8 March 2015

 Birthdays
Yui Aikawa b. 1989 (Rape Zombie: Lust of the Dead)
James Van Der Beek b. 1977 (The Storm)
Alexandra Davies b. 1977 (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, BeastMaster)
Freddie Prinze Jr. 1976 (Witches of East End, Scooby-Doo, Wing Commander)
Danny Corkill b. 1974 (D.A.R.Y.L., Dune)
Boris Kodjoe b. 1973 (Resident Evil, Surrogates, Starship Trooper 3: Marauder)
Matt Nable b. 1972 (Arrow, Riddick)
Al Vicente b. 1971 (American Horror Story, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Under the Dome, The Walking Dead, American Zombie, Jericho)
Jed Rees b. 1970 (Galaxy Quest, Lake Placid, Crow: Stairway to Heaven [TV], The X-Files)
Robert Stanton b. 1963 (The Stepford Wives [2004])
Leon b. 1962 (Bats)
Camryn Manheim b. 1961 (Extant, Slipstream, The 10th Kingdom, What Planet Are You From?)
Barbara Eve Harris b. 1959 (Forever, The Amazing Spider-Man, Eureka, 10.5 Apocalypse, TekWar: TekJustice, The Hidden Room)
Aidan Quinn b. 1959 (Jonah Hex, Practical Magic, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein [1994], The Handmaid’s Tale)
Peter and David Paul b. 1957 (The Barbarians, Knight Rider)
John Kapelos b. 1956 (No Ordinary Family, Lost Girl, Category 7: The End of the World, Phil the Alien, Dead Like Me, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Forever Knight, The Shadow, The Relic, The Craft, The X-Files, Angel, Timecop, Lois & Clark, Quantum Leap, Weird Science)
Kathy Shower b. 1953 (Night Realm, Cyber-C.H.I.C., Frankenstein General Hospital, Knight Rider)
Mickey Dolenz b. 1945 (Halloween [2007], The Tick)
Susan Clark b. 1940 (The Astronaut, Colossus: The Forbin Project)
Lewis Teague b. 1938 (director, Justice League of America, Time Trax, Cat’s Eye, Cujo, Alligator)
George Innes b. 1938 (Stardust, Morons from Outer Space, Voyagers!, Hammer House of Horror, The Medusa Touch, Scars of Dracula)
Mickey Morton b. 1927 died 8 August 1993 (The Star Wars Holiday Special, The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, Land of the Lost, Gemini Man, Far Out Space Nuts, I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek)
Booth Colman b. 1923 died 15 December 2014 (Star Trek: Voyager, Galactica 1980, Project U.F.O., Time Travelers, Planet of the Apes [TV], The Invaders, I Dream of Jeannie, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Outer Limits, Moonfleet, Them!)
Alan Hale Jr. b. 1921 died 2 January 1990 (ALF, The Giant Spider Invasion, Land of the Giants, Batman, My Favorite Martian, The Crawling Hand)
Priscilla Lawson b. 1914 died 27 August 1958 (Flash Gordon)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Previously, the Picture Slot was given to Mickey Morton, a very tall actors who usually played menacing thugs like he did in The Gamesters of Triskelion. This year I gave it to Jed Rees, an Oh That Guy actor who played one of the aliens in Galaxy Quest. To this day, I consider Galaxy Quest the best Star Trek movie ever made.

2. The Canadians among us. Not every Canadian actor hangs around Toronto or Vancouver waiting for a guest shot on one of the many shows shot up there. Jed Rees and John Kapelos have done a lot of work south of the the 45th parallel and Barbara Eve Harris was actually born in Barbados but moved to Canada as a youngster.

3. Nepotism and not. We have two Juniors on the list, Alan Hale Jr., who can fairly be said to have been given a family connection boost, and Freddie Prinze Jr., who didn't get that much of a boost at all. His father died at the age of 22, a few months before his son turned one year old.

4. MST3K. Alan Hale Jr. was in both The Giant Spider Invasion and The Crawling Hand, movies shown on the Satellite of Love.

5. The Guys at the Door. Two 77 year olds, British actor George Innes and American director Lewis Teague, are the oldest living people on the list today and no one younger than they are has died, so they count as the Guys at the Door. As always, special best birthday wishes to them,

Many happy returns to all the living on the list, especially George Innes and Lewis Teague, and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.

Movie released
Oz the Great and Powerful released, 2013
 

Predictor: Robert A. Heinlein in his 1956 book The Door Into Summer

Prediction: One thing that impressed me most [in the year 2000] was NullGrav. I had been taught in school that gravitation was something that nobody could ever do anything about, because it was inherent in the very shape of space. So they changed the shape of space, but only temporarily and locally.

Reality: Anti-gravity machines have been very popular in sci-fi forever, but I give credit to Heinlein for casually mentioning Einstein's explanation of how gravity works and why there really isn't much chance it will ever happen.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

My favorite part of Monday is digging into the OMNI Future Almanac for another prediction.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

4 December 2014

Birthdays
Hilary Cruz b. 1988 (Sand Sharks)
Orlando Brown b. 1987 (Phil of the Future)
Grant Pierce Myers b. 1981 (writer, The Maze Runner)
James Francis Ginty b. 1980 (Supernatural)
Victor Garcia b. 1974 (director, Hellraiser: Revelations, Frost Giant, 30 Days of Night: Blood Trails)
Kevin Sussman b. 1970 (Big Bang Theory, A.I. Artificial Intelligence)
John L. Adams b. 1970 (Stephen King’s The Dead Zone)
Tony Todd b. 1954 (The Man From Earth, Stargate SG-1, Andromeda, Smallville, Angel, Candyman, Babylon 5, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Star Trek: Voyager, Xena, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The X-Files, The Crow, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Night of the Living Dead[1990])
Mick Garris b. 1951 (writer, Fear Itself, Masters of Horror, Hocus-Pocus, She-Wolf of London, The Fly 2, Critters 2, *batteries not included, Amazing Stories)
Pamela Stephenson b. 1949 (Superman III, Space: 1999)
Jeff Bridges b. 1949 (R.I.P.D., TRON and TRON: Legacy, Iron Man, K-PAX, Starman, Faerie Tale Theatre, King Kong [1976])
Gemma Jones b. 1942 (Atlantis [2013], Harry Potter, Merlin, Return of the Borrowers, The Jim Henson Hour)
Jimmy Hunt b. 1939 (Invaders from Mars [1986 and 1953])
Donnelly Rhodes b. 1937 (Supernatural, TRON: Legacy, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Roswell: The Aliens Attack, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, The X-Files, Sliders, Deadly Nightmares, Wonder Woman)
Victor French b. 1934 died 15 June 1989 (Captain Nice, Batman, My Favorite Martian)
Michael Bates b. 1920 died 11 January 1978 (A Clockwork Orange)
Samuel Butler b. 1835 died 18 June 1902 (author, Erewhon)

A short list today and a short set of notes.

Jeff Bridges gets the Picture Slot, Tony Todd got it last year. As for 2015, the top three candidates are Kevin Sussman as the comic book shop owner from The Big Bang Theory, Gemma Jones as Madam Pomfrey from the Harry Potter films and Jimmy Hunt as the little kid in the original Invaders From Mars.

Donnelly Rhodes is The Guy at the Door today, everyone born before him is dead and everyone after him is alive, as is he. Always extra best wishes to The Guy at the Door.

 There are two credit lists that look Canadian, but only one actual Canuck. Take your best shot.

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

IN THE YEAR 2000! 

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction: Thanks to data furnished by satellites, as well as the electronic analysis of land, atmosphere, and oceans, climate control will be within man's reach. We will know how to dissipate storms of hurricane intensity or divert them from their destructive course. We will unfreeze ports which are now icebound. We will be able to predict weather precisely for months and years ahead.

