Canadutch
We all know I’m terrible for taking long, agonizing walks down Memory Lane, right? Well… I’m at it again!
Out of the blue a few days ago I started humming the theme song to The Littlest Hobo. When I told my husband about it he had never heard of the show so I started singing the tune to him. Then today I saw my friend Gail posted a video with the same tune. Most of you probably have no idea what it is, but if you were a child in the 70’s and 80’s in Canada, this will probably tug at your heartstrings the same as it does mine.
I can’t imagine a child out there who didn’t love The Littlest Hobo. I know I definitely did.
Then yesterday I was talking with my friend Heather when she brought up Little House on the Prairie, yet another of my childhood faves! I have always been a huge fan of Michael Landon, who I still consider to be one of the greatest TV stars of all times.
So handsome, so talented… *sigh* I literally weeped when he died. I’m sure I’m not the only one. I gather he was a bit of a heartthrob! Thinking of him brought on an entirely new set of memories…
Would could forget him as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza??
Then of course, the role most people of our generation will remember him for, playing Charles Ingalls in Little House, based on the books by the real Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Finally, another favorite of mine and his last major role, Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven. Big ups to Victor French too for this one.
I honestly don’t know anyone who had such major and classic roles in television as Michael Landon. Back in the day when TV shows were less about shock value and more about just honest to goodness family entertainment. I miss that sometimes.
Heather and I also got to talking about Anne of Green Gables. Quite possibly one of my favorite stories of all time. No wait, it’s definitely my favorite story of all time, there is no doubt. I first saw the movies as a child and was completely enamored with Anne (WITH AN E), her Kindred Spirit Diana Barry, her darling Matthew and even Marilla with her strict but loving ways. I grew up dreaming of having a Gilbert Blythe of my own, but happy to love hers in the meantime. Always wondering why everyone thought Anne was so ugly because I personally thought Megan Follows was beautiful in the film, even with her short hair.
How could anyone not just love the chemistry between them and not watch it again and again… and again and then one or two more times?!
Ok not an opening theme, but that’s not going to cover how magical the story of Anne and Gilbert was, now is it? I so totally cried just watching that. Don’t judge.
Who am I kidding. I STILL love him! I’ll also be marathon watching the Anne movies tomorrow, you can bet your ass on that.
It would be wrong of me to not give Road to Avonlea an honorable mention here. While I did watch it and enjoy it, it was never came close to the OMG FAVE status of Anne of Green Gables or Little House on the Prairie. It was still a lovely family show though.
Aaaah, I am so nostalgic right now. I think if I ever had a child, a little girl especially, I would buy box sets of all these shows for them to watch. There aren’t enough heart warming TV shows with good messages out there anymore, and that is such a pity.
There are other shows I would have added, but I’ve already spoken about them in the past.
Like FAME in I’m Gonna Live Forever!
Also, The Facts of Life in You Take the Good, You Take the Bad…
What shows make you all nostalgic?!
Whoa! I loved all “The Littlest Hobo” when I was little. They showed it in the late afternoons on Austrian national TV. I just loved that dog.
I didn’t even know back then that the show was Canadian.
“A Little House in the Prairie” was one of my favourites, too, and “Road To Avonlea”.
Another show that makes me nostalgic was “Robin OF Sherwood” with Michael Praed (*swoon*).
Did I mention I’m glad that my husband will never read this? *LOL* He would make fun of me forever.
Nostalgia to the Nth degree! I have to say, there were a few more guilty ones for me (‘The A Team’ was always a favorite).
Hmmm, now it’s in my head – “every stop I make, I make a new friend…” The Littlest Hobo. Amen to the classics.
** oh, love the blog!
Oh man this post brought back so many memories. I loved all these shows too as a kid. Well except for the ones I never saw like Road to Avonlea. I so totally agree about everything you said about Michael Landon. I wish there were more people in this world like him and trying to bring out those same human emotions in us! Most of the shows these days are so serious, crime related or cynical. I don’t recognize or relate to people like the ones you see in these modern shows…
I’ve never seen Highway to Heaven but I think I gotta correct that some day. And nice to see Victor French was in that one two. They sure did some nice work together in Little house.
Anne of Green Gables, oh I remember watching that as a early teen… *sighs*
Oh if you liked Michael Landon and Victor French, you would love Highway to Heaven. ML plays an angel who is on probation and is on earth to try to help people. Victor French is a guy who just happened to pick him up hitchhiking and ends up going around with him to help him. It was so so so good. I just loved it. The chemistry between those two was fantastic, and so funny.
Oh my gosh we are like two peas in a pod! I watched every single one of those shows!! I so so sooo loved Little house and Anne of green gables! oh lets be honest, I still watch Little House when it comes on here..lol
I also loved Road to Avonlea aswell. I actually never got to finish all of the anne movies. Im going right now to see if bol.com has those!! I really miss those shows.
.-= Sonya´s last blog ..Dutch New Year =-.
I haven’t seen Little House in years. I don’t really watch Dutch TV much so I totally miss the reruns that play. I watched Road to Avonlea too but mostly because it was all that was on Sundays. Fraggle Rock, The Raccoons and Road to Avonlea haha
Looks like Jian Ghomeshi of CBC’s Q is also having these memory lane flashbacks. He had the intro from The Littlest Hobo on a few days ago, so maybe that’s where Gail got it from.
The one Gail was showing was something to do with Lily Allen I think. Some mash up. Is Q in Toronto? If so then maybe that’s what it was.
Q’s heard across the country and Jian was talking with Lily Allen so that must be it. Guess we know what she listens to!
LOL Not hard to tell that you’re a Canadian girl of the 70s and 80s. I have a confession to make… I still watch ‘The Littlest Hobo’ cause you can stream it from ctv.ca! Good shows never die. I used to watch all of the other ones you mentioned as well (and I had a crush on Gilbert but who didn’t?) Another one I used to watch all of the time (despite Mom and Dad’s protests) was MASH. I even have the whole series on DVD now. :)
Yeah a lot of those sites won’t work here. We can’t watch any of the shows online streaming from the station websites. We just get a message that it’s not available in our area. It sucks. I could probably download it but I get the feeling it’s one of those things I should just remember with my child’s brain. If I watched it now I’d probably think it was horrid.
I liked Mash too, oh and Three’s Company! Maybe I’ll do a John Ritter post sometime!