Saturday, January 25, 2014

25 January 2014

Birthdays
Mia Kirshner b. 1975 (Lost Girl, Defiance, The Vampire Diaries, The Crow: City of Angels, Dracula: The Series)
Kurt Evans b. 1974 (Arrow, Fringe, Watchmen, The Andromeda Strain [2008], Supernatural, The 4400, Stargate SG-1, Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, Dead Like Me, Tru Calling, Andromeda, The X-Files)
Don Mancini b. 1963 (screenwriter, Child’s Play)
Richard Poe b. 1946 (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager)
Leigh Taylor-Young b. 1945 (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Looker, Soylent Green)
Anita Pallenberg b. 1944 (4:44 Last Day on Earth, Barbarella)
Tobe Hooper b. 1943 (Taken, Dark Skies, Invaders From Mars. Poltergeist, Salem’s Lot)
Gregory Sierra b. 1941 (Vampires, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The X-Files, Honey I Blew Up the Kid, Something Is Out There, Beneath the Planet of the Apes)
King Donovan b. 1918 died 30 June 1987 (Invasion of the Body Snatchers [1956], The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, The Magnetic Monster)

The majority of our birthday boys and girls today were born in the 1940s and did their best known work last century. I gave the Picture Slot to Richard Poe as the Cardassian Gul Evek because he is one of the few actors to show up on all the Star Trek series set in the 24th Century and he always played the same character, which is not always the case for Star Trek guest stars. Kurt Evans has so many roles he should be an Oh, That Guy actor by now, but like many actors who get a lot of work this century, most of it is in Canadian sci-fi and I don't watch that much of it. The biggest surprise for me was how often Gregory Sierra appeared in genre work. I always remember him from his role as Chano on Barney Miller.

Many happy returns to all the living on our list, and to King Donovan, thanks for all the memories.
  
Predictor: Elijah W. Halford (1843-1938), personal secretary to President Benjamin Harrison

Prediction: In the Executive Mansion of 100 years hence. I think I can see the present building as the central part. There is no doubt that this building will soon have to be enlarged.

Reality: Okay, Mr. Halford is a little bit or a disappointment. In regards to 19th Century facial hair, he has a small, well trimmed moustache. As for his prediction, it's hardly "sci-fi", but on the positive side, it's 100% correct. The West Wing was added in 1902, expanded in 1909 and the East Wing was built in 1942. There was also a third floor added in 1927. (Let it be noted that alleged historian Bill O'Reilly was chided for having Lincoln walking around the Oval Office in his book Killing Lincoln. The Oval Office is in the West Wing and it would be about four decades after Lincoln was dead before that room was added.)

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles gives up its regular Sunday slot and is replaced by a series of predictions of nuclear wars that we somehow have avoided for about 70 years. Fun!

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

3 comments:

  1. Bill O'Reilly in ERROR??!?!?! Who woulda thunk?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! He always seems so confident, doesn't he?

      Delete
  2. reminds me of the guy who called for execution of the President last week, saying that "they killed Benedict Arnold for treason" when Arnold was not, in fact, executed for treason.

    I guess history is what you make up.

    ReplyDelete

Traveler! Have you news... FROM THE FUTURE?