Author Archives: dcaligari

May 6, 2004 –The final episode of Friends aired on this date. The final episode drew an audience of 52.5 million people, when it was first aired. This was the fourth most watched finale in US television history. Interestingly, The One After The Superbowl (aired January 28, 1996), in season two, had higher figures withContinue reading “Last call at Central Perk”

Please take a brief pause from getting ready for the massive margaritas you are going to make to celebrate this day. For those of you who don’t know – it’s not Mexican Independence Day (that’s September 16th) – it’s the celebration of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza victory over the French General Charles Latrille de Lorencez.Continue reading “Remember why we are actually celebrating the holiday”

May 5, 1952 –One of the most famous episodes of the I Love Lucy series, Lucy Does a TV Commercial, (also known as Vitameatavegamin,) aired on this date. In 1997, TV Guide ranked it #2 on their list of the 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. Ross Elliott, who played the director, said of thisContinue reading “We learned that it was so tasty!”

May 5, 1995 – The romantic comedy French Kiss, directed by Lawrence Kasdan and starring Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline, Timothy Hutton, Jean Reno, François Cluzet, Susan Anbeh, and Marie-Christine Adam, opened on this date. Kevin Kline had a professor to coach him with the French to speak it as a Frenchman. He studied French duringContinue reading “French Kiss premiered”

May 5, 1956 – The Looney Tunes short, Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z, directed by Chuck Jones, starring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, debuted on this date. The scene with the canvas of a broken bridge reverses the series’ usual gag – this time, the Road Runner cannot “jump into the painting“, but Wile E. CoyoteContinue reading “Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z premiered”

May 4, 1945 – The Merrie Melodies short, Hare Trigger, directed by Friz Freleng, starring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam (in his first appearance,) debuted on this date. This was the first Warner Bros. cartoon to feature full credits (for story, animation, layouts, backgrounds, effects animation, film editing, voice characterization, and music, followed by theContinue reading “Hare Trigger premiered”

May 5, 2000 –Steely Dan kicked off the fifth year of The Today Show’s Summer Concert series with a rare live performance on this date. The band found it very nerve-racking to appear on a totally live broadcast for fear of any technical glitches out of their control.

May 4, 1949 – The tenth pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, The Barkleys of Broadway, premiered on this date. Fred Astaire’s wife Phyllis was widely rumored to have forbidden Fred to kiss Ginger Rogers in their first nine films together. To end the gossip, in The Barkleys of Broadway Fred and Ginger combinedContinue reading “The Barkleys of Broadway premiered”

May 4, 1973 –Bruce Jay Friedman’s Off-Broadway play, Steambath debuted on PBS, on this date. Valerie Perrine became the first woman to display (on purpose) her nipples on American network television. Perrine is also seen taking a shower from the side and her butt was in full view. Only 24 PBS stations were adventurous enoughContinue reading “Bunkies, check with your folks if you can watch”

May 4th is known as Star Wars Day. You get it – May the Fourth be with you. Oh, never mind.