Saturday, December 19, 2009

Friday's Child is Loving and Giving

If you don't remember where you were, what you were doing or whom you were doing it with on Friday, December 19, 1980, fear not. I am here to take you back. Join me now as we step into the wayback machine.

If you were in Los Angeles it was a December day much like other December days in LA. Temperatures reached a high of 69.1F, a low of 50F with the average temperature for the day being 56.2F.



The headline news for December 19, 1980 isn't quite the laugh-fest that Jake seems to think it is.
Photobucket Latest Iranian demands for release of American hostages, including $24 billion in guarantees, said to include some President Carter cannot meet.....In Iran, anti-Khomeini protesters clash with Revolutionary Guards.....Chrysler's Lee Iacocca in Washington to discuss XM-1 tank production problems with Pentagon.....Alexei Kosygin, former prime minister of USSR, pronounced dead.....Natural gas leaks threaten town of Jane Lew, WV.....Secretary of State-designate Alexander Haig meets with congressional members prior to confirmation hearing.....Justice Dept. gives Charleston, SC twenty days to institute satisfactory school desegregation plan.....Federal judge sentences two Church of Scientology officials for theft of IRS documents.....Increase in gas prices reported.....Prime rate at 21.5%*.....Federal judges in Florida drop charges against ship captains involved in Cuban boatlift.....Arab guerrillas killed during Israeli raid in Lebanon.....Left-wing terrorists claim responsibility for department store bombings in Athens, Greece.....In UN, U.S. joins unanimous vote against Israel for expulsion of two West Bank mayors.....Justice Dept. clears Sen. Howard Cannon of any wrongdoing in land deal with Teamsters union.

*Jake Gyllenhaal has the distinct fortune to be born on a day when the prime rate hit an all time record high. That record still stands.


It should also be noted that Jake was born during The Intense Magnetic Storm of December 19, 1980. If anyone wants to take a shot explaining that, go for it.

Back in LA, Jake may have been a tad too young to attend, but that evening down in Inglewood at the old Forum his beloved LA Lakers took on the Portland Trail Blazers. Jake-luck wasn't on their side that night; they lost to the Trail Blazers 110-106 on Friday, December 19, 1980. In happier times, and with a little Jake-luck, the Lakers met the Trail Blazers again, on January 4, 2009. This time defeating the Trail Blazers 100-86.

At the movies that Friday, December 19, 1980 opening in LA and around the country, you may have seen one of several movies of note: Raging Bull, often referred to as the best movie of the 80s; Nine to Five, Dolly Parton's cinematic debut; and Neil Diamond's classic reworking of The Jazz Singer. . .

On television that Friday night you may have watched that young up and comer Jerry Seinfeld finish his 3-episode arc on Benson as 'Frankie the Mailman. Tonight's episode is entitled Benson's Groupie. Diana Canova left the always entertaining Soap the previous season to headline her own sitcom, I'm a Big Girl Now, which aired immediately after Benson. Diana's show didn't last a full season, but she did pull off her greatest coup to date - appearing on the cover of TV Guide for the week of December 13-19, 1980.


Friday night television from 9-10pm in December, 1980 was pretty slim pickings. If you were lucky you might have gotten a phone call that evening to tell you about the birth of a child that day, which saved you from having to watch The Dukes of Hazzard.

But come 10pm on you were probably watching Dallas, now in its 4th season, when it was still interesting and JR was still scheming. Tonight's episode is Trouble at Ewing 23. Season 4 opening credits for old time's sake.





For a couple of years starting back in April, 1980, Fridays, a skit-oriented variety/comedy show premiered on ABC latenights. The program was ABC's attempt to duplicate the success of NBC's Saturday Night Live (especially since SNL was facing a decline in quality in the early 1980s following the departure of show creator Lorne Michaels and the remnants of his original cast). Like SNL, each week Fridays featured music acts and on Friday night, December 19, 1980 Rockpile featuring Nick Lowe appeared.





If you changed the channel quick enough, you may have caught The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Johnny's surprise guest that night was Frank Sinatra who sang the Christmas classic, The First Noel.

If you were looking for live music on Friday night, December 19, 1980, you may have been at Madison Square Garden rocking out to Bruce and The River tour. If you found yourself at the Baymount in Sligo, Ireland that night, you would have seen 4 fresh faces from Dublin City on the second leg of their Boy tour.

