Browsing: Arts & Entertainment

A Brief History Doctor Who, a pinball machine designed by Bill Pfutzenreuter (Pfutz) and Barry Oursler, and released by Midway (under the Bally brand name) in September 1992, is based on the television series of the same name.  In January 2016, FarSight Studios created a Kickstarter campaign here in the hopes of raising funds to make a digital version of the table available for their various versions of The Pinball Arcade. Digging Deeper This campaign is the fifth one started by FarSight Studios in order to raise sufficient funds to digitize notable pinball machines.  The previous four campaigns (all of which I have personally contributed…

A Brief History On January 17, 1949, American television audiences were treated to a new form of entertainment, the situation comedy, or more familiarly known as the sitcom. Digging Deeper The Goldbergs, a show about a New York Jewish family living in a Bronx tenement.  The main character was the matriarch, Molly Goldberg, played by actress Gertrude Berg.  The show had been a radio program from 1929 to 1946, at first weekly but due to great success becoming a daily show in 1931.  The public was already familiar with the premise of the show and the characters, so taking to the television…

A Brief History On January 14, 2005, the big budget Hollywood film, Alexander, starring Colin Farrell in the title role made its debut in Italy, after having opened previously in November of 2004 in the U.S.  A lavish film with a budget of $155 million, the film was successful in that its box office worldwide was over $167 million, but was it real history or just Hollywood? Digging Deeper Released in the original theatrical form, DVD versions were later released as “Director’s Cut,” “Final Cut,” and “Ultimate Cut” giving movie and history buffs an opportunity to sample different versions of…

A Brief History On January 8, 1935, Elvis Aron Presley, the King of Rock and Roll was born in Mississippi.  Major Dan once spent 3 weeks in Mississippi, and was born on January 7.  Elvis had dark hair,  Dan likewise.  Both liked jelly donuts and peanut butter, not to mention cheeseburgers.  Alas, both estimable gentlemen were slightly overweight, but not as young men. Digging Deeper Elvis was born to a Christian family, the good Major was born into a Christian family.  The King was heterosexual, and most people think Major Dan is, too.  Long sideburns were once a trademark of both…

A Brief History On January 5, 1956, producers and editors of the major Hollywood motion picture, Alexander the Great, starring Richard Burton in the title role, were hard at work preparing the movie for its March 22, 1956 release, cutting its running time from over 3 hours to 135 minutes. Digging Deeper The film is of course about the great Macedonian King and conqueror who ruled an enormous empire carved out of the Middle East and Mediterranean by his own leadership between 336 and 323 BCE.  During his reign, Alexander defeated the great Persian Empire and all others that stood in…