Birthdays: Spinoza, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Scott Joplin,
President Zachary Taylor “Old Rough & Ready”, Carrie Nation, Dick Powell,
Garson Kanin, Cass Gilbert-the architect of the first skyscraper, Alvan
Barkley-Truman’s VP, William F. Buckley, John Lindsay, Dale Carnegie- author of
How to Win Friends and Influence People, Steve Yeager, Denise Crosby, Billy
Connolly is 72
1933- The RKO movie Flying Down to Rio opened, originally as
a starring vehicle for Dolores Del Rio, but what we remember is it is the first
pairing of the famous dance team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
1937- The Andrew Sisters record their Boogie-Woogie version
of “Bei Mir Bist Du Schon”, an old Yiddish song that was updated by Bennie
Goodman.
1938- LENI DOES TINSELTOWN -Hitler's top filmmaker Leni
Reifenstahl arrived in Hollywood to meet the film community and show off her
new documentary 'Olympia". Nazis charges de’ affaires in L.A. Gerhard
Gyssling had bragged to the press that all Hollywood was dying to meet
Germany’s top film artist. But Hollywood had different ideas. Paramount, Warner
Bros., Columbia, Fox and Goldwyn refused to speak to her and picketers hounded
her every step. Well known Conservatives like Louis B. Mayer and Gary Cooper
were polite but begged off the bad publicity.
The only studio heads
who would meet Leni Reifenstahl were Hal Roach and Walt Disney. Uncle Walt gave
her a tour of the studio but begged off running her film, saying the union
projectionist would make trouble. ( uh-huh....) Years later Disney said he
didn't really know who she was. ( uh-huh......) Leni told an LA historian years
later that she thought Walt met her because his professional curiosity got the
better of him. That he wanted to see Olympia, because it was the only film to
beat his Snow White at the Venice Film Festival, then the world’s most
prestigious.
1941- After suffering a strike and declining revenue because
of the war in Europe Walt Disney’s studio was in trouble. Disney animator Ward Kimball noted in his
diary for this day: “ 100 layoffs
announced. Studio personnel from 1600 down to a Hyperion level of 300. Geez, It
this the writing on the wall?” Disney saved itself with doing Defense films
for the Army and after limping through the 1940’s with Cinderella was back on
top..
1950- The musical Guys & Dolls opened. “ I got da horse right here, his name is
Paul Revere, I know a jock who tells me Never Fear, Can Do- Can Do..The Jock
sez da horse can –do ”
1958- The musical film Gigi opened, music by Lerner &
Lowe. Based on the writings of French author Collette, Collette herself had
insisted young unknown Dutch actress Audrey Hepburn play the lead.
1968- Hey Jude by the Beatles topped the pop charts while
Tammy Wynette’s Stand By Your Man headed the Country & Western listing.
1991- Freddy Mercury, lead singer of the rock group Queen,
died of HIV/AIDS.
1998- America On Line bought
their chief competitor Netscape.
1999- Pixars Toy Story 2. in
theaters.
2000- Catherine Zeta-Jones
married Michael Douglas. In 2013 they separated for a time, but have since
reconciled.
2010- Disney’s Tangled released.
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