Author Archives: dcaligari

May 24, 1968 –The Rolling Stones released Jumping Jack Flash, in Britain, on this date. The Rolling Stones have played Jumping Jack Flash during every tour since its release; it ranks as the number the band has played in concert most frequently.

May 24, 1999 – The last episode of Mad About You, The Final Frontier aired on NBC on this date. (The re-boot of the series can be seen on Amazon TV.) The series exists in the same universe as Friends and Seinfeld. Ursula Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), the waitress, is Phoebe Buffay’s (Lisa Kudrow) twin sister,Continue reading “The first go around of a Finale for Mad About You”

May 24, 1964 –The Beatles performed You Can’t Do That from the set of A Hard Day’s Night in a taped segment on The Ed Sullivan Show on this date. Ironically, You Can’t Do That would be cut out of the finished film.

May 24, 1941 –Shabtai Zisel ben Avraham Zimmerman, a young boy from a small shtetl called Duluth, in the great state of Minnesota, don’t ya know, who has been a major figure in popular music for nearly six decades, was born on this date. Even Zigman and Anna’s grandson, Shabtai can still write a goodContinue reading “Bob Dylan”

May 24, 1883 – The Brooklyn Bridge (originally the New York and Brooklyn Bridge), one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States, stretches 5,989 feet (1825 m) over the East River connecting the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn opened for business today. On completion, it was the largest suspension bridgeContinue reading “It stands the test of time”

May 23, 1969 –A brief glorious reflowering of the British Empire occurred on this day – The BBC gave the go-ahead for 13 episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

May 23, 1966 –The Beatles released the single Paperback Writer on this date At the time, The Beatles were about to cease touring and couldn’t make many TV appearances to perform the song. This made it very difficult to promote the single, so they commissioned a film clip that could be shown on these programs,Continue reading “Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book? …”

May 23, 1929 –Walt Disney released the ninth film in the Mickey Mouse film series, The Karnival Kid on this date. This is first cartoon in which Mickey Mouse speaks. His first words are “Hot dogs!“

May 23, 1980 –Stanley Kubrick’s classic horror thriller The Shining, opened on this date (I remember seeing it at the midnight showing on this date in Time Square.) Stanley Kubrick, known for his compulsiveness and numerous retakes, got the difficult shot of blood pouring from the elevators in only three takes. This would be unremarkableContinue reading “Red Rum! Red Rum!”

May 23, 1984 –Sergio Leone’s epic crime drama, Once Upon a Time in America starring Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Joe Pesci, Burt Young, Tuesday Weld, and Treat Williams opened at the Cannes Film festive on this date. A few days before the film’s premiere in 1984, Treat Williams found out the two-hourContinue reading “Once Upon a Time in America premiered”