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December 19, 1971 –The pilot for the hit family series The Waltons, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story premiered on CBS-TV on this date While all of the child actors would reprise their roles for the subsequent TV series The Waltons, of the adult actors only Ellen Corby would do so.

ACME wants you to stay safe this Holiday Season Tip no. 647: For some reason Washington DC and the desert areas of the Southwest attract floating saucer crafts. Avoid travel and stay indoors.

Legend has it we hang stockings by the chimney with care because one year a poor widowed man didn’t have enough money for his three daughters’ dowries, making it difficult for them to marry. Generous old St. Nick dropped a bag of gold down their chimney one night and into the freshly washed stockings theContinue reading “More useless holiday trivia”

December 18, 1987 –The sleeper hit romantic comedy, Moonstruck, directed by Norman Jewison, written by John Patrick Shanley, and starring Danny Aiello, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis and, oh yea, Cher, premiered in the US on this date. (This is a big favorite in our house.) Norman Jewison has stated that the climactic kitchenContinue reading “It’s a favorite in the Caligari household”

December 18, 1962 – Mr. Magoo starred as Ebenezer Scrooge in a musical version of Charles Dickens’ Christmas tale, Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol, music by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill and voiced by Jim Backus, Jack Cassidy, Paul Frees, Joan Gardner, Morey Amsterdam, and Royal Dano, which aired on NBC TV, on this date. ThereContinue reading “This was Gilbert Gottfried’s favorite holiday special”

December 18, 1966 –The Pink Panther cartoon series premiered with the episode titled The Pink Blueprint on this date The Pink Panther character, created for the animated opening credits of The Pink Panther movie, was so popular that this short was produced as a starring vehicle for the character. The short marks the only timeContinue reading “Think Pink”

December 18, 1961 –Based on an African song called Mbube (Solomon Linda and the Evening Birds)– The Tokens’ single, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, was No. 1 song on the Billboard Charts, on this date. Solomon Linda recorded the song in Johannesburg, South Africa after being discovered by a talent scout. The chanting was mostly improvised,Continue reading “Sorry but you’ll be singing this the rest of the day”

December 17, 1977 – Elvis Costello and The Attractions made a rare United States television debut on Saturday Night Live when Sid Vicious and the Sex Pistols failed to show up for the gig. Producer Lorne Michaels refused to allow Costello to perform Radio, Radio because of the song’s criticism of the broadcasting industry, butContinue reading “I was tuning in the shine on the late night dial …”

December 17, 1982 –Sydney Pollack’s comedy take on gender roles, Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange and Bill Murray (in a howlingly funny supporting role) opened in general release in the US on this date. The character of Dorothy originally did not speak with a Southern accent, but in doing research, Dustin Hoffman discovered hisContinue reading “Go, Tootsie, Go”

December 17, 1969 –Tiny Tim married Miss Vicki on the Tonight Show on this date. The event attracted between 40 and 50 million viewers. What is there to say?