Author Archives: dcaligari

March 13, 1954 – It’s Rocky’s third appearance in a Bugs Bunny cartoon (and the funniest) – Bugs and Thugs, premiered on this date. Near the end of the film, Bugs‘ office has a sign that says – “Member- Detective Guild, Local 839“. Local 839 of the IATSE was the Animation Guild, whose members madeContinue reading “He’s not in this stove.”

Sorry Bunkies, it’s Friday the 13th. In most large cities in the United States, many building don’t have 13th floors. In Japan, they don’t have 4th floors, because the word for four sounds similar to the word for DEATH! Some say that the modern basis for Friday the 13th phobia dates back to Friday, OctoberContinue reading “A sinister aura of ill will”

March 13, 1992 – 20th Century Fox released the comedy My Cousin Vinny, directed by Jonathan Lynn and starring Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield and Fred Gwynne on this date. Director Jonathan Lynn actually has a law degree and insisted the film’s legal proceedings be realistic. In fact, many attorneys and lawContinue reading “It is possible that the two yutes…”

March 13, 2005 –The comedy-variety program, Kelsey Grammer Presents The Sketch Show premiered on FOX-TV, on this date. Six episodes were made but only four episodes aired and the remaining two were supposed to air April 2005 but FOX decided to ended the show’s season early and later cancel it.

March 12, 1969 –Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman on this date. George Harrison and Patti Boyd missed the ceremony because they had been arrested earlier that day when a very large amount of hashish was found in their home. I guess their wedding gift never got to the newlyweds.

March 12th, 1967 –The Velvet Underground released their debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, on this date. The album’s back cover originally featured a shot of the band playing with an image of Eric Emerson’s face from The Chelsea Girls projected prominently in the background. Emerson either needed drug money or was simply broke,Continue reading “The Velvet Underground & Nico first went on sale”

March 12, 1953 –John Huston’s very off-beat comedy, Beat the Devil, starring Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Gina Lollobrigida, Robert Morley, Peter Lorre and Bernard Lee, premiered in New York City on this date. John Huston suggested to Humphrey Bogart, that Lauren Bacall might play his wife. “I read your insidious and immoral proposals to myContinue reading “Beat the Devil debuted”

March 12, 1973 –After six seasons, the last episode of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In aired on NBC TV, on this date. George Schlatter did not produce the final season, but he won the rights to those episodes in a subsequent court battle. For many years, he neither allowed those episodes to be re-aired, nor anyContinue reading “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In’s finale”

Today is Alfred Hitchcock Day. Since Hitchcock was born in August, and died in April, I have no clue why we celebrate in March – its arbitrary and capricious, which makes me like it even more. (It may have to due to the fact that March 12 is the televised anniversary of his American FilmContinue reading “Cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake”

It is an international event, initiated by the World Plumbing Council, held on March 11 each year to recognize the important role plumbing plays in societal health and amenity. I should make sure I’m wearing a belt today.