Baby Boomers: Can You Name All of These Nostalgic Items From Your Generation?

ENTERTAINMENT

By: Jody Mabry

7 Min Quiz

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

The Baby Boomers are among the most fortunate cohort of people ever to be born in human history. They came into a world that was recovering from a terrible war, where a bad economic year meant 4% growth and a good one 7%. It was a period of rising wages, lifetime job security with a high school education and strong unions, as well as many decades of peace within their homeland.

Some Boomers merely enjoyed the fruits of being the most prosperous generation in history. However, many marched with the leaders of the Civil Rights, labor and feminist movements, while others rebelled against their parents and society and took up with the hippie movement. America was ascendant, there was a common enemy to unite against in the form of the USSR, and life was good. 

As a result, the Boomers enjoyed a great explosion in cultural opportunities, from TV to toys to cars. Suddenly all sorts of fabulous and fun things became available to people who could never have dreamed of them a generation earlier. Boomers are still the largest generation in America, which means the things they love are still around or at least spoken of regularly. Let's see how well you remember these blasts from the past!

Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

"The Honeymooners" (created by and starring Jackie Gleason) ran for only one season -- 39 episodes. That was enough, however, for it to secure a place as one of the most iconic TV series of the '50s and '60s. It is widely believed that Hanna Barbera’s, "The Flintstones," was based on "The Honeymooners'" characters and theme.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Barbie was first made in 1959, and over a billion dolls have been sold. The '60s, however, saw an explosion of Barbie and her accessories.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

Produced since 1953, the Chevy Corvette gained the nickname, Stingray, when its second generation models were released in 1963. This new line featured a tapered back end, while a third generation -- known as Stingray -- came out in 1969 with an entirely new shape.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Etch A Sketch came out in 1960. In 2003, The Toy Industry Association named it as one of the 100 most memorable and creative toys of the 20th century.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

Although the character, Lassie, is female, she was always played by a male dog. The dog who originally portrayed Lassie was named Pal, but while he appeared in seven Lassie films and did the pilots for the TV series, he retired soon after. His descendants continue to be cast in the role.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Duncan Yo-Yos are still made. They first came out in 1929, seeing a huge surge in popularity in the 1960s.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

Upon its initial release, many critics gave "The Beverly Hillbillies" negative reviews. Television viewers, however, loved the show as evidenced by its #1 placement in the Nielsen rankings for its first two seasons. The show remained in the top 20 for eight of its nine seasons but did not make the top 30 in season number nine.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

Enzo Ferrari's son, Dino, was working on an affordable, less powerful, Ferrari model when he passed away at age 24 from muscular dystrophy. His father named the entry-point 1968 Ferrari the Dino in honor of his son.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Originally advertised as wallpaper cleaner, Play-Doh was soon on every kid's shelf as a modeling toy. It was originally advertised to children in the 1950s, with big growth in the 1960s. It is still sold today.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

When Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were expecting their second child, the pregnancy was written into their show, "I Love Lucy." Since the network would not allow the word “pregnancy” to be said on air, “expecting” was used. Desi Arnaz’s character, Ricky Ricardo, would hilariously pronounce this as “spectin'."

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Mr. Potato Head was designed as toy accessories to attach to real potatoes. But complaints about rotting potatoes forced the company to include a plastic potato in 1964. It was re-popularized in the "Toy Story" franchise.

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In which '60s TV show can you find Captain James T. Kirk?

"Star Trek: The Original Series" premiered on NBC on September 8, 1966. It ran for three seasons with a total of 79 episodes until June 3, 1969. It was followed by an animated series and multiple films.

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In which '60s TV show can you find Barney Fife?

