On this day in movie history - Heaven Can Wait (1978 movie & play):

Heaven Can Wait

directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry,

based on the play by Harry Segall,

was released in the United States on June 28, 1978.
Music by Dave Grusin.

Cast:

Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason, Jack Warden, Charles Grodin, Dyan Cannon, Buck Henry, Vincent Gardenia, Joseph Maher, Hamilton Camp, Arthur Malet, Stephanie Faracy, Jeannie Linero, Harry D.K. Wong, George J. Manos, Larry Block, Frank Campanella, Bill Sorrells, Dick Enberg, Dolph Sweet, R.G. Armstrong, Ed Peck, John Randolph, Richard O'Brien, Joseph F. Makel, Will Hare, Lee Weaver, Roger Bowen, Keene Curtis, William Larsen, Morgan Farley, William Bogert, Robert E. Leonard, Joel Marston, Earl Montgomery, Robert C. Stevens, Bernie Massa, Peter Tomarken, William Sylvester, Lisa Blake Richards, Charlie Charles, Nick Outin, Jerry Scanlan, Jim Boeke, Marvin Fleming, Deacon Jones, Les Josephson, Jack Snow, Curt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis, Benjie Bancroft, Arline Bletcher, Joe Corolla, Charlie Cowan, Garrett Craig, Paul D'Amato, Robert Fortier, Allan Graf, Bryant Gumbel, Jim Healy, Chick Hearn, Ray Pourchot, Nick Raymond, Elliott Reid, Roberto Rodriguez, Byron Webster.

Recommended reading:

Heaven Can Wait

Comedy-Fantasy in Three Acts

By Harry Segall.

Filmed as:

Here comes Mr. Jordan (1941), directed by Alexander Hall.

Heaven Can Wait (1978), directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry.

ASIN: B000GVIZMI

Published by Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

Published 1941.

Description:

Mr. Jordan is checking passengers who are to depart in an airplane for the Hereafter. The routine is interrupted by the arrival of Joe Pendleton, an attractive prizefighter, who refuses to admit he is dead and induces Jordan to look up the "records," which reveal that Joe is not scheduled to arrive for another 60 years! But, as Joe starts to return to earth to continue his fighting, word reaches Heaven that Max Levene, Joe's manager, thinking he had been killed, had Joe's body cremated, and Joe has no body to return to. Jordan promises to find Joe another body and is informed that the wealthy Jonathan Farnsworth is about to be murdered by his wife. So, Joe suddenly finds himself in the home of the financier, visible as Joe to the audience but apparently as Farnsworth to Mrs. Farnsworth, and the public. The comedy begins when the pompous "Farnsworth" unaccountably goes into training as a fighter. In addition, "Farnsworth" decides to share his wealth and right the wrong "he" did to charming Bette Logan's father. Bette, having despised Farnsworth, finds herself falling in love with him and he with her. Just as Joe (still in Farnsworth's body) is about to get a chance to become a fighter, Jordan reports that Farnsworth does not approve of Joe's treatment of his body (and money) and is raising a fuss to have it back. While deciding on another body for Joe, Jordan receives a flash that K.O. Murdock, the champion, has been mysteriously shot. As K.O. is about to be counted out Jordan transfers Joe's spirit into the body of K.O. in time to have K.O. remain champ. There are still problems to be straightened out when Joe really becomes Murdock and loses memory of his previous existence-includingBette. Fortunately, they meet and fall in love again-and Mr. Jordan is free to head for the Hereafter, his earthly task accomplished."

On this day in movie history - The Cheap Detective (1978):

The Cheap Detective

directed by Robert Moore,

written by Neil Simon,

was released in the United States on June 23, 1978.
Music by Patrick Williams.

