Saturday, August 23, 2014

23 August 2014

 Birthdays
Alana Mansour b. 2003 (Terra Nova)
Annie Ilonzeh b. 1983 (Beauty and the Beast, Arrow, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief)
Clare Grant b. 1979 (Team Unicorn, The Guild)
Ray Park b. 1974 (Jinn, G.I. Joe, Heroes, Slayer, X-Men, Star Wars; Episode I – He’s Like the Only Cool Thing in It, Mortal Combat: Annihilation)
Aaron Douglas b. 1971 (The Strain, Falling Skies, Hemlock Grove, Eureka, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, Reaper, Bionic Woman [2007], Catwoman, I, Robot, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, The Chronicles of Riddick, Andromeda, 10.5, Paycheck, Jeremiah, X-Men 2, Taken, Stargate SG-1, Dark Angel)
River Phoenix b. 1970 died 31 October 1993 (Dark Blood, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Explorers)
Jay Mohr b. 1970 (S1mOne, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Small Soldiers, From the Earth to the Moon)
Roger Avary b. 1965 (writer, Beowulf)
Ed Gale b. 1963 (The Polar Express, Fairie, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Weird Science, Lifepod, Land of the Lost, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Child’s Play, Phantasm II, Spaceballs, Howard the Duck)
Deron McBee b. 1961 (The Invisible Man, Roswell, Conan [TV], Sliders, Batman Forever, M.A.N.T.I.S., Immortal Combat, Time Barbarians)
Jennifer Holmes b. 1955 (Misfits of Science, Knight Rider, Voyagers!, The Incredible Hulk)
Charles Busch b. 1954 (writer, Psycho Beach Party)
Mark Vann b. 1954 (Torchwood, Lost, Spider-Man 3, Angel, Early Edition)
Shelley Long b. 1949 (Zombie Hamlet, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Lois & Clark, Freaky Friday [TV], Hello Again, Caveman)
Bob Peck b. 1944 died 4 April 1999 (Smilla’s Feeling for Snow, Jurassic Park, Slipstream)
Bobby Diamond b. 1943 (Twilight Zone)
Barbara Eden b. 1931 (Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, The Stepford Children, I Dream of Jeannie, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)
Vera Miles b. 1929 (BrainWaves, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms)
James Millhollin b. 1915 died 23 May 1993 (Lost in Space, Bewitched, Batman, My Favorite Martian, My Living Doll, Twilight Zone, Zotz!)

Last year, the picture slot was Barbara Eden and no heterosexual male could fault me on that choice. Early my research this morning, I was leaning towards Aaron Douglas, a Canadian actor who has done a heck of a lot of genre shot in Canada and is likely best known for Battlestar Galactica. I also considered Ray Park as Darth Maul, but I had already used his picture celebrating the birthday of Peter Serafinowicz, the actor who did Darth Maul's voice. (I'll rectify that mistake next year.) But late in the game I stumbled upon the name James Millhollin. It's been about two weeks since I had an Oh That Guy in the Picture Slot, and for those who clamor for fabulous babes, we have a double dose of Anne Francis, so that base is also covered. This is a production still from a Twilight Zone episode. Longtime readers will know how much respect I show to the original Twilight Zone.

In descriptions of James Millhollin, the words nervous, fidgety and fussy show up regularly. He is compared to other character actors from earlier generations, including Edward Everett Horton and Franklin Pangborn. One source I found came right out and said it: Sissyman. In the excellent documentary The Celluloid Closet, they have a segment about sissymen in films and on TV, a regularly used comic foil long before any character could express an interest in the same gender. I still remember Harvey Fierstein's comment in the movie. "I love sissymen. I AM a sissyman!"

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

Predictor: Abram Dittenhoefer (1836-1919), lawyer, predicting the 20th Century in honor of the 1893 Columbian Exhibition held in Chicago.

Prediction: "Since I have been at the bar, I have noticed the growth of the tendency to divide the law into specialties. It is not so very long ago that every lawyer accepted all sorts of practice... I think, early in the next century, the majority of lawyers will become specialists."

Reality: Okay, let's start with fashion. The bushy mustache, the pince-nez, the uncomfortable collar. He's got the whole 19th Century thing down pat.

His prediction is very specific and as far as i can find, completely correct. Browsing around the web, I found a Wisconsin law journal that gave the percentage of general practice lawyers in that state at about 10% in the 1990s and shrinking. I don't know that Mr. Dittenhoefer is correct in saying every lawyer was a general practitioner when he was young, but let's agree that the category has shrunk from a vast majority to a small minority in the 100 years after his prediction. Good on ya, Abram!

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

We get another prediction from The Experts Speak.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

2 comments:

  1. Good one! The Twilight Zone was beyond iconic. Without getting into the genius known as Rod Serling that show deserves all the respect and adulation it has received. I grew up on it and even at a very early age was absolutely transfixed as to how many wonderful attributes it possessed. A plethora of, as you state it, Oh That Guy/Girl folks that were a joy to behold. The writing and direction were top shelf. Shiver, forehead smacking, Ah Ha! and Whoa! moments were so numerous as to cause an anomaly in the space/time continuum! (How's THAT for genre hopping?)
    Nowhere in American television do you see the ethical/moral/righteous aspects in life covered like that. There is a damned good reason why you see TZ marathons every year. Good on ya Prof, your vision and reasoning are some of the best in Blog Land, keep up the great work!

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  2. Nowhere in American television do you see the ethical/moral/righteous aspects in life covered like that.

    I would say Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, and maybe Sons of Anarchy all cover ethical, moral, and righteous issues just as well, with many Ah Ha and WHOAH moments thrown in.

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