Reality: Scoring this one is easy. One goose egg, both big and fat. The one thing that is close is the satellite data has improved weather prediction. Five day forecasts in the 21st Century are WAY better than they were in 1960, but we also understand more about chaotic systems and the limits of predicting them. Five days good, seven days not so good, two weeks even worse and the longer the prediction time, the more chance the prediction will fall apart. Not unlike this prediction.

This is the last prediction of Lee de Forest from the 1960 Sunday supplement. I have one more prediction from him from another source, so next Thursday we will say farewell. He was pretty good in his area of expertise, radio and communications in general, and on other stuff he was hit or miss. He's no John Elfreth Watkins (sniff.), but I for one will miss him.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

It's another look into crystal ball with a young H.G. Wells from his 1902 book Anticipations.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

27 November 2014

 Birthdays
Alexandra Astin b. 1996 (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
Aubrey Peeples b. 1993 (Sharknado)
Alison Pill b. 1985 (Snowpiercer, The Dinosaur Hunter, Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang, Poltergeist: The Legacy, PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal)
Arjay Smith b. 1983 (Charmed, The Day After Tomorrow, The Journey of Allen Strange)
Todd Giebenhain b. 1974 (True Blood, The 4400, Galaxy Quest)
Sharlto Copley b. 1973 (Powers, Maleficent, District 9, Elysium, Europa Report)
Jolene Boland b. 1975 (Lost Girl, Haven, Land of the Dead)
Tadanobu Asano b. 1973 (Thor, Battleship)
Kirk Acevedo b. 1971 (12 Monkeys [TV], Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Grimm, The Walking Dead, Collision Earth, Fringe)
Brooke Langton b. 1970 (Supernatural, Sliders)
Chin Han b. 1969 (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Arrow, Fringe, Contagion, 2012, The Dark Knight, Blindness)
Michael Vartan b. 1968 (Ring of Fire, The Mists of Avalon)
Robin Givens b. 1964 (Blankman)
Fisher Stevens b. 1963 (Lost, Early Edition, The Hunger, Super Mario Bros., Short Circuit, My Science Project, The Brother From Another Planet)
Steve Oedekerk b. 1961 (screenwriter, Cowboys and Aliens)
Samantha Bond b. 1961 (The Sarah Jane Chronicles)
Michael Rispoli b. 1960 (The Man in the High Castle, Kick-Ass)
Rick Rockwell b. 1956 (writer, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes)
William Fichtner b. 1955 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Elysium, The Dark Knight , Invasion, Ultraviolet, Equilibrium, Contact, Armageddon, Strange Days, Virtuosity)
Kimmy Robertson b. 1954 (Leprechaun 2, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, My Mom's a Werewolf)
Curtis Armstrong b. 1953 (Supernatural, Reaper, Southland Tales, The Chronicle, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Lois & Clark, M.A.N.T.I.S., Hi, Honey - I'm Dead, The Clan of the Cave Bear)
Kathryn Bigelow b. 1951(director, Strange Days, Near Dark)
Gerrit Graham b. 1949 (Star Trek: Voyager, Weird Science [TV], The Wasp Woman [TV], Lois & Clark, Philadelphia Experiment II, Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5, Child's Play 2, C.H.U.D. II – Bud the Chud, Tales from the Crypt, It's Alive III: Island of the Alive, Twilight Zone [1986], The Creature Wasn't Nice, Demon Seed, Future Cop, Brave New World [TV], Beware! The Blob)
Barbara Anderson b. 1945 (Wonder Woman, The Invisible Man, The Six Million Dollar Man, Star Trek)
James Avery b. 1945 died 31 December 2013 (Star Trek: Enterprise, Charmed, The Nightmare Room, Epoch, Dr, Doolittle 2, Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time, Beauty and the Beast [1988 TV], Timestalkers, Amazing Stories)
Gregory Hoblit b. 1944 (director, NYPD 2069, Frequency, Fallen)
John Alderton b. 1940 (Zardoz)
Bruce Lee b. 1940 died 20 July 1973 (The Green Hornet, Batman)
Marshall Thompson b. 1925 died 18 May 1992 (Around the World Under the Sea, Men Into Space, World of Giants, It! The Terror from Beyond Space, Fiend Without a Face)
Ann Prentiss b. 1939 died 12 January 2010 (My Stepmother Is an Alien, Quark, Captain Nice, Bewitched)
Rodney Bewes b. 1937 (Doctor Who, Unidentified Flying Oddball, Jabberwocky, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland [1972])
Stewart Moss b. 1937 (Beyond Westworld, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bat People, The Invaders, Star Trek)
L. Sprague de Camp b. 1907 died 6 November 2000 (author, A Gun For Dinosaur, Conan, Gavagan’s Bar, Viagens Interplanetarias)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Last year, I used Bruce Lee, though to be honest, The Green Hornet was not really sci-fi or fantasy. This year, it's Barbara Anderson and her role from the original Star Trek. Next year, I might go with Oh That Guy Gerrit Graham or maybe Sharlto Copley, who has done a lot of roles since District 9 became a surprise hit.

2. Wait... he's dead? She's dead? She did what? I think I saw James Avery's obit early this year, but I didn't give him a Never To Be Forgotten post, which was an oversight on my part. Ann Prentiss was the younger sister of Paula Prentiss and they looked a lot alike. I remember her from Captain Nice. In 1997, She was convicted of making terrorist threats, assault with a firearm, battery and solicitation to murder her brother-in-law Richard Benjamin and her father. She was sentenced to 19 years in jail for the crimes. She died in prison in 2010. I was completely unaware of that.

3. Two hard to spot Canadians. Allison Pill and Jolene Boland, but neither has been in a lot of Canadian genre productions.

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

IN THE YEAR 2000! 

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction: New dirt and grease resistant floor, furniture, and wall coverings will be available. There even will be a bug-killing paint which, year in and year out, will kill any insects that touch it.

Reality: Ah, the world before health regulations. The 3M product Scotch Guard already on the market when he wrote this, but it has been removed from the market due to health concerns. As for a bug-killing paint, I've never heard of one and I expect it wouldn't last long given the health problems it could produce.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

On the day after Turkey Day, we'll hear from H.G. Wells, who will not predict how crazy Americans would get on Black Friday.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

