It's National Lollipop Day; but don’t go too overboard on the sugary treats. (Last time I checked; it's about 251 licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop.)
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, premiered 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, however, denied on grounds of having problems with authority and his bizarre answers to a questionnaire by the psychiatrist, thus making him unsuitable for service.
July 20, 1963 -
Jan and Dean's single Surf City, co-written by Brian Wilson (who doesn't know how to surf,) hits #1 on the Billboard Charts on this date.
Brian Wilson was working with a few different artists at the time, including the girl group The Honeys. He was extremely productive during this period, emulating Phil Spector as he focused on production and songwriting. Surf City was his first #1 hit, coming a year before The Beach Boys would top the charts with I Get Around.
July 20, 1965 -
Bob Dylan releases the classic Like A Rolling Stone on this date.
This was the only song on the album produced by Tom Wilson, who produced Dylan's second album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Wilson had been a jazz producer and was brought in to replace John Hammond. Wilson invited keyboard player Al Kooper to the session, and Al produced the famous organ riff that drove the song. This was the last song Wilson worked on with Dylan, as Bob Johnston took over production duties.
July 20, 1965 -
The Lovin' Spoonful released their hit Do You Believe In Magic? on this date.
This was written by John Sebastian, who formed The Lovin' Spoonful with his friend, Zal Yanovsky. Sebastian and Yanovsky were in a group called The Mugwumps, and made a name for themselves playing clubs in Greenwich Village. When the other Mugwumps - Mama Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty - moved to California and formed The Mamas And The Papas, they formed the band and Sebastian began focusing on songwriting. The Lovin' Spoonful started playing electric instruments to get away from the folk music sound and attract a younger contemporary rock audience.
July 20, 1970 -
Richard and Karen Carpenters appear on The Dating Game, where they perform (They Long To Be) Close To You and each select from three suitors (and not each other,) on this date.
Karen Carpenter appeared on segment 1 and she was the girl interviewing the three bachelors. Richard on segment 2 as one of the three bachelors. Richard won the date in his game. They never actually go on their dates
July 20, 1984 -
20th Century Fox releases the comedy film Revenge of the Nerds, starring Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards on this date.
Although many of the actors had reservations about appearing in a movie called Revenge of the Nerds, they had a terrific time filming it. The actors described the filming as a "fraternity atmosphere", and frequently partied with the University of Arizona students, many of whom appear in the film as extras.
July 20, 1986 -
The Alex Cox biography Sid and Nancy, starring Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb, premiered in London, on this date.
Chloe Webb and Gary Oldman improvised their dialogue in the scene leading up to Spungen's death. They created their dialogue from archival interviews and other materials available to them.
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, premiered on this date.
During post-production, Marlon Brando publicly condemned this film and claimed it would be the biggest turkey of all time. This was because Brando asked for an additional $1 million when the shoot was extended an extra week. When the producers refused, he threatened to badmouth the film in the press. They still refused and he followed through with his threat. The following day, the producers paid him the money and he publicly praised the film.
July 20, 2001 -
Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki was released in Japan on this date. (The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, making it the first (and, to date, only) hand-drawn and non-English-language animated film to win that award.)
Despite having a rich plot with developed characters, Spirited Away was not made with a script. In fact, Miyazaki's films never had scripts. "I don't have the story finished and ready when we start work on a film," the filmmaker told Midnight Eye. "I usually don't have the time. So the story develops when I start drawing storyboards. The production starts very soon thereafter, while the storyboards are still developing." Miyazaki does not know where the plot is going, and he lets it happen organically. "It's not me who makes the film. The film makes itself and I have no choice but to follow".
July 20, 2007 -
The musical version of John Waters 1988 cult classic film (and the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name,) Hairspray, directed by Adam Shankman and starring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah, Zac Efron, and Nikki Blonsky premiered on this date.
The film brought together John Travolta who starred in Grease, and Michelle Pfeiffer who starred in Grease 2. One day, while the cast was waiting between takes, Travolta began singing Summer Nights. Co-stars Amanda Bynes and Zac Efron were so excited that they immediately began sending text messages to their friends about what was happening.
