Author Archives: dcaligari

May 4, 1935 – The Merrie Melodies short, My Green Fedora, directed by Friz Freleng, debuted on this date. The song My Green Fedora was used to entertain a child again the following year, in Toy Town Hall.

May 4, 1946 – The Looney Tunes short, Hush My Mouse, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Sniffles debuted on this date. This cartoon was a Merrie Melodies during production, but released as a Looney Tunes. However, the lobby cards were never updated with the Looney Tunes name.

May 4, 1957 – The Looney Tunes short, Cheese It, the Cat!, directed by Robert McKimson, debuted on this date. Both of the male mice are shown with jobs that mirror the actual characters in The Honeymooners. Ralph is a bus driver, Morton works in sanitation.

May 4, 1959 –Originally called the Gramophone awards, the first Grammys were handed out on this date, to honor the musical accomplishments by performers for the year 1958. The ceremony was hosted by comedian Mort Sahl and held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. At the same time, Recording Academy members convenedContinue reading “The First Grammys held”

May 3, 1944 – Leo McCarey’s popular comedy-drama, Going My Way, starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald opened in NYC on this date. Although Barry Fitzgerald played a Catholic priest in this film–and several others–he was in real life not a Catholic but a Protestant. Several times during this film when he is “crossing” himselfContinue reading “Going My Way premiered”

May 3, 1935 – The seventh and final collaboration between Josef von Sternberg and Marlene Dietrich, The Devil Is A Woman, co-starring Lionel Atwill, Cesar Romero, and Edward Everett Horton, opened in NYC on this date. In a 1971 film interview with Swedish television, her first television interview, Marlene Dietrich claimed that this was herContinue reading “The Devil Is A Woman premiered”

May 3, 1952 – The Merrie Melodies short, Little Red Rodent Hood, directed by Friz Freleng, and starring Sylvester, debuted on this date. As the Fairy Godmother, Sylvester says the magic words “R-A-G-G M-O-P-P“, a reference to the 1950 hit song Rag Mop, by the Ames Brothers. In the song, the words are spelled outContinue reading “Little Red Rodent Hood premiered”

May 3, 1947 – Sylvester tried to have Tweety Bird for lunch for the first time in the Merrie Melodies short, Tweetie Pie, which opened on this date (Yeah, yeah, I know Sylvester is called Thomas but it’s Sylvester just the same. In 1948, with the cartoon Scaredy Cat, his name was changed to Sylvester,Continue reading “Tweetie Pie premiered”

May 3, 1986 –Robert Palmer, blue-eyed soul crooner, had his first No. #1 hit on the Billboard Charts with Addicted to Love, on this date. The video featured Palmer singing in front of a “band” of beautiful women who looked exactly alike. They wore lots of makeup and identical clothing as they pretended to playContinue reading “The lights are on, but you’re not home”

Ukuleles will get you through times with no money better than money will get you through time with no ukulele. Today is Play Your Ukulele Day!