25 September 2014

Birthdays
Nicole Fugere b. 1986 (The New Addams Family)
Jordan Gavaris b. 1985 (Orphan Black, Curse of Chucky)
Rossif Sutherland b. 1978 (Reign, Dead Before Dawn 3D, Timeline)
Joel David Moore b. 1977 (Forever, Shark Night 3D, Chillerama, Avatar, Angel, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch)
Clea DuVall b. 1977 (American Horror Story, The Event, Virtuality, Heroes, Carnivale, Ghosts of Mars, How to Make a Monster, The Astronaut’s Wife, The Faculty, Buffy, Little Witches)
Charlotte Ayanna b. 1976 (The Insatiable, The Thirst, The Rage: Carrie 2, Weird Science [TV])
Bridgette Wilson-Sampras b. 1973 (House on Haunted Hill, Mortal Kombat, Last Action Hero)
Catherine Zeta-Jones b. 1969 (The Phantom)
Hal Sparks b. 1969 (Lab Rats, Spider-Man 2, Dude, Where’s My Car?, Lois & Clark, Chopper Chicks in Zombietown, Frog)
Will Smith b. 1968 (After Earth, Hancock, Men in Black, I,Robot, I am Legend, Independence Day)
Simon Barry b. 1966 (writer, Continuum)
Jason Flemyng b. 1966 (X-Men: First Class, Primeval, Clash of the Titans, Kick-Ass, Solomon Kane, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Quatermass Experiment [2005], Seed of Chucky, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Alice in Wonderland [1999 TV], Deep Rising)
Gordon Currie b. 1965 (Left Behind, Earth: Final Conflict, Mutant X, Code Name: Eternity, First Wave, Highlander: The Raven, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Blood & Donuts, Forever Knight, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan)
Maria Doyle Kennedy b. 1964 (Orphan Black)
Mikael Persbrandt b. 1963 (The Hobbit)
Tate Donovan b. 1963 (No Ordinary Family, SpaceCamp)
Aida Turturro b. 1962 (Deep Blue Sea)
Beth Toussaint b. 1962 (Fortress 2, legend [1995 TV], Babylon 5, Project Shadowchaser II, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Monsters)
Heather Locklear b. 1961 (Firestarter)
Ian Reddington b. 1957 (Doctor Who, Highlander)
Michael Madsen b. 1957 (2047 – Sights of Death, Infected, BloodRayne, Sin City, Frankenstein [2004 TV], Vampires Anonymous, Species I & II, Quantum Leap, Deadly Nightmares)
Christopher Reeve b, 1952 died 10 October 2004 (Smallville, Village of the Damned, Faerie Tale Theatre, Somewhere in Time, Superman)
Colin Friels b. 1952 (Dark City, Space: Above and Beyond, Darkman)
Mark Hamill b. 1951 (Star Wars, Virtually Heroes, 3rd Rock from the Sun, SeaQuest 2032, Village of the Damned, Time Runner, The Flash, Guyver, Amazing Stories)
Jack Bender b. 1949 (director, Under the Dome, Alphas, Lost, Carnivale, Child’s Play 3)
Mimi Kennedy b. 1948 (No Ordinary Family, Twilight Zone [1986])
Felicity Kendal b. 1946 (Doctor Who)
Louisa Moritz b. 1946 (Galaxis, The Incredible Hulk, Death Race 2000)
Robert Walden b. 1943 (Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe, Capricorn One)
Michael Douglas b. 1944 (Ant-Man, Coma [1978])
Steve Forrest b. 1925 died 18 May 2013 (Team Knight Rider, Amazon Women on the Moon, Captain America, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Sixth Sense [TV], Twilight Zone)
Betty Ballantine b. 1919 (editor and publisher)

Notes on the birthday list.
1. The Big Three. Last year it was Christopher Reeve, this year it's Will Smith. If it's iconic roles in genre as the criterion, Mark Hamill should get the shot next year.

2. The wild card next year. Because I'm a big fan of Orphan Black, if I can get a good still picture of Jordan Gavaris and Maria Doyle Kennedy (Felix and Mrs. S.), that would be two for the price of one.

3. Well known but not for genre. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are A-list movie stars, but they have avoided sci-fi and fantasy for the most part. Other faces that Americans will know from TV are Robert Walden from Lou Grant, Heather Locklear from more shows than I can list, Aida Turturro from The Sopranos. None of these people are going to be in the Picture Slot, even though Zeta-Jones and Locklear are clearly fabulous babes.

4. Wait... how many credits? Michael Madsen has 241 credits. Mark Hamill has 262. The thing is, the vast majority for Hamill are voice work. It's really for actors to have over 200 unless they are primarily voice actors. I had no idea Madsen had been that busy. If he can keep this pace up, he'll end up with as many as John Carradine. Very impressive work ethic.

5. Wait... she's still alive? A very happy birthday to Betty Ballantine. The sci-fi and fantasy market owes a great debt to the paperbacks published by Ballantine Books.

6. Wait... he's dead?  I wasn't aware Steve Forrest had died. He was 87 when he died last year, but I don't know how I missed the obit. On the other hand, Christopher Reeve died very young but I remember that very well.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list and to Mr. Forrest and Mr. Reeve, thanks for all the memories.
 

In the Year 2000!
 
Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction: New discoveries will make the waters of wretchedness recede from every corner of civilization. Our limitless oceans will be "farmed" for nutritive products. Refining of salt water into fresh will be widespread and inexpensive.

Reality: The "limitless oceans" was an idea that cropped up a lot back in the day, but they aren't limitless and it's hard to farm a place you are using as a dump. With islands of floating plastic in the Atlantic and Pacific and large increases in ocean temperature due to global warming, the ocean as a source of food for all mankind hasn't panned out that well. As for desalination, it's still expensive and rare.

Not your best work, Lee.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Fridays belong to The Experts Speak, so you can expect something completely wrong to start your weekend.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

21 August 2014

 Birthdays
Maxim Knight b. 1999 (Falling Skies)
Hayden Panettiere b. 1989 (Heroes)
Robert Knox b. 1989 died 24 May 2008 (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
Laura Haddock b. 1985 (Guardians of the Galaxy, Rage of the Yeti, Captain America: The First Avenger)
Nathan Jones b. 1969 (Mad Max: Fury Road, Conan the Barbarian [2011], Doom Runners)
Carrie-Anne Moss b. 1967 (The Matrix, Red Planet, Forever Knight)
Kim Catrall b. 1956 (Modern Vampires, Invasion, Split Second, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Big Trouble in Little China, City Limits, Mannequin, Tucker’s Witch, The Incredible Hulk, Logan’s Run [TV])
Walter Williamson b. 1946 (The Omega Code, Babylon 5)
Basil Poledouris b. 1945 died 8 November 2006 (composer, Starship Troopers, RoboCop 3, RoboCop, Cherry 2000, Amerika, Twilight Zone [1985], Conan the Barbarian, Tintorera: Killer Shark)
Loretta Devine b. 1949 (Supernatural)
Peter Weir b. 1944 (director, The Truman Show, The Cars That Eat People)
Clarence Williams III b. 1939 (Deep Space Nine)
Wilt Chamberlain b. 1936 died 12 October 1999 (Conan the Destroyer)
Tony Steedman b. 1927 died 4 February 2001 (Babylon 5, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Beauty and the Beast, The Charmings)
Anthony Boucher b. 1911 died 29 April 1968 (editor, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction)

A list of random thoughts about today's list.

1. Last year it was Carrie-Anne Moss from The Matrix, this year it's Kim Catrall from Big Trouble in Little China. Long before Kim Catrall was mocked mercilessly for her role on Sex and the City, she was mocked mercilessly on Mystery Science Theater 3000.  Dr. Forester introduced City Limits with the line "This week's experiment is City Limits, with James Earl Jones in one of the worst movies he ever made and Kim Catrall in one of the best movies she ever made." That still makes me laugh.

2. The people with just one role. All the reasons are different. Maxim Knight is just a kid and who knows where his career will go. Hayden Panettiere hasn't gone back to genre since Heroes. Poor Robert Knox was killed in a bar brawl four days after his last scene was shot. Wilt Chamberlain only played a role other than himself in one movie. And then there's Loretta Devine and Clarence Williams III, each of them with over 100 credits and only one in sci-fi, not counting voice work. A lot of hard working black actors don't get cast in sci-fi or fantasy and they aren't the only ethnic group treated this way. If an Italian-American actor gets cast as a mobster, that's pretty much how his or her entire career will go. It's much the same for Hispanic actors who play gang members.

3. Die young much? Of the deceased on today's list, Only Tony Steedman (Socrates in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure) lived to see 70. When I was hunting names on isfdb.org this morning, I saw the illustrator Aubrey Beardsley was on their list, but I didn't include him. He died at 25. To think of the accomplishments of people dying that young is both impressive and depressing.

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

In the Year 2000!
 
Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.


Prediction: The atom and electron will be your doctor's servants. Electronic ""brains,"" for instance, will store knowledge of every symptom of every disease, making instantly available to physicians everywhere up-to-the-minute scientific findings which they could never hope to keep abreast of.

Reality: This is some good thinking on de Forest's part and it is 100% accurate. He couldn't be expected to know that computers would be most used for storing pictures of adorable cats and porn, but to grade him down for that would be completely unfair.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

The Picture Slot will be a tip of the hat to My People and Our Agenda, he wrote somewhat cryptically. 

