Roberto Bolano, on reading:

Reading is like thinking,

like praying,

like talking to a friend,

like expressing your ideas,

like listening to other people's ideas,

like listening to music,

like looking at the view,

like taking a walk on the beach.

- Roberto Bolano.

Born on this day - Henri Matisse:

 

Henri Matisse

Artist

December 31, 1869 – November 3, 1954

#Dance #DanceII 

Born on this day – Jason Robards:

Jason Robards

Actor

December 31, 1892 – April 4, 1963

Credits:

A Bird in the Hand (1929); A Game of Death (1945); A Likely Story (1947); A Night of Adventure (1944); A Strange Adventure (1932); Abraham Lincoln (1930); Acapulco (1961); Alaska Patrol (1949); All of Me (1934); Badman's Territory (1946); Banjo (1947); Bedlam (1946); Bermuda Mystery (1944); Betrayal from the East (1945); Born to Kill (1947); Break of Hearts (1935); Broadway Bill (1934); Broken Arrow (1958); Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1934); Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1934); Carnival Lady (1933); Casey Jones (1927); Caught Plastered (1931); Charlie Chan Carries On (1931); Cimarron City (1958); Cipher Bureau (1938); Clipped Wings (1937); Cockeyed Cavaliers (1934); Code of the West (1947); Colt .45 (1958); Corruption (1933); Crazy That Way (1930); Criminal Court (1946); Crimson Romance (1934); Damaged Lives (1933); Dance Hall Hostess (1933); Danger Flight (1939); Deadline at Dawn (1946); Desperate (1947); Dick Tracy (1945); Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947); Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946); Dick Tracy's Dilemma (1947); Ding Dong Williams (1946); Discarded Lovers (1932); Do or Diet (1947); Docks of San Francisco (1932); Double Decoy (1931); Dynamite (1949); Employees' Entrance (1933); Ex-Bad Boy (1931); Feudin' Rhythm (1949); Fighting Father Dunne (1948); Flight to Fame (1938); Footloose Widows (1926); Gangs of Chicago (1940); General Electric Theater (1958–1961); George White's Scandals (1945); Give Out, Sisters (1942); Guns of Hate (1948); Hills of Kentucky (1927); His Exciting Night (1938); Horsemen of the Sierras (1949); Hurry, Charlie, Hurry (1941); I Live My Life (1935); I Love You Again (1940); I Stole a Million (1939); If You Knew Susie (1948); I'll Build It Myself (1946); I'll Take Milk (1946); Impact (1949); Irish Hearts (1927); Isle of the Dead (1945); It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog (1945); Jaws of Steel (1927); Joan of Ozark (1942); Johnny Angel (1945); Juarez (1939); Klondike (1932); Ladies Courageous (1944); Ladies Crave Excitement (1935); Laramie (1960); Laughing at Trouble (1936); Leave It to Beaver (1961); Let 'em Have It (1935); Let's Go Stepping (1945); Lightnin' (1930); Little Tough Guy (1938); Long Shot (1939); Looking for Trouble (1934); Mademoiselle Fifi (1944); Mama Loves Papa (1945); Man Alive (1945); Man of Conquest (1939); Manhunt (1960); Masked Raiders (1949); Massacre River (1949); Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948); Music in Manhattan (1944); Mystery Plane (1939); Nurse from Brooklyn (1938); On Trial (1928); One Exciting Adventure (1934); Only Yesterday (1933); Paris (1929); Peacock Alley (1930); Polly of the Movies (1927); Post Office Investigator (1949); Prison Break (1938); Public Stenographer (1934); Race Street (1948); Radio Hams (1939); Radio Stars on Parade (1945); Range War (1939); Return of the Bad Men (1948); Riders of the Whistling Pines (1949); Riffraff (1947); Rimfire (1949); Risky Business (1939); Riverboat Rhythm (1946); Robin Hood of El Dorado (1936); Salvation Nell (1931); San Antonio Rose (1941); San Francisco (1936); Scouts to the Rescue (1939); Servant of the People: The Story of the Constitution of the United States (1937); Seven Keys to Baldpate (1947); Shed No Tears (1948); Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943); Ship of Wanted Men (1933); Silver Queen (1942); Sing a Jingle (1944); Sinners in Paradise (1938); Sisters (1930); Sky Patrol (1939); Slightly Married (1932); Smoky Mountain Melody (1948); Some Mother's Boy (1929); Son of God's Country (1948); South of Death Valley (1949); Stella Maris (1925); Step by Step (1946); Streets of Shanghai (1927); Studio One (1958); Stunt Pilot (1939); Subway Express (1931); Sugarfoot (1958–1960); Sweetheart of the Navy (1937); Swingtime Johnny (1943); Take the Stand (1934); Tales of Wells Fargo (19632); The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938); The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1963); The Bamboo Blonde (1946); The Barbara Stanwyck Show (1961); The Cohens and Kellys (1926); The Conquerors (1932); The Crusades (1935); The Death Ship (1928); The Deputy (1961); The Devil's Mate (1933); The Ed Sullivan Show (1959); The Falcon in San Francisco (1945); The Falcon's Adventure (1946); The Falcon's Alibi (1946); The Farmer's Daughter (1947); The Fatal Hour (1940); The Fighting Marines (1935); The Firefly (1937); The Flying Marine (1929); The Gamblers (1929); The Gilded Lily (1921); The Green Hornet Strikes Again! (1940); The Heart of Maryland (1927); The Howards of Virginia (1940); The Isle of Lost Ships (1929); The Jazz Cinderella (1930); The Judge Steps Out (1948); The Kansan (1943); The Land of Hope (1921); The Last Dance (1930); The Last Days of Pompeii (1935); The Law of the Tong (1931); The Luckiest Girl in the World (1936); The Mad Empress (1939); The Man Who Cried Wolf (1937); The Master Race (1944); The Merry Widow (1934); The Miracle Rider (1935); The Notorious Mr. Monks (1958); The President Vanishes (1934); The Pride of the Legion (1932); The Purple Vigilantes (1938); The Rage of Paris (1938); The Second Woman (1950); The Storm (1938); The Super Snooper (1934); The Third Degree (1926); The Threat (1949); The Way to Love (1933); The Woman Condemned (1934); Thunder Mountain (1947); Torture Money (1937); Tracked by the Police (1927); Traffic with the Devil (1946); Trail Street (1947); Trapped (1931); Trial Marriage (1929); Trifles (1930); Twin Husbands (1946); Under the Tonto Rim (1947); Unholy Love (1932); Union Depot (1932); Vacation in Reno (1946); Vagabond Lady (1935); Variety Time (1948); Vogues of 1938 (1937); Wagon Train (1961); Wagons Westward (1940); Wanderer of the Wasteland (1945); West of the Pecos (1945); Western Heritage (1948); Western Pacific Agent (1950); What a Blonde (1945); What, No Cigarettes? (1945); White Eagle (1932); White Flannels (1927); White Legion (1936); Wild Geese (1927); Wild Horse Mesa (1947); Wild in the Country (1961); Woman Against Woman (1938); Woman Unafraid (1934); Zombies on Broadway (1945); Zorro Rides Again (1937); Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939).

