Author Archives: dcaligari

November 11, 1958 –The (relatively unknown) British-comedy The Horse’s Mouth, starring Alec Guinness, opened in the US on this date. Joyce Cary, the author of the novel which inspired this movie, based the role of the self-destructive painter on his good friend, the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Do yourself a favor and watch thisContinue reading “The Horse’s Mouth premiered”

November 11, 1985 –One of the first major films dealing with AIDS, An Early Frost, starring Aidan Quinn, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, and Sylvia Sidney, premiered on NBC-TV on this date. This was the first feature film about AIDS made either for TV or theater release. Producer Perry Lafferty said that NBC lost $500,000 inContinue reading “An Early Frost first aired”

At 5:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918 French Army clerk Henri Deledicq finished typing the peace treaty that would end World War I. He had put the carbon paper in backwards. Ten minutes later, in a railroad car in France, military leaders signed copies of an armistice that were completely unreadable. World War I endedContinue reading “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks …”

November 10, 1975 –Arista Records released Patti Smith’s debut album, Horses, on this date. The origin of the Horses album lies in the inception of a poem Patti Smith wrote called Oath when she was around 20. It began, “Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine.” She explained to Mojo magazine: “It was myContinue reading “Horses first ran free”

November 10, 1953 –Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom was an educational Adventures in Music animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions, and originally released to theaters by Buena Vista Distribution on this date. This was a “sequel” of sorts to 1953’s Adventures in Music: Melody. This was originally meant to be an ongoing seriesContinue reading “Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom premiered”

November 10, 1969 –Even at 55, everything’s still A-OK (even on HBO.) Sesame Street premiered on PBS-TV on this date.

November 10, 1967 – The Star Trek episode Metamorphosis (Episode 38, Production 31) first aired on this date. In it, Kirk finds Zefram Cochrane, inventor of the warp drive, who has been missing for 150 years and his mysterious alien companion. A few scenes featuring Elinor Donahue had to be re-shot, because the original filmContinue reading “Star Trek TOS: Metamorphosis premiered”

The days are growing shorter I never understood the concept of holiday long-form commercials in England. Aldi is another European supermarket chain, that is somehow related to Lidl but not really worth going into here. In his ninth year, Kevin the Carrot is back on UK screens this Christmas with another heroic tale. – MayContinue reading “Maybe you may want to polish the silverware”

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will arrive in New York City this morning. The 74-foot Norway Spruce from West Stockbridge, Massachusett was cut down Thursday morning and loaded on a truck. The spruce made the 130-mile trip from the Albert family home to Manhattan on the back of a flatbed truck. The official lightingContinue reading “Expect heavy traffic for the rest of the year”

Another commercial from across the pond – Matalan (an online clothing store that is big in the UK,) has released its Christmas advert honoring everyday family heroes. – It celebrates the reality of familiar family moments – the horrors that sometimes happen during the holidays. –