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

19 June 2014

Birthdays
Paul Dano b. 1984 (Looper, Cowboys & Aliens)
Aidan Turner b. 1983 (The Hobbit, Being Human)
Lauren Lee Smith b. 1980 (Ring of Fire [TV], Blade: The Series, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Mutant X, Dark Angel)
Zoe Saldana b. 1978 (Guardians of the Galaxy, Rosemary’s Baby [2014 TV], Star Trek, Avatar)
Ryan Hurst b. 1976 (Taken, The Postman)
Hugh Dancy b. 1975 (Ella Enchanted, Relic Hunter)
Chelah Horsdal b. 1973 (Arrow, The Cabin in the Woods, Supernatural, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Iron Invader, Stargate, Eureka, Alien Trespass, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, Bionic Woman, Battlestar Galactica, X-Men: The Last Stand, Smallville, The 4400, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Andromeda)
Robin Tunney b. 1972 (End of Days, The Craft, Frogs!)
Alan Van Sprang b. 1971 (Survival of the Dead, ReGenesis, Diary of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Starhunter, Mutant X, Earth: Final Conflict, Highlander: The Raven)
Chris Larkin b. 1967 (Doctor Who, Mysterious Island [2005 TV], Highlander [TV])
Mia Sara b. 1967 (Dorothy and the Witches of Oz, Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Birds of Prey, Lost in Oz, Jack and the Beanstalk: The True Story, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea [1997 TV], Timecop, Time Trax, Legend)
Samuel West b. 1966 (Dark Relic, Van Helsing, Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time, Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader [1989 TV])
Sadie Frost b. 1965 (Dracula [1992])
Andrew Lauer b. 1965 (Iron Man 3, Adventures of a Teenage Dragonslayer, King of the Lost World, Screamers)
Virginia Hey b. 1952 (Alien Armageddon, Farscape, The Return of Captain invincible, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior)
Salman Rushdie b. 1947 (author, Midnight’s Children, Haroun and the Sea of Stories)
Steve Ryan b. 1947 died 3 September 2007 (The X-Files, D.A.R.Y.L.)
Pier Angeli b. 1932 died10 September 1971 (Octaman)
Diana Sowle b. 1930 (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory)
Robert Fyfe b. 1925 (Cloud Atlas, Xtro)
Louis Jourdan b. 1921 (Swamp Thing, Count Dracula [1977 TV])
Pat Buttram b. 1915 died 8 January 1994 (Back to the Future Part III, Knight Rider, The Munsters)
Julius Schwartz b. 1915 died 8 February 2004 (editor, DC Comics)
Harry Lauter b. 1915 died 30 October 1990 (Superbeast, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Land of the Giants, The Invaders, The Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Green Hornet, Batman: The Movie, My Favorite Martian, Earth vs. Flying Saucers, The Werewolf, Creature with the Atom Brain, It Came from Beneath the Sea, Captain Midnight, Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, The Day the Earth Stood Still)

The most iconic genre roles on the list are all fabulous babes and Virginia Hey from Farscape is my choice this year. Last year it was Zoe Saldana and Mia Sara from Legend is the early front runner for next year. Harry Lauter is definitely an Oh That Guy, but not as recognizable as Ed Lauter (no relation), a bald character actor who died last year.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty including someone who only had one role in genre, and I felt that way today about Pier Angeli, a beauty who died very young and who had just the one role in the forgettable Italian sci-fi movie Octaman. On the subject of dying young, Steve Ryan is a character actor best known as the one-handed guy on Arrested Development who taught the Bluth kids terrifying lessons at their father's request. I had no idea he had died. In the other direction, I had no idea Louis Jourdan was still alive.

As my father often says, you learn something new every day, if you aren't careful.

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

Movies released
Jason and the Argonauts released, 1963

Seeing this at the Grand Lake in Oakland the summer it came out is still a special memory for me.
  

In the year 2000!

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

 Prediction: Some day, the need for power wires and such common household items as cords and plugs may have vanished: There is a technical possibility that power can be transmitted directly on invisible beams-and that an airplane, for instance, can be controlled and powered by transmission of a radio and energy signal.

Reality: De Forest is not the only person I've read who thought broadcasting energy was a thing, but I've never heard of a successful example, especially not over distances necessary for an airplane.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

The weekly schedule is interrupted for an exact date of a nuclear Armageddon. Fun!

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

5 June 2014

Birthdays
Yuya Ozeki b. 1996 (The Grudge)
Troye Sivan b. 1995 (X-Men: Origins: Wolverine)
Sophie Lowe b. 1990 (Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, After the Dark)
Ellary Porterfield (Video Game High School)
Amanda Crew b. 1986 (The Haunting in Connecticut, Final Destination 3, Smallville)
Marc Pickering b. 1985 (Sleepy Hollow [1999])
Navi Rawat b. 1977 (FlashForward, Undead or Alive: A Zombedy, Angel, Thoughtcrimes, Roswell)
Chad Allen b. 1974 (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Charmed, Total Recall 2070)
Mark Walberg b. 1971 (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Ted, The Happening, Planet of the Apes)
Susan Lynch b. 1971 (From Hell, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles)
Ron Livingston b. 1967 (The Time Traveler’s Wife, Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Timecop)
Douglas O’Keeffe b. 1966 (The Andromeda Strain, Smallville, Mutant X, Andromeda, Dark Angel, Seven Days, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, The Adventures of Sinbad [TV], Specimen, Forever Knight, Johnny Mnemonic)
Ken Hudson Campbell b. 1962 (Bewitched [2005], Breakfast of Champions, Armageddon, Groundhog Day)
Daniel von Bargen b. 1955 (S1mOne, Universal Soldier: The Return, The Faculty, The X-Files, The Postman, Thinner, Lord of Illusions, RoboCop 3)
Nancy Stafford b. 1954 (Babylon 5, Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare, Quantum Leap, Q)
Kathleen Kennedy b. 1953 (producer, Star Wars: Episodes VII, VIII, IX, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Last Airbender, Indiana Jones, War of the Worlds, Jurassic Park, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, The Sixth Sense, The Indian in the Cupboard, Congo, Back to the Future, Gremlins, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, *batteries not included, Innerspace, Amazing Stories, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Poltergeist, E.T. the Extraterrestrial)
Mark Harelik b. 1951 (TIMER, The Big Bang Theory, Pushing Daisies, Heroes, Angel, Star Trek: Voyager)
John Bach b. 1946 (Legend of the Seeker, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Lord of the Rings, Farscape, The Lost World, Young Hercules, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Mysterious Island [TV], Time Trax)
Robert Lansing b. 1928 died 23 October 1994 (Bionic Showdown, Automan, Island Claws, Empire of the Ants, The Astronaut, Star Trek, Twilight Zone, 4D Man)
John Abbott b. 1905 died 24 May 1996 (Slapstick (Of Another Kind), Holmes and Yo-Yo, 2000 Years Later, Land of the Giants, Star Trek, Lost in Space, The Munsters, Cry of the Werewolf)

I know that using stills from the original series of Star Trek is something of a cliche on this blog, but the show was on in syndication for so long that I can argue that every major guest star is iconic. Here is a scene from Errand of Mercy with John Abbott playing opposite an unidentified Canadian actor.

I kid. I'm a kidder.

For me, the saddest name on the list is Daniel von Bargen, who has been so good in so many roles, notably on Seinfeld, Malcolm in the Middle and O Brother Where Art Thou? He attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head in 2012 but survived. He was depressed over losing his leg to diabetes and the prospect of losing toes on the remaining leg. Hard luck stories don't get much worse.

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

In the year 2000!

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.


Prediction: Devices which will catch and store energy from the sun's rays will make solar heating, lighting, and power a reality. Solar energy in some regions may be cheaper and more practical than nuclear power!

