Writer of Pop Culture

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This Day in Pop Culture

This Day in Pop Culture for May 15

McDonald’s, “Gigi” and the youngest sailor.

May 15, 2020

2–3 minutes

1940: McDonald’s is Founded

Before there was Ronald, there was Speedee. With his hamburger-shaped head and chef’s hat, Speedee was representative of Richard and Maurice McDonald’s Speedee Service System at their hamburger stand which opened on this day in 1940.

The first location was built in San Bernardino, California. By 1955, there were nine locations, and the 9th was owned by Ray Croc who later purchased the chain. It wasn’t until 1961 that the name “McDonald’s” was trademarked. Ronald didn’t enter the scene until 1967 and the term “golden arches” wasn’t part of American vocabulary until 1968.

The history of the franchise was featured in the unflattering movie The Founder starring Michael Keaton in 2016.

1958: ‘Gigi’ Wins Over Many Hearts

Director Vincente Minnelli directed the movie Gigi which was released in theaters on this day. The movie was based on French author Colette’s novella of the same name. The musical romantic comedy starred Leslie Caron as Gigi and Louis Jourdan as her love interest. The film also starred Maurice Chevalier who sang, “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” and “I Remember It Well” with Hermione Gingold. Incidentally, Caron’s singing voice was dubbed over by Betty Wand. The movie was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won all nine Oscars including Best Picture.

1928: Plane Crazy

Mickey Mouse first appeared at a test screening for the silent film Plane Crazy, but most people saw it a year later as a sound cartoon.

1981: Gilligan Games

The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island was the third (and last) of the reunion movies where the island was a luxury resort and was visited by the famous team.

2010: Sail Away

Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail solo around the world non-stop at 16 years of age.

1813: The First Private Mental Hospital in the U.S.

What’s in a name? The Quakers opened the first private mental hospital on this day in Frankford, Philadelphia. It was called The Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of their Reason. It was later renamed Frankford Asylum for the Insane. Today it goes simply, Friends Hospital. It is the oldest U.S. institution of its kind with a continuous history of operation. Friends has always believed that everyone could live a “moral, ordered existence if treated with kindness, dignity and respect”. (Image: Michael E Reali Jr/Wikimedia)