Author Archives: dcaligari

Today is National Disc Jockey Day, celebrated in remembrance of the death of Albert James “Alan” Freed, (AKA Moondog,) the man who coined the term “Rock ‘n’ Roll”. The first DJ, or Disc Jockey, was sixteen-year-old student Ray Newby, who played the first records over the airwaves at Herrold College of Engineering and Wireless locatedContinue reading “Last night a DJ saved my life”

January 19, 1952 – In the first match-up between Wile E. Coyote and Bugs Bunny, Operation: Rabbit, directed by Chuck Jones, premiered on this date. This was the second cartoon to feature Wile E. Coyote (following 1949’s Fast and Furry-ous), and the first in which he is identified by his full name. It is alsoContinue reading “Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius”

January 19, 1940 –Any resemblance between the characters in this picture and any persons, living or dead, is a miracle. The Three Stooges short You Nazty Spy! about the Nazis released on this date. Filmed in 1939, not released until 1940, the film was the first Hollywood film to spoof Adolf Hitler, released nine monthsContinue reading “A very famous Three Stooges episode”

January 19, 1942 –The first of nine films to feature Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, Woman of the Year opened on this date. Knowing of Spencer Tracy’s reputation as a heavy drinker, Katharine Hepburn served him strong tea between scenes. She also got him to paint, as she did, as an escape from the pressuresContinue reading “Woman of the Year premiered”

January 18, 1973 – The third season finale of Monty Python, The British Showbiz Awards (aka Grandstand,), aired on the BBC on this date Eric Idle portrays “Dickie Attenborough,” a clear reference to Richard Attenborough, who also sometimes went by Dickie. His brother, David Attenborough, worked at the BBC and actually gave this series theContinue reading “The last Monty Python episode”

January 18, 1975 –We all moved on up to the Eastside when The Jeffersons, a spin-off of All In The Family premiered on CBS-TV on this date. When the show first started, George constantly referred to Tom as a honky. After a few seasons, Sherman Hemsley asked the writers to stop having George call himContinue reading “The Jefferson first moved to the Eastside”

January 18, 1978 –Warren Zevon third studio album, Excitable Boy, was released on this date. The album brought Zevon to commercial attention and remains the best-selling album of his career. Co-produced by Jackson Browne, the album is laced with such horror-tinged songs like Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner, Werewolves Of London and the title track,Continue reading “Dry your eyes, my little friend”

January 17, 1969 – The Star Trek episode The Mark of Gideon where, Kirk is abducted and held aboard an abandoned duplicated of the Enterprise, first aired on CBS TV on this date. The episode was written by Stanley Adams, who had earlier guest-starred as Cyrano Jones in The Trouble with Tribbles. Adams has becomeContinue reading “The purpose of diplomacy is to prolong a crisis.”

January 17, 1977 –The short-lived sitcom Busting Loose, (the series ran for 21 episodes,) starring Adam Arkin, Pat Carroll, and Barbara Rhoades premiered on CBS TV on this date. Busting Loose was broadcast over two seasons. Thirteen episodes aired during its first season in the winter and spring of 1977. Eight more were broadcast duringContinue reading “Nope definitely never saw it”