co95]

@@geeterdun5966 I agree with you but that’s life.. it changes and that’s why a lot of business don’t sustain.. for example, look at blockbuster. It used to be a killer but technology and life changed and now they’re out of business.. that’s why it’s so tough to be a business owner

[@michalmilko8347]

@@nunyabusiness896 I agreed till that part of video call and face to face meeting. I meet clients on regular bases and face to face meetings are far more productive and I also enjoy visiting different places and companies.

[@Wesley-td3he]

Love the camera angles, the views of the escalators, the diversity of the workforce. The conversations of every day business quandries... LOL... "I don't know what I will say to her?" Great film, awesome music. Definately a well done peice.

[@grabowski5348]

I never would've thought I'd find something like this so interesting

[@Shits-and-Giggles669]

I truly miss these times. The internet and smartphones as awesome as they are, has taken something away from “real” life. It’s a difficult thing to try to describe. Life was just better!

[@MrD3000]

That’s because you would be like one of the people in this video if you were born 50 years earlier. You wouldn’t know what a smartphone or the internet is, but you would rock out to Led Zeppelin.

[@Shits-and-Giggles669]

Diederik I was alive when this video was made, so obviously I know what the world was like before and after smartphones and the internet. That’s exactly why I stated that I missed those days, so I’m not really sure what you are even trying to say here.

[@MrD3000]

A killa 4 reala I was replying to the original post by Jeesh. KZbin’s comment section is a little wacky. What’s the one thing you miss most about that time?

[@Shits-and-Giggles669]

Diederik that’s a hard question, but I guess I would have to say the people. People actually interacted with one another back then. Life was exciting and free. When you left your home, you weren’t tethered to everyone else at the touch of a button. It’s really hard to explain, it’s just something you would have to experience. I wish I was better at explaining things, hopefully someone else will give us there two cents on the matter.✌️

[@JediJoe22]

I used to work on the 78th floor of the Sears Tower. It sways so much more than I ever thought it would. Wish I could find some old video I shot of my office door swinging back and forth on its hinges. Once or twice the winds were so bad that they had to shut down the elevators to the upper floors and I got to leave early. Views were incredible. Being on the 78th put you just above the building next door and it felt so surreal looking down on it. Same with the clouds--sometimes it seemed like you were walking on them. Other times you were in the clouds and couldn't see anything, which was cool for other reasons. One day building security made us go through terrorist attack drills, which was interesting. My favorite memory is probably the first time I turned around at my desk and saw a man standing outside my window as he washed it. So bizarre haha.

[@murderparker7968]

You’re a man after my own heart, another Chicagoan refusing to use the new title, “Willis Tower” without so much as a “how do you do?” Good show.

[@imnotevenworried5143]

I went up to the glass boxes on the sears tower.. I’m not scared of heights but man i know what you mean about the swaying. Something about looking straight down was super spooky not to mention my sisters friend was JUMPING on the damn box to scare me.. Surreal

[@arncj18]

you could feel the building moving? holy shit!

[@imnotevenworried5143]

@cj18 yea bro pretty much all mega tall structures are made to sway in the wind(for earthquakes and high winds). You can’t easily see it on rectangular buildings like the sears tower but the Gateway arch in St. Louis on the other hand😳. Bro that thing was a mess. Soooooooo f-ing scary man. You REALLY feel it on that. Maybe some people feel it more (I’m guessing same people that get sea sick) but idk man; it’s crazy what humans have accomplished..

[@conorc4594]

That sounds horrible.

[@KawaiiCat2]

I love this! My mom had a best friend who worked at Bell Pacific in the 80s as a telephone operator. My mom worked at a clothing store nearby and would always go visit her during her lunch hour. She would tell me what life was like in the tall office buildings and I would always wonder. Life was so much simpler back then. It’s so great to see this!

[@nitramluap]

Narrator: "They're like little communities where people get to know each other" Woman: "I didn't know you drank coffee" 🤣

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

The blond chick in that scene was hot. It is great to know what hot chicks looked like during these old times. Likewise I always imagine what the hot chicks looked like in the 1920 speakeasy era. No matter what era you see, a 20-something girl will always be hot as long as she's not fat.

[@jessicas7746]

@@ninjanerdstudent6937 What a strange hyper-sexual fixation you have on "hot chicks" and their body types from different eras.

[@jessicas7746]

@Star Scream That must be the case lol

[@varunemani]

Mature healthy fine looking women you dont find these days, that's for sure. 🍷 Loved the way she burns the coffee guy asking him how come he feels low on a Monday!

[@roadmaster720]

i think the gals back in the 1970s looked hot.i was in my young 20's then walking around with an erection when i looked at a hot gal then. now at 65 the blue pill is needed. i wonder now since these gals are my age, how many of them look hot these days.

[@trentonjennings9105]

the cornflakes porn was a bit unsettling, but with therapy I'm getting over it

[@fruitpooplooper150]

Disgusting! Now our kids are being exposed to that filth everyday in cereal isles across the country!

