Tuesday, February 10, 2015

10 February 2015

 Birthdays
Tiffany Espensen b. 1999 (Earth to Echo, Repo Men)
Chloe Grace Moretz b. 1997 (The Fifth Wave, Carrie [2013], Dark Shadows, Hugo, Let Me in, Jack and the Beanstalk, Kick-Ass)
Makenzie Vega b. 1994 (X-Men: The Last Stand, Sin City)
Emma Roberts b. 1991 (American Horror Story, Scream 4, Aquamarine)
Jade and Nikita Ramsey b. 1988 (Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2, All About Evil, Gamer, The Man Who Sold the World [2006], X-Men 2)
Emily Morris b. 1982 (The Vampire Diaries, I Kissed a Vampire)
Barry Sloane b. 1981 (Gotham [2012 TV Movie])
Max Brown b. 1981 (Sleepy Hollow [2015], Beauty and the Beast [2013])
Keeley Hawes b. 1976 (Doctor Who, The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box)
Meadow Williams b. 1976 (Raven [2010], Apollo 13, The Mask)
Elizabeth Banks b. 1974 (The Hunger Games, Spider-Man)
Rob Carpenter b. 1973 (iZombie, V [2010], Condition Human, Reaper, Flash Gordon [2007])
Laura Dern b. 1967 (Jurassic Park)
Paul Kersey b. 1970 (Hulk, Charmed, Lois & Clark)
Vince Gilligan b. 1967 (writer, Hancock, Night Stalker [2006], The X-Files, The Lone Gunmen, Wilder Napalm)
Philip Glenister b. 1963 (Demons)
Robert Addie b. 1960 died 30 November 2003 (Red Dwarf, Merlin, Excalibur)
Bess Motta b. 1958 (The Terminator)
Michael Apted b. 1941 (director, Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)
Peter Purves b. 1939 (Doctor Who)
Robert Wagner b. 1930 (Netherbeast Incorporated, Category 7: The End of the World, City Beneath the Sea)
Jerry Goldsmith b. 1929 died 21 July 2004 (composer, Star Trek, The Mummy, Small Soldiers, Congo, Omen IV, Alien Nation, Supergirl, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Coma, Logan’s Run, The Satan Bug)
John Ringham b. 1928 died 20 October 2008 (V for Vendetta, A Christmas Carol [1977], Doctor Who)
Hazel Court b. 1926 died 15 April 2008 (Omen III, Masque of the Red Death, Twilight Zone, The Raven, Premature Burial, The Curse of Frankenstein [1957], Devil Girl From Mars)
Walter Reed b. 1916 died 20 August 2001 (The Invaders, Batman, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Twilight Zone, World of Giants, How to Make a Monster, Adventures of Superman, Flying Disc Man from Mars)
Douglas Spencer b. 1910 died 6 October 1960 (Twilight Zone, This Island Earth, The Thing from Another World)
Lon Chaney Jr. b. 1906 died 12 July 1973 (Dracula vs. Frankenstein, House of the Black Death, The Alligator People, The Cyclops, Indestructible Man, Bride of the Gorilla, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, House of Dracula, The Mummy’s Curse, House of Frankenstein, The Mummy’s Ghost, Son of Dracula, The Mummy’s Tomb, The Ghost of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Man Made Monster, One Million B.C.)
Dame Judith Anderson b. 1897 died 3 January 1992 (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, The Borrowers)
Robert Keith b. 1890 died 22 December 1966 (Twilight Zone)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. In previous years, the Picture Slot was awarded to Lon Chaney Jr. and Laura Dern. This year, I could go with Elizabeth Banks from The Hunger Games or Hazel Court from Devil Girl From Mars, but instead I chose Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit-Girl from Kick-Ass. She's one of the most successful child actors of the 21st Century and I think she's got a good chance to transition into adult roles. I'm somewhat conflicted about giving the Fabulous Babe label to an 18 year old because there's a lot of creepiness around actresses becoming legal age, but she's a good actress and she's adorable, so there.

2. One Canadian, pre-spotted for your convenience. Rob Carpenter is Canadian, though he hasn't been on either Supernatural or Smallville. It happens.

3. Nepotism FTW. It isn't truly nepotism if a father's career isn't as successful as his son's, and that is the case with Robert Keith and his son Brian. Lon Chaney Jr. may not have been the star his father was in the silent movies, but he had a long career and is likely on a par with his father's fame now, though both are waning. Laura Dern has worked so much, I don't think most folks think of her as Bruce Dern's daughter anymore. On the other hand, Emma Roberts is most likely better known as Eric Roberts' daughter (or Julia Roberts' niece) than she is for her own accomplishments so far.

4. Lotsa Brits today. The American (and Canadian) film and TV industries produce a lot more genre than the British do, though there are exceptions like Doctor Who, Harry Potter and a lot of the cast of Game of Thrones. We have a few Doctor Who actors today, but there's also Dame Judith Anderson, The Ramsey Twins, Barry Sloane, Max Brown, Philip Glenister, Robert Addie, Michael Apted and Hazel Court. That is a lot more than usual.

5. MST3K. I almost forgot The Indestructible Man with Lon Cheney Jr. and This Island Earth with Douglas Spencer.

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

Movie released
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island released, 2012
  
Predictor: W. Warren Wagar from the 1991 edition of his book, A Short History of the Future

Prediction: The Vienna Conference of 2001 split the world into “regions of influence” among the major powers. To Russia and its partners were assigned Central Asia and the Middle East, excluding Israel (under American influence) and North Africa, which was ceded to the European Community along with the rest of the continent.

Reality: Oh yeah, the Russians are going to be given "influence" over the region where most of the oil is produced.

Sorry, professor, never gonna fuckin' happen without a big damned war with a very surprising winner.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Another speculation from our New Sensible Friend George Sutherland.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 
 

7 comments:

  1. I dissent on the Emma Roberts description; she has done several star turns including _Hotel for Dogs_ and _Nancy Drew_. That you and I are old men doesn't mean she hasn't surpassed her father (Star 80) in name recognition among those who frequent movie theaters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You make a good point, she has had starring roles and we are no longer the target demographic. Still, she has 37 credits and dad has 375 and I fully stand by the idea she is less well known than Auntie Julia.

      Delete
    2. I didn't believe your credits number for Papa Eric, but if anything you understated the case. (Geez, you would think the man would have enjoy earnings now to occasionally say no.). Even though several of those credits are bit parts or one-episode guest appearances, he does work constantly.

      I suspect his daughter, as with his sister, can open a movie, which no one pretends of himself, no matter how physically impressive he is in person. ("The Dark Knight with Eric Roberts. Also starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart.". Probably not even in Atlanta.)

      Delete
    3. I was shocked by Eric Roberts' credit list when I first saw it myself. On imdb.com right now he has 55 credits that are either pre-production, post-production, announced, filming or completed.

      Most people nowadays with that many credits are voice actors or porn stars. Not many folks work the way John Carradine did back in the day, but Eric Roberts sure seems to, though I've only seen a handful of his movies.

      Delete
  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was surprised to see Robert Wagner on the list today. If anything, I would've thought he'd be on it for one of the Austin Powers movies (the one with time travel) but I didn't know he'd done any other genre work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are right about Austin Powers having genre elements, but this is one of my idiosyncratic exceptions. Let me explain.

      I never cared for anything I saw Russell Brand do, but I saw him with his fans and he strikes me as a really decent person. I've enjoyed the work of Mike Meyers and Vince Vaughn, but their public appearances have made them look like major league assholes, so I don't count some of their work.

      It's not about politics, it's about being decent human beings and they ain't it.

      Delete

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