Monday, May 31, 2010

Natali Vud & Robert Vagner

May 31, 1960 - FILMSKI SVET - Yugoslavia


Natalie Wood, still married to Robert Wagner, co-starred with hubby in the 1960 box-office flop "All the Fine Young Cannibals".  Their picture on the cover of this Yugoslavian Magazine reflects the influence of Hollywood even in Eastern Europe.


Wood and Wagner, the 1960 equivalent of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, were the hot Hollywood couple of 1960.  From this film Wood went on to star in "West Side Story" in 1961, by which time her first marriage to Wagner was drawing to a close.

Here, thanks to youtube are some posters and still shots from "All the Fine Young Cannibals"...




TTFN... Rob

Sunday, May 30, 2010

"The Twilight Zone" - 1960

The first season of "The Twilight Zone" was 1959-60.  Who of us from those years can forget this awesome opening?




"There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Twilight Zone."   Rod Serling

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Happy Birthday Jack - May 29, 1960

JFK "Jack" Kennedy turned 43 on May 29, 1960.  He was in the very midst of 1960 campaign to win the Democratic Party  presidential nomination. His principle rivals were Hubert Humphrey, Wayne Morse and Lyndon B. Johnson.



Kennedy clinched the nomination at the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles on July 13. 1960.  Significant issues going into the general election were the economy, the space race, Cuba, and Kennedy's Catholic religion.  (see video clip below...)

John F. Kennedy symbolizes the yearning for change that gripped a generation in the early 1960's.  He, his brothers, and the political movement they represented will figure prominently throughout this decade of change.

Happy Birthday Jack!

"If we cannot end our differences,
at least we can help make the world
safe for diversity." 
JFK


JFK 1960 - The "Religious" Issue



This is a significant speech and one whose message is equally relevant today.  We live in Canada and the US with the blessing of many freedoms that derive from the kind of understanding that Kennedy shares here, notably, a clear separation of Church and State. These are freedoms which we should not take for granted and which we need to guard against the assault of religious extremists of various persuasions on both sides of the 49th!

TTFN... Rob

Friday, May 28, 2010

Thursday, May 27, 2010

50 Years Ago Today

May 27, 1960 -Turkish coup d'état
May 27, 1960 saw the Turkish government of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and President Celal Bayar removed in a bloodless coup led by General Cemal Gursel.



For a 50 year "retrospective" Turkish view on this historic event check out this article...  "Turkey denounces coup remnants on 50th anniversary of May 27 takeover"

As it was in the sixties... so it is now...
February 2010 saw the Turkish Government detain retired military leaders over an alleged coup attempt.    The alleged plot was to destabilize the government by provoking a Greek fighter plane to shoot down a Turkish one, thereby undermining public confidence in the government.  Modern Turkey has undergone coups in 1960, 1971, and 1980.  The military also forced a change in government in 1997 in what has been described as a "post-modern coup".
 
TTFN... Rob; in Vancouver

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

I Love Lucy - "Job Switching"

"I Love Lucy" finished up in 1960.  The TV show hails mostly from the 50's with only the last few episodes aired in 1960.  Reruns have been running ever since.  By far one of the best scenes is the Chocolate Factory scene below.   Enjoy...

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

1960 Stanley Cup

The Montreal Canadiens won their fifth consecutive Stanley Cup defeating the hapless Toronto Maple Leafs in four straight games in April 1960.

The 1960 Montreal Canadiens were a team of hockey legends including Jean Beliveau, Henri Richard, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, and Jacques Plante all under the coaching leadership of Toe Blake. Pollock family legend Sam Pollock was the personnel manager in that day. (no relation)
Jacques Plante began wearing a mask in regulation play during the 59-60 season.  Much to the initial chagrin of Toe Blake.  Plante prevailed and wore the mask in the play-offs for the first time.  Hard for us to imagine in today's safety conscious world.


Au revoir... Rob; in Vancouver


Monday, May 24, 2010

"Cathy's Clown" - The Everly Brothers

Top of the Charts - May 24, 1960 

Sunday, May 23, 2010

May 23, 1960

A Snapshot in TIME



Summit in Shambles...
A super-power summit was a disaster as Soviet-US relations plummeted in the wake of "U-2 Incident"in which a US U-2 spy plane crashed while conducting covert surveillance missions in Soviet airspace.

"For more than two years the leaders of the two great power blocs have been slowly picking their way toward the summit. This week, under the long, tapering shadow of the U2's wings, the summit conference and the dream of peaceful coexistence smashed against the rock of Nikita Khrushchev's intransigent belligerence.Read more
 
The Three Issues...
"Before Nikita Khrushchev made the U-2 the summit's principal topic, there were three official agenda items: 1) disarmament, 2) East-West tensions, 3) Berlin and the fate of Germany. Of these, disarmament was the only one remotely expected to produce concrete achievement."

U2 Crisis - May 1960

Saturday, May 22, 2010

"Stuck on You" - Elvis Presley

Top of the Charts -  May 22, 1960

Elvis Presley as a guest on Frank Sinatra's Timex Show special, "Welcome Home Elvis".