Author Archives: dcaligari

August 19, 1932 – The Marx Brothers‘ fourth movie, Horse Feathers, went into general release on this date. Thelma Todd’s character “Connie” is referred to in the film as being a “college widow“. This was a somewhat derogatory term at the time that referred to a young woman who remains near a college year afterContinue reading “…swordfish, swordfish… I think I got it. Is it “swordfish”?”

August 19, 1972 –NBC-TV presented The Midnight Special for the first time on this date. John Denver hosted the first episode of the show with guests including: Mama Cass, The Everly Brothers, The Isley Brothers, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt and Argent. Helen Reddy was also a musical guest on the show, but did not hostContinue reading “This is a power packed line up”

Today is National Soft Serve Ice Cream Day. Soft Serve Ice Cream has been around since the 1930s. There are conflicting reports of the origins of the dessert. In 1934, Tom Carvel, the founder of eponymous ice cream brand and franchise, had to sell melting ice cream on a parking lot because his ice creamContinue reading “You have to lick it one day at a time”

Umayyad partisans defeat the supporters of Ibn al-Zubayr and cement Umayyad control of Syria, in the Battle of Marj Rahit, on this date in 684 – but what the hell do you care. Today is National Bad Poetry Day in the United States. There’s a very fun website will generate on command a great dealContinue reading “All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling.”

August 18 1989 –Columbia Pictures released Brian DePalma’s memorable war drama, Casualties of War, starring Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn, John C. Reilly, and John Leguizamo, in the US on this date. Brian De Palma said that he had been trying to make this film since 1969 when he first read the Casualties Of WarContinue reading “Casualties of War premiered”

August 18, 1993 –Woody Allen reunited with one of his favorite actress, Diane Keaton when Sony Pictures released Manhattan Murder Mystery in the US on this date. Manhattan Murder Mystery was actually the generic working title during production–Woody Allen films usually have generic titles during production like “Woody Allen Fall Project“–but since no new titleContinue reading “Manhattan Murder Mystery premiered”

August 18, 1979 –Chic’s single Good Times was their second single to go to No.1 on the Billboard Charts, on this date. The song has become one of the most sampled tunes in music history, most notably in hip hop music. This song, built around Bernard Edwards’ distinctive bassline, is one of the most copiedContinue reading “Good Times topped the charts”

August 17, 1974 –Eric Clapton’s second studio album 461 Ocean Boulevard, started a four-week run at No.1 on the Billboard charts on this date. The house featured on the album cover is 461 Ocean Boulevard in the town of Golden Beach, Florida near Miami where Clapton lived while making the album. He recorded the albumContinue reading “461 Ocean Boulevard topped the charts”

August 17, 1960 – A great George Pal sci-fi classic, The Time Machine was released on this date. George Pal wanted the disk on the machine to spin clockwise for travel into the future and counter-clockwise for travel into the past. Due to the way the mechanism was built it was deemed too expensive andContinue reading “The Time Machine premiered”

August 17, 1934 – MGM released its version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, starring Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper and Lionel Barrymore, on this date in NYC. Jackie Cooper did not like his performance, writing in his autobiography that he felt an older English boy should have played Jim Hawkins..