Shoe-Phoning It In

1. Inspection (:20)
2. Inspection (:30)
3. Freeway Driving (:30)
4. Freeway Driving (:60) (Peter Graves)
5. Drugs & Driving (:60)
6. Alcohol & Driving (:15)
7. Alcohol & Driving (:30) (Jack Webb)
8. Alcohol & Driving (:60)
9. Alcohol & Driving (:30)
10. Re-examination (:10)
11. General (:60) (Don Adams)
12. General (:30)
13. General (:60) (Greg Morris)
14. Motorcycles (:20)
15. Motorcycles (:20)
16. Motorcycles (:30)
17. Driver Improvement (:15)
18. Driver Improvement (:10)
19. Driver Improvement (:60) (Kathy Garver)
20. Financial Responsibility (:30)

Summer's a good time to remind ourselves of the rules of highway safety, and what better way is there than with some 1960s-era public service announcements? As an added bonus, you'll get to hear Agent Maxwell Smart himself in one of the most hilarious examples of phoning it in ever captured on record.

From the creative minds of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and ADS Audio Visual Productions of Fairfax, Virginia, comes this star-studded series of segments designed to make you a better driver. The rules and regulations were a bit different 40 years ago, as you'll hear. Kathy Garver may even make you nostalgic for the days when our teen starlets were wholesome.

The standout track here comes from Don Adams, who truly phones it in, although they try to cover the low telephone sound quality with a full orchestra accompaniment (recorded in a studio) and a smattering of sound effects. Listen to this one a few times. They've got Adams calling in from Harrah's in Reno, probably between sets, and he doesn't sound too happy about having to do the Maxwell Smart routine.

Greg Morris and Jack Webb are more obliging, voicing spots reminiscent of Mission Impossible and Dragnet. The back of the album promises Steve McQueen, although he's uncredited on any of the tracks, unlike the other actors. That could be him on Track 6, but I can't say for sure.

Given McQueen's penchant for baiting the Hollywood Police into high-speed chases up and down the Sunset Strip back in the '60s, he's an odd choice for a driver safety spot. Then again, safe driving in the '60s meant limiting yourself to three Highballs during Happy Hour.

Comments

[bartleby]

Thanks, little mp3s like this are about the best segues one can expect from an ipod.

[louboutin]

Great articles and it's so helpful. I want to add your blog into my rrs reader but i can't find the rrs address. Would you please send your address to my email? Thanks a lot!