Born on this day – Elisha Cook Jr.:

Elisha Cook Jr.

Actor

December 26, 1903 – May 18, 1995

Born on this day – J. D. Short:

J. D. Short

Blues singer

Guitarist

Harmonicist

December 26, 1902 – October 21, 1962

Credits:

Albums:

Blues from the Mississippi Delta, with Son House (1963); Legacy of the Blues Vol. 8 (1973); Stavin' Chain Blues, with Big Joe Williams (1961).

Television:

The Blues (1962).

Recommended reading - Days of Wine and Roses (1958 & 1963)

Days of Wine and Roses (1958 & 1963)

Days of Wine and Roses

By J.P. Miller.

Published by Dramatist's Play Service.
Teleplay first published 1958.
Paperback.
ISBN-10: 0822202816
ISBN-13: 9780822202813

Description:

In the fast-moving milieu of Madison Avenue, social drinking is almost an occupational necessity, and one that fast-rising young Joe Clay adopts with too ready ease. Unfortunately, the girl he meets and marries shares his proclivity, and while they continue to tell themselves that they drink because they choose to, it is soon apparent that their habit has become a serious problem. But their failure to acknowledge this plunges them headlong into the shattering events of the play a career in shambles, a marriage destroyed, the esteem of friends and family lost, and a child who has become the innocent victim of their obsession. In the poignant ending of the play a spectre of hope arises but, more important, so does a galvanizing awareness of the depth of their torment, and of the lesson which their compulsive self-destruction must have for others.

Days of Wine and Roses

By David Westheimer.

Mass Market Paperback.

ISBN: B0000CLO9H

Published 1963.

Published by Bantam Books.

Description:

A story of Brandy Alexander and the insidious way alcohol can destroy a life. Based on J.P. Miller's play and includes three still pictures on back cover from the movie of the same name.

Eugène Ionesco, on writers and writing:

A writer never has a vacation.

For a writer, life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.

- Eugène Ionesco.

On this day in movie history - Fences (2016):

Fences

directed by Denzel Washington,

written by August Wilson,

based on the play by August Wilson,

was released in the United States on December 25, 2016.
Music by Marcelo Zarvos.

Cast:

Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney, Christopher Mele, Lesley Boone, Jason Silvis, Toussaint Raphael Abessolo, Gregory Bromfield, Hanibal Chancellor, Cara Clark, Tra’Waan Coles, Sean Cummings, Ellwood Davis, DieselDonlow, Mark Falvo, Joe Fishel, Kristie Galloway, Carlos Gonzalez, John W. Iwanonkiw, Floyd Jackson, Daniel James, Aristle Jones IV, Trudi Kennedy, Malik Abdul Khaaliq, Connie Kincer, Ashley Marie Lewis, Cecily Lewis, Wayne Leya, Frank McAleavey, Chris McCail, Terri Middleton, Kelly L. Moran, Mike Nardi, Phil Nardozzi, Frankie Palombi, Kameron Peters, Eric Rasmussen, Dillon Stark, Brian E. Stead, Will Tolliver Jr.

On this day in movie history - Silver Linings Playbook (2012):

Silver Linings Playbook

written and directed by David O. Russell,

was released in the United States on December 25, 2012.
Based on the novel The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick.
Music by Danny Elfman.

Cast:

Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham, Julia Stiles, Paul Herman, Dash Mihok, Matthew Russell, Cheryl Williams, Patrick McDade, Brea Bee, Mary Regency Boies, Phillip Chorba, Anthony Lawton, Patsy Meck, Maureen Torsney-Weir, Jeff Reim, Fritz Blanchette, Rick Foster, Bonnie Aarons, Ted Barba, Elias Birnbaum, Matthew Michels, Pete Postiglione, Dicky Eklund Jr., Sanjay Shende, Mihir Pathak, Ibrahim Syed, Madhu Narula, Samantha Gelnaw, Tiffany E. Green, Tal Livshitz, Vlada Semenova, Zhan Paulovich, Lana Rossi, Richard Adams, Todd Anthony, Erica Lynne Arden, Robert Bizik, Joe Cappelletti, Louis Centanni, David Collihan, Jessica Czop, Alan Davis, Tom Delconte, Luisa Diaz, Christian Dorsey, Chris Dyer, Debra Efre, Cindy Engle, Mark Falvo, Liam Ferguson, Mark Finney, Erin Frederick, Jade Froeder, Anthony J Giampetro, Vaughn Goland, Shawn Gonzalez, Matt von Siegel, Thomas Walton, Jamell Washington, Volieda Webb, Jen Weissenberg, Brian Anthony Wilson, Mike Wilson, Lindsey Zajac.

On this day in movie history - Ali (2001):

Ali

directed by Michael Mann,

written by Michael Mann, Eric Roth, Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson,

based on a story by Gregory Allen Howard,

was released in the United States on December 25, 2001.
Music by Pieter Bourke and Lisa Gerrard.

Cast:

Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, Mario Van Peebles, Ron Silver, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Bentt, Robert Sale, James Toney, Charles Shufford, Mykelti Williamson, Jada Pinkett Smith, Nona Gaye, Michael Michele, Joe Morton, Paul Rodriguez, Bruce McGill, Barry Shabaka Henley, Albert Hall, Giancarlo Esposito, David Haines, Laurence Mason, LeVar Burton, David Cubitt, Leon Robinson, Ted Levine, Malick Bowens, Victoria Dillard, David Elliott, Brad Greenquist.