Friday, December 19, 1980. It was a very good day.


Friday's Child is Loving and Giving

Happy Birthday, Jake

56 comments:

UltraViolet said...

Happy Birthday, Jake, from a Tuesday's child! If you're in NYC, the weather's going to be slightly different from your birth date. Hope you packed a shovel!

Great post, FL. The prime rate record is unbelievable. And I love it that Old Blue Eyes sang on the night New Blue Eyes was born :)

Also, I never knew Jerry Seinfeld was on Benson!

From the last post - thanks to Tweety for posting the 826NYC info. It's great to see Jake doing stuff like this.

sheba said...

Happy birthday Jakey G from a Sunday's child. I wish you love, success and happiness for this special day and beyond. You are beloved in many forms. I hope you accept ours. (I know he'll not read this but we will know ;D)

Great informative post on our favourite guy.

sass said...

Happy Birthday Jake, from a hard working Saturday's child. I hope you receive a boatload of happiness today. Please take care of yourself; we all love you so so much.
I'm one of your biggest fans, hey; I could be your mom, so be good:)
sass
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OT
Most NYC weather reporters, sound as if we're going to be buried alive by this storm. Bah Humbug! This town never stops...well, maybe twice in all my 21 years on this earth. :lol :lol

Much love to all my babbling friends, as we keep babbling on... and on...forever
xoxo
sass

suvee said...

Friday, December 19, 1980. It was a very good day.

A very good day indeed. Thank you, FL, for this wonderful birthday post. It's outstanding!

This Thursday's child wishes Jake a day surrounded by love...... and a year that brings him all the happiness, health and love he deserves.

suvee said...

(((sass)))

Chica said...

Happy birthday Jacob from a Sunday child! Friday Dec. 19 1980 was a very good day indeed.

They are expecting a ton of snow today in NY, so be careful out there today if you are in NY Jake.

((((Sass)))) The NY weather reporters always act like the city will come to a screeching halt anytime we get snow here, as you said Sass, the city just moves right along.

What a great post FL, Miss Ellie! I loved Dallas!

bobbyanna said...

Really great post!!! We were huge fans of Dallas and Benson, too!

(((((((((((Jake!)))))))))

Have a wonderful birthday, Jake, and always know you are surrounded by lots of love!


(I'm a Sunday's child, too! :))

mary said...

happy birthday jake we love you have a great day you deserve it

Ginny said...

Happy Birthday Jake, have a lovely day.

Great trip down memory lane FL.

Paula said...

Have a wonderful birthday Jake!!

Wow, what a trip down memory lane, I bet I was the only one that mourned the cancellation of I'm a big girl now, lol!

Great post for a great guy!

get real said...

Great post!

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAKE!!! :D


Off to get provisions before the snow hits....xoxoxo

Monica said...

Great Post!

Happy Birthday, Jake Gyllenhaal!

Portuguese:
Feliz aniversário, Jake Gyllenhaal!

Monica said...

Great Post!

Happy Birthday, Jake Gyllenhaal!

Portuguese:
Feliz aniversário, Jake Gyllenhaal!

Office of Nancy Pelosi said...

Love this post FL, it's perfect!

Have a happy, happy birthday Jake, you deserve it!

verdeblusm said...

Happy Birthday, Jake Gyllenhaal!!!!
Felice compleanno Jake, possa tu avere tutto ciò che desideri!
Very, very beautiful post FL!!!!

JF said...

Happy Birthday! :)

Carla said...

What a wonderful tribute!

Happy birthday Jake - I hope you will enjoy your day surrounded by family and friends!

"Dallas" and Miss Elly - oh my, those were the days....:-))

Unknown said...

Beautiful tribute!!! Thanks!!!

Sheba baby said...

Hoping that you are enjoying your day Jake. Happy Birthday from one Friday's child to another!

What a great birthday post for Jake and everyone here at GB, thanks FL!

(((Sass)))

Extra said...

Jake was born the same year one of my favorite movies came out: The Raging Bull!! This is one of my favorite posts,thanks so much FL for a trip down memory lane!

Have a happy and fun birthday Jake!

