4 August 2015

Birthdays
Cole and Dylan Sprouse b. 1992 (Wizards of Waverly Place, The Nightmare Room, The Astronaut’s Wife)
Lucinda Dryzek b. 1991 (Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Doctor Who)
Chet Hanks b. 1990 (Fantastic Four, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)
David Kaye b. 1988 (Paranormal Solutions Inc., Arrow, Edge of Tomorrow, Supernatural, Dark Angel, So Weird)
Alex Williamson b. 1988 (Me and My Mates vs. the Zombie Apocalypse, #7DaysLater)
Lily Costner b. 1986 (The Postman)
Meghan Markle b. 1981 (Fringe, Knight Rider [2009])
Abigail Spencer b. 1981 (Oz the Great and Powerful, Cowboys & Aliens)
David Lewis b. 1976 (Man of Steel, Supernatural, Fringe, Seeds of Destruction, Stonehenge Apocalypse, Zombie Punch, Wyvern, The Day the Earth Stood Still [2008], Smallville, Ba’al, Beyond Loch Ness, Eureka, The Butterfly Effect 2, Kyle XY, Alien Incursion, Stargate SG-1, Alienated, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Dead Like Me, Halloween: Resurrection, Level 9, Lake Placid, Lexx, The New Addams Family, The X-Files)
Andy Hallett b. 1975 died 29 March 2009 (Angel, Buffy)
Ron Lester b. 1970 (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch)
John August b. 1970 (writer, Frankenweenie, Dark Shadows, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Titan a.e.)
Thomas J. Churchill b. 1970 (Lazarus: Day of the Living Dead)
Michael DeLuise b. 1969 (Bloodsuckers, Lost, Stargate SG-1, 3rd Rock from the Sun, SeaQuest 2032, Tales from the Crypt, Encino Man, Amazing Stories)
Daniel Dae Kim b. 1968 (Insurgent, Once Upon a Time, Lost, The Andromeda Strain, Spider-Man 2, Star Trek: Enterprise, Hulk, Momentum, Angel, Charmed, Crusade, Brave New World [TV movie], NightMan)
James Tupper b. 1965 (Resurrection, Toxic Skies)
Sebastian Roche b. 1964 (The Originals, Once Upon a Time, Pegasus vs. Chimera, Grimm, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Fringe, Vamped Out, Beowulf, Charmed, Odyssey 5)
Lauren Tom b. 1961 (Supernatural, Threshold, Quantum Leap)
Bernard Rose b. 1960 (director, Frankenstein [2015], Candyman)
Billy Bob Thornton b. 1955 (The Big Bang Theory, The Astronaut Farmer, Armageddon, Chopper Chicks in Zombietown)
Lori Lethin b. 1955 (Werewolf, Starman [TV], The Day After)
Donald Gibb b. 1954 (Hancock, Black Scorpion, Homeboys in Outer Space, Breakfast of Aliens, The X-Files, Harry and the Hendersons [TV], Quantum Leap, They Came from Outer Space, Transylvania 6-5000, Otherworld, Knight Rider, Conan the Barbarian)
Kristoffer Tabori b. 1952 (Sliders, SeaQuest 2032, Quantum Leap, The Twilight Zone [1985], Small and Frye, Brave New World [TV movie])
Sara Botsford b. 1951 (Matty Hanson and the Invisibility Ray, Three Moons Over Milford, The Fog, Tremors 4: The Legend Begins, Total Recall 2070, Sliders )
William Frankfather b. 1944 died 28 December 1998 (Dark Skies, Deep Space Nine, Death Becomes Her, Cool World, Tales from the Crypt, Alien Nation, Freddy’s Nightmares, Harry and the Hendersons, Twilight Zone [1987], Invaders from Mars, Amazing Stories, The Greatest American Hero)
Richard Belzer b. 1944 (3rd Rock from the Sun, Species II, The X-Files, The Invaders, Not of This Earth, The Puppet Masters, Lois & Clark, The Flash)
Georgina Hale b. 1943 (Cockneys vs Zombies, Doctor Who, Hammer House of Horror, The Watcher in the Woods)
Don S. Davis b. 1942 died 29 June 2008 (Stargate, Flash Gordon, Supernatural, Beyond Loch Ness, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Andromeda, Atomic Train, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, Poltergeist: The Legacy, The X-Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., Highlander [TV], Needful Things, Hook, Omen IV: The Awakening)
Martin Jarvis b. 1941 (Neander-Jin: The Return of the Neanderthal Man, Stargate: Atlantis, Space Island One, Space: Above and Beyond, Doctor Who, Taste the Blood of Dracula)
Frank Vincent b. 1939 (Stargate: Atlantis)
Jeanne Carmen b. 1930 died 20 December 2007 (The Naked Monster, The Monster of Piedras Blancas)
Tom Hennesy b. 1923 died 23 May 2011 (Revenge of the Creature)
Wesley Addy b. 1913 died 31 December 1996 (The Invaders, The Outer Limits)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot and MST3K. In previous years, the Picture Slot went to the late Andy Hallett from Angel and Daniel Dae Kim from Lost. The biggest movie star on the list is Billy Bob Thornton, but I don't think of him as iconic in genre. That leaves us with Oh That Guy actors for the most part, and I considered Sebastian Roche and Don S. Davis before deciding on Tom Hennesy, a cowboy actor who was in the monster suit for the non-underwater scenes of Revenge of the Creature, which also means we have an MST3K movie on the list.

2. Spot the Canadians. Today it's David Kaye, David Lewis and Sara Botsford.

3. Nepotism FTW. Some names here should give it away, like Michael DeLuise, Lily Costner and Chet Hanks. There are two other cases, one I count and one I don't. Georgina Hale married Ken Russell, but she had a career before meeting him and worked in plenty of projects he didn't direct. The other is Kristoffer Tabori, son of director Don Siegel and actress Viveca Lindfors. That I would count as nepotism.

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

Predictor: John Langdon-Davies in A Short History of the Future, published in 1936

Prediction: Human beings will become standardized for a time but eventually the state will encourage individuality again along certain carefully controlled lines.

Reality: Langdon-Davies had some very odd ideas, but state encouraged limited individuality is just plain goofy.
 

BONUS!

Predictor: Terminator 2, released 3 July 1991

Prediction: 8/4/1997 Skynet launched

Reality: Skynet turns 18 today! That means it can vote, but you can't take it out for a drink afterward, which is just cruel as far as I'm concerned.
 
Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

We hear again from our sensible pal George Sutherland about the inventions he predicts will exist by the year 2000.
  
Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

22 July 2015

Birthdays
Madison Pettis b. 1998 (The 4400, Jericho)
Selena Gomez b. 1992 (Wizards of Waverly Place)
Amy Paffrath b.1983 (The Purge: Anarchy, Gingerbread man vs Evil Bong, Zombies vs. Strippers, I Kissed a Vampiure, Hauntsville)
Clive Standen b. 1981 (Atlantis, Doctor Who)
Lauren Bittner b. 1980 (Paranormal Activity 3)
A.J. Cook b. 1978 (Bloodsuckers, Dead Like Me, Final Destination 2, Laserhawk)
Candace Kroslak b. 1978 (Knight Rider [2008], Planet of the Apes, Demonicus)
Franka Potente b. 1974 (American Horror Story, Run Lola Run)
Colin Ferguson b. 1972 (The Vampire Diaries, Caper, Haven, Eureka, Primeval: New World, Matty Hanson and the Invisibility Ray, Lake Placid 3, The Hunger [TV])
Oliver Robins b. 1971 (Poltergeist, Twilight Zone [1986])
Rhys Ifans b. 1967 (Dominion, The Amazing Spider-Man, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Nanny McPhee Returns, Little Nicky)
John Leguizamo b. 1964 (Kick-Ass 2, Repo Men, The Happening, Land of the Dead, Super Mario Bros.)
David Spade b. 1964 (ALF, Monsters)
Adam Godley b. 1964 (Powers, Battleship, Dollhouse, Merlin, The X Files: I Want to Believe, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Nanny McPhee, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Joanna Going b. 1963 (From Dusk Till Dawn [TV], Journeyman, Dark Shadows [1991])
Willem Dafoe b. 1955 (John Carter, 4:44 Last Day on Earth, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, Daybreakers, Spider-Man, Control, Shadow of the Vampire, eXistenZ, Deadly Nightmares, The Hunger)
Tisa Farrow b. 1951 (Anthropophagus, Hunter of the Apocalypse, Zombie)
Alan Menken b. 1949 (music, Tangled, Hercules, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors)
Albert Brooks b. 1947 (Defending Your Life, Twilight Zone: The Movie)
J. Kenneth Campbell b. 1947 (The Huntress, Angel, Charmed, The Journey of Alan Strange, NightMan, Mars Attacks!, The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake, The Abyss, Wonder Woman)
Danny Glover b. 1946 (Toxin, Day of the Mummy, 2047 – Sights of Death, Space Warriors, Touch, 2012, Blindness, Earthsea, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, Predator 2, Tall Tales & Legends, Iceman, The Greatest American Hero)
Peter Jason b. 1944 (Robosapien: Rebooted, Planet Raptor, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde [2006], Alien Apocalypse, Raptor Island, Carnivale, Ghosts of Mars, Perversions of Science, Escape from L.A., Mortal Kombat, Congo, Village of the Damned, Quantum Leap, Arachnophobia, They Live, Alien Nation, Prince of Darkness, Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star, Amazing Stories, Dreamscape, The Incredible Hulk, The Amazing Captain Nemo, Shadow on the Land, Land of the Giants)
Nick Brimble b. 1944 (Greek Gods and Goddesses: Jason and the Argonauts, Loch Ness, Frankenstein Unbound, Cosmic Princess, Blakes 7, Space: 1999)
Vaughn Bodé b. 1941 died 18 July 1975 (artist, Cheech Wizard)
Terence Stamp b. 1938 (Smallville, Wanted, Elektra, Red Planet, Star Wars: Episode I – Such a Good Cast Wasted, The Hunger [TV], Alien Nation, The Company of Wolves, Superman I and II, The Thief of Baghdad [TV], HU-Man, The Mind of Mr. Soames)
Louise Fletcher b. 1934 (The Genesis Code, Heroes, Wonderfalls, Deep Space Nine, Brimstone, VR.5, Frankenstein and Me, The Stepford Husbands, Virtuosity, The Ray Bradbury Theatre, Tales from the Crypt [TV], Deadly Nightmares, Shadowzone, Twilight Zone [1988], Invaders from Mars, Brainstorm, Strange Invaders, Mama Dracula, Exorcist II: The Heretic)
Perry Lopez b. 1929 died 14 February 2008 (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Star Trek, The Time Tunnel, Creature from the Black Lagoon)
Orson Bean b. 1928 (Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe, Alien Autopsy, Being John Malkovich, Monsters, Innerspace, Twilight Zone)
Joseph Sargent b. 1924 died 22 December 2014 (director, Salem Witch Trials, Space, Tomorrow’s Child, Colossus: The Forbin Project, The Invaders, Star Trek)
James Whale b. 1889 died 29 May 1957 (director, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. In previous years I used the completely iconic Terence Stamp as Zod and the idiosyncratic choice of Peter Jason from They Live. I probably owe an apology to Franka Potente from Run Lola Run and Colin Ferguson from Eureka for skipping both of them, probably Loiuse Fletcher from Deep Space Nineas well. But my decision is to go with Williem Dafoe from Shadow of the Vampire is not idiosyncratic. I have no idea what goofy mood I was in a year ago.

2. Spot the Canadians! Not every star of a Canuck-fi show was born in the Great White North, but Colin Ferguson was.

3. Nepotism FTW. It's not fair to call Tisha Farrow's career a win, but she is the lesser known sister of Mia.

4. Wait... he's dead? The 1970s is supposed to be just a blur to me because I'm a boomer, but my drug usage was actually minimal. That said, I forgot that Vaughn Bodé died so young.

5. Wait... he's alive? Orson Bean turns 87 today. I didn't get the memo he was sill with us.

6. MST3K. There is a specific reference to Cosmic Princess in Nick Brimble's resume, so we get a hit.

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

Movie released
The Island released, 2005

Predictor:The Island, released 22 July 2005

Prediction: Lincoln Six-Echo is a resident of a seemingly Utopian but contained facility in the year 2019. Like all of the inhabitants of this carefully controlled environment, Lincoln hopes to be chosen to go to the "The Island" - reportedly the last uncontaminated spot on the planet.

Reality: The most surprising thing about this movie is how different it thinks the world is going to be in fourteen years. Blade Runner is also set in 2019, but it was made in 1982. In the 1980s, I'd argue the future still felt like it was coming at us in a rush. In 2005, this is just goofiness.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

An important announcement about the future of the blog.
  
Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

30 May 2015

Birthdays
Jared Gilmore b. 2000 (Once Upon a Time)
Jake Short b. 1997 (Mighty Med, Jack and Janet Save the Planet)
Kevin Covais b. 1989 (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Men in Black 3)
Will Peltz b. 1986 (In Time)
Adam Bond b. 1981 (Victor Frankenstein, Kick-Ass 2, Maleficent)
Blake Bashoff b. 1981 (Lost, Charmed, Minority Report)
Rachel Stirling b. 1977 (Doctor Who, Snow White and the Huntsman)
Omri Katz b. 1976 (Hocus Pocus, Matinee, Eerie, Indiana, Adventures in Dinosaur City)
Minae Noji b. 1973 (Star vs. The Forces of Evil, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers Time Force)
Darren E. Scott b. 1972 (The Tomorrow People, Almost Human, Smallville, The 4400, Andromeda, Jeremiah, Dark Angel)
Duncan Jones b. 1971 (director, Source Code, Moon)
John Ross Bowie b. 1971 (The Big Bang Theory, Dark Minions, Heroes, Charmed)
Idina Menzel b. 1971 (Frozen, Enchanted)
David Dukas b. 1970 (District 9, Merlin: The Return)
Tammy Parks b. 1965 (Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfolds, Droid Gunner)
Mark Sheppard b. 1964 (Supernatural, Warehouse 13, Mysterious Island, Doctor Who, Xtinction: Predator X, Dollhouse, Battlestar Galactica, The Middleman, Bionic Woman [2007]. Jake 2.0, Deep Shock, Firelfly, Charmed, Megalodon, Lost Voyage, The Chronicle, Star Trek: Voyager, Sliders, M.A.N.T.I.S., The X-Files)
Cynthia Gouw b. 1963 (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Freddy’s Nightmares)
Lynda Wiesmeier b. 1963 died 16 December 2012 (Teen Wolf)
Tonya Pinkins b. 1962 (Enchanted)
Kevin Eastman b. 1962 (writer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
James McGowan b. 1960 (Bitten, Total Recall [2012], Warriors of Terra, Mutant X)
Ted McGinley b. 1958 (Wizards of Waverly Place, Space Case)
Carrie Dobro b. 1957 (Crusade, Babylon 5, Hypernauts)
Colm Meaney b. 1953 (Childhood’s End, Alice, Stargate: Atlantis, Zenon: Z3, The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Stephen Toblowsky b. 1951 (The Time Traveler’s Wife, Heroes, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Lloyd in Space, The Day the World Ended, Roswell, Dead Last, Buffy, Groundhog Day, Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Spaceballs, The Philadelphia Experiment)
Michael Piller b. 1948 died 1 November 2005 (writer, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Star Trek, Hard Time on Planet Earth)
Meredith MacRae b. 1944 died 14 July 2000 (Eathbound)
David Ackroyd b. 1940 (Xena, Swamp Thing [TV], Exo-Man)
Joshua Bryant b. 1939 (The Lost Room, Starman [TV], The Powers of Matthew Star, Salem’s Lot, Man from Atlantis)
Michael J. Pollard b. 1939 (Tales from the Crypt, Eerie, Indiana, Superboy, Scrooged, Star Trek, Lost in Space)
Deanna Lund b. 1937 (Transylvania Twist, Superstition 2, Elves, The Incredible Hulk, Land of the Giants, Batman, Dimension 5)
Keir Dullea b. 1936 (Space Station 76, Alien Hunter, Witchblade, 2010, The Next One, Brain Waves, Brave New World, The Starlost, 2001: A Space Odyssey)
Ruta Lee b. 1935 (Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills, Mork & Mindy, Doomsday Machine, Twilight Zone, Adventures of Superman)
Clint Walker b. 1927 (The Serpent Warriors, Deadly Harvest, Snowbeast, Killdozer, Scream of the Wolf)
Hal Clement b. 1922 died 29 October 2003 (writer, Mission of Gravity, Star Light)
Franklin J. Schaffner b. 1920 died 2 July 1989 (director, The Boys from Brazil, Planet of the Apes)
Peter Leeds b. 1917 died 12 November 1996 (The Six Million Dollar Man, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Land of the Giants, Mr. Terrific, Batman, I Dream of Jeannie, My Mother the Car, The Addams Family, The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock, The Atomic Kid, I Married a Witch)
Hugh Griffith b. 1912 died 14 May 1980 (Legend of the Werewolf, The Last Days of Man on Earth, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, The Abominable Dr. Phibes)
Mel Blanc b. 1908 died 10 July 1989 (over 1,000 credits, almost all voice work, most notable genre work, The Jetsons, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Duck Dodgers in the 24½ th Century, The Phantom Tollbooth)
Howard Hawks b. 1896 died 26 December 1977 (director [uncredited], The Thing from Another World)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. The previous Picture Slotters are Keir Dullea from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Colm Meaney from Star Trek. There were still several other candidates today, including Omri Katz from Eerie, Indiana, John Ross Bowie from The Big Bang Theory and Deanna Lund from Land of the Giants, but I was in an Oh That Guy mood and chose Steven Toblowsky as Ned Ryerson from Groundhog Day.

