Suicide is painless

January 25, 1970 –Robert Altman’s Oscar winning film starring Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould, MAS*H, premiered in NYC on this date. Robert Altman said that during filming, Elliott Gould and Donald Sutherland together went to the studio and complained that Altman was filming too much of the secondary characters. They requested that he be removedContinue reading “Suicide is painless”

Everything in between is just another excuse to eat peanut butter

Its National Peanut Butter Day. By law, any product labeled “peanut butter” in the United States must be at least 90 percent peanuts, (don’t ask about the other 10%.) Boldly celebrate the lowly legume Arachis hypogaea, (except for the 1.5% of US students allergic to peanuts.) Former President Bill Clinton says one of his favoriteContinue reading “Everything in between is just another excuse to eat peanut butter”

The Grapes of Wrath premiered

January 24, 1940 – John Ford’s film version of John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, starring Henry Fonda, opened in New York City on this date. Prior to filming, producer Darryl F. Zanuck sent undercover investigators out to the migrant camps to see if John Steinbeck had been exaggerating about the squalor and unfairContinue reading “The Grapes of Wrath premiered”

The Pleasure Garden opened

January 24, 1927 –Alfred Hitchcock’s first film, The Pleasure Garden, went into general release on this date in England. The film is often overshadowed by Hitchcock’s later masterpieces, but it was definitely a significant milestone in his early career. Although shot in 1925, and shown to the British press in March 1926, the film wasn’tContinue reading “The Pleasure Garden opened”

Sign your name (across my heart)

The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA) established today as National Handwriting Day back in 1977, in order to celebrate John Hancock’s birthday (who was born on January 12th, so go figure,) one of our Founding Fathers, as well as the first signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Most people who were around then wereContinue reading “Sign your name (across my heart)”

I almost didn’t believe this was a real series

January 23, 1995 –A series based on Richard Jeni’s HBO’s comedy special from 1992, Platypus Man, starring Richard Jeni,Ron Orbach, Denise Miller, and David Dundara, first aired on UPN TV on tis date. The series lasted 13 episodes. This show was the first comedy series to premiere on UPN when the network launched in JanuaryContinue reading “I almost didn’t believe this was a real series”