Reality: The exclamation point is part of a direct quote and in 2000, this statement was arguable, but in 2014, I would have to give de Forest full points. Yay, correct predictions! He was on a bad losing streak for so long there.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Speaking of bad losing streaks, Paul Ehrlich made some predictions after The Population Bomb was published and they are up to his usual standards.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

30 May 2014

Birthdays
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, Eerie, Indiana, Adventure in Dinosaur City)
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)
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)
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)
Colm Meaney b. 1953 (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 11/1/2005 (writer, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Star Trek, Hard Time on Planet Earth)
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)
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 Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century, The Phantom Tollbooth)
Howard Hawks b. 1896 died 26 December 1977 (director [uncredited], The Thing from Another World)

 Long list with some big names today. Last year I put Colm Meaney in the Picture Slot, certainly iconic, and this year it's Keir Dullea from 2001: A Space Odyssey. I'll be honest and admit I didn't love 2001. My favorite Kubrick film is Dr. Strangelove and I don't even care what my second favorite is. That said, 2001 is every bit as important as Twilight Zone, Star Trek and Star Wars is in the history of sci-fi on film. This was a time when a studio committed to making a big budget "serious" sci-fi film that wasn't aimed at kids in any way. Of the sci-fi made before this, I would say Fahrenheit 451 also qualifies, with Truffaut having the same kind of cache as Kubrick. The difference between them looking back now from nearly a half century is that 2001 is still considered iconic and Fahrenheit 451 is largely forgotten.

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

In the year 2000!
 
Predictor: Edward Bellamy in his 1888 novel Looking Backward (2000 to 1887)

Prediction: On 30 May 1887, Julian West falls into a coma, only to awaken in the Boston of the year 2000.

Reality: I don't want to make the prediction section of the blog a Greatest Hits collection. The stuff after the birthday list should feel as fresh as possible every day. But some of the predictions I think bear repeating, like a couple tips of the hat to George Orwell each year and a growing list of stuff from Back to the Future II leading up to 2015, the year it is supposed to take place. Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward also gets this kind of treatment, in part because it spawned a rash of books that came up with their version of the future in response to Bellamy's success and because writers for years after, including Orwell and H.G. Wells and Jack London, listed Bellamy as an influence, though they weren't often kind. (The book has no plot, it's just a list of marvels the future will bring.)

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Saturday means another trip back to 1893, this time with somewhat understated facial hair.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

22 May 2014

 Birthdays
Tao Okamoto b. 1985 (Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Wolverine)
Lucy Gordon b. 1980 died 20 May 2009 (Spider-Man 3)
Maggie Q b. 1979 (Divergent, Priest)
Ginnifer Goodwin b. 1978 (Once Upon a Time)
Noa Tisby b. 1977 (Charmed, The Island, The 4400, Star Trek: Enterprise)
Max Brooks b. 1972 (author, World War Z)
Michael Kelly b. 1969 (Chronicle, The Adjustment Bureau, Fringe, Level 9)
Mark Christopher Lawrence b. 1964 (Halloween II, Heroes, The Island, K-PAX, Planet of the Apes, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Terminator 2: Judgment Day)
David Schneider b. 1963 (28 Days Later…)
Gary Sweet b. 1957 (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)
Mike Muscat b. 1952 (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Last Action Hero, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Starman [TV], The Clan of the Cave Bear)
Cheryl Campbell b. 1949 (The Sarah Jane Adventures)
Michael Sarrazin b. 1940 died 17 April 2011 (Feardotcom, Arrival II, Earthquake in New York, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Frankenstein: The True Story)
Paul Winfield b. 1939 died 7 March 2004 (Mars Attacks!, White Dwarf, Babylon 5, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Charmings, The Terminator, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Twilight’s Last Gleaming)
Richard Benjamin b. 1938 (actor, Love at First Bite, Quark, Westworld, director, My Stepmother is an Alien)
John Nolan b. 1938 (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises, 1990, Doomwatch, The Prisoner)
Quinn Martin b. 1922 died 5 September 1987 (producer, The Aliens Are Coming, The Mephisto Waltz, The Invaders)
Laurence Olivier b. 1907 died 11 July 1989 (Clash of the Titans, Dracula [1979], The Boys from Brazil)
Arthur Conan Doyle b. 1859 died 7 July 1930 (author, The Lost World)

 When it comes to iconic roles on this list, my top two would be Olivier as Zeus in Clash of the Titans or Paul Winfield as Captain Dathon in the episode Darmok. I chose the one I liked better. I'm sure I read the news when it happened, but I was surprised to find that both Paul Winfield and Michael Sarrazin are dead.

Many happy returns to the living on the list and to the dead, Darmok and Jalad, watching old movies.

Movies released
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull released, 2008
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian released, 2009

In the year 2000!

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction: Nuclear energy will be a practical power source for industry, autos, ships, missiles, trains, and planes. One "shot" of atomic fuel will last years. even decades. A single atomic battery will produce all the electricity needed for years in homes or factories in isolated regions.

Reality: Take de Forest away from his field of communications and his track record is pretty bad, as in almost at Paul Ehrlich levels of stink. He's right about atomic energy on ships - at least in the Navy - but autos, missiles, trains and planes... not so much. One little slip-up and your home or factory will be in a really isolated region for a couple of decades.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Speaking of Paul Ehrlich levels of bad, we still have a few more swings and misses from the so-called expert.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

19 May 2014

Birthdays
Elinor Tomlinson b. 1992 (Deadly Code, Jack the Giant Slayer, Alice in Wonderland [2010], The Sarah Jane Adventures)
Lily Cole b. 1988 (Snow White and the Huntsman, Doctor Who)
Claudia Karvan b. 1972 (Star Wars:Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Farscape, The Lost World [TV], Strange Planet)
Geraldine Somerville b. 1967 (Harry Potter)
Polly Walker b. 1966 (John Carter, Warehouse 13, Caprica, Clash of the Titans [2010])
Grace Jones b. 1946 (Wolf Girl, BeastMaster [TV], Cyber Bandits, Vamp, Conan the Destroyer)
Andre the Giant b. 1946 died 27 January 1993 (The Princess Bride, Conan the Destroyer, The Greatest American Hero, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Peter Mayhew b. 1944 (Star Wars, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, Dark Towers)
James Fox b. 1939 (Merlin, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Doctor Who: Shada, Gulliver’s Travels [1996], The Road to 1984)
Pat Roach b. 1937 died 17 July 2004 (Starhunter, Kull the Conqueror, Space Precinct, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Willow, Red Sonja, Conan the Destroyer, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Clash of the Titans, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Unidentified Flying Oddball)
James Greene b. 1931 (Doctor Who, Merlin, Dracula [2006 TV], Dinotopia, From Hell, 1990)
Bruce Bilson b. 1928 (director, The Flash, They Came from Outer Space, The Twilight Zone [1986], The Powers of Matthew Star, Quark, Wonder Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Bewitched)

Odd cut-off on the birthdays today. Before 1946, it's all women and fabulous ones at that. In 1946 we have the fabulous Grace Jones and the Picture Slot boy, Andre the Giant, shown here saying one of my favorite lines of his from The Princess Bride, "Hello, Lady!". (For my money, the book is better than the movie and the movie is pretty close to perfect.) By another odd coincidence, besides Andre we have two other male actors best known for being enormous, last year's Picture Slotter Peter Mayhew (a.k.a. Chewbacca) and Pat Roach, who played the first Nazi mechanic Indiana Jones fought in the famous Raiders of the Lost Ark scene at the grounded plane that's leaking gas and has its propellers turning.

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

Movies released
Star Wars: Episode I – The One We Don't Talk About released, 1999
Shrek 2 released 2004
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith released, 2005
 

 In the Year 2000!

Predictor: The OMNI Future Almanac, publish 1982

Prediction: Clothing designers believe that garments will become more functional and serve as protection against weather extremes. Some clothes in 2000 may be made of year-around computerized fabrics. The wearer will be able to adjust a few dials and a cooling/heating system will be able to change the temperature of the fabric. The concept already exists in the electric blanket.

Another heat source for clothes in 2000, according to fashion designer Will Smith, will be a solar belt pack.

Reality: Eventually, I will open The OMNI Future Almanac to a random page as I have done for over a year now, and I will find that I've used it up, all the cool predictions with years have been mined. On that day, I will be sad. It's certainly not the most accurate source or the most inaccurate, but I always have fun thumbing through it.

