Category Archives: Uncategorized

July 20, 1950 – Fred Zimmermann’s film about wounded WWII veterans, The Men, starring Marlon Brando (in his first feature film), Teresa Wright and Everett Sloane, opened on this date. According to Marlon Brando, this film role classified him as 1-A to the Army and he reported for induction during the Korean War. He was,Continue reading “The Men premiered”

July 20, 1990 –In one of the late (good) performances of Marlon Brando, the TriStar Pictures‘ The Freshman, directed by Andrew Bergman and co-starring Matthew Broderick, Bruno Kirby, Penelope Ann Miller, and Frank Whaley, opened on this date. Matthew Broderick had no idea that Marlon Brando was going to use the walnuts as a propContinue reading “The Freshman premiered”

July 19, 1965 –The Beatles released the single, Help (B-side I’m Down), ahead of the release of the album of the same name, on this date. The song runs just 2:18, but packs in 267 words, making it one of the most lyrically dense hits of the era. It starts and ends on a vocal,Continue reading “I need somebody”

Today is National Daiquiri Day. It’s just about the middle of the summer, so it more than appropriate to celebrate (although it might have been fun to celebrate it on July 11 – see my note on sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia.)

July 19, 1950 –The Walt Disney adventure film, Treasure Island, directed by Byron Haskin, and starring Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Basil Sydney, and Finlay Currie, was released on this date. The featured performance of Robert Newton as Long John Silver is so iconic that it is thought by many to be the origin of today’sContinue reading “Treasure Island premiered”

July 19, 1972 –The Paramount Pictures drama, The Man, directed by Joseph Sargent, (screenplay, written by Rod Serling,) and starring James Earl Jones, Martin Balsam, Burgess Meredith, Lew Ayres, William Windom, and Barbara Rush, was released on this date. James Earl Jones was interviewed about portraying a fictional black U.S. president a few days beforeContinue reading “The Man premiered”

July 15, 1941 – The Merrie Melodies short, Inki and the Lion, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Inki, was released on this date. This short is seldom shown on TV due to it’s offensive depiction of Black people. Due to this cartoon becoming a surprise hit with moviegoers at the time of its 1941Continue reading “Inki and the Lion premiered”

July 19, 1941 – MGM released the Hanna/ Barbera cartoon, The Midnight Snack, starring Tom and Jerry, on this date. William Hanna and Joseph Barbera originally had the cat named Jasper and the mouse was Jinx, in 1940’s Puss Gets the Boot cartoon. This is the first cartoon with their names, Tom Cat and JerryContinue reading “The Midnight Snack premiered”

July 19, 1986 –Genesis had their first (and only) #1 Hot 100 hit as Invisible Touch tops the chart, on this date. The Invisible Touch album marked Genesis‘ complete transformation from complex, theatrical music (starting when Peter Gabriel was lead singer) to condensed pop songs. They lost some fans along the way, but gained manyContinue reading “Well I’ve been waiting, waiting here so long”

Today is National Caviar Day. Although it is high in sodium and cholesterol, caviar is rich in calcium and phosphorus, as well as protein, selenium, iron, magnesium, and Vitamins B12 and B6. While it’s normal to wash down the briny fish roe with champagne or iced vodka; why not down shots of iced Bombay Sapphire.Continue reading “Suddenly every meal feels historic”