Born on this day – Theresa Harris:

 

Theresa Harris

Actress

Singer

Dancer

December 31, 1906 – October 8, 1985

Credits:

These Amazing Shadows (2011); The Gift of Love (1958); How to Marry a Millionaire (1957); Spoilers of the Forest (1957); Chevron Hall of Stars (1956); Back from Eternity (1956); Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1956); The Amos 'n Andy Show (1955); The Loretta Young Show (1954); Lux Video Theatre (1954); The French Line (1953); Here Come the Girls (1953); Your Jeweler's Showcase (1953); Small Town Girl (1953); Angel Face (1952); The Company She Keeps (1951); Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951); Grounds for Marriage (1951); And Baby Makes Three (1949); Tension (1949); The File on Thelma Jordon (1949); The Doctor and the Girl (1949); Neptune's Daughter (1949); Alias Nick Beal (1949); The Velvet Touch (1948); The Big Clock (1948); The Lady from Shanghai (1947); Out of the Past (1947); Merton of the Movies (1947); Miracle on 34th Street (1947); Hit Parade of 1947 (1947); Swingtime Jamboree (1946); Three Little Girls in Blue (1946); Smooth as Silk (1946); Miss Susie Slagle's (1946); The Dolly Sisters (1945); Men in Her Diary (1945); Strange Illusion (1945); What's Buzzin', Cousin? (1943); I Walked with a Zombie (1943); Cat People (1942); Tough As They Come (1942); Sing Your Worries Away (1942); Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941); Our Wife (1941); Blossoms in the Dust (1941); The Flame of New Orleans (1941); Sis Hopkins (1941); Love Thy Neighbor (1940); Santa Fe Trail (1940); Buck Benny Rides Again (1940); City of Chance (1940); RCA Television Exhibit at New York Worlds Fair (1939); One Hour to Live (1939); The Women (1939); Tell No Tales (1939); Passport Husband (1938); The Toy Wife (1938); Jezebel (1938); Big Town Girl (1937); Gangsters on the Loose (1937); The Lady Escapes (1937); Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937); Banjo on My Knee (1936); 15 Maiden Lane (1936); The Green Pastures (1936); Strike Me Pink (1936); In Person (1935); Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935); Go Into Your Dance (1935); Desirable (1934); Black Moon (1934); Operator 13 (1934); A Duke for a Day (1934); Drums o' Voodoo (1934); Finishing School (1934); Sleepers East (1934); A Modern Hero (1934); Success at Any Price (1934); Flying Down to Rio (1933); Roman Scandals (1933); The Worst Woman in Paris? (1933); Blood Money (1933); Broadway Thru a Keyhole (1933); Penthouse (1933); Morning Glory (1933); Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933); Baby Face (1933); Hold Your Man (1933); Private Detective 62 (1933); Professional Sweetheart (1933); Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933); 42nd Street (1933); Grand Slam (1933); The Half-Naked Truth (1932); The Sport Parade (1932); Night After Night (1932); Faithless (1932); Free Wheeling (1932); Horse Feathers (1932); Week Ends Only (1932); Merrily We Go to Hell (1932); Union Depot (1932); Arrowsmith (1931); The Road to Reno (1931); Morocco (1930); The Lady Fare (1929); Thunderbolt (1929).

Born on this day – Charles Lederer:

Charles Lederer

Writer

Director

December 31, 1910 – March 5, 1976

Credits:

Ocean's Eleven (2001); Kiss of Death (1995); Kismet (1967); Destry (1964); A Global Affair (1964); Mutiny on the Bounty (1962); Follow That Dream (1962); Ocean's Eleven (1960); Can-Can (1960); It Started with a Kiss (1959); Never Steal Anything Small (1959); The Fiend Who Walked the West (1958); Tip on a Dead Jockey (1957); Matinee Theatre (1957); The Spirit of St. Louis (1957); Gaby (1956); Kismet (1955); TV de Vanguarda (1955); Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953); Monkey Business (1952); Fearless Fagan (1952); O. Henry's Full House (1952); The Thing from Another World (1951); On the Loose (1951); Wabash Avenue (1950); Red, Hot and Blue (1949); I Was a Male War Bride (1949); The Lady from Shanghai (1947); Her Husband's Affairs (1947); Ride the Pink Horse (1947); Kiss of Death (1947); Slightly Dangerous (1943); The Youngest Profession (1943); Fingers at the Window (1942); Love Crazy (1941); Comrade X (1940); I Love You Again (1940); His Girl Friday (1940); Eternally Yours (1939); Broadway Serenade (1939); Within the Law (1939); Double or Nothing (1937); Mountain Music (1937); Baby Face Harrington (1935); Cock of the Air (1932); The Front Page (1931).

