Author Archives: dcaligari

Stanley Donen/ Gene Kelly’s wonderful take on the Comden and Green musical, On the Town, starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, opened nationwide on this date. Frank Sinatra, who was very thin, had to wear prosthetic padding to fill out the seat of his uniform. In a TCM interview, Ann Miller said that Sinatra wasContinue reading “On the Town premiered”

Today’s gift count (56 gifts): you currently have Six geese a’ laying, 10 golden rings, 12 calling birds, 12 French hens, ten turtledoves and six partridges in their respective pear trees (begin thinking abut gardening tools and an illegal immigrant.) I’m sorry to have to say this but kill the gaggle of geese immediately (afterContinue reading “The Sixth Day of Christmas.”

The Iroquois Theater Fire in Chicago, Illinois, claimed 627 lives on December 30, 1903. It was the single-building fire in U.S. history with the most fatalities, claiming over 100 more fatalities than the Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston. The Iroquois Theater, at 24-28 West Randolph Street, was advertised as “absolutely fireproof.” The theatre opened onContinue reading “Remember to check the exits”

December 30, 1916 –Kids, you know I love discussing early 20th Century Russian history as much as the next person, but this item is so good, it has to span over the course of two days (but it will reside on December 30th – you’ll see why shortly. Grigori Rasputin, a self-fashioned Russian holy man,Continue reading “You can’t keep a bad man down”

Today’s gift tally (37 gifts): you currently have five golden rings, eight calling birds, nine French hens, ten turtledoves and five partridges in their respective pear trees (begin thinking preserves.) The five golden rings represent the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Speaking of poultry – we’ve all been misinterpreting the song allContinue reading “Five Golden Rings”

December 29, 1967 – Star Trek first aired The Trouble with Tribbles episode – arguably one of their most famous episodes – on this date. To create the one tribble moving on its own, the prop supervisor bought a battery powered toy dog and stripped it down to the mechanical works. Once recovered with furContinue reading “The Trouble with Tribbles premiered”

It’s the Fourth day of Christmas and you’ve just received four calling bird, sometimes know as colly birds or collie birds (which are actually blackbirds). Today’s score: you currently have 22 gifts – four calling birds, six French hens, eight turtledoves and four partridges in their respective pear trees (when do these trees become aContinue reading “Seek out day old bread (You’ll need it in a major way.)”

December 28, 1895 –Auguste and Louis Lumiere opened the first movie theater at the Grand Cafe in Paris, on this date . Other inventors, including Thomas Edison, were working on various moving picture devices at the time. But most of those other devices could only be viewed by one person at a time. The LumieresContinue reading “The first Movie Theatre opened”

The 12 acre complex in midtown Manhattan known as Rockefeller Center developed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., on land leased from Columbia University opened to the public on December 27, 1932. Radio City Music Hall (named for one of the complex’s first tenants, the Radio Corporation of America) opened with a spectacular stage show, featuringContinue reading “Rockefeller Center Complex opened”

Once again, if you’re keeping score, you currently have, three French hens, four turtledoves and three partridges with their trio of pear trees (10 gifts.) The three French hens symbolize the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. The hens, being french, will not associate with the common turtle doves – leave plenty ofContinue reading “A popular breed to keep as a pet –”