Monthly Archives: August 2011

‘An American in Paris’ premieres in London 60 years ago today

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiiaJRXPAm4
An American in Paris (1951) Trailer

(Sunday, August 26, 1951)An American in Paris, a MGM musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin, premiered tonight in London. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Georges Guetary and Oscar Levant, the film is set in Paris, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli.

Eleanor Roosevelt writes about husband’s illness 90 years ago today


(click here to watch the full program, with August 14, 1921 @ 53:59)

(Sunday, August 14, 1921)— Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, writes about her husband’s illness in a letter. Franklin had developed acute symptoms of poliomyelitis four days before while visiting his summer home on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada.

‘A Place in the Sun’ premieres in Los Angeles 60 years ago today

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fm6sa_L5_4
'A Place In The Sun' - Trailer [1951]

(Tuesday, August 14, 1951)A Place in the Sun, a film which tells the story of a working-class young man who is entangled with two women, premiered tonight in Los Angeles. It was directed by George Stevens and stars Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters, Anne Revere, and Raymond Burr.

Connery films final scene as official James Bond 007 40 years ago today

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uEN1fEL4jg
Cremation Escape

(Friday, August 13, 1971) — Actor Sean Connery today filmed his final scenes for Diamonds Are Forever, the seventh “official” James Bond film. Ironically, the last shots were of Connery being placed in a coffin (he would not return to the role of 007 until the “unofficial” Never Say Never Again in 1983).

Ellsberg break-in plan approved 40 years ago today


Watergate. Part 3 of 30

(Wednesday, August 11, 1971) — A plan by E. Howard Hunt, one of the Nixon White House “Plumbers” (a secret team of operatives charged with fixing “leaks” to leading newspapers), to burglarize the office of psychiatrist Lewis Fielding to steal his files on Daniel Ellsberg, who had leaked the Pentagon Papers, was approved by Chief Domestic Advisor John Ehrlichman.

‘Queen: The Days of Our Lives’ debuts in U.S.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRYb-YZa_aE
Queen - The Days Of Our Lives Documentary (Part 1)

(Friday, August 9, 1991) — “Queen: The Days of Our Lives,” a documentary about the English rock group Queen, debuted tonight on American television, just over three months before the death of the lead singer Freddie Mercury. The documentary featured an appearance by former Beatle Paul McCartney. Continue reading ‘Queen: The Days of Our Lives’ debuts in U.S.