Born on this day – Roy Rowland:

 

Roy Rowland

Director

December 31, 1910 – June 29, 1995

Born on this day – Janet Chandler:

Janet Chandler

Actress

Model

December 31, 1911 – March 16, 1994

Credits:

Rough Riding Ranger (1935); Now or Never (1935); Million Dollar Haul (1935); The Drunkard (1935); Cyclone of the Saddle (1935); Cowboy Holiday (1934); The Great Gamble (1934); Born to Fight (1932); The Golden West (1932); She Wanted a Millionaire (1932); Inez from Hollywood (1924); The Three Musketeers (1921).

Born on this day – Arletta Duncan:

Arletta Duncan

Actress

December 31, 1914 – October 28, 1985

Credits:

Damaged Goods (1937); Mile a Minute Love (1937); Hook and Ladder (1935); Menace (1934); Unknown Blonde (1934); The Gallant Fool (1933); The Fighting Champ (1932); Back Street (1932); Fast Companions (1932); Night World (1932); Frankenstein (1931).

Born on this day – Suzy Delair:

Suzy Delair

Actress

Singer

Dancer

Comedian

Vaudevillian

December 31, 1917 – March 15, 2020

Credits:

Acteur studio (1986); Adieux de Tabarin (1966); Aimer, rire et chanter: Jacques Offenbach (1957); Antenne 2 Midi (1981); Au cinéma ce soir (1970–1971); Au théâtre ce soir (1974); Aujourd'hui Madame (1970); Botta e risposta (1950); Casanova (1934); Champs-Elysées (1989); Copie conforme (1947); Daisy Jones & The Six (2023); Dédé (1934); Défense d'aimer (1942); Du mouron pour les petits oiseaux (1963); Emily in Paris (2020); Ferdinand le noceur (1935); Fernandel the Dressmaker (1956); Gervaise (1956); Henri-Georges Clouzot: Le tyran éclairé (2004); Ici Paris (1947); Is Paris Burning? (1966); Jenny Lamour (1947); La crise est finie (1934); La dame de chez Maxim's (1933); La joie de vivre (1953–1970); La vie de bohème (1945); Lady Paname (1950); L'âge vermeil (1984); L'argent par les fenêtres (1972); Le bal des Petits Lits blancs (1949); Le dernier des six (1941); Le fil à la patte (1954); Le manège des amoureux (1965); Le mythomane (1981); Le palmarès des chansons (1965); Le palmarès des chansons (1966); Les créatures du bon Dieu (1967); Les régates de San Francisco (1960); Les soeurs Hortensia (1935); L'or dans la rue (1934); Lost Souvenirs (1950); Mardi cinema (1987); Oublie-moi, Mandoline (1976); Par la fenêtre (1948); Poliche (1934); Prends la route (1936); Professeur Cupidon (1933); Rocco and His Brothers (1960); The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob (1973); The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (1942); Touchons du bois (1933); Toute la chanson (1961); Trente-Six Chandelles (1957–1958); Trois... six... neuf (1937); Un caprice de la Pompadour (1931); Utopia (1950); Violettes impériales (1932); White Paws (1949).

Born on this day – Rex Allen:

Rex Allen

Actor

Singer

Songwriter

December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999

Born on this day – Rosalind Cash:

Rosalind Cash

Actress

December 31, 1938 – October 31, 1995

Credits:

227 (1990); A Dangerous Affair (1995); A Different World (1989–1991); A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion (1982); A Killing Affair (1977); Afros, Macks & Zodiacs (1995); Amazing Grace (1974); American Playhouse (1983–1985); Barney Miller (1978); Benson (1981); Black Hollywood (1984); Black Journal (1969); Cagney & Lacey (1987); Ceremonies in Dark Old Men (1975); China Beach (1990); Circle of Pain (1996); Cornbread, Earl and Me (1975); Day of Absence (1971); Death Drug (1978); Death Spa (1988); Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde (1976); Falcon Crest (1989); Family Ties (1989); Flashpoint (1979); Forced March (1989); Frank's Place (1988); From a Whisper to a Scream / Segment: Lovecraft's Traveling Amusements (1987); General Hospital (1994–1995); Go Tell It on the Mountain (1985); Good Times (1976); Great Performances (1971); Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones (1980); Hardcastle and McCormick (1984); Harry O (1974); Head of the Class (1990); Hickey & Boggs (1972); Highway to Heaven (1987); Hill Street Blues (1985); Insight (1982); Just an Overnight Guest (1983); Klute (1971); Knight Rider (1986); Knightwatch (1988–1989); Knots Landing (1991); Kojak (1977); L.A. Law (1987); Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993); Melinda (1972); Police Woman (1977); Riptide (1985); Roc (1992–1993); Sister, Sister (1982); Special Bulletin (1983); Starsky and Hutch (1977); Sundance: A Matter of Process (1986); Tales from the Hood (1995); Tequila and Bonetti (1992); The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984); The All-American Boy (1973); The Class of Miss MacMichael (1978); The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1993); The Golden Girls (1988); The Last Man Alive (1971); The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1974); The Merv Griffin Show (1969); The Mighty Pawns (1987); The Monkey Hu$tle (1976); The New Centurions (1972); The Omega Man (1971); The Second Coming (1992); The Sophisticated Gents (1981); The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1969); Thirtysomething (1987–1989); This Is the Life (1985); Tilmon Tempo (1972–1976); Trapper John, M.D. (1982–1984); Uptown Saturday Night (1974); Welcome to the Basement (2018); What's Happening!! (1976–1977); Wrong Is Right (1982); You Must Remember This (1992).