2. Canadians, true and false. If I made Canadian detection a game today and the only hint was that there are three, many might choose Mark Sheppard, but that would be wrong. He was born in England and lives in Los Angeles, according to imdb.com. The correct answers are Darren E. Scott, James McGowan and Ruta Lee. The two guys are guessable, Ms. Lee is not.

3. Nepotism FTW. Mark Sheppard is the son of British Oh That Guy William Morgan Sheppard. Meredith MacRae was the daughter of Gordon MacRae. 

4. Wait... she's dead? We have several people on the list who died young. The name that is best known to me of those people is Meredith MacRae from Petticoat Junction. I was not aware at all that she was dead.

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

Movies released
Maleficent released, 2014
Dark Side of the Moon released, 1990

Predictor: Dark Side of the Moon released, 1990

Prediction: In 2022, the crew of a spaceship must survive after a mysterious systems failure.

Reality: In 1990, 2022 seemed like a long way away and regular space travel was just going to happen somehow. In 2015, it's not as far away anymore and having any space exploration outside of Earth orbit doesn't seem to be in the cards for a while.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Another peek into the late 20th Century with Robert A. Heinlein in The Door Into Summer.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

1 February 2015

 Birthdays
Britanni Johnson b. 1989 (Star Trek Into Darkness, Zombie Break Room)
Alex Arleo b. 1987 (Sharknado, The Haunting of Whaley House)
Lee Thompson Young b. 1984 died 19 August 2013 (Smallville, FlashForward, The Sarah Connor Chronicle, The Hills Have Eyes II, Jake 2.0)
Sara Malakul Lane b. 1983 (Sharktopus, 100 Degrees Below Zero, 12/12/12)
Rachelle Lefevre b. 1979 (Under the Dome, Twilight, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Big Wolf on Campus, The Hunger [TV])
Rutina Wesley b. 1979 (True Blood)
Candace Smith b. 1977 (Heroes)
Ana Alexander b. 1976 (Land of the Lost [2009])
Michael C. Hall b. 1971 (Gamer, Paycheck)
Hynden Walch b. 1971 (Groundhog Day)
Brian Krause b. 1969 (Plan 9 [2015], Dark Rising: Warrior of Worlds, Alien Rising, Camel Spiders, Beyond Loch Ness, Charmed, Tales from the Crypt, Sleepwalkers)
Pauly Shore b. 1968 (Encino Man)
Brandon Lee b. 1965 died 31 March 1993 (The Crow)
Sherilynn Fenn b. 1965 (Bigfoot, The 4400, Dream Warrior, Birds of Prey, Tales from the Crypt [TV], Zombie High, The Wraith)
Abdul Ayoola b. 1965 (Warm Bodies, Immortals, 10.5: Apocalypse)
Linus Roache b. 1964 (Batman Begins, The Chronicles of Riddick)
Bill Mumy b. 1954 (Babylon 5, Deep Space Nine, Superboy, The Flash [1991], Captain America [1990], Twilight Zone [Movie and TV], Lost in Space, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, The Munsters, The Wizard of Baghdad)
Elisabeth Sladen b. 1946 died 19 April 2011 (The Sarah Jane Adventures, Doctor Who, Alice in Wonderland [1986], Gulliver in Lilliput)
Bart Braverman b. 1946 (Good vs Evil, Brimstone, From the Earth to the Moon, Harry and the Hendersons [TV], Freddy’s Nightmares, The Wizard, Automan, Alligator, 20 Million Miles to Earth)
Leo Burmester b. 1944 died 28 June 2007 (Innocent Blood, The Abyss)
Linda Gaye Scott b. 1943 (Westworld, The Green Hornet, Lost in Space, Bewitched, Batman, My Favorite Martian, My Living Doll)
Terry Jones b. 1942 (Erik the Viking, Jabberwocky, Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
Bibi Besch b. 1940 died 7 September 1996 (Tales from the Crypt, Tremors, The Day After, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Meteor, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Sherman Hemsley b. 1938 died 24 July 2012 (Lois & Clark, Alice in Wonderland, The Twilight Zone, The Incredible Hulk [TV])
Garrett Morris b. 1937 (Good vs Evil, Black Scorpion I & II, Coneheads, Twilight Zone [1985], The Invisible Woman)
Richard Roat b. 1933 (3rd Rock from the Sun, Lois & Clark, Hard Time on Planet Earth, ALF, Logan’s Run [TV], Holmes and Yo-Yo, Westworld)
Stuart Whitman b. 1928 (Time Trax, Superboy, Omega Cop, Tales from the Darkside, Knight Rider, The Monster Club, Demonoid: Messenger of Death, The Cat Creature, Night of the Lepus, The Invisible Six, The Day the Earth Stood Still, When Worlds Collide)
Peter Sallis b. 1921 (Wallace and Gromit, Taste the Blood of Dracula, The Mouse on the Moon, Curse of the Werewolf, H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man)
Andrea King b. 1919 died 22 April 2003 (Red Planet Mars, The Beast with Five Fingers)
Bruce Gordon b. 1916 died 20 January 2011 (Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann, Hello Down There, Curse of the Undead)
Gene Sheldon b. 1908 died 1 May 1982 (Babes in Toyland [1961])
George Pal b. 1908 died 2 May 1980 (director, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, The Time Machine, tom thumb, Atlantis, the Lost Continent)
Helen Chandler b. 1906 died 30 April 1965 (Dracula [1931])

Notes form the birthday list
1. The Picture Slot. In both 2013 and 2014, I used pictures of Bill Mumy, the first from Lost in Space and the second from Babylon 5. I could go with the Mumy trifecta and use a picture from The Twilight Zone, clearly iconic, but I decided to go with someone else. Among the people younger than I am, I think Rutina Wesley from True Blood and the late Brandon Lee from The Crow count as iconic in genre, and to go super old school, Helen Chandler was Mina opposite Bela Lugosi in Dracula. But with all the people who died young here, I wanted to honor the oldest living person on the list, Peter Sallis, the voice of Wallace, who turns 94 today. The writing in Wallace and Gromit is very good, but Sallis' interpretation gives it that little something extra. When the criminal mastermind penguin takes the red rubber glove off the top of his head and Wallace exclaims "Good grief, it's you!", I can still laugh just typing this in.

2. A lone Canadienne. Rachelle Lefevre is Canadian. Her list of credits doesn't have that typical Canuck feel.

3. Wait... he's dead? I already had typed in several of the death dates of actors last year, but this is the first time I added Oh That Guy Leo Burmester. He has a scene in Passion Fish as the very flamboyant brother of main character Mary McDonnell. After he leaves, McDonnell's caretaker, played by Alfre Woodard, says "I didn't know your brother was... literary." "He always has been." replies McDonnell. I'm sorry Mr. Burmester isn't still around. He was really good.

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

Predictor:Tom Clancy’s NetForce released 1 Feb 1999

Prediction: In 2005, a division of the FBI called NetForce has been instituted to investigate Internet crime. A Bill Gates-type has found a loophole in his new browser that lets him take over the Internet.

Reality: Well... for a Bill Gates-type to take over the Internet, nearly everyone would have to use an Explorer-type browser, and that is ridiculous enough to be laughable.

This month's splash illustration: Walt Disney made several episodes of his TV show introducing Disneyland to the public. This painting depicts domed cities on Mars from Mars and Beyond, first shown in December of 1957.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Ten of fourteen pro football experts at ESPN believe the Patriots are going to win today. We'll be back tomorrow to get their final numbers. 

