WAY BACK WHEN for Wednesday, May 15, 2024
1928 Plane Crazy was test screened in a theater as a silent film. It featured Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. It didn’t test well and was not distributed to other theaters. However, after the success of Steamboat Willie, sound was added, and it was released in 1929.
1940 Nylon stockings first went on sale across the U.S. Stronger and cheaper than silk stockings, they were an instant hit selling out all 4,000,000 pairs in four days.
1942 Seventeen eastern U.S. states began rationing gas during WWII. The purpose was not just to conserve gas, but to also conserve rubber.
1987 The film that would become synonymous with “box office flop,” Ishtar is released. Starring Warren and Dustin Hoffman with a production cost of $55 million, it made only $14 million at the box office. Although it maintains a strong cult following, many call it the worst movie ever made.
Music History:
Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney started a seven-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Ebony and Ivory’. The song gave McCartney his 24th US No.1 as a songwriter. The title was inspired by McCartney hearing Spike Milligan say, “black notes, white notes, and you need to play the two to make harmony folks!”.
Notable Birthdays:
Singer/Actress Jamie Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos) 43
Actor David Krumholtz (The Santa Clause and Numbers) 46
Former NFL great Emmitt Smith 55
Credit to:
Thisdayinmusic.com and Thisdaytrivia.com
