Wednesday 30 January 2013

1967, Television: “Mannix”

The American detective series, “Mannix”, premiered on 7 September 1967. The series ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, “Mannix” was the last series produced by Desilu Productions (production company co-owned by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball).

The title character, Joseph R. "Joe" Mannix, a private investigator, is played by Mike Connors. During the first season Joe Mannix worked for the Los Angeles detective agency Intertect. His superior was Lew Wickersham, played by Joseph Campanella. From the second season on, Mannix worked on his own with the assistance of his loyal secretary Peggy Fair played by Gail Fisher. He also has assistance from the L.A. police department.
Mike Connors as Joe Mannix
Gail Fisher as Peggy Fair
Mike Connors as Joe Mannix and Gail Fisher as Peggy Fair
Main Cast
  • Mike Connors as Joe Mannix
  • Gail Fisher as Peggy Fair
  • Ward Wood as Lt. Art Malcolm
  • Joseph Campanella as Lew Wickersham
  • Robert Reed as Lt. Adam Tobias
  • Ron Nyman as Policeman
  • Mark Stewart as Toby
Mike Connors as Joe Mannix
Lee Meriwether as Reva Daniels and Mike Conners as Joe Mannix
in the episode "A Question of Midnight" (S03E05, 1969)
Geneviève Gilles as Genevieve and Mike Conners as Joe Mannix
in the episode "Carol Lockwood, Past Tense" (S06E19, 1973)
Awards
  • Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Drama: Gail Fisher (1970)
  • Golden Globe for Best TV Actor – Drama: Mike Connors (1970)
  • Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress – Television: Gail Fisher (1971)
  • Golden Globe for Best TV Show – Drama (1972)
  • Golden Globe for Best TV Actress – Drama: Gail Fisher (1973)

Intro Season 3

Monday 28 January 2013

1966, Cars: Volvo 144

Volvo Cars began manufacturing the Volvo 144 at Torslanda, Sweden (Torslandaverken) in the late summer of 1966. The 144 series, which followed the Volvo Amazon was the first Volvo to use a tri-digit nomenclature, indicating series, number of cylinders and number of doors. Meaning, a "144" was a 1st series, 4-cylinder, 4-door sedan. The range included the Volvo 142 2-door sedan, the Volvo 144 4-door sedan and the Volvo 145 5-door station wagon.

The basic shape of the car survived into the 1990s as the 200 series. The 144 series used many of the drivetrain components of the Amazon, with many improvements, including disc brakes on all four wheels. The engine in the standard 144 came from the standard Amazon (121), the 1.8l B18A. The 144S had a more powerful B18B from the 123GT and 1800S. The 142 (2-door sedan) production started in 1967 and the Volvo 145 5-door station wagon in 1968.
Volvo 144 1966
Volvo 142 1968
Volvo 145 1968

In 1969 the B18 enlarged to the 2.0 litre B20. Also in 1969 Volvo introduced the 164, which shared much of the 140 series structure while incorporating a 6-cylinder engine, the B30. In 1971 the B20E engine was introduced, it was a high compression version of the B20 with Bosch D-Jetronic electronic fuel injection.
Volvo 144 1971 (Facelift 1)
Volvo 144 1973 (Facelift 2)
In 1973 the 140 series received a major facelift in 1973 with a new plastic grille, new larger indicators and a completely revised tail end. Also, the S designation was dropped and the range consisted of 3 trim levels, standard (with no designation, known as L, or "luxe") de Luxe and the most upmarket, Grand Luxe.
Volvo 145 1972 (Facelift 2)
Volvo 164 1969
The Volvo 140 series had a total production of 412,986 “142” 2-doors sedans, 523,808 “144” 4-doors sedans and 268,317 “145” station wagons. The 140 series evolved in the 240 series in 1975.
Volvo 140 series adverts 

Saturday 26 January 2013

1965, News: Winston Churchill dies at the age of ninety

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill died at his London home on the morning of Sunday 24 January 1965. On 15 January 1965, Churchill suffered a severe stroke that left him gravely ill. It was not the first time Churchill suffered a stroke. While on a holiday in the south of France in the summer of 1949 he had a mild stoke. In June 1953, when he was 78, Churchill suffered a more severe stroke at 10 Downing Street. The news was kept from the public and from Parliament. He suffered another mild stroke in December 1956.