Oh yeah, reality. Solar belt packs won't be able to store that much heat and no one is wearing couture electric blankets.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Yet another source I enjoy a lot, Geoffrey Hoyle's 1972 children's book about 2010.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

12 May 2014

Birthdays
Emily VanCamp b. 1986 (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Ring Two, All Souls)
Malin Akerman b. 1978 (Watchmen, The Invasion, Witchblade, Earth: Final Conflict)
Samantha Mathis b. 1970 (Under the Dome, Lost, Nightmares and Dreamscapes, Salem’s Lot, The Punisher, The Mists of Avalon, Super Mario Bros.)
Catherine Tate b. 1968 (Doctor Who, Gulliver’s Travels)
Anthony Brandon Wong b. 1965 (The Matrix, Xena, Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord)
Gavin Hood b. 1963 (director, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ender’s Game)
Emilio Estevez b. 1962 (Freejack, Repo Man, Maximum Overdrive)
April Grace b. 1962 (I am Legend, Lost, The Lost Room, Constantine, A.I.. Artificial Intelligence, The X-Files, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Ving Rhames b. 1959 (Piranha 3D & 3DD, Zombie Apocalypse, Day of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead)
Kim Greist b. 1958 (The X-Files, Last Exit to Earth, Duplicates, Brazil, C.H.U.D.)
Jennifer Hetrick b. 1958 (Sliders, Buffy, Perversions of Science, Dark Skies, The X-Files, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine)
Bruce Boxleitner b. 1950 (TRON, TRON: Legacy, Heroes, Babylon 5)
Gabriel Byrne b. 1950 (Vampire Academy, End of Days, Gothic, Excalibur)
Lindsay Crouse b. 1948 (FlashForward, Buffy, Progeny, Millennium, The Indian in the Cupboard, Communion, Iceman)
Richard Riehle b. 1948 (Texas Chainsaw 3D, Chillerama, The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu, Halloween II, The Man from Earth, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Voyager, Buffy, Tremors [TV], Time Changer, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Mighty Joe Young, Perversions of Science, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Quantum Leap)
George Carlin b. 1937 died 2008 (Dogma, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure)
Susan Hampshire b. 1937 (The Andromeda Breakthrough)
Oscar Beregi Jr. b. 1918 died 1 November 1976 (Young Frankenstein, Batman, The Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Twilight Zone)
Wilfred Hyde-White b. 1903 died 6 May 1991 (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Battlestar Galactica [1978], Twilight Zone)

A whole lotta choices for the Picture Slot today. If I was in an Oh That Guy mood, Richard Riehle (the guy with people skills in Office Space), Oscar Beregi Jr (a go-to Central European bad guy) and Wilfred Hyde-White (he looks like what his name sounds like) would certainly fill the bill. There are movie and TV stars and George Carlin, one of the top three stand-up comics ever. But I was in a fabulous babe mood, so we get Kim Greist from Brazil, a personal favorite of mine. Also, I like to put up pictures of fabulous babes who are about my age so I don't feel like a dirty old man all the time.

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

In the Year 2000!

Predictor: OMNI Future Almanac, published in 1982

Prediction: Average housing costs will decrease from 21.3% in 1982 to 19.1% in 2000.

Reality: Oh, don't we wish! According to a 2012 article in The Atlantic, average housing costs in 2003 (close enough) were 33% because, as we all know and can say together...

THE RENT IS TOO DAMNED HIGH!

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Our new pal Geoffrey Hoyle tells kids from the 1970s what it will be like in 2010.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

8 May 2014

Birthdays
Elyes Gabel b. 1983 (World War Z, Game of Thrones)
Stephen Amell b. 1981 (Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, ReGenesis)
Josie Moran b. 1978 (Van Helsing)
Matthew Davis b. 1978 (The Vampire Diaries, S. Darko, Wasting Away, BloodRayne)
Melissa Gilbert b. 1964 (Babylon 5, Faerie Tale Theatre)
Michael Gondry b. 1963 (director, The Green Hornet, The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
David Winning b. 1961 (director, Lost Girl, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Dinosapien, Andromeda, Stargate: Atlantis, Dinotopia, Earth: Final Conflict, NightMan, Merlin [TV], Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie)
Stephen Furst b. 1955 (Basilisk: The Serpent King, Babylon 5, The Day After)
Betsy Baker b. 1985 (Oz the Great and Powerful, 2084, The Evil Dead)
David Keith b. 1954 (Locusts: The 8th Plague, Daredevil, Epoch, Carrie [TV], Anthrax, The Indian in the Cupboard, Firestarter)
Ron Miller b. 1947 (artist)
Abdul Salaam El Razzac b. 1944 (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Peter Benchley b. 1940 died 11 February 2006 (writer, The Beast, Creature)
Moebius [Jean Henri Giraud] b. 1938 died 10 March 2012 (artist)
Thomas Pynchon b. 1937 (author, Gravity’s Rainbow, Vineland)
Salome Jens b. 1935 (The Event, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Superboy, The Outer Limits, Terror from the Year 5000)
John Bennett b. 1928 died 11 April 2005 (Minority Report, The Infinite Worlds of H.G. Wells, Jason and the Argonauts [TV], Bridge of Dragons, The Fifth Element, Alien Nation: Millennium, Merlin of the Crystal Cave [TV], Blakes 7, 1990, Doctor Who)
Don Rickles b. 1926 (Innocent Blood, I Dream of Jeannie, The Munsters, The Addams Family, X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes, Twilight Zone, Pajama Party)
John Archer b. 1915 died 3 December 1999 (Batman, Twilight Zone, Men Into Space, Destination Moon)

While Game of Thrones is airing, actors from the show are trump in the Game of Picture Slot, so we see Elyes Gabel as Rahkaro, one of the Dothraki who remains true to Danerys after the death of Khal Drogo. If it wasn't him, I'd likely go with Stephen Furst as Vir Cotto or one of the artists, Moebius or Ron Miller. A piece of information I wasn't aware of until I was doing research this morning is that Pajama Party counts as science fiction, since Tommy Kirk and Don Rickles play Martians.

You learn something new every day if you are not careful, as my father is fond of saying.

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

Movies released
Star Trek (reboot) released, 2009
 

In the year 2000!

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction: Electroluminescence, or "cold light," will revolutionize the appearance of homes, industries, and entire cities. With no heat, shadow, or glare, this lovely "glow" will usher in a new era of comfort and safety in individual rooms, at airports, and on highways. A touch of a button will permit changes of color nuances for entire wall panels.

Reality: We got something like this from Isaac Asimov when he made his predictions for 2014. As for producing light but no heat, LED bulbs fill that bill, but they are still bulbs and not panels and light from a single source produces shadows. Moreover, LED bulbs are crazy expensive, so they aren't exactly an everyday thing even now, and not even close in 2000.

No points for de Forest today.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

At least de Forest got some stuff right. Dr Paul Ehrlich shows up again tomorrow with more pure nonsense from the almost never right book The Population Bomb.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

1 May 2014

 Birthdays
Ariel Gade b. 1997 (Meteor, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Invasion)
Emilia Clarke b. 1987 (Terminator: Genesis, Game of Thrones, Triassic Attack)
Jamie Dornan b. 1982 (Once Upon a Time)
James Badge Dale b. 1978 (World War Z, Iron Man 3)
Darius McCrary b. 1976 (Transformers, Vampires: Los Muertos)
Julie Benz b. 1972 (Defiance, No Ordinary Family, Supernatural, Locusts: The 8th Plague, Angel, Buffy, Roswell, Darkdrive, Sliders)
Kendrick Cross b. 1971 (Witches of East End, Iron Man 3, Teen Wolf [TV])
John Diehl b. 1950 (Almost Human, Singularity Principle, Jericho, Jurassic Park III, The X-Files, Stargate, The Dark Side of the Moon, Beauty and the Beast [TV], Escape from New York)
Dann Florek b. 1950 (From the Earth to the Moon, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch)
Stephen Macht b. 1942 (Sliders, Millennium, The Legend of Galgameth, Babylon 5, Trancers, Deep Space Nine, Highlander [TV], The Monster Squad, Galaxina, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Joy Harmon b. 1940 (Village of the Giants, Bewitched, Batman)
Terry Southern b. 1924 died 29 October 1995 (writer, Barbarella)
Glenn Ford b. 1916 died 30 August 2006 (Day of Resurrection, Superman, The Visitor)

As I have said before, Game of Thrones is trump while it is airing and Emilia Clarke as Danerys Stormborn is easily the most iconic role on today's list, especially for younger viewers. I used Julie Benz from Buffy last year before I did more research and I might use Joy Harmon from Village of the Giants next year because... reasons.