[@Orandu]

It was supposed to stop people from master bating. Look it up.

[@NuGanjaTron]

"Yeah... YEAH... right there! YEAHYEAH THAT'S IT!! Oooh! ... Yeah, all the way!"

[@theliltwirp]

Not corn flakes porn !!!!! I'm f'in weak !!!!!! 🤦🏾‍♂️😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭😭😭😂😂🥣

[@newbarker523]

I'd love to cover those sexy little crispy temptresses with my milk. Ooh yeah!

[@fornello123]

They’re still photographing those corn flakes to this day.

[@mipmipmipmipmip]

almost there, just brush off the mold on the top flakes again!

[@richardhighsmith]

Just a little bit more finessing.

[@sjoncb]

'Photoshopping'

[@mnfrench7603]

White glue was the stand in for milk

[@louistournas120]

@@mnfrench7603 : "White glue was the stand in for milk" ==I saw that in some youtube video. Also, apparently they use mashed potatoes instead of ice cream in ice cream commercials. I still don't believe it. I can photograph the real thing without any problems.

[@soundlemonade]

I lived on the north side from 75 to 87. I can't always find 80s videos of Chicago, but there are always a few gems from the 70s that I come across. This one was really lovely. Brought back memories of people smoking stogies indoors, echoing lobbies and stomach woozing elevator rides. Thanks for sharing this!

[@KelG]

I would love if this existed for the World Trade Center. I’m born and raised in New York City. That day changed a lot. I remember my teachers crying, parents panicking, and the streets being empty. My mother picked me up from school and rushed home. We saw the news and my mother was crying. I remember the screams when the towers fell and then complete silence. Still feels eerie and surreal to this very day. The architecture of the WTC was one of a kind and the offices inside were unique. This video just reminded me and I felt to share my sentiments. Thank you for this video.

[@swifty1969]

you know as bad as it was, compared to what's going on now it was paradise. 3k deaths vs 200k and counting. It looks like Covid is not significantly slowing down and God knows when will this nightmare end. I also don't see any proper cure or vaccine on the horizon so the way I see it, we might lose more than 1 million people. God! I wish I had a time machine and went back and lived in the 80's. Best times of my life. FUCK THE 21st century.....you can keep your smartphones, 4k tv's, internet, woke, sjw, blm, me too, and all the shit.

[@CanariasCanariass]

@@swifty1969 I agree.. I hate living today.. but maybe just because of my severe depression

[@swifty1969]

@@CanariasCanariass yeah! it's the entire atmosphere that would make any healthy person depressed. Granted, going back in time will make me miss a few things like having everything availabe to you at all times. I'm sure it will be difficult at first but I'll adjust in not time. In fact I love retro tech.

[@CanariasCanariass]

@@swifty1969 Same here. If I could, I would go back in a heartbeat. Granted I was only born in '86 so I didnt really experience the 80s, however, I do know the 90s and early 2000s... in fact my life got worse and worse as time progressed..

[@KelG]

@@swifty1969 what the hell are you talking about? How are you comparing a terrorist attack to the pandemic? There is no correlation there, AT ALL. Keep your ignorant comments to yourself.

[@ScottTeresi]

It’s weird to think that someone just entering the workforce when this was made is now exiting it.

[@mipmipmipmipmip]

Then again this is Chicago so they've probably been let go years ago.

[@ScottTeresi]

mipmipmipmipmip Let go from “the WORKFORCE?” LOL

[@kyoakland]

Probably exiting life

[@mnfrench7603]

Moth’s Mummy I started school in ‘74. I’m retired now at the tender age of 50.

[@EsoTownBizz6500]

@@kyoakland lol.....

[@jonfklein]

The things I noticed: + People smoked openly everywhere. + People were far thinner than today. + The women dressed much more conservatively (and no tattoos).

[@ishthefish9006]

Ok are you assuming times were better then?because they werent

[@mikebrown7274]

All true.

[@jonfklein]

Some things were better, some things were worse. There wasn't an obesity epidemic like we have today. There has been a degradation of family structure and the N. American economy is not as prosperous now. This has led to various social problems, such as the opioid crisis. The problems existed in the 1970's as well but were not as big a problem as today. However, there was probably more pollution than today. In particular air pollution such as smoking indoors and automobiles were not as clean then. Also technological advancements since then, in particular computers, have benefitted peoples lives greatly. But on balance I would say that life was actually a bit better back then.

[@davidgagnon3781]

@@jonfklein People had fewer consumer goods that even poor people today take for granted. But you could leave your door unlocked, you could walk the street at night and you could leave the keys in your car ignition.

[@davidgagnon3781]

@@ishthefish9006 People had fewer consumer goods that even poor people today take for granted. But you could leave your door unlocked, you could walk the street at night and you could leave the keys in your car ignition.

[@fishingandfilming4464]

This is so amazing. As a 35 year old in 2020, the 70's and 80's seem so out of this world to me, like a fever dream. At the same time, as an amateur photographer, I wish I could go back there or before and do what David Hoffman has done. He's an inspiration but it's just not the same these days. Everything is so clean and fake now

[@outsideingeorgia8963]

Do it now and then wait 30 years!

