A International Pictures First

 

On this date in 1944, the American film noir, The Woman in the Window, premiered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was directed by Fritz Lang with a screenplay by Nunnally Johnson. Arthur Lange's film score won the year's Oscar. Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, the ninety-nine-minute film, nationally released November 3, is the story of a deceptive femme fatale who murders her lover then entangles an unsuspecting psychology professor in the whole affair. The top-flight cast includes Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Raymond Massey, and Dan Duryea. The film was chosen as the premier project for International Pictures. According to sources, the genre term "film noir" originated in part because of this film.

A Noted Television Theme

 

Beside the intelligent scripts and David Janssen's iconic portrayal of Dr. Richard Kimball, The Fugitive is memorable for its distinctive theme and music cues written by Pete Rugolo. The fast-paced "running" music of the theme perfectly matched the title character. He wrote cues for Barry Morse's character, a contemplative cue for Kimball, as well as numerous cues ranging from sad to exciting chase moments. Being good friends and a Rugolo fan, it was Janssen's hope to have Rugolo work for his first series, Richard Diamond. The series put him at the forefront of television composers. Combined with Maurice Binder's opening graphic sequence, it set the jazzy tone of the series in the beginning. His theme and music cues for Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, was his next milepost. Roy Huggins, creator of The Fugitive concept, would twist the idea around for his next series, Run For Your Life. Having a second title character "running for his life" simultaneously was not as successful, however.

Note: Pietro "Pete" Rugolo (1915-2011) was a Sicilian-born jazz composer who settled in the US in 1921. He wrote music for many series in television's early days which were as diverse as Leave It To Beaver or Felony Squad. Maurice Binder would gain international fame for his creative opening titles for the early James Bond films.

Reel Character Series

 

Adele Jergens (Adele Louisa Jurgens 1917-2002) was an American B-movie supporting actress. Her celebrity status as "Miss World's Fairest" at the 1939 New York World's Fair gained her a great deal of recognition before landing a movie contract in 1944 with Columbia Pictures in mostly forgettable films. The 5' 9” brunette was soon better known as a blonde and typically cast as a tough-talking second female lead as a girlfriend of a gangster or burlesque dancer. She was cast in the Franchot Tone film, I Love Trouble (1948) followed by similar roles that became her mainstay throughout the Fifties such as Armored Car Robbery, 1950 (above) and The Miami Story, 1954. The latter revealing a plump-cheeked puffiness. She failed to become a major star but made an impression with a host of conniving female roles. She was married to film and television actor Glenn Langan from 1949 until his death in 1991. Perhaps tiring of typecast roles, Jergens retired from acting in 1956.

This is Jim Rockford

 

Jim, it's Harry. We've been waiting on you for two hours. The forks---where's the forks?!? Lasagna ain't no finger food.

Jim's answering machine: A Portrait of Elizabeth, 1976
Guest star: John Saxon

The Envy of Your Neighbor

 

On this day in 1954, Texas Instruments announced plans for the Regency TR-1, the first transistor radio to be commercially sold and at a rather hefty price of $50. Texas Instruments of Dallas, and Industrial Development Engineering Associates (I.D.E.A.) of Indianapolis, Indiana, were behind the unveiling of the TR-1. The look and size of the radio were well received, but the reviews of its performance were less glowing. Still, it was a major technology breakthrough that would help propel transistors into the mainstream with competitors getting on board quickly. The mass-market success of the smaller and cheaper Sony TR-63, released in 1957, led to the transistor radio becoming the most popular electronic communication device of the 1960s and 1970s.

A Singular Flight

 

On this date in 1957, Pan American World Airways Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser, Clipper America, flies from Christchurch, New Zealand, to the United States Navy’s Antarctic research station on Ross Island in McMurdo Sound. The flight was to test the feasibility of commercial flights to support the U.S. Navy’s operations in the Antarctic. Following this flight, Captain Ralph Savory, an expert in Arctic flying, said the lack of an alternate airport amid unpredictable weather deemed further flights too dangerous for commercial operations. No future flights were made.

Boeing built fifty-six 377s, a four-engine civil transport developed along with the military C-97 version from the B-29 Superfortress. It utilized the wings and engines of the improved B-50 Superfortress. The airliner was delivered to Pan American in 1949 and named Clipper Southern Cross. Later the name was changed to Clipper Reindeer, and finally, Clipper America, the name given to almost every Pan Am Stratocruisers during their service with the airline.

Low Profile. High Output.

George Duning (1908-2000) was an American musician and highly respected film composer, working on over 300 film and television scores. Nominated five times for an Academy Award, Duning never won. Born in Richmond, Indiana, Duning played trumpet and piano for the Kay Kyser band in the 1940s, later arranging most of the music for Kyser's radio program, Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge. His name may not come to mind as readily as a few other film composers, due to his early uncredited stock music supplied for countless low-budget films of the Forties and Fifties. 

Duning signed on with Columbia Pictures in 1946, where he worked almost exclusively through the early Sixties, collaborating often with director Richard Quine and actor, Glenn Ford. His scores for the original 3:10 to Yuma, and Cowboy are two of the best examples of the western genre. His diversity is displayed in such notable films as Picnic, From Here To Eternity, The World of Suzie Wong, The Devil at Four O'Clock, and Bell, Book, and Candle. Though too numerous to mention, other notable films include his first film score for Johnny O'Clock, followed by Lust for Gold, The Mob, The Brothers Rico, That Touch of Mink, and The Man with Bogart's Face. His work for television, notably The Big Valley, is nearly as prolific, spanning the Fifties through the Eighties.