Author Archives: dcaligari

April 24, 1184 BC (this is an approximated date.)… burnt the topless towers of Ilium.… It is traditionally held that city of Troy fell on this date after a ten year siege by the armies of Greece.

Huzzah!, it’s Pig in a Blanket Day again, encouraging the consumption of ‘pigs in blankets’ – small pork sausages wrapped in bacon or pastry, and cooked until crispy (for those of you porcine adverse, choose your own ground meat filling.) Please celebrate sensibly.

April 23, 1976 –Sire Records released The Ramones eponymous debut album, which arguably ushered in the punk rock era, on this date. The album took seven days to make and cost $6,400, while its iconic front cover – depicting the band standing against a brick wall – was taken by renowned punk photographer Roberta BayleyContinue reading “The Ramones burst onto the scene”

April 23, 1958 –Orson Welles’ noir thriller Touch of Evil, starring Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh, was released on this date. Orson Welles initially despised the title Touch of Evil, having had nothing to do with its conception. Over the years, however, he grew to like it, and eventually considered it the best title outContinue reading “Your future’s all used up …”

April 23, 1947 –Carol Reed’s IRA drama Odd Man Out starring James Mason, Robert Newton, and Cyril Cusack opened in the US on this date. Richard Burton recorded in his diary a story he had heard Stewart Granger tell frequently about the movie: offered the lead role, Granger skimmed through the script, saw how littleContinue reading “Odd Man Out premiered”

April 23, 1936 –I close my eyes, then I drift away, into the magic night I softly say. A silent prayer, like dreamers do, then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you. Roy Orbison, the coolest singer in sunglasses,was born on this date. (Luxuriate in the voluptuousness of despair.)

Passover starts tonight – – please bone up on those four questions. Remember you will not be graded on a curve! While it’s not as bad as not finding the missing easter egg, by all means, please find the Afikoman, (no one wants to accidentally eat a piece of exceptionally stale cracker.)

April 22, 1966 –The Troggs‘ (who were originally called The Troglodytes) song, Wild Thing was released in the U.S. on this date. The song went on to reach No.1. Fronted by Reg Presley, Wild Thing became a major influence on garage rock and punk rock.

April 22, 1974 – Maude and Walter finally leave Tuckahoe, New York and moves to Washington D.C. when she was elected as a congresswoman during the last episode of Maude, Maude’s Big Move, aired on CBS TV on this date. The producers of Maude liked the idea of a show centered around a new CongressionalContinue reading “We got to say, ‘Right On Maude’ for the last time”

April 22, 1978 –The Blues Brothers (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) make their debut on Saturday Night Live, on this date, later becoming the first characters from the show to get their own movie. Steve Martin performs King Tut on the same Saturday Night Live episode, popularizing goofy Egyptian dancing. The song, which portrays theContinue reading “Straight from Joliet to your living room”