Put on a Happy Face: Looking Back at Retro TV & Movie Halloween Costumes

 

by Michael Lyons

When it once came to Halloween costumes, they were known as "The Big Three." Ben Cooper, Collegeville, and Halco were three companies that, in the 60s,70s, and 80s, mass produced most of the Halloween masks and costumes worn by the majority of kids who were out trick-or-treating.

Many of these were inspired by hit TV shows, movies, and cartoon characters of the time, fueling the pop-culture zeitgeist.

Anyone of a certain generation remembers them - on store shelves in decorated boxes with a see-through "window" on top that provided a glimpse of the mask, leading the child pondering the costume to wonder what the rest of the mysteriously hidden outfit looked like.

And what it would look like beyond the mask wasn't the rest of the character's body, but instead (and oddly), it usually featured a scene from the movie or TV show, along with the logo, across the chest. The "body" was also a hospital gown-like garment with ties on the back. As comedian Jerry Seinfeld pointedly observed in his stand-up act, when he went dressed as Superman one Halloween that he felt like he was wearing Superman's pajamas.

He also joked that the mask was held on by two staples and a flimsy rubber-band that would break by the time one got to the first house.

Oh yes, all of that was true of the costumes from "The Big Three," but...weren't they wonderful? Looking back, in our age of sophisticated costumes available at our neighborhood Party City store, it's so quaint and comforting to think about the Halloween memories these simply designed costumes provided so many.

And, because they were so popular, almost every TV show and movie inspired a costumes, which made for some interesting choices for kids on Halloween night...very interesting.

What follows is a gallery of photos of just some of the many of these pop culture icons of yesteryear who inspired these Halloween costumes (and thank you to the many eBay sellers who provided some of the pictures!)

Bullwinkle, a prime-time animated star of the 60s

had his own costume from Ben Cooper. But he seems a

little blue here, particularly in his face, which was brown on the show.

Another prime-time animated star of the 60s, Fred 

Flintstone, also had a Ben Cooper costume, allowing kids to have five o'clock

shadow before they even got out of grammar school.

What kid wouldn't want to dress as Granny

From The Beverly Hillbillies?!...

...or Captain Merrill Stubing

from The Love Boat?!...

...or Laverne & Shirley?!...

...or Farrah Fawcett?!...

..or Morgan Freeman from

The Electric Company?!

Maybe you'd like to go as the giant, killer shark from Jaws?...

...or the giant killer ape from 1976's King Kong?

Fell in love with Star Wars during the summer of '77?

You could go as Darth Vader, just don't look for a replica of

his cape and costume - you get a picture

of Darth splashed across your chest!

You didn't just get a whip and fedora to dress like

Indiana Jones, you got his entire face, too!

Check out this ad from 1955

for Disney costumes ($1.98!!!).

And, yes, that's Lady and the Tramp!

Or this ad from 1989 (yes, that's Robocop!).

Thanks to Dinosaur Dracula for posting this,

and they are discussing this ad on their latest 

"Purple Stuff" podcast episode. Listen here: Purple Stuff

Just of the few of the many, random memories of when pop culture collided with Halloween. Reflections of a time when Halloween seemed (and was maybe) just a tad more innocent - when kids welcomed pennies and popcorn balls alongside their bite-size chocolate bars.

A time when dressing up as a favorite TV or movie character for Halloween came right out of a box. Thank you, "Big Three," for the memories.

Happy Halloween, Everyone!

Want more of my articles, podcasts and books? Head over to Words From Lyons !