[@GabiN64]

America is not clean lol. Still a lot of grunge especially with exteme wealth inequality

[@mountainman615]

I’m watching this in February 2022. 46 years later! Surely you would think that all of the people in this film are retired. Even young Bill the maintenance guy changing the light bulb while the older experienced guy, Bob, gives careful instructions only to drop and break the bulb at the end! That was too funny! Great film! Loved it!

[@cateatfood6634]

Many of these people are not retired, but passed. Like gay 'ol Burt 😂

[@prodigaldawtr7907]

This is making me miss the 80's. It had it's problems. But I'm glad I had my childhood before the 21st century.

[@kirk1968]

Right? Totally agree, that was an amazing time to grow up.

[@toekevin]

Except it’s clearly stated twice during the introduction that this was filmed in 1976.

[@prodigaldawtr7907]

@@toekevin It looks the same. Even the young woman looked like photos I have of my mom b4 she had me :)

[@taoist32]

Cassy Glass The early 80’s pretty much had 70’s style, but we’re slowly changing to include more bright colors. I remember everything was brown, orange, and green. Not many other primary colors were used for interior design.

[@Mary_O]

@@taoist32 - our shag carpeting was brown, orange & gold. Autumn all year long. 😖

[@dirkdarwin2571]

Man, those cornflakes look god damn beautiful. THAT'S how you shoot cornflakes.

[@Lockbar]

When I was a kid in the early 1960s the Prudential was the tallest in Chicago. It was a super big deal to go up to the observation deck. There was a fancy restaurant up there were businessmen would take their secretaries trying to romance them. I'm sure that is closed now. Probably filled with old furniture and junk filing cabinets.

[@michaellandry2227]

I remember going up there in 1965.

[@NigelThornbery]

3:18 “Don’t get nervous”. Every single time someone has said that to me before completing a daunting task, I get nervous.

[@dixienormous6969]

Honestly! I hate it when people say that to me! It's like they want me to have a nervous breakdown!!

[@keaton718]

At least it was the dead bulb, unless they were just demonstrating it with a good bulb.

[@Thelawncarenut]

The edit was spot on here, love it! Those Chicago accents are the best.

[@cantnot2797]

I don't hear any accent here

[@Moparornocar1989]

I'm from Chicago and everyone says I sound like I'm from Boston. Even people from Chicago say that lol

[@Rattattattatt]

accents?

[@janickgoudeau6126]

The guy starting the engine/generator in the very first 20 seconds has a strong Chicago accent

[@kristopheraleman]

@@cantnot2797 At 8:30, when the guy says “tired.” It’s hard to hear elsewhere. It’s not as strong and well-known as other US accents.

[@flaminghulaballoo]

When the fire drill completed on the 22nd floor, in a big empty office, I just imagined them running in and interrupting Hans Gruber, and everyone getting taken hostage... Fascinating footage, David. Thank you.

[@mdevidograndpacificlumbera1539]

I have to say one thing- There were offices in ancient Rome; There were many bureaucracies related to the maintenance of their cities, including but not limited to the governance and engineering of water aqueducts. You can read about Frontinus and his administrative oversight of the complex waterways and aqueducts in "De Aquadeducta" .... Which chronologues his time as the head Roman Water Commissioner. They also had offices for architects, and engineers(Which in most cases were one in the same back then) Surveyors, and offices for tax collection. So yes, Offices were around before the medieval era, probably reaching as far back as the egyptians

[@Pantsinabucket]

Jhon Krasnovskiy you see those shitty call centers that are just a cheapo two-story block? That’s how most offices were.

[@nmarbletoe8210]

Vini Vidi Filum

[@somcana]

Also in middle east and Asia. I guess history from one perspective here.

[@harrykruger1881]

Might sound weird, but this is one of the most thrilling posts on you tube I've seen in a while. Great work then and still holds up today. Thanks for bringing it back

[@adamheskett6245]

The corn flakes photographers. Give them a raise that was some good photos.

[@AIKnowYou]

Yup sure, let me time travel back first.

[@charlesc5950]

dwiggins01 Jeez there are still more than 14,000 cable subscribers?

[@KutWrite]

@@charlesc5950: I'm not one of them. I cut mine over 6 years ago. Never miss it.

[@wesrm1]

I don’t get the corn flake reference popping up in the comments.

[@SaulGoodmun]

Definitely a couple flakes spooning together in there.

[@thefifthdementia5231]

In the late 70s I got my first writing job at Leo Burnett, where your crew clearly spent a lot of time. People commenting on all the smoking might like to know that there was no non-smoking policy at Burnett, who did advertising for Marlboro cigarettes, among others. If you were a smoker you were expected to smoke the client's brands, and any noob that put up No Smoking signs was forced to take them down. I loved seeing the 70s office non-fashions I used to wear and the apple bowl at the 13th floor reception (best apples in the agency). Thanks for the memories.