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

21 December 2014

Birthdays
Tom Sturridge b. 1985 (FairyTale: A True Story, Gulliver’s Travels [1996 TV])
Jackson Rathbone b. 1984 (Twilight Saga, Zombie Hamlet, No Ordinary Family, The Last Airbender, S. Darko)
Eve Mauro b. 1981 (Cyborg X, The Vortex, Zombies Vs. Strippers, Osombie, Torchwood, Land of the Lost [2009])
Daniel Brocklebank b. 1979 (Merlin [TV 1998])
Julie Delpy b. 1969 (Frankenstein [2004 TV], An American Werewolf in Paris, Younger and Younger)
Jack Noseworthy b. 1979 (Surrogates, Event Horizon, Encino Man)
AJ Bowen b. 1977 (Twisted Tales, Chillerama, The Signal)
Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine b. 1977 (Men in Black II)
Glenn Fitzgerald b. 1971 (Wonderfalls, The Sixth Sense [1999])
Khrystyne Haje b. 1969 (Stepsister from Planet Weird)
Nicola Cowper b. 1967 (Journey to the Center of the Earth [1988], Transmutations, Dreamchild)
Kiefer Sutherland b. 1966 (Touch, Melancholia, Dark City, Flatliners, The Lost Boys, Amazing Stories)
Michelle Hurd b. 1966 (Witches of East End, FlashForward, Charmed)
Fabiana Udenio b. 1964 (FreakyLinks, Babylon 5, Mortal Kombat: Conquest, NightMan, Journey to the Center of the Earth, RoboCop 2, Freddy’s Nightmares, Bride of Re-Animator)
Larry Day b. 1963 (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Recon 2023: The Gaudi Prime Conspiracy, Punisher: War Zone, Superstorm, WW 3, The Hunger [TV], Nico the Unicorn, Arrival II, Laserhawk, Sci-fighters)
Jane Kaczmarek b. 1955 (Pleasantville, Apollo 11)
Devon Ericson b. 1952 (Night of the Comet, Night Rider, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century)
Josh Mostel b. 1946 (Brother from Another Planet)
Samuel L. Jackson b. 1948 (Cell [2016], Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, RoboCop [2014], Thor, The Avengers, The Spirit, Star Wars, Jumper, Unbreakable, Deep Blue Sea, Sphere, Jurassic Park, The Exorcist III)
Jack Nance b. 1943 died 30 December 1996 (Assault on Dome 4, The Blob [1988], Dune, Ghoulies, Eraserhead)
Jane Fonda b. 1937 (Barbarella)
Rudy Solari b. 1934 died 23 April 1991 (The Powers of Matthew Star, The Incredible Hulk, The Bionic Woman, The Sixth Sense [1972], Star Trek, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Outer Limits)
Ed Nelson b. 1928 died 9 August 2014 (The Girl, the Gold Watch and Everything, Salvage 1, Logan’s Run [TV], Gemini Man, The Bionic Woman, Houston, We’ve Got a Problem, The Sixth Sense [TV], The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, A Bucket of Blood, Night of the Blood Beast, Teenage Cave Man, Invasion of the Saucer Men. Attack of the Crab Monsters)
Ivor Dean b. 1917 died 10 August 1974 (Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Last year, I used a picture of the late Jack Nance at the title character in Eraserhead. This is one of a handful of movies where the poster is much better known that the film itself. (Other movies in this category include the original Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and some now largely forgotten silent movies like Metropolis and Nosferatu.) While I often do not use the most famous names on the list in the Picture Slot, I would say the top three in terms of fame are also good choices for the Slot: Kiefer Sutherland from Dark City, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and this year's winner, Jane Fonda in her one genre role as Barbarella. My dirty old manhood can be credited as the deciding factor in this year's competition.

2. The Canadian Amongst Us. Donald Sutherland was born in Canada, Keifer was not. The Canadian on the list is Larry Day and his resume doesn't give it away.

3. Ripped from today's headlines. Michelle Hurd is the first of Bill Cosby's accusers to be noted here on her birthday since the accusation storm began. She won't be the last. Who do I believe? I'll give you a hint: I'm a mathematician.

4. I still got it, at least some of it. My memory is not what it used to be, but "it used to be" good enough to win money on Jeopardy! When I check the imdb birthday list, I check all resumes of the top ten in terms of popularity, but after that names have to "jump out at me". Sometimes the "jump" is easy, because artists get one title listed under their names before you click on their page. Listed in position #84 today was Rudy Scolari. I knew quick as a bunny he was in the Planet O' Native Americans episode of Star Trek entitled The Paradise Syndrome. I even remember he got the line "You bleed! Behold the god that bleeds!", which is the last line just before a big musical cue and a commercial break.

This is not the kind of info that racks up the big money on Jeopardy!, but when you have the combination filing cabinet/dumpster type of memory, you hold onto stuff like this because you can't figure out how to lose it. I'd also like to mention that if I hadn't found him, this would have been a no Star Trek day.

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

Predictor: Lunopolis, released direct to video 2009

Prediction: On 21 December 2012,  the people from Lunopolis return to take over the earth.

Reality: Reality? Seriously? It didn't happen.

On the other hand, I have a soft spot for cheaply made 21st Century sci-fi that have ideas much bigger than their budgets. A lot of the movies just don't work, but occasionally you'll find one where the script redeems the movie. In my opinion, Lunopolis is not one of the gems, but I'm glad I found it just because it gave me two exact date predictions.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Yet another interruption of our regular schedule for yet another exact date prediction of yet another alien invasion.  What are the odds?

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

22 September 2014

Birthdays
Chase Ellison b. 1993 (The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, The Tooth Fairy)
Tom Felton b. 1987 (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Night Wolf, Harry Potter, Bugs, The Borrowers)
Tatiana Maslany b. 1985 (Orphan Black, Alphas, 2030 CE)
Erin Marie Hogan b. 1985 (Hold Your Breath, The Battle of Hogwarts, FemVamp.Com, Spacebong Beach Babes)
Godfrey Gao b. 1984 (The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones)
Laura Vandervoort b. 1984 (Bitten, Haven, Riverworld, Mutant X, Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire, The Dresden Files, Smallville, V, Ted)
Billie Piper b. 1982 (Penny Dreadful, Doctor Who)
MyAnna Buring b. 1979 (Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Witchville, Vampire Killers, The Omen [2006], Doctor Who)
Emilie Autumn b. 1979 (The Devil’s Carnival)
Chad Michael Collins b. 1979 (Once Upon a Time, Lake Placid 2)
Michael Graziadei b. 1979 (The Lottery, Grimm, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., American Horror Story, Boogeyman 2)
Daniella Alonso b. 1978 (Revolution, Knight Rider [2009], Stargate: Atlantis, The Hills Have Eyes II)
Chad Todhunter b. 1976 (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, True Blood, Good vs Evil, Buffy, Poltergiest: The Legacy, Sliders, The Odyssey)
Mireille Enos b. 1975 (World War Z)
Bob Sapp b. 1973 (JourneyQuest, Conan the Barbarian [2011], Frankenhood, Elektra, Devilman)
Lawrence Gilliard Jr b. 1971 (The Walking Dead)
Elizabeth Bear b. 1971 (author, The Promethean Age, New Amsterdam)
Ira Heiden b. 1966 (Timelock, Lois & Clark, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors)
Stuart Fratkin b. 1963 (Tremors [TV], Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, Godzilla [1998], Sliders, Prehysteria!, They Came from Outer Space, Quantum Leap, Alien Nation [TV], Freddy’s Nightmares, Dr. Alien, Werewolf, Teen Wolf Too)
Bonnie Hunt b. 1961 (The Green Mile)
Catherine Oxenberg b. 1961 (Sharktopus vs. Mermantula, Sleeping Beauty, The Time Shifters, The Omega Code, K-9000, The Lair of the White Worm)
Scott Baio b. 1960 (Out of this World, Alice in Wonderland [1985], Zapped!)
Shari Belafonte b. 1954 (Babylon 5: Thirdspace, Mars, Beyond Reality, Time Walker)
Larry Anderson b. 1952 (Star Trek: Insurrection, Martians Go Home, Freddy’s Nightmares, Night Rider, Dr. Strange, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Jim Byrnes b. 1948 (V [2010], Highlander, Supernatural, Jake 2.0, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Starlight, Omen IV: The Awakening)
Paul Le Mat b. 1945 (Chrome Angels, Conan [1997 TV], Twilight Zone [1988], Deadly Nightmares, Strange Invaders)
Frazer Hines b. 1944 (Outlander, Doctor Who, X: The Unknown)
Toni Basil b. 1943 (Rockula, Village of the Giants)
Asa Maynor b. 1936 (Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Twilight Zone, Man Beast)
Fay Weldon b. 1931 (author, The Cloning of Joanna May, Wolf: The Mechanical Dog)
Eugene Roche b. 1928 died 28 July 2004 (The Chronicle, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, Star Trek: Voyager, Roswell, Mr. Merlin, Slaughterhouse-Five)
Samuel A. Peeples b. 1917 died 26 August 1997 (writer, Star Trek)
Martha Scott b. 1912 died 28 May 2003 (Doin’ Time on Planet Earth, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman)
John Houseman b. 1902 died 31 October 1988 (The Fog, The Bionic Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Rollerball)

Notes on the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Last year it was Tatiana Maslany from Orphan Black, probably the most virtuoso acting work on TV today. Not wanting to repeat myself, this year we get Billie Piper from Doctor Who. Longtime readers know how the complaint department works.

2. Typecasting. I used to feel bad for actors who were typecast, but the sad truth is that casting directors like making easy decisions. I've seen interviews with Tom Felton, who will likely have the words Draco Malfoy in the first sentence of his obituary in the last half of this century. Felton has that lovable cheeky British lad vibe about him, but he's probably a villain for the rest of his days. I saw him recently in Belle. He played the bad guy. As I said to my sister, "He has an easy sneer."

3. Wait... he's dead? I have to admit I had forgotten Eugene Roche died ten years ago. While Tom Felton has the most iconic genre role I haven't used yet, Eugene Roche was a great Oh That Guy.

4. Wait... he's 43? Lawrence Gilliard Jr played D'Angelo Barksdale on The Wire. If you told me he was ten years younger than he actually is, I would have believed you.

Tempus has that nasty habit of fugiting on us, don't it?

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

Movies released
Children of Men released 2006
 

Predictor: Children of Men, released 22 September 2006

Prediction: In 2027, the youngest person on earth, 18 year old Diego Ricardo, is killed.

