WPVI 6 Sign-Off, June 1985

This is a sign-off from Philadelphia's WPVI channel 6. It was recorded in the early-morning hours of Sunday, June 30th, 1985. The late "Cinema 6" movie was 1956's Toward the Unknown, as seen on the title slide that leads into a commercial for Aaron Levin Galleries, with a breathless announcer telling of their fine art sale.
Next is a promo for When the Circus Came to Town with Elizabeth Montgomery, and a "We're With You" promo for Tic-Tac-Dough is next, weeknights at 7. Another bump, and then Phil Donahue tackles the implications of Rambo's popularity. "We're With You" again for Wheel of Fortune at 7:30, with a local contestant featured.
The movie ends with a voiceover outro, followed by an Action News Team promo with Jim Gardner, Don Tollefson, and Dave Roberts. A station ID leads to a "Program Note" that the next show, ABC News Weekend Report, was recorded earlier (meaning Saturday the 29th). Brit Hume leads with news of American hostages in Beirut almost being freed.
An ad for Whirlpool microwaves is next, with Larry Santos singing the jingle. An ABC promo follows, for This Week with David Brinkley and World News Sunday with Sam Donaldson. The Edison Electric Institute then touts the benefits of well-lighted spaces in a spooky 1984 spot.
The news ends, and ABC promotes the last new airing of Call to Glory. Paul Norton then announces the 1971 sign-off.
No rights held or implied. (If you'd like this video removed for copyright reasons, please contact me rather than notifying KZbin, I will gladly take it down from this channel.) These clips are on compilation 81 at oldtvads.blogspot.com...

[@hf6150]

Here's to Jim Gardner - the PHI news legend. But really now: who sells art at a gallery like you're selling used cars?

[@libertubey2199]

"Tic Tac Dough" would be on Channel 6 at 7 PM for 3 more months. That September, it moved to Channel 10 at 9 AM (with Jim Caldwell replacing Wink Martindale) and in its place at 7 PM on Channel 6, "Jeopardy!," which would be starting its second season. Its first season was airing on Channel 3 at 12:30 PM during this time.

[@zachhoran]

Tic Tac Dough didn't bow on WCAU until 3/10/1986, and IIRC they started airing it at the beginning of the Jim Caldwell season. It replaced $100K Pyramid after Perfect Match, the Newlywed Game clone with Bob Goen, moved from 9AM to 7:30PM. Perfect Match had replaced a short-lived game show from the same syndicator, Telepictures, Catch Phrase.

[@jacobgroce6613]

YES.....i so remember this....those childhoods moments staying up just to catch this sign off

[@daveporter0217]

I see they kept the Seal of Good Practice alive after its formal abolition.

[@vln2012]

years afterward this sign off was finally updated in 1991 years after CapCities merged into ABC making it owned and operated by ABC. Another thing that didnt change was its program disclaimer at the beginning of the ABC News weekend report mentioning it was recorded earlier. That disclaimer was recorded in the late 60s when it was still WFIL TV and still had live booth announcers and a large announcing staff. This disclaimer was used till about the year 2000 into the 6ABC era.

[@luisreyes1963]

Phil Donahue is a reminder of when talk shows were a place for discussing serious issues, unlike the freak shows currently on TV.

[@jacobgroce6613]

Around this time in 1985 between wpvi 6 and kyw tv 3 would be singing off form 3:30 or 3:45 am during early morning hours monday thought friday wcau ch 10 would be the only station on air from the time nightwatch would run from 2:00am to 4:00am and then sign on 6:00am when they never went off the air and the very start of the morning would start the cbs good morning show or daybreak with chuck jones this is what i remember back in the 80s when i was young wtaf 29 and wphl 17 would stay on air mondays to saturdays but wtaf that used to be now wtxf 29 would sign off right before wphl would into the 90s

[@user-qv3wb2gy1f]

6:44-6:50. 1968 ABC-TV N'twrk I.D. slide

[@Skibibbles]

And the traffic of the Schuylkill was still terrible back then!

[@davidmatthewvinotjr8396]

I bet this is close to the end of the line for the classic 1971 sign off. This was just Months before the Cap Cities-ABC Merger Took Effect (August 1985)

[@r66f80]

It's also interesting that they didn't update the 1971 ABC logo to the 1984-85 one.

[@vln2012]

This sign off was used well after the cap cities abc merger up to 1991 I think.

[@vln2012]

The Arron levin commercial dates back to at least the mid 1970s at least and it looked like it was taped at both the store and at channel 6

[@vln2012]

Also one more thing the disclaimer before the abc news sign off report was recorded in the late sixties and was used for decades up to the late 1990s into the six abc era before delayed regular programming

[@davidmatthewvinotjr8396]

According to the sign on/sign off wiki, the LATEST possible airdate of the 1971 sign off is around 1986.

[@thomadpringle7682]

That was fairly interesting the old sign off from channel 6. Why don't you do kyw 3 sign off in 1985. Or maybe wkbs 48 sign off in 1982.

[@MattLeger]

A "city of nine million people"? Really??? Today the city doesn't even make 2 million.

[@buckyheeler8098]

The cinema 6 theme, sounds like the incredible inventions, Ron Popeil, theme.

[@baxstar]

Yep it is. I love the theme

[@vln2012]

Also in 1985 6abc updated their movie umbrella title opens Million Dollar Show Cinema Six and The Subday Matinee Movie. It took another year before 6abc updated the Big Show open that dated back to 1972 the theater flashing lights open. The 1972 big show open at this time also featured the Ron Popeil theme. Prior to that it used other themes but the famous one was the organ jazz music

[@mixon270]

I would love to hear that theme music in the clear

[@mixon270]

@@baxstar where i can find that theme

[@baxstar]

@@mixon270 that I have no idea

[@zachhoran]

Tic Tac Dough was plugged here, but would leave WPVI in September 1985 in favor of Jeopardy!, and Joker's WIld would leave WPVI in favor of previous season Jeopardy reruns,. AKA Daytime Jeopardy

[@teresapflaumer5717]

Would you happen to have a y clips of WPVI's The Big Show open/close? It was an afternoon movie on the weekend.

[@vln2012]

Especially the version used from 1972 till ab out later in 1985 or 1986

[@jacobgroce6613]

The big show manitee Sunday movie had different colors with a black ground with the big show logo starting little then moving up closer to the screen...I remember it very well when I was young the last I seen it was in 84 or 85

[@nickdimatteo4193]

Who is the staff announcer

[@jacobgroce6613]

Paul norton