[@Jaakkogc]

Was Leo Burnett a smoker himself?

[@thefifthdementia5231]

@@Jaakkogc Mr Burnett passed away years before I joined his shop so I never knew him. But with a client as big as Philip Morris, I'll bet he did smoke, at least in their presence. You can hear Leo speak in a video entitled "When to Take My Name off the Door," which was played for new employees and can now be found on youtube. He didn't have the voice of a heavy smoker.

[@BSP20101]

"There are already 2 million computers in America today..." - the good old days.

[@goofytuna6077]

Haha the footage of the people unscrewing the light bulb just to break it always cracks me up

[@doctorcameltoe]

i love how Hoff's videos are like a time capsule we all get to peek into... love the content!!

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

Thank you. David Hoffman-filmmaker

[@yarbles_]

Gone are the days when every office had guys photographing corn flakes.

[@jamesbehrje4279]

What are you talking about i guarenfuckentee you someones taking a picture of their cornflakes!!!

[@billyfulks5587]

We still do. Except for when Rodger decides to be a wise guy and sneaks in rice crispies.

[@bthemedia]

@2:38 with Deardorff 8x10 camera and 4x5 back with Polaroids for testing exposure and composition... what a great way to practice still photography!

[@ehss192]

Now we have snowflakes and bathroom selfies.

[@SonnyGTA]

ehss192 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[@Rich-hm9ux]

This is great film! I love seeing snippets of time like this. I worked in the Mary Kay building in Addison, Texas in the early 2000's as a IT specialist. It was only 13 floors but it was state of the art, beautiful. The inside had granite tile and granite slabs everywhere. I was the Mac expert and supported the Creative Department on the 7th floor. They had top of the line Mac Pros. They had photo shoots for their makeup products and often had models come in standing in line to audition to be in their catalog. The dress code was very strict since at Mary Kay, image is everything. For men, shirt and tie every day. Women dressed to impress. Now I am working from home wearing my T-shirt and shorts. I work for a different company now and although it was an interesting experience, I don't miss the shirt and tie routine AT ALL!

[@TheyRiseBand]

The late 90s/00s was that period where casual became common. Some companies went with it, others, like mine, required business attire. Same with personal cell phones. Some banned them , some did not. It was a strange time.

[@adambenedict6155]

Mr. Hoffman, I work in a large insurance office building in Illinois - outside of Chicago. Been there nearly 20 years. One notable difference I see is that people dressed their best for work in the 70s and 80s...only to smell like ashtrays when they returned home. Now...it is casual dress ( maybe too casual) ..and you cannot smoke within a hundred yards of our building.

[@johngrave5554]

Doesn't it really depend on the job itself? If its a tech company its most likely pretty casual due to the culture. But if its a law firm or insurance or banking its still the same. Except the smoking part I think its pretty good. I remember my dad used to smell like a chain smoker even though he didn't smoke.

[@weirdshibainu]

@@johngrave5554 Perhaps in Chicago. In the Western U.S., it's amazing how casual people are dressing for work, even in law and finance. I am glad they banned smoking in the workplace.

[@goldendreams3437]

I can imagine some executive in a big Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, rolling up to the building with a golf club in hand

[@johnnygoesfast9397]

W.Clement Stone's office was there for a long time. You'll laugh when you see his photo, typical fat cat with a big cigar

[@goldendreams3437]

@@johnnygoesfast9397 lolololols

[@TheMrbrowniie]

Did somebody step on a duck ?

[@goldendreams3437]

@@TheMrbrowniie no but i saw a horse step on a pigeon once

[@notsure6187]

ready to beat some poor employee with it.

[@brianfantana8510]

Guy comes out of the elevator smoking a cig ! I can remember people drinking and smoking at their desk.

[@gwolf6975]

Brian Fantana remember ash trays right by the elevator doors..

[@HipsterDoofus100]

G Wolf remember ashtrays in airplane armrests??

[@keltecdan]

Back when men were men and not lazy ass snowflakes.

[@Yeiyn343]

@@keltecdan Not about the smoking part, but I agree that men were manlier back then.

[@louistournas120]

@@HipsterDoofus100 : I remember ash trays in cars and cigarette lighter in the car.

[@reeffeeder]

Legend has it, they're still adjusting the cornflakes

[@kashioable]

hahahahha best comment

[@CJT3X]

"I didn't know you drank coffee!" - weirdest pickup line

[@whitealliance9540]

Lmao that was the boss. Film crew said "make small talk with the employees" and she was probably like "small talk? I dont talk to these biches" Lmao think about it. How does someone work with you and know your first name, see a coffee machine and never notice them make a cup. Its staged.

[@ashtonpatterson1181]

This conversations listed above went from the horror of how relationships are established post 1980 to the horror of Rome.. The irony is that everyone conversing became friends, and none of them work in the same office building, struggling to know each other with the adverse of technology, improper social development, or feministic interference.

[@fredv6510]

@@whitealliance9540 Huh???

[@whitealliance9540]

@@fredv6510 3 question marks? What are you, a child?

