On this day in pop culture history: ‘Hook’ opened in theaters

24 years ago today, audiences first got to see Steven Spielberg”s take on what would happen if an adult Peter Pan returned to Neverland. “Hook” opened in theaters on December 11, 1991.

The film featured Dustin Hoffman as Hook, Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell, Bob Hoskins as Smee, Maggie Smith as Wendy Darling, and in the role of adult Peter Pan, Robin Williams.

After “Hook” was released, Williams had less than 23 years left of that “awfully big adventure” – life – before his untimely passing in 2014.

Other notable December 11 happenings in pop culture history:

• 1960: Aretha Franklin made her New York debut at the Village Vanguard.

• 1968: Blood, Sweat & Tears released their landmark self-titled album.

• 1972: Genesis performed their first-ever U.S. show at Boston”s Brandeis University. It was a warm-up gig for their “official” American debut two days later at Philharmonic Hall in New York

• 1992: “The Muppet Christmas Carol” and “A Few Good Men” opened in theaters.

• 1995: “The Today Show” became the highest-rated morning news program, overtaking ABC”s “Good Morning America,” and it held onto that top position until it was beaten by “GMA” again in April 2012.

• 1998: “Shakespeare in Love” opened in U.S. theaters. It went on to win seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress (for Gwyneth Paltrow) and Best Supporting Actress (for Judi Dench).

• 2004: Snoop Dogg”s “Drop It Like It”s Hot” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It topped the chart for three weeks.

• 2010: P!nk”s “Raise Your Glass” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Birthdays: “West Side Story” actress Rita Moreno (84), Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson (61), “Precious” actress Mo”Nique (48), “Pitch Perfect 2” actress Hailee Steinfeld (19), Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx (57), “Boy Meets World” actor Rider Strong (36)

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