Author Archives: dcaligari

April 18, 2008 –Universal’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall, starring Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, and Bill Hader, opened in the US on this date. The film is based on script-writer Jason Segel’s experience breaking up with Linda Cardellini, as well as three other breakups with unspecified women. Segel has said thatContinue reading “Forgetting Sarah Marshall premiered”

April 18, 1975 –John Lennon released Stand by Me on this date. Lennon’s cover was his last hit prior to his five-year retirement from the music industry.

April 18, 1987 –Aretha Franklin and George Michael duet I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me) hit no. #1 on the Billboard charts on this date. The Queen of Soul had fallen out of favor and her fortunes were revived by her 1985 album Who’s Zoomin’ Who, which contained two US Top 10 hits: theContinue reading “I Knew You Were Waiting topped the charts”

April 17, 1970 –A little known solo artist Paul McCartney releases his first solo album, McCartney, on this date. Although no singles were released from the album, Maybe I’m Amazed was regarded as an instant classic, gaining massive AM and FM radio airplay. In 1977, a live version of Maybe I’m Amazed peaked at NumberContinue reading “Paul McCartney’s first solo album”

April 17, 1987 – The final episode of Remington Steele, Steeled With a Kiss, starring Stephanie Zimbalist, Pierce Brosnan, Doris Roberts, James Read, Janet DeMay, and Jack Scalia, aired on this date. The series was cancelled at the end of season four, on May 15, 1986, with a 60-day option left on the show. ThatContinue reading “The Finale of Remington Steele”

April 17, 2006 – A big-budget Coke commercial with a new song by Jack White called Love Is The Truth aired once on this date and was pulled. The video was directed by Japanese director Nagi Noda. Although I can find no reason why the commercial was pulled, Jack White has said that he “sawContinue reading “The world may never know.”

April 17, 1937 – Happy Birthday Daffy! Porky’s Duck Hunt, starring Porky Pig, is notable for being the first appearance of the character who would later be named Daffy Duck. It also notable that this is the first cartoon in which Mel Blanc voices both Porky and Daffy.

Today is National Blah Blah Blah day. It’s the day to do any of the following, or whatever. Stop smoking, take out the trash, empty the cat litter, lose weight, pick up your clothes, put dirty dishes in the sink, get a job or quit your job BUT do something about climate change.

A mid-1950s construction worker involved in the demolition of the J. C. Wilber Building finds a box inside a cornerstone. He opens it to reveal a singing, dancing frog (that came to be called Michigan J. Frog,) complete with top hat and cane. According to the cartoon, One Froggy Night (1955), the box also containsContinue reading “An important date in ACME History”

April 16, 1956 –The I Love Lucy Episode, Lucy’s Italian Movie (the grape stomping episode) first aired on CBS TV on this date. This is considered on of the funniest episodes of the series. The grape stompers were actual Italian women who didn’t speak English. In a 1974 interview with Dick Cavett, Lucille Ball wentContinue reading “Method acting taken to an extreme”