24 replies to this topic

[Breakpack]

Hi,I was just reading that George Plimpton died.Is he the same dude that was spokesman for Intellivision eons ago?Any classic fans remember those commercials (I don't).My name's Breakpack and I'm new (but I've been reading the forums for awhile).Nice to meet you guyys

[joeybastard]

Welcome aboard

George Plimpton was the spokesman for the Intellivison. I can't imagine why Mattel thought having that guy try to shill video games would ever work. Most kids didn't know who he was and I doubt many parents cared if George Plimpton was more impressed with Intellivision baseball.

[jsoper]

Bummer, think I'll play some intv Star Strike tonight in honor of him.
"Our most amazing visual effect ever: the total destruction of a planet!"

[NovaXpress]

Mattel was selling the Intelivision based on its sports games. If you were a young adult or older in the late 70s you would know George Plimpton as the nation's most respected sportswriter of the day. He also was a frequent guest on talk shows and freely shilled Intellivision's sports titles. He was well worth the money.

There is a movie about him called Paper Lion.

[Breakpack]

Is there anywhere I could download these 'classic' commercials?I'd like to see 'em.

[joeybastard]

NovaXpress said:

Mattel was selling the Intelivision based on its sports games.  If you were a young adult or older in the late 70s you would know George Plimpton as the nation's most respected sportswriter of the day.  He also was a frequent guest on talk shows and freely shilled Intellivision's sports titles.  He was well worth the money.

There is a movie about him called Paper Lion.

I'm not dissing ol' George, but I can't believe any 10 year olds knew who he was.

[NovaXpress]

10 year olds weren't forking over $250 for an Intellivision. Their parents were.

[joeybastard]

NovaXpress said:

10 year olds weren't forking over $250 for an Intellivision.  Their parents were.

True, but it's kids hassling their parents because they want things they see in commercials that sells units. I know my mom didn't know what the hell an Atari was when I was 10 and nagging her for one. I purposefully didn't want an Intellivision back then because of Plimpton. As a kid I thought of video games as being a kid thing, I didn't want that old creepy guy involved at all.

Now I can appreciate him and the Intellivison, but back then -nah.

[Chris++]

The commercials were definitely more entertaining than attempting to play an Intellivision game. What an insipid machine.

Seeya, George. Thanks for Mousterpiece Theatre.

[joeybastard]

Insipid!

Good word I wouldn't apply it to INTV but still not a word you see or hear every day

[Breakpack]

Lethargic?

[A2600]

jsoper said:

Bummer,  think I'll play some intv Star Strike tonight in honor of him.
"Our most amazing visual effect ever: the total destruction of a planet!"

I'll do the same with a quality game of MLB baseball or Ill be in accordance to you and play some star strike too

Lets all fire up our INTYS and honor "the comparision man" that drove us crazy

[MegaManFan]

Morose. Corpulent. Fatuous. And yet, still venerated. R.I.P. George Plimpton.

[Chris++]

Quote

Lethargic?

Not quite. "Insipid" means dull, bland, BLAH.

Glad to clear this up for you.

[Breakpack]

It was just an excuse to use a fancy word.... :wink:

[jsoper]

Even better, play intv with a Robert Palmer cd on the stereo.
Hmmm..... Beauty and the Beast with "Addicted to Love" might fit.
Or how about Bomb Squad with that "didn't mean to turn you on" song

[Breakpack]

Quote

Even better, play intv with a Robert Palmer cd on the stereo.  
Hmmm..... Beauty and the Beast with "Addicted to Love" might fit.  
Or how about Bomb Squad with that "didn't mean to turn you on" song

Hey I was listening to that "didnt mean to turn you on"song once when I first started playing NES Super Mario Bros.Gosh the nostalgia.Everytime I hear that at work ,I think about World 3-1.......

[AtariDude]

Breakpack said:

Is there anywhere I could download these 'classic' commercials?I'd like to see 'em.

Here is a site with a few Intellivision and some Atari commercials. They require Real Player to see most of them.

http://www.theoldcom...rts_summary.htm

[Breakpack]

Oh my gosh ..I remember some of those commercials.Buried deep with in my brain they bring back memories (especially the ET and Mario commercials)The Plimpton ones were humerous.I knew the 'Fun is Back'Atari 2600 commercial by heart and remembered those lyrics to this day before I saw it again.Thanks for the trip down memory lane

[AtariDude]

your welcome

[Osbo]

"Chris++" said:

Quote

Lethargic?

Not quite. "Insipid" means dull, bland, BLAH.

Glad to clear this up for you.

"Insipid" means without taste...

[Chris++]

Depends on which dictionary you're using, I guess. Dull and bland pretty much equals "without taste," yeah?

[Breakpack]

Man,that was a super innuendo

[Chris++]

Hey, I try.

[Cafeman]

*cue memories of writing all those hate letters to good ole George...*

Intelligent Television, indeed.