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This is probably the only time I have heard the late Ted Knight (a World War II hero, I might add) say, ‘Oh, shit’!

   And the following has some nice shots from The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s last show (the episode was entitled ‘The Last Show’—what else?).

For those who saw my earlier post on the ABC retro-style promo—and the discussion that it wasn’t that genuine—here’s what a 1972 promo for the network really looked like.

   Gotta dig that slitscan technique—no computers doing these effects then!
   Some from 1973 announcing programmes:

   Since ABC has used the Mod Squad theme for its Life on Mars promo, how about a real one for Mod Squad—really from 1973 itself?    Surely if the BBC can re-create its 1973 graphics, and ABC wants to play the same trick, it wouldn’t be that hard to make something like this, would it?

Looks like ABC is getting into the retro theme with this 15-second promotion for the American Life on Mars.

   OK, so the typography is meant to be reminiscent of the 1970s but it looks more modern (I seem to remember Peignot was used a lot then on ABC, but perhaps Americans can tell me more definitively), the theme is that of The Mod Squad, and the voiceover sounds like the old announcer on that network (who I understand has passed away). The logo looks suitably retro, too.
   This reminds me of the campaign the BBC used for the second series of the original Life on Mars in the UK, which included the old BBC1 globe before each episode. A pity TVNZ never did it here in New Zealand—I did suggest it to them at the time, and they could have got out old TV1 logos. For those who might not remember the 2007 campaign: with all those lovely brown tones from 1973 and typography looking like it was done on Letraset (it was more likely digitally set). The retro ident was also computer-re-created but it looks nearly indistinguishable to the original, apart from the widescreen ratio:    It looks like ABC is being far more serious about Life on Mars than when David E. Kelley was helming the programme, though I wonder if first-time viewers will understand the retro campaign for a first series. Even the UK, despite its nostalgia for The Sweeney and The Professionals, waited till the second year before springing the retro marketing campaign on to the public.

I wonder if Burt Reynolds is looking back at the 1970s and wondering if he should do a fourth Smokey and the Bandit, where the Bandit, an aged alcoholic looking back at his life, is haunted by the spirit of Jackie Gleason. Jerry Reed can still do all the songs.
   Hey, it’s not as bad as the time Mark Wahlberg did Planet of the Apes.

These politicians sure do stick together: the Governor of California endorsing the former Mayor of Carmel.

Share one of your favourite quotes.

I don’t have an all-time favourite but these would rank in the top 20.

A few more tributes to the late, great Isaac Hayes.

   I grew up with John Shaft. I had (still have!) a Shaft’s Big Score pencil case complete with combination so for my early years, John Shaft was my idea of what a hero should be like—big surprise to all those who thought it was The Persuaders or the Saint! Though it took me 30 years to get a jacket like his. And as Richard Roundtree walks around Manhattan to Hayes’s score—this is just magical.
   And I know Isaac Hayes is known for more than that and the following:

   Two final clips for Isaac where we see the man himself:

It’s probably because Ashes to Ashes is new that I was able to identify where Prime made cuts to fit in the ads—but I have to compliment them because I don’t think they were as serious as what we lost on TV One with Life on Mars.
   I think around seven to ten minutes were cut whereas I am sure we lost over ten with Life on Mars.
   I watched it again tonight, partly to support the network for making a good move—they deserve as many viewers as they can get for not just buying a great series but showing it in the year it was first broadcast in the UK. I think for once we beat the Americans in getting a British series—maybe even the Australians. It’s a real treat to see a British 2008 copyright notice!
   Missing were a few scenes where the Pierrot clown chased Alex down the alleyway, Chris’s final apprehension and shooting of a villain, and entire conversation between Alex and Shaz about death and life flashing before her eyes, and this:

   I know it wasn’t integral to the plot since it was a dream sequence, and if cuts had to be made, I can understand why this went, but since Rainbow aired in New Zealand, too, it would have had some significance to people my age. Even my Dad asked me if there was a cut right there, so he noticed!
   Still, thank God for YouTube and a chance to share this bit with other Lifers in New Zealand.

I did a bit more work on JY Aristi last night and today. Here are some test documents for it, now with a few revised characters.
   Firstly, Hamburgerfonts (or, in this case, Hamburgefontsiv) is a common test word in typeface design. It shows the cap height, x-height (the height of a lowercase x), ascender height (b, f, t) and descender height (g) plus some regularly occurring letters and how the typeface fares with diagonals and curved letters.
   The first graphic compares JY Aristi (first line) with some similar typefaces to check copyfitting and styles. The typefaces are JY Aristi, JY Ætna (on which JY Aristi is loosely based, but was designed for 14 pt settings), Monotype Plantin Light (a 10 pt master), Monotype Bembo (also based on a 10 pt master) and the ubiquitous Monotype Times New Roman.

   What is apparent above is that JY Aristi could work in text. There is little contrast between verticals and horizontals and it is largely legible. The new g is more robust. It can be an excellent text font with some oldstyle connotations.
   JY Ætna, because it was designed for 14 pt, appears lighter when set at the same point size. It also appears narrower. The idea is that when it is set at the size it was designed for, it should look like it has the same contrast and weight as the text. In this case, I think it would work with JY Aristi.
   The third typeface is Monotype Plantin Light. This version was based on drawings for a 10 pt model, so it should compete with JY Aristi. The x-height is greater so if we were to shrink down the point size to match the x-height, it would be more compact.
   Fourth is Bembo, which has the same roots as Ætna and Aristi. I normally like Bembo but I think this early PostScript version from Monotype is too light for text usage. Monotype issued a new Bembo Book some years ago, but I haven’t bought (a licence for) it yet.
   The last is Times New Roman, as installed on nearly every computer in the world. Times was based loosely on Plantin and it’s here for comparison. It also has a high x-height but its designer, Stanley Morison, was clever in having many of the common letters condensed, which newspapers love—that’s why, for so long, many newspapers used it—and many still do.
   JY Aristi is not meant to replace Times—I see it used more for magazine work (one of the aims) and my colleague Stanley Moss thinks it would work for academic usage as it looks historical enough.
   Finally, here’s JY Artisti side by side with Monotype Bembo, set to the same x-height and leading. It’s not really a fair fight: Aristi is easier to read and more compact. Put Aristi alongside Times and I am sure it would not fare as well. However, I believe the two typefaces have a similar overall effect.

Goodbye Isaac Hayes. In tribute to you, sir, a repeat video: