Author Archives: dcaligari

March 15, 1972 –George Roy Hill’s adaptation of the 1969 novel by Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, starring Michael Sacks, Ron Leibman, and Valerie Perrine opened in the US on this date. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was a prisoner of war in World War II. He was captured during the Battle of the Bulge while a battalion scoutContinue reading “Slaughterhouse-Five premiered”

March 15, 1941 – The first of three appearances of Cecil Turtle, Tortoise Beats Hare, deuted on this date. Bugs isn’t completely indestructible; Cecil is one of the very few characters who was actually able to beat Bugs Bunny not once but three times in a row and at the rabbit’s own game.

Today on March 14 1932, one of the greatest notes was written: George Eastman, the founder of Kodak Corporation, killed himself after a long illness on this date. His suicide note states “To my friends: My work is done. Why wait?“ And so it goes.

March 14, 1981 –Roxy Music had their only U.K. No. 1 single with their version of John Lennon’s Jealous Guy, on this date. Roxy Music recorded this as a tribute to Lennon, who was murdered on December 8, 1980. Bryan Ferry performs the whistling solo on the Roxy Music version. The Roxy frontman’s whistling prowessContinue reading “Roxy Music’s only No. 1 hit”

March 14, 1969 –The Star Trek episode All Our Yesterdays first aired on this date. In it, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are trapped on a planet which will soon be destroyed in a supernova. When first arriving on the planet Sarpeidon and meeting Mr Atoz, Kirk, Spock and McCoy all failed to mention that theyContinue reading “The penultimate episode of the original Star Trek series”

March 14, 1975 – Melvin Frank’s film adaptation of Neil Simon’s comedy The Prisoner of Second Avenue, starring Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft, opened in NYC, on this date. According to the Jack Lemmon’s biography Lemmon by Don Widener, Anne Bancroft recounted this episode from the film’s shooting: “[Jack was] nice to a point whereContinue reading “The Prisoner of Second Avenue premiered”

Today is Pi Day! Pi Day was founded by Physicist Larry Shaw in 1988. Pi Day is celebrated by math enthusiasts ( read – lonely shut-ins) around the world on March 14th. ? was first used as a mathematical symbol in 1706 by William Jones. Albert Einstein’s parents conveniently arranged for him to be bornContinue reading “Here’s to being irrational!”

Today, March 13, is National K9 Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor commemorate the service and sacrifices of American military and working dogs throughout history. The Army began training for its new War Dog Program, also known as the “K-9 Corps” on this date in 1942, according to American Humane, marking the firstContinue reading “Woof – Thank you for your service”

March 13, 1954 – It’s Rocky’s third appearance in a Bugs Bunny cartoon (and the funniest) – Bugs and Thugs, opened on this date. Near the end of the film, Bugs’ office has a sign that says – “Member- Detective Guild, Local 839“. Local 839 of the IATSE was the Animation Guild, whose members madeContinue reading “Bugs and Thugs premiered”

March 13, 1979 – A spin-off from the Three’s Company series, The Ropers, starring Norman Fell and Audra Lindley premiered on ABC TV, on this date. When the network proposed the spin-off of Three’s Company, focusing on the Ropers, Audra Lindley was excited and wanted to go ahead, but Norman Fell wasn’t too keen onContinue reading “Maybe you saw it, maybe you didn’t”