Author Archives: dcaligari

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”

July 18, 2008 –Universal Pictures finally released it much planned ABBA jukebox musical, Mamma Mia! starring Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgård, Meryl Streep and Julie Walters in the US on this date. Pierce Brosnan had no idea what the project was about when he signed on. The producersContinue reading “Mamma Mia finally premiered”

July 18, 1986 –A Minnesota local news crew, KARE 11’s chopper pilot Max Messmer and photographer Tom Empey, captured unbelievable footage of a tornado moving through the Twin Cities area, on this date. The video, which was shown live during the 5 p.m. news, (which was the first time a tornado was broadcast live inContinue reading “The first live tornado televised”

July 18, 1939 –Hunter Stockton Thompson was born on this date. He was once considered, armed, and dangerous. Now he is no more than soot on the window sills of his and his neighbors homes. Dr. Thompson founded the Gonzo school of journalism in the 1970s; graduates from that school can today be seen everyContinue reading “The father of Gonzo Journalism”

Today is National Caviar Day. Although it is high in sodium and cholesterol, caviar is rich in calcium and phosphorus, as well as protein, selenium, iron, magnesium, and Vitamins B12 and B6. While it’s normal to wash down the briny fish roe with champagne or iced vodka; why not down shots of iced Bombay Sapphire.Continue reading “It’s good to have caviar but not when you have it at every meal”

July 17, 1968 – The opening of the drug-induced, Big Blue Meanie-infested cartoon Beatles film Yellow Submarine, was held at the London Pavilion on this date. The Beatles hated The Beatles, the television cartoon show of them, which was also produced by Al Brodax and George Dunning. When the producers approached them about this movie,Continue reading “Yellow Submarine premiered”