Winston Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician, best known for his leadership of the UK during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century. He was twice Prime Minister of the UK (1940–45 and 1951–55). Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a historian, a writer, and an artist. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953. Churchill is also known for his impressionist scenes of landscape, many of which were painted while on holiday in the South of France, Egypt or Morocco. He continued his hobby throughout his life and painted hundreds of paintings. He wrote several newspaper articles, the most famous are those that appeared in the Evening Standard from 1936 warning of the rise of Hitler.
Winston Churchill in 1895, Cornet (Second Lieutenant) in the 4th Queen's Own Hussars
Winston Churchill in 1904 as a member of Parliament
In his political career he held many cabinet positions. Before the First World War, he was President of the Board of Trade, Home Secretary, and First Lord of the Admiralty. During the war, he became First Lord of the Admiralty and he was briefly in active army service on the Western Front as commander of the 6th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. After the First World War he was Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Winston Churchill making his famous Victory Sign during the Second World War
Out of office during the 1930s he warned about Nazi Germany. On the outbreak of the Second World War, he was again appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. Following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain on 10 May 1940, Churchill became Prime Minister. His stuburn refusal to consider defeat, surrender, or a compromise peace helped inspire British resistance, especially during the difficult early days of the Second World War when Britain stood alone in its active opposition to Adolf Hitler.
Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, and Joseph Stalin at the Potsdam Conference, Germany, 28 Jul 1945
After the Conservative Party lost the 1945 election, he became Leader of the Opposition. Winning the 1951 election, he became Prime Minister once more, before retiring in 1955. He was buried with a state funeral held at St Paul's Cathedral on 30 January 1965, which saw one of the largest assemblies of world statesmen in history. Named the Greatest Briton of all time in a 2002 poll, Churchill is widely regarded as being among the most influential people in British history.
Winston Churchill painting
"Cork Trees near Mimizan", 1924 by Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill Funeral (1965, b/w)

In Memoriam Winston Churchill (Dutch, 1965)

Winston Churchill Funeral (1965, colour)

Sunday 20 January 2013

1964, Film: Fantômas

On November 4, 1964, Fantômas premiered in France. Directed by André Hunebelle, this French film is loosely based on the fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain (1885–1969) and Pierre Souvestre (1874–1914). Starring Jean Marais in a double role as the master villain Fantômas and journalist Jérome Fandor, Louis de Funès as commissaire Paul Juve and Mylène Demongeot as Hélène Gurn the girlfriend of Jérôme Fandor.

Synopsis
Fantômas, a man of many disguises, can impersonate anyone using very realistic masks. In this first of three films he is unhappy with journalist Fandor, because of a fictitious interview the journalist wrote about him...
Jean Marais as Fantômas
Mylène Demongeot as Hélène Gurn and Jean Marais as Jérome Fandor
Louis de Funès as Paul Juve and Jean Marais as Jérome Fandor
Main Cast
  • Jean Marais as Fantômas and Jérome Fandor
  • Louis de Funès as Paul Juve
  • Mylène Demongeot as Hélène Gurn
  • Jacques Dynam as Michel Bertrand
  • Robert Dalban as The manager of the newspaper
  • Marie-Hélène Arnaud as Lady Maud Beltham


Monday 14 January 2013

1963, Television: “The Human Jungle”

"The Human Jungle", a British TV series about a psychiatrist, made for ABC Television by the small production company “Independent Artists” premièred on ITV March 30, 1963. The series was created by Ronald J Khan and produced by Julian Wintle and Leslie Parkyn. The theme music, composed by Bernard Ebbinghouse was recorded by John Barry and his Orchestra. The series starred Herbert Lom as psychiatrist Dr. Roger Corder. A number of guest stars appeared as his patients, including Joan Collins, Jane Merrow, Warren Mitchell, Ian Bannen, Annette Andre and Susan George.

Two series were produced between 1963 and 1964, with a total of 26 episodes. The first series was made at Beaconsfield studios, which closed down causing the second series to be filmed at Elstree Studios.
Herbert Lom as Dr. Roger Corder
Herbert Lom as Dr. Roger Corder and Joan Collins as Liz Kross
Main Cast
  • Herbert Lom as Dr. Roger Corder
  • Michael Johnson as Dr. Jimmy Davis
  • Sally Smith as Jennifer Corder, his teenage daughter
  • Mary Yeomans as Nancy Hamilton, his secretary
  • Mary Steele as Jane Harris, his personal assistant
Herbert Lom as Dr. Roger Corder and Joan Collins as Liz Kross
Synopsis
Most episodes focused on a specific patient, whose psychological ailment Dr. Corder would treat and, invariably, cure...

Opening Credits

Saturday 12 January 2013

1962, Cars: Glas S 1004 (Typ 612)

The Glas S 1004, a small two door four seater coupé produced by Hans Glas GmbH at Dingolfing, was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1961. Production started in May 1962. The car had a water cooled 992 cc engine that delivered 31 kW. Drive was to the rear wheels via a four speed manual transmission.
In 1963 the Glas 1204 had an engine capacity of 1189 cc and claimed maximum power of 39 kW. The larger engined car was a lager saloon but it was also offered as a coupé and as a cabriolet. In November 1963 Glas added twin carburettor versions of both the 992cc and 1189cc engined cars which were branded as the Glas 1004 TS and the Glas 1204 TS. In September 1965 the 1290cc engine from the Glas GT was installed, which now offered maximum power of 62.5 kW and a top speed of 168 km/h. Two fastback bodied estates arrived in August 1966. The estates could be purchased as 1004 CL or 1304 CL.
Glas 1204 Saloon
Glas 1004 Cabriolet 
The coupé was produced from May 1962 until October 1965, the saloon from January 1963 until December 1967, the cabriolet from January 1963 until July 1967, and the estate from September 1966 until 1968. In total 40,703 units were produced.
Glas 1004 Coupé
Glas 1304 CL (Estate)
Brochure Glas 1304 CL 1966 (Dutch)
Brochure Glas 1304 1967 (German)