Born on this day – John Denver:

 

John Denver

Singer

Songwriter

Guitarist

Actor

Activist

December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997

#AnniesSong #TakeMeHomeCountryRoads #RockyMountainHigh #SunshineOnMyShoulders #Calypso #OhGod #TheHungerProject

Born on this day – Val Kilmer:

Val Kilmer

Actor

December 31, 1959 – April 1, 2025

Credits:
 
Book:
 
I'm Your Huckleberry: A Memoir (2020).

Movies and television:

100 Years of the Hollywood Western (1994); 10th & Wolf (2006); 1995 MTV Movie Awards (1995); 1st Born (2019); 2:22 (2008); 2009 American Music Awards (2009); 5 Days of War (2011); 5 Second Movies (2008); 7 Below (2012); A Century of Science Fiction (1996); A Director's Journey: The Making of 'Red Dragon' (2003); A Soldier's Revenge (2020); A West Texas Children's Story (2007); ABC Afterschool Specials (1985); Academy Event: Heat (2016); Africa Unbottled (2001); Alexander (2004); Alta Voltagem (1997); American Cowslip (2009); American Masters (2009); American Meth (2008); At First Sight (1999); Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009); Batman Forever (1995); Batman Forever Heroes: Batman (2005); Batman Forever: Deleted Scenes (2005); Behind Closed Doors (2020); Beyond Batman: The Many Faces of Gotham City (2005); Beyond the Trailer (2010); Big Brother's Efourum (2005); Billy the Kid (1989); Biography (1987–2005); Blind Horizon (2003); Blood Out (2011); Bloodworth (2010); Bounty Hunters (2004); Breakfast (2005); Breathless (2012); B'Twixt Now and Sunrise (2011); Cabeça a Prêmio (2009); Canada A.M. (2006); Champion (2005); Charlie Rose (1996–2004); Cinema mil (2005); Cinema Twain (2019); Columbus Day (2008); Comanche Moon (2008); Conan (2013); Conspiracy (2008); Danger Zone: The Making of 'Top Gun' (2004); DC Fandome (2020); Dead Girl (1996); Deep in the Heart (2012); Deja Vu (2006); Déjà Vu: Surveillance Window (2007); Delgo (2008); Double Identity (2009); Dr. X's Creatures (2003–2008); Embracing the Chaos: A Conversation with the Cast of 'the Salton Sea' (2002); Entertainment Tonight (2007–2023); Entourage (2004); Fan des années 80 (2010); Felon (2008); Fight Against Time: Oliver Stone's Alexander (2005); Film '05 (2005); George and the Dragon (2004); Ghost Ghirls (2013); GMTV (2005); Good Day L.A. (2013); Good Morning America (2020 / 2021); Gun (2010); Gylne tider (2016); Hard Cash (2002); Hardwired (2009); HBO First Look (1998–2004); Heat (1995); Heat: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Filmmaker Panel (2017); Hollywood Insider (2019–2022); How to Rob a Bank (2024); Icons Unearthed (2024); Inside the Actors Studio (2000–2005); Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019); Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2005–2006); Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater (1995); Joe the King (1999); Kenny Loggins: Danger Zone (1986); Kill Me Again (1989); Kill the Irishman (2011); Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005); Knight Rider (2008–2009); Larry King Now (2013); Last Call with Carson Daly (2003–2004); Late Night with Conan O'Brien (2003–2005); Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2013–2014); Late Show with David Letterman (1996–2000); Le Fossoyeur de Films (2021); Life's Too Short (2013); Live & Kicking (1999); Live with Kelly and Mark (2005–2006); MacGruber (2010); Magacine (2005); Making American Cowslip (2010); 'Masked & Anonymous' Exposed (2003); Masked and Anonymous (2003); Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers (1991); Mindhunters (2004); Mindhunters: Stunt Sequence (2005); Minty Comedic Arts (2020); Mon clown (2008); Mon plus grand moment de cinéma (2005); Moscow Zero (2006); MTV EMA Berlin '09 (2009); Mundo VIP (1997–1998); NeXt (1998); Nigella (2005); No Sleep TV3 (2016); Numb3rs (2007); Oliver Stone - Hollywoods Lieblingsrebell (2006); On the Set of 'Alexander' (2004); Oneohtrix Point Never: Animals (2016); Palo Alto (2013); Paydirt (2020); Planes (2013); Played (2006); Pollock (2000); Psych (2014); Real Genius (1985); Red Planet (2000); Red Planet: Deleted Scenes (2000); Richard & Judy (2004); Riddle (2013); Riddle Me This: Why Is Batman Forever? (1995); Riptide (2021); Robot Chicken (2014); Saturday Night Live (2000–2011); Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash 2000 (2000); Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon (2001); Seal: Kiss from a Rose (Batman Forever Version) (1995); Sean Carnage Parking Lot (2020); Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight - Batman Unbound (2005); Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight - Reinventing a Hero (2005); Shakespeare High (2011); Shootout (2005); Showbiz Today (1995); Song to Song (2017); Spartan (2004); Special Collector's Edition (2012); Spider-Man: Edge of Time (2011); Standing Up (2013); Stateside (2004); Streets of Blood (2009); Summer Love (2006); Tavis Smiley (2013); Tenacious D: To Be the Best (2012); The 26th Satellite Awards (2022); The 41st Annual Golden Globe Awards (1984); The 51st Annual Golden Globe Awards (1994); The 56th Annual Academy Awards (1984); The 66th Annual Academy Awards (1994); The 71st Annual Academy Awards (1999); The 9th Annual IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (1994); The Annual 1995 ShoWest Awards (1995); The Art of Zen (2016); The Bigger Picture (2005); The Birthday Cake (2021); The Choe Show (2021); The Cowboy (2016); The Daily Show (2002–2004); The Death of 'Alexander' (2005); The Doors (1991); The Doors: Break on Through (1991); The Doors: Featurette (1991); The Doors: The Road of Excess (1997); The Fourth Dimension (2012); The Fourth Dimension / Segment: The Lotus Community Workshop (2012); The Future Of (2022); The Ghost and the Darkness (1996); The Heaven and Earth Show (2004); The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996); The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2006–2008); The Love Guru (2008); The Making of 'Heat' (2005); The Making of Spider-Man: Edge of Time (2011); The Making of 'Tombstone' (2002); The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains (1987); The Man-Eaters of Tsavo (2025); The Missing (2003); The Money Programme (2004); The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1986); The Orange British Academy Film Awards (2004); The Prince of Egypt (1998); The Real McCoy (1993); The Reichen Show (2006); The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1999); The Saint (1997); The Salton Sea (2002); The Seventh Man (2003); The Showbiz Show with David Spade (2005); The Snowman (2017); The Spoils of Babylon (2014); The Steam Experiment (2009); The Super (2017); The Ten Commandments: The Musical (2006); The Thaw (2009); The Thaw: Behind the Scenes (2009); The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1994–2002); The Traveler (2010); The Tree Is Still There (2025); The Untold West (1993); The Wayne Brady Show (2003); This Morning (1995–2004); Thunderheart (1992); Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn (2014); Tombstone (1993); Top Gun (1986); Top Gun: Maverick (2022); Top Secret! (1984); Trudell (2005); True Romance (1993); Tussen de sterren (2003); Unconquered; Allan Houser and the Legacy of One Apache Family (2008); V Graham Norton (2003); Val (2021); Vivement dimanche (1999); Welcome to the Basement (2012–2013); Willow (1988); Willow: The Making of an Adventure (1988); Wings of Courage (1995); Wonderland (2003); World Premiere of Red Planet (2000); Wyatt Earp's Revenge (2012); XIII: The Conspiracy (2008); Xtravaganza (1997).

