Blue stars on top and bottom, black text on white background and donkey illustration in the center. 

The 1980 National Convention of the United States Democratic Party was held from August 11 to August 14, 1980 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Massachusetts senator Ted Kennedy challenged incumbent President Jimmy Carter during the Democratic primary elections and tried unsuccessfully to get Carter's delegates released from their voting obligations at the convention. President Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale accepted the party's nomination, but lost the general election on November 4, 1980 to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. 

lllustration of King Kong at the top of the Empire State Building with black text above and below on a white background

The Empire State Building in Manhattan was the tallest building in the world for almost 40 years.  Its 102 story height of 1,454 feet was topped by the North Tower of the original World Trade Center in 1970.  A cultural icon, the Empire State Building has been a central location in a number of films.  One of the best known is 1933’s King Kong.  In the film, the giant ape makes his way to the top of the building while trying to escape his captors.  The Empire State Building is a popular tourist destination and offers observation decks on both the 86^th and 102^nd floors.

Blue text on a white background.

From June 14 to June 16, 1932, Chicago, Illinois was the host city for the Republican National Convention which was held at the newly completed Chicago Stadium, the largest indoor arena in the world at the time.  The U.S. was in the third year of the Great Depression, and many delegates cancelled their hotel reservations and stayed home.  As a result, only one-third of the stadium was filled on the opening day of the convention. 

The convention re-nominated President Herbert Hoover and Vice President Charles Curtis. Hoover’s only opponent for the nomination was Senator Joseph France, but the public address system cut out during his speech, and Hoover was nominated on the first ballot.  Hoover went on to lose all but six states of the presidential election to Franklin Roosevelt.

Animal trainer Clyde Beatty holds one of his big cat cubs with white text on a dark background on the top and bottom edge

Clyde Beatty literally ran away and joined the circus. In 1921, he hopped on a freight train and joined the Howes Great London Circus in Ohio. He worked with the animal trainer and debuted his own animal act in 1923. Eventually, he developed his trademark show with lions and tigers, incorporating a chair, whip, and gun. He created the Clyde Beatty Circus, which was later purchased by the Acme Circus Operating Corporation and renamed the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus. It was donated to Florida State University in 1981 by the remaining Acme owner. One of the show managers purchased it from the university and changed the name to Cole Bros. Circus. To see images of Clyde and his big cats see the source below.

Black and white photograph of a woman on a blue background with black text

Laugh-In was a popular American sketch comedy television show created by Dan Rowen and Dick Martin.  The show, which consisted of 140 episodes, ran from 1968-1973.  The title was a play on words reflecting the “love-ins” and “sit-ins” common in the 1960s hippie culture and civil rights movements.  Skits from the show featured regular cast members and special guest stars and became the launching platform for stars such as Goldie Hawn, Lilly Tomlin and Arte Johnson.  Laugh-In became the #1 television show in America within two months of its debut.

Judy Carne (1939-2015) was born Joyce Autrey Botterill in Northampton, England.  She is best known for her portrayal of the “sock it to me” girl from the Laugh-In series where she appeared from 1968-1970.  Carnes line, “sock it to me,” was usually followed by being dowsed with a bucket of water or falling through a trap door, or some other kind of indignity.  Her life post-Laugh-In consisted of a few Broadway appearances, two marriages (Burt Reynolds and Robert Bergmann), and problems with drug addiction and alcohol.  In 1985 Carnes published an autobiography titled Laughing on the Outside, Crying on the Inside.  In her later years, she returned to England and enjoyed a quiet life in the city in which she was born.

Black and white photograph of a woman on a blue background with black text

Laugh-In was a popular American sketch comedy television show created by Dan Rowen and Dick Martin.  The show, which consisted of 140 episodes, ran from 1968-1973.  The title was a play on words reflecting the “love-ins” and “sit-ins” common in the 1960s hippie culture and civil rights movements.  Skits from the show featured regular cast members and special guest stars and became the launching platform for stars such as Goldie Hawn, Lilly Tomlin and Arte Johnson.  Laugh-In became the #1 television show in America within two months of its debut.

