Author Archives: dcaligari

Today is National lobster Day. I’m not sure if the holiday is celebrating this crustacean for its’ longevity or its’ delicious taste. Yes I know that if you are celebrating National Lobster Day today, you are celebrating the consumption of Canadian lobsters and not our own national variety. I don’t care, I love lobsters, especiallyContinue reading “I might wait until Sunday to celebrate”

June 15, 1948 – The very successful comedy, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, directed by Charles Barton, and starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenore Aubert, and Jane Randolph, opened on this date. Lou Costello didn’t want to make the movie, declaring, “No way I’ll do that crap. MyContinue reading “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein premiered”

June 15, 1960 – The Apartment, starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, opened in New York on this date. This was the follow-up film to Billy Wilder’s smash hit Some Like It Hot. Billy Wilder originally thought of the idea for the film after seeing Brief Encounter and wondering about the plight of a characterContinue reading “Shut up and deal…”

June 15, 1989 –Nirvana’s debut album, Bleach, was released, on this date. The album Bleach initially sold about 35,000 copies, which was pretty good for an Indie band and got them signed to a major label. The album eventually sold over 1 million copies, as many Nirvana fans bought it after Cobain died. The albumContinue reading “And if you wouldn’t mind, I would like to blew”

June 14, 1949 – A truly dark comedy, Kind Hearts and Coronets, directed by Robert Hamer, and starring Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood, Valerie Hobson and the ever present Alec Guinness, opened in London on this date. Alec Guinness claimed to have been convulsed with laughter during his reading of the script. He was on holidayContinue reading “My memoirs? Oh, my memoirs. My memoirs. My memoirs!”

but please remove your hat: It was on this date in 1777 that the Stars and Stripes was adopted as the official flag of the United States of America. The first Flag Day observance was not held on the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes on June 14, 1877, as someContinue reading “You may remain seated while reading this,”

June 14, 1985 – One of John Houston’s last films, the black comedy Prizzi’s Honor, starring Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Turner, Anjelica Huston, Robert Loggia, John Randolph, CCH Pounder, Lawrence Tierney, William Hickey, and Stanley Tucci (in his film debut,) opened on this date. John Huston is the only director to direct two members of hisContinue reading “Prizzi’s Honor premiered”

June 14, 1970 –The Grateful Dead released their fourth studio album, Workingman’s Dead, on this date. In 2003, the album was ranked number 262 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. This was one of the Dead’s first attempts to reach beyond their little cult and take a shotContinue reading “Well the first days are the hardest days”

June 13, 1953 – Another classic 50s drive-in movie, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, directed by Eugène Lourié, with stop motion animation by Ray Harryhausen, and starring Paul Christian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway, Kenneth Tobey, Lee Van Cleef, and King Donovan, opened on this date. While visiting his friend Ray Harryhausen on the set, RayContinue reading “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms premiered”