All that said, the one movie star on the list is Glenn Ford, but he only showed up in genre at the very end of his career.

Movies released
X-Men Origins: Wolverine released 2009

In the year 2000!

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction: Downtown streets will have moving conveyor type sidewalks. They will carry you from one store or office to another-as you sit on a portable golf-type stool if you like.

Reality: Airports, yes, downtown streets, no. This is the seventh moving sidewalk prediction and they range in time from John Elfreth Watkins and T. Baron Russell at the beginning of the century to Asimov, Heinlein and others in the 1950s and 1960s. De Forest gets a goose egg on this one, and not even points for originality.

This month's splash photo: Norman Bel Geddes (1893-1958) designed the Futurama exhibit for General Motors' pavilion in the 1939 World's Fair. His streamlined shapes are a major influence on nearly all the futurists that came after him. He is also the father of the actress Barabara Bel Geddes and the author Joan Ulanov. As a tip of the hat to regular commenter Zombie Rotten McDonald, at least this design has windows, unlike the bus that was the April splash page.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

We give Dr. Paul Ehrlich the week off to get a prediction for 2017 ripped from the business section this week.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

24 April 2014

 Birthdays
Jack Quaid b. 1992 (The Hunger Games)
Austin Nichols b. 1980 (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Surface, The Day After Tomorrow, Sliders)
Rebecca Mader b. 1977 (Once Upon a Time, Warehouse 13, Iron Man 3, Fringe, Alphas, No Ordinary Family, Lost)
Eric Balfour b. 1977 (Haven, No Ordinary Family, Skyline, Dinoshark, Rise of the Gargoyles, The Chronicle, Buffy)
Noah Danby b. 1974 (Bitten, Beauty and the Beast, Riddick, Lost Girl, Warehouse 13, Eureka, Painkiller Jane, Stargate SG-1, Alien Incursion, Smallville, The 4400, Andromeda, Mutant X, Witchblade, Lexx)
Eric Kripke b. 1974 (writer, Supernatural, Revolution, Boogeyman)
Damon Lindelof b. 1973 (writer, World War Z, Star Trek Into Darkness, Lost)
Melinda Clarke b. 1969 (The Vampire Diaries, Reaper, Firefly, Tremors [TV], Charmed, Star Trek: Enterprise, Spawn, Sliders, Xena, Return of the Living Dead III)
Rory McCann b. 1969 (Game of Thrones, Season of the Witch, Clash of the Titians, Solomon Kane)
Aiden Gillen b. 1968 (Game of Thrones, The Dark Knight Rises)
Stacy Haiduk b. 1968 (True Blood, Heroes, The Attack of the Sabertooth, The X-Files, Charmed, Kindred: The Embraced, SeaQuest 2032, Superboy)
Djimon Hounsou b. 1964 (Guardians of the Galaxy, Push, Eragon, The Island, Constantine, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Stargate)
Glenn Morshower b. 1959 (Revolution, After Earth, Transformers, X-Men: First Class, Dollhouse, Charmed, The Island, Category 6: Day of Destruction, Star Trek: Enterprise, Buffy, Strange World, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Godzilla [1998], Millennium, The X-Files, Dark Skies, Star Trek: Voyager, Babylon 5, Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Quantum Leap)
Steven Lisberger b. 1951 (writer, TRON)
Michael Parks b. 1940 (Grindhouse, From Dusk Till Dawn, Sorceress)
Jill Ireland b. 1936 died 18 May 1990 (Star Trek, My Favorite Martian, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)
Richard Donner b. 1930 (director, Timeline, Superman, The Omen, Ladyhawke, Twilight Zone)
William Castle b. 1914 died 31 May 1977 (director, Zotz!, 13 Ghosts, The Tingler, House on Haunted Hill)

Nice long birthday list today. Two Game of Thrones regulars, which right now is trump when it comes to The Picture Slot. Aiden Gillen got the honors last year so this year it's Rory McCann as The Hound. Special note is given to Glenn Morshower, a bald and husky Oh That Guy who plays a lot of cops and military officers. In the latest Transformers movie - which I haven't seen - his character is named Gen. Morshower, which I'm guessing is a little joke by the writer who realized he had seen this actor plenty of times before. As for the older folks on the list, it's been a long time since I thought about Jill Ireland, Charles Bronson's lovely wife who died so young 24 years ago. That was definitely my first "Jeez, I'm old!" moment of the morning.

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

In the year 2000!

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction:  Atomic-powered missiles will carry freight and mail between cities-and continents-within minutes. Jets and missiles will be commonplace for passenger flights.

Reality: Umm... no. I've read several mid-century sci-fi stories recently and earthbound rocket travel was a really popular idea. In the movies, rockets landed on alien worlds just as easy as you please, but in the real world that has to pay attention to pesky stuff like physics, landing a tall tube in an upright position is really hard.

And then there's atomic-powered missiles! If he hadn't mentioned jets, this would have been a big goose egg for de Forest.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Even when Lee de Forest screws up, Dr. Paul Ehrlich shows up on Fridays to make him look like a genius in comparison.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

21 April 2014

Birthdays
Frank Dillane b. 1991 (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
Robbie Amell b. 1988 (The Tomorrow People, Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins [TV])
James McAvoy b. 1979 (X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: First Class, Wanted, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Children of Dune)
Dominic Zamprogna b. 1979 (2012, Smallville, Flash Gordon, Bionic Woman, Battlestar Galactica, Blade: The Series, Supernatural, Stargate: Atlantis, Odyssey 5, MythQuest, Tales from the Cryptkeeper)
Brian White b. 1975 (Beauty and the Beast [2013], Cabin in the Woods, Moonlight)
Charlie O’Connell b. 1975 (Zombie Family, DateaHuman.com, Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep, Dude, Where’s My Car, Sliders, The Magician)
Jennifer Blanc b. 1974 (Malignant, Zombie Family, My Apocalypse, Dark Angel)
Sandy Jobin-Bevans b. 1972 (Run Robot Run, ReGenesis, Dawn of the Dead, PSI Factor: Tales of the Paranormal)
Joel de la Fuente b. 1969 (Hemlock Grove, The Adjustment Bureau, From Other Worlds, Space: Above and Beyond)
Kate Vernon b. 1961 (Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: Voyager, Kindred: The Embraced)
Andie MacDowell b. 1958 (Muppets from Space, Multiplicity, Groundhog Day)
James Morrison b. 1954 (The X-Files, Seven Days, Prey, Millennium, Space: Above and Beyond, White Dwarf, Quantum Leap, Monsters, Werewolf, Automan)
George DiCenzo b. 1940 died 9 August 2010 (M.A.N.T.I.S., The Exorcist III, Back to the Future, Starflight: The Plane That Couldn’t Land, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Space Academy, Dark Shadows [1970])
Reni Santoni b. 1939 (Quantum Leap, Manimal)
Charles Grodin b. 1935 (The Incredible Shrinking Woman, King Kong [1976], Rosemary’s Baby)
Silvana Mangano b. 1930 died 16 December 1989 (Dune, The Flying Saucer)
Gilbert Taylor b. 1914 died 23 August 2013 (cinematographer, Flash Gordon, Dracula, Star Wars, The Omen)

If I wanted to go with an Oh That Guy actor, I have several choices, but if we restrict to movie stars with iconic genre roles, James McAvoy is the logical choice. Frank Dillane played the young Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and the next most iconic actor in genre would likely be Kate Vernon from Battlestar Galactica, who had the Picture Slot last year. I was also considering a shot from a Gilbert Taylor film, but I used one in his obituary piece last August. 