[@fredv6510]

Project on my friend. 🤔

[@dats3]

Fascinating. I've worked in IT for 20 years, but I have never worked in a skyscraper. I wonder how the necessary infrastructure to support segmented networks looks now compared to back then. I assume they were using terminals on a mainframe which means they were probably using BNC cabling. Can you imagine how much time, effort and money to probably took to switch to ethernet? The big tool was the phone. Now it's the mobile device. The one I have to put away at night just so I can relax. Back then you could go home at night and leave work at the office. Now we carry the office around in our pocket. I'm sure back then that might have sounded cool, but in practice it's stressful. Anyway, interesting video.

[@tomservo5007]

I would imagine each tenant would be responsible for networking, for security among other reasons, and not building facilities. The drop ceilings making it easier for the tenant to run cables.

[@CoyoteSeven]

It was not obvious that Ethernet would become the ubiquitous network topology that it is now. I do recall seeing magazine ads for some rather proprietary networking solutions in the early 80s. I remember one in particular that tried piggybacking network signals over telephone lines. I guess the idea was that since there were already phone wires going to each office already that those could be used in a way that didn't interfere with regular phone operation. I have no idea how well that worked. My guess is "not very well". LOL I also recall hearing about how someone tried to future proof their office building by installing a high speed serial network. At a blazing 9600 bps.

[@dats3]

@Tin Man Yeah, I think so. I should have mentioned BNC/Coax. I grew up with ethernet so my knowledge of that type of network is very limited.

[@RealityGutPunch]

I can tell you the retrofits were an absolute nightmare. Vampire taps, the whole bit. I started at the tail end of coax w/bnc and had to do the cutover. And cutting over to 10mbps hubs was state of the art. I don't miss it.

[@modolief]

No, it’s easy, just don’t install the work Slack instance on your mobile device.

[@bradwooldidge6979]

Burt Spitz! Perfect name for the guy with the gold chains and chest hair!

[@anemicsilence]

😂👍

[@helvegen21]

@@anemicsilence instagram.com/p/Bx8AufjplBD/?hl=en sad to know he passed away

[@anemicsilence]

@@helvegen21 😲😞

[@srarcade]

I wonder if he ever got his $900...

[@cateatfood6634]

And gay.

[@hikingwithmarty]

What a wonderful clip! Did anyone also notice how greatly enjoyable the editing is? Lady flushes toilet, "were back in business" *cut to next shot* man is washing windows, men appears behind the 'waterfall-like' image, that flushing and the water really connect nicely. Then some folks are shaking (moving) plants, which appear as trees *another cut* and then we see people shove huge package of (waste)paper. There is a lot of interesting associations going on among the different shots and scenes. Clearly made with passion for film work as well a lot of pleasure has been put into the process I assume.

[@michaeldavidson8971]

The good old days when we had many many jobs and getting one was so much easier then it is now, no drug tests, no background checks, no multiple interviews, etc. Also you had better benefits, often had a pension, and pay vs cost of living ratio was higher.

[@kristopheraleman]

I remember before the recession I got every job with one job interview. During and after you had up to five interviews for one job, and many times they were group interviews and had to wait in lines because there were so many people applying.

[@pablosel3857]

@@kristopheraleman didnt you reach 3% unemployment rate with Trump?

[@TheyRiseBand]

What about underemployment? One person has to work 2 or 3 low wage jobs with no benefits to barely get by. That might make unemployment low, but is inaccurate. Also the way they measure it has been changed, to smooth over how bad things really are. Real unemployment is around 25%.

[@WilliamBarryRoberts]

"The boiler needs more asbestos....you got a cigarette?"

[@redleader7988]

2020: asbestos, cigarette or literally anything ...got a safe space?

[@foolishwatcher]

@@redleader7988 only at university campuses.

[@redleader7988]

@@foolishwatcher but then they get jobs

[@larrytornetta9764]

No hearing protection required

[@SocialmotionMedia]

HeeHee!

[@rcastor1]

Dingy faux wood paneling and nicotine stains. That’s how I remember 1970s offices.

[@dede4004]

Womens dresses and clothes weren't SKIN tight, with most of their breasts showing either. There was a more business dress back then, instead of sexy, body con. There was even the "power suit" look, they wore, which was funny. No purple, pink or green hair back then either. That was kind of nice, to have actual hair colors, (even if it came from a box) lol.

[@neilpuckett359]

You don't look old enough to remember the 70's,face lift?

[@floobertuber]

Richard Castor, I delivered some office tech to an AFL/CIO office in 1991, and you would not believe the stench of cigarettes that was in that place.

[@KutWrite]

My first introduction to an office building was the Union Pacific HQ Building in Omaha, Nebr. Only dingy in some of the machine spaces i maintained. But at the desks... Comptometers everywhere!

[@KutWrite]

@@dede4004: In this film there were two VERY sexy women in heels, slacks and a blouse. Never saw either of their faces, but... wow!

