Author Archives: dcaligari

March 24, 1979 –The Bee Gees’s single, Tragedy started a two week run at No. 1 on the US singles chart, the group’s eighth US No. 1, on this date. (Really sorry for the ear worm.) The Gibb brothers wrote both Tragedy and Too Much Heaven (another American #1), in an afternoon off from makingContinue reading “Tragedy topped the charts”

March 24, 1939 –… Murder, my dear Watson. Refined, cold-blooded murder. … Twentieth Century Fox’s released on this date, the first of 14 films based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles. While not entirely passive, Watson’s original role was mostly as an observer of Holmes and theContinue reading “The Hound of the Baskervilles premiered”

March 24, 1975 –Alex Mitchell, a 50-year-old bricklayer from King’s Lynn, England, died laughing while watching an episode of The Goodies, featuring a Scotsman in a kilt attempting kung fu with his bagpipes on this date. After 25 minutes of continuous laughter Mitchell finally slumped on the sofa and expired from heart failure. His widowContinue reading “Yes, you can laugh too much”

March 24, 2005 – NBC-TV allowed us to follow the goings on at Dunder Mifflin when The Office, starring Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Mindy Kaling, and B.J. Novak premiered on this date. John Krasinski and B.J. Novak went to high school together. They went to Newton South High School in Newton,Continue reading “We started ordering supplies from Dunder Mifflin”

March 24, 1946 – The first cartoon to feature Sylvester the Cat, Life with Feathers, directed by Friz Freleng was released on this date. Carefully rendered background details are shown, as was the norm for cartoons of this era. Lace doilies, wallpaper, baseboards, a radio, even the cookbook, are all drawn as these objects appearedContinue reading “Life with Feathers premiered”

Happy Palm Sunday The name Palm Sunday comes from the tradition for worshippers being given palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem. As always, we here at ACME wish to quote that great theologian, my mother, during this holiday season: “I swear to God if you kidsContinue reading “Wave goodbye to our fears and doubts”

March 23, 1963 –Everyone get ready for a slow dance (remember to leave room for the Holy Spirit): Ruby and the Romantics‘ song Our Day Will Come hit No. #1 on the Billboard Charts on this date. Dionne Warwick recorded the original demo of the song for songwriter Bob Hilliard and she told him howContinue reading “Our Day Will Come topped the charts”

March 23, 1974 – You had one last time to Get Happy, when The Partridge Family aired the last episode of the series, …—…(SOS), on this date Shirley Jones presented George Chakiris, who guest stars in the episode, his Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for West Side Story.

March 23, 1967 –The Star Trek episode The Alternative Factor first airs on NBC TV on this date. Unfortunately, many fans consider this one of the worst episode of the Star Trek franchise. In it, the Enterprise encounters a scientist with the ability to shift between universes who claims to be pursued by a monster. Continue reading “They all can’t be winners”

March 23, 1946 – The last Merrie Melodies title Frank Tashlin directed (before switching to become a live action director,) Hare Remover, starring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, opened on this date. This was the second of only two Bugs Bunny cartoons directed by Frank Tashlin; the other being The Unruly Hare. Frank Tashlin isContinue reading “Hare Remover premiered”