Author Archives: dcaligari

November 26, 1965 –After cleaning a church in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where they had Thanksgiving dinner the day before, Arlo Guthrie and a friend clean up the place, but toss the trash down a hill when they can’t find an open dump. They are arrested, fined $25 each, and forced to pick up the garbage. WhenContinue reading “But was Lobster Thermidor au Crevettes on the menu”

November 26, 1988 –Russian cosmonauts took the Pink Floyd cassette version of Delicate Sound Of Thunder and play it in orbit, making Pink Floyd the first rock band to be played in space. David Gilmour and Nick Mason both attend the launch of the spacecraft. The cosmonauts had requested the album to listen to asContinue reading “Pink Floyd in space”

November 26, 1953 –MGM released the first musical in 3-D, Kiss Me Kate on this date. The original stage show was based upon the backstage bickering of the illustrious married stage couple Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne during their 1935 Broadway production of Taming of the Shrew.

November 26, 1942 – One of the classic films of the 40s – Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, debuted at the Hollywood Theatre in New York City, on this date. Contrary to common belief, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) never said “Play it again, Sam” in Casablanca. Bergman did not consider Casablanca to beContinue reading “Casablanca premiered”

November 26, 1948 –The first instant Polaroid cameras went on sale to the public at Jordan Marsh, a Boston department store for $89.75 ($900 in today’s money) on this date. All 57 had sold by the end of the day. Its inventor, Edwin Land was inspired to come up with the camera by his daughter,Continue reading “The first time you had to shake it”

November 25, 1963 –The flag draped coffin containing the purported remains of the man, many Americans believed to have been John F. Kennedy was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. And on November 29, President Lyndon Baines Johnson appointed Chief Justice Earl Warren the head of a commission to investigate the alleged assassination of the personContinue reading “Remember, this had all been playing out live on TV”

November 25, 1944 –On this date, a carrier pigeon Paddy was decorated for his effort in the war against Nazi Germany. In the service of Royal Air Force, Paddy had achieved to get a message from Normandy to England in the fastest crossing of the English Channel: 4 hours and 50 minutes. When receiving hisContinue reading “So the bird got it”

November 25, 1920 –Contrary to popular belief, Macy’s didn’t host the first Thanksgiving Day parade (Macy’s held their first parade in 1924, tied for second in the nation with the J.L. Hudson’s Dept. store Thanksgiving Day Parade in Detroit) – that honor goes to their longtime (and now defunct) rival Gimbel Brothers (Gimbels), in Philadelphia,Continue reading “Not so fast Macy’s”

November 25, 1987 –The now classic John Hughes’ Thanksgiving film, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, starring Steve Martin and John Candy, premiered in the US on this date. The Marathon Car Rental scene is exactly one minute long from the time Steve Martin starts his tirade, to the time the attendant ends the scene. In thatContinue reading “Remember – those were not pillows!”

November 25, 1940 –Walter Lantz’s introduced Woody Woodpecker with the release of Knock Knock on this date. Although Woody made his first appearance in this film, he doesn’t have a name until his next film, Woody Woodpecker.