On this day in television history - Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss (2023)

 

Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss

documentary directed by Niharika Desai,

written by Eric Weiner,

based on the book by Eric Weiner,

was released in the United States on May 18, 2023.

Cast:

Rainn Wilson, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Ari Meyers, Jón Gnarr, Georgi Gospodinov, Ivo Dimchev, Hreimur Örn Heimisson, Margaret Liefsdóttir, Tinna Thorlacius, Jewells Chambers.

I'd been unfamiliar with Rainn Wilson's work -- had never seen him on The Office but had seen his appearances on Six Feet Under and found his dry, self-deprecating style endearing.

After watching Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss, and even more so after reading his book Soul Boom, I'm a fan.

In this series, based on Eric Weiner's book The Geography of Bliss, Rainn explores areas around the world and engages with the people and communities in which they live, learning their stories, and sharing his, all in a quest to find happiness.

Rainn's openness, curiosity, and authenticity are so heartfelt, it makes the series worth watching time and time again. 

#RainnWilson #SoulBoom #TheGeographyOfBliss 

R. A. Salvatore, on writing:

 

If you can quit, then quit.

If you can't quit, you're a writer.
- R. A. Salvatore.

Born on this day – Mary Charleson:

 

Mary Charleson

Actress

May 18, 1890 – December 3, 1961

Credits:

A Bit of Blue Ribbon (1913); A Corner in Crooks (1913); A Matter of Matrimony (1913); A Sentimental Burglar (1914); After the Honeymoon (1913); Bedelia Becomes a Lady (1913); Bill Wilson's Gal (1912); Burning the Candle (1917); Cutting Down Expenses (1915); Doctor Smith's Baby (1914); Etta of the Footlights (1914); Fate and Three (1913); Four Days (1913); Her Great Scoop (1914); His Lordship Billy Smoke (1913); His Robe of Honor (1918); His Weakness Conquered (1913); Human Stuff (1920); Humdrum Brown (1918); In Love's Own Way (1915); Iron and Steel (1914); Love the Clairvoyant (1914); Matrimonial Manoeuvres (1913); Mr. Barnes of New York (1914); Natoosa (1912); No Other Way (1915); Northern Hearts (1912); Out of the Shadows (1912); Passers By (1916); Polly of the Pots and Pans (1915); Satan's Private Door (1917); Sealed Lips (1915); Silent Trails (1914); The Acid Test (1914); The Actor (1913); The Ancient Bow (1912); The Call of Motherhood (1915); The Country That God Forgot (1916); The Courage of the Commonplace (1913); The Crisis (1916); The Deceivers (1913); The Education of Aunt Georgiana (1913); The Girl Who Waited (1912); The Golden Pathway (1913); The Hat (1912); The Heart of a Heathen (1913); The Honeymooners (1914); The Intruder (1913); The Little Shoes (1917); The Long Lane's Turning (1919); The Mystery of the Silver Skull (1913); The Prince Chap (1916); The Reckoning (1912); The Road o' Strife (1915); The Road to Yesterday; or, Memories of Patio Days (1912); The Saint's Adventure (1917); The Sale of a Heart (1913); The Sea Maiden (1913); The Silent Accuser (1915); The Smoke from Lone Bill's Cabin (1913); The Spell (1913); The Spirit of the Range (1912); The Strange Story of Sylvia Gray (1914); The Transition (1913); The Troubled Trail (1912); The Truant Soul (1916); The Two Brothers (1913); The Warmakers (1913); The Whispered Word (1913); The Winning Hand (1913); The Woman in Black (1914); The Wrong Pair (1913); Think Mothers (1915); Timid May (1912); Tony and Marie (1915); Una of the Sierras (1912); Upstairs and Down (1919); What Happened to Jones (1915); When California Was Young (1912); When Men Love (1912); When the Desert Was Kind (1913); When Youth Is Ambitious (1915); With Hoops of Steel (1918); Without Hope (1914).

Born on this day – Frank Capra:

Frank Capra

Director

Producer

Writer

May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991

Born on this day – Meredith Willson:

Meredith Willson

Flutist

Composer

Conductor

Musical arranger

Bandleader

Writer

May 18, 1902 – June 15, 1984

Credits:

Books:

And There I Stood with My Piccolo (1948); But He Doesn’t Know the Territory (1959); Eggs I Have Laid (1955).

Movies and television:

