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July 17, 1955 –That place is my baby, and I would prostitute myself for it. – Walt Disney Disneyland, the happiest place in the world, opens in Anaheim, California on this date. Things didn’t go so well on that first day. A 15 day heat wave raised temperatures up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, dueContinue reading “Step through portals of Disneyland will be like entering another world”

July 16, 1951 –The Catcher in the Rye was published 70 years ago today. The book contained secret code words by means of which its author, J.D. Salinger, was able to communicate diabolical commands to his evil minions. (Exactly fourteen years later, the tunnel connecting France and Italy through Mont Blanc was opened to theContinue reading “Avoid anyone walking around with this book under their arm”

July 16, 1951 –One of the best adaptations of a Charles Dickens‘ novel, David Lean’s Oliver Twist was released in the US on this date. Oliver Twist originally premiered in the UK in 1948. The movie’s release in the U.S. was delayed until 1951 because of protests from Jewish pressure groups, who judged Alec Guinness‘Continue reading “Please sir, I want some more”

July 15, 2009 –45 years after he played at the Ed Sullivan Theater with The Beatles, Paul McCartney returned to the venue to appear on The Late Show With David Letterman. Earlier in the day, McCartney plays a few songs from the theater’s marquee, surprising the onlookers in Manhattan.

July 14 1789 – Paris was not a happy city in 1789. Paris has never been an especially happy city, especially for those who don’t speak French, but in that fateful year, it was especially grouchy. And it wasn’t just the city, but the whole country. All of France was being cranky and irritable, andContinue reading “The peasants are revolting”

July 14, 1933 – The iconic Popeye the Sailor, appeared in his first eponymous titled cartoon, on this date. (Kids, Betty, who is probably underage in this film, is not wearing a bra – so avert your eyes.) Popeye’s appearance is based on that of a fighter named Francis “Rocky” Fiegel whom his creator, ElzieContinue reading “He is who He is”

July 13, 1990 –Jerry Zucker’s romantic thriller Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tony Goldwyn, premiered in the US on this date. The role of Oda Mae Brown was not written with Whoopi Goldberg in mind, but Patrick Swayze, an admirer of hers, convinced the producers that she would be right forContinue reading “Ditto”

July 13, 1985 –36 years ago, I had only recently patented the long birthday weekend…. (I love that Bryan Ferry sang a John Lennon song rather than one of his own and David Gilmore playing guitar, as well.) (still the greatest televised rock and roll performance of all time.) We brought the ‘big TV‘ outContinue reading “Literally, the whole world was watching”

July 12, 1991 –John Singleton directorial debut, Boyz N the Hood, starring Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Larry Fishburne, Nia Long, Regina King, and Angela Bassett, went into general release on this date. (John Singleton’s Oscar nomination for Best Director at the age of 24 made him the youngest director to ever receiveContinue reading “Once Upon A Time in South Central L.A. …”

Ok, I’m now slightly north of 60. Can’t pretend that I’m not. As you may remember I skipped My Desert Disc choices last year, I came back to it again this year (This is how old I’m getting, upon further review, I didn’t skip them, I just posted them a day earlier than usual.). MyContinue reading “Never drive a car when you’re dead”