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November 29, 1950 –Jean Cocteau’s beautifully lyrical, Orpheus, opened in the US on this date. Both Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo were approached about playing the mysterious Princess. Both declined.

November 29, 1945 –Remarkable for it frank portrayal of alcoholism (for it’s day), The Lost Weekend, opened in Los Angeles on this date. Billy Wilder claimed the liquor industry offered Paramount Pictures $5 million not to release the film; he also suggested that he would have accepted had they offered it to him personally.

November 28, 1978 – Atlantic Records released the album Briefcase Full of Blues, the debut album by The Blues Brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi) on this date. The album reached no. 1 on the Billboard 200 and went double platinum. It is among the highest-selling blues albums of all time.

November 28, 1943 –Randall Stuart Newman, singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist was born on this date. Newman has been nominated for twenty Academy Awards, winning twice. He has also won three Emmys, five Grammy Awards, and the Governor’s Award from the Recording Academy.

We have just been notified that it is Cyborg Monday, oh no, run for your lives. Wait – an update – it’s Cyber Monday. Continue to run for your lives!!! The term “Cyber Monday” was dreamt up in 2005 by by a young public relations executive named Ellen Davis at Shop.org, a division of theContinue reading “This just in!”

November 28, 1985 –Ahmad Rashad proposed to Phylicia Ayers-Allen on live TV during NBC’s halftime coverage of the Detroit Lions-New York Jets football game, on this date. Ayers-Allen, was in New York for NBC’s coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, was rushed to network’s New York studio and looked at Rashad over a videoContinue reading “A live wedding proposal”

November 28, 1981 –The short-lived series (only 12 episodes were shot), Open All Night, starring George Dzundza, Susan Tyrrell, Sam Whipple, Bubba Smith, Jay Tarses, and Bever-Leigh Banfield premiered on ABC-TV on this date. The US TV version of the show was somewhat based on the hugely successful British sitcom, Open All Hours which ranContinue reading “Open All Night premiered”

November 27, 1980 – The sitcom Bosom Buddies, staring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari premiered on ABC-TV on this date. (Yes, I know, this is not the original theme song – the production company lost the rights to the song.) The producers pitched the series to ABC as a relatively straightforward buddy comedy in theContinue reading “Bosom Buddies premiered”

November 27, 1979 –For those so inclined, you could start spending time in the boys locker room of Carver High School when The White Shadow premiered on this date. Ken Howard was nicknamed “The White Shadow” while he played for Manhasset High School ‘s basketball team. He was the only white starter on his team.Continue reading “The White Shadow premiered”

November 27, 1967 – The Beatles released Magical Mystery Tour album the US on this date. Unfortunately, Charles Manson used to refer to life as A Magical Mystery Tour after hearing the title song. He later warped other Beatles songs (Helter Skelter, Piggies, Blackbird) to explain a race war named Helter Skelter. He used toContinue reading “Magical Mystery Tour dropped”