Author Archives: dcaligari

June 12, 1942 –A young Dutch girl received the crappy gift of a diary as a birthday present on this date. She natters on for a little more than two years of small, inconsequential things young girls usually do in their diaries and then she abruptly stops writing. Today, her diary has been published inContinue reading “The birthday gift that keeps giving”

June 12, 1989 –The short lived TV comedy series Doctor, Doctor starring Matt Frewer, premiered on CBS TV on this date. It series was picked up for a full season the following fall. A second season followed in fall 1990, but the show was cancelled at the end of the 1990-1991 season, due to lowContinue reading “I’m almost certain you didn’t see this one”

June 12, 1981 –A bizarre coincidence for sure, but Mel Brooks’ History of the World Part 1 and Lucas/ Spielberg’s Raiders Of The Lost Ark both premiered on this date. According to Mel Brooks, the Moses scene was a last minute addition. “Sometimes, you will get very lucky, and the set will give you ideasContinue reading “Feel free to bring this up at your next cocktail party”

June 12, 1972 –The Wings single, Silly Love Songs, (written by Paul and Linda McCartney,) went to No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, on this day. The song was McCartney’s 27th American number one as a songwriter; the all-time record for the most number one hits achieved there by a songwriter. Paul wrote this inContinue reading “Silly Love Songs topped the charts”

June 11, 1977 – Electric Light Orchestra’s record Telephone Line reached #7 on the Billboard Charts in the US, giving the band its first gold single. ELO’s first manager was Don Arden. When he lost interest in the group, he gave them to his daughter Sharon who ran Jet Records. Sharon married Ozzy Osbourne aContinue reading “Hello, how are you?”

June 11, 1889 –The Neapolitan pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito created the Pizza Margherita on this date, to honor the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. The pizza was garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, to represent the national colors of Italy as on the Italian flag.

June 11, 1978 –Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John opened, on this date. In the stage play, the song Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee had a reference to Sal Mineo, who was murdered in 1976. For the movie, the lyric was changed to reference Elvis Presley, who died the same day the sceneContinue reading “Grease premiered”

June 11, 1962 –The musical comedy/variety TV special starring Julie Andrews & Carol Burnett, Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall, aired on CBS TV on this date. At one point Carol Burnett “accidentally” hit’s Julie Andrews‘ in the stomach while taking a bow (this was scripted as part of the number they had just performed).Continue reading “Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall premiered”

Today is National German Chocolate Cake Day but it should be known as German’s Chocolate Cake Day. (German chocolate, and German chocolate cake – actually that is incorrect, the man who developed this chocolate was Samuel German – it has nothing to do with Germany, so it should be German’s Chocolate and German’s Chocolate cake).Continue reading “Should this come up in conversation”

June 10, 1966 –The Beatles song Paperback Writer was released in UK, on this date. This claimed the top spot in the US for two non-consecutive weeks; it was interrupted for one week by Frank Sinatra’s Strangers in the Night.