Reality: Usually I don't use dates beyond 2020, or sometimes 2025 in a pinch, but this prediction really says the human race goes infertile in 2009. Of course, that didn't happen, and mass infertility is one of the least likely ways humans are going to go extinct, but still, I enjoyed this movie.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

FM-2030 is back. Did you miss him?

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

21 September 2014

Birthdays
Christian Serratos b. 1990 (The Walking Dead, 7500, Twilight, American Horror Story)
Joseph Mazzello b. 1983 (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Coma [TV 2012], Star Kid, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park)
Maggie Grace b. 1981 (Twilight 1 and 2, Lost, Creature Unknown)
Autumn Reeser b. 1980 (No Ordinary Family, Birds of Prey, Star Trek: Voyager)
Aleksa Palladino b. 1980 (Spectropia, The Picture of Dorian Gray [2007])
Luke Wilson b. 1971 (Idiocracy, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, The X Files, Scream 2)
Rob Benedict b. 1970 (Touch, Supernatural, Threshold, Birds of Prey, Buffy)
James Lesure b. 1970 (Lost, The Ring Two, The Burning Zone, Space: Above & Beyond)
David Wenham b. 1965 (Van Helsing, Lord of the Rings)
Angus Macfayden b. 1963 (Saw III, Equilibrium, Jason and the Argonauts [2000 TV], Warriors of Virtue)
Nancy Travis b. 1961 (Rose Red, Tales from the Darkside, Worlds Beyond)
Bill Murray b. 1950 (Osmosis Jones, Space Jam, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Zombieland, Scrooged, Little Shop of Horrors)
Stephen King b. 1947 (Carrie, The Stand, The Shining, Under the Dome, also so many more)
Jerry Bruckheimer b. 1943 (producer, National Treasure, Armageddon, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Sorcerer’ Apprentice, Cat People)
Tracy Reed b. 1942 died 2 May 2012 (Dr. Strangelove, UFO, Out of the Unknown, Journey to the Unknown)
Henry Gibson b. 1935 died 14 September 2009 (Charmed, Stargate SG-1, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Total Recall 2070, Deep Space Nine, Cyber Bandits, Tales from the Crypt, Eerie, Indiana, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Twilight Zone [1986], Small & Frye, The Incredible Shrinking Woman, Wonder Woman, My Favorite Martian)
Larry Hagman b.1931 died 23 November 2012 (Superman, I Dream of Jeannie)
Chuck Jones b. 1912 died 22 February 2002 (animator, way too many credits)
H. G. Wells b. 1866 died 13 August 1946 (author, War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, so many more)

Morbid bastid that I am, let me mention the dead.

Tracy Reed was the British version of Mary Tyler Moore, though not nearly as successful. She is best known to Americans as George C. Scott's "personal secretary" in Dr. Strangelove. She was 70 when she died, but it still feels like a surprise to me.

Likewise Henry Gibson. I was surprised by how many genre roles he had and that he is now dead.

I am not surprised Larry Hagman is dead. He made ads asking people not to smoke and he didn't look well for many years before he he died. Still, Mark Evanier's memoir of him made me like Hagman a lot.

No surprise at all that Chuck Jones or H.G. Wells are dead already, but they are definitely iconic. Last year, I used Stephen King in the Picture Slot. Of the living, only Bill Murray has a chance at the 2015 Picture Slot if I don't repeat myself.

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

 

Prediction: On August 17, 1966, atomic bombs hit London, triggering a volcanic eruption

Predictor: the movie The Time Machine, (1960)

Reality: I used this prediction in August of 2013 and bring it back today because H.G. Wells is in the Picture Slot and it feels lie forever since we pulled his corpse out of the ground and slapped him around for a while.

 How were we supposed to know we were in London of the future in a scene that lasts just a few minutes? There was an overground monorail and Alan Young as a fallout shelter official wore a metallic suit. Also, geologists are pretty clear on the idea that there aren't any dormant volcanoes near London.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Like today, the regular schedule is interrupted by a prediction from a movie, this time from this century.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

18 September 2014

 Birthdays
Chris Riggi b. 1985 (Vampires Suck)
Alison Lohman b. 1979 (Drag Me to Hell, Beowulf, The Thirteenth Floor Kraa! The Sea Monster)
Travis Schuldt b. 1974 (Fringe, Big Bang Theory)
James Marsden b. 1973 (X-Men, Superman Returns, Enchanted)
Michael Landes b. 1972 (Lois & Clark)
Jada Pinkett Smith b. 1971 (Gotham, The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix Reloaded)
Tara Fitzgerald b. 1967 (Game of Thrones)
John Mann b. 1962 (Supernatural, Bionic Woman [2007], The Butterfly Effect 2, Battlestar Galactica, Underworld: Evolution, Catwoman, The Chronicles of Riddick, Smallville, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Stargate SG-1, Dark Angel, Strange Frequency, The Girl from Tomorrow Part Two: Tomorrow’s End)
James Gandolfini b. 1961 died 19 June 2013 (Fallen)
Andrew Airlie b. 1961 (Intruders [2014 TV], Once Upon a Time, Collision Earth, Caprica, Fringe, Reaper, The Butterfly Effect 2, Eureka, Supernatural, Neverwas, The 4400, Stephen Kings’ Dead Zone, Fantastic Four, Stargate SG-1, Smallville, Earth: Final Conflict, Mysterious Ways, Total Recall 2070, Poltergeist: The Legacy, The X Files, M.A.N.T.I.S, The Odyssey, Nightmare Cafe)
Tim McInnerny b. 1956 (Outlander [2014 TV], Doctor Who, Erik the Viking)
Anna Levine a.k.a. Anna Thompson b. 1953 (The Crow, Leonard Part 6)
Beth Grant b. 1949 (Mockingbird Lane, Futurestates, Jericho, Southland Tales, Wonderfalls, Evil Alien Conquerors, Donnie Darko, The X Files, Angel, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Doctor Doolittle, The Wizard)
Nicholas Clay b. 1946 died 25 May 2000 (Merlin [TV], Highlander [TV], The Odyssey, Excalibur, Terror of Frankenstein)
Veronica Carlson b. 1944 (Freakshow, Old Drac, The Horror of Frankenstein, Frankenstein Must be Destroyed, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave)
Fred Willard b. 1939 (My Future Boyfriend, Wizards of Waverly Place, Stargate SG-1, Good vs Evil, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Lois & Clark, Superman 50th Anniversary, Out of This World, Salem’s Lot, Americathon, Space Force, Tabitha)
Frankie Avalon b. 1939 (Panic in Year Zero!, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)
William O’Malley b. 1931 (The Exorcist)
Phyllis Kirk b. 1927 died 19 October 2006 (Twilight Zone, House of Wax)
Grayson Hall b. 1922 died 7 August 1985 (Dark Shadows)
Jack Warden b. 1920 died 19 July 2006 (Alice in Wonderland [1985 TV], The Invaders, Bewitched, Twilight Zone)
June Foray b. 1917 (hundreds of voice acting credits, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit and The Twilight Zone)
Harry Townes b. 1914 died 23 May 2001 (The Warrior and the Sorceress, Voyagers!, The Incredible Hulk, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Ark II, Planet of the Apes [TV], The Sixth Sense, The Immortal, The Invaders, Star Trek, The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, Men Into Space)


Notes on the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot and a new label.  Regular reader Zombie Rotten McDonald brought up that he is sometimes startled to see that someone is dead when he reads the birthday list. I get the same feeling on a regular basis, though possibly not for the same deceased actors. Today's Picture Slot goes to the late Nicholas Clay, the ridiculously good looking actor who played Lancelot in Excalibur and was the young cad in the non-genre Evil Under the Sun. I had no idea he had died. He was 53 and it was liver cancer fourteen years ago. The new label is "Wait... he's dead?"

2. Rectifying an error. I didn't give James Gandolfini a Never to Be Forgotten post when he died because I forgot he was in Fallen, the only credit I've found of his that counts as genre. I am a big fan and I apologize for the error. Clearly, he is never to be forgotten.

3. Wait, he's 75? I am somewhat clear on the concept that everyone is getting older, but for me Fred Willard is perpetually this cheerful, clueless guy who is about 40 or so, no older than 50. He's 75 today and so is Frankie Avalon. For some reason, I have no problem with the idea that Frankie is in his seventies. Go figure.

4. Next year's Picture Slot? I used June Foray last year, a voice actor I make an exception for because I love her so much, and next year if I don't repeat myself, the Oh That Guy Harry Townes is a front runner, probably with a still from Twilight Zone or Star Trek. Because that's how I roll.  

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

Predictor: Firebird 2015 A.D., released 18 Sept. 1981

Prediction: In one of many unpopular and unsupported policy decisions, the US government of the near future outlaws vehicle petrol in an effort to curb the overuse of limited natural resources - except, of course, for official purposes. There are many renegades who oppose the authorities, and will stop at nothing to allow themselves the freedom of burning around the countryside.

