Haredevil Hare premiered

July 24, 1948 – … Crumbly Crunchies are the bestLook delicious on your vestServe them to unwanted guestsStuff the mattress with the rest…. A great Warner Bros. cartoon directed by Chuck Jones, Haredevil Hare, was released on this date. (It was the first appearance of Marvin the Martian, though he wasn’t named until decades later.)Continue reading “Haredevil Hare premiered”

A cover of Can’t Help Falling In Love topped the charts

July 24, 1993 –UB40’s cover of the Elvis Presley song, Can’t Help Falling In Love, hits No. 1 on the Billboard Charts on this date. Elvis Presley originally recorded this in 1961. UB40 were asked to record an Elvis tune of their choice for a new film called Honeymoon In Vegas. The band’s drummer, JamesContinue reading “A cover of Can’t Help Falling In Love topped the charts”

The Gene Autry Show premiered

July 23, 1950 –The Singing Cowboy Gene Autry’s series The Gene Autry Show, co-starring Pat Buttram, sponsored by Wrigley’s Doublemint Gum, debuted on CBS-TV, on this date. Two-thirds of the way through the first season’s production, Pat Buttram was severely injured in an explosion and was hospitalized for several months. In order to complete theContinue reading “The Gene Autry Show premiered”

Synchronicity topped the charts

July 23, 1983 –The Police kicked off the North American leg of their 107-date Synchronicity world tour at Comiskey Park (now rebuilt as U.S. Cellular Field) in Chicago, on this date. Co-incidentially, their fifth and last album, Synchronicity, hits #1 on the Billboard Charts on this date. The album gained its title from Carl GustavContinue reading “Synchronicity topped the charts”

Don’t Bring Me Down dropped

July 23, 1979 –Electric Light Orchestra dedicated the release, on this date, of the single Don’t Bring Me Down from their album Discovery to Skylab which had crashed back to Earth on July 11, 1979. (The song is the first Electric Light Orchestra single without any strings.) Don’t Bring Me Down became the biggest hitContinue reading “Don’t Bring Me Down dropped”

The 1916 San Francisco bombing

July 22, 1916In San Francisco, on this date, some 50,000 people marched in a Preparedness Day parade (the largest parade ever held in the city), supporting the US intervention in World War I. The event was sponsored by business leaders and opposed by labor. A bomb went off on Market St. during the parade andContinue reading “The 1916 San Francisco bombing”

Marnie premiered

July 22, 1964 –One of Hitchcock’s most underrated (and sexually twisted) films, Marnie opened on this date. After rehearsing just a few scenes with Sean Connery, Tippi Hedren asked Alfred Hitchcock, “Marnie is supposed to be frigid, have you seen him?” referring to the young Connery. Hitchcock’s reply was reportedly, “Yes, my dear, it’s calledContinue reading “Marnie premiered”

Grave Robbers from Outer Space!

July 22, 1959 –Either considered the worst or greatest film ever made, Ed Wood Jr’s sci-fi classic, Plan 9 from Outer Space, starring Bela Lugosi, Gregory Walcott, Mona McKinnon, Tor Johnson, Vampira and narrated by Criswell, opened in the US on this date. Bela Lugosi appears in footage shot just before his death, but withContinue reading “Grave Robbers from Outer Space!”