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Posts Archived Under Movie Theatres
Well, that's what it all comes
down to, doesn't it? |
Welcome once more to The Spark, your source for a deep dig into the week's events. Let's begin, shall we?
Monday:
The week begins with the anniversaries of the deaths of a couple of prominent Southerners. It's hard to determine which was the more notable, though. Obviously, Elvis Presley dying in 1977 got more ink (and the good people at FTD had more orders for flowers to be delivered to Graceland than for any other event or place), and his effect on pop culture is incalculable, but in 1888, John Pemberton died in Atlanta, three years after inventing Coca-Cola. Memphians will note the anniversary with Elvis Week, but we don’t think Atlantans will be celebrating Pemberton Week, so Mr. Presley may get the nod.
But Elvis and Dr. Pemberton aren’t the only prominent folks who died on this date. In 1956, Bela Lugosi died. Lugosi was so identified with Count Dracula that he resented the way the role had typecast him, so it was odd that he chose to be buried in the Dracula cape he had worn on stage and screen. In 1948, baseball legend Babe Ruth died. Had he lived another six years, he might have made the cover of "Sports Illustrated," the first issue of which hit the newsstands in 1954.
In birthdays today, we note two creators and an icon (of sorts). In 1884, Hugo Gernsback was born. Gernsback is all but unknown today, but in the 1920s, he nurtured not only the genre of science fiction (which he called "scientifiction"), but also created what has come to be known as fandom by printing names and addresses of readers in his science fiction magazines. (Coincidentally, the World Science Fiction Convention opens tomorrow in Reno, NV.) 1892, Otto Messmer was born. Messmer was an artist and animator who may or may not have created Felix the Cat, who, until the advent of Mickey Mouse in the late 1920s, was the biggest animated star in movies. The icon is Fess Parker, who was born in 1924. In the 1950s, he played frontiersman and Congressman Davy Crockett (whose own birth in 1786 we note tomorrow) on television, causing a mania for coonskin caps. In the 60s, he played frontiersman and legislator Daniel Boone.
In the oddity file, we see that Chang and Eng Bunker, the original "Siamese Twins," arrived in Boston in 1829. Though they were joined at the sternum, the Bunkers married sisters and fathered 21 children between them. We needn't dwell on the details. And it's the 90th birthday of bohemian writer Charles Bukowski, who managed to turn a life of dissipation and alcohol into poetry.
Tuesday:
Last week, we mentioned that "The Wizard of Oz" had had its world premiere in Oconomowoc, WI. Well, on August 17, 1939, it finally reached New York, opening at the Capitol Theatre on Broadway. Speaking of things reaching the Big Apple, it was on this day in 1790, that the U.S. capital moved from New York to Philadelphia (the government would open shop in Washington DC in 1800.)
Speaking of things leaving New York, Robert Fulton's steamboat, The Clermont, left New York for Albany in 1807. (That route later became notorious in the early 20th century, as philandering husbands and wives used it to follow through on trysts. "Taking the night boat to Albany" became shorthand for having an affair.)
And speaking of illicit affairs, how could we forget that, on this day in 1893, Mae West was born? West was an actor an playwright who traded in the power of sex to scandalize, so much so that a number of her plays were shut down for their scandalous plots and she herself was arrested more than once.
Some musical events of note today. In 1954, Billy Murray died. Murray is all but unknown today, but he was a staggeringly popular recording artist in the first quarter of the 20th century, becoming the first person to sell a million records. In 1959, Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" was released. It marked a new type of cool jazz that hadn't been widely heard before, and Miles struck gold, with the album being generally considered to the best-selling jazz album of all time. Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson will release an album of his arrangements of songs by George Gershwin today. It’s also the 27th anniversary of the death of George’s brother Ira, though we don't know if the though of Wilson messing with the Gershwin songbook is what killed him.
