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July 28, 1948 – Bud and Lou’s biggest box-office success, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, opened on this date, (this was one of my favorite childhood films.) The scene in which Wilbur (Lou Costello) is unknowingly sitting on the lap of Frankenstein’s monster (Glenn Strange) required multiple takes. The scene allowed Costello to improvise wildly,Continue reading “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein premiered”

July 28, 1957 –Jerry Lee Lewis appeared of TV for the first time when he performed on The Steve Allen Show on this date. Only a year earlier, Allen humiliated Elvis by making him appear in a tuxedo, singing Hound Dog to a dog, in an attempt to desexuallize Elvis‘ performance. Well, Jerry Lee LewisContinue reading “The Killer did a whole lot of shaking on Steve Allen’s”

July 28, 1973 –Bill Graham produced the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen Rock Festival at the Watkins Glen International Raceway, that featured the Allman Brothers, the Band, and the Grateful Dead. The concert was estimated to have drawn some 650,000 people. Many rock critics claim the event was the largest gathering of people in theContinue reading “The Summer Jam at Watkins Glen Rock Festival”

July 28, 1973 –Grand Funk Railroad releases their biggest hit We’re An American Band on this date. Grand Funk was one of the best-selling bands of the ‘70s, and this was their biggest hit.Critics were often very harsh, especially Rolling Stone magazine, but they had a huge fan base and got lots of radio play.

July 27, 1953 –The armistice that ended the Korean War was signed on this date. It was a war that began in June 1950 when North Korea invaded the south. Almost 35,000 Americans were killed in the conflict, more than 5,000 captured or went missing. A corporal in the 1st Marine Division named Anthony EbronContinue reading “The Korean War ended?”

July 27, 1586 – Sir Walter Raleigh and some of his men returned to England and disembarked at Plymouth smoking tobacco from pipes, which caused a sensation, on this date. William Camden, a contemporary witness, reports that “These men who were thus brought back were the first that I know of that brought into EnglandContinue reading “Smoke em if you got em”

July 27, 1968 –Cass Elliot releases her first solo single, Dream a Little Dream of Me following the break up of The Mamas and Papas on this date. This song was written in 1931 and became a popular standard in depression-era America. Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt composed the music and Gus Kahn wrote theContinue reading “Dream a Little Dream of Me was dropped”

July 27, 1983 –Little Tommy’s break out film, Risky Business, opened on this date. This film is not, as usually noted, an above average teenage sex comedy but the precursor to ‘Greed is Good‘ mantra that sunk this country for years to come. The sunglasses Joel wears are the Ray-Ban Wayfarer model. Annual sales ofContinue reading “Risky Business premiered”

July 27, 1984 –Warner Bros. gift to an unsuspecting world, Purple Rain, starring Prince, opened on this date. A few days before the premiere, Prince had a nightmare that Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert despised the film, with Ebert ripping the film apart. He said, “I dreamed those two guys on the TV were reviewingContinue reading “Purple Rain premiered”

July 27, 1940 –Bugs Bunny made his debut in a cartoon called A Wild Hare, on this day. Warner Brothers’ writers and animators set out to make a rabbit who would be the epitome of cool. They modeled bugs on Groucho Marx with a carrot instead of a cigar. Mel Blanc gave him a BrooklynContinue reading “I AM A WABBIT!”