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The 1987 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Just in the nick of time, here's a look back at the 1987 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I was actually at this one live, but my best memories of it are being painfully cold and poorly dressed. Though not as jam-packed with strange cool shit as some of the previous parades I've reviewed, this one isn't without its charms: California Raisins, Marvel Comics, Clifton Davis, need I, say more? Two page review with an additional two page look at many of the commercials that aired during the parade, along with dozens of video clips. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving, all! I'm off to stuff mushroom and sleep.

Posted by Matt on 11/25/2004. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 128 comments

Don’t worry, Julie. I was lying.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 11/25/2004 10:23 AM

Proof that the Snuggle Bear is, in fact, one of the most terrifying white stuffed bears ever to set foot in your washing machine: http://www.exquisitedeadguy.50megs.com/snuggle.html

Matt, I was seriously questioning your sanity when I read that blurb. I feel the need to bleach my brain of the memory of it all.

Oh, yeah. Why does the big puppet of Charlie Brown have plastered down bangs? I don’t ever remember the Chuckster sporting the Bryl cream sassy hairstyles of the 50′s. Also, when did he get that cap?

Chestnuts roasted by trajeal @ 11/25/2004 10:46 AM

Thanks again Matt. Last year the Macy’s parade articles were what caught my attention, and I’ve been coming back ever since. This new article makes me think back to that wonderful day one year ago, when I discovered this site. Can’t wait for next year’s ‘Alf-parade’.

One question though, Matt: these reports are from the 80′s, when rock ‘n wrestling was big. But I don’t see any wrestlers involved in the parades. Was WWF/Hogan ever involved in the parade?

Chestnuts roasted by Sjoerd @ 11/25/2004 10:50 AM

I have not seen any WWF/E appearances in the parades I have, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 11/25/2004 10:52 AM

Great article once again Matt. It was well worth the month wait to see this funny piece. Just wish those flash ads wouldn’t interrupt the download of the images (on 56k sadly), because I have to use another browser to look at the page.

Cursed Sony Walkman.

Chestnuts roasted by Rirse @ 11/25/2004 10:57 AM

(like a girl) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! CLLLOOOOWWWWWNNNSSSS!!!!!

OK. Now that I’ve goten that out of the way and finished the parade portion of the article, it’s time for a word from our sponsor. But first I need to get some breakfast. Nate will be right back after this complete breakfast and these messages.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/25/2004 11:05 AM

Yea 32nd responce!

9:46am and I see Spongebob Squarepants looks even creepier as a giant balloon then he does as a cartoon.
I remember one of the last years they dragged the rapidly disintigrating Superman balloon down the parade his left wrist was completly deflated, leading David Letterman and Johnny Carson to both make ‘limp wrist’ jokes Mr Roper would have been proud of.

Chestnuts roasted by Garrison @ 11/25/2004 11:16 AM

Great article Matt, Happy Thanksgiving to all, and I too have no clue what Robocop was doing on that float. God bless the cameo!

Chestnuts roasted by Shonuf1 @ 11/25/2004 11:26 AM

Matt, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to write this article; it really means a lot to me and everyone else here.

Good luck with the job!

Chestnuts roasted by Scorn the Terrible @ 11/25/2004 12:22 PM

OH MY GAWD, the kid in the Mrs. Hatcher commercial looks just like ET. Freak!

Chestnuts roasted by Zorbs @ 11/25/2004 12:35 PM

I think those scary molester peanuts characters may perhaps be scarier than the treehouse trolls, either way i’m shakin in my boots…

-kevin

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 11/25/2004 12:59 PM

I’m positive WWF was at one of the parades back in the 90s…I remember Bret Hart, Razor Ramon, Paul Bearer and a smiling Undertaker along with a few other wrestlers being on a float. They didn’t do any kind of skit though, they just waved.

Chestnuts roasted by three @ 11/25/2004 1:27 PM

Nicely done article Matt. I agree with Garrison that the Spongebob’s ballon is kind of creepy, but it not as scary as Al Roper say that he going to watch Garfield the movie after seeing the ballon :0 Also, doesn’t it, from an angle, Captain America is hugging Hulk than pushing off the edge?

