Hello there, channel surfers, And 70s television catchphrase enthusiasts. 70s television catchphrases are what I call the catchphrases that changed the world. It’s what I call an American past time! Let’s make a time capsule and take a trip into the past.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. “Dy-no-mite!” – Good Times
- 2 2. “Aaayyyy!” – Happy Days
- 3 3. “Kiss my grits!” – Alice
- 4 4. “Up your nose with a rubber hose!” – Welcome Back, Kotter
- 5 5. “Good night, John-Boy” – The Waltons
- 6 6. “Book ’em, Danno!” – Hawaii Five-O
- 7 7. “That’s the way it is” – CBS Evening News
- 8 8. “Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” – The Incredible Hulk
- 9 9. “Stifle yourself!” – All in the Family
- 10 10. “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” – The Brady Bunch
- 11 11. “Nip it in the bud!” – The Andy Griffith Show
- 12 12. “Sit on it!” – Happy Days
1. “Dy-no-mite!” – Good Times
In 1974, Jimmie Walker’s J. J. Evans coined the phrase “Dynamite.” He got studio audiences to laugh because of its overuse. He overused it so much that it brought complaint to the studio, but received approval from the network to keep using it. The phrase exemplified the energy of the 70s, and will go down in history as one of the best in the world of television.
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2. “Aaayyyy!” – Happy Days
From happy days, the Fonz, aka Arthur Fonzerelli also made this era-defining phrase popular. “Aaaayyyy!” was his version of saying hello and he accompanied it with a thumbs up. He would stand in his leather jacket, and kids everywhere would greet eachother with “Aaaayyyy!”
3. “Kiss my grits!” – Alice
One final phrase that we need to touch on in this television time capsule is a phrase coined by Polly Holiday’s Flo the waitress on Alice. “Kiss my grits!” was so popular that it helped launch a spin off show called “Flo.” Even today people quote these phrases when they are feeling sassy.
4. “Up your nose with a rubber hose!” – Welcome Back, Kotter
By the 1970s, ‘Sweathogs’, directed by Eric Medows, entered the lexicon of the American playground. The term was popularized by John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino in the show. He, along with his fellow students in the remedial class, used the term in a fashion that was both mocking and playful, and insulting. This was one of the numerous phrases that the show popularized.
5. “Good night, John-Boy” – The Waltons
The phrase, “Goodnight, John-Boy” from The Waltons has come to represent one of the longest enduring catchphrases in American television history. The exchange between the members of the Walton family has endured in the hearts of Middle America, as family values were paramount during that period in time. It cemented itself in the pop culture of the period and, soon enough, families all over the nation began imitating the goodbye sequence in their homes.
6. “Book ’em, Danno!” – Hawaii Five-O
Steve McGarrett, played by Jack Lord, was known for his commanding tone, and would issue the words to his partner, Dan Williams, as the closing line of every episode. The line defined the no-nonsense attitude of the series and is still used in almost all references to the new reboots and franchises.
7. “That’s the way it is” – CBS Evening News
Walter Cronkite’s saying was more than a simple catchphrase, it was a statement. For the duration of the evening news, he provided Americans with reassurance and legitimacy which earned him the title of ‘the most trusted man in America.’ This saying defined an era when national figures were seen as consolidating news anchors and unifying citizens.
8. “Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” – The Incredible Hulk
One of the most memorable quotes from \\”The Incredible Hulk\\” series came from Bill Bixby’s David Banner: \\”Don’t make me angry.\\” It became a defining phrase of the character. Not only did it define Banner’s struggle with his alter ego, but it also became a reference to pop culture that is still relevant today.
9. “Stifle yourself!” – All in the Family
Archie Bunker telling Edith to “stifle” has become one of the most quoted lines in history thanks mostly to Carroll O’Connor’s masterful delivery in every episode. It is a perfect example of that tough love dynamic, as he says it to a “dingbat” wife that he loves. The phrase even became a part of the vernacular as a comical way to tell someone to shut up.
10. “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” – The Brady Bunch
Sibling rivalry reached new heights with Eve Plumb’s Jan Brady making this classic lament about her older sister being so perfect. While the show was in episode “Her Sister’s Shadow” only one, this saying has become synonymous with middle child syndrome. It was the defining line in what it felt like to be in the shadows of someone else and is one of the most well known quotes outs there.
11. “Nip it in the bud!” – The Andy Griffith Show
Barney Fife, played by Don Knotts, was known for his catchphrase of ‘nip it in the bud’ whenever he suggested preventing problems before they grow. Popular during it’s original run starting in the 1960s, the show was still popular with repeats into the 70s. Fife’s overly enthusiastic take on law enforcement in the town of Mayberry was a primary reason for the popularity of this catchphrase among fans.
12. “Sit on it!” – Happy Days
Richie Cunningham and his friends popularized this playful insult on Happy Days. They even got a lot of kids and adults in the country saying it in place of more vulgar comebacks. It was a perfect representation of the shows attitude and the frustration of the characters.
