On this day in movie history - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981):

Raiders of the Lost Ark

directed by Steven Spielberg,

written by Lawrence Kasdan,

based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman,

was released in the United States on June 12, 1981.
Music by John Williams.

Cast:

Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina, Wolf Kahler, Anthony Higgins, Vic Tablian, Don Fellows, William Hootkins, Bill Reimbold, Fred Sorenson, Patrick Durkin, Matthew Scurfield, Malcolm Weaver, Sonny Caldinez, Anthony Chinn, Pat Roach, Christopher Frederick, Tutte Lemkow, Ishaq Bux, Kiran Shah, Souad Messaoudi, Terry Richards, Steve Hanson, Frank Marshall, Martin Kreidt, George Harris, Eddie Tagoe, John Rees, Tony Vogel, Ted Grossman, Vic Armstrong, Alan Austen, Roy Beck, Darrell Brook, Russell Brook, Trevor Butterfield, Darin Chambers, Pola Churchill, Peter Diamond, Harry Fielder, Nick Gillard, Romo Gorrara, Martin Grace, Reg Harding, Barrie Holland, Billy Horrigan, Terry Leonard, Rick Lester, Sergio Mioni, Dennis Muren, Robert Nevin, Bob Papenbrook, Chris Parsons, Glenn Randall Jr., Peter Ross-Murray, Michael Sheard, Barry Summerford, Rocky Taylor, Frank Welker, Bill Weston, Paul Weston.

On this day in movie history - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989):

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

directed by Steven Spielberg,

written by Jeffrey Boam,

based on a story and characters by George Lucas and Menno Meyjes,

was released in the United States on May 24, 1989.
Music by John Williams.

Cast:

Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliott, Alison Doody, John Rhys-Davies, Julian Glover, River Phoenix, Michael Byrne, Kevork Malikyan, Robert Eddison, Richard Young, Alexei Sayle, Alex Hyde-White, Paul Maxwell, Isla Blair, Vernon Dobtcheff, J.J. Hardy, Bradley Gregg, Jeff O’Haco, Vince Deadrick Sr., Marc Miles, Ted Grossman, Tim Hiser, Larry Sanders, Will Miles, David Murray, Frederick Jaeger, Jerry Harte, Billy J. Mitchell, Martin Gordon, Paul Humpoletz, Tom Branch, Graeme Crowther, Luke Hanson, Chris Jenkinson, Nicola Scott, Louis Sheldon, Stefan Kalipha, Peter Pacey, Pat Roach, Suzanne Roquette, Eugene Lipinski, George Malpas, Julie Eccles, Nina Armstrong, Vic Armstrong, Roy Beck, Dickey Beer, Peter Diamond, Hugh Elton, Albert Evansky, Nick Gillard, Martin Grace, Paul Heasman, Ronald Lacey, Derek Lyons, Paul Markham, Wayne Michaels, Lee Richards, Michael Sheard, Tip Tipping, Chris Webb.

On this day in movie history - The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974 movie & novel):

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

directed by Ted Kotcheff,

written by Mordecai Richler and Lionel Chetwynd,

based on the novel by Mordecai Richler,

was released in the United States on April 11, 1974.
Music by Stanley Myers and Andrew Powell.

Cast:

Richard Dreyfuss, Micheline Lanctôt, Jack Warden, Randy Quaid, Joseph Wiseman, Denholm Elliott, Henry Ramer, Joe Silver, Zvee Scooler, Robert Goodier, Alan Rosenthal, Barry Baldaro, Allan Kolman, Barry Pascal, Susan Friedman, Jacques Durette, Jonathan Robinson, Edward Resmini, Henry Gamer, Lou Levitt, Sonny Oppenheim, Lionel Schwartz, Mickey Eichen, Robert Desroches, Judith Gault, Norman Taviss.

Recommended reading:

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

By Mordecai Richler.

Filmed as The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974), directed by Ted Kotcheff.

Published by Gallery Books.

First published 1959.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0671028472

ISBN-13: 978-0671028473

Description:

It is time to recognize Mr. Richler as one of North America's most powerful novelists. – The Washington Times.

A rasping humor pervades the book....It burgeons with its special talent and a vulgar vitality. – Chicago Tribune.

A fast-moving, entertaining, and bawdy novel. – The Washington Times.

Funny in the biting, subversive manner of Joseph Heller and Philip Roth. – Los Angeles Times.

Duddy Kravitz [is] Richler's most famous creation. – Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Richler has been praised for his clear-eyed vision and his realistic style.... The total effect is as brash and blatant as a sports car rally -- and as suggestive of power. It comes off brilliantly. – Alfred Kazin, The New York Times Book Review.

From Mordecai Richler, one of our greatest satirists, comes one of literature's most delightful characters, Duddy Kravitz -- in a novel that belongs in the pantheon of seminal twentieth century books.

Duddy -- the third generation of a Jewish immigrant family in Montreal -- is combative, amoral, scheming, a liar, and totally hilarious. From his street days tormenting teachers at the Jewish academy to his time hustling four jobs at once in a grand plan to "be somebody," Duddy learns about living -- and the lesson is an outrageous roller-coaster ride through the human comedy. As Richler turns his blistering commentary on love, money, and politics, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz becomes a lesson for us all ... in laughter and in life.