Wednesday:
Today is a day for all types of women's events. In 1587, Virginia Dare became the first child of European parents to be born on American soil. She was born in the Roanoake colony in North Carolina, an outpost from which every resident mysteriously vanished soon after. In 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote. And today, the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders will release a swimsuit calendar. Whether this is a step forward or backward, we leave to you, dear reader.
In three completely unrelated events, we note than, in 1227, Genghis Khan, who created the largest empire the world has ever known, died; that today is International Homeless Animals Day; and that an expedition to create the first 3D map of the wreckage site of RMS Titanic will begin.
Thursday:
Not a good day for witches or those suspected of being witches. In 1612, three women from the Lancashire village of Samlesbury, England, were put on trial, for allegedly practicing witchcraft, and eighty years later, in 1692 in Salem, MA, one woman and four men ere executed after being convicted of witchcraft.
Following the death of Elvis earlier in the week, the death of Groucho Marx in 1977 didn't cause much of a ripple, but to fans of classic comedy, it was a bigger event.
Thanks to the efforts of birthday boy Philo T. Farnsworth (1906), who invented the television, news travels faster than ever -- or certainly faster than it did in 1848, when the news of the California Gold Rush finally reached the New York Herald, a mere seven months after gold had been discovered. Had airplanes been around in those days (and today is National Aviation Day, to commemorate the 1871 birth of Orville Wright), the east coast might have gotten the word sooner, though.
Friday:
Speaking of getting the word late, it was on this day in 1866 that President Andrew Johnson formally declared the Civil War over, a mere 16 months after the surrender at Appomattox.
(We might also mention in this context that in 1858, Charles Darwin first published his theory of evolution in "The Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London," alongside Alfred Russel Wallace's same theory, though there are still some folks who either haven’t gotten that news, or who choose to ignore it.)
In musical anniversaries, in 1882 Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" debuted in Moscow and in 1885, Gilbert and Sullivan’s "The Mikado," opened in New York.
Some sports stuff today, too. It's the 90th birthday of the National Football League, founded in Canton, OH, as well as the being the openings of the World Series of both mahjong and Little League baseball. A less happy reminder of football also occurs today, when "The Tillman Story" opens; it's a documentary investigating the life and the cover-up of the death of NFL star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman.
On a (much) lighter note, a "Twilight" convention opens today in Parsippany, NJ. Why Parsippany, we have no idea.
Saturday:
In 1878, the American Bar Association was founded. We'd make a joke here, but we don't want to get sued.
Speaking of theft, it was on this day in 1911 that the Mona Lisa was stolen by an employee of the Louvre Museum (There must be something about art thefts this weekend. Sunday is the sixth anniversary of the thefts of two paintings by Edvard Munch from the Munch Museum in Oslo.)
And speaking of exaggeration, it's Wilt Chamberlain’s birthday. Wilt was born in 1936, and while he was one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, he also claimed to be one of the most prolific scorers off the court, boasting in his autobiography that he had slept with over 20,000 women (nearly as many as his 31,419 career points).
In other birthdays today, piano legend Count Basie, who lead the swingingest big band ever, was born in 1904; Oscar-winning animation director Friz Freleng was born in 1906; Christopher Robin Milne, who inspired (and resented) the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, was born in 1920; and in 1938, country singer Kenny Rogers was born. We're not quite sure when his face was born, however.
And on this day in 1959, Hawaii became a state -- just in time to either be or not be the birthplace of Barack Obama.
Sunday:
In 1485, King Richard III was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field. Shakespeare's play of 100 or so years later painted him as an utter villain, but contemporary historians have rehabilitated him somewhat. Guess history will also be written by the victors.
Speaking of writers, we close the week by noting that, in 1893, Dorothy Parker was born. Mrs. Parker was generally considered to be the wittiest woman in America in the 1920s and '30s, with a pen dipped in poison and a tongue to match. In her later years, she tried to renounce her fame and wit, but any woman who could say, "If all the girls who attended the Yale prom were laid end to end, I wouldn't be a bit surprised" had something going on.
