LAT Mon. 7/27 Samuel A. Donaldson's Retro Opus

[magus]

Finally a puzzle I can relate to!  This trip down memory lane features nine references to things dated before 1970.

Thingamajig   GISMO  [When was the last time you heard GISMO --- or "thingamajig" for that matter?  "Thingy" may be in today.]
Borax haulers, in classic ads   TWENTYMULETEAM [big sponsor in '50's TV]
Sal of "Exodus"   MINEO
Lash of old oaters   LARUE [cowboy whose weapon was a whip]
Sonny and Cher song, e.g.   DUET
Be a rat fink   TELL ["Rat fink" was a hippie term.]
"Animal Farm" author George   ORWELL [his book was old in 1984]
Etiquette author Post   EMILY
"The Thin Man" dog   ASTA  [There was a 50's TV show (Peter Lawford) based on the 40's movies (William Powell)]

I have no idea what TCB stands for.

[stephanilnyckyj]

I would have liked GIZMO a bit more than GISMO, but it was pretty nice nonetheless.  Borax was over my head.

Taking care of business!  (R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Find out what it means to me R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Take care, TCB)

[magus]

Thanks, Stephan. 

Was "TCB" used in the Aretha Franklin song?  I miss half the lyrics of pop songs; 98% of soul, classic rock, and rap.

Borax hand soap, which I still use almost daily, sponsored a good TV Western.  The pitchman was Ronald Reagan dressed in a western outfit.
At the time I believe he was president of the Screen Actor's Guild.

Anthony