11 December 2014

 Birthdays
Hailee Steinfeld b. 1996 (Ender’s Game)
Ashley Hinshaw b. 1988 (Agent Carter, True Blood, +1, Chronicle, Fringe)
Daniel Cerny b. 1981 (Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest)
Mos Def b. 1973 (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
Harry Jay Knowles b. 1971 (My Sucky Teen Romance, Ghosts of Mars, Monkeybone, The Faculty)
Max Martini b. 1969 (Zombie Basement, Pacific Rim, Taken, Level 9, Mysterious Ways, The Hunger [1999 TV], Contact)
Gary Dourdan b. 1966 (Impostor, Seven Days, Alien: Resurrection, Lois & Clark)
Ben Browder b. 1962 (The Adventures of Robo Rex, Arrow, Doctor Who, Stargate: SG-1, Farscape, Martian Law)
Kimberly Scott b. 1961 (Wonderfalls, K-PAX, Batman & Robin, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Batman Forever, Flatliners, The Abyss)
Tom Shadyac b. 1958 (director, Dragonfly, Frankenstein: The College Years)
Isabella Hoffman b. 1958 (Alphas, Firefly, Atomic Dog, Beauty and the Beast [1988 TV])
Bess Armstrong b. 1953 (True Blood, Tales from the Crypt, Jaws 3-D, Jekyll and Hyde… Together Again)
Teri Garr b. 1947 (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Aliens for Breakfast, Adventures in Wonderland, Mom & Dad Save the World, Faerie Tale Theatre, Witches Brew, Dr. Franken, Once Upon a Brothers Grimm, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Young Frankenstein, The Girl with Something Extra, Star Trek, Batman)
Zenia Merton b. 1945 (Wizards vs. Aliens, The Sarah Jane Chronicles, Dinotopia, Space: 1999, Doctor Who)
Lynda Day George b. 1944 (The Amazing Captain Nemo, Day of the Animals, Wonder Woman, The Immortal, The Invaders, The Green Hornet)
Donna Mills b. 1940 (The Stepford Husbands, Alice in Wonderland [1985 TV], Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Anne Heywood b. 1931 (What Waits Below, The Brain)
Dick Tufeld b. 1926 died 22 January 2012 (Lost in Space, The Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)
Vampira b. 1922 Died 19 January 2008 (The Magic Sword, Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Vampira Show)
Liz Smith b. 1921 (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, A Christmas Carol [2000 TV], A Christmas Carol [1999 TV], Alice in Wonderland [1999 TV], High Spirits, A Christmas Carol [1984 TV], The Monster Club)
Eddie Firestone b. 1920 died 1 March 2007 (Knight Rider, Galactica 1980, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Project U.F.O., The Invisible Man [1975 TV], Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Shazam!, I Dream of Jeannie)
Marie Windsor b. 1919 died 10 December 2000 (Tales from the Darkside, The Incredible Hulk, Salem’s Lot, Project U.F.O., Batman, The Day Mars Invaded Earth, Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, Cat-Women of the Moon)
Jean Marais b. 1913 died 8 November 1998 (Beauty and the Beast [1946])
Val Guest b. 1911 died 10 May 2006 (Director, Space: 1999, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, The Day the Earth Caught Fire, Enemy from Space, The Quatermass Xperiment)
David McMahon b. 1910 died 27 January 1972 (The Deadly Mantis, It Conquered the World, The Creature Walks Among Us, The War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Thing from Another World, The Monster That Challenged the World)
Paul Wegener b. 1874 died 13 September 1948 (The Golem)

Notes on the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Last year it was Dick Tufeld, the voice of the robot from Lost in Space. I usually ignore voice work, but for the stars of the field I make exceptions. This year, it's Ben Browder from Farscape, a show on the Sci-Fi Channel that was better than almost everything else that channel produced at the turn of this century. The interesting selection of good looking alien women might have something to do with my opinion, but Lexx had a good looking cast and wasn't as good as Farscape by a long shot. As for next year, I'll probably go way old school with a picture from a movie made before I was born, either Jean Marais in Beauty and the Beast or Paul Wegener from The Golem.

2. Fun facts to know and tell. British actress Liz Smith was in three different productions of A Christmas Carol. In the two best known, she is Scrooge's housekeeper and she plays opposite Patrick Stewart in 1999 and George C. Scott in 1984. The 2000 version is an updated take on the story that aired in Britain and never made it to the states.

