26 July 2014

 Birthdays
Taylor Momsen b. 1993 (Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, Hansel & Gretel)
Miriam McDonald b. 1987 (Orphan Black, Lost Girl, The Sea Beast)
Mageina Tovah b. 1979 (American Horror Story, Spider-Man 2 and 3, Buffy)
Eve Myles b. 1978 (Torchwood, Doctor Who, Merlin)
Ben Cotton b. 1975 (Defiance, The 100, Continuum, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Battlestar Galactica, The Tomorrow People, Arrow, Fringe, Seeds of Destruction, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, Stan Helsing, Kyle XY, Stargate: Atlantis, The Day the Earth Stood Still [2008], Bionic Woman, Flash Gordon [2007], Supernatural, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, The 4400, The Chronicles of Riddick, Taken, Jeremiah, Dark Angel, Smallville, Strange Frequency, The Immortal)
Kate Beckinsale b. 1973 (Total Recall [2012], Underworld, Click, Alice Through the Looking Glass [TV])
Spencer Wilding b. 1972 (Frankenstein [2015], Jupiter Ascending, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Legend of Hercules, Atlantis, Doctor Who, Wrath of the Titans, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Game of Thrones, The Golden Compass, Stardust, Eragon, Batman Begins, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
Olivia Williams b. 1968 (The Last Days on Mars, Dollhouse, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Sixth Sense, Jason and the Argonauts [TV], The Postman)
Jason Statham b. 1967 (Death Race, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, Ghosts of Mars)
Jeremy Piven b. 1965 (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Edge of Tomorrow, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D, Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde)
Sandra Bullock b. 1964 (Gravity, Premonition, The Lake House, Practical Magic, Demolition Man, Love Potion #9, Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman)
Danny Woodburn b. 1964 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mirror Mirror, Watchmen, Passions, Charmed, Angel, Conan [TV], Lois & Clark)
Kevin Spacey b. 1959 (Moon, Superman Returns, K-PAX)
Nana Visitor b. 1957 (Grimm, Torchwood, Battlestar Galactica, They Are Among Us, Dark Angel, Deep Space Nine, The Spirit, The Twilight Zone [1985])
Danny Bilson b. 1956 (writer, The Rocketeer, The Flash, Zone Troopers, Trancers)
Susan George b. 1950 (Computercide, Tales of the Unexpected, Tintorera: Killer Shark, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)
Helen Mirren b. 1945 (Inkheart, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Faerie Tale Theatre, Twilight Zone [1985], 2010, Excalibur)
Celeste Yarnall b. 1944 (The Velvet Vampire, Land of the Giants, Star Trek, Bewitched, Captain Nice)
Peter Hyams b. 1943 (director, Threshold, End of Days, Timecop, Amazing Stories, 2010, Outland, Capricorn One)
Mick Jagger b. 1943 (Freejack, Faerie Tale Theatre)
Robert Colbert b. 1931 (Disaster in Time, Knight Rider, Land of the Giants, The Time Tunnel, My Favorite Martian, Have Rocket – Will Travel)
Stanley Kubrick b. 1928 died 7 March 1999 (writer/director, The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey)
James Best b. 1926 (The Green Hornet, The Twilight Zone, The Killer Shrews, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms)
Jason Robards b. 1922 died 26 December 2000 (The Day After, Something Wicked This Way Comes, A Boy and His Dog)
Aldous Huxley b. 1894 died 22 November 1963 (author, Brave New World)

Every day's a different story. Yesterday's birthday list was lacking in star power, but today's is overloaded with options, not unlike the Thursday list. Last year I went with Nana Visitor from Deep Space Nine, since her best known role is in genre and she's a fabulous babe. With today's Picture Slot choice, Kate Beckinsale as Selene from Underworld has the same qualifications of iconic and fabulous. I have no idea who will be in the Picture Slot next year, but there are just too many good options to repeat myself.

I'm keen on coincidental birthdays, exact same day and exact same year if both people are famous enough, but today we have one part of one of the most famous coincidental death dates, since Aldous Huxley died on the day John F. Kennedy was shot.

Many happy returns to the living on the list and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.

Movies released
The Wolverine released, 2013

Predictor: Richard Mansfield, actor, predicting what the 20th Century would look like in honor of the 1893 Columbian Exhibition

Prediction: I presume that, in New York City, we shall have a great theater, perhaps modeled after that of the great theater of France. It will be supported not by the patronage of the state, but by that of individuals of wealth. With such support, the theater in the United States can become the great refining and moral influence, which in its highest form it has become in France.

Reality: First things first. No extravagant 19th Century facial hair for Mr. Mansfield, but he does wear an uncomfortable collar and the silly affectation of glasses with a hanging wire.

Like in his time, most theater in this country has to earn its own keep, but I would say his description of a "great theater" fits New York's Lincoln Center fairly well and it was a project supported by wealthy civic leaders including John D. Rockefeller III. It should be noted that Carnegie Hall already existed when Mansfield made his prediction, since it was built in 1891, but he is taking about the theater and Carnegie Hall is for the most part a venue for musicians.

I would give Mr. Mansfield full marks for this, but for the fact that he mentions the French and fails to mock them mercilessly. It should be noted that Mansfield was British by birth and not a native of the United States, but that is no excuse for questionable taste.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

It's been a few weeks since we had a nuclear holocaust and it feels like time for another one.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!