On this day in movie and book history - The Bishop Murder Case (1929)

The Bishop Murder Case

directed by David Burton and Nick Grinde,

written by S.S. Van Dine and Lenore J. Coffee,

based on the novel by S.S. Van Dine,

was released in the United States on December 31, 1929.

Music by William Axt.

Cast:

Basil Rathbone, Leila Hyams, Roland Young, Alec B. Francis, George F. Marion, Zelda Sears, Bodil Rosing, Carroll Nye, Charles Quatermaine, James Donlan, Sidney Bracey, Clarence Geldart, Delmer Daves, Nellie Bly Baker.

Recommended reading - The Bishop Murder Case

The Bishop Murder Case

by S.S. Van Dine.
 
# 4 in the Philo Vance mystery series.
 
Published by Scribners.
First published 1929.
Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0684179776
ISBN-13: 978-0684179773
 
Description:
 

Master sleuth Philo Vance is baffled by a series of grisly murders committed by the sinister “Bishop,” who uses Mother Goose rhymes for inspiration. The killings are the handiwork of genius gone awry, and the suspects are all distinguished intellectuals of the highest order: a physicist, a mathematician, an astronomer, a chess master. Set against the rich tapestry of New York City in the gilded 1920s, this is a brilliant mystery featuring the debonaire, aristocratic sleuth who was America’s first classic detective.

 

“So Philo Vance will be darting around again. Good!” – Rex Stout.
 
“A nightmarish shocker, a dazzling deductive work… Vance’s greatest triumph.” – Chris Steinbrunner.
 

On this day in television history - Johnny Staccato (1959)

Johnny Staccato
Season 1. Episode 16.

Episode entitled: Collector’s Item.

Released December 31, 1959.

Directed by John Brahm.

Written by Richard Carr, Stanford Whitmore.

Music by Elmer Bernstein.

Cast:

John Cassavetes, Eduardo Ciannelli, Ann Henry, Juano Hernandez, Frank London, Rupert Crosse, Linné Ahlstrand, Paul Cristo, Shep Houghton, Murray Pollack, Frieda Rentie, Edwin Rochelle, Dennis Sallas.

On this day in the Star Trek universe - Discovery (2020)

Star Trek: Discovery
Season 3. Episode 12.

Episode entitled: There Is a Tide.

Released December 31, 2020.

Directed by Jonathan Frakes.

Created by Bryan Fuller, Alex Kurtzman.

Written by Kenneth Lin, Sean Cochran, Anthony Maranville, Chris Silvestri, Brandon Schultz.

Based on Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry.

Music by Jeff Russo.

Cast:

Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, David Ajala, Oded Fehr, Noah Averbach-Katz, Janet Kidder, Kenneth Mitchell, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Weber, Emily Coutts, Patrick Kwok-Choon, Oyin Oladejo, Ronnie Rowe, Brendan Beiser, Lisa Berry, Avaah Blackwell, Nicole Dickinson, Vanessa Jackson, Lamont James, Dorren Lee, Alexander Mandra, Fabio Tassone, Roy Samuelson.

On this day in music history - Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne (1999)

Cecilia & Bryn at Glyndebourne

directed by Brian Large,

released in the United Kingdom on December 31, 1999.

Cast: Cecilia Bartoli, Bryn Terfel, Myung-Whun Chung.

Plato, on books:

A house that has a library in it has a soul.

- Plato.

Recommended reading – Swag

 

Swag

by Elmore Leonard.
 
a.k.a. Ryan's Rules.
 
