Author Archives: dcaligari

May 19, 1951 – The first in the series of the transvestite Bugs Bunny, the ever clueless Daffy Duck and bestiality minded Elmer Fudd’s “Hunting Trilogy“, Rabbit Fire was released on this date. Chuck Jones fondly recalled voice artist Mel Blanc improvising hilariously as Daffy when he was trying to think of another word besidesContinue reading “For shame, Doc! Huntin’ rabbits with an elephant gun.”

May 19, 1977 –Hal Needham’s directorial debut, the sleeper hit comedy, Smokey and the Bandit, starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry, opened in NYC, on this date. A majority of the lines and quotes spoken by Jackie Gleason character, Sheriff Buford T. Justice were improvised.

May 19, 1999 –The much-anticipated movie prequel, Star Wars: Episode One – The Phantom Menace opened on this date. During filming, Ewan McGregor made lightsaber noises as he dueled. George Lucas explained many times that the sound effects would be added in by the special effects people later on. Ewan said “I kept getting carriedContinue reading “Star Wars: Episode One – The Phantom Menace premiered”

Today is Rubber Band Day. The day honors Inventor Stephen Perry’s receiving a patent for the rubber band on this date in 1845 (We’ve also seen it listed as March 17th but we can be sure, no one from ACME was there at the time.) (The ACME Corporation is in no way endorsing the sortContinue reading “They hold so much together”

May 17, 1940 –Garson Kanin’s screwball comedy, My Favorite Wife, opened on this date. Leo McCarey was supposed to direct the film, but shortly before the filming began, he was injured in an automobile accident and had to hand over the direction to Garson Kanin. Gail Patrick has stated that the severity of McCarey’s injuriesContinue reading “My Favorite Wife premiered”

May 17, 1950 –Nicholas Ray’s excellent film noir, In a Lonely Place, starring Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame premiered on this date. Gloria Grahame and husband and Director Nicholas Ray quietly separated during filming, keeping it a secret for fear that one of them would be replaced. Ray slept on the studio set, saying thatContinue reading “In Lonely Placed debuted”

May 17, 1980 –Call Me by Blondie reached No. #1 on the Billboard charts on this date. Call Me was the most successful of all Blondie singles in the USA, where it was the best-selling single of 1980.

May 16, 1984 –Prince’s single When Doves Cry – written at the request of Purple Rain director Albert Magnoli to accompany a sequence in the film – was released and would soon become Prince’s first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit. This was the second US chart-topper with a kind of bird in the title,Continue reading “When Dove’s Cry topped the charts”

May 16, 1966 –The Beach Boys released their 11th studio album, Pet Sounds on this date. It has since been recognized as one of the most influential albums in the history of popular music and is widely regarded as one of the best albums of the 1960s. All that beautiful music and barking dogs, too.

May 16, 1965 –“The neat round spaghetti you can eat with a spoon“, Spaghetti-O’s first went on sale, on this date. Oh happy day, the squirrel meat brand has stuck around.