Cast:

Peter Falk, Ann-Margret, Eileen Brennan, Sid Caesar, Stockard Channing, James Coco, Dom DeLuise, Louise Fletcher, John Houseman, Madeline Kahn, Fernando Lamas, Marsha Mason, Phil Silvers, Abe Vigoda, Paul Williams, Nicol Williamson, Emory Bass, Carmine Caridi, James Cromwell, Scatman Crothers, David Ogden Stiers, Vic Tayback, Carole Wells, John Calvin, Barry Michlin, Jonathan Banks, Lew Gallo, Lee McLaughlin, Zale Kessler, Jerrold Ziman, Wally K. Berns, Bella Bruck, Henry Sutton, Maurice Marks, Joe Ross, Dean Perry, George Rondo, Ronald L. Schwary, Louis H. Kelly, Charles Bastin, Armando Gonzales, Gary L. Dyer, Steven Fisher, Laurie Hagen, Lee Menning, Nancy Warren, Nancy Marlowe Coyne, Lynn Griffis, Paula Friel, Sheila Sisco, Lauren Simon, Cindy Lang, Martina Ritt, David Matthau, Gary Alexander, Michele Bernath, George Simmons, Joree Sirianni, Cornell Chulay, Edward Coch Jr., Bob Harks, Paul King, Murray Pollack, Arthur Tovey.

On this day in movie history - The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978):

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith

directed and written by Fred Schepisi,

was released in Australia on June 22, 1978.
Based on the novel by Thomas Keneally.
Inspired by the true 1900 Jimmy Governor murder case.

Music by Bruce Smeaton.

Cast:

Tommy Lewis, Freddy Reynolds, Ray Barrett, Jack Thompson, Angela Punch McGregor, Steve Dodd, Peter Carroll, Ruth Cracknell, Don Crosby, Elizabeth Alexander, Peter Sumner, Tim Robertson, Ray Meagher, Brian Anderson, Jane Harders, Julie Dawson, Jack Charles, Arthur Dignam, Robyn Nevin, Gregory Apps, Jillian Archer, John Bowman, Bryan Brown, Michael Carman, Bill Charlton, Liddy Clark, Aileen Corpus, Matthew Crosby, Marshall Crosby, Zona Dixon, Ian Gilmour, Ken Grant, Alan Hardy, Lauren Hutton, John Jarratt, Phemise Jonas, James Keneally, Thomas Keneally, Hagar Laikburner, Katie Lilley, Rose Lilley, Terry McDermott, Lorraine Mafi-Williams, Ray Marshall, Zac Martin, Justine Saunders, Alexandra Schepisi, Rob Steele, Richard Ussher, Wesley Williams, Barbara Wyndon, Mervyn Drake, Peter Farmer, Kevin Miles, Karlene Rogerson.

On this day in movie history - Document of the Dead (1980):

Document of the Dead

directed and written by Roy Frumkes,

was released in Germany on June 21, 1981.
Documentary on the making of Dawn of the Dead (1978),

directed by George A. Romero.
Narrated by Susan Tyrrell and Nicole Potter.
Music by Rick Ulfik.

Cast:

Susan Tyrrell, Nicole Potter, George A. Romero, Richard P. Rubinstein, Michael Gornick, Carl Augenstein, Tom Savini, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger, David Emge, John Amplas, Roy Frumkes, Christine Forrest, Gahan Wilson, Steve Bissette, Joe Kane, Gregory Lamberson, Ben Barenholtz, Dave Bartholomew, Pasquale Buba, Butchie   Butchie, Diane Donati, Jimmy 'Killer' Evans, George Haeck, Dave Hawkins, 'Sidecar' John Helbig, Jeanie Jefferies, Tom Kapusta, Katherine Kolbert, Leonard Lies, Doug Mertz, Sukey Raphael, Rudy Ricci, John Rice, Cindy Roman, Lenny Roman, Gaylen Ross, Donna Siegel, Nick Tallo, Danny Vail, Larry Vaira, Sara Venable, Susan Vermazen.

Born on this day – Irwin Allen:

Irwin Allen

Photographed on the set of The Swarm (1978)

Director

Producer

June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991

On this day in movie history - Damien: Omen II (1978):

Damien: Omen II

directed by Don Taylor and Mike Hodges,

written by Stanley Mann and Mike Hodges,

based on a story by Harvey Bernhard,

was released in the United States on June 9, 1978.
Music by Jerry Goldsmith.

