Sean Flynn b. 1989 (Return of the Killer Shrews, Sliders)
Sarah Canning b. 1987 (The Vampire Diaries, Primeval: New World, Supernatural, Kyle XY, Smallville)
Kristy Wright b. 1978 (Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, The Lost World)
David Mitchell b. 1974 (Doctor Who)
Matthew Fox b. 1966 (Lost, World War Z, Speed Racer)
Jane Espenson b. 1964 (Writer/producer, Once Upon a Time, Torchwood, Caprica, Battlestar Galactica, Dollhouse, Buffy)
Jackie Earle Haley b. 1961 (RoboCop [2014], Dark Shadows [2012], A Nightmare on Elm Street [2010], Watchmen, Shazam!, Planet of the Apes [TV])
Jane Lynch b. 1960 (Paul, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, The X-Files, What Planet Are You From?, 3rd Rock from the Sun)
Vladimir Kulich b. 1956 (Angel, The X-Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., Necromicon: Book of Dead, Highlander)
Stan Shaw b. 1952 (The X-Files, The Monster Squad)
Sid Haig b. 1939 (Zombex, The Inflicted, Mimesis, Creature, Halloween [2007], Night of the Living Dead 3D, Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II, Werewolf [TV], Amazing Stories, Misfits of Science, Automan, Galaxy of Terror, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Jason of Star Command, Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, The Six Million Dollar Man, Beyond Atlantis, Beware! The Blob, THX 1138, Star Trek, Batman)
Peter Duryea b. 1939 died 24 March 2013 (Star Trek, Bewitched, The Outer Limits)
Roosevelt Grier b. 1932 (The Thing with Two Heads, I Dream of Jeannie)
Laurie Mitchell b. 1928 (The Addams Family, Missile to the Moon, Queen of Outer Space, Attack of the Puppet People, Adventures of Superman, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea)
Harry Dean Stanton b. 1926 (The Avengers, Alice, Alien Autopsy, The Green Mile, Faerie Tale Theatre, UFOria, Repo Man, Escape from New York, Alien)
Terry-Thomas b. 1911 died 8 January 1990 (Dr. Phibes Rises Again, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, 2000 Years Later, Munster, Go Home!, tom thumb)
Zita Johann b. 1904 died 20 September 1993 (The Mummy [1932])
George Tobias b. 1901 died 27 February 1980 (Tabitha, Bewitched)
Martha Mansfield b. 1899 died 30 November 1923 (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde [1920])
Random thoughts about some of our birthday folk, in general order from youngest to oldest.
I love Mitchell and Webb, so David Mitchell is one the list for just one role.
Matthew Fox is probably the biggest "star" on the list because of Lost.
Jackie Earle Haley was in last year's Picture Slot.
I know Jane Lynch from her comedy stuff and was a little surprised how much genre work she has done, though there is comedy genre included.
Sid Haig is best known to horror fans for his work in Rob Zombie's movies. I often use Star Trek stills in the Picture Slot, but he was one of the Lawgivers in Return of the Archons and his face was covered the whole time so there was no chance to recognize him.
Peter Duryea was a deck officer on the Enterprise commanded by Christopher Pike.
Rosey Grier is better known as a football player, one of the L.A. Rams' "Fearsome Foursome" defensive line. He is the last survivor and the only one to make it to 80 years old. Good on ya, Mr. Grier.
1950s sci fi is a wave of nostalgia for me, so it was great to see Laurie Mitchell's name on today's list.
Trivia a a hobby for me so I may not be the best judge, but I think Harry Dean Stanton is at the "Hey, it's Abe Vigoda!" level of fame. The picture used here is from his role in Alien.
I knew George Tobias had been around for a long time before he was Mr. Kravitz in Bewitched, but I'm a little surprised he was older than my grandmother.
Zita Johann and Martha Mansfield were both female leads in their single appearances in genre. Poor Ms. Mansfield died at the age of 24 when her costume caught on fire.
Many happy returns to all the living on the list and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.
Movies released
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice released, 2010
I Am Legend released, 2007
Prediction: Video games, so hot in the early 1980s, will plunge into obscurity by the middle years of the decade. TV game systems will disappear because the prices of home computers will fall so quickly. The final blow will be the emergence of interactive game "networks" over cable TV systems in the mid-1980s, providing an endless library of the latest games without the need for cassettes.
Reality: Um... no. It's true that home computers offer competition to standalone game boxes, but the prices of both dropped enough and the technology improved enough that both types of systems still thrive 30 years later. The whole cable TV game library never took off.
As is often the case, the prediction is bold but not particularly accurate.
Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!
Yet another prediction from Geoffrey Hoyle's 1972 children's book about life in 2010.
Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
If you wanted to be lenient, you could say that they were predicting the Atari crash for game systems, but that was definitely not due to home computer pricing. You could also argue that from the 1983 video game crash until the 1986 release in the US of the Nintendo Entertainment System that video games did plunge into obscurity and TV game systems did disappear. But they got better~
ReplyDeleteMuch of the talk about the current death knell of game boxes (portable or TV attached) is that they're trying to be too much like computers (mobile or desktop) and are now truly in direct competition with them in the home space. That, coupled with the higher advancement speed in computers and relatively higher pricing of game box software, is making that second sentence possibly more applicable to now than then.
Hi, Dicky. You make a good point, but the technological advances that made the computers better made the consoles better as well.
DeleteAs for the death of the boxes, as long as Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are the combatants, I'm unconvinced it will be a ghost town anytime soon. That's a lot of marketing clout.
And beyond the popularity of video games on designated boxes as well as on computers, are the rapid spread of 'time wasting' games on our phones and tablets- less graphically compelling and of more limited scope, but everyone I know has Angry Birds on at least one device.
ReplyDeleteWell, you kind of know me, and I don't play Angry Birds on any platform. The games I have been sucked into are Ninja Rope a few years back and Threes now.
Deleteyeah, I thought I remembered you mentioning that once. But you only reinforce the point; even a mostly-non-gaming nerd like you has some games on his phone; phones and tablets are quickly becoming the dominant gaming platforms. Heck, I love the new Sim City and Diablo 3; but a quick game of 'Birds or working on the ported version SimCity 2000 on the iPad is so convenient while waiting for a plane or sitting at a cafe.
DeleteWow, do I sound like a douche-canoe when I talk like that.