Category Archives: Uncategorized

July 18, 1936 – The Merrie Melodies short, I Love to Singa, directed by Tex Avery, was released on this date. Owl Jolson’s first words, “Hullo, Strangah!” was the catchphrase of a character called Schlepperman who appeared on Jack Benny’s radio show in the 1930s. Jack himself is parodied in the form of Jack Bunny,Continue reading “I Love to Singa premiered”

July 18, 1959 –The Merrie Melodies short, Tweet and Lovely, directed by Tex Avery, and starring Sylvester and Tweety Bird, was released on this date. While Tweety is bathing, Sylvester looks at him (with binoculars, as Tweety sings in his birdhouse’s bathtub & discovers the spying cat,) his remark is not the normal “Ooh, IContinue reading “Tweet and Lovely premiered”

July 18, 1964 –Stan Getz & Astud Gilberto international hit The Girl From Ipanema went to No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, on this date. You may all slow dance while listening to this. Stan Getz recorded the Getz/Gilberto album with João Gilberto, who is considered the father of Bossa Nova. In the studio, theyContinue reading “The Girl from Ipanema topped the charts”

July 18, 2008 –Warner Bros. released the Christopher Nolan superhero film The Dark Knight, starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Heath Ledger, in US theaters, on this date. In preparation for his role as The Joker, Heath Ledger hid away in a motel room for about six weeks. During this extended stay of seclusion, LedgerContinue reading “I’m not a monster. I’m just ahead of the curve”

July 18, 2008 –Universal Pictures finally released it much planned ABBA jukebox musical, Mamma Mia! starring Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgård, Meryl Streep and Julie Walters in the US on this date. Stellan Skarsgård on why he flashed his behind: “We decided I should be cooking on theContinue reading “We are all the dancing queen”

July 17, 1968 – The premiere of the drug-induced, Big Blue Meanie-infested cartoon Beatles film Yellow Submarine, was held at the London Pavilion on this date. In summer 1967, director George Dunning brought German artist Heinz Edelmann to London to work as production designer on this movie. The script wasn’t ready, and Edelmann wasn’t givenContinue reading “Ad hoc, ad loc, and quid pro quo!”

July 17, 1947 –Jackie Robinson was playing his historic first season with the Dodgers, the Yankees finally lost after 19 straight victories, Perry Como topped the Billboard charts with “Chi-Baba,Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep),” and Jack Kerouac began his On the Road trip on this date. He left his mother’s apartment in Ozone Park,Continue reading “Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me …”

July 15, 1943 – The Merrie Melodies short, Tin Pan Alley Cats, directed by Bob Clampett, was released on this date. This cartoon has been banned from television airings since 1968, and is part of the Censored Eleven – these shorts were removed from television syndication because they contained heavy ethnic and racial stereotypes –Continue reading “Tin Pan Alley Cats premiered”

July 17, 1943 –Originally released in B & W (re-release as a color version in 1968 and 1990,) the Looney Tunes short, Porky Pig’s Feat premiered on this date. This is the first time the Raymond Scott composition Powerhouse is used in a Warner Bros. cartoon. A rare appearance for Porky Pig (his last appearanceContinue reading “Porky Pig’s Feat premiered”

July 15, 1937 – The Merrie Melodies short, Egghead Rides Again, directed by Tex Avery, and starring (in the first appearance of) Egghead, a character who would eventually evolve to become Elmer Fudd, was released on this date. The final scene would be alluded to fourteen years later in Drip-Along Daffy, in which Daffy DuckContinue reading “Egghead Rides Again premiered”