Author Archives: dcaligari

April 21, 1982 – The DJs at WKRP spun their last platter when the final episode of the original WKRP in Cincinnati series, Up and Down the Dial aired on CBS TV on this date. The show was famous for playing music of up-and-coming bands. Many artists have said that their music being on theContinue reading “WKRP went dark (for the first time.)”

The following people were born on this day: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor (1926), James Newell Osterberg (1947), Patti Ann LuPone (1949), Anthony Salvatore Iadanza (1951), and Robert Smith (1959) Make of this coincidence what you will

Bunkies, if you or your kid cut school or work today, once again, lock up the snacks. They may come home with a case of the munchies. Be thankful though, they’re not out celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Klara Hitler’s bouncing baby little evil bastard named Adolf on this date in 1889, (smackContinue reading “I’ve heard that it’s 420 somewhere”

April 20, 1976 –George Harrison, who is good friends with Eric Idle, joined Monty Python on stage at the comedy troupe’s show at New York’s City Center, on this date. Dressed as a Canadian Mountie, Harrison joins the chorus for The Lumberjack Song. No mention is made of Harrison’s appearance, and few in the audienceContinue reading “Beatles just want to have fun”

April 20, 1992 – The life and music of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, who died five months earlier following complications from AIDS, was celebrated in a star-studded concert, A Concert For Life, at London’s Wembley Stadium, on this date. Organized by Mercury’s bandmates, the event not only featured an array of luminaries (including Elton John,Continue reading “Freddie Remembered”

April 20 1957– The Merrie Melodies short, Boyhood Daze, directed by Chuck Jones, debuted on this date. According to animation historian Don Markstein, Ralph Philips was Chuck Jones’ version of the literary character Walter Mitty. Both are meek, put-upon characters who seek to escape reality through daydreaming about being heroes or villains. The main differenceContinue reading “Boyhood Daze premiered”

April 20 1946 – The Merrie Melodies short, Hollywood Canine Canteen, directed by Robert McKimson, debuted on this date. This is the first Merrie Melodies short that Robert McKimson directed. Celebrity caricatures are (in order): Edward G. Robinson, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Durante, Ed Wynn, Monty Woolley, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Stan Laurel and OliverContinue reading “Hollywood Canine Canteen premiered”

April 20, 2002 –An English dubbed version of the Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi,) opened at the San Francisco International Film Festival, on this date. It was the first anime film to be nominated for (and win) an Academy Award. At 125 minutes,Continue reading “Spirited Away premiered (in English)”

April 20, 1939 –During the 1939 World’s Fair, David Sarnoff, president of RCA, unveiled the first commercial publicly accessible television broadcast, on this date. In Flushing NY, Sarnoff proclaimed “Now we add sight to sound” and during the opening ceremonies of the fair on April 30th, FDR became the first president to ever be televised.Continue reading “One needs a TV in order to get the program”

Today commemorates the first recorded ‘on purpose‘ LSD trip taken by Albert Hofmann, on this date in 1943, (Hoffman ‘accidentially‘ dosed himself three days previously.) If you are going to celebrate the holiday, remember to titrate your trip correctly.