[@jayrose6312]

This is phenomenal, David!! Your works that I’ve seen thus far have been nothing short of American film gold! I look forward to watching many more! 👏👏👏

[@nickschomer5605]

Wow. Just wow. I work downtown in various skyscrapers almost every day, and seeing old architecture and styles still in some of these buildings makes me wonder what it used to look like or how things used to run. Thankyou for this david.

[@oaktadopbok665]

When I was a boy, the Prudential Building was the tallest in Chicago. Thank you for an amazing journey into the past.

[@jamesbelkin9204]

I couldn't stop watching/laughing at Bill and Bob changing that light bulb 🤣

[@arcadia5607]

No cornflakes were harmed during the production of this movie.

[@maxrockatansky1772]

but there was one lightbulb...

[@aky19832001]

8:39 guy thinks he's about to start a conversation with the tall blond, as he starts talking and tapping his stomach thinking to him self," finally". She turns around mid sentences as the guy is speaking to her and starts a conversation with her coworker completely disregarding what he had to say. She's like " so how you doing linda"

[@newbarker523]

Yes, I felt really sorry for him.

[@andrejohnson6731]

A keen eye you have.

[@crumplezone1]

Thank god it was not Ted Bundy she blew off :)

[@randomuploadsism]

She’s not beholden to anyone - busy woman wanted to get her drink and move on!

[@aky19832001]

@@randomuploadsism she qasnt interest in his childish bullshit stiry of how he got drunk with his friends.

[@jimmcintyre4390]

Love the “behind the scenes“ stories like this. Fascinating.

[@mtobrien1]

I love the editing. I wonder where all these folks are now, how they feel about their work so many years ago. I was a teen at the time. I couldn't have imagined spending my life working in a high rise like that. I don't mean to sound judgmental about it. Very interesting piece of our recent history.

[@JoeBlow_4]

Many are likely dead or nearing it.

[@rebbel67]

Burt Spitz died in 1985.

[@kimosabbe50]

@@rebbel67 We both looked that up at the same time... just had to delete my comment :)

[@rebbel67]

@@kimosabbe50 I was sure I wasn't the only one intrigued by it :-) 49, pretty young to die...

[@josephanderson7237]

Ro Rebbel Was that Mark Spitz’s brother? 😊

[@Mark-yb1sp]

One of the MANY things my family and I enjoy about your films, David, is that you bring up parts of America that make us feel proud of who we are and where we’ve come from. Once again, my hat is off to you, sir.

[@jaegermah]

There’s an art to these types of videos that parallels that of cinematic masterpiece. Amazing work!

[@nadams127]

Can i say from someone whom now is 41 and was only one in 1979 lol =) That you really should do something like archive. I would buy the huge collection what you have or heck give it away. I would love my children to have the chance to watch anything to do with history and this is really history. I can watch this all day over anything that is currently popular to be honest. Thank You David it's wonderful

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

Thank you Nick. I have been posting videos for more than 10 years now and although I think I'm getting better at it, some of the old ones are pretty good and I think you and your children would find them of interest. David Hoffman-filmmaker

[@nadams127]

@@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker Thanks David for replying so fast =0 Thank You again for these treasures of history. I guess since I'm getting older I'm expanding and loving the fact I'm alive and I have this amazing technology to go back in the past before I was even alive and see the world moving along. Thanks again!

[@MrComputerRetro]

That's an excellent film. Congratulations! It was like being there for 10 minutes. In late 70s early 80s footage everything feels right; peoples' style, behavior, surroundings, etc. Must be because it was the time I was growing up, so it's imprinted in my memory as the norm.

[@TheMathSorcerer]

1976, love the history!!!

[@raccoonzers3947]

I can't explain why but I can't help but love the 70s decor you see in things like this. Probably the nostalgia- this is from before my time but I still can remember a few older buildings rocking the 70s stuff when I was quite young...

[@baird5776mullet]

75-76 my favorite years,was 18 and 19 years old, we had so much more freedom and elbow room back then.

[@NOSEBLOB]

Changing the lightbulb today requires a 2000 sq ft taped-off perimeter and a beeping Hy-Lift.

[@martinpoole1451]

Yeah because if you don't Laurel and Hardy will smash a bulb at your feet.

[@90srule96]

I loved how casually they changed that bulb with people walking around. Guy dropped it at the end and didn’t give a $&it. Lawyers ruin everything.

[@frankrizzo4592]

Building engineers are jacks of all trades. My neighbor is one in Chicago and the technology is incredible. Ultimate behind the scenes job.

[@peterjamesfoote3964]

When I was 5 or 6 my dad brought me up to the observation deck of the tallest building in Chicago, the Prudential building! We looked out onto Grant Park below and it seemed that we were very high back in 1965 or 66. This film was shot after The John Hancock Building was built because we could see it in the film’s opening. I was really glad you spent a little time on the history of the skyscraper. Thanks for posting this. I’m 60 now.

[@Keckegenkai]

god I love the 70s aesthetics, especially in the office buildings.

