ON THIS DAY in 1942, the Battle of the Tenaru, between U.S. Marines and the Japanese army, took place on Guadalcanal Island. The confrontation was featured in episode 1 of the 2010 Steven Spielberg mini-series, THE PACIFIC.
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ON THIS DAY in 1940, Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky was fatally wounded after being struck with an axe by a Soviet government assassin. The 1972 Joseph Losey film, THE ASSASSINATION OF TROTSKY, with Richard Burton, depicted this event.
ON THIS DAY in 1612, three women from Lancashire, England–“the Samlesbury witches”–were accused of practicing witchcraft in one of the most famous witch trials in English history. In 1957, this trial was depicted in the French-German film THE CRUCIBLE, with Simone Signoret and Yves Montand.
ON THIS DAY in 1958, Vladimir Nabokov’s controversial novel Lolita was published in the United States. Stanley Kubrick’s film LOLITA premiered in 1962, with James Mason, Shelley Winters, Peter Sellers and Sue Lyon as Lolita.
Good evening. Have you ever told a lie? Be truthful now. Remember what really became of the last cookie in that cookie jar? Yes you do. Of course, some lies-white lies-aren’t as big as others, as you’ll find out in this creative and amusing quiz we’ve created. By the way, in case you shouldn’t find the quiz creative and amusing, then we had absolutely nothing to do with. Honest.
Good luck, Mr. Thornhill, wherever you are…
Take the Quiz!(*The quiz title was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest: “Something wrong with your eyes?” “Yes”, says the sunglass-clad Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant), “They’re sensitive to questions”. When Roger steals a cab out from under a poor man by claiming his secretary, Maggie, is very ill, Maggie scolds him: “He knew you were lying.”)
ON THIS DAY in 1786, American frontiersman and soldier Davy Crockett was born. His exploits were dramatized in the 1955 Disney film, DAVY CROCKETT, KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER, starring Fess Parker.
ON THIS DAY in 1888, British Army officer T. E. Lawrence was born. David Lean’s 1962 epic, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, starring Peter O’Toole, was based on Lawrence’s experiences in Arabia during the first World War.
ON THIS DAY in 1965, the Beatles played before approximately 60,000 fans at Shea Stadium in New York City. The concert–which marked the birth of stadium rock–was documented in the 1966 film, THE BEATLES AT SHEA STADIUM.
ON THIS DAY in 1980, Polish electrician and human rights activist Lech Wałęsa scaled a fence at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk where a food price-hike strike was taking place. Wałęsa became the strike’s leader, his actions leading to Poland’s Solidarity movement. In 1981, the film MAN OF IRON, directed by Andrzej Wajda, told the story of how the movement persuaded the Polish government to recognize workers’ rights.
Death scenes from 36 of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, synchronised to climax in unison…
ON THIS DAY in 1860, Annie Oakley–sharpshooting star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show–was born. In 1935, her life was portrayed by Barbara Stanwyck in the film, ANNIE OAKLEY.
ON THIS DAY in 30 B.C., Cleopatra VII Philopator, last ruler of the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty, committed suicide, allegedly by means of an asp bite. In 1963, she was portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor in the epic CLEOPATRA, also starring Richard Burton.
ON THIS DAY in 1926, Danish socialite Claus von Bülow was born in Copenhagen. Von Bülow was convicted of attempting to murder his wife Sunny via an overdose of insulin (thus leaving her in a lifelong vegetative state), but the conviction was reversed. The story was retold in the 1990 film, REVERSAL OF FORTUNE, starring Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close.
Good evening and welcome to the virtual birthday celebration for one Mr. Alfred Hitchcock. On Monday, August the 13th, Alfred will be 113 years old. Although he’s not quite as sprightly as he once was, his films haven’t aged a bit. And so to celebrate this occasion, you are being cordially invited to test your memory of Hitch’s films by taking part in this party-ish quiz. Please think responsibly.
Good luck, Mr. Thornhill, wherever you are…
Take the Quiz!(*The quiz title was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest: “Something wrong with your eyes?” “Yes”, says the sunglass-clad Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant), “They’re sensitive to questions”. Previously, Roger’s assailants pretended to Roger that his early, forced and drunken departure via automobile was of his own free will: “It was a dull party. You didn’t miss a thing.”)
ON THIS DAY in 1988, the United States authorized the Civil Liberties Act, which gave $20,000 payments to Japanese Americans who had been interned or relocated by the government during World War II. The 1990 documentary short subject Oscar winner, DAYS OF WAITING, tells the story of an artist who went voluntarily to one of the internment camps.
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