Author Archives: dcaligari

March 19, 1977 –It was the end of the road at WJM-TV when the final episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Last Show, aired on CBS TV on this date. In an interview years later Mary Tyler Moore said that the scene where they embraced and then huddled to the tissues was notContinue reading “The finale of The Mary Tyler Moore Show”

March 19, 1975 –Columbia Pictures releases Ken Russell’s unique version of Tommy, starring The Who, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Elton John, and Jack Nicholson, premiered on this date. According to Pete Townshend, Oliver Reed had incredible problems recording his part of the soundtrack owing to his inability to sing, and he wasContinue reading “Tommy opened”

It’s the Feast of St. Joseph, stepdad to Jesus and patron saint of real estate closers (that’s why the pastries are for him – he’s a closer.) Remember to go out and have the very delicious Sicilian pastry that bears his name (but get the ones with canolli filling, not the custard.) It’s so good,Continue reading “We are born to love, we live to love, and we will die to love still more.”

March 18, 1975 – McLean Stevenson’s character (Lt. Colonel Henry Blake) died in the MAS*H episode Abyssinia, Henry, its third season finale on this date. According to producer Larry Gelbart, when Larry Linville read the (previously concealed) final page of the script, he said, “Fucking brilliant!” When Gary Burghoff read it, he looked at McLeanContinue reading “The Death of Henry Blake”

March 18, 1981 –Stephen J. Cannell’s take on superheroes, The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Robert Culp, and Connie Sellecca, premiered on ABC-TV, on this date. William Katt said that at the start of the series, he and Robert Culp had difficulties getting along, and working with each other. Katt added they were ableContinue reading “The Greatest American Hero premiered”

March 18, 1967 –The Beatles’ Penny Lane single goes #1 on this date. The first time The Beatles appeared with facial hair was in the promotional film for this song. The clip shows the band on horseback, trotting around Angel Lane in London (not Penny Lane). By this time, the group had stopped touring, soContinue reading “Penny Lane tops the charts”

March 17, 1960 –My good friend John (a fraternity brother) was born on this day. Not to be confused with his cousin, John, who was also born but not on this day. March 17, 1970 –My actual fraternal brother was born at Jewish Memorial Hospital in Upper Manhattan on this date. As was noted atContinue reading “On a personal note:”

March 17, 1978 –Paramount Pictures releases the bio-pix about Alan Freed, American Hot Wax, starring Tim McIntire, Fran Drescher, Jay Leno, and Laraine Newman (and featuring performances by Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, and Frankie Ford,) on this date. The film was not as successful at the box-office as the similarly titledContinue reading “American Hot Wax premiered”

March 17, 1972 –John Water presented Divine to an unsuspecting world: Pink Flamingos, premiered in Baltimore on this date. (In 2021, this cult classic was inducted into the National Film Registery of important films that need to be preserved.) The dog feces in the infamous final scene are real. According to director John Waters, theContinue reading “Pink Flamingos premiered”

March 17, 1968 –The Bee Gees made their U.S. television debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, on this date. Besides their song, Words (which went on to become a no. 1 hit in several countries,) they sang To Love Somebody, (which went on to be one of their most covered songs.)