E. L. Doctorow, on writing:

 

Writing is an exploration.

You start from nothing and learn as you go.

- E. L. Doctorow.

Recommended reading - 2001: a Space Odyssey

2001: a Space Odyssey

by Arthur C. Clarke.

Published by Ace.

First published 1968.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0451452739

ISBN-13: 978-0451452733

Description:

The classic science fiction novel that captures and expands on the vision of Stanley Kubrick’s immortal film – and changed the way we look at the stars and ourselves.

From the savannas of Africa at the dawn of mankind to the rings of Saturn as man ventures to the outer rim of our solar system, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a journey unlike any other.

This allegory about humanity’s exploration of the universe – and the universe’s reaction to humanity – is a hallmark achievement in storytelling that follows the crew of the spacecraft Discovery as they embark on a mission to Saturn. Their vessel is controlled by HAL 9000, an artificially intelligent supercomputer capable of the highest level of cognitive functioning that rivals – and perhaps threatens – the human mind.

Grappling with space exploration, the perils of technology, and the limits of human power, 2001: A Space Odyssey continues to be an enduring classic of cinematic scope. 

On this day in movie history - 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey

directed by Stanley Kubrick,

written by Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke,

based on the short story The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke,

was released in the United States on April 2, 1968.

Music by Aram Khachaturyan, György Ligeti, Johann Strauss and Richard Strauss.

Cast:

Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter, Leonard Rossiter, Margaret Tyzack, Robert Beatty, Sean Sullivan, Douglas Rain, Frank Miller, Edwina Carroll, Penny Brahms, Heather Downham, Alan Gifford, Ann Gillis, Chela Matthison, Vivian Kubrick, Kenneth Kendall.

Born on this day – Ethel Lina White:

Ethel Lina White

Writer

April 2, 1876 – August 13, 1944

Credits:

Books:

The Wish-Bone (1927); Twill Soon Be Dark (1929); The Eternal Journey (1930); Put Out the Light (aka Sinister Light) (1931); Fear Stalks the Village (1932); The Spiral Staircase (aka Some Must Watch) (1933); The First Time He Died (1935); Wax (1935); The Wheel Spins (aka The Lady Vanishes) (1936); The Third Eye (1937); The Elephant Never Forgets (1938); Step in the Dark (1939); While She Sleeps! (1940); She Faded into Air (1941); Midnight House (aka The Unseen / Her Heart in Her Throat (1942); The Man Who Loved Lions (aka The Man Who Was Not There (1943); They See in Darkness (1944); Lethal Ladies (2004); The Lady Vanishes / The Spiral Staircase (2015).

Movies and television:

The Lady Vanishes (2013); The Spiral Staircase (2000); Alfred Hitchcock Presents / An Unlocked Window (1985); The Lady Vanishes (1979); The Spiral Staircase (1975); Detective (1969); The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1965); The Spiral Staircase (1961); The Spiral Staircase (1946); The Unseen (1945); The Lady Vanishes (1938).

Born on this day – Alec Guinness:

 

Alec Guinness

Actor

April 2, 1914 – August 5, 2000

Credits:

