On this day in movie history - L'amore a.k.a. Love (1948 movie & play):

L'amore

a.k.a. Love,

directed by Roberto Rossellini,

written by Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini, Anna Benvenuti, Tullio Pinelli,

based on the play The Human Voice by Jean Cocteau,

released at the Venice Film Festival in Italy on August 21, 1948.

Music by Renzo Rossellini.

Cast: Anna Magnani, Federico Fellini, Peparuolo, Amelia Robert.

Recommended reading:

The Human Voice

Play by Jean Cocteau.

Translated by Daniel Raggett.

Published by Oberon Books.

Oberon Modern Plays.

First published 1929.

ISBN-10: 1786826542

ISBN-13: 978-1786826541

Description:

'I'm whispering into your ear – and we couldn't be further apart.'

A woman, a phone call, a final conversation. In this extraordinary and prophetic monologue, a woman fights for the person she loves. Jean Cocteau's iconic play explores our desperate need for human relationships – and the machine that has changed them forever.

Born on this day – Jessie Jones:

Jessie Jones

Actress

Writer

August 21, 1950 – March 20, 2026

Credits:

Books / plays:

A Doublewide, Texas Christmas (2018); Always a Bridesmaid (2013); Buddy Bro Bubba Dude: Men in Twisted Shorts (2022); Christmas Belles (2007); Dearly Beloved (2005); Dearly Departed: A Comedy (1992); Deliver Us from Mama! (2020); Doublewide, Texas (2016); Farce of Habit (2017); Farce of Nature (2014); Funny Little Thing Called Love (2014); Honey Sugar Lady Doll: Women in Bodacious Shorts (2022); Honky Tonk Hissy Fit (2021); Last Round-up of the Guacamole Queens (2015); Lickety Split: Women and Men in Outrageous Shorts (2022); Mama Won't Fly (2012); Rex's Exes (2012); Sitting Ducks (2025); Southern Hospitality (2008); The Dixie Swim Club (2008); The Hallelujah Girls (2010); The Red Velvet Cake War (2010); The Savannah Sipping Society (2016); The Second-To-Last Chance Ladies League (2025); The Sweet Delilah Swim Club (2020); The Wild Women of Winedale (2019); 'Til Beth Do Us Part: (a Marital Confection) (2010).

Movies and television:

Backfield in Motion (1991); Border Line (1999); Caroline in the City (1996); Caught in the Act (1993); Cold Case (2005); Designing Women (1990); Ed and His Dead Mother (1993); Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure (1989); For Their Own Good (1993); For Your Love (2002); Fudge (1995); Grace Under Fire (1995); Hooperman (1989); Judging Amy (2004); Jury Duty: The Comedy (1990); Kingdom Come (2001); Melrose Place (1997); Murphy Brown (1990); My Brother's Keeper (1995); Newhart (1989); Night Court (1990); Perfect Strangers (1990); Switch (1991); Teacher's Pet (2001–2002); The Crew (1995); The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993); Unhappily Ever After (1997); Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase (1990); Weird Science (1996); Who's the Boss? (1991); Wife, Mother, Murderer (1991); You're the One (1998).

Born on this day – Hugh Wilson:

Hugh Wilson

Director

Writer

August 21, 1943 – January 14, 2018

Born on this day – Frank Perry:

Frank Perry

Director

Writer

Producer

Actor

August 21, 1930 – August 29, 1995

Credits:

ABC Stage 67 (1966); Adventures in Rainbow Country (1969); Among the Paths to Eden (1967); Compromising Positions (1985); David and Lisa (1962); Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970); 'Doc' (1971); Dummy (1979); Faye (2024); Federico Fellini - un autoritratto ritrovato (2000); Festival of Family Classics (1973); Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans (1957); Hello Again (1987); Howard K. Smith (1963); Island Women (1958); J.F.K.: A One-Man Show (1984); Ladybug Ladybug (1963); Last Summer (1969); Man on a Swing (1974); Mommie Dearest (1981); Monsignor (1982); Moving Image Salutes Sidney Lumet (1985); On the Bridge (1992); Play It As It Lays (1972); Playwright at Work (1961–1962); Rancho Deluxe (1975); Skag (1980); The 68th Annual Academy Awards (1996); The David Frost Show (1970–1971); The Dick Cavett Show (1971); The Merv Griffin Show (1970); The Story of the Swimmer (2014); The Swimmer (1968); The Thanksgiving Visitor (1968); The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1970); Today (1973); Trilogy (1969).

