The first McDonald’s opened today in 1940 in San Bernardino, CA. Two brothers, named McDonald, and their original mascot was a man wearing a chef’s hat named “Speedee”. Ray Kroc entered the fray in 1955, and Ronald McDonald came to be in 1967. Double quarter pounder with cheese, large fries and a chocolate shake. I’ll start getting in shape tomorrow.
The last great MGM musical was released today in 1958. “Gigi” starred Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan and won nine Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. The rom-com borrowed heavily from “My Fair Lady,” but holds its own in portryaing love winning out over cynicism.
Love over cynicism wasn’t exactly what Motley Crue was going for when they released “Girls, Girls, Girls” today in 1987. Or maybe it was and I just missed the point of: “Friday night and I need a fight…my motorcycle and a switchblade knife…handful of grease in my hair feels right…but what I need to make me tight are…Girls, Girls, Girls”
“Ishtar” was released on the very same day as “Girls, Girls, Girls” and despite everything you’ve ever heard, it’s pretty damn funny for the first 45 minutes.
Happy 60th birthday to George Brett, the only player to ever hit .300 in three different decades. He still looks like he could do it. Happy 57th to Dan Patrick.
— Bill Hubbell
I have to agree on Ishtar. I caught it in the middle of the night last winter and thought “Hey, this isn’t nearly as bad as I’ve always been told it was.”
I saw ISHTAR in the movie theater; a “private showing” per se as nobody else had bought a ticket. I thought it was a riot although I never quite got used to hearing my laughter booming back at me in the empty theater.