July 21, 1969 –Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin blasted off from the Moon after twenty-one and a half hours on the surface and returned to the command module piloted by Michael Collins on this date. The lunar module’s lower section, left behind, has a plaque mounted upon it, reading, “Here menContinue reading “On the way home”
Author Archives: dcaligari
UHF premiered
July 21, 1989 –Orion Pictures‘ comedy UHF, (written by and) starring Weird Al Yankovic, David Bowe, Fran Drescher, Victoria Jackson, Kevin McCarthy, Michael Richards, Gedde Watanabe, Kevin McCarthy, Anthony Geary, Emo Philips and Trinidad Silva opened in US theatres on this date. The soundtrack features many of Yankovic’s signature song parodies, as well as aContinue reading “UHF premiered”
Stormy Weather premiered
July 21, 1943 –Twentieth Century Fox’s musical spectacular, Stormy Weather, starring Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway, Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller, Fayard Nicholas, Harold Nicholas, Ada Brown, and Dooley Wilson, opened in the US on this date. Two musical numbers were deleted from the release print: Good-for-Nothin’ Joe (music by Rube Bloom, lyrics by TedContinue reading “Stormy Weather premiered”
Ernest Hemingway
July 21, 1899 –Ernest Hemingway was born on this date. He was young at the time of his birth. It was fine to be young. He drove an ambulance in World War I. It wasn’t called World War I then. It was just called the war. It was one of those times when people shotContinue reading “Ernest Hemingway”
Eat less, move more
It’s National Junk Food Day. (What did I say yesterday about lollipops being involved in a huge conspiracy!) It doesn’t really matter what you eat – at some point, you’ll be dead.
He did it without being on the juice, that’s all I’m saying
July 20, 1976 –Hank Aaron, considered one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history, hit his last home run (#755) off the California Angels’ Dick Drago at Milwaukee County Stadium, on this date. He is perhaps most famous for breaking the record for career home runs, which he held until Barry Bonds toppedContinue reading “He did it without being on the juice, that’s all I’m saying”
Surf City topped the charts
July 20, 1963 –Jan and Dean’s single Surf City, co-written by Brian Wilson (who doesn’t know how to surf,) hits #1 on the Billboard Charts on this date. Brian Wilson was working with a few different artists at the time, including the girl group The Honeys. He was extremely productive during this period, emulating PhilContinue reading “Surf City topped the charts”
What do you know … it wasn’t made of cheese
July 20, 1969 –56 years ago today, in a live transmission from the Moon, viewed by 720 million people around the world, Neil Armstrong stepped foot onto the Moon. It was a brave thing to do (and unfortunately caused Buzz Aldrin to have his post-Apollo 11 period of alcoholism and depression.) It was also theContinue reading “What do you know … it wasn’t made of cheese”
The Freshman premiered
July 20, 1990 –In one of the late (good) performances of Marlon Brando, the TriStar Pictures‘ The Freshman, directed by Andrew Bergman and co-starring Matthew Broderick, Bruno Kirby, Penelope Ann Miller, and Frank Whaley, opened on this date. Matthew Broderick had no idea that Marlon Brando was going to use the walnuts as a propContinue reading “The Freshman premiered”
The Men premiered
July 20, 1950 – Fred Zimmermann’s film about wounded WWII veterans, The Men, starring Marlon Brando (in his first feature film), Teresa Wright and Everett Sloane, premiered on this date. To accustom himself to his role as a paraplegic, Brando remained in a wheelchair on and off the set for the duration of the shoot.Continue reading “The Men premiered”
The Haus of Dcaligari 