Wagon Master (1950)

On this date, Wagon Master, the American Western masterpiece produced and directed by John Ford, premiered in 1950. Starring Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Joanne Dru, and Ward Bond, the story follows a Mormon pioneer wagon train across treacherous terrain to Utah. The film inspired the US television series Wagon Train (1957–1965), which starred Bond until 1960.

First Date. Awkward.

On this day in 1935, the horror film classic starring Boris Karloff and Elsa Lancaster, Bride of Frankenstein, the sequel to Frankenstein, premiered in Chicago, Portland, and San Francisco. Arguably the best of the two films. Though a classic in its own right, Mel Brooks essentially destroyed the impact of this film forever after the release of Young Frankenstein.

A Christmastime Tradition

 

On this date in 1964, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer premiered on NBC in the United States. The stop motion animated special was produced by Videocraft International, Ltd., later known as Rankin/Bass Productions. It was sponsored by General Electric under the umbrella title of The General Electric Fantasy Hour. Burl Ives narrated the film as the animated Sam the Snowman and the music was written by Johnny Marks. The adventure classic still captivates young children thanks to a swift pace and the encounters with a variety of characters. Since 1972, the special has aired on CBS. More at RUDOLPH.

The Milk Man Is Here

 

Divco was a brand name of delivery trucks built and marketed in the United States. Divco is an acronym that stands for Detroit Industrial Vehicles COmpany. Divco became known for its multi-stop delivery trucks, particularly in use as home delivery vehicles by dairy producers. Established in 1924, Divco produced trucks of various sizes and job descriptions. The first Divco "Model A" were boxy, practical vehicles. The company was bought out by Continental Motors Company during the Great Depression, supplying most of the engines installed in Divco trucks. In 1936  Continental was acquired by Twin Coach, thus becoming Divco-Twin. The classic design pictured was introduced in 1937 featuring a welded all-steel van body and a snub-nosed hood, a model that was manufactured with almost no changes up to the end of the line in 1986. With most Divco trucks, controls allowed driving while standing, including throttle and brake mounted on the steering column.