Author Archives: dcaligari

August 8, 1963 –John Sturges’ adventure film, The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen, opened on this date. One day, the police in the German town where this movie was shot set up a speed trap near the set. Several members of the cast and crew were caught, including Steve McQueen. The Chief of Police toldContinue reading “The Great Escape premiered”

August 8, 1980 –The fantasy musical Xanadu, starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, debuts to scathing reviews (“In a word, Xana-don’t.“) on this date, and inspires the Golden Raspberry Awards for the worst films of the year. The film was meant to launch Olivia Newton-John’s career as a solo star. Due to its complete failureContinue reading “Xanadu (unfortunately) premiered”

August 8, 1968 – Richard M. Nixon was nominated for president at the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach. Later that day, Nixon chose Maryland Gov. Spiro T. Agnew to be his running mate. (Read on, if you dare.) August 8, 1973 –VP Spiro T Agnew branded as “damned lies” reports he took kickbacks fromContinue reading “Beware the 8th of August, Richard Nixon!”

August 8, 1988 –N.W.A released their debut album Straight Outta Compton on this date, which has been certified triple platinum and became the first rap album inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Not merely depicting Compton’s street violence, the track F#*% tha Police drew an FBI agent’s warning letter, which aided N.W.A’s notoriety, withContinue reading “Straight Outta Compton dropped”

I, for one, will be breaking out the hats and hooters again to celebrate National Sea Serpent Day. August 7 is annually recognizes a famous sea serpent sighting. This sighting was made by the men and officers of HMS Daedalus in August 1848 during a voyage to Saint Helena in the South Atlantic. The 60Continue reading “Celebrate as you see fit”

August 7, 1948 – … Five dollars for the best duck? You mean I came all the way from Dubuque for a measly five bucks?. Chuck Jones guided Daffy Duck’s personality change from a “screwball” character, to a greedy, self-centered one in You Were Never Duckier which opened on this date.

August 7, 2018 –Jon M Chu’s suprprise mega-hit romantic comedy (with all-Asian cast,) Crazy Rich Asians, starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, and Michelle Yeoh, opened in Los Angeles on this date. Jon M. Chu revealed that Michelle Yeoh was dissatisfied with the mock-up ring that her character, Eleanor,Continue reading “Crazy Rich Asians premiered”

August 7, 1982 –After a screaming foul ball critically injured 4-year-old Jonathan Keane in Fenway Park on this date, Boston Red Sox player Jim Rice sprinted out of the dugout, scooped him up, and rushed him into the baseball clubhouse “saving the boy’s life” with medical care that was provided in just seconds. Team physicianContinue reading “If it was your kid, what would you do?”

August 7, 1971 –The Bee Gees early hit How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? went to No. 1 on the Billboard Charts on this date. It became their first US #1 hit. This was written during the same afternoon as The Bee Gees‘ previous American hit, Lonely Days in Barry Gibb’s basement flat atContinue reading “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart topped the charts”

August 6, 1960 –Chubby Checker performs his version of The Twist on American Bandstand starting a worldwide dance craze. The song soon reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart—and then, again, for a second time in 1962, making it the only song to hit No. 1 twice. This started a dance craze that gotContinue reading “The Twist becomes a dance craze”