Author Archives: dcaligari

September 8, 1664 –The Dutch surrendered the city of New Amsterdam to the British, who renamed it New York, on this day. The English navigator Henry Hudson claimed credit as the city’s discoverer in 1609, when he sailed into its harbor and up the river that now bears his name, looking for a passage toContinue reading “New York became New York”

Please rise. September 8, 1892 –“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.“ The Pledge, which was written by Baptist minister Francis Bellamy, was published on this day in The Youth’s Companion children’s magazine. (Rev. Bellamy did not include the wordsContinue reading “One must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone.”

September 7, 1987 –Pink Floyd released their first album without founding member Roger Waters, A Momentary Lapse of Reason, in the UK, on this date. Pink Floyd had split up in 1983 after releasing the album The Final Cut. In 1985, Waters told their record company he was done with the band, which he thoughtContinue reading “A Momentary Lapse of Reason went on sale”

September 7, 1963 –The first animated cartoon series to be imported from Japan, Astro Boy was broadcast on NBC-TV on this date. Although originally intended only for the US airings of the show, the name “Astro Boy” proved to be popular among Japanese viewers as well, and so the names “Astro Boy” and “Tetsuwan Atomu”Continue reading “There you go, Astro Boy …”

September 7, 1967 –The Flying Nun, starring Sally Field as a nun who finds that she can fly, debuted on ABC-TV on this date. Sally Field has admitted that she disliked the scripts so much that she refused to read them. She would learn her lines right before shooting each scene by looking at theContinue reading “Hopefully you weren’t looking up her habit”

September 7, 1927 –Philo T. Farnsworth (all of 21 years old) succeeded in transmitting an image through purely electronic means by using an image dissector on this date. He used an “image dissector” (the first television camera tube) to convert the image into a current, and an “image oscillite” (picture tube) to receive it. WhenContinue reading “Another advance in television technology”

September 7, 2003 –… Well, first of all, let me say that I might have made a tactical error in not going to a physician for 20 years. It was one of those phobias that really didn’t pay off. Warren Zevon, Grammy Award-winning American rock singer-songwriter and musician, died at age 56, on this date.

September 6, 1986 –Bananarama’s cover of the Shocking Blue single, Venus hit no. 1 on this date< Bananarama’s version was produced by the team of Stock, Aitken and Waterman, who worked on hits by Rick Astley (Never Gonna Give You Up), Dead or Alive (You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)) and Kylie Minogue (IContinue reading “Venus topped the charts”

September 6, 1976 –Years after their well-publicized break-up, Frank Sinatra privately orchestrated a surprise appearance of Dean Martin on Jerry Lewis’ annual Labor Day telethon for the MDA. The two privately reconciled and maintained a relationship throughout the rest of their lives. If only Sinatra could have knock off broads and booze long enough toContinue reading “Final proof that it was Sinatra’s World”

September 6, 1936 –The classic screwball comedy, My Man Godfrey, opened on this date. Although stars William Powell and Carole Lombard had been divorced for three years by the time they made this, when offered the part Powell declared that the only actress right for the part of Irene was Lombard.