Wednesday 9 January 2013

1961, News: Yuri Gagarin, First Man in Space

27-year-old cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space on April 12, 1961, aboard the Vostok 3KA-3 (Vostok-1). Gagarin was selected as one of the Soviet Union’s first class of 20 cosmonauts in 1960. He excelled in the training and so was chosen to be the first man to enter space.
Vostok-1 reaches a maximum altitude of 327 km and goes once around the earth. According to official records, the spaceflight took 108 minutes from launch to landing. The entire flight is controlled by automatic systems but a code to unlock the controls was placed in an on-board envelope, for Gagarin's use in case of an emergency. Gagarin landed separately from the spacecraft, having ejected with a parachute 7 km above the ground.
Yuri Gagarin
Vostok-1 Capsule
Yuri Gagarin

Yuri Gagarin News 1961 (Dutch)


Yuri Gagarin interview BBC July 11, 1961

Monday 7 January 2013

1960, Film: "La Dolce Vita"

The Italian comedy-drama "La Dolce Vita" (English: "The Sweet Life") premièred on February 5, 1960. The black-and-white film, written and directed by Federico Fellini, tells the story of a journalist's week in Rome, and his search for happiness and love. The storyline of the film can be divided into a prologue, seven major episodes interrupted by an intermezzo, and an epilogue.

Synopsis
Journalist and man-about-town Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) struggles to find his place in the world, torn between the allure of Rome's elite social scene and the stifling domesticity offered by his girlfriend, all the while searching for a way to become a serious writer.

Anouk Aimée and Marcello Mastroianni
The seven principal episodes in the film:
  1. Evening with Maddalena (Anouk Aimée) / Dawn with his overdosed fiancée Emma (Yvonne Furneaux)
  2. Day and evening with the American actress Sylvia (Anita Ekberg), ending in the Trevi fountain at dawn
  3. Reunion with his intellectual friend Steiner (Alain Cuny); the story is divided into three sequences spread over the entire film: a) the encounter, b) Steiner's party, and c) Steiner's tragedy
  4. Day with his photographer friend Paparazzo (Walter Santesso) and Emma to the outskirts of Rome to cover the story of a sighting of the Madonna by two children
  5. Meeting with his father (Annibale Ninchi)
  6. The aristocrat's party/Steiner's tragedy
  7. The "orgy" at the beach house
Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg
Main Cast
  • Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello Rubini
  • Anita Ekberg as Sylvia
  • Anouk Aimée as Maddalena
  • Yvonne Furneaux as Emma
  • Magali Noël as Fanny
  • Alain Cuny as Steiner
  • Nadia Gray as Nadia
  • Annibale Ninchi as Marcello's father
  • Walter Santesso as Paparazzo
  • Valeria Ciangottini as Paola
Marcello Mastroianni and Yvonne Furneaux
Awards
  • Cannes Film Festival, Palme d'Or for Federico Fellini (1960)
  • David di Donatello Awards, David for Best Director (Migliore Regista): Federico Fellini (1960)
  • National Board of Review, USA, NBR Award for Top Foreign Film (1961)
  • New York Film Critics Circle Awards, NYFCC Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1961)
  • Academy Awards, USA, Oscar for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White: Piero Gherardi (1962)
Trailer

Saturday 5 January 2013

1977, Cars: Chrysler Sunbeam

The Chrysler Sunbeam was introduced on July 23, 1977, with a memorable advertising campaign featuring Petula Clark singing "...put a Chrysler Sunbeam in your life." The Chrysler Sunbeam is a three-door hatchback manufactured by Chrysler Europe at the former Rootes Group factory in Linwood, Scotland. After the takeover of Chrysler Europe by PSA Peugeot Citroën, the model was renamed Talbot Sunbeam and production continued until 1981.
Chrysler Sunbeam LS
Chrysler Sunbeam S
Chrysler Sunbeam GLS
The development of the car started in January 1976 under the codename Project R424. The styling of the car was the responsibility of Chrysler's Whitley design studio in Coventry, led by Roy Axe. The car was rear-wheel drive, unlike the more advanced front-wheel drive Horizon by Chrysler's French subsidiary, Simca.
Chrysler Sunbeam Ti
Talbot Sunbeam Lotus (1981)
There were three trim levels available, the base version LS, the better-equipped version GL and the most expensive version S (later GLS). Initially three engines were available, a 928 cc L4, a 1295 cc L4, and 1598 cc L4 unit. In 1978 the Chrysler Sunbeam Ti was launched with the 1600cc Avenger Tiger engine, including twin Weber carburettors. In 1979 the Sunbeam Lotus was unveiled with a 2172 cc 16V Lotus power unit.
 Chrysler Sunbeam Advert

Brochure 1977 (English)