Born on this day – Friz Freleng:

Friz Freleng

Animator

Cartoonist

Director

Producer

Composer

August 21, 1905 – May 26, 1995

Born on this day – Albert S. Rogell:

Albert S. Rogell

Director

August 21, 1901 – April 7, 1988

Credits:

A Damsel in Distress (1937); Air Hawks (1935); Air Hostess (1933); Aloha (1931); Among the Missing (1934); Argentine Nights (1940); Atlantic Adventure (1935); Below the Sea (1933); Broken Arrow (1957–1958); Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow (1987); Butch Minds the Baby (1942); Carnival Boat (1932); Cheyenne (1929); City Streets (1938); Courageous Fool (1925); Crack o' Dawn (1925); Cyclone Cavalier (1925); Desperate Chances (1921); Double Reward (1922); Earl Carroll Sketchbook (1946); East of Fifth Avenue (1933); Easy Money (1925); Escape from Devil's Island (1935); Fighting Fate (1925); Fog (1933); For Love or Money (1939); Fugitive Lady (1934); Galloping Gallagher (1924); Geared to Go (1924); Goat Getter (1925); Grand Jury (1936); Grinning Guns (1927); Hawaiian Nights (1939); Heaven Only Knows (1947); His Brother's Blood (1922); Hit Parade of 1943 (1943); Hollywood (1980); I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby (1940); In Old Oklahoma (1943); Jail House Blues (1942); Laugh It Off (1939); Lightning Romance (1924); Li'l Abner (1940); Love, Honor and Goodbye (1945); Mamba (1930); Men of Daring (1927); Men of the Night (1926); Murder in Greenwich Village (1937); My Friend Flicka (1956); Name the Woman (1934); No Man's Gold (1922); No More Women (1934); North of Nevada (1924); Northwest Stampede (1948); Painted Faces (1929); Phantom of the Hills (1922); Priorities on Parade (1942); Private Affairs (1940); Public Enemies (1941); Red Hot Leather (1926); Roaming Lady (1936); Rough and Ready (1927); Sailors on Leave (1941); Senor Daredevil (1926); Shadow of Fear (1955); Sleepytime Gal (1942); Somewhere in Sonora (1927); Song of India (1949); Start Cheering (1938); Streak of Yellow (1922); Suicide Fleet (1931); Super Speed (1925); Sweepstakes (1931); Tangled Trails (1921); The 20th Century-Fox Hour (1956–1957); The Admiral Was a Lady (1950); The Black Cat (1941); The California Mail (1929); The Canyon of Adventure (1928); The Circus Cyclone (1925); The Claim Jumpers (1922); The Danger Point (1922); The Dangerous Coward (1924); The Devil's Saddle (1927); The Eagle Man (1921); The Fear Fighter (1925); The Fighter of Diamond X (1921); The Fighting Sap (1924); The Fighting Three (1927); The Flying Marine (1929); The Ford Television Theatre (1956); The Glorious Trail (1928); The Greatest Menace (1923); The Hell Cat (1934); The Knockout Kid (1925); The Last Warning (1938); The Lone Wolf in Paris (1938); The Lone Wolf's Daughter (1929); The Magnificent Rogue (1946); The Man from the West (1926); The Mask of Lopez (1924); The Midlanders (1920); The Overland Stage (1927); The Patent Leather Pug (1925); The Phantom City (1928); The Queen of Hearts (1921); The Ranch Mystery (1921); The Red Raiders (1927); The Rider of Death Valley (1932); The Shepherd of the Hills (1928); The Silent Stranger (1924); The Snob Buster (1925); The Sphinx (1933); The Stranger (1921); The Sunset Derby (1927); The Tip-Off (1931); The Unknown Cavalier (1926); The Upland Rider (1928); The Western Rover (1927); The Western Whirlwind (1927); The Wrecker (1933); Thundering Hoofs (1924); Tight Shoes (1941); True to the Army (1942); Unknown Woman (1935); West Meets East (1922); You May Be Next! (1936); Youth on Parade (1942); Youth's Gamble (1925).

Ruth Rendell, on reading:

Some say life is the thing,

but I prefer reading.

- Ruth Rendell.