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

 

Predictor: OMNI Future Almanac, published 1982

In the year 2000!

Prediction: (reality in parentheses, according to Wikipedia) The ten most populous countries in 2000

1. China 1,189,600 (1,242,6000)
2. India 1,036,700 (1,040,000,000)
3. USSR 311,800,000 (Russia ranks 6th at 147,000,000)
4. United States 260,400,000 (3rd at 281,400,000)
5. Indonesia 221,600,000 (4th at 206,300,000)
6. Brazil 212,500,000 (5th at 170,000,000)
7. Bangladesh 153,300,000 (8th at 130,000,000)
8. Nigeria 148,900,000 (10th at 110,000,000)
9. Pakistan 145,000,000 (7th at 140,000,000)
10. Mexico 132,300,000 (11th at 97,000,000)

Comment: All in all, not such a bad list. They missed Japan in 9th place, but they were put in 11th instead, not so far off. They also couldn't predict the fall of the Soviet Union, so we will give them a pass on that one. They undershot the U.S. population by 21 million (8% under) and overshoot a lot of the developing world, most notably Brazil (25% over), Nigeria (35% over) and Mexico (36% over).

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

The blog has put Ray Kurzweil to bed, so we'll meet our new Tuesday regular tomorrow. Exciting!

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

3 April 2014

 Birthdays
Cobie Smulders b. 1982 (Avengers, Captain America, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Andromeda, Jeremiah, Smallville)
Alessandro Juliani b. 1978 (Man of Steel, Continuum, Eve of Destruction, Fringe, Smallville, Dinosaur Train, Riverworld, Alice [TV], Reaper, Battlestar Galactica, The Time Tunnel [2006], Stargate SG-1, Earthsea, Jeremiah, Welcome to Paradox)
Matthew Goode b. 1978 (Watchmen)
Jamie Bamber b. 1973 (Star Trek Continues, Dollhouse, Battlestar Galactica, The Devil’s Tattoo)
Adam Scott b. 1973 (Piranha 3D, Wonderfalls, Star Trek: First Contact)
Ben Mendelsohn b. 1969 (The Dark Knight Rises, Farscape)
Eddie Murphy b. 1961 (The Haunted Mansion, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Doctor Dolittle, Vampire in Brooklyn)
David Hyde Pierce b. 1959 (Hellboy, Addams Family Values, Vampire’s Kiss, The Terminator)
Alec Baldwin b. 1958 (Dr. Suess’ The Cat in the Hat, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, The Shadow, Beetlejuice)
Wolf Kahler b. 1940 (Cockneys vs Zombies, Loch Ness, Raiders of the Lost Ark)
Lawrence Dane b. 1937 (Phenomenon II, MythQuest, Stargate SG-1, The Time Shifters, Highlander: The Raven, Bride of Chucky, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Darkman II, Millenium, Bionic Showdown, Scanners, The Invaders)
Kevin Hagen b. 1928 died 9 July 2005 (Land of the Giants, The Time Tunnel, Lost in Space, Twilight Zone)
Timothy Bateson b. 1926 died 16 September 2009 (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Hogfather, My Hero, Relic Hunter, Merlin, Neverwhere, Doctor Who, The Evil of Frankenstein, The Day the Earth Caught Fire)
Marlon Brando b. 1924 died 1 July 2004 (Superman, The Island of Dr. Moreau)
Jan Sterling b. 1921 died 26 March 2004 (1984 [1956])
Washington Irving b. 1783 died 28 November 1859 (author, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow)

There are several people on the list that count as movies stars - Marlon Brando, Eddie Murphy, Alec Baldwin - and Jan Sterling and Coibe Smulders easily qualify for the Pretty Girl = Picture Slot, but today I went with Jamie Bamber from Battlestar Galactica. I should also note that Kevin Hagen as Inspector Kobick on Land of the Giants was the most recurring role outside the main cast.

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

In the year 2000!

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction: Miniature TV sets, completely portable, and flat surface sets hung like pictures on your wall will be old-hat.

Reality: Another very good call by Dr. de Forest today. Flat screen technology was available to the public by mid 1990s, but the price was very high, so my only quibble would be the phrase "old hat". In 2014, plasma screens are old hat, but in 2000 they still counted as new stuff.

We have many more predictions from de Forest to enjoy, but this is the last one about communications, his field of expertise. Once he gets onto other subjects, his batting average suffers quite a bit.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

An exact date from a classic interrupts our regular weekly schedule.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE! 

27 March 2014

 Birthdays
Jason Narvy b. 1974 (Power Rangers)Nathan Fillion b. 1971 (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, The Guild, The Venture Bros., Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Lost, Slither, Serenity, Firefly, Buffy, Dracula 2000)
Elizabeth Mitchell b. 1970 (Revolution, V, Lost)
Pauley Perrette b. 1969 (The Singularity Is Near, The Ring)
Kevin Corrigan b. 1969 (Fringe, Superboy)
Sandra Hess b. 1968 (Sliders, Highlander [TV], Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Beastmaster: The Eye of Braxus, Lois & Clark, SeaQuest 2032)
Talisa Soto b. 1967 (Island of the Dead, Mortal Kombat, Vampirella)
Adrian Rawlins b. 1958 (Harry Potter, Doctor Who)
Michael York b. 1942 (Megiddo: The Omega Code, One Hell of a Guy, Dark Planet, Sliders, Babylon 5, SeaQuest 2032, Not of this Earth, TekWar: TekLab, Space, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Logan’s Run)
Julian Glover b. 1935 (Game of Thrones, Atlantis [TV], Alien Uprising, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Empire Strikes Back, Doctor Who, Blakes 7, Space: 1999, Five Million Miles to Earth)
Lorenzo Semple Jr. (writer, Flash Gordon, King Kong, Batman [TV], The Green Hornet)
Richard Denning b. 1914 died 11 October 1998 (Creature with the Atom Brain, Target Earth, Creature from the Black Lagoon)

A few unusual things about today's birthday list. Genre movies and TV are much more common today than ever before, so when I make my trek to imdb.com every morning, there tend to be a lot of younger actors. Today, the youngest is turning 40. And speaking of "my trek",  you will notice in the label Star Trek shows up a lot more often than Star Wars, but today we get a Star Wars actor in Julian Glover and no one from Star Trek. Last year the Picture Slot went to Nathan Fillion, an honest to Odin TV star and this year it goes to Michael York, an honest to Odin movie star in his most iconic genre role from Logan's Run.

Many happy returns of the day to the living and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.


Movies released
Monsters Vs. Aliens released, 2009  

In the year 2000!

Predictor: Lee de Forest, "The Father of Radio", predicting the world of 2000 in the 17 January 1960 edition of the Sunday supplement American Weekly.

Prediction: World-wide television, both color and black-and-white, will be common. Atmospheric disturbances never will disrupt it; relays will be possible through communications satellites or use of the atmospheric "scatter effect" which reflects some TV waves over phenomenal distances even now.

Reality: This was pretty bold talk in 1960 and I'll give him 9 of 10. He loses half a point for including black-and-white TV, which died out several decades ago and a half point lost for the word "never" when discussing atmospheric disturbances. Still, when he deals with radio and TV, his predictions are very good. In a few weeks, he'll have predictions of other matters and his batting average will start to slide a little.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Friday means Dr. Paul Ehrlich, one of the least expert "experts" I have ever read.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!