Anonymous said...

Jake will be fine. Where ever he goes, he seemes to have such wonderful friends. People seem drawn to him. I wish him a new year filled with adventures and loving friends, good health, and the chance to realize some of his dreams.

Happy Birthday, Jacob.

Josie said...

Happy birthday Jake!! I hope it's filled with friends, fsmily and lots of laughs!!

PS: Jerry Seinfeld was on Benson?? You learn so much here on Gyllenbabble!

Unknown said...

Fun post, FL. And a walk down memory lane. (Except for Miss Ellie, all the ladies on Dallas had Very Big hair. :))

And I hope Jake's next year brings him much love and success.

Shondra said...

Happy 29th Jake, best wishes to you on your special day!

I loved Miss Ellie, she was my favorite Dallas character. This post is great/fun, thanks so much for all your research for the year 1980 FL, well done!

FL said...

Thanks for the nice words, everyone. I learned so much myself putting this post together. It's always fun being able to connect Jake with great moments in world history. :-)

The first day of his 29th year is coming to close. I hope the next 364 are good ones. Great ones!

Tweety said...

Damn, I missed wishing Jake a Happy birthday yesterday here. I was so busy yesterday with last shopping and sholving out from the snow!

Jake, I hope you enjoyed your birthday and that it was filled with friends, family and lots of love.

Your great moments in history the day Jake was born was great Fl, so much happened on that day, love the post!

Chica said...

The snow here is so pretty, so soft and clean for now! It's like that here in Queens, NY but I'm sure it's a bit different in Manhattan. Good day to stay in and watch some old movies, Christmas shopping is all done.

Hope everyone on the East coast is recovering from the snow storm. If Jake is in NY I hope he had a happy, snowy birthday!

bobbyanna said...

My youngest is moving out of her flat tomorrow...right across from Manhattan in West New York, New Jersey! With more than a foot of snow, at the top of a steep hill,she says it's going to be a mess! Hope all you East Coasters are OK!

I'm baking (for the nursing home staff at my mom's place.) and cleaning, so I can't watch Jake movies. Too distracting.I might watch "The Ref",with Dennis Leary, Kevin Spacey,Judy Davis. It's a Christmas story...of sorts.:)Or I might watch oldies,too.

Fresh snow is always so pretty.Glad Michigan was spared for a change. January is always our worst snow month.

Gossip cop said...

Posted on Gossip cop on 12/16. I prefer this tabloid story than the Us one, oh well:


If you’re a tabloid editor, you’ve gotta hate your life today.

With some wince-worthy timing, In Touch just hit newsstands with a story about Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal working out their difficulties… a day after Gossip Cop exclusively broke the news that they had split up.

While the mag acknowledges “problems in the relationship,” including Witherspoon’s alleged reluctance to get married, the weekly quotes a source who claims “they are doing whatever they can to work it out.” “The couple is determined to make the holidays special for Reese’s children,” the “insider” tells In Touch, adding that Gyllenhaal “is excited to play Santa.”

Unfortunately, though, this didn’t turn out to be a December of good cheer for the two. Gossip Cop has to give In Touch a lump of coal for guessing wrong.

FL said...

I used to like the snow when I was a kid. Then I got older. Why do I live in this snowbelt again?

Oh well, nourishing breakfast followed by 3 layers. The shoveling will commence. I need to move to a condo.

Anonymous said...

Jake's going to spend Christmas in N.Y. with his own family.
Reese's kids hava a wonderful, caring daddy and I'm sure he and Reese will make sure the kids will have a beautiful Christmas. :)

Anonymous said...

Last year Jake and Reese were at the farm. I can't rem. if the kids were there or not - if they were then Ryan was with his girlfriend (tho of course he'd do something for them).
The kids also have a loving person in their lives - Jake. He's not going to be ignoring them and i would think they would miss having him around. They can seperate the love for their Dad and their feelings for Jake.

bobbyanna said...

FL,as I survey the damage (yet to be repaired)from my "flood",two bathrooms demmolished,insurance adjusters who're arrogant and nasty,I'm thinking condo,too! Maybe even an apartment. My third bathroom, in the master BR, is only a little larger than a closet,but thank God we have it!