David McMahon has 136 credits listed on imdb.com, so he should be an Oh That Guy, but I'm going to say he isn't. His face does not ring a bell for me, though I saw every one of the 1950s sci-fi flicks he was in. How to explain this? It should be noted that in all movies and TV shows listed for him, he was uncredited in over 90. He was a bit player and the bits were usually really small.

When researching on imdb.com, I clicked on the names of Donna Mills and Lynda Day George because I remembered them as attractive TV actresses. I was actually surprised how many genre roles they had. I was also surprised at how many genre roles Teri Garr had, though I knew without looking that she was in Young Frankenstein, Close Encounters and Star Trek. She also is in the running for the 2015 Picture Slot.

3. No Canadians to spot today. It's rare, but it happens.

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

Movie released
Star Trek: Insurrection released 1998

Predictor: Lee de Forest in the New York Times, 25 February 1957

Prediction: “[Man will never reach the moon] regardless of all future scientific advances”.

Reality: Wait... what?

This is the last dance for our Thurdsay regular since last February, Dr. Lee de Forest. This prediction contradicts the very first prediction published under his name. What gives?

Notice the date. This prediction is from 1957 and all the rest are from 1960. Clearly, he had a change of mind about space exploration. In three years time, he went from way too pessimistic to somewhat too optimistic, since he thought we'd have a permanent moon base by 2000.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

In the Picture Slot, a fabulous babe from a fabulous movie, one of my favorite genre films of the past twenty years.


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!

20 November 2014

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13 November 2014

 Birthdays
Devon Bostick b. 1991 (The 100, Hidden 3D, Haven, Survival of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Odyssey 5)
Lara Amersey b. 1984 (Warehouse 13, Monster Warriors, Land of the Dead)
Michael Copon b. 1982 (Night of the Demons, Power Rangers Time Force)
Marit Velle Kile b. 1978 (Blade II)
Ashley Palmer b. 1978 (No Ordinary Family, Paranormal Activity)
Kim Director b. 1977 (Gotham, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2)
Aisha Hinds b. 1975 (Under the Dome, Star Trek Into Darkness, True Blood, Dollhouse, Stargate SG-1, Lost, Invasion)
Jordan Bridges b. 1973 (Bionic Woman [2007], Charmed, Frequency)
Noah Hathaway b. 1971 (Troll, The Never Ending Story, Mork & Mindy, Battlestar Galactica)
Gerard Butler b. 1969 (Gamer, Nim’s Island, Beowulf & Grendel, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Reign of Fire, Dracula 2000, Tale of the Mummy)
Timothy E. Goodwin b. 1968 (John Dies at the End, The Low Budget Time Machine, Bubba Ho-Tep)
Steve Zahn b. 1967 (Captain Fantastic, Robodog, Knights of Bassassdom, From the Earth to the Moon)
Rick Roberts b. 1965 (Salem Falls, Haven, Plague City: SARS in Toronto)
Neil Flynn b. 1960 (Nigel & Oscar vs. the Sasquatch, ImagiGARY, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Smallville, Sliders)
Caroline Goodall b. 1959 (Dorian Gray, Hook, Quantum Leap)
Rex Linn b. 1956 (Zombeavers, The Walking Dead, The Postman, 3rd Rock from the Sun)
John McConnell b. 1958 (Nigel & Oscar vs. the Sasquatch, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Jonah Hex, Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat, Mutant Species, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles)
Whoopi Goldberg b. 1955 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, 666 Park Avenue, Monkeybone, The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, Alice in Wonderland [1999 TV], Cinderella [TV movie], Bordello of Blood, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Ghost)
Tracy Scoggins b. 1953 (Babylon 5, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Saurian, Highlander [TV], Deep Space Nine, Lois and Clark, Manimal, Tucker’s Witch)
Frances Conroy b. 1953 (American Horror Story, The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, Catwoman, The Twilight Zone [1986])
Art Malik b. 1952 (John Carter, The Wolfman [2010], Year of the Comet)
Joe Mantegna b. 1947 (Thinner, The Twilight Zone [1987], The Greatest American Hero)
Tom Atkins b. 1935 (Xena, Night of the Creeps, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Escape from New York, The Fog)
Gary Marshall b. 1934 (writer/producer, Mork & Mindy)
Richard Mulligan b. 1932 died 26 September 2000 (Babes in Toyland [1986 TV movie], Twilight Zone [1985], I Dream of Jeannie)
Adrienne Corri b. 1930 (Doctor Who, Vampyre Circus, A Clockwork Orange, UFO, H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man, Devil Girl from Mars)
Oskar Werner b. 1922 died 23 October 1984 (Fahrenheit 451)
Jack Elam b.1920 died 20 October 2003 (The Aurora Encounter, The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite, Twilight Zone)
Robert Sterling b. 1917 died 30 May 2006 (Twilight Zone, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Topper)
Alexander Scourby b. 1913 died 22 February 1985 (The Stuff, Twilight Zone)
Hermione Baddeley b. 1906 died 19 August 1986 (C.H.O.M.P.S., Wonder Woman, The Bionic Woman, Journey to the Unknown, Batman, Mary Poppins)
Robert Louis Stevenson b. 1850 died 3 December 1894 (author, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)