"The Andy Griffith Show" was a sitcom created by Sheldon Leonard. It premiered on October 3, 1960, and continued for eight seasons with a total of 249 episodes. Its final episode was on September 6, 1971.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

In 1946, Tonka was originally known as Mound Metalcraft, out of Mound, MN. In 1955, it changed its name to Tonka. Tonka trucks were heavy-duty kids toys at 1/64 the actual size of a truck. The company has produced thousands of different toys for children.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

"Dragnet" featured unmistakable theme music and matter-of-fact narration from Sergeant Joe Friday (portrayed by Jack Webb). The show was created as a radio show by Webb from its beginnings. Webb starred in the radio episodes, as well as both the 1951 – 1959 and 1967 – 1970 TV series.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

Released in 1966, the Toronado was the first mass-produced American front-wheel drive vehicle since the early days of the automotive industry. The sporty new car came complete with custom Firestone tires, which featured stiffer walls than standard wheels.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Who didn't own and destroy a slinky as a child. A slinky is simply a helical spring, but with its mesmerizing movement, it became a popular toy with children.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

"Wagon Train" ran from September, 1957 – May, 1965 with Ward Bond taking on the starring role of wagon master. Bond had earlier played opposite John Wayne in the 1930 epic western, "The Big Trail."

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In which '60s TV show can you find Captain Tony Nelson?

"Yes, Master!" I Dream of Jeannie premiered on September 18, 1965 on NBC. It starred Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman and aired for five seasons.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

You likely remember the G.I. Joe fad of the '80s and '90s. But. G.I. Joe has been around since 1964 with its first line, 12-inch realistic action figures. It was also one of Hasbro's most popular G.I. Joe toy lines.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

When Alfa Romeo was ready to release its sporty new roadster in 1966, they held a contest to name the car, promising the winner a vehicle of his/her own. The winning entry was "Duetto," but the company ended up just calling the car the Spider.

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In which '60s TV show can you find Darrin Stephens?

Bewitched was created by Sol Saks. Darrin Stephens was portrayed by actor Dick York who died in 1992 at the age of 63.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

George Reeves played Superman in this 1952 – 1958 television series. His surname is, coincidentally, very similar to Christopher Reeve’s who later played the film role to overwhelming success.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Monopoly was first invented in 1903 to demonstrate how economics works with few restrictions. But it wasn't until 1935 that Parker Brothers published the game. It unwittingly become the reason for millions of family squabbles of the next century. The game is so loved, that as of early 2017, there have been over 300 versions.

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In which '60s TV show can you find Barney Rubble?

"The Flintstones" ran for six seasons from 1960 - 1966. The show was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and was the first animated series to air in a prime-time slot.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

In "Bonanza," Lorne Greene played Ben Cartwright who is thrice widowed and has one son from each marriage. The show revealed that his wives were each of a different ancestry. Adam’s mother was English, Eric’s (Hoss) mother was Swedish, and Joseph’s (Little Joe) mother was French Creole.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Red Rocker and Blue Bomber sock it out in a two-player action boxing game developed in 1964. Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots has a significant cult following, leading up to a new version that was released in 2000.

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In which '60s TV show can you find Robin?

The Beverly Hillbillies is an American sitcom originally broadcast on CBS for nine seasons, from September 26, 1962, to March 23, 1971. Jed Clampett was portrayed by actor Buddy Ebsen.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

The Shelby Cobra came about when American car designer Carroll Shelby decided to upgrade an AC Cobra from the UK with a powerful V8 engine from Ford. The result was one of the hottest two-seaters on the market, and was available from 1965 to 1967.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

Both Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale were Emmy Award winners for their portrayal of Perry Mason and his ever-present secretary, Della Street. Burr and Hale both appeared in their roles for over 30 years, including the TV series and numerous Perry Mason TV movies.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

What better way was there (in the '60s) to listen to your favorite swinging music? The popularity of the transistorized phonograph was due to new technology which made it lightweight, portable and had the ability to use batteries instead of AC.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

Dodge brought out the first generation of its iconic Charger in 1965. The original vehicle used a Dodge Coronet body, but featured a more powerful engine. The two-door fastback on the earliest models had four bucket seats and plenty of upgrade options.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

"The Twilight Zone" was created by Rod Serling, who wrote over 90 of the 156 episodes in the series and was its narrator. Serling won numerous awards (including at least six Emmys) for his writing on several projects, including "The Twilight Zone."

