Monday, October 20, 2014

20 October 2014

Birthdays
Galadriel Stineman b. 1990 (True Blood, Ben 10: Alien Swarm)
Adam Butcher b. 1988 (Wolves, Mirror Mirror, Hell Hounds, ReGenesis, Super Rupert)
Rose McIver b. 1987 (iZombie, Hercules, Legend of the Seeker, Xena, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Power Rangers R.P.M., Once Upon a Time)
Alona Tal b. 1983 (Night of the Living Dead: Origins 3D, Powers, Supernatural, Knight Rider [2009])
Katie Featherston b. 1982 (Paranormal Activity, Psychic Experiment)
Niall Matter b. 1980 (Constantine, Primeval: New World, Eureka, Warehouse 13, Watchmen, Beyond Loch Ness, Stargate: Atlantis)
Sam Witwer b. 1977 (Being Human, Grimm, The Walking Dead, Gamer, Smallville, The Mist, Battlestar Galatica, Star Trek: Enterprise, Angel, Dark Angel)
Sheeri Rappaport b. 1977 (Xena, Little Witches)
Natalie Gregory b. 1975 (The Wizard, Alice in Wonderland [1985 TV])
Kenneth Choi b. 1971 (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Captain America: The First Avenger, Heroes, Roswell, Deep Core, Halloweentown)
Snoop Dogg b. 1971 (Hood of Horror, Bones)
William Zabka b. 1965 (Hot Tub Time Machine, Mindstorm, Python, Interceptor Force, To the Ends of Time, The Greatest American Hero)
Viggo Mortensen b. 1958 (Lord of the Rings, The Road, The Prophecy, Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III)
Danny Boyle b.1956 (director, 28 Days Later, A Life Less Ordinary)
Thomas Newman b. 1955 (composer, Side Effects, WALL-E, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Finding Nemo, The Green Mile, Meet Joe Black, Amazing Stories, Otherworld)
Bill Nunn b. 1953 (Spider-Man, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh)
William Russ b. 1950 (Demons, Stargate SG-1, SeaQuest 2032, V, The Right Stuff)
George Harris b. 1949 (Sinbad [2012 TV], Harry Potter, Starhunter, Gulliver’s Travels [1996], Raiders of the Lost Ark, Flash Gordon, Peter Pan [1976 TV])
Alan Ackles b. 1948 (Supernatural, Benji Zax & the Alien Prince)
George Wyner b. 1945 (Touch, Journeyman, Stargate SG-1, Strange World, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, The Postman, Devil’s Advocate, Quantum Leap, Spaceballs)
Anneke Wills b. 1941 (Doctor Who)
Jerry Orbach b. 1935 died 28 December 2004 (Universal Soldier, Deadly Nightmares, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century)
Michael Dunn b. 1934 died 29 August 1973 (The Mutations, House of the Damned, The Werewolf of Washington, Star Trek, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)
Anton Diffring b. 1918 died 20 May 1989 (Doctor Who, The Beast Must Die, Mark of the Devil Part II, Fahrenheit 451, Circus of Horrors, H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man)
John Anderson b. 1922 Died 7 August 1992 (Quantum Leap, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Starman [TV], Voyagers!, The Greatest American Hero, Project U.F.O., The Incredible Hulk, The Sixth Sense [1972 TV], The Satan Bug, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, My Favorite Martian, The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone)
Rex Ingram b. 1895 died 19 September 1969 (A Thousand and One Nights, The Thief of Bagdad)
Bela Lugosi b. 1882 died 16 August 1956 (Plan 9 from Outer Space, Bride of the Monster, Vampire Over London, Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein, Zombies on Broadway, Return of the Ape Man, Return of the Vampire, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, The Ape Man, Night Monster, The Ghost of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Invisible Ghost, Devil Bat, The Human Monster, The Son of Frankenstein, The Invisible Ray, Mark of the Vampire, The Return of Chandu, The Black Cat, Island of Lost Souls, Chandu the Magician, White Zombie, Dracula)

Notes on the Birthday List.
1. The Picture Slot. Plenty of iconic roles to choose from, though from my geezer perspective Viggo Mortensen is the youngest of the iconic actors. Last year, I used Bela Lugosi. Next year I'm really not sure, there are five more good choices to my mind.

2. The Gal at the Door. One of the iconic choices is Anneke Wills, companion on Doctor Who and the oldest living person on the list at only 73 years old. All my best wishes to her.

3. Spot the Canadian! There are a few folks with credits on Canadian produced sci-fi shows, but only one was actually born in Canada. Answer in the comments.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list, especially to Anneke Wills, and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.
 
Predictor: OMNI Future Almanac, published 1982

Prediction: Enormous lasers can do damage in two ways: A continuous beam can cut a hole through nearly any surface and rapid pulses can beat a hole in a target mechanically. The handicap is the enormous amount of energy required. Moreover, using a laser at great distances as planned in the "Star Wars" Strategic Defense Initiative requires astonishing marksmanship. The most practical use would be as an anti-satellite weapon by blinding the satellite's extremely sensitive electronic eyes.


Reality: If governments are messing with one another's satellites, they certainly aren't blabbing to The New York Times. Whenever I read about lasers as weapons, I remember the Gahan Wilson cartoon from ages ago with a mad scientist in the background crumpling up a copy of the Wall Street Journal, while his hunchbacked assistant explains to a visitor "General Electric has beat him out on his death ray and he's simply furious!"

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

This week is all about interrupting or regular schedule, or to use the latest jargon I hate, this week is disruptive.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

 

4 comments:

  1. The Canadian is Niall Matter, probably best known for his main-cast role in "Eureka."

    My vote for next year: John Anderson, a great "Oh That Guy" actor and a 4-time "Twilight Zone" actor. I best remember him as MacGyver's grandpa which, while not genre, had a lot of genre fans.

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    Replies
    1. Damn, I forgot to write it in when I finished the post.

      Of course, you are correct.

      My five possible choices are John Anderson from Twilight Zone, Michael Dunn from Star Trek, Rex Ingram from Thief of Bagdad, Anneke Wills from Doctor Who and George Wyner from Spaceballs.

      That's an embarrassment of riches.

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    2. I was going to pre-emptively vote for Dunn, but I guess I'll just push for it now. Interracial kissing (Kirk was forced to hold a woman for the first and only time in the series, unless you count the grotesqueries with Yeoman Rand), the hit single from Nimoy's second album ("Maiden Wine"), and a perfectly representative good-thing-they-put-a-stake-in-it third season episode.

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    3. Mr. Houghton! Can I call you Ken? I feel like we are pals, I'm calling you Ken.

      Ken, bless you for saying about the third season what so many forget these days! Like the second Highlander, like the Matrix movies after the original, Like the Star Wars prequels, season three of Star Trek was pretty damned sad. Some are memorable, but even the best have a certain cheesy scent.

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