Author Archives: dcaligari

August 5, 1998 – The American spin-off of the British series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, hosted by Drew Carey and starring Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, and Wayne Brady, aired on ABC-TV, on this date. The Whose line crew was such a well-oiled machine that they could shoot 9 to 12 episodes on a singleContinue reading “The US Whose Line Is It Anyway? premiered”

August 4, 1958 –The Billboard Hot 100 was published for the first time on this date. The first number-one song of the Hot 100 was Poor Little Fool by Ricky Nelson. The song was written by 17-year-old Sharon Sheeley when she was still attending high school in Newport Beach, California. Female songwriters were rare atContinue reading “Poor Little Fool topped the charts”

August 4, 1954 –Douglas Sirk’s first Technicolor gift for film goers, Magnificent Obsession, was released on this date. Magnificent Obsession was an early starring role for Rock Hudson, and, according to Jane Wyman, he was very nervous. Some of his scenes had to be re-shot thirty or forty times, but Wyman never said a word.Continue reading “Magnificent Obsession opened”

August 4, 1942 –The Paramount Picture film, Holiday Inn, directed by Mark Sandrich and starring Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby was released in theaters on this date. Kemmons Wilson, who founded the Holiday Inn motel chain in 1952, named it after this movie. The Connecticut Inn set for this film was reused by Paramount 12Continue reading “Holiday Inn opened”

August 4, 1930 –Michael Cullen was a grocer’s grocer. He started working for The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A & P) at 18 and worked there for 17 years. He then went to work for Kroger Stores for 11 years but he had a dream. Cullen leased a vacant garage at the cornerContinue reading “King Kullen’s opened”

It’s St. Sithney Day. He is the patron saint of mad dogs. Make of this what you wish: A Breton folk story, states that God asked Sithney to be the patron saint of girls seeking husbands, but Sithney said he would rather be the patron saint of mad dogs and get some rest. (And youContinue reading “The average dog is a nicer person than the average person”

August 4, 1693 –Oh, great day in the morning (this day should be a great religious and national holiday), Blind Benedictine Dom Perignon invents champagne on this date. He has been quoted as saying, “Come quickly, brothers, I’m drinking stars!” upon tasting his accidental brew.

August 3, 1979 –The Talking Heads release their third album, Fear of Music, on this date. The album, produced by Brian Eno, was recorded in Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth’s New York City loft where the band often rehearsed. They parked a mobile recording unit outside to record the tracks as they played from theContinue reading “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco …”

August 3, 1963 –Allan Sherman released Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah (A Letter from Camp), in the US on this date. Sherman was a writer on The Steve Allen Show and created the game show I’ve Got a Secret. He went on to record comedy albums. The song won a 1964 Grammy Award for comedy. AndContinue reading “Ah, sweet mysteries of life.”

August 3, 2001 –Disney’s surprise comedy hit, The Princess Diaries, directed by Gary Marshall and starring Julie Andrews, Héctor Elizondo, and introducing Anne Hathaway, went into general release in the US on this date. When Mia accidentally sets the man’s arm on fire, the flames were supposed to go out when he puts his armContinue reading “The Princess Diaries opened”