Month: May 2015

  • Episode 92: “Seinfeld” Debuts

    25 years ago today, the first episode of “Seinfeld” with its complete core cast debuted on NBC. Here are some things you may not have known about the show: First: The pilot episode, titled “The Seinfeld Chronicles” featured the characters of Jerry Seinfeld, George Costanza and Jerry’s wacky neighbor named Kessler. For the episode that…

  • Episode 91: First Indianapolis 500

    Today is the 104th anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Here are some things you may not have known about the first Indy 500. First: After a season in which attendance declined unacceptably, track owners decided to have just one event in 1911. The idea of a 500-mile race won out over a 24-hour…

  • Episode 90: Hillary, Tenzing reach summit of Mount Everest

    Today marks the 62nd anniversary of the first successful ascent of Mount Everest. Here are some things you may not have known about the expedition: First: The 1953 British expedition was under tremendous pressure to succeed. The French and Swiss had received approval to try to climb Everest in 1954 and 1955, respectively. The next…

  • Episode 89: Dionne Quintuplets Are Born

    Today marks the anniversary of the 1934 birth of the Dionne Quintuplets in Ontario, Canada. Here are a few things you may not have known about the first quintuplets known to have survived infancy. First: The five sisters were identical quintuplets. In order of birth, their names were Yvonne, Anette, Cecile, Emilie and Marie. Their…

  • Episode 88: Ford Model T

    On May 27, 1927, the last Ford Model T rolled off the assembly line in Highland Park, Michigan. Here are some things you may not know about the Model T. First: It debuted in 1908, but it wasn’t the first car built on modern assembly line. That honor goes to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash in…

  • Episode 87: John Wayne

    May 26 marks the 108th anniversary of the birth of western movie star John Wayne. Here are a few things you may not have known about him: First, most people know his real name was Marion Mitchell Morrison, however even that was not the name his parents gave him at birth. His original middle name…

  • Episode 86: Gilbert and Sullivan

      137 years ago, Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera “HMS Pinafore” made it debut on the London stage. Here are a few things you may not have known about Gilbert and Sullivan and their works. One: Composer Arthur Sullivan and lyricist W.S. Gilbert produced 14 comic operas in 25 years of working together. Aside from…

  • Episode 85: Brooklyn Bridge

    Today is the 132nd anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Here are a few things you may not know about the first steel-wire suspension bridge and the borough of Brooklyn. One: When the bridge was built, Brooklyn was not a part of New York City. It consolidated with New York in 1898.…

  • Episode 84: Bonnie and Clyde

    May 23, 1934, marked the end of the road for Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Here are some things you may not know about the outlaws. One: Parker married at the age of 16. Although she split with her husband after three years, she never divorced and was wearing her wedding ring when she and…

  • Episode 83: Pac-Man

    Today is the 35th anniversary of the release of Pac-Man to arcades in Japan. Here are a few things you may not have known about Pac-Man: One: The original Japanese title for the game was “Pakkuman” which is said to resemble the sound of a mouth opening and closing while eating. Later the name was…