Jo Ann Worley (b. 1937), appeared in the first three seasons of the show, and went on to make appearances as a guest start in numerous television shows and game shows.  Best known for her boisterous voice, Worley stated that as a child she would lip-sync in church so as not to drawn out the other parishioners.  Recently, Worley appeared as the voice of Armoire the Wardrobe in the popular video games Kingdom Hearts I and II.

Black and white photograph of a man with black text on a blue and on a red background

Laugh-In was a popular American sketch comedy television show created by Dan Rowen and Dick Martin.  The show, which consisted of 140 episodes, ran from 1968-1973.  The title was a play on words reflecting the “love-ins” and “sit-ins” common in the 1960s hippie culture and civil rights movements.  Skits from the show featured regular cast members and special guest stars and became the launching platform for stars such as Goldie Hawn, Lilly Tomlin and Arte Johnson.  Laugh-In became the #1 television show in America within two months of its debut.

Henry Gibson (1935-2009), born James Bateman, was the flower-holding poet from the television series.  After earning a bachelor’s degree from the Catholic University of America, Gibson served in the Air Force as an intelligence officer with the 66^th Tactical Reconnaissance in France from 1957-1960.  As a civilian returning to America, he roomed with Jon Voight, a college pal, and the two came up with an act depicting 2 brothers from the Ozarks who wreaked havoc wherever they went.  One of the brothers Voight dubbed “Henry Gibson” and the name stuck.

When Gibson auditioned for the Laugh-In series, he read a poem and did a back-flip.  The show’s executive producer was so impressed he told Gibson to show up for work on Monday.  All of the poems Gibson performed on the show were his creation.  Gibson’s later professional career included numerous television and film appearances and he earned the National Society of Film Critics’ award for best supporting actor in Nashville. 

Black and white photograph of a man with black text on a red and on a blue background

Laugh-In was a popular American sketch comedy television show created by Dan Rowen and Dick Martin.  The show, which consisted of 140 episodes, ran from 1968-1973.  The title was a play on words reflecting the “love-ins” and “sit-ins” common in the 1960s hippie culture and civil rights movements.  Skits from the show featured regular cast members and special guest stars and became the launching platform for stars such as Goldie Hawn, Lilly Tomlin and Arte Johnson.  Laugh-In became the #1 television show in America within two months of its debut.

Dick Martin (1922-2008) was an American comedian and director, best known as co-creator of the Laugh-In series.  A graduate of Michigan State University, he formed a comedy team with Dan Rowan in 1952 and played in nightclubs throughout the U.S. and overseas.  The pair also appeared frequently on Colgate’s Comedy Hour.  Later in his career, he directed The Bob Newhart Show and the 1980s sitcom Newhart.

Black and white photograph of a man on blue background with black text

Laugh-In was a popular American sketch comedy television show created by Dan Rowen and Dick Martin.  The show, which consisted of 140 episodes, ran from 1968-1973.  The title was a play on words reflecting the “love-ins” and “sit-ins” common in the 1960s hippie culture and civil rights movements.  Skits from the show featured regular cast members and special guest stars and became the launching platform for stars such as Goldie Hawn, Lilly Tomlin and Arte Johnson.  Laugh-In became the #1 television show in America within two months of its debut.

Dan Rowen (1922-1987) was an American comedian who co-created the comedy series Laugh-In with Dick Martin.  Rowen was actually born on a carnival train in Oklahoma, and traveled and performed with his parents until he was 11, when he was orphaned.  He then spent the next 4 years in an orphanage in Colorado, until he was adopted at the age of 15.  After completing high school, Rowan hitchhiked to Los Angeles and began working in the mail room at Paramount.  A year later, he became the youngest staff writer for the studio.  Rowan served as a fighter pilot in WWII and received several military decorations including the Purple Heart.  After discharge he returned to California, and teamed up with Dick Martin and toured as a comedy team until the pair created the Laugh-In series.

A ring of orange around the edge of the button, and an orange stripe across the middle with a floral decorative design on either side.  Black text inside orange ring and stripe.

The Beatles were a well-known English rock band comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The group experimented with several musical styles and quickly gained popularity. They first appeared as “Beatlemania.” The band was nick-named the “Fab Four” and by 1964 were internationally loved. After the group broke up in 1970, there was a widespread movement, speared by Muhammad Ali and Joel Sacher, to reunite the band.