Published by Mariner Books.
First published 1976.
Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0062227866
ISBN-13: 978-0062227867
 
Description:
 

The smallest of small-time criminals, Ernest Stickley Jr. figures his luck's about to change when Detroit used car salesman Frank Ryan catches him trying to boost a ride from Ryan's lot. Frank's got some surefire schemes for getting rich quick – all of them involving guns – and all Stickley has to do is follow "Ryan's Rules" to share the wealth. But sometimes rules need to be bent, maybe even broken, if one is to succeed in the world of crime, especially if the "brains" of the operation knows less than nothing.

Born on this day – Rudyard Kipling:

Rudyard Kipling

Writer

December 30, 1865 – January 18, 1936

Credits:

Books:

Puck of Pook’s Hill (1906); Rewards and Fairies (1910); The Jungle Book (1893); The Second Jungle Book (1895); The Light That Failed (1890); The Naulahka - A Story Of East And West (1892); Captains Courageous (1897); The Story of the Gadsbys (1899); Under The Deodars (1899); Kim (1901); They (1905); With the Night Mail (1909); The Man Who Would Be King (1888); The Return of Imray (1891); The Cat That Walked by Himself (1902); Plain Tales from the Hills (1888); The Phantom Rickshaw and Other Stories (1888); Life’s Handicap (1891); Barrack-Room Ballads (1893); Many Inventions (1893); Soldiers Three (1899); Indian Tales (1899); Just So Stories (1902); The Five Nations (1903); Traffics and Discoveries (1904); Kipling Poems (1907); The Day’s Work (1908); Actions and Reactions (1909); Sea Warfare (1916); A Diversity of Creatures (1917); The Eyes of Asia (1919); Rudyard Kipling’s Verse (1923); The Man Who Was (1924); Debits And Credits (1926); Limits And Renewals (1932); All The Mowgli Stories (1933); Phantoms and Fantasies (1965); Complete Verse (1972); Kiplings Science Fiction (1987); The Complete Supernatural Stories of Rudyard Kipling (1987); Kipling’s Fantasy Stories (1992); The Science Fiction Stories of Rudyard Kipling (1994); Selected Stories of Rudyard Kipling (1999); The Mark of the Beast and Other Horror Tales (2000); The Elephant, The Hare And The Black Cobra (2003); Victorian Short Stories of Troubled Marriages (2005); Rudyard Kipling’s Tales of Horror and Fantasy (2008); Ten Stories (2017); The Adventures of Mowgli: Stories from the Jungle Book (2018); The Elephant’s Child (1900); Letters of Marque (2009); Red Riding Hood (2008); Cinderella (2008); Jack and the Beanstalk (2008); Hansel and Gretel (2008); Beauty and the Beast (2008); Snow White (2009); Rumpelstiltskin (2009); Sleeping Beauty (2009); The Three Little Pigs (2009); Rapunzel: The Graphic Novel (2009); The Ugly Duckling (2009); The Princess and the Pea (2009); The Emperor’s New Clothes (2009); Thumbelina (2009); The Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan (2010); John Henry, Hammerin’ Hero (2010); Pecos Bill, Colossal Cowboy (2010); The Legend of Johnny Appleseed (2010); The Bremen Town Musicians (2011); The Golden Goose (2011); Tom Thumb (2011); The Elves and the Shoemaker (2011); How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin (2012); How the Leopard Got His Spots (2012); How the Camel Got His Hump (2012); How the Elephant Got His Trunk (2012); Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Comics (2013); Tall (2014); A Cat of a Different Color (2020); A Cat of Perfect Taste (2020); A Cat of Disdainful Looks (2020); A Cat of Strange Lands (2020); A Cat of Cozy Situations (2020); A Cat of Heroic Heart (2020); A Cat of Artistic Sensibilities (2021); A Cat of Fantastic Whims (2021); A Cat of Feral Instincts (2021); 50 Great Short Stories (1952); A St. Nicholas Anthology (1969); The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories (1984); Famous and Curious Animal Stories (1989); A Separate Star: A Tribute to Rudyard Kipling (1989); Tales of the Occult (1989); The Amis Story Anthology (1992); H.P. Lovecraft’s Book of Horror (1993); 100 Hair-Raising Little Horror Stories (1993); Fantasy Stories (1994); The Anthology of Love and Romance (1994); Spellbound (1995); World War One British Poets: Brooke, Owen, Sassoon, Rosenberg and Others (1997); Detection by Gaslight: 14 Victorian Detective Stories (1997); Time Machines (1997); A Treasury of Five-Minute Stories (2000); Dark (2000); On Glorious Wings (2003); The World’s Greatest Horror Stories (2004); The Little Big Book of California (2005); H. P. Lovecraft’s Book of the Supernatural (2006); Rotten English: A Literary Anthology (2007); Empire Tales (2008); Tales Before Narnia: The Roots of Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction (2008); Stories to Get You Through the Night (2010); 50 Classic Novellas (2011); The Most Dangerous Game and Other Stories of Adventure (2011); The Phantom Coach (2014); That Glimpse of Truth (2014); Red Sky (2014); The Dover Anthology of Cat Stories (2015); Writers: Their Lives and Works (2018); The Occult Fiction Collection (2019); 30 Occult & Supernatural Masterpieces You Have to Read Before You Die (2019); A Cat of Disdainful Looks (2020); Classic Cat Stories (2020); Hungry for Blood – Ultimate Halloween Collection (2023).

