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!
I almost thought you wrote "Troy McClure" who you might remember from such movies as: Son of Sanford and Son, and The Unbearable Moistness of Sweating.
ReplyDeleteSadly, Troy Donahue, Doug McClure and the original voice of Troy McClure are all dead, so no more great movies from them.
DeleteSo sad to read about the deaths of the golden idols of my younger years. They all died so young!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that Troy Donahue had such a rough time of it which I didn't know. I guess drugs and alcohol addictions do live up to their reputation as killers.
Addendum: Fred Willard was also in "Americathon," which was released in 1979 but set in 1998, therefore barely qualifying as science fiction. It is, if I remember correctly, hilariously bad, with Meat Loaf battling the last American car in a gladiatorial showdown as one of the bits I remember the most.
ReplyDeleteYou might also use "Americathon" as a source of predictions, if you haven't already.
Thanks, Mr. Marshall, Americathon is added. As for predictions, I'll see if I can hunt it down.
DeleteWell, there's 13 minutes or so of that cinematic masterpiece on YT: http://youtu.be/7REfEW0ofyk
ReplyDeleteBoy, it's like they didn't WANT to capture the audiences interest too quickly.