A Handful of Dust (1988); A Majority of One (1961); A Passage to India (1984); A Run for Your Money (1949); All at Sea (1957); Apostrophes (1986); Aquarius (1976); Arena (1976–1993); Baker's Dozen (1955); Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972); Caesar and Cleopatra (1976); Cromwell (1970); Damn the Defiant! (1962); Doctor Zhivago (1965); Edwin (1984); Evensong (1934); Eye on New York (1964); Farewell to the Vic (1963); Film '72 (1980–1987); Film Extra (1973); Great Expectations (1946); Great Performances (1986); Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973); Hollywood Insider (2021); Hotel Paradiso (1966); Interview Day (1996); ITV Playhouse (1974); ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1970); Kafka (1991); Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949); Last Holiday (1950); Late Night with David Letterman (1986); Lawrence of Arabia (1962); Little Dorrit (1987); Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980); Lovesick (1983); Malta Story (1953); Murder by Death (1976); Mute Witness (1995); Oliver Twist (1948); Omnibus (1983–1994); Our Man in Havana (1959); Parkinson (1977); Performance (1992); Q.E.D. (1994); Raise the Titanic (1980); Rowlandson's England (1955); Screen One (1993); Scrooge (1970); Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965); Smiley's People (1982); Solo (1970); Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977); Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back: Deleted Scenes (2011); Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983); Startime (1959); The 12th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1960); The 18th Annual Tony Awards (1964); The 52nd Annual Academy Awards (1980); The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957); The British Academy Awards (1983); The Captain's Paradise (1953); The Comedians (1967); The Comedians in Africa (1967); The Detective (1954); The Ed Sullivan Show (1964); The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964); The Film Society Of Lincoln Center Annual Gala Tribute to Alec Guinness (1987); The Horse's Mouth (1958); The Ladykillers (1955); The Lavender Hill Mob (1951); The London Standard Film Awards (1986); The Making of 'Star Wars' (1977); The Man in the White Suit (1951); The Morecambe & Wise Show (1980); The Mudlark (1950); The Prisoner (1955); The Promoter (1952); The Quiller Memorandum (1966); The Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant (1958); The Scapegoat (1959); The Second Annual West End Theatre Awards (1977); The South Bank Show (1985); The Square Mile (1953); The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (1957); The Stratford Adventure (1954); The Swan (1956); Thirty-Minute Theatre (1969); Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979); To Paris with Love (1955); Tuesday's Documentary (1970); Tunes of Glory (1960); Variety Club of Great Britain Awards for 1957 (1958); Zehn Minuten für den Kinogänger (1965).

Born on this day – Jack Webb:

Jack Webb

Actor

Producer

Director

Writer

April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982

Born on this day – Gloria Henry:

 

Gloria Henry

Actress

April 2, 1923 – April 3, 2021

Credits:

Adventures in Silverado (1948); Air Hostess (1949); Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951); Alcoa Theatre (1959); Bare Essence (1983); Broken Arrow (1958); Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (1947); Calamity Jane (1984); Compression (2023); Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard (1950); Dallas (1989–1990); Dennis the Menace (1959–1963); Doin' Time on Planet Earth (1988); Doogie Howser, M.D. (1990–1991); Dragnet (1989); E! True Hollywood Story (2000); Easy Street (1986); Father Knows Best (1957); Feudin' Rhythm (1949); Fireside Theatre (1952); Gang War (1958); General Hospital (1985); Hazel (1963); Her Minor Thing (2005); Her Wicked Ways (1991); Hot News (1953); It Happened in Hollywood (1960); Johnny Allegro (1949); Keeper of the Bees (1947); Kill the Umpire (1950); Law of the Barbary Coast (1949); Lightning Guns (1950); Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949); Mr. & Mrs. North (1953–1954); Mr. Belvedere (1990); My Little Margie (1953); Navy Log (1957); Newhart (1984); Our House (1987); Parks and Recreation (2012); Perry Mason (1957); Port Said (1948); Racing Luck (1948); Rancho Notorious (1952); Real George (1956); Rescue 8 (1958); Riders in the Sky (1949); Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess (1983); Rookie Fireman (1950); Rusty Saves a Life (1949); Silver Spoons (1985); Simon & Simon (1984); Sisters (1992); Sport of Kings (1947); Stu's Show (2007–2011); Tales of Wells Fargo (1957); The Abbott and Costello Show (1954); The Arkansas Swing (1948); The Brady Brides (1981); The Farmer's Daughter (1965); The Files of Jeffrey Jones (1952); The Ford Television Theatre (1953); The Life of Riley (1958); The O. Henry Playhouse (1957); The Strawberry Roan (1948); The Thin Man (1959); The Tougher They Come (1950); The Walter Winchell File (1957); Triple Threat (1948); TV Reader's Digest (1956); Yellow Fin (1951).