Jake always makes such smart film choices! There have been dozens of tweets about Jake rescuing people and TDAT! :)

Anonymous said...

Jake didn't stay in touch with Kirsten Dunst. Why would he stay in touch with Reese? Because of the kids that aren't even his? I don't think so.

I hope Jake will soon find the right partner for him and have his own kids. I'm sure he'll ba a wonderful dad.

Anonymous said...

Jake is Jewish and Hanukkah is over , so if he stays in NY through next weekend is all speculation. He also has family in PA as well and his Dad is in CA.

He has more reason to stay in touch with Reese than Dunst. He bonded with the kids and I'm sure Reese wouldn't object if he wished them a Merry Christmas, etc.

He had a reason not to keep in touch with Kiki: she became a junkie.

Nuff said.

If you are truly a fan of Jake you should have no objections at all if he decides to keep in touch with Reese and her kids, it's natural.

Anonymous said...

I don't have anything against Jake staying in touch with her and the kids, I just say I don't think it'll happen. When Reese has a new boyfriend, he will take Jake's place as mom's boyfriend. Ryan will of course stay the most important man in their lives since he is their father.

FL said...

Even now none of us know the particulars of the Jake/Reese relationship. Speculating is pointless. And enough already about Reese's kids.

Anonymous said...

http://x17online.com/celebrities/reese_witherspoon/breakups_do_a_body_good-12202009.php

Is she wearing a certain bracelet?

Chica said...

No more speculation please, what's the point?

Beef stew cooking, drinking a glass of red wine(maybe I should be drinking vodka instead!) and watching Dr. Zhivago on TCM, perfect on a day like this.

suvee said...

Oh, Dr Zhivago is one of my all time favorite movies..... the perfect movie for a snowy Sunday. It's lovely here today, but a winter storm is supposed to hit us mid-week..... snow on Christmas Eve!

I'm making a chicken/wild rice/apple casserole for my mom (she's getting to the point where she doesn't want to cook much). Then finishing up wrapping gifts for a few co-workers and taking advantage of this unseasonably warm day to walk my dog.

Hope everyone is having a good Sunday..... including Jake, wherever he may be.

UltraViolet said...

Hey Sass! Hope you and all the other snow-ful folks are hanging in there. I didn't have to shovel or anything. Went for a walk, but not too far. Too slippery and chilly.

Maybe I was wrong in an earlier post when I said reports that Jake "demanded" Duncan Jones for Source Code were exaggerated. This director was apparently attaqched initially:

What's the story with Source Code? This is the number one script on the 'black list', the best unproduced Hollywood scripts, and you were attached to it for a while, but news is that now you're not. But then maybe that's not the whole story?

I was on it for two years. originally I was on The Dark Crystal for about nine months and I rewrote the Dark Crystal script with Brian Henson, Jim Henson's son. I'd been on that ages.

To get the rebate, we had to shoot it in Australia, and so we had to bring on Australian producers. As soon as that happened it went from being a really edgy Henson movie to being a watered down Australian version of Shrek. I wasn't going to part of that film, and I was attached to Source Code at the time, but I left The Dark Crystal really regretfully. I really wanted to do the film, but I realised I wasn't going to be able to do my version of it.

So with Source Code, we did five drafts. Billy Ray, who's an amazing writer, worked on the rewrite, and we'd got to the point where we had a few really big names that were serious about doing it, then Jake (Gyllenhaal) came aboard, and he's a lovely guy, but we had such different opinions about the film about how he wanted to be shot, and he's at the point in his career where he can call the shots, so… I'm still attached to the film in the producing capacity.

The film started off with Universal, then it got to Relativity, then it got to Summit. When you change guard that much, the film you began with is not the film you have at the end, so I think you're better off with someone new to do it and for me to go on with some of the other films I'm developing. You sign on to make an apple, and in a few years, you've got a pear.


Can't say I'm unhappy this guy's not doing it! But it's an interesting perspective on Jake's position in Hollywood.

Anonymous said...

Jake has pretty good an instinctive ideas about how a film is made and the characters. It might be better with Duncan anyway.

