Author Archives: dcaligari

January 10 1927 –The film Metropolis opened in Berlin on this date. It was the most expensive silent film of the time, adjusting for inflation, the budget for Metropolis (7m Reichsmarks) ran around $230 million (2016). (The film went into public domain last year.) Much to Fritz Lang’s dismay, Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels wereContinue reading “One of the most influential Sci-Fi films premiered”

January 10, 1999 –David Chase’s landmark series about the lives of gangsters and their existential angst, The Soprano, starring James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, and Lorraine Bracco debuted on HBO on this date. After the pilot aired, a real-life “wise guy” told James Gandolfini never to wear shorts again. The encounter seems to have been incorporatedContinue reading “The Sopranos premiered 25 years ago”

January 9, 1981 –Jesus saves and (insert your favorite sports figure here) scores. Hockey Hall of Famer, Phil Esposito, said he would call it quits as a hockey player after the New York Rangers-Buffalo Sabres hockey game. It was a game that seemed like it might never end – both teams skated to a 3-3Continue reading “Esposito retired as a player”

January 9, 1965 –The Beatles album Beatles 65, started a nine week run at No.1 on the US album charts, the group’s fourth No.1, on this date. Beatles ’65 includes eight of the fourteen songs from Beatles for Sale and also includes I’ll Be Back from A Hard Day’s Night and the single I FeelContinue reading “Beatles 65 topped the charts”

January 9, 1997 –Based on the original BBC series, which premiered in 1979, Antiques Roadshow premiered on your local PBS station, on this date. In 2001, PBS began airing the original BBC version of Antiques Roadshow in the United States. In the United States, the BBC version is titled Antiques Roadshow UK to differentiate itContinue reading “That tchotchke is worth how much?”

January 9, 1959 –The TV Western, Rawhide, with Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates premiered on CBS-TV on this date. Clint Eastwood used the same gun and wore the same boots as in his “Spaghetti Westerns” A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. He also woreContinue reading “Keep them doggies rollin’”

The only ‘recognized‘ monarchy to reign in the United States died on this date. Joshua Norton was a businessman in San Francisco in the 1800’s. In the 1840’s, just before the Gold Rush, he tried to corner the market on rice and failed. He went from being very wealthy to being destitute overnight and theContinue reading “The death of kings”

Elvis the King (who was born in 1935,) (As I always say – lay your hand upon the screen and feel his healing power pulsate through your nether regions.) and Davy Jones, who was born in 1947, somehow were both born on this date – (you may lay your hand upon the screen and feelContinue reading “It was written in the stars”

January 8, 1966 –The Beatles single We Can Work It Out reached No. 1 on the Billboard Charts. It was their 12th No. 1 hit. The Beatles recorded this specifically for release as a single at two quick sessions while they were making the Rubber Soul album in October 1965. When it was released asContinue reading “We Can Work It Out topped the charts”

January 8, 1968 –Welcome to zee exotic world of undersea explorer… The first episode of the documentary series, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau: Sharks premiered on this date.