Author Archives: dcaligari

October 3, 1953 –The Merrie Melodies short, Duck! Rabbit, Duck!, directed by Chuck Jones and starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, was released on this date. Bugs Bunny stuck out four signs to lead Elmer Fudd to shoot Daffy Duck. (They are all in capital letters.) They are: 1st: GOAT SEASON OPEN; 2nd:Continue reading “Duck! Rabbit, Duck! premiered”

October 3, 1936 – The Looney Tunes short, Milk and Money, directed by Tex Avery and starring Speedy Gonzalez and Sylvester the Cat, was released on this date. At the door of “MR. & MRS. D. ONNE AND FAMILY“, Porky leaves three bottles of milk, saying “Mister, Missus, and family” as he sets them down,Continue reading “Milk and Money premiered”

October 2, 1983 –Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler’s single Total Eclipse Of The Heart was No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, on this date. The song, which was Tyler’s biggest hit of her career, made her the only Welsh artist to score a U.S. No. 1 hit. The song was written and produced by Jim Steinman,Continue reading “Trigger warning – major earworm ahead.”

October 2, 1954 – The Looney Tunes short, By Word of Mouse, directed by Friz Freleng, was released on this date. This was the first of three cartoons on economic subjects underwritten by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (rumored to be actually funded by the CIA – really). It was followed by Heir-Conditioned and YankeeContinue reading “By Word of Mouse premiered”

October 2, 1948 –The Looney Tunes short, Odor of the Day, directed by Arthur Davis, and starring Pepe Le Pew, was released on this date. This is another cartoon in which the identity of the main character is open to debate. The skunk in this picture does not resemble Pepe Le Pew or exhibit anyContinue reading “Odor of the Day premiered”

October 2, 1957 – The World War II drama The Bridge on the River Kwai, directed by David Lean, and starring William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, and Sessue Hayakawa, opened in Britain, on this date. The elephants employed in helping build the bridge would take breaks every four hours and lie around in theContinue reading “The Bridge on the River Kwai premiered”

October 2, 1959 –…a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind…. The first episode of the anthology series The Twilight Zone, Where is Everybody?, premiered on this date Rod Serling wanted Richard Egan to do the narration because of his rich, deep voice. However, due to strict studio contracts of the time,Continue reading “You unlock this door with the key of imagination …”

October 1, 1977 –Meco’s (real name Domenico Monardo) song Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band was the No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, on this date. Fans with a keen ear will notice that many of the musical leitmotifs for each of the major characters are covered in this song as well. Impress yourContinue reading “Please, I beg of you, do not listen to the entire track”

October 1, 1992 –Turner Broadcasting launched a cable channel with 24 hour animated programming called the Cartoon Network on this date. The first program aired on the channel was the Looney Tunes classic Rhapsody Rabbit.

October 1, 1955 – The Merrie Melodies short, Knight-Mare Hare, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Bugs Bunny, was released on this date. The cartoon is loosely based on Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court