Category Archives: Uncategorized

March 4, 1979 –Mary Tyler Moore’s second ill-conceived venture in a variety series, The Mary Tyler Moore Hour, co-starring Dody Goodman, Michael Keaton, Joyce Van Patten, Ron Rifkin, and Doris Roberts, premiered on CBS TV on this date. The show’s premise was to give the audience a fictionalized view into the life of the starContinue reading “The Mary Tyler Moore Hour premiered”

March 3, 1931 –An English beer drinking song became the National Anthem of the United States on this date. The lyrics to said drink song are – To Anacreon in heaven where he sat in full glee,A few sons of harmony sent a petition,That he their inspirer and patron would be,When this answer arrived fromContinue reading “Please rise during the reading of this”

March 3, 1969 –Apollo 9, the third manned mission in the United States Apollo space program, blasted off from Cape Kennedy on a mission to test the lunar module. It carried astronauts James McDivitt, Russell Schweickart and David Scott and made 151 Earth orbits over 10 days. The mission was the second manned launch ofContinue reading “The launch of Apollo 9”

March 3, 1985 –ABC-TV unleashed Bruce Willis, Cybill Shepherd and the crew from the Blue Moon Detective Agency onto an unsuspecting world, when it premiered the pilot episode of Moonlighting on this date. Bruce Willis was the very last of about 3,000 actors to audition for the role of David Addison, Jr. (Have a goodContinue reading “Moonlighting debuted”

March 3, 1972 –Elton John released the song Rocket Man, (officially titled Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time), on this date. The inspiration for Bernie Taupin’s lyrics was the short story The Rocket Man, written by Ray Bradbury. The sci-fi author’s tale is told from the perspective of aContinue reading “Rocket Man went on sale”

March 2, 1933 – RKO Studios, on the brink of bankruptcy, gambled the studio on a filmed puppet show for kids, releasing the film King Kong on this date. In the original film, the character’s name is Kong — a name given to him by the inhabitants of “Skull Island” in the Indian Ocean, whereContinue reading “The eighth wonder of the world”

March 2, 1989 –Like A Prayer became the first hit song to debut in a commercial when it is used in a 2-minute Pepsi ad starring Madonna. The spot is called “Make A Wish,” and shows Madonna watching her 8-year-old self at her birthday party. The commercial airs in prime time around the world, theContinue reading “Madonna’s controversial commercial premiered”

March 2, 2009 – Jimmy Fallon premiered on the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise, first hosted by David Letterman, followed by Conan O’Brien, on this date. In 2013, Fallon was selected by NBC to succeed the continually retiring Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show. The last episode of Late Night underContinue reading “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon debuted”

March 2, 1967 –The Star Trek episode This Side of Paradise first aired on NBC TV on this date. In it, the Enterprise visits a planet where mysterious plants regulate the population. Spock is entranced by the planet and refuses to leave. Some of Spock’s family background is fleshed out in the episode with referencesContinue reading “Star Trek’s This Side of Paradise premiered”

March 2, 1935 – One of the earliest Technicolor Merrie Melodies, I Haven’t Got A Hat, directed by Friz Freleng and featuring the debut of Porky Pig and Beans the Cat (a minor Looney Tunes character from the ‘30s,) premiered on this date. Struggling against other animation studios, Warner Bros. were desperate to find aContinue reading “Happy Birthday Porky Pig”