Notes on the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Last year, it was Whoopi Goldberg, this year it's Traci Scoggins. As popular as the fabulous babes are, my guess is that next year my love for Jack Elam will trump all other considerations.

2. Spot the Canadians! There are three, all born after 1960. Hint: Neil Flynn, best known as the janitor from Scrubs, is NOT Canadian, his appearances on Smallville and Sliders to the contrary. 

Best wishes to all the living on the list and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.

Movies released
2012 escaped 2009
The Running Man released 1987

 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: Blankets no longer will be necessary indoors; a radiant ""canopy"" over your bed will replace them. Instead of a picture window, there will be an invisible ""curtain"" of moving air to divide your living room and patio.

Reality: Two words, Doc. Energy costs.

Three more words. Single quotation marks.
 

Never to be Forgotten: Warren Clarke 1947-2014

British actor Warren Clarke, best known for playing Andy Dalziel on Dalziel & Pascoe, died yesterday at the age of 67. He is remembered here on the blog for his roles in Firefox, Hawk the Slayer and A Clockwork Orange, where he played Alex's droogi pal Dim, pictured here second from the left, resting his milk glass on his codpiece.

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

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Our returning Friday regular H.G. Wells' make his predictions from his 1902 book Anticipations.


Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

6 November 2014

Birthdays
Emma Stone b. 1988 (Birdman, The Amazing Spider-Man 1 & 2, Zombieland)
Katie Leclerc b. 1986 (The Big Bang Theory)
Patina Miller b. 1984 (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay)
Luke-Allen-Gale b. 1984 (Dominion, Captain America: The First Avenger, Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire)
Vera Filatova b. 1982 (Vampire Killers)
Taryn Marring b. 1978 (Zombie Apocalypse, The Speed of Thought)
Casey Nelson b. 1978 (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen)
Hero Fiennes-Tiffin b. 1977 (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
Zoe McLellan b. 1974 (The Invisible Man, Dungeons & Dragons, Star Trek: Voyager, Sliders)
Susan Levin Downey (producer, Iron Man 2, The Book of Eli, Gothika)
Rebecca Romijn b. 1972 (X-Men, Eastwick, S1m0ne, Rollerball)
Thandie Newton b. 1972 (Westworld, 2012, The Chronicles of Riddick, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles)
George Hertzberg b. 1972 (Buffy, 3rd Rock from the Sun)
Ethan Hawke b. 1970 (Predestination, The Purge, Total Recall [2012], Daybreakers, Gattaca, Explorers)
Kelly Rutherford b. 1968 (Eastwick, Kindred: The Embraced)
Vidal Peterson b. 1968 (Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wizards of the Lost Kingdom, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Mork & Mindy)
Rebecca Schaeffer b. 1967 died 18 July 1989 (Out of Time, Amazing Stories)
Kerry Conran b. 1964 (director, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow)
Arkie Whiteley b. 1964 died 19 December 2001 (Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior)
Brad Grunberg b. 1964 (Spider-Man, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Future Shock)
Lance Kerwin b. 1960 (Outbreak, Enemy Mine, Faerie Tale Theatre, Salem’s Lot, The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, Escape to Witch Mountain, Shazam!)
Trace Beaulieu b. 1958 (Mystery Science Theater 3000)
Lori Singer b. 1957 (VR.5, Warlock)
Catherine Asaro b. 1955 (won the 2002 Nebula for The Quantum Rose)
Ron Underwood b. 1953 (director, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Resurrection, Once Upon a Time, Witches of East End, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Heroes, Reaper, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Mighty Joe Young, Tremors)
Teresa Tilly b. 1953 (Oz the Great and Powerful, The Evil Dead)
Nigel Havers b. 1949 (The Sarah Jane Chronicles)
Brad Davis b. 1949 died 8 September 1991 (Deadly Nightmares, Twilight Zone [1986])
Carolyn Seymour b. 1947 (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Babylon 5, Star Trek: Voyager, Congo, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Quantum Leap, The Flash [1991], Tales from the Darkside, The Twilight Zone. Otherworld, The Greatest American Hero, Space:1999)
Sally Field b. 1946 (The Amazing Spider-Man, From the Earth to the Moon, The Girl with Something Extra, Moon Pilot)
Harlan Warde b. 1917 died 13 March 1980 (Isis, The Invaders, The Monster That Challenged the World)
Jonathan Harris b. 1914 died 3 November 2002 (Space Academy, Ark II, The Monster Squad, Bewitched, Land of the Giants, Lost in Space, The Twilight Zone)