Movies and television:

A Cruel Romance (1984); A Fool There Was (1915 / 1922); A Hedgehog Plus a Turtle (1981); A Little Elephant (1967); A Maid of Mandalay (1913); A Poem (2019); Abel Classics (2023); American Playhouse (1983); Anansi Storytime (2018); Brave Sailor (1936); Captains Courageous (1937 / 1977 / 1996); Cherry Season (2015); Childhood (1974); Children of the Mist (1993); China Seas (1935); Christmas Glory 2000 (2000); Cineficción Radio (2020); Classical Baby: The Lullaby Show (2017); Creative Reader: The Jungle Book (1995); Dad's Army (1970); Das kommt davon (1976); Deadly Tales (1998); Dieu a choisi Paris (1969); Elephant Boy (1937–1973); Elephant's Child (1987); Everybody Does It (1949); Exorcism of Fleete Marish (2022); Fireside Reading of the Jungle Book (2022); Grande Teatro Tupi (1963); Gunga Din (1911 / 1939); Histoires comme ça (Série 1) (2009); Hollywood Insider (2021); How the Elephant Got His Trunk (1970 / 1985); How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin and How the Camel Got His Hump (1987); How the Whale Got His Throat (1970); It's pretty, but Is It Art? (2023); Jackanory (1966–1974); John Charles Thomas (1927); Jungelboka (1997); Jungle Cubs (1996–1998); Jungleboek (1992); Just So Stories (1979 / 1983 / 1991); Kak bylo napisano pervoe pismo (1984); Kim (1950 / 1955 / 1984); Kipling's Poem (2010); Kom skal vi lese! (1991); La bestia umana (1916); La luce che si spegne (1915); Må vi få en historie? (1965); Man Without a Saddle (2015); Mark of the Beast (2012); Mauglí (2013); Megi (1989); Merry-Go-Round (1964–1965); Metro Movietone Revue (1929); Metropolitan (1935); MJ's WORLD: The Mannii Show on YouTube Series (2023); Mowgli. Kidnapping (1968); Mowgli. Raksha (1967); Mowgli. Return to the People (1971); Mowgli. The Battle (1970); Mowgli. The Last Hunt of Akela (1969); Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018); Mowgli: The New Adventures of the Jungle Book (1998); Mowgli's Brothers (1976); My Mowgli Boy (2019); Pack Up Your Troubles (1929); Puck of Pook's Hill (1951); Rabbit Ears: How the Leopard Got His Spots (1989); Rendez-vous au zoo (1952); Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (1965 / 1975 / 1976); Road to Mandalay (1991); Scape (2010); Selecciones de Cineficción Radio (2024); Sergeants 3 (1962); Shirley Temple's Storybook (1960); Smilin' Through (1941); Soldiers Three (1951); Stalky & Co. (1982); Studio One (1949–1953); Suspense (1950); Television Theater (2017); The Adventures of Mowgli (1973); The Adventures of the Maltese Cat (1991); The Ballad of Fisher's Boarding House (1922); The Cat That Walked by Himself (1968); The Cat Who Walked by Herself (1988); The Choir: Military Wives (2011); The City of Terrible Night (1915); The Ed Sullivan Show (1949–1951); The Encounter: Jungle Book Remake (2016); The Eye of Allah (1960); The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo (1964); The Fool (1913); The Frank Sinatra Show (1958); The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling (1964); The Jungle Book (1942 / 1967 / 1990 / 1992 / 1994 / 1995 / 2014 / 2016); The Jungle Book / TV series (2010–2019); The Jungle Book 2 (2003); The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story (1998); The Jungle Book: The Adventures of Mowgli (1989); The Jungle Book: The Movie (2012); The Jungle Book: The Mowgli Stories (2021); The Jungle Book: The New Adventures of Mowgli (1995); The King Crab (2015); The Light That Failed (1916 / 1923 / 1939 / 1961); The Man Who Would Be King (1975); The Muppet Show (1980); The Naulahka (1918); The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo (1997); The Sun's Tear (2022); The Unforgiving Minute (2010); The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (1973); The Vampire (1910); The White Seal (1975); They Met in Bombay (1941); Vampire of the Desert (1913); Viidakkokirja (2005); Voices from a Locked Room (1995); Watch Your Stern (1960); Wee Willie Winkie (1937); When the Clouds Clear (2016); Wife, Husband and Friend (1939); Without Benefit of Clergy (1921); Words for Battle (1941); You Said a Mouthful (1932); Your Favorite Story (1953).

Born on this day – Letizia Quaranta:

Letizia Quaranta

Actress

December 30, 1892 – January 9, 1977

Credits:

Acquazzone in montagna (1913); Addio giovinezza! (1913); Amor de Apache (1930); Astuzia di donna (1915); Bacio di morte (1916); Bersaglio umano (1921); Bob salva la vita all'Ammiraglio (1916); Cofanetto dei milioni (1914); Da boxeur a detective (1916); El consultorio de Madame René (1924); Fiamma tra le fiamme (1917); Fiori d'amore... fiori di morte (1914); Floretta e Patapon (1910); Forbidden Music (1942); Guerra in tempo di pace (1914); Hedda Gabler (1920); I mariti allegri (1914); Il caporal Simon (1917); Il germoglio della morte (1916); Il medico per forza (1931); Il mistero del messale (1919); Il mistero dell'educanda di Saint-Bon (1915); Il teschio d'oro (1920); Il testamento di Maciste (1920); Il treno degli spettri (1913); Il Trust dei diamanti (1916); Il viaggio di Maciste (1920); Il violino di Ketty (1914); La casa della paura (1921); La droga di Satana (1922); La gondola del diavolo (1946); La lanterna del diavolo (1931); La mujer de medianoche (1925); La nave dei morti (1921); La scala (1931); La signora delle miniere (1921); La tempesta in un cranio (1921); La trilogia di Maciste (1920); La vuelta del toro salvaje (1924); L'eterno romanzo (1914); L'immagine dell'altra (1914); L'innocente Casimiro (1945); L'inverosimile (1919); L'isola tenebrosa (1916); L'orfana del ghetto (1955); Love Everlasting (1914); Maciste contro la morte (1920); Maciste I (1919); Maciste innamorato (1919); Memoria dell'altro (1914); Nerone e Agrippina (1914); Più che Fratello (1916); Scacco matto (1919); Ted l'invisibile (1922); The Fatal Grotto (1913); The Queen's Jewel (1913); T'ho ancor baciato, or muoio lieta! (1912); Un dramma tra le belve (1915); Un simpatico mascalzone (1921); Vortice (1920).

