Tonight is the start of Hanukkah.
This year, my first Hanukkah gift to you is to remind you to add J. M. Smucker Company stock to your portfolio (SJM (NYSE) is the owner of the Crisco Oil® family of products.)
(Psst - today is the last Sunday in Advent)
December 22, 1932 -
Universal Pictures released the horror film The Mummy, directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff on this date.
Boris Karloff was virtually unknown when he appeared as the creature in Frankenstein. He created such a sensation that when this was made, only a year later, Universal only had to advertise "KARLOFF . . . 'The Mummy'."
December 22, 1944 -
The Mummy's Curse, the follow-up film to The Mummy's Ghost was released by Universal Pictures on this date.
According to actress Virginia Christine, when Lon Chaney Jr. carried her, she was attached to a harness that went around his neck and her waist. The actress has stated that Chaney was drunk through most of the picture. In the scenes where he carries her up the steep, crooked, worn steps of the shrine, "he is absolutely stoned" and was "weaving , going side-to-side on these uneven steps." Because they were attached, Christine was concerned what would happen if the inebriated, husky Chaney fell. She was very relieved when the director stopped the shoot and replaced Chaney with a stand-in.
December 22, 1948 -
The film version of Maxwell Anderson's play (Joan of Lorraine,) Joan of Arc, starring Ingrid Bergman opened in Los Angeles on this date.
According to some biographies of Ingrid Bergman, Howard Hughes saved her from possible injury during a visit to the set when she fell off her horse. He caught her, but rather awkwardly, with one hand firmly on her crotch.
Shades of Donald Trump...
December 22, 1959 -
Joseph L. Mankiewicz' film version of Tennesse Williams' strange one act play (about rape, incest, homosexuality, and cannibalism - I know that was probably a huge selling point,) Suddenly, Last Summer, premiered on this date.
The filmmakers were given special dispensation by the Breen office so that the homosexuality of Sebastian Venable could be "inferred, but not shown."
December 22, 1965 -
David Lean's Russian epic, Dr Zhivago, premiered in the US, on this date.
The movie was torn apart by critics when first released. Newsweek, in particular, made comments about "hack-job sets" and "pallid photography". Director David Lean was so deeply affected by these criticisms (despite the popularity of the movie with the general public) that he swore he would never make another movie. Thanks in part to MGM's extreme marketing campaign and strong word of mouth, this movie became an spectacular success at the box-office and the second highest grossing movie of 1965, behind The Sound of Music.
December 22, 1975 -
A beautiful study of love and madness (and the razor's edge between them), L'histoire d'Adele H, opened in the US on this date.
Initially planned as a grand-scale spectacular drama with Jeanne Moreau to play the lead, then Catherine Deneuve (who was having an affair with François Truffaut at the time) was considered for the role. The film took seven years to be made, and finally Truffaut decided on Isabelle Adjani whom he noticed on a TV broadcast of the Comédie Française.
Today's holiday special - The Jewish festival of re-dedication
Today in History:
December 22, 1879 -
It's Stalin's birthday (again)! Hey, when you're a dictator, you get to celebrate your birthday on more than one day. Unfortunately, the proper way to celebrate - oppress, torture and murder millions of your fellow country men - is frowned upon.
So smack someone upside the head for no reason.
December 22, 1937 -
The center tube of the Lincoln Tunnel was opened to traffic today, charging 50¢ per passenger car.
Some of those cars are still trying to get through the tunnel.
December 22, 1940 -
Strange death of the day - Author Nathanael West and his wife, Eileen McKenney, died in an auto accident on this date.
December 22, 1955 -
The corpse of Evita Peron was stolen by anti-Peronistas on this date. For 26 years, her corpse makes a world-wind turn before it's returned for burial in Buenos Aires.
Make of the coincidence what you will.
December 22, 1984 -
Bernhard Goetz shot four teenage boys on the NYC subway after one of them asks him for money.
Again, this practice is frowned upon, so instead, smack someone upside the head.
December 22, 2001 -
Richard Reid attempted to blow up an American Airlines transatlantic flight by igniting a plastic explosive concealed in his shoe. Other passengers beat the living daylights out of him.
They knew - they smacked him upside the head.
And so it goes
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