Author Archives: dcaligari

April 16, 1973 –In order to fulfill a contractual obligation with Lew Grade, Paul McCartney appeared in his first TV special (since the disastrous Magical Mystery Tour,) James Paul McCartney, on this date. Although it was very highly anticipated – McCartney received a cover story on TV Guide – the reviews were dreadful. The NewContinue reading “An early Paul McCartney solo TV Special”

April 16, 1977 –David Soul one half of TV cop show Starsky & Hutch, went to No.1 on the US singles chart (as well as the UK charts,) with Don’t Give Up On Us, his only US hit, on this date. This was written by Tony Macaulay, who co-wrote four other UK #1s: Baby NowContinue reading “Don’t Give Up On Us topped the charts”

You might think that today, April 15, is the deadline for submitting personal tax returns, but this is not always the case. When the date falls on a weekend, it is often moved to the following Monday. But since today is Monday, they’re due today. (Because Patriot’s Day and Emancipation Day, which fall on AprilContinue reading “Hopefully, you’re ready”

April 15, 1966 –Decca Records released the fourth British studio album of The Rolling Stones, Aftermath, on this date. Brian Jones, who was The Stones guitarist until his death in 1969, played the dulcimer on the album, an instrument you play on your lap by plucking or strumming the strings. Jones could learn just aboutContinue reading “Aftermath went on sale”

April 15, 1923 –Dr. Lee De Forest demonstrates his Phonofilm sound-on-film process to the first paying movie audience at an invitation-only event at the Rialto Theater in New York City. (I’ve seen the date listed as March 12 as well.) Dr. De Forest received in 1959 an honorary Oscar from the Academy of Motion PictureContinue reading “Big development in sound motion pictures”

April 15, 1990 –Fox TV premiered the Wayans Bros. comedy series In Living Color on this date. According to an Oscar profile in Entertainment Weekly, Thomas Haden Church auditioned for a spot on the show, but was edged out by Jim Carrey.

April 14, 1967 –The Bee Gees released their single in England, New York Mining Disaster 1941, on this date. There was no mining disaster in New York in 1941, although there was one in McIntire, Pennsylvania which killed 6 people. The song though appears to have been vaguely inspired by the Aberfan tragedy in SouthContinue reading “We first heard about the New York Mining Disaster 1941”

April 14, 1883 –Leo Delibes’ opera Lakme, premiered in Paris on this date. The main reason you’ve probably even know this opera is because of the duet, Viens and Mallika sing, Les Liens en Fleurs (The Flower Duet) in Act I has become widely used in ads, as well as in films (I’ll stop now.)Continue reading “Impress your friends with this knowledge”

April 14, 2006 –The bio-pix film about the 1950s pinup and bondage model Bettie Page, The Notorious Bettie Page, directed by Mary Harron and starring Gretchen Mol was released in the US, on this date. A good friend of Bettie’s, Hugh Hefner held a private screening of this movie for Bettie Page and a smallContinue reading “The Notorious Bettie Page premiered”

April 14, 1969 –The bizarre 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee TV special starring The Pre-fab four, The Monkees, aired on NBC TV, on this date. This TV special was going to be the first of three such specials starring The Monkees, but the other two were scrapped after this one turned out to be aContinue reading “This was the last time they were all the Monkees for a while”