You know the Christmas season has begun when the season's biggest movie opens. "American Gangster" had a monumental opening weekend. It's the most talked-about gangster movie since "Goodfellas" or maybe even, dare I say, "The Godfather"? This movie has already been seen by about 50 million people or roughly 5 Osmond family reunions. Denzel Washington finally made a good movie. He plays real-life Harlem heroin lord, Frank Lucas. Russell Crowe is a good guy (go figure) who plays a detective who brings down Lucas. Others in the cast include Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Brolin, Armand Assante, Ruby Dee, Joe Morton, Ruben Santiago-Hudson and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (just kidding on that one). Quite the cast!!!
The Soundtrack of the movie on Def Jam contains a great mix of music. It includes a couple of solid gold hits, "Hold On I'm Comin" by Sam and Dave and "I'll Take You There" by the Staple Singers. It also features music by Bobby Womack, John Lee Hooker and Lowell Fulson. "Across 110th Street", seen being played here live by Bobby Womack who starts off singing "California Dreaming" but goes into '110th Street': http://youtube.com/watch?v=hbXzT_OCDBs ...
With the 3-day Veteran's Day weekend upon us, it would be a good time to see this movie - if you can get into the theater that is. Here's a trailer to whet your gangster lean for the movie: http://youtube.com/watch?v=QOSOYSLDuQE ...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1938] Kristallnacht: Nazi troops and sympathizers destroy and loot 7,500 Jewish businesses, burn 267 synagogues, kill 91 Jews and round up over 25,000 in an event known as 'Kristallnacht' or 'Night of Broken Glass'...
- 1953] The Supreme rule: Somehow the Supreme Court upholds a 1922 ruling that major league baseball did not come within the scope of federal antitrust laws. The Court contained 9 Jurists whose last name was Ito...
- 1953] "Happy Trails": Dylan Thomas, a heavy drinker, dies from pneumonia at 39...1970] Former French president Charles De Gaulle dies from an aneurysm at 79...1988] Former Attorney General John N. Mitchell dies from a heart attack at 75...2003] Veteran actor Art Carney passes away from natural causes at 85...2006] "60 Minutes" reporter Ed Bradley is a victim of leukemia at 65. At his bedside when he dies is close friend Jimmy Buffett. This is a tribute to Bradley from his friends and colleagues: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rlxo3SKmoew ...
- 1965] The night the lights went out: The great northeast blackout turns the lights out in 9 states and 2 provinces of Canada (it's dark in here, eh?), affecting 25 million people for more than 13 hours...
- 1982] Sugar hangs up his gloves: Sugar Ray Leonard retires from boxing. He fights one more time in 1984 before becoming a boxing commentator for NBC...
- 1984] Fight night at the Garden: Larry Bird of the Celtics gets into a tiff with Julius 'Dr. J' Erving of Philadelphia during a game at Boston Garden, won by the home team 130-119. The fight was a split decision...
- 1989] Wall? What wall?: Happy Germans dance on top of the Berlin Wall as Communist East Germany opens its borders, allowing citizens to travel freely to the west: The late Peter Jennings narrates events: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wnYXbJ_bcLc ...
- 1996] And-uh now the end is near: It's the beginning of the end for Mike Tyson as underdog Evander Holyfield batters Tyson to win the heavyweight crown. Holyfield will hear from Tyson in the future though...
- 1997] Record breaker: The Lions' Barry Sanders becomes the first player in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in 9 straight seasons. Sanders also passes Tony Dorsett to move into 3rd place on the all-time rushing list...
- 2004] Call him Cy: Houston pitcher Roger Clemens wins his record 7th Cy Young award...
Music Memories:
- 1962] Released on this date: "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" - Miracles...1963] "Louie, Louie" - Kingsmen...1973] "Piano Man" LP - Billy Joel and here's the title track: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rZ1_M_L_RSI ...
- 1966] Number One on this date: "Poor Side Of Town" - Johnny Rivers...1978] "MacArthur Park" - Donna Summer, in action, live: http://youtube.com/watch?v=QfL7Gk7Fpes ...1985] "The Theme From Miami Vice" - Jan Hammer...
- 1967] On the (first) cover of Rolling Stone: John Lennon...
Commentary:
So I can sleep at night now knowing that Miami's legendary Don Shula has recanted from his original statement a bit. He now doesn't favor an asterisk next to the Patriots should they run the table and finish 16-0. What a relief!!!