Reality: Yeah... no. Not a chance. The writers of this film have the tail wagging the dog. The government might regulate the fossil fuel industry, but outlawing sales isn't going to happen. It's too big a creator of tax revenues and it's too big a contributor to political campaigns.

On the plus side, the movie does star Darren McGavin and Doug McClure, so you know it must have been good.

(Once again, I have put a sarcastic sentence in the Reality section, hoping the keen eyed will spot it.)

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

A brand new Friday regular predictor is introduced.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

12 September 2014

Birthdays
Alfie Allen b. 1986 (Game of Thrones)
Emmy Rossum b. 1986 (Comet, Dragonball: Evolution, The Day After Tomorrow)
Marty Adams b. 1981 (Hemlock Grove, Orphan Black, Dead Before Dawn 3D, Lost Girl, Repo Men, Repo! The Genetic Opera, Saw IV)
Ben McKenzie b. 1978 (Gotham)
Paul Walker b. 1973 died 30 November 2013 (Pleasantville, Tammy and the T-Rex, Timeline, Programmed to Kill, Monster in the Closet)
Gideon Emery b. 1972 (Teen Wolf, True Blood, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice)
James Frey b. 1969 (author, I Am Number Four)
Darren E. Burrows b. 1966 (The Lone Gunmen, The X Files, Class of 1999, Hard Time on Planet Earth)
Ramon Franco b. 1963 (Resident Evil: Extinction, The X Files, NightMan)
Amy Yasbeck b. 1962 (Dracula: Dead and Loving It, The Mask, Quantum Leap, Splash, Too, Werewolf, House: The Second Story)
Robert John Burke b. 1960 (Limitless, Witchblade, From the Earth to the Moon, Thinner, RoboCop 3)
Gregg Edelman b. 1958 (Spider-Man 2, The Manhattan Project)
Hans Zimmer b. 1957 (composer, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Amazing Spider-Man 2, Man of Steel, Rise of the Undead, Batman Begins, Pirates of the Caribbean, Inception, Rango, Inception, The Ring, Smilla’s Feeling for Snow, Space Rangers)
Joe Pantoliano b. 1951 (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Daredevil, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Roswell, The Matrix, Congo, Robot in the Family, Highlander [TV], Tales from the Crypt, Deadly Nightmares, Amazing Stories)
Christopher Neame b. 1947 (Star Trek: Enterprise, The Invisible Man [TV], Seven Days, The Apocalypse Watch, Sliders, Earth 2, Star Trek: Voyager, Babylon 5, The Flash, Superboy, Ghostbusters II, Beauty and the Beast, Bloodstone, Blakes 7, Dracula A.D. 1972, Lust for a Vampire, No Blade of Grass)
Milo Manara b. 1945 (artist)
Bill McKinney b. 1931 died 1 December 2011 (Hellborn, The Green Mile, It Came from Outer Space II, Back to the Future Part III, Galactica 1980, Strange New World, I Dream of Jeannie)
Ian Holm b. 1931 (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, The Day After Tomorrow, Simon Magus, eXistenZ, Alice Through the Looking Glass [TV 1998], The Fifth Element, Loch Ness, Frankenstein [1994], The Borrowers, Dreamchild, Brazil, Time Bandits, Alien, The Lost Boys [TV 1978])
Freddie Jones b. 1927 (Neverwhere, Dune, Firestarter, Krull, Firefox, Space:1999, Son of Dracula, Alice Through the Looking Glass [TV 1973], Old Drac, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed)
Stanislaw Lem b. 1921 died 27 March 2006 (author, Solaris, The Futurological Congress)
Edward Binns b.1916 died 4 December 1990 (Captain Nice, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Twilight Zone)
Mary Stewart b. 1916 died 9 May 2014 (author, The Merlin Trilogy)
Desmond Llewelyn b. 1914 died 19 December 1999 (Merlin [1993], Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde [1980 TV], Moonraker, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Curse of the Werewolf, H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man)
Walter B. Gibson a.k.a. Maxwell Grant a.k.a. Edward S. Sullivan b. 1897 (writer, The Shadow, The Twilight Zone)

Fun facts I learned today in research.

1) Hans Zimmer was in The Buggles.
2) Freddie Jones is not Aubrey Morris. As they have gotten older, I have a heck of a time telling them apart. Also, both are still alive, born in 1927 and 1926 respectively. Good on ya, fellas.
3) It feels like a lot of the cast from Northern Exposure kind of faded away after the show was through. In the case of Darren E. Burrows who played Ed Chigliak, it feels that way because it is that way. He never got a role as good as that before or since.

As for the Picture Slot choice, I do have a fondness for Game of Thrones. Next year, I'm not sure what I'll do.

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

Predictor: Mission to Mars, released 10 March 2000

Prediction: In 2020, the first manned craft lands on Mars.

Reality: Of course, (spoiler alert), most movies taking place in outer space include contact with extraterrestrials, and this one does as well. The prediction part is interplanetary travel by 2020 and while it's still six years away, if someone gave me an even money bet, I'd be glad to wager that we will not have a person set foot on Mars by then. In the movie's favor, 2020 is one of the years when the Earth and Mars are on the same side of the sun. This happens about every 25 or 26 months.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Yet another prediction from 1893, complete with awesome facial hair.


Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

11 September 2014

 Birthdays
Jett Good b. 1999 (Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D)
Tyler Hoechlin b. 1987 (Teen Wolf)
Ariana Richards b. 1979 (Jurassic Park, Tremors, Spaced Invaders)
Cameron Richardson b. 1979 (10.0 Earthquake, The Lottery, Rise: Blood Hunter)
Taraji P. Henson b. 1970 (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Satan’s School for Girls)
Harry Connick Jr. b. 1967 (Bug, Independence Day)
Virginia Madsen b. 1961 (Witches of East End, The Haunting in Connecticut, The Astronaut Farmer, The Haunting, Star Trek: Voyager, The Apocalypse Watch, The Prophecy, Earth 2, Candyman, Highlander II: The Quickening, Zombie High, Creator, Dune)
Anne Ramsay b. 1960 (Wizards of Waverly Place, Planet of the Apes [2001], Star Trek: The Next Generation)
John Hawkes b. 1959 (Lost, S. Darko, Strange Frequency, Taken, The X Files, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Buffy, Steel, From Dusk Till Dawn, Future-Kill)
Julia Nickson b. 1958 (Half-Life, Power Rangers Wild Force, SeaQuest 2032, Babylon 5, Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Roxann Dawson b. 1958 (Star Trek: Voyager)
Scott Patterson b. 1958 (The Event, Saw, Them [1996], The Lost World [1998 TV movie])
Tony Gilroy b. 1956 (writer, Armageddon)
Amy Madigan b. 1950 (Fringe, Doppelganger, Carnivale, The Dark Half, The Day After)
Kathrine Baumann b. 1949 (Knight Rider, The Thing with Two Heads)
Michael Sacks b. 1948 (Starflight: The Plane That Couldn’t Land, The Amityville Horror, Slaughterhouse-Five)
Felton Perry b. 1945 (Hollywood Vampyr, Dark Breed, RoboCop 1, 2 & 3, Automan)
Brian De Palma b. 1940 (director, Mission to Mars, Carrie, Phantom of the Paradise)
Charles Dierkop (Superguy: Behind the Cape, Merchants of Venus, Hard Time on Planet Earth, Star Trek, Land of the Giants, Batman, Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)
Ian Abercrombie b. 1934 died 26 January 2012 (Wizards of Waverly Place, Charmed, Star Trek: Voyager, Good vs Evil, Buffy, Jurassic Park: The Lost World, Babylon 5, Test Tube Teens from the Year 2000, Addams Family Values, Army of Darkness, The Flash, Warlock, Frog, Otherworld, The Ice Pirates, Tucker’s Witch, Voyagers!, Blood Beach, Battlestar Galactica [1978], The Six Million Dollar Man, Young Frankenstein)
Eve Brent b. 1929 died 27 August 2011 (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Roswell, The Green Mile, Weird Science [TV], Date with an Angel, BrainWaves, Adventures of Superman)
Earl Holliman b. 1928 (NightMan, The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine, Women and War, Visit to a Small Planet, Twilight Zone, Forbidden Planet)
David Morris b. 1924 died 29 October 2007 (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Herbert Lom b. 1917 died 27 September 2012 (Whoops Apocalypse, The Dead Zone, Dorian Gray [1970] Count Dracula [1970], Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, Mysterious Island, Project M7)

Terrific birthday list today, plenty of folks with iconic roles, and excellent selection of fabulous babes and a great bunch of Oh That Guys, including John Hawkes, Felton Perry, Charles Dierkop, Ian Abercrombie, Herbert Lom and the guy in the Picture Slot, Earl Holliman, from the Twilight Zone episode Where Is Everybody? Regular readers know how much I love the original Twilight Zone, and many of my favorite episodes have either a one or two person cast throughout either for the entire episode or for all but a scene or two at the beginning or end. Where Is Everybody? is all about Earl Holliman and he did a great job.

