Author Archives: dcaligari

March 28, 1930 –Istanbul was ConstantinopleNow it’s Istanbul, not ConstantinopleBeen a long time gone, ConstantinopleWhy did Constantinople get the works?That’s nobody’s business but the Turks. Constantinople and Angora change their names to Istanbul and Ankara on this date.

March 28, 1974 – Writer and comedian, Pat McCormick, carrying a cocktail streaked nude across the set of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, forcing NBC censors to black out the lower half of the screen. the streaker was arrested and later released, said Carson, for “lack of evidence.”

March 28, 1975 –The final episode of the short-lived series Kolchak – The Night Stalker, The Sentry, starring Darren McGaven, aired on ABC TV, on this date. Kolchak is smuggled into the Merrymount Archive storage facility in a large wooden crate stamped ‘FRAGILE‘ in capital letters. In A Christmas Story, also starring Darren McGavin, hisContinue reading “The Finale of The Night Stalker”

It’s sometimes called Holy Thursday, also known as Sheer Thursday (as in to purge yourself of sin), Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries. Remember to wash your feet or the feet of someone else, if you are so inclined. Among the other things going on remember: don’t go to a dinnerContinue reading “Today is Maundy Thursday.”

March 27, 1987 –U2 played a rooftop concert in Los Angeles to film their video for Where The Streets Have No Name, on this date. U2 played the song four times, and also played People Get Ready, In God’s Country, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Pride (In The Name Of Love). It won the Grammy forContinue reading “All the streets have names in L.A.”

March 27, 30 – A small time official in a backwater province of the Roman empire gains immortality for practicing good hygiene. Pontius Pilate washed his hands and sealed the fate of Jesus. And so it goes

March 27, 1973 –Marlon Brando declined the Academy Award for Best Actor for his career-reviving performance in The Godfather on this date. The Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather attended the ceremony in Brando’s place, stating that the actor “very regretfully” could not accept the award, as he was protesting Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans inContinue reading “A simple ‘No Thank You’ would have sufficed”

March 27, 1952 – The apex of movie musicals, Singin’ in the Rain, starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor, opened in New York on this date. Debbie Reynolds remarked many years later that making this movie and surviving childbirth were the two hardest things she’d ever had to do. The filming experience wasContinue reading “Singing in the Rain premiered”

Not withstanding Bogart’s quote, as you know, I’m an inveterate Gin man, through and through but I would have a difficult time deciding whether or not to celebrate International Whisk(e)y Day today or World Whisky Day which is celebrated on May 18th this year. International Whisk(e)y Day uses the parenthesis to indicate support of Scottish,Continue reading “I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.”

March 26, 1977 –Less Than Zero, the debut single from Elvis Costello, was released by the newly formed Stiff Records in London, England on this date. According to Dave Marsh’s The Heart of Rock and Soul, The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever, the song is about a young couple making out in one of their parents’Continue reading “Turn up the TV. No one listening will suspect …”