Earlier, we mentioned how Hugo Gernsback more or less created science fiction fandom, and one of those early fans celebrates his 90th birthday today: Ray Bradbury. Bradbury wrote more than just science fiction, but that's what he's best known for. "If you enjoy living, it is not difficult to keep the sense of wonder," he once said. Over nearly a century, that"s a heck of a lot of wonder.
See you next time!
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Did you ever think that maybe
it's the Tower is straight, and it's
the rest of Pisa that's crooked?
(Photo by Sébastien Bertrand)
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Welcome back to The Spark, version 2.0. As is our new wont, we'll be taking a look at news, events, and anniversaries for the upcoming week in order to point you to deeper resources available about them in the Yahoo! Directory. Anxious to begin? So are we! Let's dive in.
Monday:
On this date in 1173, construction began in Pisa, Italy on a campanile. Soon after building began, the tower began to sink and tilt. (We think you can see where we’re going with this ...) Suffice it to say, though, we were surprised to learn it took nearly two hundred years to complete. Eight stories in two centuries? That's either some tough zoning commission or pretty strict union rules.
In 1483, Sistine Chapel in the the Vatican opened. We always wondered where its name came from, and it turns out it was named after Pope Sixtus IV. In another construction fun fact, we were surprised to learn that the room didn't open with Michelangelo's ceiling paintings in place; they weren't added for another 25 years -- and even then, it took the artist four years to finish the job. (Insert obligatory joke about "he should have used a roller.") We don't know if this is coincidental, but today is also International Art Appreciation Day. So go out and appreciate some art, won't you?
We don't take notice of just contractors today; we also salute Mr. Jacob Bronck, the Dutch farmer who managed to purchase what is now the New York borough of The Bronx (which is, of course, named for him) from local Indian tribes for 400 beads.
In birthdays today, cartoon icon Betty Boop turns 80, having made her debut in the Fleischer Studios cartoon "Dizzy Dishes" in 1930. Betty looks pretty good for an old dame, and was recently unveiled as the "Official Fantasy Cheerleader" of the United Football League -- and no, we’re not sure what that actually means. Speaking of fantasy mascots, the United States Forest Service unveiled their own mascot, Smokey the Bear, on this day in 1944.
For those of you inclined toward motorcycles and unseemly behavior, we'll note that the 70th Sturgis Rally begins today in Sturgis, SD, and leave it at that -- except to not that "unseemly behavior" reminds us that this is the 36th anniversary of Richard Nixon resigning the Presidency.
Tuesday:
In these days of the Interwebs, it's hard to conceive of how slow communication used to be. For example, it was until this day in 1776 that word of the United States declaring its independence reached London -- over a month after the event took place. It's a good day for revolutionary movements, as, in 1792, French revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace and arrested King Louis XVI.
But it's not just a day for revolting; it's also a day for learning and scholarship. In 1846, James Smithson donated $500,000 (about $115 million today) to fund what would turn out to be the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. In much the same spirit, a group of, well, obsessive nerds (and we mean that fondly) met in Cooperstown, NY, in 1971, to found the Society for American Baseball Research, known for such Sabermetric abbreviations as WARP, wOBA, and xFIP. (If you’re more fond of football and video games than you are of baseball, please note that Madden NFL 11 will be released today).
Antonio Banderas turns 50 today. We'll say he looks pretty darn good for a guy his age, and leave it at that.
It's the 78th anniversary of the death of Rin Tin Tin. Rinty was a German Shepherd puppy who was found on a World War I battlefield by soldier Lee Duncan. Duncan brought the dog back to America and taught him any number of tricks, to the point where the dog became a major movie star in the 1920s, even keeping the Warner Bros. studio from going bankrupt.
To get serious for a moment, we wish our Muslim readers a blessed Ramadan, the holiday that begins today.
