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November 11, 1985 – One of the first major films dealing with AIDS, An Early Frost, starring Aidan Quinn, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, and Sylvia Sidney, first aired on NBC-TV on this date. Aidan Quinn (Michael) remembers that NBC’s Standards and Practices department were a constant (in Quinn’s words, “hovering“) presence on the set. TheyContinue reading “An Early Frost premiered”

November 11, 1978 –Donna Summer started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with her version of Jimmy Webb’s MacArthur Park, which was also a hit for actor Richard Harris in 1968, (made No.5 in the UK). (Sorry for the earworm.) Jimmy Webb, whose songwriting credits include Up-Up and Away andContinue reading “MacArthur Park topped the charts”

November 11, 1959 – The beginning of American independent cinema can be traced to this date when Shadows, directed by John Cassavetes, opened in NYC. Shot with a 16mm handheld camera on the streets of New York. Most of the dialog was improvised, while all the crew were fellow class members of John Cassavetes orContinue reading “Shadows premiered”

At 5:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918 French Army clerk Henri Deledicq finished typing the peace treaty that would end World War I. He had put the carbon paper in backwards. Ten minutes later, in a railroad car in France, military leaders signed copies of an armistice that were completely unreadable. World War I endedContinue reading “Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.”

November 11, 397 –St. Martin of Tours, another in the series of anorexic visionaries, patron saint of France, soldiers (he is known as the he man’s saint), reformed alcoholics and winemakers, died on this date. When the armistice fell on the Saint Martin’s Day, November 11, 1918, the French people saw it was a signContinue reading “Follow along: I promise it all ties together”

November 10, 1969 –Even at 54, everything’s still A-OK (even on HBO.) Sesame Street premiered on PBS-TV on this date.

November 10, 1990 –John Hughes’ classic holiday film, directed by Chris Columbus, Home Alone, starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, and Daniel Stern, opened in Chicago on this date. The picture Kevin finds of Buzz’s girlfriend was a picture of a boy made up to look like a girl, because director Chris Columbus thought it wouldContinue reading “Home Alone premiered”

November 10, 1967 –The Moody Blues released their hit, Nights in White Satin, on this date. This was written by Justin Hayward, who joined the band the previous year. He got the idea for the song after someone gave him a set of white satin sheets – yes, sometimes, it’s just that inane. This songContinue reading “The first time we heard about those unsent letters”

November 10, 1967 – The Star Trek episode Metamorphosis first aired on this date. In it, Kirk finds Zefram Cochrane, inventor of the warp drive, who has been missing for 150 years and his mysterious alien companion. A few scenes featuring Elinor Donahue had to be re-shot, because the original film negatives were damaged andContinue reading “Star Trek: Metamorphosis premiered”

I said before, I still don’t understand the concept of holiday long-form commercials in England. Aldi, another European supermarket chain, that is somehow related to Lidl but not really worth going into here, has featured Kevin the Carrot again. This year, he’s exploring William Conker’s Magical Christmas Factory, a knock off Willie Wonka factory –Continue reading “I’m confused (but that’s not a surprise)”