Author Archives: dcaligari

December 12, 1972 –Irwin Allen’s ocean disaster movie, The Poseidon Adventure, opened in NYC on this date. Shelley Winters gained 35 pounds for the part of Belle Rosen. Afterward, she complained that she was never able to get back to her original weight, no matter how hard she tried.

December 12, 1954 –BBC Television aired the landmark adaptation of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four on this date. It was the most expensive drama produced to date. Prince Philip commented that he and Queen Elizabeth II had thoroughly enjoyed the broadcast; the BBC repeated a live broadcast four days later, attracting the largest television audience sinceContinue reading “Hooray for Big Brother”

December 12, 1915 –It’s the birthday of Francis Albert today. Once again, under advise of legal council, I have make no jokes or innuendos about Mr. Sinatra’s alleged organized crime connection, especially since I work at a union facility (Please note – I did not use the word, Mafia.) And once again, We here atContinue reading “They’re dancing in many social clubs in Bensonhurst”

December 12, 1531–It’s the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, an indigenous peasant, had visions of the Virgin Mary. Legend held that the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego outside Mexico City and left an imprint on his cactus-fiber poncho. The poncho became an icon for the Virgin of Guadalupe. It’s earlyContinue reading “No Bunkies, it’s not a Holy Day of Obligation”

ACME would like to bring you another in a series of holiday safety tips: Holiday tip No. 195 – Giants monsters are attracted to bright lights and decorations, so please turn off your lights and stay inside!

December 11, 1967 –The Beatles’ Apple Music signs its first group – Grapefruit, on this date. With unwise business decisions like this, I’m sure the Beatles must have gone broke very shortly after this.

December 11, 1982 –Toni Basil’s surprise hit Mickey reached No. 1 of the Billboard charts on this date. This was originally recorded as Kitty by a group called Racey, which released it in 1979. In the original lyric, Kitty is a girl. Toni Basil changed the title from Kitty to Mickey and the gender fromContinue reading “Oh Mickey, you’re so fine”

December 11, 1980 – Hawaiian shirts and free mustache rides abound when Magnum PI, starring Tom Selleck, first aired on CBS-TV on this date. This is one of a very small number of shows in which an actor “breaks the fourth wall” and looks right into the camera. Thomas Magnum does this on occasion whenContinue reading “The original Magnum PI premiered”

December 11, 1968 – Filming begins on The Rolling Stones‘ Rock And Roll Circus movie. Conceived by Mick Jagger, the event was comprised of two concerts on a circus stage and included such acts as John Lennon and his fiancée Yoko Ono performing as part of a supergroup called The Dirty Mac, along with EricContinue reading “This almost never aired”

December 11, 1931 –Rita Moreno, winner of an Peabody, Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, was born on this date. She is currently one of only three PEGOT winners; she is the only Puerto Rican PEGOT winner.