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Nikki Blonsky (19), Uncle Kracker (33), Nick Lachey (34), Lou Ferrigno (56), Mary Travers (71), Bob Gibson (72), Whitey (the White Rat) Herzog (76) and affected sportscaster Charlie Jones (77)...
Timeline Countdown: 13 days until Thanksgiving, 26 days until an early Hanukah, 43 days until winter and 46 days until Christmas...
Saturday-Sunday, November 10-11, 2007...Sunday is Veteran's Day...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1775] From the Halls of Montezuma: The U.S. Marines are organized under authority of the Continental Congress (11/10)...
- 1885] Born in the USA: George Patton is born on Veteran's Day (11/11)...
- 1918] Armistice Day: World War I ends when the Allies and Germany sign an armistice. Hello Armistice Day (11/11)
- 1921] Unknowns: The Tomb of The Unknowns is dedicated at Arlington Cemetery by President Warren Harding (11/11)...
- 1954] Dedication day: The Iwo Jima Memorial is dedicated in Arlington (VA) (11/10)...
- 1969] Debuted on this date: "Sesame Street" on PBS (11/10). Stevie Wonder helps us with the song: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fHiSXfWMrNI ...
- 1972] "Happy Trails": Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers) is killed in a motorcycle accident one year and 13 days after Duane Allman met the same fate - 3 blocks away. Oakley was 24 (11/11)...1982] Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev strokes out at 75 (11/10)...1994] Jazz great Carmen McRae dies of a stroke at 72 (11/10)...2001] Author Ken ('One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest') Kesey is dead at 66 when his heart stops (11/10)...2004] Yasser Arafat dies from unknown causes at 75 (11/11)...2006] Jack Palance passes away from natural causes at 87 (11/10). Here's a tribute to the veteran actor: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5UBUWypvqjo ...
- 1975] What a wreck: The ore-hauling ship Edmund Fitzgerald sinks during a storm in Lake Superior with all 29 crew members on board. Gordon Lightfoot writes a song about it called "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" or as WCBS-FM listener Richard used to call it, "The Wreck of the Ella Fitzgerald" (11/10)...
- 1980] Kenneth the cab fare jumper: Former CBS-TV network anchor Dan Rather claims he was kidnapped in a cab but it turns out that Rather refused to pay the driver (Ahmad Krzchssjkrst) for the ride, leading to the R.E.M. hit, "What's The Cab Fare Kenneth?" (11/10)...
- 1996] The Healing Wall: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund unveils 'The Wall That Heals', a half-scale replica of the memorial that will tour communities throughout the U.S. (11/11)...
Music Memories:
- 1938] Debuted on this date: "God Bless America" - Kate Smith (11/11) sings it for the first time on network radio...
- 1958] Recorded on this date: "The Twist" - Hank Ballard & the Midnighters (the original version) (11/11)...
- 1963] Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Brian Epstein and Ed Sullivan sign a 3-show contract for Beatles appearances (11/11)...
- 1965] Number One on this date: "Get Off Of My Cloud" - Rolling Stones (11/10)...1974] "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" - Bachman-Turner Overdrive (11/10). Watch this great live version: http://youtube.com/watch?v=oq7HxaAxF78 ...
- 1967] Released on this date: "Nights in White Satin" - Moody Blues (11/10)...1967] "In and Out of Love" - Supremes (11/11)...1973] "Rock On" - David Essex (11/10)...1986] "Live 1975-1985" box set - Bruce Springsteen (11/10)...
- 1969] Gold Standard: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" - Gene Autry (11/10). It was released in 1949...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
(11/10) Brittany Murphy (30), Shawn Green (35), Ellen Pompeo (38), Tracy Morgan (39), Linda (ESPN) Cohn (48), Mackenzie Phillips (48), Sinbad (51), Ann Reinking (58), Greg Lake (60), Dave Loggins (60) "Please Come To Boston" right off the record: http://youtube.com/watch?v=1PX5t9VJweQ , Donna Fargo (62), Roy Scheider (75) and Russell ('The Professor') Johnson (83)...
(11/11) Leonardo Di Caprio (33), Carlista Flockhart (43), Demi Moore (45), Stanley Tucci (47), Marshall Crenshaw (54) who treats us to "Someday, Someway": http://youtube.com/watch?v=21XNs6uk4iw , Jesse Colin Young (66), Warner Wolf (70) and Jonathan Winters (82)...
Timeline Countdown for Sunday, Veterans Day, November 11, 2007: 11 days until Thanksgiving, 24 days until Hanukah, 41 days until winter and 44 days until Christmas...
