 This is the SF Productions Podcast Network. In the year 2021! From the Pop Culture Bunker, I'm Mindy. And I'm Mark. You can check out our audio podcast, How I Got My Wife to Read Comics on iTunes, or on our website, sfpodcastnetwork.com. As we charge into a new year, thank goodness, I thought it would be a good opportunity to cover pop culture items coming up for an anniversary in 2021. The biggest film of 1921 was The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, a war epic from Metro Pictures, part of what would become MGM. It made $4.5 million to the box office, $65 million today. It made Rudolph Valentino a star, and was written by June Mathis, a woman who was one of the first female studio execs. In the same year, Charlie Chaplin directed, wrote, and starred in The Kid, his first full-length film as a director. Film comedian Fatty Arbuckle was accused, later acquitted, of rape and manslaughter. It ended his career, and was the first major Hollywood scandal. Moving to 1931, Betty Davis, Ida Lupino, and Robert Young made their first film appearances. George Arlis and Ronald Coleman tied for Variety's biggest male stars, while Constance Bennett was the biggest female star. The top film was Chaplin's City Lights, making $34 million in today's dollars, and Western Simmeryn won the Academy Award. There were also early television events that year. Experimental Station W2XAB, the CBS affiliate in New York, began broadcasting 28 hours a week using the mechanical method, while a separate operation in LA, run by Don Lee, began doing the same. What we consider modern television was being demonstrated at the Berlin Radio Show. Moving to 1941, the top film is Sgt. York, $107 million in today's dollars, and how green was my belly wins the Academy Award. The Maltese Falcon and Dumbo are released. Ava Gardner, Charlton Heston, Bruce Lee, and Frank Sinatra all make their film debuts. The FCC approves the NTSC standard, which is used for all U.S. television until the digital conversion 65 years later. The FCC also authorizes commercial TV, and is implemented for a few months before it's all shut down for World War II. This means there are many firsts, the first commercial for Boulevard Watches, the first game show, Uncle Jim's Question B, and Primetime Wrestling. WPTZ in Philadelphia, now KYW, W becomes the third U.S. television station. Stanley Lieber, a.k.a. Stan Lee, becomes editor-in-chief at what would become Marvel Comics. Wonder Woman, the Golden Age Green Lantern, Aquaman, Plastic Man, Starman, and Archie all debut this year. In 1946, the best years of our lives grossed $135 million in today's dollars, and also won Best Picture. Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster make their debuts, as does It's a Wonderful Life. This was the first full year of post-war television. RCA demonstrates their all-color system. The Dumont Network begins operation. It would be gone a decade later. The first TV soap, Fireway Hill, debuts. And in Japan, a company is founded that would later become Sony. 1951's Quovatis grossed $111 million in today's dollars. An American in Paris won Best Picture. While Ernest Borgnein, Charles Bronson, James Dean, Grace Kelly, Allison Wonderland, Rashomon, and The Wilhelm Scream all made their debuts, as did Dennis the Menace in the comics. The Supreme Court upholds the FCC's approval of CVS's color TV system, which was incompatible with the existing black and white one, but would later reverse and go with NBC's compatible color. The first live sporting event, College Football, is broadcast coast-to-coast for the first time thanks to the transcontinental coaxial cable. The CVSI makes its debut, as does video recording, DragNet, I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and Ernie Kovacs. In 1961, West Side Story was the big winner, $170 million, plus the Oscar, while Anne Margaret, Lauren Beatty, Gene Hackman, Joe Pesci, and Burt Reynolds made their film debuts. 101 Dalmatians, the absent-minded professor, the parent trap, the hustler, and Breakfast at Tiffany's were released. 1961's top show was Wagon Train, with a 32.1 rating. FCC chair Newton Minow called TV programming at the time a vast wasteland. New shows included Mr. Ed, ABC's Wide World of Sports, and the Dick Van Dyke show. In 1971, the top-grossing film was Fiddler on the Roo, at $206 million in today's dollars, and the French connection won best picture. Films Cold Turkey, THX 1138, The Andromeda Strain, Summer of 42, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and The Last Picture show were released. The top TV show was All in the Family, with a 34.0 rating. Cigarette commercials leave the air, as do the remaining homespun CBS, in what was called the Rural Purge. The Sunday in Chair Comedy Hour, Colombo, The Partridge Family, Soul Train, and the Electric Company all premiere that year. 30 years ago. In 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark grossed $607 million in today's dollars. Doss Boot escaped from New York, Excalibur, and on Golden Pond to release. MGM and United Artist Merge, and 20th Century Fox is bought out. Charites of Fire wins the Oscar, and Ben Affleck, Kim Basinger, Tom Cruise, Holly Hutter, Demi Moore, Sean Penn, and Denzel Washington all make their film debuts. After cast member says a swear word on live TV, most of the cast and producer of SNL are fired. The terrible ratings didn't work. Walter Cronkite resides from CBS, and MTV goes on the air, and Luke and Laura are wed on General Hospital, the second-most-watched ceremony to that time, only beat by Charles and Diana. Dallas is the top-rated show Who Shot JR happened that season. 30 years ago. We are now up to 1991. Terminator 2 Judgment Day is the top-grossing film with nearly a billion dollars in today's money. The Silence of the Lambs wins Best Picture, and now Columbia Pictures. Other big movies include Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Beauty and the Beast, and Hook. Halle Berry, Steve Carell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Heath Ledger, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Reese Witherspoon all make their film debuts. Over on TV, 60 Minutes is the number one show with a 21.0 rating. The network's preempt shows to show live footage of the Gulf War. Katie Couric replaces Deborah Norville on the Today Show, and two competing cable channels, Comedy Channel, become Comedy Central. The Ren and Stimpy Show, Home Improvement, and the Jerry Springer Show debut. 25 years ago. In 1996, Independence Day is the number one film with grosses of 1.35 billion in today's dollars, and the English patient wins the Oscar. Twister and Jerry Maguire are also released. The number one TV series is E.R. with a 21.2 rating, while Sundance Channel, Dish Network, TV Land, MSNBC, and Fox News debut. Gwyneth introduces the first HD TV set in the U.S., TBS is merged into Time Warner, and the final Bob Hope special is broadcast. The Daily Show, 7th Heaven, Everybody Loves Raymond, and the E. True Hollywood Story all debut. 20 years ago. Let's wrap it up in the year 2001. The top grossing film is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone with 1.43 billion in today's dollars, while A Beautiful Mind wins Best Picture. The Lord of the Rings begins a film franchise as do Shrek and the Fast and the Furious. Bradley Cooper and Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Seth Rogen all make their film debuts. On television, Friends is the number one show with a 15.0 rating. The U.S. television schedule is suspended for four days after the 9-11 attacks with all news programming. Hallmark Channel, The Amazing Race, Scrubs, The Weakest Link, The Ellen Show, Law & Order, Criminal Attempt, and 24 make their debuts. So you have a lot of things to be on the lookout for as far as anniversaries in 2021. And this always makes me feel old when we do these. I can't believe that we stopped at 25 years ago. We did 20. And it all seems like yesterday. Exactly. I just don't know. We'll be doddering into our graves soon. And you can check out our audio podcast, How I Got My Wife 3 Comics on iTunes, or on our website, sfpodcastnetwork.com. From the pop culture bunker, I'm Mindy. And I'm Mark. Thanks for watching.