On this day in movie (1972) and book (1970) history - The Hot Rock

The Hot Rock

directed by Peter Yates,

written by William Goldman,

based on the novel by Donald E. Westlake,

was released in the United States on January 26, 1972.

Music by Quincy Jones.

Cast:

Robert Redford, George Segal, Ron Leibman, Paul Sand, Moses Gunn, Zero Mostel, William Redfield, Topo Swope, Christopher Guest, Graham Jarvis, Lynne Gordon, Charlotte Rae, Harry Bellaver.

Recommended reading:

The Hot Rock

by Donald E. Westlake.

Book # 1 in the Dortmunder series.

Published by Simon & Schuster.

First published 1970.

First Edition.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 0671205412

ISBN-13: 978-0671205416

Description:

John Archibald Dortmunder is the archetypal criminal manque. Brought up in an orphanage in the Midwest, he is 37 years old, served in the "police action" in Korea, was arrested twice for robbery following his release from the service, and was briefly married to a nightclub entertainer named Honeybun Bazoom from whom he was granted an uncontested divorce. For reasons totally beyond his comprehension, Dortmunder is chosen to lead a gang of master hoodlums. Their job: to steal an emerald valued at $500,000. Their employer: Major Patrick Iko, a mustached African diplomat whose country has just lost the gem through a thoughtless political decision. The specialists Dortmunder selects for his impossible mission include: Kelp: an ex-con with a penchant for stealing cars with MD license plates. Stan Murch: a crook who lives with his mother, a cab driver, and collects stereo records of "Sounds of Indianapolis." Roger Chefwick: the railroad nut, a skinny man of late middle age, whose three H-O gauge trains constantly couple and uncouple on H-O gauge track in a waist-high plywood platform in his basement. What follows in this delightful new novel by Donald E. Westlake is an unparalleled mixture of laughter and thrills, featuring a car crash into the New York Coliseum, a free-swinging helicopter attack on a police station, and a wild breakout from an insane asylum on a Tom Thumb locomotive stolen from a nearby amusement park.

On this day in television history - Murphy’s Law (November 2, 1988 - March 18, 1989)

Murphy’s Law

created by Lee David Zlotoff,

based on the Trace and Digger series of novels by Warren Murphy,

was released in the United States on November 2,1988 and ran for one season until March 18, 1989.

Theme music by Steve Kipner.

 

Cast:

George Segal, Maggie Han, Josh Mostel, Sarah Sawatsky, Charles Rocket, Kim Lankford, Walter Marsh, Lynne Randall, Julia Sweeney, Elizabeth Savage, Robert Thurston, Valerie Mahaffey, Christine Belford, Carolyn Seymour, Patrick Macnee, Clyde Kusatsu, David Spielberg, Linda Darlow, Leslie Carlson, Gerard Christopher, Andi Matheny, Bill Morey, Robert Thurston, Alan Robertson, Steve Peterson, Joan Severance, Will Estes, Reni Santoni, Judy Landers, Jennifer Hetrick, Norman Fell, Garwin Sanford, John Standing, Jack Bannon, Bruce Gray, Richard Foronjy, Ronnie Claire Edwards, Jeffrey Byron, Ken Swofford, Joseph Cali, David Byrd, Marvin Kaplan, Tom O'Rourke, Diana Bellamy, Robin Mossley, Richard Roat, Jerry Potter, Sheelah Megill, Jano Frandsen, Nancy Isaak, Brian Knox McGugan, A.J. Freeman, Serge Houde, Frank Slaten.

On this day in movie history - The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967)

The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre

directed by Roger Corman,

written by Howard Browne,

was released in the United States on June 30, 1967.

Narrated by Paul Frees.

Music by Lionel Newman and Fred Steiner.

Cast:

Jason Robards, George Segal, Ralph Meeker, Jean Hale, Clint Ritchie, Frank Silvera, Joseph Campanella, Richard Bakalyan, David Canary, Bruce Dern, Harold J. Stone, Kurt Kreuger, Paul Richards, Joe Turkel, Milton Frome, Mickey Deems, John Agar, Celia Lovsky, Tom Reese, Jan Merlin, Alexander D’Arcy, Reed Hadley, Gus Trikonis, Charles Dierkop, Tom Signorelli, Rico Cattani, Alex Rocco, Leo Gordon, Daniel Ades, Laura Barry, Nick Borgani, Bob Brandon, Robert Buckingham, Mushy Callahan, Mary Grace Canfield, Albert Cavens, Bud Cokes, Russ Conway, Yutta D’Arcy, Tony Dante, Jack Del Rio, George DeNormand, Dan Dowling, Len Felber, George Ford, Paul Frees, Ron Gans, James Gonzalez, Michele Guarini, Phil Harron, Jonathan Haze, Lisa Jak, Betsy Jones-Moreland, Richard Krisher, Alan Marston, William Meader, Jim Michael, Mary Michael, Dick Miller, Ernesto Molinari, Barboura Morris, Jack Nicholson, Ron Nyman, Monty O’Grady, John Pedrini, Jose Portugal, Leoda Richards, Jerry Rush, Jeffrey Sayre, Ken Scott, Bill Scully, Bernard Sell, Sammy Shack, Joan Shawlee, Buck Taylor, Danny Truppi, Corinna Tsopei, Patrick Whyte, Judith Woodbury.