Wednesday:
Not much to note today, but we found this juxtaposition irresistible, especially in light of recent events in the Gulf. In 1994, a federal jury awarded $286.8 million to 10,000 commercial fishermen for their losses suffered as a result of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. And on the same date in 1998, British Petroleum purchased Amoco for $49 billion.
And in 1934, the first prisoners started arriving at the newly-commissioned federal prison on Alcatraz Island.
BP? Oil spills? Alcatraz? We'll leave the math to you.
Thursday:
State fair season gets underway this weekend, as fairs open in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and West Virginia. The idea of the state fair conjures up (for us, anyway) the idea of small towns and the Midwest, which also reminds us that, in 1939, "The Wizard of Oz" had its world premiere not in Hollywood, but at the Strand Theatre in the bustling Wisconsin town of Oconomowoc. Turns out MGM was afraid they had a flop on their hands, and wanted to keep it quiet. (And we'll mention here that Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion, would have turned 115 this Friday).
Speaking of fantasies, supposedly on this date in 1943, the U.S. Navy tested a teleportation machine in what has come to be known as the Philadelphia Experiment.
Way, way back in 30 BCE, Cleopatra committed suicide by letting an asp bite her.
For the geeky, not only will Jon Stewart be interviewing George Lucas at the Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, FL, but it's also the first day of the QuakeCon video game tournament.
For the more athletically inclined, the PGA Golf Championship begins today in Kohler, WI, as well as the annual inductions at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.
Friday:
Remember not so long ago, when everyone was all concerned about how 2012 is the end of the Mayan calendar, which somehow means the end of the world? Well, on this day in 3114 BCE, the Mayan calendar started up. We can only guess what was around before that ...
A big day for women today. It's the 150th birthday of sharpshooter Annie Oakley, the 100th anniversary of the death of pioneer nurse Florence Nightingale, and the 92nd anniversary of Opha Mae Johnson being the first woman to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.
In the world of movies, Alfred Hitchcock, "the Master of Suspense," known for such classics as "Psycho," "North by Northwest," and "Vertigo," was born in 1899, which would have made him 111 today -- almost as old as the cast of "The Expendables," which opens today with such stars as Sylvester Stallone, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. That it's also Friday the 13th and World Lizard Day seems almost non-coincidental. (Though it's also International Lefthanders Day, so we probably shouldn't make too much of it.)
Saturday:
Today is the 75th anniversary of the passing of the Social Security Act, which should come as a relief to Steve Martin, who turns 65 today, and is now eligible to retire.
On the same day Steve was born, the Japanese surrendered to the Allies, ending World War II, an event that was helped in no small part by the U.S. Army's Navajo code talkers -- Native Americans who radioed each other in their native tongue, completely confounding the Japanese who tried unsuccessfully to understand them; something that is celebrated today with National Navajo Code Talkers Day.
In Glasgow today, pipers from around the world will gather at the World Pipe Band Championships, something annoying for most of us, and bizarre enough to commemorate the 60th birthday of "Far Side" cartoonist Gary Larson. (Though perhaps it's not as bizarre as the UK Mobile Phone Throwing Championships.) A more pleasant musical event will take place on the other side of the Equator, as the World Tango Championships will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Sunday:
Birthdays today for two people who conquered their own worlds in their own ways. In 1769, it was Napoleon Bonaparte, and in 1912, it was Julia Child.
In 1969 on this date, Woodstock opened, featuring such musical acts as Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Carlos Santana, Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Jefferson Airplane, The Who, and others.
We began this week by mentioning the Leaning Tower of Pisa, so it’s only fitting that we end it by referring to the laying of the foundation stone of Cologne Cathedral in 1248. The Tower took only 200 years to build, but the Cathedral wasn't completed until 1880.
We wish you a good week and the hopes that your own construction projects go more swiftly.
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July is Cell Phone Courtesy Month, and in honor of this occasion we are offering friendly reminders and cautionary tales. We intend to improve your life by letting you know that you are not alone in your disdain for those oblivious to the annoyance they cause others, and also offer you comfort in knowing that you are not the only one who makes the occasional slip in etiquette. All names have been changed to protect our sources in this delicate matter.