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

Predictor: Until the End of the World, released 12 September 1991

Prediction: In 1999, an Indian nuclear satellite is shot down out of the sky, causing an electromagnetic pulse that knocks out electronic systems worldwide.

Reality: A worldwide EMP from a single source would be pretty damn tough, since at least half of the planet would be protected by being too far away.

I remember this film and most especially the soundtrack, which had an all-star lineup, including Talking Heads, Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, Jane Siberry with k.d. lang, and U2. I read in an article at the time that it was the biggest budget film ever made outside the United States at the time. I'm not sure that statement was true, but getting all the people they got on the soundtrack album couldn't have been cheap.

 

Never to be Forgotten:
Graham Joyce 1954-2014

British fantasy writer Graham Joyce died on Tuesday at the age of 59. He won the annual British Fantasy award five times for his novels Dark Sister, Requiem, The Tooth Fairy, Memoirs of a Master Forger and Some Kind of Fairy Tale and the World Fantasy award for The Facts of Life. He was also proud to mind the nets for the all-England writer's football club, defending the nation's honor against sides from Germany, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Israel, Hungary, Turkey and Austria. He wrote of these experiences in the non-fiction book Simple Goalkeeping Made Spectacular.

Best wishes to the family and friends of Graham Joyce, from a fan. He is never to be forgotten.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Yet another prediction from a film interrupts the regular schedule.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
   

24 July 2014

 Birthdays
Emily Bett Rickards b. 1991 (The Flash, Arrow, Soldiers of the Apocalypse)
Daveigh Chase b. 1990 (S. Darko, Donnie Darko, The Ring, Charmed, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch)
Anna Paquin b. 1982 (X-Men, True Blood)
Elisabeth Moss b. 1982 (Invasion, Escape to Witch Mountain)
Summer Glau b. 1981 (Arrow, Alphas, The Big Bang Theory, Mammoth, Angel, Dollhouse, Serenity, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The 4400)
Rose Byrne b. 1979 (X-Men: First Class, 28 Weeks Later, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones)
Laura Fraser b. 1976 (Vanilla Sky, Neverwhere)
Jennifer Lopez b. 1969 (The Cell, Anaconda)
Rick Fox b. 1969 (The Guild, Big Bang Theory, Dollhouse, Holes)
Paul Ben-Victor b. 1965 (Daredevil, The Invisible Man [2002], Red Scorpion 2, The X-Files)
Lynda Carter b. 1951 (Smallville, Sky High, Wonder Woman)
Michael Richards b. 1949 (Coneheads, Whoops Apocalypse, Transylvania 6-5000, Faerie Tale Theatre)
Robert Hays b. 1947 (Superhero Movie, Starman [TV], Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare, Cat’s Eye, The Girl, the Gold Watch and Everything, Wonder Woman)
Linda Harrison b. 1945 (Planet of the Apes [2001 and 1968], Cocoon, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Batman)
Chris Sarandon b. 1942 (Charmed, Perversions of Science, The Vampyre Wars, Bordello of Blood, Deep Space Nine, Shatterbain, Frankenstein [1987], The Princess Bride, Fright Night [1985])
Dan Hedaya b. 1940 (Alien: Resurrection, The Addams Family [1991], The Twilight Zone [1985], Buckaroo Banzai, Earthlings, The Hunger)
Mark Goddard b. 1936 (Lost in Space [1998 and 1965], Strange Invaders)
John D. MacDonald b. 1916 died 28 December 1986 (author, The Girl, the Gold Watch and Everything)
Sydney Bromley b. 1909 died 14 August 1987 (The NeverEnding Story, Dragonslayer, An American Werewolf in London, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, The Fearless Vampire Killers, Prehistoric Women, Night Creatures, Quatermass and the Pit, Quatermass II, Nineteen Eighty-Four [1954 British version])
Lord Dunsany b. 1878 died 25 October 1957 (author, The Gods of Pegana)

Regular readers will know that I've done a lot more research on birthdays this year than I did last year, and a list like this makes it worthwhile. A lot of names you should know, not all of them most famous for genre work. While I might put Chris Sarandon from The Princess Bride or Mark Goddard from Lost in Space in the Picture Slot if this were a typical birthday list, both those fine gentlemen are not competition for Summer Glau, Anna Paquin and the lovely woman you are now looking at, Lynda Carter. I should also add that Sydney Bromley is a great grizzled Oh That Guy and Linda Harrison looked fantastic in the original Planet of the Apes, but seriously... Wonder Woman. Game over, dude.

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

Predictor: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, released 2 July 2003

Prediction: Although the original Judgment Day of August 29, 1997 came and went without incident, John Connor still believes his life is in danger, and on 24 July, 2004, his fears are realized as a new model Terminator is sent to kill him.

Reality: Time travel would take massive amounts of energy and would likely kill any living matter, but I guess it doesn't make sense to bring this up when you have a franchise that's produced four movies, a TV show and a fifth set up for next year, 31 years after the original movie.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

More hokum from Edgar Cayce, this time political instead of geological.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

2 July 2014

 Birthdays
Margot Robbie b. 1990 (Z for Zachariah, About Time)
Ashley Tisdale b. 1985 (Charmed, Donnie Darko)
Vanessa Lee Chester b. 1984 (The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
Owain Yeoman b. 1978 (The Sarah Connor Chronicles)
Yancy Butler b. 1970 (Kick-Ass, Lake Placid, Wolvesbayne, Basilisk: The Serpent King, Witchblade, Ravager, Perversions of Science, Mann & Machine)
Terry Rossio b. 1960 (writer, Pirates of the Caribbean, Shrek, Small Soldiers, Godzilla, The Puppet Masters)
Jerry Hall b. 1956 (Vampire in Brooklyn, Freejack, Batman [1989])
Andrew Divoff b. 1955 (Lost, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Rage, Dr. Rage, Wishmaster, Conan [1997 TV], Highlander [TV], Xtro 3, Mac and Me, The Twilight Zone [1986], Misfits of Science)
Wendy Schaal b. 1954 (The X-Files, Small Soldiers, Star Trek: Voyager, *batteries not included, Innerspace, Amazing Stories, Knight Rider)
Elisabeth Brooks b. 1951 died 7 September 1997 (Deep Space, The Howling, The Six Million Dollar Man, Kolchak: The Night Stalker)
Nancy Stephens b. 1949 (Dark Skies, Halloween I and II, Escape form New York)
Saul Rubinek b. 1948 (Warehouse 13, Eureka, Lost, Stargate SG-1, The Android Affair, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Ron Silver b. 1946 died 15 March 2009 (Xenophobia, Timecop, Lifepod)
Kenneth McMillan b. 1932 died 8 January 1989 (Cat’s Eye, Dune, Heartbeeps, Salem’s Lot, The Stepford Wives, Dark Shadows [TV])
Robert Ito b. 1931 (MythQuest, Star Trek: Voyager, The Omega Code, The X-Files, Highlander [TV], Star Trek: The Next Generation, Buckaroo Banzai, Rollerball, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Terminal Man, Soylent Green, Dimension 5, Women of the Prehistoric Planet)
Brock Peters b. 1927 died 23 August 2005 (Deep Space Nine, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Alligator II: The Mutation, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Battlestar Galactica [1979], The Bionic Woman)
Hannes Bok b. 1914 died 11 April 1964 (artist)
Hermann Hesse b. 1877 died 9 August 1962 (author, Steppenwolf, The Glass Bead Game)

A lot of great Oh That Guy actors and several fabulous babes on the list today and Yancy Butler counts as both, but for the Picture Slot I chose a pulp cover by the prolific sci-fi illustrator Hannes Bok. Here we get an example of the famous meme in sci-fi of the Universal Attractiveness of Human Females. I'm guessing the giant frog is more interested in her as a protein source and not a potential mating partner, though you can never be sure.

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

Movies released
Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines released 2003
Hancock released, 2008

 Predictor: Pacific Rim, released 12 July 2013

Prediction: In 2013, giant monsters known as Kaiju invade the earth and the governments of the world create giant robots called Jaegers to combat them.

Reality: Of course, we have neither giant monsters or giant robots. The question is whether the governments of the world would build these things and my best guess is the funding would be there, though the technology is iffy. Even deficit hawks like to build things that blow big shit up.

Never to be forgotten: Bob Hastings 1925-2014

If you remember Bob Hastings, it is very likely for his role as Lt. Carpenter, the toady to Captain Binghamton on McHale's Navy or possibly as Archie Bunker's friend Tommy Kelsey on All in the Family. Hastings has well over 100 credits on imdb.com, many of them voice work. For live action genre roles, he was in The Greatest American Hero, The Munsters’ Revenge, The Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman, The Amazing Spider-Man [TV], Kolchak: The Night Stalker, I Dream of Jeannie, The Bamboo Saucer, Batman [TV], The Munsters, Twilight Zone, Moon Pilot, Atom Squad and Captain Video and his Video Rangers, which stretches back to the very beginning of the TV era. In voice work, he was the voice of Commissioner Gordon during the 1990s on the various Batman cartoons, and did the voice of Clark Kent back in the 1960s and was the voice of the raven on The Munsters.

