Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

September 18, 1837 - Teddy Young and Charles Tiffany open "Tiffany & Young" in New York City. It becomes Tiffany & Co. later on which inspires a story by Truman Capote titled "Breakfast at Tiffany's" which Blake Edwards turned into a movie of the same name. George "Hannibal" Peppard stars alongside legendary leading lady Audrey Hepburn with help from Buddy "Jed Clampett" Ebsen and Mickey Rooney. We also get the classic Henry Mancini song "Moon River" from the soundtrack.
Oh, and two men known more for their voices than their faces also have roles: Alan "Fred Flintstone" Reed and Mel "99% of all cartoon voices" Blanc.
And, if you were in college at any point during the 1990's, you now have that Deep Blue Something song stuck in your head. You're welcome.

Alternate Completely Out There Pick - In 1975, Patty Hearst was arrested after being on the FBI's Most Wanted list for a year. You might remember Ms. Hearst (now Patricia Campbell Hearst Shaw) as the wealthy socialite heiress who was kidnapped by something called the Symbionese Liberation Army but then decided they were okay and helped them rob a bank. She went to jail but President Jimmy Carter commuted the sentence so she got out early and then President Bill Clinton pardoned her. Oh, and she's an actress too. She's like a combination of Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan. Too bad she was about a quarter century too early for reality TV.
Apparently, John Waters digs her and so she shows up in his movies a lot. Like the 1990 Johnny Depp flick Cry-Baby.

That's Harsh, Man - Lance Armstrong turns 42 today! Might I suggest The Jerk with Steve Martin?

Murder By Death (1976)

 Happy Birthday, Peter Falk! The late actor was born today in 1927. While he might be most remembered on the small screen as the detective Columbo, he was also very accomplished on the big screen as well. His most notable role was as the Narrating Grandfather in the classic film adaptation of The Princess Bride, but that one gets all the glory. Instead, I highly recommend the cult classic murder mystery comedy Murder By Death. If you have never watched this film, you are missing out. It's packed with big name stars and is a forerunner to the later cult classic murder mystery comedy, Clue. (As a matter of fact, the recently deceased Eileen Brennan stars in both films) Falk plays hardboiled detective Sam Diamond, a take on the old Philip Marlowe style detective. Seriously, go watch this movie!

Alternate Dumb Movie Pick - Clint Eastwood ran out of movies about nameless cowboys, well armed cops, and orangutangs so he made Firefox, based on a book of the same name, that tells the tale of a spy trying to steal the prototype Russian plane designated MiG-31. It was a fictionalized plane but the real MiG-31 had it's first flight on September 16, 1975.

Alternate Completely Out There Pick - Jerk of the Day Tomás de Torquemada died in 1498. Even if you don't know who that is, the name is probably familiar. He first the first Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition. Let us remember him by watching Mel Brooks mock him in History of the World Part I.

Reality Bites (1994)

In 1836, the city of Houston was founded. 158 years later, Ben Stiller's movie "Reality Bites" was released. It's set in Houston and features Gen Xers and Yuppies doing grungy 90's things. Sam Houston would probably be very confused by "Reality Bites"... in much the same way that I'm confused by mid-19th century hair styles: 

Oh, and btw, Ben Stiller is trying to bring a new Reality Bites TV series to us. Because that seems like a good idea?


Ewwww, really? - I wanted for the main pick to have something to do with Thurgood Marshall, since today in 1967 he was confirmed as the first black Supreme Court Justice, but the only non-TV movie that I can find in which Justice Marshall was used is "The People Vs. Larry Flynt" and really... that's just not fair. But hey, maybe you can get a hold of the 1991 TV Movie "Separate But Equal" where Marshall is portrayed by Sidney Poitier?

Alternative Completely Out There Pick - Happy Birthday to Dave Brockie, better known as Oderus Urungus of the rock band GWAR! Catch his amusing appearance in "Empire Records"!

Police Academy (1984)

Another fun birthday pick! Happy Birthday to the legend G.W. Bailey! He turns 69 today! Even if you don't immediately recognize the name, you will recognize the face as Bailey has been on the large and small screen for almost 40 years now. Some of his notable early TV roles include "M.A.S.H." and "St. Elsewhere" and he is currently in his 8th year as the loveable curmudgeon Lt. Provenza originally from "The Closer" and now "Major Crimes."
And while Bailey is probably best known for his television roles, he will also be fondly remembered as the unfortunate villain of "Police Academy" (and several unfortunate sequels), Lt. Thaddeus Harris. I'm not sure which is worse... having to be a clown of a villain or being shown up by Steve Guttenberg.

Alternate More Obvious Pick - "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" cuz Paul Reubens turns 61 today

Alternate Completely Out There Pick - "Batman: The Movie." Why, you ask? Well, today is Lyndon Baines Johnson Day (in Texas) celebrating the 36th President's Birthday. Van Williams had an uncredited role as the "voice" of LBJ in the 1966 camp classic "Batman". More trivia fun, Van Williams went on to star as The Green Hornet and guest starred as the same on the subsequent "Batman" television show.


G.W. Bailey's Bacon Number is 2.
Steve Guttenberg's Bacon Number is 1.
Paul Reubens Bacon Number is 2.
Van Williams Bacon Number is 2.