Author Archives: dcaligari

December 16, 1977 –Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta, went into general release on this date. Oh John, what a long strange trip it’s been since that polyester shirt. When Tony’s dad hits him in the back of the head during dinner, his retort of “just watch the hair!” and complained about being hit onContinue reading “Saturday Night Fever”

December 16, 1965 –NASA was in a piss-proud mood. Days before, Gemini 6 (Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra, space cowboys aboard) and Gemini 7 (Frank Borman and Jim Lovell, rocket men aboard) had successfully rendezvoused in space. Just before Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra were about to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, on this date, they radioedContinue reading “Christmas in Outer Space (part 1)”

December 16, 1951 –NBC-TV debuted Dragnet in a special preview on Chesterfield Sound Off Time on this date. (The show began officially on January 3, 1952.) The series opener ran in real time, and it contained several clock-on-the-wall shots to keep track of time. The story starts with the police frantically trying to meet aContinue reading “Dragnet preview”

In the 1930’s, an American toilet bowl brush manufacturer changed the look of artificial trees. The artificial tree was made by the Addis Housewares Company, producers of brushes used for cleaning toilets. During World War II, when real trees were hard to come by, Addis made these artificial trees on their brush-making machinery. Many ofContinue reading “Don’t think about this too much”

Today’s episode of Monsterpiece Theatre is an adaptation of the immortal bards’ classic tale – Hamlet, prince of Denmark. If that was not classy enough, we also have Sir Patrick Stewart reciting a famous soliloquy from Hamlet: (Alister you are correct, it don’t get classier that this!) Demand Euphoria!

December 15, 1939 – The motion picture Gone With The Wind, starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, had its world premiere in Atlanta on this date. It was the first movie premiere ceremony to be televised. The governor of Georgia proclaimed the day a state holiday in commemoration of the event and the holiday celebrationsContinue reading “Gone With The Wind”

December 15, 1968 –Philadelphia Eagles fans, and for that matter, all Philadelphia sports fans, have a long reputation for being exceptionally hostile, with plenty of individual instances to show for it. Philadelphia Eagles fans pelted Santa Claus with snowballs on this date. The “real” Santa Claus who was supposed to appear was stuck in aContinue reading “The shame lives on.”

December 15, 1966 –Walt Disney, alleged neo-nazi, commie hater, union-buster and child pornography lover died on this day. And he’s not a giant frozen popicle in Cinderella’s Castle nor buried beneath the Pirates of the Caribbean ride! Let us compare of two of the modern era’s finest and most influential artists: Georges Seurat (December 2,Continue reading “Another moment of edifying culture”

December 15, 1954 –As part of the new Disneyland TV show, Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter, starring Fess Parker premiered on ABC-TV on this date. It is often considered the first miniseries. This and the following episodes were filmed in color at a ranch in California and a Native American reservation in North Carolina. Though originallyContinue reading “Davy Crockett”

I actually first picked up an ukulele before I picked up a guitar. – Dick Dale Let’s make everyone a little happier – tonight’s theme is a Uke Xmas Mele Kalikimaka Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters – Carol of the Bells Jake Shimabukuro – Last Christmas Cynthnia Lin – We Wish You A MerryContinue reading “If everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a better place.”