[@taoist32]

Der Kolben You haven’t seen the homes. I was born in the 70’s, and I can tell you everything was either orange, brown, or green. A bit of yellow, but not much. Not many blue, red, pink, purple, lavender, or any other color was used rarely.

[@blackboxbs8642]

Its the camera effect

[@tmcche7881]

@@taoist32 today, it's all Mao Tse Tung gray.

[@myfavoriteplanet3247]

70's had the worst aesthetics, horrible materials and colors. Plastic and polyester everything in colors of Burnt orange, Olive green, Harvest Gold and dark brown fake wood panneling. This building looked more early 80's .

[@chrisgillard6129]

I'm amazed at all the people smoking. Not allowed here in Canada. Changing light bubs. I did that, at night when everyone has gone home. It is amazing, I was just a teen aged kid back then. Well done. Thanks.

[@mikeryan2070]

Another Great Documentary. I'm from Chicagoland. I Grew Up. In A Middle class. Chicagoland Landscape. Thank You. Now I can understand My Parents. And My Neighbors.

[@nosferadu]

Thank you mr. Hoffman for these glimpses into the past. They somehow make me nostalgic for a time I was too young to remember!

[@johntechwriter]

Fascinating slice-of-life documentary about 1970s-era office work. I was doing that at the time. I recall there always being some pressure to be productive, but nowhere near what today's pencil pushers endure. Little did we know that our new-fangled computers would become employer surveillance systems, and that email and text messages would be beamed to our cell phones on holidays and weekends. I am so glad to be retired. But at the same time I’m sad for us all because the future seems as if it will be even more bleak than the present.

[@chessewaz]

Truly

[@RetroDawn]

This film was made in 1982--David confirmed it for me. I totally agree with your comment.

[@TheStuport]

I always thought of Office Buildings as White Collar Factories without the sweat and smoke and labor of a Blue Collar Factory. Wondering how expensive the Rent was in the building in relation to the time period of 1975. Another Slice of Americana Mr. Hoffman....these really are Treasures to watch decades later! Can't wait to see what you deliver for your Fans in 2020 Mr. Hoffman....Much Appreciated! Cheers From Ohio

[@JayAugustoSilva]

I absolutely love this channel! Thank you for uploading this. In less than 10 minutes I felt immersed in a day in the life of someone in the late 70s in Chicago! I wasn’t even born then. Haha love it!

[@stevecombs7749]

Watching this reminds me of my childhood. While I didn’t work in a skyscraper as a kid my dad worked in similar buildings back then. It was exciting when I’d get to visit him at work. Seeing the clothes and general look of everyone and everything is really nice and brings back a lot of memories of those times. I half expected to see a young Christopher Reeve wearing glasses and a fedora walk by.

[@areyoujelton]

It’s strange to see people walking without phones in their hands.

[@NatJac-gg3mv]

It was awesome to live through it as well!!

[@areyoujelton]

Nat Jac yeah I remember when I got my first phone... Things definitely changed after that. But I will say I love being connected to things like this channel! Everything in moderation.

[@nadanada5698]

Jelton Inc. - believe it or not all of the technology that is now available was not back then😊...the Unabomber’s manifesto explains why.....read it...now it makes sense...David if you do not like this comment please delete it,my itty bitty feelings won’t be hurt...SERIOUSLY ! ! ! !

[@Modernaire]

Jelton Inc. Not strange to me. Strange to do so many looking down at there palmtop computers

[@joleigh4138]

Nat Jac I definitely miss those days.

[@bhuvidya]

This doco is a piece of gold, a time capsule. Thx for making it and sharing it!

[@stargazeronesixseven]

So Nostalgic! More People Oriented at that Era! Thank You So Much for Sharing! ♥️🌷🕯

[@wilproK]

Thank you for sharing these cool old videos Mr. Hoffman

[@pilgrim7779]

Some people say that to this day you can still smell those smokey corn flakes on the 22nd floor.

[@robertd9850]

And the reverse is true now. People are moving out of office buildings and back into their homes to work.

[@Tmidiman]

Some, not all.

[@NuGanjaTron]

Because offices nowadays -- the ubiquitous open plan variety -- are SHIT. You don't get anything done! Thus ppl alienate themselves even more. Great progress...

[@MidwestPicker]

I love hearing how people spoke in the 70's, reminds me of my childhood. Amazing how speech evolves seemingly one decade at a time.

[@allannyholmnielsen5559]

What a gem! I've been watching your videos on this channel and it has always truck me that there always? appeared to be a curiosity about the camera - not like today where people, myself included, avoid the camera at any time. Today it's endless blurred faces and speech. The 1970's and 1980's are the decades that I just want to jump into if I could. I was born in the lates 1970's so the 1990's was where I remember most things from, and let me tell you that I can't say I want to jump back in. The present is too much for me. I live to dream. Thank you, David Hoffman. For sharing videos of things that touches deep down the good feelings. I can't explain what it is about these years; the 70's and 80's, but they feel good.

