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Showing posts from October, 2021

50 Years Ago, the Electric Company Makes Its Debut

  When  The Electric Company  debuted in October 1971, television hadn't seen anything quite like it. Psychedelic graphics, wildly creative animation, mod outfits, over-the-top characters and sketch comedy all functioned to serve the same goal: teaching kids to read.  Brought to you by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) — the same producers behind  Sesame Street , which debuted in 1969 —  The Electric Company  won two Emmys, aired on more than 250 public TV stations and became a teaching tool in thousands of classrooms nationwide. To keep reading this article, click here.

Then Many Decades of Bond, James Bond

  It had been so long since I had walked down those steps into a poorly lit foyer with low-hanging ceiling tiles, where the scent of buttery popcorn filled the stagnant air, and posters hung limply off the walls. That’s right, I went to my local cinema: I actually saw a film with other people, on a big screen, and wore proper outdoor clothes. After nearly two years of viewings from my sofa, largely in pajamas, this felt unnerving — and exciting. Granted, the seats were still uncomfortable, the chocolate was still overpriced, and a large family walked in late, discussed loudly where to sit, and then chose the seats right in front of me. But there was also surround sound, laughter, and Daniel Craig.  COVID-19 had kept  No Time To Die , the latest James Bond film, out of the cinemas for as long as it had me; it was supposed to be released in April 2020, but when cinemas shut down around the world, 007 (or at least Universal Pictures) refused to stoop so low as a streaming platform. And so

Revisiting 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'

Based on Truman Capote’s 1958 novella of the same name, the 1961 Blake Edwards movie “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” seems now to be a time capsule for a period that has been long gone.   But despite that, Holly, the character played by Audrey Hepburn, retains her charm and relevance, as a pop icon, fashion icon and also as a timeless mirrored image of a certain type of person that will always exists. To keep reading this article, click here.

Good Grief! Charlie Brown Is 70

There is much that currently divides the country, but one thing will unite us this week: the love for the humorous humanity of the comic strip, "Peanuts." October 2 marks 70 years since Charles M. Schulz first debuted his United Features Syndicate "Li'l Folks" (as he originally titled the strip) and it has been 20 years since he penned his farewell comic strip. Yet Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the "Peanuts" gang remain a beloved, timeless pop culture reminder of life in the second half of the 20 century. To keep reading this article, click here

The Smart-set Secret Agent of the 60s

  Movies about spies. TV series about spies. In the 1960s, the screens were filled with them.  The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  The James Bond films.  Mission: Impossible .  The Pink Panther .  I Spy .  Our Man Flint and  In Like Flint .  The Avengers . That only scratches the surface of memorable titles that featured (mostly) serious spy stories, often set in the Cold War era. One in particular shines above all the rest: TV’s  Get Smart , whose pedigree, snappy scripts and comedic timing from its star, Don Adams, made it a favorite series from that era. To keep reading this article, click here.

When Florida's Disney World Opened 50 Years Ago Today

50 years ago today, Walt Disney World opened its doors for the first time, and Disney has planned an 18-month celebration to honor its half-century of operation.  To celebrate, fans can watch the entire  The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World  special, which originally aired on NBC on October 29, 1971. To keep reading this article, click here.