7th Heaven (2003); 9-1-1 (2018); A Christmas Story (1983); A Shoe Addict's Christmas (2018); A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011); Action (1999); All Quiet on the Western Front (1930); All Star Revue (1952–1953); Ally McBeal (1997–2000); Alvin and the Chipmunks: A Chipmunk Christmas (1981); AM HQ Weekend (2025); Arthur Godfrey Time (1958); Bandstand (1963); Bara du & jag (1994); BBC Proms (2012); Behind the Candelabra (2013); Being Erica (2010); Bernie (2011); Best of the Worst (2018); Bordertown (1989); Boston Legal (2005); Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds (2016); Broadway on Broadway (2000); Bust Down (2022); Call the Midwife (2013); Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway (1969); Cavalcade of Books (1948–1974); Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas - Live from Dublin (2012); Christmas Carole (2022); Christmas Connection (2017); Christmas Evil (1980); Christmas Tree Lane (2020); Cinematic Excrement (2012); Conan (2011); Coup de Chance (2023); Czar of Broadway (1930); Dark Skies (1996); Day by Day (1988); De Mike Burstyn show (1980); Dear Santa (2024); Disneyland '59 (1959); Dollywood: A Memory Worth Repeating (1996); Doom Patrol (2022); Duplex (2003); Emily's First 100 Days of School (2006); Fame (1983); Family Guy (2006); First Man (2018); Flikken Maastricht (2010); Four Christmases (2008); Game Show Moments Gone Bananas (2005); George Jessel Show (1959); Girls on Top (1985); Godmothered (2020); Great Performances (2001–2014); Happy-Go-Lucky (1936); He Doesn't Know the Territory (2018); Here's Hollywood (1961); Here's Looking at You, Warner Bros. (1993); Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992); I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978); IT: Welcome to Derry (2025); I've Got a Secret (1958–1963); I've Got a Secret (1963); Kirstie's Crafty Christmas (2013); Kirstie's Handmade Britain (2011); Kirstie's Handmade Christmas (2018); Krampus (2015); Last Ounce of Courage (2012); Laverne & Shirley (1981); Leipzig Homicide (2023); Lipstick on Your Collar (1993); M*A*S*H (1978); Make the Connection (1955); Merry & Bright (2019); Michael Bublé: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (2021); Michael Buble's Christmas in the City (2021); Miracle on 34th Street (1994); Monsanto Presents Mancini (1971); Moonlighting (1986); Mr. Belvedere (1986–1988); Mr. Miracle (2014); MsMojo (2021); Murphy Brown (1998); My Gift: Piolo Pascual First Time in Concert (2004); Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1991–2022); Night of 100 Stars (1982); Noelle (2019); Nurses (1993); Parker Lewis Can't Lose (1991); Peacock Alley (1930); Perry Como's Christmas in Paris (1982); Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1959–1960); Play Dirty (2025); Radio City Christmas Spectacular (2007); Radio Days (1987); Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997); Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show (2009); Sex and the City 2 (2010); Shotgun Red's Christmas Surprise (1986); Sister Swap: Christmas in the City (2021); Strictly Come Dancing (2012–2016); Sunday Showcase (1959); Ted Lasso (2021); The 25th Annual Tony Awards (1971); The 2nd Annual Grammy Awards (1959); The 41st Annual Tony Awards (1987); The 54th Annual Tony Awards (2000); The 68th Annual Tony Awards (2014); The American President (1995); The Andy Williams Show (1966); The Beatles Anthology (1995–1996); The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit (1964); The Bell Telephone Hour (1960); The Brady Bunch Variety Hour (1977); The Carol Burnett Show (1967); The Cavalier (1928); The Christmas Club (2019); The Danny Kaye Show (1965); The Dean Martin Show (1966); The Dick Clark Show (1959); The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1961); The Ed Sullivan Show (1960–1964); The Ezio Pinza Show (1952); The Facts of Life (1986); The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1993); The Garry Moore Show (1951 / 1959); The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World (1971); The Great Dictator (1940); The Kelly Clarkson Show (2020); The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (2011); The King of Kings (1927); The Last Man on Earth (2018); The Lawrence Welk Show (1967–1982); The Little Foxes (1941); The Lost Zeppelin (1929); The Lux Show (1957); The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2019); The Meredith Willson Show (1949); The Merv Griffin Show (1971); The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996); The Morecambe & Wise Show (1970); The Muppet Show (1979); The Muppets. (2015); The Music Man (1962 / 2003); The Music Never Stopped (2011); The Name's the Same (1952–1953); The Other Sister (1999); The Perry Como Christmas Show (1974); The Polar Express (2004); The Project (2023); The Simpsons (2010–2014); The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1958–1961); The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar (1959); The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1963 / 1981); The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (2010–2011); The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964); The Wedding Singer (1998); The West Wing (2001); The Wrong Mans (2014); This Is Your Life (1971); Till There Was You (1991 / 2003); Tinsel Town (2025); Ultraman: Rising (2024); Undersea Kingdom (1936); Veronica Mars (2006); Warehouse 13 (2010); Weekend Recharge (2025); WGN Morning News (2019); Whose Line Is It Anyway? (2004); Will & Grace (1999); You Bet Your Life (1956).

Born on this day – Phoebe Atwood Taylor:

 

Phoebe Atwood Taylor

Writer

May 18, 1909 – January 9, 1976

Credits:

Banbury Bog (1938); Beginning with a Bash (1937); Cold Steal (1939); Dead Ernest (1944); Death Lights a Candle (1932); Deathblow Hill (1935); Diplomatic Corpse (1951); Figure Away (1937); File for Record (1943); Going, Going, Gone (1943); Murder and Mystery in Boston (1987); Murder At the New York World's Fair (1938); Octagon House (1937); Out of Order (1936); Proof of the Pudding (1945); Punch with Care (1946); Sandbar Sinister (1934); Spring Harrowing (1939); The Annulet of Gilt (1938); The Cape Cod Mystery (1931); The Criminal C. O. D (1940); The Crimson Patch (1936); The Cut Direct (1938); The Deadly Sunshade (1940); The Hollow Chest (1941); The Iron Clew / aka The Iron Hand (1947); The Left Leg (1940); The Mystery of the Cape Cod Players (1933); The Mystery of the Cape Cod Tavern (1934); The Perennial Boarder (1941); The Six Iron Spiders (1942); The Tinkling Symbol (1935).

Born on this day – Richard Brooks:

Richard Brooks

Director

Writer

Producer

May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992