Another ACME Safety Film
Today in History:
July 20, 911 -
Rollo, the leader of the marauding Vikings, sweeping through Europe, laid siege of to the city of Chartres, on this date. This would be totally of no importance except the king of France, Charles the Senseless, (who was not so senseless in this instance,) negiotated a peace treaty with them. He granted them an area of France that would become Normandy.
Rollo is the great-great-great-grandfather of William the Conqueror. Through William, he is an ancestor of the present-day British royal family, as well as an ancestor of all current European monarchs and a great many pretenders to abolished European thrones. So who knew that a chocolate covered caramel would play such an important part of European history.
July 20, 1402 -
At the Battle of Angora, Tamerlane led his huge army of Taters against the Ottomans (or Ottomen). Tamerlane captured the Sultan (Head Ottoman), and this is why we call some sweaters Angoras to this day.
Angora, however, is now called Ankara.
(Co-incidentally in 1991, on this date President Bush, visiting Turkey, was cheered by thousands of people in Ankara.)
July 20, 1801 -
According to legend, a 1,235 pound cheese ball was pressed at the farm of Elisha Brown Jr. and taken to Washington D.C. by a horse-driven wagon.
He presented it as a gift to President Thomas Jefferson at the White House on this date.
(Or it could have been given to him on January 1st, 1802; I don't know, I wasn't there.)
July 20, 1903 -
The Ford Motor Company took its first order for a two-cylinder Model A car on July 15th 1903 and shipped the car on this date.
July 20, 1938 -
I get tetchy with myself when I forget. I also get tetchy when directors ask you for take after take after take after take for no apparent reason. I've heard Maggie Smith gets tetchy for the same reason..
English actress Diana Rigg, was born on this date, in Doncaster, England.
as was, Natalie Zacharenko (Natalie Wood), on this date, except in San Francisco.
July 20, 1944 -
In an attempt on Hitler's life, a time bomb explodes in the situation room of the Wolf's Lair, killing four Nazi officers but only wounding the Fuhrer. After his close call, Hitler becomes even more paranoid. A massive purge is to follow, resulting in the execution of thousands of officers.
Hollywood's favorite 'frequently married little person (not Mickey Rooney)' starred in a film version of the event.
July 20, 1951 -
In Jerusalem at the al-Aqsa Mosque, King Abdullah of Jordan was shot three times in the head and chest by Mustapha Shukri Usho, a Palestinian opposed to peace with Israel.
Abdullah died on the spot.
July 20, 1968 -
The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held on this date, a joint venture between the Kennedy Foundation and the Chicago Park District.
The first games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago, and more than 150 countries worldwide sent more than 1,000 athletes competed.
July 20, 1969 -
54 years ago today, in a live transmission from the Moon, viewed by 720 million people around the world, Neil Armstrong stepped foot onto the Moon. It was a brave thing to do (and unfortunately caused Buzz Aldrin to have his post-Apollo 11 period of alcoholism and depression.)
It was also the first mission to bring back samples from a foreign planetary body — the samples dated back 3.7 billion years.
And whatever you do, don't ask Buzz if it was faked.
July 20, 1973 -
In Hong Kong, martial artist Bruce Lee fell into a coma and died of cerebral edema on this date. He had been experiencing brain problems beginning in May, which included sporadic loss of consciousness (I've always hated when that happens.)
Lee's death happened shortly before the release of Enter the Dragon, his most successful film.
July 20, 1976 -
Hank Aaron, considered one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history, hit his last home run (#755) off the California Angels' Dick Drago at Milwaukee County Stadium, on this date.
He is perhaps most famous for breaking the record for career home runs, which he held until Barry Bonds topped him on September 23, 2006. (Aaron did it without being on the juice, that's all I'm saying.)
July 20, 1976 -
The US spacecraft Viking 1 was the first craft ever to land on Mars on this date. It holds the record for having the second longest mission on Mars' surface: 6 years and 116 days.
NASA terminated communications with the craft on August 17, 1980. So technically, it's still there (unless the martians have stripped the craft and have it up on blocks.)
July 20, 1994 -
O.J. Simpson offered a $500,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the Real Killers on this date.
To this day progress remains elusive, although Simpson continues his search throughout the gated community that he calls home.
And so it goes.
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