Born on this day – Tom Keene:

Tom Keene

Actor

December 30, 1896 – August 4, 1963

Credits:

Adventures of Superman (1952); Arizona Roundup (1942); Battle of Greed (1937); Beau Bandit (1930); Berlin Express (1948); Beyond the Rockies (1932); Blood on the Moon (1948); Brothers in the Saddle (1949); Buffalo Bill, Jr. (1955); Casey Jones (1958); Come on Danger! (1932); Corky and White Shadow (1956); Cross Fire (1933); Crossfire (1947); Crossroad Avenger: The Adventures of the Tucson Kid (1953); Crown Theatre with Gloria Swanson (1954); Dangerous Intruder (1945); Death Valley Days (1956–1959); Desert Gold (1936); Desperadoes of the West (1950); Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947); Dick Tracy's Dilemma (1947); Dig That Uranium (1955); Drift Fence (1936); Drums of Destiny (1937); Dynamite Canyon (1941); Film Tactics (1945); Freighters of Destiny (1931); Fury (1956); General Electric Theater (1953); Ghost Valley (1932); Girls of the Big House (1945); God's Country and the Man (1937); Goodnight, Sweetheart (1944); Hollywood Mavericks (1990); Home Town Story (1951); Hong Kong Nights (1935); Honky Tonk (1929); Hopalong Cassidy (1954); In Old California (1929); Indian Agent (1948); Judge Roy Bean (1956); Jungle Woman (1944); Lights of Old Santa Fe (1944); Lone Star Law Men (1941); Mark Saber (1953); Marked Money (1928); Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch (1976); Night Work (1930); Old Louisiana (1937); Once Upon a Horse... (1958); Our Daily Bread (1934); Pardon My Gun (1930); Partners (1932); Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957); Port of 40 Thieves (1944); Race Street (1948); Racket Squad (1951); Radio Kisses (1930); Raw Timber (1937); Rebellion (1936); Red Planet Mars (1952); Renegades of the West (1932); Return of the Bad Men (1948); Riding the Sunset Trail (1941); Romance of the Rockies (1937); San Diego I Love You (1944); San Quentin (1946); Scarlet River (1933); Sergeant Mike (1944); Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (1955–1956); Seven Keys to Baldpate (1947); Sky King (1952); Son of the Border (1933); Special Collector's Edition (2011); Storm Over Wyoming (1950); Suicide Fleet (1931); Sundown Trail (1931); Sunset Pass (1933); Tales of the Texas Rangers (1958); Tension at Table Rock (1956); Texans Never Cry (1951); The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (2004); The Abbott and Costello Show (1954); The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu (1956); The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1958–1960); The Buckskin Rangers (1951); The Cheyenne Kid (1933); The Driftin' Kid (1941); The Dude Wrangler (1930); The Fat Man (1951); The Glory Trail (1936); The Godless Girl (1928); The Great Alaskan Mystery (1944); The Judge Steps Out (1948); The Just a Little Late Club (1923); The Law Commands (1937); The Living Christ Series (1951); The Mickey Mouse Club (1956); The Milkman (1950); The Millionaire (1955); The Moonlighter (1953); The Navy Way (1944); The Outlaw's Daughter (1954); The Painted Trail (1938); The Range Rider (1951); The Saddle Buster (1932); The Stu Erwin Show (1951); The Sun Was Setting (1951); Thunder (1929); Thunder Mountain (1947); Tide of Empire (1929); Timothy's Quest (1936); Tol'able David (1930); Trail of Robin Hood (1950); U.S. Marshal (1958); Under Strange Flags (1937); Under the Tonto Rim (1947); Up in Arms (1944); Wanderers of the West (1941); Western Heritage (1948); Western Mail (1942); Wetbacks (1956); Where Trails Divide (1937); Where Trails End (1942); Whirlybirds (1958); Wild Horse Mesa (1947).

Born on this day – Carol Reed:

Carol Reed

Director

Producer

December 30, 1906 – April 25, 1976

Born on this day – Jeanette Nolan:

Jeanette Nolan

Actress

December 30, 1911 – June 5, 1998

Born on this day – Nancy Coleman:

Nancy Coleman

Actress

December 30, 1912 – January 18, 2000

Credits:

Breakdowns of 1942 (1942); Breakdowns of 1944 (1945); Campbell Summer Soundstage (1953); Colgate Theatre (1950); Dangerously They Live (1941); Desperate Journey (1942); Devotion (1946); Edge of Darkness (1943); Entertainment – 1955 (1955); Goodyear Playhouse (1953); Her Sister's Secret (1946); In Our Time (1944); Kings Row (1942); Kraft Theatre (1949–1950); Kraft Theatre / The United States Steel Hour (1958); Lights Out (1950); Lux Video Theatre (1952); Mourning Becomes Electra (1947); NBC Presents (1949); Play of the Week (1961); Producers' Showcase (1956); Robert Montgomery Presents (1950); Ryan's Hope (1976); Slaves (1969); Star Tonight (1955–1956); Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio) (2022); Susan and God (1938); Tales of Tomorrow (1952–1953); That Man from Tangier (1953); The Adams Chronicles (1976); The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (1949); The Edge of Night (1956–1984); The Gay Sisters (1942); The Kaiser Aluminum Hour (1957); The Silver Theatre (1950); The Web (1951); True Story (1957–1958); Unusual Occupations (1947); Valiant Lady (1953–1957); Violence (1947).

Born on this day – Rosina Lawrence:

Rosina Lawrence

Actress

Singer

December 30, 1912 – June 23, 1997