Born on this day – Rita Gam:

 

Rita Gam

Actress

Director

April 2, 1927 – March 22, 2016

Born on this day – Diane Cilento:

Diane Cilento

Actress

April 2, 1932 – October 6, 2011

Born on this day – Sharon Acker:

 

Sharon Acker

Actress

April 2, 1935 – March 16, 2023

Credits:

The Young and the Restless (1992); Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop (1988–1989); Street Legal (1989); Days of Our Lives (1987–1988); Adderly (1987); You Again? (1986); Murder, She Wrote (1986); Knight Rider (1985); Crazy Like a Fox (1985); Simon & Simon (1981–1985); Whiz Kids (1984); Trapper John, M.D. (1983); Matt Houston (1983); The Powers of Matthew Star (1983); Texas (1982); Off Your Rocker (1982); Shannon (1981); Flamingo Road (1981); Quincy M.E. (1978–1981); Threshold (1981); Happy Birthday to Me (1981); The Incredible Hulk (1980); Battles: The Murder That Wouldn't Die (1980); The Alan Hamel Show (1977); Matt and Jenny (1979–1980); The Great Detective (1980); Galactica 1980 (1980); Stone (1980); Police Story (1979); The Rockford Files (1978–1979); The Love Boat (1978); The Hostage Heart (1977); The Streets of San Francisco (1975–1977); Executive Suite (1976–1977); Our Man Flint: Dead on Target (1976); Barnaby Jones (1973–1975); Cannon (1971–1975); Harry O (1974); The Hanged Man (1974); The New Perry Mason (1973–1974); The Delphi Bureau (1973); The Stranger (1973); Marcus Welby, M.D. (1971–1973); Hec Ramsey (1972–1973); McMillan & Wife (1972); Mod Squad (1972); Mission: Impossible (1970–1972); Love, American Style (1971); The F.B.I. (1971); Cade's County (1971); Gunsmoke (1971); Alias Smith and Jones (1971); The Bold Ones: The Senator (1970–1971); Act of the Heart (1970); A Clear and Present Danger (1970); Power Trip (1969); Lancer (1969); Waiting for Caroline (1969); The First Time (1969); Don't Let the Angels Fall (1969); It Takes a Thief (1968–1969); Get Smart (1969); Star Trek (1969); Festival (1961–1968); The Wild Wild West (1968); Point Blank (1967); Wojeck (1966); CBC Show of the Week (1965); Time of Your Life (1964); The Serial (1964); Quest (1962–1963); Shoestring Theatre (1962); Playdate (1961–1962); One Plus One / Homecoming (1961); Heritage (1961); Encounter (1955–1961); Macbeth (1961); The Unforeseen (1959); Anne of Green Gables (1958); Lucky Jim (1957); ITV Television Playhouse (1956); Anne of Green Gables (1956); Folio (1955); Ruth (1955); On Camera (1955).

On this day in television history - The Asphalt Jungle (1961)

The Asphalt Jungle

directed by Herman Hoffman, Gerald Mayer and Joseph M. Newman,

was released in the United States on April 2, 1961, and ran for one season until June 25, 1961.

Inspired by The Asphalt Jungle (1950), directed by John Huston, based on the novel by W. R. Burnett.

Music by Calvin Jackson.

Cast:

Jack Warden, Arch Johnson, William Smith, Dallas Mitchell, George Kennedy, Bernard Kates, Terry Becker, Milton Selzer, Adam Williams, Barnaby Hale, Frank Maxwell, Ted Knight, Norma Crane, Douglas Odney, Robert Vaughn, John Ireland, Skip Homeier, Fritz Weaver, Philip Carey, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Paul Stewart, Leo Penn, Edward Binns, Robert Douglas, Ellen Madison, Eric Berry, Vera Miles, Beverly Garland, Joyce Meadows, Virginia Christine, Linda Watkins, Ross Elliott, Paul Carr, Malcolm Atterbury, Robert F. Simon, Alexander Scourby, Leora Dana, Sydney Pollack, Lurene Tuttle, Ken Lynch, Eileen Ryan, Val Avery, Steve Brodie, Erin O'Brien, Paul Genge, Suzi Carnell, Carl Don, Gavin MacLeod, Morgan Woodward, Dabbs Greer, Robert H. Harris, Arthur Batanides, Jena Engstrom, Robert Sampson, Emile Meyer, Guy Raymond, Barry Russo, John Astin, Elizabeth MacRae, Josip Elic, Maxine Stuart, Nora Marlowe, Lew Gallo, James Bonnet, Robert Bailey, Jerry Wayne, Zolya Talma, Yvette Vickers, John Harmon, Than Wyenn, Jan Arvan, Hugh Sanders, Jack Reitzen, Mary Lawrence, Charles Cantor, Kay Doubleday, Pat Meikle, Michael Constantine, Ellen Corby, Robert Brubaker, Joan Tompkins, Will J. White, Jay Adler, Frank Behrens, Iphigenie Castiglioni, Ken Tilles, Frank Overton, Henry Beckman, James Seay, Warren J. Kemmerling, Gene Roth, Ollie O'Toole, Lou Krugman, Felix Deebank, Joan Staley, Everett Sloane, Frank Ferguson, Abraham Sofaer, Adrienne Marden, John Zaremba, Brad Morrow, Miriam Goldina, Marianne Stewart, Joseph Mell, Arny Freeman, Clegg Hoyt, David White, Joseph Ruskin, Natalie Trundy, William Keene, Dori Simmons, Michael Parks, Warren Parker, Joe Turkel, James Westerfield, Gene Coogan, Ken Berry, John Davis Chandler, Ian Wolfe, Robert Bice, Richard George.

