Author Archives: dcaligari

June 3, 1965 –The first American astronaut to make a spacewalk was Major Edward White II, when he spent 20 minutes outside the Gemini 4 capsule during Earth orbit at an altitude of 120 miles. A tether and 25 foot airline were wrapped in gold tape to form a single,thick cord. He used a hand-heldContinue reading “It was time for him to leave the capsule, if he dared …”

If you are anywhere in North America today, go outside when it is noon, face south, and yell “fudge!” You will be doing your part to make sure Cobras do not advance and take over North America. Any Cobras that have already made it to North America will turn around and go home. So nowContinue reading “I think I may have heard everything”

June 2, 1957 –Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was interviewed on US television for the very first time when CBS’s Face the Nationaired on this date. With Cold War tensions running high, some government officials accused CBS of putting out Communist propaganda. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, love god of Carol Burnett, refused to watchContinue reading “Khrushchev was ready for his close-up”

June 2, 1981 –Barbara Walters famously asks Katharine Hepburn “If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?”, on this date. After the interview, Walters’ “tree” question was remembered, but the context in which it was asked was not. The so-called “If you were a tree, what kind of tree would youContinue reading “She really did ask the question”

June 2, 1896 –The first radio patent was issued to Guglielmo Marconi in England for his wireless telegraphy apparatus, described as “Improvements in Transmitting Electrical Impulses and Signals, and in Apparatus Therefor.” (UK No. 12,039) I wonder what will become of that new fangled thing?

June 2, 1973 –Paul McCartney and Wings‘ song My Love, from the album Red Rose Freeway, hit No. 1 on the US singles chart on this date. This is one of three songs of the same title to top the American singles chart. Petula Clark’s My Love, was # 1 in 1966 whilst Justin Timberlake’sContinue reading “My Love topped the charts”

June is the sixth month of the year and consists of thirty days. The ancient Romans gave it 29 days until 46 BC, when Julius Caesar added the thirtieth for reasons known only to himself (Caesar’s hobbies seem to be conquest of the known world, sleeping with some very rich North African teenager and calendarContinue reading “It would probably boast it invented romance.”

June 1, 1966 –Dick Van Dyke tripped over the ottoman for the last time when CBS aired the last episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Last Chapter on this date. In the show, Rob writes his autobiography and shows it to everyone. At the end of the show Alan decides to buy theContinue reading “Series Finale of The Dick Van Dyke Show”

June 1, 1968 –The British television series The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan, had its American premiere on CBS-TV, as a summer replacement for a Jackie Gleason series, on this date. At the end of the run of Secret Agent, there was a party, and some members of Parliament attended. Someone said to McGoohan, “So, whatContinue reading “Let’s all say it together … I am NOT a number …”

June 1, 1968 –The Simon & Garfunkel release Mrs. Robinson hit No. 1 on the Billboard #100 list on this date. Paul Simon began writing this as Mrs. Roosevelt, and had just the line, Here’s to you, Mrs. Roosevelt when he changed it to Mrs. Robinson for The Graduate. Simon did not originally write aContinue reading “… Whoa, whoa, whoa …”