Author Archives: dcaligari

February 26, 1979 –The shortlived sitcom, Flatbush, premiered on CBS-TV on this date. The show was so disliked that CBS switchboards were flood with negative comments about the show that night. Only three of the episodes aired.

February 26, 1966 –While Nancy Sinatra was on the same record label (Reprise) as her famous father, her record label was going to drop her because her first few singles flopped. Things changed when they teamed her with producer Lee Hazlewood. These Boots Are Made for Walkin‘ topped the charts on this date. It wasContinue reading “What else would they be for?”

February 26, 1974 –A U.S. Senate report reveals Ford Motor’s involvement in Nazi Germany’s war efforts, for which CEO Henry Ford was awarded the Grand Cross of the German Eagle at the behest Adolf Hitler himself. After the war, the car company was paid nearly $1M reparation by the U.S. government to compensate for oneContinue reading “And some people worry about buying a BMW”

February 25, 1964 –Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, became the heavyweight champion of the world for the first time on this day when he beat Sonny Liston. Ali went on to become the first person to win the heavyweight champion title three times.

February 25, 1970 –Ernie sings his signature song, Rubber Duckie, on Sesame Street for the first time, on this date. It goes over so well that the song is released as a single, which in September reaches #16 on the Hot 100. Rubber ducks were around since at least the 1940s, but they had aContinue reading “The Rubber Duckie song debuted”

February 25, 1950 –The comedy-variety program Your Show of Shows, starring Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca and Carl Reiner, debuted on NBC-TV on this date. (This is not from the first episode) Writers for the show included Mel Brooks, Neil Simon and Larry Gelbart. A common misconception is that Woody Allen wrote for Your Show ofContinue reading “Your Show of Shows premiered”

February 25, 1964 –Bob Dylan appears on the Steve Allen Show, on this date, and performed The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll. This song gives the account of the killing of 51-year-old barmaid Hattie Carroll by the wealthy young William Devereux “Billy” Zantzinger and his subsequent sentence of six months in jail. The actual incidentContinue reading “Dylan on The Steve Allen Show”

February 24, 1969 –Twentieth Century-Fox adaptation of the novel and play, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, directed by Ronald Neame and starring Maggie Smith and Pamela Franklin, premiered in London on this date. According to Pamela Franklin, even though they were eighteen, she and the other young girls were asked not to eat theirContinue reading “An early Maggie Smith classic”

February 24, 1975 –Led Zeppelin release their sixth album Physical Graffiti on this date. It’s a double album featuring eight new songs, and songs left over from their previous albums Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV and Houses Of The Holy. Featuring an intricate die-cut cover of a New York City brownstone, the album goesContinue reading “Physical Graffiti went on sale”

February 24, 1973 –The song, Killing Me Softly with His Song by Roberta Flack topped the charts on this date. Robert Flack heard Lori Lieberman original version of the song on an in-flight tape recorder while flying from Los Angeles to New York. She loved the title and lyrics and decided to record it herself.Continue reading “You can’t keep a good song down”