Author Archives: dcaligari

June 18, 1956 –The pilot episode for the quiz show To Tell the Truth premiered on CBS on this date. The series debuted on CBS on December 18, 1956. The series outlasted most of the others of the period, especially after the 1958 quiz-show scandal, partly because every contestant was supposed to be untrustworthy.

European history would have been dramatically different if only for a higher fiber diet. One of the most decisive battles in the history of Europe was fought in Belgium on June 18, 1815, as a resurgent Napoleon Bonaparte launched his last military offensive against the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian Marshal Blücher. Nearly 50,000Continue reading “It all connected (and yes, this will all be on the test.)”

June 18, 1971 – The Nike “swoosh” logo was created in 1971 by a graphic design student Carolyn Davidson and was purchased by Blue Ribbon for $35. The intention was to convey motion in its design. it was first used by Nike on this date. (She was later given around 500 shares in the companyContinue reading “With a flick of a pen”

June 17, 1976 –Mel Brooks’ very silly send up of Silent Films, Silent Movie, starring Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters and Sid Caesar opened in the US on this date. The movie features the first onscreen pairing of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft, who dance a tango together. The couple were marriedContinue reading “Silent Movie premiered”

June 17, 1987 –A late Kubrick masterpiece, Full Metal Jacket, was released on this date. One of the scenes cut from the movie was a scene that showed a group of Marines playing soccer. The scene was cut because a shot revealed they were not using a soccer ball, but a human head.

June 17, 1950 – The Disassociated Press sent a reporter to get Bug Bunny’s life story in What’s Up Doc?, which was released on this date. Bugs‘ classic catchphrase is shown in this film to have been originally an accident. It came from Bugs after he pied Elmer in the face and bonked him onContinue reading “What’s Up Doc (the cartoon) premiered”

June 17, 1971 –Carole King’s album Tapestry goes to No. 1 on US album charts and stays there for 15 weeks Tapestry was a groundbreaking album, which helped popularize the singer/songwriter genre. It stayed on the American album charts for over six years, selling over 24 million copies worldwide. Until 1976, it was the largest-sellingContinue reading “Tapestry topped the charts”

Today is Father’s Day. Remember, many people will say that the best gift you can give a Dad is your love (or a good nap) – I say, provide Dad (or at least me) a perfectly chilled martini before dinner. Dads, don’t get too cocky, celebrating the day – While Mother’s Day has been aContinue reading “Worst jokes. Best dad.”

June 16, 1952 –The first regularly scheduled episode of the TV comedy series, My Little Margie starring Gale Storm and Charles Farrell debuted on CBS TV on this date. The series started out as a summer replacement for I Love Lucy. In an usual move, CBS aired a radio version of the series with theContinue reading “The premiere of My Little Margie”

June 16, 1960 –Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho opened in New York on this date. When the cast and crew began work on the first day, they had to raise their right hands and promise not to divulge one word of the story. Alfred Hitchcock also withheld the ending part of the script from his cast untilContinue reading “People began to avoid taking long showers”