Author Archives: dcaligari

August 18, 1920 –When Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the Constitution on this date, all American women were guaranteed the right of to vote. It appeared that the amendment might fail by one vote in the Tennessee house, but 24 year-old Harry Burn surprised observers by casting the decidingContinue reading “19th Amendment ratified”

August 18, 1969 –Playing on the unscheduled fourth day, Jimi Hendrix’s version of The Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock was considered by some, at the time, to be controversial and disrespectful. Of about 500,000 people who were there over the weekend, only about 30,000 were left, and many of them remember waking up to this song.Continue reading “This mornings wake-up call”

August 18, 1979 –Chic’s single Good Times was their second single to go to No.1 on the Billboard Charts, on this date. The song has become one of the most sampled tunes in music history, most notably in hip hop music. Nile Rodgers of Chic knew that his song was a block party favorite, butContinue reading “Good Times topped the charts”

August 18, 1993 –Woody Allen reunited with one of his favorite actress, Diane Keaton when Sony Pictures released Manhattan Murder Mystery in the US on this date. Diane Keaton replaced Mia Farrow. Woody Allen had written the lead female role for Farrow, but Keaton got the part following the breakup of the pair’s personal relationship.Continue reading “Manhattan Murder Mystery premiered”

August 18 1989 –Columbia Pictures released Brian DePalma’s memorable war drama, Casualties of War in the US, starring Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn, John C. Reilly, and John Leguizamo, on this date. Brian De Palma said that he had been trying to make this film since 1969 when he first read the Casualties Of WarContinue reading “Casualties of War premiered”

Today is known as Cat Night. The term Cat Night harks back to a rather obscure old Irish legend concerning witches and the belief that a witch could turn herself into a cat eight times, but on the ninth time (August 17), she couldn’t regain her human form. This bit of folklore also gives usContinue reading “Remember the dog days are over.”

August 17, 1974 –Eric Clapton’s second studio album 461 Ocean Boulevard, started a four-week run at No.1 on the Billboard charts on this date. The house featured on the album cover is 461 Ocean Boulevard in the town of Golden Beach, Florida near Miami where Clapton lived while making the album. He recorded the albumContinue reading “461 Ocean Boulevard topped the charts”

August 17, 1978 –Three Americans from New Mexico, Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman, completed the first transatlantic balloon flight, landing in a barley field 60 miles from Paris, 138 hours and six minutes after lifting off from Presque Isle, Maine. The helium-filled Double Eagle II covered 3,233 miles in its six-day journey. TheContinue reading “And they did it on a diet of hot dogs”

August 17, 1960 –A great George Pal sci-fi classic, The Time Machine was released on this date. George Pal wanted the disk on the machine to spin clockwise for travel into the future and counter-clockwise for travel into the past. Due to the way the mechanism was built it was deemed too expensive and time-consumingContinue reading “The Time Machine premiered”

August 17, 1979 –Handmade Films released the classic religious satire film, Monty Python’s Life of Brian in the US on this date. When Michael Palin as Pontius Pilate addressed the soldiers daring them to laugh, he was truly daring them. The soldier extras were ordered to stand there and not laugh, but not told whatContinue reading “Monty Python’s Life of Brian premiered”