Author Archives: dcaligari

January 16, 1979 – The landmark nature series Life on Earth presented by David Attenborough first shown on BBC One on this date At a cost exceeding £1 million ($1.2 million), it was an immense project that involved filming over 100 locations around the world and took three years in the making by a teamContinue reading “Life on Earth premiered”

January 16, 1965 –You finally get control back of the vertical and horizontal of your television set – ABC-TV aired the final episode of The Outer Limits on this date. When this episode, the series’ last show, was originally aired, a live announcer spoke over the Control Voice’s closing statement about returning “next week atContinue reading “The finale of The Outer Limits”

January 16, 1976 –Peter Frampton’s platinum live album, Frampton Comes Alive, was released by A & M Records on this date. Frampton used a talkbox, a device hooked up to his guitar amp that allowed him to make distorted vocal sounds through a tube in his mouth. Other groups had success with the device aroundContinue reading “The album all 16 year olds were issued”

January 15, 1981 – Hill Street Blues premiered on NBC on this date. The exterior shots of the Hill Street station were those of an actual Chicago police station. Now no longer used by the city, it was at one time the home of the 7th District, located near the old Maxwell Street Market, andContinue reading “Let’s Be Careful Out There”

January 15, 1967 –Ed Sullivan, when he wasn’t fall down drunk, swore a lot. He swore that his arch-rival, Walter Winchell was a goddamned bastard. He swore that his ‘so called friend‘ J Edgar Hoover was a goddamned transvestite but surprising spry in his cha-cha heels. And he swore that those goddamned filthy limey boys,Continue reading “The Rolling Stones couldn’t sing their filthy song”

January 14, 1956 –Little Richard released Tutti Frutti on this date, (to fully take advantage of the healing powers of Little Richard, much like Elvis – you must remove all your clothing (underwears optional) and dance around the house, continually touching your afflicted regions.) This song introduced Little Richard’s famous “Whooooo,” and also a bigContinue reading “Stupid record buying public.”

January 14, 1981 –This was the date television died. The FCC freed stations to air as many commercials an hour as they wish, and removed any obligation to allocate time for news or public affairs programming.

January 14, 1972 –Sanford and Son, featuring comedian Redd Foxx (whose last name was really Sanford) and Demond Wilson, premiered on NBC-TV on this date. Throughout the series, whenever Lamont threatened to move out, or things did not go Fred’s way, he would clutch his chest and fake a heart attack, shouting variations of “HearContinue reading “First time we went to our favorite junkyard”