On this day: flu epidemic shut down the movies
If you think the pending Writers Guild of America strike could throw Hollywood into a tizzy, just imagine how much worse it’s been in the past.
89 years ago today, the leading film studios announced they would stop releasing films due to the 1918 flu epidemic. It’s good to know that if this happened today, we would take equally cautious measures. But to be extra safe, we’d close the supermarkets. And have a curfew. And invade a country. Because after all, they gave us the flu because they hate our freedom. Today, at least we can pretend to have Jack Bauer saving us from biological threats.
And think how happy certain Tinseltown types would be to have something to blame the weekend grosses on.
Ha! Got my flu shot today! (And more meds from the rheumatologist because my gout is worse. mutter mutter mutter)
Glenn, do you know if Amazon is using cookies to aim the ads at individuals? I’m getting mostly cooking things and a book I looked at there recently. (I’m not opposed to cookies, they’re quite useful. I’m just curious.)
I recently asked Brian the same thing after noticing the ads featuring items I had just been looking at, in short: for now, yes
A few months later, the flu also halted the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1919; the only year the cup hasn't been awarded since 1893 (1919 was not good year for sports)
It also closed down the vaudeville and legitimate theatres as well.