Author Archives: dcaligari

April 13, 1973 –The Wailers, led by Bob Marley, release their fifth studio album, Catch a Fire on this date. The first album on their new label, Island Records, it makes Marley and the Wailers international recording stars and brings reggae music to the forefront.

April 13, 1964 –Sidney Poitier became the first African-American male to win the Best Actor Academy Award for the 1963 film Lilies of the Field, on this date. However, whatever satisfaction Poitier felt winning this award was undercut by his concern that he won not because Hollywood had shown enlightened thinking, but rather he wasContinue reading “A first for the Oscars”

April 13, 1984 –Jonathan Demme’s look at the homefront during WW II, Swing Shift, starring, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Christine Lahti, Fred Ward and Ed Harris, premiered in the US on this date. The film reportedly went through a major bout of re-shoots and editing; some say this was due to the tensions between GoldieContinue reading “Swing Shift opened”

April 12, 1934 –… Already he felt her absence from these skies: on the beach he could only remember the sun-torn flesh of her shoulder; at Tarmes he crushed out her footprints as he crossed the garden; and now the orchestra launching into the Nice Carnival Song, an echo of last year’s vanished gaieties, startedContinue reading “Tender Is the Night debuted”

April 12, 1989 –The 20th Century Fox Television police series 21 Jump Street starring Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson, Peter DeLuise, Dustin Nguyen, Richard Grieco, Michael DeLuise, and Frederic Forrest premiered on Fox TV on this date. Johnny Depp did not want to work on a television series, but agreed to a six-year contract, only becauseContinue reading “21 Jump Street premiered”

April 12, 1973 –The film, That’ll Be The Day, very loosely-based on John Lennon’s early years, featuring David Essex, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Billy Fury and Dave Edmunds, premiered in London, on this date. There are two big Beatles connections that bookend this film. Firstly, right at the start of the film where Jim goesContinue reading “That’ll Be The Day opened”

April 12, 1974 –Elton John song Bennie and the Jets (Penny on the desk) hit No. #1 in the US on this date. Elton wrote the music to this song as an homage to glam rock, a style defined by outrageous costumes that was popular in the early ‘70s, especially in the UK. Artists likeContinue reading “Elton John topped the charts (twice)”

Happy Walk On The Wild Side Day. Created by Thomas and Ruth Roy on their website Wellcat.com. It was created to recognize that “what others would think” is the dumbest reason not to do something, and rather denotes a lack of courage. This song provided Lou Reed his biggest hit, and it was his onlyContinue reading “Everybody had to pay and pay”

April 11, 1973 –In one of the show’s most memorable moments, Stevie Wonder plays a funky, live version of Superstition on Sesame Street, on this date. The song was originally intended for Jeff Beck, who was brought in to play some guitar parts on the album in exchange for a song. At one of theContinue reading “Stevie Wonder on Sesame Street”

April 11, 1942 – Bob Clampett was the first to tackle an adaption of a Dr. Seuss book when Merrie Melodies released Horton Hatches the Egg, on this date. Peter Lorre was a favorite characterization for the famed Warner Bros. cartoonists, as he tangled several times with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.