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July 14, 1969 –Dennis Hopper’s seminal ’60s classic, Easy Rider, starring Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson, opened in the US on this date. Dennis Hopper was going through a very bad time during production (something he later put down to marijuana not being his “creative drug of choice”). He was in a stateContinue reading “Easy Rider rode on down the highway”

July 14, 2000 –20th Century Fox’s first film of the successful franchise series, X-Men, starring the large ensemble cast, including – Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Bruce Davison, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, and Anna Paquin, opened in the US on this date. Hugh Jackman took ice cold showers every morningContinue reading “X-Men premiered”

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 cranky and irritable, and all theContinue reading “France’s most celebrated prison riot”

July 14, 1951 – The Looney Tunes short, The Wearing of the Grin, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Porky Pig, was released on this date. This was the final Porky Pig solo film of Warner Brother’s Cartoons’ classic period.

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 “Popeye’s first short”

July 14, 1964 –The Rolling Stones score their first #1 hit in the UK with their cover of Bobby Womack’s It’s All Over Now. New York disc jockey Murray the K gave The Stones a copy of the original recording of the song by The Valentinos and suggested they record it. Murray was important enoughContinue reading “Well, baby used to stay out all night long”

July 13, 1953 –The drama, Titanic, directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Wagner, Audrey Dalton, Harper Carter, Thelma Ritter, Brian Aherne, and Richard Basehart, set sail on this date. The filming of the disaster had a powerful effect on Barbara Stanwyck, who recalled: “The night we were making the sceneContinue reading “Titanic premiered”

July 13, 1960 –20th Century Fox released the sci-fi adventure film The Lost World (based on the novel by Arthur Conan Doyle), directed by Irwin Allen and starring Michael Rennie, Jill St. John, Claude Rains and Fernando Lamas (who looked marvelous), to U.S. theaters on this date. Director Irwin Allen wanted to use stop-motion dinosaursContinue reading “The Lost World premiered”

July 13, 1935 – The Merrie Melodies short, Country Mouse, directed by Friz Freleng, was released on this date. In the opening, while Country Mouse is working the punching bag, a poster behind him advertises Battling Freleng. Freleng was the director of this cartoon.

July 13, 1946 – The Merrie Melodies short, The Eager Beaver, directed by Chuck Jones, was released on this date. Lots of early versions of other castmate characterizations. Henry Hawk, Pepe le Pew, Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig can all be glimpsed or heard here.