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

The history of the pitching machine stems back to 1897 when a gunpowder-operated machine was developed for Princeton University - leading to many injuries. Go figure. By 1960, the two-wheel propulsion machine that is still common today, was invented.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

"Rawhide" co-starred Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood. While several episodes focused on Eastwood’s character, Rowdy Yates. Eric Fleming, who portrayed trail boss Gil Favor, almost always received top billing. In the eighth season (which ran for only 13 episodes), Fleming left the show and Eastwood took over as trail boss.

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In which '60s TV show can you find Gomez Addams?

The Addams Family was created by David Levy was and shot in black and white. It aired on ABC for two seasons from 1964 - 1966.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Kids have always wanted to be like their parents, so it isn't surprising, that in 1962, Fisher-Price invented a talk back telephone with a pull string. The chatter telephone was one of many dial telephone toys that came out in the '60s.

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In which '60s TV show can you find Ginger Grant?

Gilligan's Island was created by Sherwood Schwartz and aired on CBS from 1964 - 1967. Ginger Grant was portrayed by actress Tina Louise.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

During the show's five-season run, Jay Siverheels acted as Tonto, the Lone Ranger's American Indian companion. "The Lone Ranger" was, however, portrayed by two actors – Clayton Moore in seasons 1, 2, 4 and 5 and John Hart in season 3.

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In which '60s TV show can you find Maxwell Smart?

"Get Smart" premiered on September 15, 1965. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. Maxwell Smart was portrayed by actor Don Adams.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

Introduced in 1965, the Satellite was the top of the line for Plymouth at the time. Early models were available in hatchback or coupe styles, and the GTX model took things up a notch when it came out two years later.

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In which '60s TV show can you find George Jetson?

The Jetsons was produced by Hanna-Barbera and aired from 1962 - 1963. It later aired in the 1980s with several new episodes. George Jetson's voice was performed by George O'Hanlon.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

The "Peter Gunn" title theme was composed by Henry Mancini (who also composed the widely known Pink Panther title theme). Mancini also composed several jazz-themed pieces that can be heard throughout the "Peter Gunn" TV series.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

Better known as the Carrera GTS, the 904 was a sleek and stylish mid-engine sports car, and was also the first Porsche with a fiberglass body.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Trolls dolls were invented in 1959, and were highly popular throughout the 1960s. Their fads have come and gone from the 1970s until today. The latest trends has been sparked by movies such as "Toy Story" and 2016's, "Trolls."

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

Ford built the GT40 to compete with Ferrari on the racing circuit, and by the mid-to-late '60s, the car was winning races around the world. It eventually became the first American-made car to win at Le Mans.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

The "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" TV series was later renamed "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" and extended from its original running time of 25 minutes to 50 minutes. This was an indication of the show’s popularity, which saw it running for a total of 10 years (1955 – 1965) and 360 episodes.

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Which classic '60s car is shown here?

The Corvette was an icon in its own right, but the 1967 427 option took things to the next level. The 427 option added a whopping $1,500 to the base price, which meant just 20 units ended up selling in '67. The option gave the car a racing-style engine that was more powerful than anything Chevy had offered to that point.

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Which '60s toy is shown in this image?

Talking dolls were a hot item in the 1960s, but Little Miss Echo never seemed to grab a hold of that market as much as producers hoped. They were manufactured in 1962 and 1963, but only sold until 1965.

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Which TV show from the '50s or '60s is shown here?

"Have Gun – Will Travel" starred Richard Boone as Paladin, a gun-for-hire based out of San Francisco. Although he was a high-priced gunslinger, he much preferred solving his clients’s “problems” without violence – when he could. "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry wrote 24 of the show’s 225 episodes.

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