On this day in television history - Justified (2013)

 

Justified
Season 4. Episode 13.

Episode entitled: Ghosts.

Released April 2, 2013.

Directed by Bill Johnson.

Written by Graham Yost, Fred Golan, Benjamin Cavell, Ingrid Escajeda, VJ Boyd, Leonard Chang.

Based on the short story Fire in the Hole by Elmore Leonard.

Music by Steve Porcaro.
 
Cast:

Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Joelle Carter, Jacob Pitts, Erica Tazel, Walton Goggins, Jere Burns, Sam Anderson, Rick Gomez, John Kapelos, Mike O’Malley, Max Perlich, Lindsay Pulsipher, Troy Ruptash, William Gregory Lee, Jesse Luken, Natalie Zea, Zoran Korach, Jonathan Kowalsky, Guy Nardulli, Timothy Eulich, A.J. Dunn.

On this day in music history - The album Digital Wildlife, by Fred Frith / Maybe Monday & Joan Jeanrenaud (2002)

Digital Wildlife

by Fred Frith / Maybe Monday & Joan Jeanrenaud

was released on April 2, 2002.

Track list:

Digital Wildlife; Image In and Atom; The Prisoners' Dilemma; Touch / Risk; Close to Home.

On this day in music history - French Operetta Arias (2002)

French Operetta Arias

April 2, 2002.

French Operetta Arias: C'est ça la vie, c'est ça l'amour,

by Susan Graham, Yves Abel, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra,

was released on April 2, 2002.

Track list:

C'est ca la vie, c'est ca l'amour (Moises Simons, from Toi c'est moi, 1934); J'ai deux amants (Andre Messager, from L'Amour masque, 1923); Yes (Maurice Yvain, from Yes, 1928); Si vous saviez (Arthur Honegger, from Les Aventures du roi Pausole, 1930); O mon bel inconnu (Reynaldo Hahn, from O mon bel inconnu, 1933); Je ne vois rien..Lorsque je n'etais qu'une enfant (Andre Messager, from Fortunio, 1907); Les hommes sont biens tous les memes (Andre Messager, from Coups de roulis, 1928); Air de la Lettre (Reynaldo Hahn, from Brummell, 1931); L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Andre Messager, from Passionnement, 1926); Vois-tu, je m'en veux (Andre Messager, from Les P'tites Michu, 1897); Etre adore (Reynaldo Hahn, from Mozart, 1925); Je regrette mon Pressigny (Andre Messager, from la Petite Fonctionnaire, 1921); Amour, amour, quel est donc ton pouvoir (Andre Messager, from Les Dragons de lImperatrice, 1905); Mon reve (Andre Messager, from L'Amour masque, 1923); C'est tres vilain d'etre infidele (Reynaldo Hahn, from O mon bel inconnu, 1933); C'est pas Paris, c'est sa banlieue (Reynaldo Hahn, from Ciboulette, 1923); Vagabonde (Moises Simons, from Toi c'est moi, 1934).