December 4, 1942 –Henry King directed the swashbuckler, The Black Swan, starring Tyrone Power, Maureen O’Hara, Thomas Mitchell, George Sanders, Anthony Quinn, and George Zucco which opened in the US on this date. To help out the war effort, the actors tried hard to keep the number of takes low so as to conserve film.Continue reading “The Black Swan (not that one) premiered”
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A Boy Named Charlie Brown premiered
December 4, 1969 – The first feature film based on the Peanuts cartoon strip, A Boy Named Charlie Brown, directed by Bill Melendez and voiced by Peter Robbins, Pamelyn Ferdin, Glenn Gilger, and Andy Pforsich, opened on this date. The memorable “Aaaugh!” scream from Peter Robbins as Charlie Brown originated from this film. (Oddly enough,Continue reading “A Boy Named Charlie Brown premiered”
Asked a girl what she wanted to be …
December 3, 1965 – Rubber Soul, the sixth album by The Beatles was released on this date. With the 14 new songs, the British band expanded their sound using a wide range of instruments. Influences included soul music and the new folk-rock of Bob Dylan. George Harrison’s use of a sitar on Norwegian Wood sparkedContinue reading “Asked a girl what she wanted to be …”
(There is nothing worse than a leaky rubber pig.)
December 3, 1976 – During a shoot for the cover of Pink Floyd’s the Animals album, one of the props, an inflatable pig broke free due to a strong gust of wind (gaining a lot of press coverage). The pig, named Algie, floated above Battersea Power Station, then disappeared from sight within five minutes, andContinue reading “(There is nothing worse than a leaky rubber pig.)”
When Madonna was culturally relevant
December 3, 1990 –Madonna was interviewed by Forrest Sawyer on the news program Nightline, where she debuts her video for Justify My Love, which MTV has refused to play on this date. It was unusual for an entertainment story to be the focus of Nightline, but this one made the news because it raised censorshipContinue reading “When Madonna was culturally relevant”
Touch but the screen –
Feel the healing powers of his ‘hunka, hunka burning love’ course through your loins. December 3, 1968 –NBC premiered the iconic Elvis special (usually referred the ‘68 Comeback Special,) sponsored by the Singer Corporation, on this date. St. Elvis appeared to his devoted acolytes on this date. The leather clad Elvis – not the sweatyContinue reading “Touch but the screen –”
OED’s Word of the Year
The Oxford English Dictionary has selected Brain-Rot as its Word of the Year for 2024, highlighting a growing societal concern over the impact of excessive exposure to low-quality online content, particularly on social media. The term saw a 230% increase in usage between 2023 and 2024, indicating its rising relevance in contemporary discussions about mentalContinue reading “OED’s Word of the Year”
… That day I’ll always remember …
December 2, 1972 – One of the longest chart-topping singles, The Temptations’ Papa Was A Rolling Stone hits #1 in the US, on this date. The album version of this song runs 11:46. The single was released with the song split into two parts: the A-side was the “vocal” version and runs 6:58; the B-sideContinue reading “… That day I’ll always remember …”
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! premiered
December 2, 1988 –Paramount Pictures’ very silly film, (based on the short lived TV series)The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, starring Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalbán, and George Kennedy, premiered on this date. Several years later, Queen Elizabeth II attended a Oakland A’s versus Baltimore Orioles game in Baltimore, Maryland, andContinue reading “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! premiered”
Jeanie and Tony wed
December 2, 1969 – Jeanie finally married Major Anthony Nelson (her ‘master’) on the I Dream of Jeannie episode, The Wedding, on this date. Although personally Barbara Eden strongly disagreed with the decision for Tony and Jeannie to marry, she has mentioned several times that this was one of her favorite episodes, mainly because itContinue reading “Jeanie and Tony wed”