FL said...

then Jake (Gyllenhaal) came aboard, and he's a lovely guy, but we had such different opinions about the film about how he wanted to be shot, and he's at the point in his career where he can call the shots

Reading this literally, it's fascinating to me. And it makes me wonder if he learned how he should be shot from Rodrigo Prieto on BBM, because let's face it, Rodrigo's camera was in love with Jake's face on that film.

However, I imagine he had less input on Zodiac since Fincher was the star of that one.

But it also makes me think Jake had a lot of input on how he was shot in Rendition. Lots of beautiful left profile shots in that one. :-D

Makes me happy that he's at that point in his career where he can call these shots.

UltraViolet said...

I assumed it was more about the particular constraints of shooting the character because in the script, he "becomes" other characters. (I can't remember exactly.)

If Jake is literally calling the shots, then yes, Rodrigo Prieto at all times, please. Dion Beebe for second choice.

The final choice had better involve lots of shots of Jake and not other people!

bobbyanna said...

I also remember Robert Elswit, the cinematographer, who's a long time friend of Jake's family. Jake seems to always be absorbing and learning.

Somehow, while I think Jake's real conscious of how he's shot, I have to believe there was more to it than that,with "Source Code". Jake reportedly really liked what Duncan Jones did with his Moon movie.

You're so right, FL, Prieto, and whoever handled the camera for "Rendition" deserve our undying gratitude.:)

I'm very glad Jake is getting more input on how his movies are made.
It will be interesting to watch how the project he's working on with Doug Liman (UMP)develops.

Office of Nancy Pelosi said...

That is interesting. I remember Ang Lee saying that he had to be careful how he photographed Jake in BBM. Jake is very aware of his "good side", being the son of a director certainly helps.

You are right Bobbyanna, it had to be more than that, Jake sounds like he really wanted to work with Jones. He will be one of the producers for UMP, I feel that eventually Jake is going to eventually start directing.

He was beautifully shot in Rendition.

suvee said...

I'm another big fan of the cinematographer of Rendition..... probably my favorite movie for appreciating (ok, drooling over) Jake's physical charms. :)

Thanks for sharing the very interesting interview with the almost-director of Source Code. Somehow I think his departure wasn't just due to differences over how Jake was shot. Nice to know that Jake is at the point in his career where he has that amount of control.

Anonymous said...

I had no idea Jake has that much clout. I guess he has been just taking his time with the movies he's been making,sort of slowly. While I wish he is always busy making lots of movies, I'm glad he takes his time, because a lot of his movies are classics.

Sasha Stone said...

Richard Roeper on Brothers It's #1 on his top ten list:

From Richard Roeper:
1. “Brothers”
A brilliant, beautiful, harsh, gut-punching, 21st century war story with Biblical overtones. Some critics said Jim Sheridan’s adaptation of the great Danish film to be too glossy and heavy-handed, but I found it to be just as profound as the original. Either you buy Tobey Maguire’s tightly wound performance or you don’t. I thought his performance was pure truth. A perfectly realized screenplay, intense performances from all the leads, amazing work by the supporting cast, including the two little girls. Reminiscent of classics such as “Coming Home.”

Unknown said...

Mónica: Brothers in Brazil 13 february ! Envy :)

IHJ said...

Pics of Jake from the L.A. press conference, 12/3. LOL at the first picture!

http://www.iheartjakemedia.com/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=0

UltraViolet said...

No idea how reliable this report is:

Jake celebrated his 29th birthday as a single man on Saturday, Dec. 19, partying and dancing with pal Matt Dillon at Thompson’s Smyth TriBeCa Hotel in NYC.

“Jake was having a guys night,” an eyewitness tells HollywoodLife.com. “He was dancing while Mark Ronson DJ’d and stayed for about two hours, just enjoying himself. He hung out with Matt the whole time though, there were definitely no other women involved.”

suvee said...

According to JustJared, the party Jake attended Saturday night was a holiday party for God's Love We Deliver, a non-profit that provides meals and nutritional counseling to people living with life-altering illnesses.

Also in attendance were Will Arnett, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mary Louise Parker.

Anonymous said...

I just read that too suvee. Josh Hartnett was also there. :)

Office of Nancy Pelosi said...

Sounds legit to me, glad that he was at that party on his birthday and it weas for a good cause too!

UltraViolet said...

Yes, it's good to know Jake was at a party on his big day, and all for a good cause!

New post.