Cast:

William Holden, Lee Grant, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Robert Foxworth, Nicholas Pryor, Lew Ayres, Sylvia Sidney, Lance Henriksen, Elizabeth Shepherd, Lucas Donat, Allan Arbus, Fritz Ford, Meshach Taylor, John J. Newcombe, John Charles Burns, Paul Cook, Diane Daniels, Robert E. Ingham, William B. Fosser, Corney Morgan, Russell P. Delia, Judith Dowd, Thomas O. Erhart Jr., Sorin Serene Pricopie, Robert J. Jones Jr., Rusdi Lane, Charles Mountain, Cornelia Sanders, Felix Shuman, James Spinks, Owen Sullivan, William J. Whelehan, Ian Hendry, Gus Kaprales, Leo McKern.

On this day in movie history - The Shout (1978 movie & book):

The Shout

directed by Jerzy Skolimowski,

written by Michael Austin and Jerzy Skolimowski,

based on the short story by Robert Graves,

was released in the United Kingdom on June 1, 1978.
Music by Tony Banks.

Cast:

Alan Bates, Susannah York, John Hurt, Robert Stephens, Tim Curry, Julian Hough, Carol Drinkwater, John Rees, Jim Broadbent, Susan Wooldridge, Nick Stringer, Colin Higgins, Peter Benson, Joanna Szczerbic, Graham Kingsley Brown.

Recommended reading:

The Shout and Other Stories

By Robert Graves.

Short story anthology.

Paperback.

Published 1979.

Published by Penguin Books.

ISBN 13: 9780140048322

ISBN 10: 0140048324

ASIN: 0140048324

Description:

The shout can wound. The shout can kill. The shout can drive you mad. Unless the man who says he learned the magic shout eighteen years ago is only a lunatic. But is he? … ‘The Shout’ is the first of thirty intriguing stories collected here. They range from a tenement in ancient Rome to the trenches of World War I. Robert Graves assures us that most of them – even the most improbable ones – are true.

“Graves’s stories strike one … as the playfulness of an extremely lively, observant, and humorous spirit. … All of these tales must be read to be appreciated, let alone believed.” – Newsweek.

Originally published in hardcover under the title Collected Short Stories.

The film The Shout is distributed by Films incorporated and stars Alan Bates, Susannah York and John Hurt, with Robert Stephens and Tim Curry; produced by Jeremy Thomas; directed by Jerzy Skolimowski; screenplay by Michael Austin from the story by Robert Graves.

On this day in movie history - Dawn of the Dead (1978 movie & novel):

Dawn of the Dead

directed and written by George A. Romero,

was released in the United States on April 13, 1979.
Music by The Goblins and Dario Argento.

Cast:

David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross, George A. Romero, Christine Forrest, David Crawford, David Early, Daniel Dietrich, Molly McClosky, Howard Smith, Richard France, Rudy Ricci, Tony Buba, Pasquale Buba, Taso N. Stavrakis, Tom Savini, Joseph Pilato, James A. Baffico, Joey Baffico, John Amplas.

Recommended reading:

Dawn of the Dead

By George A. Romero & Susanna Sparrow.

Filmed as Dawn of the Dead (1978), directed and written by George A. Romero.

Published by Gallery Books.

First published 1978.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 9781476791838

ISBN-13: 978-1476791838

ASIN: 147679183X

Description:

“Dawn of the Dead is one of the best horror movies ever made.” – Roger Ebert.

The novel of the classic horror film, with an introduction by Simon Pegg!

WHEN THERE IS NO MORE ROOM IN HELL, THE DEAD WILL WALK THE EARTH

George A. Romero terrified a generation with his iconic horror film and with this cult-classic novel. Immerse yourself in this unparalleled vision from the revered master of the zombie apocalypse…and be terrified all over again.

Zombies have overpowered the living and ravaged the world. Society has collapsed as humans race to save themselves. No one knows how far the creatures have spread, or how to stop them. In downtown Philadelphia, four people escape the chaos and find shelter in a vacated shopping mall. But as their greed spirals and the undead close in, their haven for waiting out the end of the world becomes the last battleground for survival. And there is nowhere left to hide…