[@vmarques6801]

thank you so much for sharing this with us. being 19 in this day and age, i constantly forget how truly young i am and seeing this just proves it. i love the editing and this type of behind the scenes productions, and being so used to the world as it is today, it felt like i was watching an alternate universe. i dont know how to describe how the world changing so much makes me feel but most of the time its a panicky and claustrophobic thing. i wonder where the people in the video are, how they feel about today’s corporate world, and how the equivalent of this video in 2078 would be like.

[@Thelawncarenut]

Found an article - Burt Spitz passed away in 1985 at the age of 49. I wonder if his family knows of this film. He clearly wanted to play up the part for the documentary - seems like a fun character to say the least.

[@biffboffo]

Burt seemed like he lived life twice as hard, so it was really like he was 98.

[@wariswrong4920]

He made himself look like a bad businessman with that aggressive phone call to voicemail. He seemed tone deaf on how that would look. There are more effective ways to retrieve debts and get them to continue as customers paying in advance. And smoking so much, even then, was a sure way not to get hot dates.

[@BrooklynBalla]

ironduke0775 It said he died of AIDS

[@SharonPiano8]

@@wariswrong4920 No "voicemail" in the 1970's.

[@rollandjoeseph]

He was probably a big coke addict

[@varunemani]

And to the film maker behind this extraordinary film Mr. David we have only one thing to say. Thanks, this was pure gold man!

[@mpdirigent]

What a superbly assembled piece! Very much of its time, yes, but a surprise of "what was going on" behind those doors when I was growing up. Thanks for posting this, David. Cheers from western New York!

[@myothersoul1953]

Love the photographer with the bellows camera. What skill and patients photography took back then.

[@pahountisg]

I remember those too :) 8x10 on 4x5 carrier and Polaroid test shots to check the light. Great to see that

[@johntechwriter]

No Photoshop.

[@azaz911c]

Love these types of videos. It is a close as we can come to time travel.

[@BushyHairedStranger]

The bulb changers was hilarious!

[@julian7383]

Good lord, that pink stone paneling is 50s galore! Not to mention the checkerboard floors as well.

[@cloudoftime]

8:28 "Hi Andy, how are you? I didn't know you drank coffee." "Sometimes, when I'm tired in the morning." "Wild night?" "I should say so." "(Chuckles) On a Monday?" ...uhhhhh... *Awkward, uncomfortable* "So, how are you doing, Linda?" Got called out.

[@jasonrichardson7633]

Nice catch!!!

[@MISTAKEWASMADE4live]

I don't get it

[@wariswrong4920]

She was really hot as well. Would her equivalent (in that job/age) be overweight today?

[@mcganahanskjellyfetti7722]

And then the Snowman at 8:49 lol

[@GabeHandle]

After the awkwardness he tried to recover but it was too late. He was never the same after that.

[@emmanuelwolf6568]

Seems like another planet now.thevworld has changed so much that even the air looks different.

[@colinclifton1748]

That was really interesting. I googled the angry insurance guy Bert Spitz, and he passed away shortly after the video was made. I loved the other on video on how people dressed and spoke on wall street. Great stuff!

[@temasongu]

I am a Clevelander born in the mid-1980s, and I have fond memories of seeing this type of interior design back when it was probably starting to go out of style (or maybe already had) in the very early years of my life. The wood paneling with fluorescent lighting in the elevator at 2:06, the typeface of the sign at 2:02, the granite wall with dark brown elevator doors at 4:49, the dark tones of the walls and carpet of 2:23, the recessed light fixtures at 5:59, and wall-mounted ash trays seen in the distance at 4:47...all of this brings back such great memories of how my city used to look. Our airport used to have this same style, as did several of our office buildings and hospitals. The one place we have that is still like this is the "Tower East" building in Shaker Heights, and you can see pictures of the inside on Google Maps.

[@conairvideoteam8017]

Who came here to see the lovely lady in the thumbnail image? And more importantly, where is she?

[@AbeJacoby]

You dont want to see her now!!!

[@2flyabove]

She's chickbait.

[@karamlevi]

She looked very attractive physically and even more so energetically / femininely. I wasn’t born till 1974 but when I see the late 70’s -80’s women I realize why we had higher marriage n child rates.

[@mootbooxle]

she's gorgeous!

[@ryanweston9677]

She hit her sexual marketplace value peak 5 years later. She may make for a good friend though.

[@stealthiestboy]

I wonder how much of them were playing it up for the camera. Either way, it's really cool seeing a slice of American life from that period. People get a distorted perspective when seeing all the flash and glamour of advertisements and designs from the period, and not seeing the real people that lived it.

[@marvetheman]

That is completely true. We tend to see the past (especially times we haven't experienced) in a caricature or two dimensional way through the TV shows and commercials of the time. I remember the 70's as a great time to be a kid, we had the first home video game consoles but kids still played outside, without supervision, all day. We dealt with bullies without counselling and learned to accept different ideas without putting on black masks and throwing bricks through windows. People also appreciated western civilization and realized that it was the adult's responsibility to maintain and advance it.

[@kamilkarwat2706]

This was a great film. So much nostalgia. Thanks for uploading.