"Marion" - Remember when Bluetooth headsets first came out and people would wear them even when they weren’t using their phones? Not a cool look and very unapproachable. Thank goodness I don’t see Borg-y Magees much anymore.
"Alice" - Cell phones should be in a silent mode all the time in the office -- most phones offer a silent mode w/vibration nowadays. Electrical versions of the latest hit songs, some random customized ring tones, and the good old phone rings can be all quite distracting for some people. Especially when a cell phone is left in a cube. The personal phone rings continuously, and that’s mostly after the work phone rang a few times. Expecting some important calls? That's when the phone should really be in silent mode, because it'll surely ring until it gets answered!
"Bruce" - I was at a movie the other night and some pinhead right in front of me kept looking at his phone, either texting or reading his email, and the incredibly bright light kept shining in my face like a Vegas spot light (at least, that’s how it felt). Morons need to either ignore their phones completely (TURN IT OFF!) or at the very least, turn down their brightness settings. Also, during the same movie (this was a Metallica concert/movie, so the number of pinheads increased substantially), some jagoff walks into the theater, late, of course, using his phone as a FLASH LIGHT! Because THAT'S not annoying at all!
"Bella" - I once realized I was checking Facebook and email on my phone while my friend was over to hang out and in mid-conversation. That was pretty rude of me.
"Clark" - I'm a fan of live theatre, and there's always a chance that anything can happen during the performance -- particularly a cell phone going off. No matter how many times an audience is warned, some dimwit thinks his phone won't be the one that goes off. Most times the actors ignore the interruption, but in egregious cases, actors will try either a charming approach or be more aggressive in their attempts to get the audience to actually watch the show they paid to see. I recently saw a play with Christopher Walken, and at one point in the show, he was crossing down right, and a cell phone started ringing. Walken stopped, gave the audience one of his quizzical looks and stood, just waiting. After about four rings, the phone stopped. He gave a "what are you gonna do?" shrug, and continued the action, handling it brilliantly.
"Dana" – I once worked at a bookstore, and a man on his cell phone ducked half-way into the back room through the "employees only" door (first offense), and proceeded to reveal to the entire shop that he was a doctor by loudly discussing a patient's medical condition (second offense), and referring to the patient by name (third offense). I was very glad he wasn't my doctor.
"Lyra" - My feathers are repeatedly ruffled by teens and students who decide to use their phones as ghetto blasters on public transport. Whether it’s Ke$ha or Katy Perry, I know that everyone else in the train carriage is thinking the same thing I am: "Turn that racket off!" Then I wonder why, if they can afford the latest in MP3 cell phone technology, they can’t also invest in a good pair of headphones ...
"Snuffy" - While I can tolerate loud talkers in waiting rooms, gossiping teenagers on public transit, and glowing-screen texters in movie theaters, I hate when people talk on their phones in the bathroom. You may not care if the other person on the line hears your bodily functions, but I certainly don't want people to hear mine!
"Madeline" - Talking on your cell phone in public restrooms is NOT okay. Specifically while you are in the stall. Therefore, I invite all who encounter this behavior to invoke their six-year-old selves and make loud noises in their own stalls. This will not only satisfy one's inner child, but will also hopefully be heard by the person on the other end of the line.
Clearly, we can all benefit from a brief refresher in manners when it comes to phone use in public. Some people take things to the extreme with their phones, such as supermodel Naomi Campbell, who has reportedly used her phone as a weapon again and again and again. The good news is that most cell phone offenses are minor, and of us can be reformed. You may have been gabbing to your friend and ordering coffee from a perturbed barista this morning, but a little mindfulness can save you from the same faux pas tomorrow.
