Author Archives: dcaligari

July 20, 1970 –Richard and Karen Carpenters appear on The Dating Game, where they perform (They Long To Be) Close To You and each select from three suitors (and not each other,) on this date. Karen Carpenter appeared on segment 1 and she was the girl interviewing the three bachelors. Richard on segment 2 asContinue reading “Don’t be silly – they didn’t date each other”

July 20, 1969 –55 years ago today, in a live transmission from the Moon, viewed by 720 million people around the world, Neil Armstrong stepped foot onto the Moon. It was a brave thing to do (and unfortunately caused Buzz Aldrin to have his post-Apollo 11 period of alcoholism and depression.) It was also theContinue reading “We got there (unless we didn’t)”

Shhh, I believe today’s holiday is a huge conspiracy perpetrated by a large Big Sugar Syndication. It’s National Lollipop Day; but don’t go too overboard on the sugary treats. (Last time I checked; it’s about 251 licks.)

July 19, 1965 –The Beatles released the single, Help (B-side I’m Down), ahead of the release of the album of the same name, on this date. John Lennon has described this time of his life as his “fat Elvis period.” In a 1971 interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon said this is one of his favoriteContinue reading “The Beatles’ plaintive cry for assistance”

July 19, 1986 –Genesis had their first (and only) #1 Hot 100 hit as Invisible Touch tops the chart, on this date. According to Phil Collins, an influence on this song was the 1984 Sheila E. hit The Glamorous Life, which was written by Prince. That song is about a woman who gets the bestContinue reading “Invisible Touch topped the charts”

July 19, 1941 – MGM released the Hanna/ Barbera cartoon, The Midnight Snack, starring Tom and Jerry, on this date. William Hanna and Joseph Barbera originally had the cat named Jasper and the mouse was Jinx, in 1940’s Puss Gets the Boot cartoon. This is the first cartoon with their names, Tom Cat and JerryContinue reading “The first actual appearance of Tom and Jerry”

July 19, 1996 –Danny Boyle’s brilliant adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s equally celebrated novel, Trainspotting, starring Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle and Kelly MacDonald premiered on this date. Danny Boyle used creative methods while directing, necessitated by the film’s low budget. For example, in the scene where Renton shoots a dog with a BB gun and itContinue reading “We got to crawl out of the toilet”

July 19, 1960 – The original pilot for what would become The Dick Van Dyke Show, Head of the Family, premiered on this date. Carl Reiner has said that he let this pilot sit for about a year after it didn’t sell, and then he showed it to Sheldon Leonard who told him he likedContinue reading “The initial pilot for The Dick Van Show aired”

Today is National Daiquiri Day. It’s just about the middle of the summer, so it more than appropriate to celebrate (although it might have been fun to celebrate it on July 11 – see my note on sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia.) Demand Euphoria!

July 18, 1980 –Closer, the second and final album from Joy Division, was released on this date, just two months after the suicide of founding member and singer Ian Curtis. Despite or perhaps because of the tragedy surrounding Joy Division, the band has had an indelible effect on the post-punk music scene, which later morphedContinue reading “Closer went on sale”