Category Archives: Uncategorized

February 8, 1979 – The Garry Marshall sitcom, Angie, starring Donna Pescow, Robert Hays, and Doris Roberts, premiered on ABC TV, on this date. While appearing in this series, Robert Hays co-starred in Airplane! in which he danced to The Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive, the song that opened Saturday Night Fever in which Donna PescowContinue reading “Angie premiered”

February 8, 1974 – The spin-off from the sitcom Maude, that wasn’t quite a spin-off, Good Times, premiered on CBS-TV on this date. Norman Lear hired artist Ernie Barnes to paint the pictures which J.J. used in the show. Barnes’ work displays elongated African-American subjects in everyday scenes. Eddie Murphy owns the original The SugarContinue reading “We were forced to hear Dyn-o-mite for the first time”

February 7, 1964 –It was 59 years ago today, The Beatles arrived at JFK International Airport to begin their first tour of the United States. They helped bring about a social revolution whose effects can be felt to this day. They had nothing to declare but their genius. The Beatles came from Britain, sometimes knownContinue reading “High tight, I promise it all connects (somehow)”

February 7, 1999 –Blondie went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with Maria, giving the group their sixth UK No.1 single, 20 years after their first No.1, Heart of Glass. This was Blondie’s comeback song – at the age of 54, lead singer Debbie Harry became the oldest female to make No.1 in theContinue reading “Maria top the charts (in the UK)”

International Clash Day is on February 5 unless the date falls on a Saturday or Sunday. It is never celebrated on a weekend, and this year, it takes place on February 7. In 2013, KEXP in Seattle, wanted to recognize the band’s legacy of championing the opposed and striving for the possibility of a betterContinue reading “I didn’t believe this was real”

February 7, 1974 –Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles opened on this date. (One could not make this film again.) Hedy Lamarr sued Mel Brooks over the use of the name Hedley Lamarr and settled out of court. Brooks said he was flattered by this attention. The reference to suing Hedy Lamarr was from Harvey Korman’s firstContinue reading “Blazing Saddles premiered”

February 7, 1979 –The very expensive superbomb of 1979, Supertrain premiered on NBC-TV on this date. TV Guide ranked Supertrain number 28 on its “50 Worst TV Shows of All Time” list. This was the most expensive American TV series ever produced at the time. The failure of this show, along with the US boycottContinue reading “Supertrain premiered”

February 6, 1981 –For some unknown reason, ABC gave the go-ahead for this sequel of The Brady Bunch, The Brady Brides, which premiered on this date. (The show barely lasted a season.) This was the only Brady show in sitcom form to be filmed in front of a live studio audience.

February 6, 1981 –Daniel Petrie’s policier, Fort Apache, The Bronx, starring Paul Newman, Ed Asner, Ken Wahl, Danny Aiello, and Pam Grier opened amid much controversy in the US, on this date. During production residents of the Bronx protested the film claiming it would show show only the Bronx badly and ignore the good qualities.Continue reading “Fort Apache, The Bronx premiered”

February 6, 1982 –The J. Geils Band song Centerfold hit No. #1 on the Billboard charts on this date. The J. Geils Band signed with Atlantic Records in 1970 and made a name for themselves as a great live act with a blues-based sound. Centerfold was a musical departure for the band – a newContinue reading “Centerfold topped the chart”