1970s

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1970s

Bewitched
Vassar jokes continue unabated in ’70s sitcoms. This episode from series about a domesticated witch in suburbia is late in the run of the series. The lead, Elizabeth Montgomery, also played her character’s sister, Serena, who was a little edgier and more sexually forward. It’s a cute reference and not the usual sort of joke.
Thanks to Lisa Bell ’89 for the tip.

Hawaii Five-O
More iconic 70s television, and a nice pairing with Gunsmoke regarding how to finance going to Vassar. Joyce van Patten, Andy Griffith and their daughter are a family of grifters who just made a big score...
Thanks to Richard Dorn and his love of 70s television for finding this.

Gunsmoke
Our earliest-set clip, in the 1870s, from this long-running Western series has a scene in the 19th season with a wealthy rancher giving his wife some good news about their daughter coming home from Vassar. This is especially delightful because of some choice comments about the expense. (A later scene has the rancher angry at his daughter, who he sees as turning against him, and he spurns her with some remarks about her new life at school.)  For another crack about Vassar’s expense, see Blossom.


Kojak
Two entries from this hardboiled '70s cop show. More for the “Vassar cracks the case” files (seriously: why do so many police procedurals have Vassarites as victims and witnesses?), here’s New York’s toughest cop first getting an assist from another intelligent and multilingual Vassar girl, and second making some gentle fun of Detective Crocker's date.


Sanford and Son
A retread of the Day at the Races “men at Vassar” joke but with a couple of twists. For one, this is an African-American themed sitcom (in all this material, I’ve found only three clips with any African-American context) and the joke comes from Japanese-American actor Pat Morita!
Thanks to “explicitsoul5” for identifying the episode.

Gator
Here’s Burt Reynolds being a sexist and obnoxious cop/investigator/renegade working outside the law. That doesn’t really narrow down which of his movies this is, I suppose. Vassar as character point for a woman who can handle herself. (See Moonraker for a similar sort of joke.)


Escape From Angola
Super low-budget adventure film with a white family involved in animal conservation fleeing from some kind of terrorist/insurgent group. An early scene here establishes a character point about the absent mother.


The Four Deuces
This is a strange one! A sex scene with Jack Palance in a very obscure movie set in the world of Prohibition. Palance is a nightclub owner with some curious ideas of foreplay banter.


The Waltons
The show was set in the 1930s in rural, mountain Virginia. John Boy meets an old friend, who’s come home from college “up North.” She’s a little wild— and Vassar equestrians in particular might like this one. Vassar as character point, for a free-spirited and demonstrative woman.
Thanks to Toby O’Brien for the tip.

An Unmarried Woman
A sad and bitter scene from a well-known drama. Jill Clayburgh has left her husband, and is here confronting him about having him pay for her and their daughter’s therapy. Vassar as character point for someone smart, beautiful, and sophisticated.


Thunder and Lightning
Action comedy set in the world of redneck moonshine gangsters. This family is discussing their daughter's college plans and get caught in the crossfire of the gang warfare. 


Saturday Night Live (Nov. 19, 1977)
In 1977 Saturday Night Live in its third season ran a contest for individuals who wanted to be the guest host; 150,000 people sent in a postcard application and five finalists were chosen who appeared on this episode just before Thanksgiving to audition and then be voted on by the viewing audience. One of the finalists was actual Vassar freshman, Connie Crawford '81. Alas, she wasn't the ultimate winner who came back two weeks later to be the official host, but she was delightful in the various bits with Laraine Newman and Buck Henry. See the article in the Misc about her participation.

See later SNL episodes with Vassar references here.

Moonraker
Not the best James Bond movie, but a great line. This is a very famous clip. Vassar as character point for someone who can take care of herself. (See Gator for a joke along the same lines.)


Uncommon Women and Others
This is a filmed play by Wendy Wasserstein, written originally as her Yale thesis. Focusing on six women reminiscing about their senior year at Mt. Holyoke, the play moves back to present that time in their lives. Featuring Meryl Streep and Swoosie Kurtz, this scene takes place at tea time in the dorm, which all residents are expected to participate in as part of the college’s program of teaching “Gracious Living,” a concept of demure womanly etiquette popularized by Emily Post. Not everyone is entirely buying into it. Vassar is discussed comparatively to others of the Seven Sisters.


Fantasy Island
Anybody who grew up watching this show has to love its tropes. You’ll forgive my including so much of the credits, but they bring back a lot of memories. At the beginning of every episode, Roark (Ricardo Montalban) and Tattoo (Herve Villechaize) would go down to the dock and Roark would introduce the characters who would be visiting for that episode.  We’ve seen Vassar students all over, and faculty (Batman); here’s the first and only appearance of Vassar staff.
Thanks to Richard Koreto for the tip.

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