Author Archives: dcaligari

June 28, 1951 –A TV version of the popular radio program Amos ‘N’ Andy aired on CBS on this date. Although criticized for racial stereotyping, it was the first network TV series to feature an all-black cast.  I’m ambivalent about embedded the episode, but but most people have never even seen a clip of theContinue reading “Amos ‘N’ Andy premiered”

June 28, 1975 –David Bowie released the song, Fame, featuring John Lennon on backing vocals, on this date. It become Bowie’s first #1 hit in the US. John Lennon helped write this song – he came up with the title and also sang the background Fame parts in the high voice. They started working onContinue reading “Fame went on sale”

Although today is just a primary election in NYC today- Every vote is important and they absolutely count.

June 27, 1964 –Ernest Borgnine and Ethel Merman (the woman who learned love at the hands of Ernest Borgnine) were married on this date. The marriage lasted 38 days. Truly, such are the vagaries of life

June 27, 1971 –After only three years in business, rock promoter Bill Graham closes the “Church of Rock and Roll“, the Fillmore East in New York (on Second Avenue near East 6th Street,) on this date. The final concert was billed as three acts (The Allman Brothers Band, The J. Geils Band, Albert King) andContinue reading “The Fillmore East closed”

Hard to believe but for about 1.1 million students (and their exhausted families) the 2022/ 2023 school year is finally over. (Enjoy what you can of summer – the 2023/ 2024 fully ‘in class‘ school year is scheduled to begin 72 days from today, on September 7, 2023.Unless another public health crisis comes along)

June 27, 1966 – The first broadcast of Dark Shadows aired on ABC-TV on this date. For more than a year and a half the characters of Dark Shadows used almost every possible phrase to refer to Barnabas Collins (“He’s not alive!” “He’s one of the undead.” “He walks at night but he ain’t alive.“)Continue reading “Dark Shadows premiered”

June 27, 1949 –Guardian of the Safety of the World, private citizen-scientist Captain Video and his Video Rangers, premiered on the Dumont Network on this date. During the Vietnam War, American soldiers who were taken as Prisoners of War by the North Vietnamese were often interrogated and asked whom the American military leaders were. Reportedly,Continue reading “Hello, Captain Video!”

June 26, 1819 –W.K. Clarkson of New York received a patent for what was then called a velocipede (even though Denis Johnson of London had patented his velocipede in December 1818.) Unfortunately, the patent record was destroyed by fire, so the actual design is not known.

June 26, 1964 –The Beatles third studio album, A Hard Day’s Night was first released in the United States by United Artists Records on this date and on July 10, 1964 in the UK by Parlophone. In contrast to the band’s first two albums, all thirteen tracks were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney,Continue reading “A Hard Day’s Night album went on sale”