This Day in Pop Culture for December 8

2017: ‘The Greatest Showman’ Debuts After Real Circus Leaves Town

The biographical musical movie, The Greatest Showman, premiered on this day aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2 in New York City. The movie details the life of P.T. Barnum, the man who created the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Sadly, the movie arrived in theaters seven months after the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily Circus performed its last show.

Directed by Michael Gracey, Hugh Jackman played Barnum in the movie which also starred Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Showman featured original songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Despite being criticized for embellishing the rags to riches story, the feel-good film was a success at the box office. It was announced in 2019 that a sequel to the movie was in development, but that door seems to have closed. However, Disney Theatrical Group announced in 2024 that a stage musical adaptation was in the works.

As for the Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Baily Circus, it was revived in September 2023. (Image: 20th Century Fox)

1952: Lucy is with Child

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz *(Wikimedia)*

Television’s first on-screen pregnancy appeared in the late 1940’s sitcom, Mary Kay and Johnny, but fans have often credited I Love Lucy for being the first. However, CBS would not allow the word “pregnant” to be used during the episode which aired on this day. Instead, Lucy was “expecting” (both in storyline and in real life) with Desi Arnaz, Jr.

The title of the episode was “Lucy is Enceinte.” It is interesting to note that the show’s sponsor, Philip Morris, requested that Lucy would not be seen smoking during the pregnancy episodes.

In January of the next year, “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” aired, which coincided with Lucille Ball’s real-life delivery of her son. It was watched by more people than any other TV show at the time with over 70% of all U.S. TV sets tuned in.

1978: ‘The Deer Hunter’ Opens in Theaters

Michael Cimino directed the American war drama, The Deer Hunter which told the depressing story of three soldiers who fought in the Vietnam war and struggled to live once they came back. It starred Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cozale, Meryl Streep and George Dzundza.

Although praised by many critics, Roger Ebert described the film as “one of the most emotionally shattering films ever made.”

The Deer Hunter was released to just two theaters, one in Los Angeles and one in New York, on this day before opening wide on February 23, 1979. The studios did this so that the movie could qualify for Academy Award recognition and it’s a good thing that they did. The movie was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won five Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Walken), Film Editing and Sound.

1970: Count Chocula was Trademarked Registered

It was on this day in 1970 that the breakfast cereal, Count Chocula was registered for a trademark for General Mills. The Count didn’t arrive on store shelves until October the next year. Beside him of course was his marshmallow cereal rival, Frankenberry. The two monsters would bicker about which one was the better-tasting one and usually ended up scaring each other in the process.

Boo-Berry cereal came next in 1973 and Fruit Brute in 1974. The Werewolf-inspired cereal was pulled off the shelf in 1982 and then came back in 1987 as Fruity Yummy Mummy. Carmella Creeper, a caramel apple-inspired cereal was added to the crew in 2023 (but vanished in 2024).

Since 2010, the Monsters cereals are usually only sold during the Halloween season.

1932: ‘A Farewell to Arms’ is Released with Multiple Endings

Based on Ernest Hemingway’s semi-autobiographical novel and Broadway stage play of the same name, A Farewell to Arms tells the tragic love story between Frederic, an American ambulance driver and Catherine, an English nurse during World War I.

Directed by Frank Borzage, the movie starred Helen Hayes, Gary Cooper and Adolphe Menjou. The movie was nominated for four Academy Awards and won two Osacars for Best Cinematography and Sound Recording.

Although the original movie ends with Catherine dying during childbirth, the movie was distributed with two other endings. One portrayed ending saved her while the other shared that her fate was uncertain. This gave theaters a choice of what ending they wanted to present. This is pretty good since Hemingway himself couldn’t decide on the right ending for his story. A 2012 printed edition of the novel includes 47 alternate endings!