Author Archives: dcaligari

January 10, 1984 –The “Where’s the Beef?” commercial campaign for Wendy’s with Clara Peller was first aired on this date. Clara Peller was 81 when she came out of retirement to star in the Wendy’s spot. Peller died on August 11, 1987, one week after her 84th birthday.

January 10, 1971 –PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre first began with the American premiere of an engrossing, 12-part BBC series, The First Churchills, starring John Neville, and Susan Hampshire, (who both appeared in all 12 episodes) on this date. Judi Dench was slated to star as Sarah, but was unable to. The role went to Susan Hampshire,Continue reading “The First Churchills premiered”

January 9, 1995 –You know, I go to the theatre to be entertained… I don’t want to see plays about rape, sodomy and drug addiction… I can get all that at home. The very influential English comic/actor Peter Cook, died at 57, on this date.

January 9, 2011 –The first episode of Bob’s Burgers: Human Flesh premiered on Fox TV on this date. (I’m sure this will be taken down shortly, once the Fox lawyers get wind of this. Even more enticement – An episode from the second season – Beefsquatch – for some reason, is also available.) To pitchContinue reading “Bob’s Burgers premiered”

January 9, 1968 –It Takes A Thief, starring Robert Wagner, premiered on ABC-TV on this date. Al Mundy’s apartment was in the Watergate complex, famed for Nixon break-in in 1972.

The only ‘recognized‘ monarchy to reign in the United States died on this date. Joshua Norton was a businessman in San Francisco in the 1800’s. In the 1840’s, just before the Gold Rush, he tried to corner the market on rice and failed. He went from being very wealthy to being destitute overnight and theContinue reading “Emperor Norton I”

January 8, 1968 –Welcome to zee exotic world of undersea explorer… The first episode of the documentary series, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau: Sharks premiered on this date.

Elvis the King (who was born in 1935,) (As I always say – lay your hand upon the screen and feel his healing power pulsate through your nether regions.) and Davy Jones, who was born in 1947, somehow were both born on this date – (you may lay your hand upon the screen and feelContinue reading “It’s a wonderment”

January 7, 1972 –David Bowie released Changes as a single in the UK on this date. The track peaked at No.49 on the UK chart and later at No.41 on the US chart. According to Bowie, this started out as a parody of a nightclub song – “kind of throwaway” – but people kept chantingContinue reading “Changes went on sale”

January 7, 1961 –The pilot episode of The Avengers – Hot Snow, starring Ian Hendry and Patrick Macnee premiered in the UK on this date. The vast majority of the first series of The Avengers is missing from TV archives and likely lost forever – only the first 15 minutes of this first episode andContinue reading “The Avengers premiered”