Ha! I worked there for a coupele years...bcak in the day. I can't believe I sold crappy VCR's to people for like $500 all day long. Where did they get the money back then. A camcorder was nearly $1000. WTF! Man I had fun there.
I vaguely remember Federated commercials, but what I remember rather well was going there to get our first VCR. Thing was massive and lasted us well into the late 90's.
Seriously... these were genius. Pure genius. These vids are like video-art.
FedGrp commercials were like the YouTube before there was a place to do anything goofy and even now, you'd be hard pressed to find anything that comes close to these here!
Did anyone catch the arms in the XMas ad? His transformation into Santa had me rolling! I nearly bust a gut like Shadow did!
I love it when "Goose" bailed! And the Pasadena Fwy rocketman one was crazy inventive!
Owner Keith Powell and two other incorporated owners all got their asses sued off for illegally requiring all current and new employees to take polygraph tests in order to be employed and/or stay employed at the company. The litigation was sought by an warehouse manager from the Temple City, CA store location that was fired for other reasons.
I just remember the one where he's spinning around in a swivel chair in the basement under a hanging lightbulb laughing hysterically. It was in black and white. Yeah, he had to be coked up for these.
As a little kid the Federated Group store was the stuff of dreams. We rented all of Betamax videos there too and I got my first record player there too. They had a section of computers even back then and I was fascinated by the Amigas, they looked more fun than the boring Texas Instruments that my dad picked out.
For you Californians, at 1:51, the old man is Gazzari (Frank?) of "Gazzari's on the Sunset Strip" famous for all the Glam/Hair Bands that played there (Much to us Thrashers and Metal Heads dispair :P). Now its Ricki Rachmans "Cathouse" ;) . . . Wants some more Toast!? Ha HAAAA!!! (sorry about any typos but hey, useless information . . .)
@mvunit3 (replying 2 years later...) No thats great info! I love L.A. "Rock Factoids" like that - didn't know that was Gazzari. We need to preserve those facts, part of L.A. history, its disappearing you know... "orale!"
Ha! I worked there for a coupele years...bcak in the day. I can't believe I sold crappy VCR's to people for like $500 all day long. Where did they get the money back then. A camcorder was nearly $1000. WTF! Man I had fun there.
speedyeddieracer 1 week ago
KHJ helvis. He was part of the Boss Radio crowd with Charlie Tuna and Machine Gun Kelly
Noosic 1 month ago
Shadow Stevens was a KLOS or a KMET DJ wasn't he?
helvis66 3 months ago
I vaguely remember Federated commercials, but what I remember rather well was going there to get our first VCR. Thing was massive and lasted us well into the late 90's.
MoonCrashed 3 months ago
$792.32 for an RCA VCR in the 80's??? Blu-Rays are like $200, lol
thehiphopdepot 6 months ago
5:03 LOL! "Talk to me Goose"
RacerXGTO 9 months ago
"Talk to me goooosssee!"
wendileona 10 months ago
Seriously... these were genius. Pure genius. These vids are like video-art.
FedGrp commercials were like the YouTube before there was a place to do anything goofy and even now, you'd be hard pressed to find anything that comes close to these here!
Did anyone catch the arms in the XMas ad? His transformation into Santa had me rolling! I nearly bust a gut like Shadow did!
I love it when "Goose" bailed! And the Pasadena Fwy rocketman one was crazy inventive!
wendileona 10 months ago
Agh! I haven't seen these in twenty five years!
melosebrainuhoh 1 year ago
Owner Keith Powell and two other incorporated owners all got their asses sued off for illegally requiring all current and new employees to take polygraph tests in order to be employed and/or stay employed at the company. The litigation was sought by an warehouse manager from the Temple City, CA store location that was fired for other reasons.
paullevinson2010 1 year ago
I just remember the one where he's spinning around in a swivel chair in the basement under a hanging lightbulb laughing hysterically. It was in black and white. Yeah, he had to be coked up for these.
inkestia 1 year ago
i remember these so well .
PHAEDRIDER 1 year ago
Comment removed
RHNarrator 1 year ago
ROTFLMAO!!!
CaptKundalini 1 year ago
As a little kid the Federated Group store was the stuff of dreams. We rented all of Betamax videos there too and I got my first record player there too. They had a section of computers even back then and I was fascinated by the Amigas, they looked more fun than the boring Texas Instruments that my dad picked out.
BrotherBearAZ 2 years ago
Shadoe Stevens (Fred Rated) said he was coked out of his mind for these commercials.
anthos818 2 years ago
We used to see these in the Sacramento area. Definitely a good example of entertainment value in TV advertising.
kayAbee 2 years ago
@kayAbee Yeah, on KRBK-TV, Channel 31.
wannawatchu66 1 year ago
thanks for finding these, excellent commericals from my young adulthood puts any contemporary shock-electronic sales bits to shame!
mjsmith777 2 years ago
Yeah, these commercials were awesome... I still have a VERY old VHS tape with a couple of the commercials....
conradragzoff 2 years ago
For you Californians, at 1:51, the old man is Gazzari (Frank?) of "Gazzari's on the Sunset Strip" famous for all the Glam/Hair Bands that played there (Much to us Thrashers and Metal Heads dispair :P). Now its Ricki Rachmans "Cathouse" ;) . . . Wants some more Toast!? Ha HAAAA!!! (sorry about any typos but hey, useless information . . .)
mvunit3 3 years ago
@mvunit3 Bill Gazzari
radcam69 1 year ago
@mvunit3 (replying 2 years later...) No thats great info! I love L.A. "Rock Factoids" like that - didn't know that was Gazzari. We need to preserve those facts, part of L.A. history, its disappearing you know... "orale!"
wendileona 10 months ago
Growing up in LA, I remember these were all over Ch 9, especially during Elviras movies.
DroogInPhoenix 3 years ago 2
Anyone know what Lil' Fred is whisting as he's falling?
radcam69 3 years ago
Yeah, it's what John Wayne's character was whistling in the 1954 movie, "The High And The Mighty".
pullybrit 3 years ago
AWESOME! Thanks Brit. Must have.
radcam69 3 years ago
I used to love these ads as a kid;they were so eccentric and funny. And there are ones I never ever saw or remember. That's incredible.
revacohen 3 years ago
Thanks for this. If you have more, please upload for us. :)
orion1052003 4 years ago
Nothing dates this video more than the single Beta videotape at $5.00. You can get like 10 HD DVD-R for that these days.
DireCrow 4 years ago
Ain't that the truth!
pullybrit 3 years ago
Loved all those clips...
jigga2jones 4 years ago
Oh thank you!!! I love the Acid-Dip TV (at 5:50). GREAT VIDEO!
Beachtech 4 years ago