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The original movie poster for
"Star Wars." (Somehow we
don't remember Carrie and
Mark flashing that much skin.) |
On May 25, 1977, one George Walton Lucas, Jr., a little-known director of a couple of well-received but low-budget films, was relieved to see his peculiar adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress" released at last. The film was of course "Star Wars" -- now possibly the most famous film of all time, but it was a movie that almost never got made ...
Initially titled "The Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Starkiller," "Star Wars" was rejected by almost every Hollywood studio as both too expensive and too risky a gamble. Only 20th Century Fox thought Lucas had any potential, since the young director's previous film, "American Graffiti," had been well received, grossing $21 million and being nominated for six Oscars. So Fox took a chance, and with perhaps a slightly nervous smile, gave Lucas a whole $8 million to film his crazy story about galactic empires, "hokey religions" and -- good grief! -- Death Stars (whatever they were).
But Lucas's problems weren't over yet. Production was dogged by delays, and matters weren't helped by a film crew that refused to take such obvious nonsense seriously. Even Harrison Ford famously said, "George, you can type this s***, but you can't say it!". Costs rose to $11 million, and the cast became worried that Lucas seemed depressed and ill (and, indeed, he was diagnosed with hypertension).
"Star Wars" (back then it wasn't "Episode IV: A New Hope," it was just plain old "Star Wars") had a nervous opening. The premiere was moved forward to the Wednesday before Memorial Day, so it wouldn't have to compete with other hotly anticipated summer movies such as, ahem, "Smokey and the Bandit." At the time, Fox gave the film little marketing support and "Star Wars" opened in just 32 theatres nationwide.
The most famous of those theatres was Mann's Chinese in Hollywood, where the first-ever showing was scheduled for 10:30 in the morning (not exactly prime-time). However, on that day, something remarkable seemed to happen. What little pre-release press the film had gotten had fueled genuine excitement and tickets quickly began to sell out for all of the later showings. By nightfall, queues for tickets were snaking down the block and all the way out of the theatre’s parking lot.
Things just got crazier from there. Despite its inauspicious beginnings, "Star Wars" would go on to win six Oscars (out of ten nominations) and become one of the most profitable films of all time, taking in $460 million in the United States and another $337 million around the world. (And, incidentally, it would help 20th Century Fox's stock price more than double within three weeks, making 1977 the company's most profitable year by far.)
Not a bad for a nervous $11 million investment.
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Sid Grauman was a showman. In the Golden Age
of Hollywood, patrons expected that a quarter would buy them a full evening's entertainment in lavish surroundings, and that's just what Grauman provided.
Beginning in 1918, Grauman built a trio of movie palaces that put all others to shame. The first was the aptly-named (considering its constuction costs) Million Dollar Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. The second was the Egyptian Theatre, home of the first-ever "Hollywood premiere" -- Douglas Fairbanks' 1922 "Robin Hood." The crown jewel, however, was Grauman's
Chinese Theatre, built on Hollywood Boulevard at a cost of $2,000,000 (approximately $24 million today), and seating 2,000 patrons (and an orchestra of 65) in comfort and style.
The most notable part of the Chinese Theatre (other than its Asian-inspired design) is its forecourt, paved with the footprints and autographs of over 200 of Hollywood's greatest stars. The tradition allegedly began when either Grauman or Natalie Talmadge stepped into a block of wet cement during the theatre's construction in mid-April, 1927. Grauman, seeing the publicity factor of having a built-in tourist attraction, seized on the idea and, when the theatre officially opened on April 30th of that year, Fairbanks and his wife, Mary Pickford
-- who were possibly the biggest stars the movies have ever known (as well as having a financial interest in the theatre) -- were the first to immortalize their feet in Grauman's concrete.
In the 80-plus years since, millions of tourists
have come from around the world to compare their shoe sizes with those of Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe -- or others whose stars didn't burn quite as brightly.
If you go to Grauman's, though, don't expect
to see Charlie Chaplin's footprints: they were removed in the 1950s when Charlie was accused of being
a Communist.
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