Author Archives: dcaligari

September 7, 1967 –The Flying Nun, starring Sally Field as a nun who finds that she can fly, debuted on ABC-TV on this date. Sally Field has admitted that she disliked the scripts so much that she refused to read them. She would learn her lines right before shooting each scene by looking at theContinue reading “Hopefully you weren’t looking up her habit”

September 7, 1927 –Philo T. Farnsworth (all of 21 years old) succeeded in transmitting an image through purely electronic means by using an image dissector on this date. He used an “image dissector” (the first television camera tube) to convert the image into a current, and an “image oscillite” (picture tube) to receive it. WhenContinue reading “Another advance in television technology”

September 7, 2003 –… Well, first of all, let me say that I might have made a tactical error in not going to a physician for 20 years. It was one of those phobias that really didn’t pay off. Warren Zevon, Grammy Award-winning American rock singer-songwriter and musician, died at age 56, on this date.

September 6, 1986 –Bananarama’s cover of the Shocking Blue single, Venus hit no. 1 on this date< Bananarama’s version was produced by the team of Stock, Aitken and Waterman, who worked on hits by Rick Astley (Never Gonna Give You Up), Dead or Alive (You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)) and Kylie Minogue (IContinue reading “Venus topped the charts”

September 6, 1976 –Years after their well-publicized break-up, Frank Sinatra privately orchestrated a surprise appearance of Dean Martin on Jerry Lewis’ annual Labor Day telethon for the MDA. The two privately reconciled and maintained a relationship throughout the rest of their lives. If only Sinatra could have knock off broads and booze long enough toContinue reading “Final proof that it was Sinatra’s World”

September 6, 1936 –The classic screwball comedy, My Man Godfrey, opened on this date. Although stars William Powell and Carole Lombard had been divorced for three years by the time they made this, when offered the part Powell declared that the only actress right for the part of Irene was Lombard.

September 6, 1958 – Steve McQueen debuted in the western series, Wanted: Dead or Alive, on CBS-TV on this date. Steve McQueen was hired after Jack H. Harris, who was producing The Blob gave him a glowing reference to Dick Powell (the head of Four Star Productions). Powell also asked for, and was granted, theContinue reading “Steve McQueen’s first foray in TV Westerns”

Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book. – Groucho Today is Read a Book Day, which should not be confused with National Book Lovers Day, celebrated on August 9th. I’ve just recently read Ain’t It Time We Said Goodbye: The Rolling Stones on The RoadContinue reading “I find television very educating….”

September 5, 1946 –Farrokh Bulsara, British musician, singer and songwriter, was born on this date. Freddie Mercury has been called one of Rock’s greatest performers of all time.

September 5, 1981 –Soft Cell’s single Tainted Love was at No.1 on the UK singles chart on this date. This is a cover of a 1964 song by the American soul singer Gloria Jones, whose original version was released as the B-side of her single My Bad Boy’s Comin’ Home. A club DJ named RichardContinue reading “Tainted Love topped the charts”