A Brief History On June 24, 1916, Canadian born Gladys Louise Smith, age 24, became the first Hollywood actor or actress to sign a contract worth at least $1 million when she signed with Adolph Zukor, founder of what would become Paramount Pictures. Digging Deeper Better known as Mary Pickford, the actress was by 1916 the most popular actress in the world of film, only barely surpassed by Charlie Chaplin as most popular overall. (Chaplin got a million dollar contract in 1918 and is sometimes erroneously listed as the first actor to get such a contract.) Pickford’s contract included $10,000…
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A Brief History On June 21, 2017, a date firmly implanted in the 21st Century, people still have not learned to DO WHAT THE POLICE SAY TO DO. Milwaukee police officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown was found not guilty on June 21, 2017 in the fatal shooting of Sylville Smith. Digging Deeper Once again, a police shooting is considered justified after incredibly close and deliberate investigation and trial, and yet people are surprised. Mr. Smith ran from a traffic stop on August 13, 2016, armed with a handgun. After a foot chase, Officer Heaggan-Brown shot Smith twice as he tried to jump…
A Brief History On June 22, 2017, and on every June 22, you (only applies if you are a guy) are commanded to celebrate National Stupid Guy Thing Day. We apparently have idiotic “holidays” such as Sweetest Day, Valentine’s Day, Take Your Kid to Work Day and no end of goofy days. Thank goodness we have today to celebrate the “stupid” (stupid is in the eye of the beholder, and with guys, sometimes it really is in the eye!) things guys do or allegedly do that somebody thinks women and girls do not (normally) do. Digging Deeper Unfortunately, I could…
A Brief History On this day, June 21, 2017, two films featuring titular supernatural females are battling for box office supremacy at the global box office. As of today, Wonder Woman has grossed an impressive $573.5 million worldwide, while The Mummy has grossed $294 million. Both films, while their main plot-lines and characters are obviously fictional, nevertheless also include historical settings and personages…well, sort of. Read on for the movies’ historical (in)accuracy! Digging Deeper First, The Mummy opens in 1127 A.D. with a group of English crusader knights capturing a large ruby from ancient Egypt and later burying it within the tomb of one of their number…
A Brief History On June 19, 1910, the United States celebrated its first Father’s Day in Spokane, Washington (the city where my sister was born). Other countries had been celebrating Father’s Day on March 19 since the Middle Ages, at least in Catholic countries. Today, in the United States, we celebrate Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June each year. In honor of Father’s Day and of all the wonderful fathers in the world, we will note some significant “fathers” worthy of mention. Digging Deeper 1. George Washington, The Father of Our Country. Our first president and the commanding…