Chestnuts roasted by Beta-Theta @ 11/25/2004 1:57 PM

I believe WWF had a float as well in 2001 and 2002. Had HHH, Trish Stratus, the McMahon family on a float built as a ring.

Chestnuts roasted by .... @ 11/25/2004 2:02 PM

The fact that Luke Cage is on the Marvel float is cool and all, but why the hell is Robocop there? Look when Cap tells Cage to "clean up", tell me that isn’t Robocop who pokes his head out!

Chestnuts roasted by StreetShaman @ 11/25/2004 2:16 PM

guys guys GUYS!!!! Im from the uk, but even i rember seeing the Robocop Cartoon from 1987 and the toyline. still have some. Belive the show was Robocop and the Ultra Police. Made by Sunbow and Marvel productions if memory serves me correctly.

plus marvel did loads of robocop comics and specials too.

Happy turkey day. man, why dont we have a turkey day or something like wise over here…

Chestnuts roasted by Soapdish @ 11/25/2004 2:33 PM

OK, I’m back, but it wasn’t just after my breakfast, OR those messages. It was also after a shower AND a boring-assed class.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/25/2004 2:49 PM

Wait a minute. I SO rememember that whole house-graphic thing from Our House. Yep, good all Wilford Brimley wqas movin’ faster than the speed of light, which further proves my theory that god ol’ Mr. Brimley is one of them superheroes!

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/25/2004 2:51 PM

Umm…is Wilford Brimley still alive?

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 11/25/2004 2:52 PM

I’ve seen Wilford Brimley doing diabetes commercials, so I think he’s still around.

Anyone remember him from "The Thing" where he went nuts and smashed up the communications room? "I’lll KIIIILLLLLL YOU!!!" That was awesome!

Chestnuts roasted by Number5 @ 11/25/2004 3:55 PM

Great article as always, Matt. Loved the California Raisens appearnce. God, those looked creepy. I must ask again where you found all these parade tapes. Ebay, yard sales, what? Did you find them all at once or over the years?

As for this year’s parade, it wasn’t half bad. The first hour was horrible though. It kept switching from Broadway musical to Al Roker interviewing celebrities from shows I don’t watch. No balloons, no floats, just Broadway/Roker.

Once it picked up, though, it was fine. The balloons were impressive, as usual. Kermit looked great, as did Charlie Brown and Mr. Pennyworths (though they kept calling him Mr. Monopoly). The Big Bird balloon had those annoying feather bits hanging over his eyes, which was distracting. And shouldn’t Pikachu have retired by now. Oh, and the Garfield balloon is still fashioned after the cartoon as opposed to the movie. That’s good.

That chick who played Barbie on the "The Princess and the Pauper" float… worst lip synch I’ve ever seen. The people operating the Sesame Street Muppets weren’t doing good either. Oscar’s mouth started moving half way through his bit on the song.

Otherwise, fine parade. Fine.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 11/25/2004 5:00 PM

God, that Barbie float. *shudders*

This is something I could easily see being made fun of on another nostalgia site, years from now.

They really need to stop with those damn barbie movies, that’s all I have to say.

Chestnuts roasted by Number 5 @ 11/25/2004 5:07 PM

Mr. Mr. Mr., they officially changed his name to Mr. Monopoly a few years back. And I think I remember Matt mentioning that he’d picked up a tape with several parades on it.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 11/25/2004 5:24 PM

Call me a traditionalist, but I think Rich Uncle Pennybags is a more interesting name than Mr Monopoly. What’s next? Are they going to change the victim in Clue from Mr Boddy to Mr Clue?

Chestnuts roasted by Garrison @ 11/25/2004 5:29 PM

(drunk) I agree, Mr. G. The Moneybags name had a lot of history behind it. "Mr. Monopoly" sounds like what someone from, I dunno, Eurasia who’d never played the game would call the little metal piece he/she drew out of the box. Okay back to (drunk).

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 11/25/2004 5:32 PM

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This entry was posted on Thursday, November 25th, 2004 at 12:08 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.