Best wishes to the family and friends of Bob Hastings, from a fan. He is never to be forgotten.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Back to the regular weekly schedule and another prediction made by Lee de Forest in 1960 about the year 2000.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

26 June 2014

 Birthdays
Aubrey Plaza b. 1984 (Safety Not Guaranteed)
Jason Schwartzman b. 1980 (Bewitched [2005 movie], The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, S1m0ne)
Tory Mussett b. 1978 (Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Peter Pan [2003], The Matrix Reloaded)
Matt Letscher b. 1970 (Her, Radio Free Albemuth)
Chris O’Donnell b. 1970 (Batman & Robin, Batman Forever)
Steven Brand b. 1969 (Hellraiser: Revelations, Jurassic Attack, Alien Express, The Scorpion King)
Ian Tracy b. 1964 (Continuum, Man of Steel, Supernatural, Sanctuary, Sucker Punch, The 4400, Smallville, Elektra, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Taken, Stargate SG-1, Dark Angel, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Highlander [TV], The Adventures of Sinbad [TV], The X-Files, Timecop)
Mark McKinney b. 1959 (Space Riders: Division Earth, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang)
Lela Ivey b. 1958 (Pleasantville, The Addams Family [movie], Quantum Leap, She-Wolf of London, ALF, The Purple Rose of Cairo)
Gedde Watanabe b. 1955 (47 Ronin, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Armageddon, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Vamp)
David Brisbin b. 1952 (The X-Files, Buffy, From the Earth to the Moon, Dark Skies)
Robert Davi b. 1951 (Lost Time, Asteroid vs. Earth, Swamp Shark, Stargate: Atlantis, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, VR.5, Predator 2, The Powers of Matthew Star, The Incredible Hulk)
Michael Paul Chan b. 1950 (Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, The Invisible Man [TV], Good vs Evil, Batman & Robin, Lois & Clark, The Burning Zone, Batman Forever, Babylon 5, Alien Nation, Max Headroom)
Leo Rossi b. 1946 (The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human, Mutant Species, Amazing Stories, Halloween II)
Clive Francis b. 1946 (Relic Hunter, A Clockwork Orange, Journey to the Unknown)
John Beasley b. 1942 (The Lost Room, Millennium [TV])
Edwin Hodgeman b. 1935 (Ultraman: Toward the Future, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome)
Richard X. Slattery b. 1925 died 27 January 1997 (Space, Monster Squad, Wonder Woman, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Invaders, Mr. Terrific, The Green Hornet)
Richard Bull b. 1924 died 3 February 2014 (Amazing Stories, The Andromeda Strain, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Bewitched, The Satan Bug, Men Into Space)
Peter Lorre b. 1904 died 23 March 1964 (The Raven, Tales of Terror, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea)

A lot more Oh That Guy actors than A-list movie stars are celebrating birthdays today. I could have put Chris O'Donnell in the Picture Slot as Robin, but it's generally acknowledged the movies in which he played the Boy Wonder killed the franchise in the 1990s and didn't do his career much good either. A better choice would be Peter Lorre from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but instead I went with Oh That Guy Richard X. Slattery, who played lots of cops and military men throughout his career. The picture is from one of the many episodes where he played a cop on Bewitched. People if a certain age might remember him as Murph on Union 76 commercials.

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

THREE DAYS OF BLADE RUNNER!

Predictor: The movie Blade Runner, released 25 June 1982.

Prediction: There would be many jobs available on off world colonies in 2019.

Reality: In five years, we might have more space exploration than we have now, but a job boom that needs to advertise for workers seems nearly impossible.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

One more prediction from Blade Runner, this one closer to home.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

5 February 2014

Birthdays
David Meunier b. 1973 (Revolution, Jericho, Buffy, Angel, Charmed)
Michael Sheen b. 1969 (Twilight Saga, Doctor Who, TRON: Legacy, Alice in Wonderland [2010], Underworld)
Laura Linney b. 1964 (The Mothman Prophecies, The Truman Show, Congo)
Barbara Hershey b. 1948 (Insidious, Once Upon a Time, Breakfast of Champions, The Invaders[TV])
Robin Sachs b. 1951 died 1 February 2013 (Resident Evil, Torchwood, Buffy, Star Trek: Voyager, Galaxy Quest, Babylon 5, The Lost World: Jurassic Park)
Tom Wilkinson b. 1948 (Batman Begins, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
Christopher Guest b. 1948 (actor, The Princess Bride, Night at the Museum : Battle of the Smithsonian, Small Soldiers, Heartbeeps; director, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman)
Charlotte Rampling b. 1946 (Babylon A.D., Angel Heart, Orca, Zardoz, The Avengers [1967])
H.R. Giger b. 1940 (illustrator, Necromicon, Giger’s Alien)
William S. Burroughs b. 1914 died 2 August 1997 (author, The Soft Machine, Naked Lunch, The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead)
John Carradine b. 1906 died 27 November 1988 (Twilight Zone [1986], The Ice Pirates, Frankenstein Island, The Howling, The Sentinel, Land of the Giants, Lost in Space, The Green Hornet, Billy the Kid vs. Dracula, The Wizard of Mars, Twilight Zone [1960], Invisible Invaders, The Cosmic Man, Half Human)

Good birthday list today, lots of famous faces, but for iconic status, I went with an illustration from H.R. Giger, whose work brought a new twist to horror and science fiction back in the 1970s. I don't know who will get the Picture Slot next year, but John Carradine and his jillions of roles has the inside track at this early date.

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

Movies released
Spy Kids 3D: Game Over released 2003  
 

Prediction: On 5 Feb 1971, Piedmont, New Mexico is infected by a virus brought back from space by a satellite.

Predictor: The Andromeda Strain, released 12 March 1971

Reality: Okay, this is a little bit of a cheat. The date of the infection is actually before the release date of the movie. I've cheated like this once before with H.G. Wells' First Men in the Moon, but my excuse is both stories really count as science fiction. I also have to congratulate the producers for deciding to go with a relatively unknown cast of ordinary looking people, which made the story that much more believable.

As for alien viruses, it's possible, but most viruses are successful because they evolve in the environment, interacting with hosts they infect. Some random virus from outer space would have to get pretty damned lucky to land on a strange planet and fit right in.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

For a few more weeks, Thursday still belongs to Isaac Asimov.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE! 

30 December 2013

Birthdays
Kristin Kreuk b. 1982 (Smallville, Beauty and the Beast, Earthsea, Snow White: The Fairest of Them All)
Eliza Dushku b. 1980 (The Guild, Torchwood, Big Bang Theory, Dollhouse, Tru Calling, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Tyrese Gibson b. 1978 (Transformers, Death Race)
Lucy Punch b. 1977 (The 10th Kingdom, Dinotopia, Ella Enchanted)
Bryan Burk b. 1968 (producer, Cloverfield, Star Trek, Lost, Super 8, Fringe, Revolution, Almost Human)
Ellen Sandweiss b. 1958 (The Evil Dead, Oz the Great and Powerful)
Patricia Kalember b. 1957 (Signs, Limitless, Jacob’s Ladder, Cat’s Eye)
Fred Ward b. 1942 (10.5, The Crow: Salvation, Invasion: Earth, Tremors, UFOria, Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann)
Russ Tamblyn b. 1934 (Joan of Arcadia, Babylon 5, Quantum Leap, Necromancer, War of the Gargantuas, tom thumb)
Tom Keene b. 1896 died 4 August 1963 (Plan 9 from Outer Space)

Several choices for the Beautiful Young People in the Picture Slot today, and I went with Kristin Kreuk from Smallville and the most recent version of Beauty and the Beast on TV. A couple names I put on the list because they were near the top of the bill in famous cult films, Ellen Sandweiss from The Evil Dead and Tom Keene from Plan 9 from Outer Space. Mr. Keene started in movies in 1923(!) and was credited under the names George Duryea and Richard Powers as well. He made a wagonload of low budget, one hour long Westerns and his character was almost always named Tom. You might think that is a one way ticket to Palookaville, but the one hour Westerns were the start of John Wayne's career started as well. Luck always plays a factor in show business, and for Mr. Keene, he worked steadily but never became a household name.

Many happy returns of the day to all the living on the list, and to Mr. Keene, I hope you are catching better breaks wherever you are now than you did when you were here.
 

Prediction: 30 December 1999: The last moments of the life of a robber shot by the police are recorded on a SQUID, a device that lets people relive the experiences of others.

Predictor: From Strange Days, released 20 October 1995

Reality: It's an interesting premise that has been used many times, but we really don't understand the wiring of the human brain very well, certainly not well enough to record memories. To show that it's "the future", L.A. is a nearly post-apocalyptic and gas sells for the oppressive price of $3.00 a gallon. In reality, gas in 1999 L.A. was actually about $1.55 a gallon.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

We will all have radio frequency chips implanted by the end of 2017. Thanks, Obama!

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!