Author Archives: dcaligari

August 19, 1973 – The martial-arts classic, Enter the Dragon: The Deadly Three, directed by Robert Clouse and starring Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Ahna Capri, Bob Wall, Shih Kien, and Jim Kelly, opened in Los Angeles on this date, (a month after Lee’s death.) Shih Kien was a close friend of Bruce Lee’s father sinceContinue reading “Enter the Dragon premiered”

Today is National Soft Serve Ice Cream Day. Soft Serve Ice Cream has been around since the 1930s. There are conflicting reports of the origins of the dessert. In 1934, Tom Carvel, the founder of eponymous ice cream brand and franchise, had to sell melting ice cream on a parking lot because his ice creamContinue reading “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream”

August 18, 2001 –Alicia Keys’ single, Fallin’ reached No. 1 on the Billboard Charts on this date. This was the first single from Keys, who was 20 years old when it was released, but had started writing the song three years earlier. A prodigy who signed with Columbia records when she was 16, Keys wroteContinue reading “Fallin’ topped the charts”

August 18, 1962 –The Looney Tunes short, Louvre Come Back to Me!, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Peppy Le Pew, was released on this date. The final Looney Tunes short starring Pepe Le Pew.

August 18, 1956 –The Merrie Melodies short, Half-Fare Hare, directed by Bob McKimson, and starring Bugs Bunny, was released on this date. The hobos are a clear takeoff of Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton from The Honeymooners, including Ralphs threatening catch phrase, “One of these days…“.

August 18 1989 –Columbia Pictures released Brian DePalma’s memorable war drama, Casualties of War, starring Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn, John C. Reilly, and John Leguizamo, in the US on this date. Brian De Palma said that he had been trying to make this film since 1969 when he first read the Casualties Of WarContinue reading “Casualties of War premiered”

August 18, 1969 – The mockumentary comedy, Take the Money and Run, directed by Woody Allen, and starring Woody Allen, Janet Margolin, and Louise Lasser, opened on this date. Woody Allen later said he was not nervous about his first day but was so excited about shooting on location in San Quentin prison that heContinue reading “Take the Money and Run premiered”

August 18, 1937 –Following on from the success of Toyota Industries the son of the original founder Sakichi Toyoda of Toyota Industries, Kiichiro Toyoda, founded the Toyota Motor Company in Japan, on this date. but what the hell do you care. Today is National Bad Poetry Day in the United States. There’s a very funContinue reading “Some things just don’t have a connection”

August 17, 1987 –Tom Waits released his ninth studio album, Franks Wild Years, on this date. Franks Wild Years is the final piece of what is loosely considered the Rain Dogs trilogy (1983’s Swordfishtrombones (which featured the song Frank’s Wild Years )and 1985’s Rain Dogs, marking his third collaboration with wife Kathleen Brennan.

August 17, 1908 –Considered by some film historians as the first fully animated film in history, Fantasmagorie, was exhibited for the first time ever at the Théâtre du Gymnase in Paris, on this date. To make this film, the director, Émile Cohl placed each drawing on an illuminated glass plate and then traced the nextContinue reading “Fantasmagorie premiered”