Theme: Em Oh Town - Theme entries are required to start with M and O to live here.
17A. *Six-time '30s-'40s N.L. home run champ : MEL OTT
25A. *Donny's '70s TV co-host : MARIE OSMOND
39A. *Sense of duty, per one's personal ethics : MORAL OBLIGATION
49A. *It's often "burned" during exam week : MIDNIGHT OIL
62A. Record label founded in Detroit ... and, when divided into three words, where to find the answers to starred clues? : MOTOWN. Em. Oh. Town
Non-resident Argyle here. Our constructor has wandered into the first part of the week and it shows. Or else, I was way out of sync with him. The grid seems familiar; grid-spanner in the middle. reveal in the lower right and two long non-theme columns. Good to see MEL OTT's full name and learn some more about his career. The fill seems to be across the board and a bunch of gimmes to give you toe-holds so it should be found to be doable in the end. Let's hope.
Across:
1. Where to find screwdrivers? : BAR TAB. I doubt a tab contains the type of drink, just the price but I may be wrong.
7. Buddhist teacher : LAMA
11. Circle segment : ARC
14. Bold & Crispy Fries maker : ORE-IDA
15. Eagerly interested : AGOG
16. Sea, in Marseille : MER
18. Zippo : NADA
19. Square root of IX : III. 9/3
20. Relatives of gulfs : BAYS
21. MD-to-be's exam : MCAT. (Medical College Admission Test®)
23. Lightly burn : SINGE
27. Nickname for Ruth, with "The" : BAMBINO. George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr.
31. Strahan co-host : RIPA. Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan.
32. Coral island : ATOLL
33. One-named Nigerian singer : SADE. (shah-DAY)
36. Bruins' sch. : UCLA. (University of California, Los Angeles)
42. Baseball glove : MITT
43. Caustic cleaners : LYES
44. __-wip: dessert topping : REDDI
45. Swiss river : AARE
47. School periods : CLASSES
53. Cases the joint for, say : ABETS
54. Sunup point : EAST
55. Ingrid's "Casablanca" role : ILSA
59. Fashion initials : YSL. (Yves Saint Laurent)
60. Apple computer : iMAC
64. Where Antwerp is: Abbr. : BEL. Belgium
65. "Uh-uh" : "NOPE"
66. Banded together : UNITED
67. "Bambi" doe : ENA
68. Daring exploit : GEST or GESTE.
69. Gets wise with : SASSES
Down:
1. Lay an egg, so to speak : BOMB. Broadway speak.
2. Neck of the woods : AREA
3. Depend (on) : RELY
4. Hombres en la familia : TÍOs. The uncles, at least.
5. Home alarm co. : ADT. Started as "American District Telegraph" in 1874.
6. Bruce Wayne's alter ego : BATMAN
7. Island veranda : LANAI
8. Striped quartz : AGATE
9. Trendy, '60s-style : MOD
10. Andre of tennis : AGASSI
11. Protein building blocks : AMINO ACIDS
12. Sit on the throne : REIGN
13. Bawled : CRIED
22. Trio member with Stills and Nash : CROSBY
24. Ascribes : IMPUTES
25. Pepper grinder : MILL
26. Calif. neighbor : OREG.
27. When doubled, playmate of Pebbles : BAMM. "The Flintstones".
28. Yours, to Yves : Á TOI
29. Italian pork sausage : MORTADELLA. Find it at Trader Joe's.
30. Brazenly obvious : BLATANT
34. Ingredient in a black and tan : ALE. Both parts are ale or beer; one dark, one light with the dark layered on top.
35. '70s clubs : DISCOs
37. Ore deposit : LODE
38. Spanish cordial : ANIS. Wiki
40. Cassini of fashion : OLEG
41. Sea divided by shrinkage : ARAL
46. On the upswing : RISING
48. Acid or base indicator : LITMUS. Blue litmus paper turns red under acidic conditions and red litmus paper turns blue under basic or alkaline conditions.
49. Waffler's word : MAYBE
50. "A Doll's House" playwright : IBSEN
51. Oodles : HEAPS
52. "Be silent," in music : TACET
55. "How sweet __!" : IT IS. Jackie Gleason saying. (Gave up looking for a clip. Sorry.)
56. Oodles : LOTS
57. __'Pea : SWEE
58. Clause joiners : ANDS
61. Stooge with bangs : MOE
63. "Cat __ Hot Tin Roof" : ON A. And how!
Argyle