Notes on the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Geezer that I am, I often think the oldest person on the list did something iconic, and Jonathan Harris in Lost in Space certainly counts and will likely get the slot in 2015. It's rarer when I think the youngest person on the list has an iconic role, but Emma Stone in the reboot of Spider-Man counts as well. Last year, I had a picture of Trace Beaulieu, because that's how I roll.  

2. Wait... they're dead? I had forgotten about the deaths of Brad Davis, best known for Midnight Express and died of AIDS, and Rebecca Schaeffer, a TV sitcom actress killed by a mentally ill stalker. There's also the late Arkie Whitely, an Australian actress whose career I didn't know that well.

3. A missing generation. If it weren't for the people who died young, Sally Field would be the Gal at the Door and she's not 70 yet. It jumps from her to the character actor Harlan Wilde, born 1917. What we are missing is the folks who would have played adults in 1950s monster movies or 1960s sci-fi TV. Just one of those days.

4. Taking a day off, eh? No Canadians to spot either today.

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:. Electronic appliances will do your cooking, dishwashing and disposal of waste. High-frequency sound waves will clean the dishes. An electronic oven will cook meat in two or three minutes. All appliances can be turned off from miles away by dialing code numbers on your pocket-size radiophone and, thanks to an electronic housekeeping ""center,"" you'll enjoy such luxuries as having breakfast ready the moment you get up.

Reality: Let's note what he gets right first. Cooking meat in two or three minutes is possible in a microwave. Pocket-sized radiophones? Yes. Used to turn off appliances? Not so much. Also on the strikeout list, cleaning dishes with sound waves. If you want breakfast the moment you get up, that was possible in Dr. de Forest's day. It was called "cold cereal" or "fresh fruit" or "last night's pizza".

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

A familiar name makes a comeback in the prediction business, as we read excerpts from H.G. Wells' 1902 book Anticipations.
  
Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

30 October 2014

 Birthdays
Janel Parrish b. 1988 (Heroes)
Eva Marcille b. 1984 (Smallville)
Clémence Poésy b. 1982 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
Jon Foo b. 1982 (Tekken, Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Batman Begins)
Jeremy Raymond b. 1982 (Psych, Arrow, Star Trek Into Darkness, Alice [2009 TV])
Fiona Dourif b. 1981 (Curse of Chucky, True Blood)
Shaun Sipos b. 1981 (The Vampire Diaries, Texas Chainsaw 3D, The Grudge 2, Smallville)
Sarah Carter b. 1980 (Falling Skies, Skinwalkers, Smallville, Haven, Dark Angel, Mindstorm, The Immortal)
Paul Telfer b. 1979 (The Vampire Diaries, Co-op of the Damned, Hercules [TV], Stargate SG-1)
James A. Woods b. 1979 (Being Human, Source Code, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Big Wolf on Campus)
Matthew Morrison b. 1978 (Space Station 76)
Maria Thayer b. 1975 (Night of the Living Deb)
Adam Copeland b. 1973 (Haven)
Peter New b. 1971 (Delete, Fringe, Smallville, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, Stargate SG-1, Dead Like Me, Kingdom Hospital, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Dark Angel, Seven Days, Level 9)
Michael Broderick b. 1968 (Extant, Touch, Universal Dead, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Jericho, Invasion, Threshold)
Jack Plotnick b. 1968 (The Vortex, Supernatural, Wizards of Waverly Place, Dead Last, Mystery Men, Buffy)
Gavin Rossdale b. 1965 (Constantine [2005])
Russell Yuen b. 1965 (Warehouse 13, The Incredible Hulk [2008], Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 10.5: Apocalypse, Left Behind: World at War, The Day After Tomorrow, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Big Wolf on Campus, Relic Hunter, Battlefield Earth, The Lost World)
Mark Steven Johnson b. 1964 (director, Ghost Rider, Daredevil)
Michael Beach b. 1963 (500 MPH Storm, Stargate: Atlantis, Knight Rider 2010, Quantum Leap, The Abyss)
David Yates b. 1963 (director, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)
Kristina Wagner b. 1962 (Double Dragon)
Jayne Heitmeyer b. 1960 (Upside Down, Black Swarm, Voodoo Moon, Snakeman, Andromeda, Earth: Final Conflict, Total Recall 2070, NightMan, The Lost World, The Hunger [TV])
Kevin Pollak b. 1957 (Vamped Out, The Lost Room, From the Earth to the Moon, Perversions of Science, Willow)Juliet Stevenson b. 1956 (The Enfield Haunting, Atlantis [TV 2013], The Secret of Moonacre, The Snow Queen, If…, Truly Madly Deeply, Living with Dinosaurs)
Charles Martin Smith b.1953 (Fringe, Left Behind: World at War, Kingdom Hospital, Deep Impact, The X-Files, Roswell, Tales from the Crypt, The Ray Bradbury Theatre, The Twilight Zone [1985], Starman)
Harry Hamlin b. 1951 (Deadly Nightmares, Space, Clash of the Titans)
Rusty Goffe b. 1948 (Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Mirrormask, U.F.O., Through the Dragon’s Eye, Willow, Flash Gordon, Star Wars, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory)
Leon Rippy b. 1947 (Under the Dome, Eight Legged Freaks, The Thirteenth Floor, The Visitor, The Arrival, Stargate, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Universal Soldier, Moon 44, Quantum Leap, Werewolf, King Kong Lives, Maximum Overdrive, Firestarter, Tales of the Third Dimension)
Tim Kirk b. 1947 (artist)
Henry Winkler b. 1945 (Little Nicky)
Ed Lauter b. 1938 died 16 October 2013 (The Prometheus Project, Charmed, Highlander [TV], The X Files, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Rocketeer, Automan, Manimal, Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann, The Clonemaster, King Kong [1976])
Hamilton Camp b. 1934 died 2 October 2005 (Wishcraft, Star Trek: Voyager, Deep Space Nine, Lois & Clark, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman [1993], Megaville, The Twilight Zone, Mork & Mindy, Evilspeak, Bewitched, The Son of Dr. Jekyll)
William Campbell b. 1923 died 28 April 2011 (The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman, Shazam!, Star Trek)
Norman Bird b. 1920 died 22 April 2005 (Omen III: The Final Conflict, First Men in the Moon, My Partner the Ghost, Burn, Witch, Burn)
Jane Randolph b. 1915 died 4 May 2009 (Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein, The Curse of the Cat People, Cat People)
Ruth Gordon b. 1896 died 28 August 1985 (Voyage of the Rock Aliens, Rosemary’s Baby)

Notes on the birthday list
1. The Picture Slot. Last year it was William Campbell from Star Trek, this year Harry Hamlin from Clash of the Titans. Next year, the field is wide open.

2. Canadians spotted! This is a tough set. Usually, Smallville is a tell-tale sign, but we have non-Canadians who showed up and Canadians who didn't. Here's the list. Jeremy Raymond, Shaun Sipos, Sarah Carter, James A. Woods, Adam Copeland, Peter New,  Russell Nguyen and Jayne Heitmeyer.

3. Wait... he's dead? Ed Lauter died last year, but I don't recall hearing about it. A great Oh That Guy actor, I thought about putting him in the Picture Slot in his role from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but decided against it.

4. The Guy at the Door. Morbid bastid that I am, I take note that everyone younger than Henry Winkler is alive and everyone older is dead. Winkler is not even 70. That's way too young to be The Guy at the Door.

5. Too soon at the party. Pity poor Mark Steven Johnson. He made two movies based on Marvel comic books and they both tanked. These days, they can make a movie about a minor book like Guardians of the Galaxy and make three quarters of a billion dollars worldwide. To be fair, Guardians is a lot of fun and I do not begrudge the filmmakers one penny of their success. Heck, I saw it twice and I'm too old to do that anymore.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list, especially Henry Winkler, 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: There will be almost no housekeeping problems. Temperature, humidity, and velocity of air in each part of the home will be kept automatically at comfortable levels, day and night. Smoke, dust, and harmful bacteria will be purged from the air before it enters. The reversible heat pump, based on the principle of a refrigeration unit, will cool homes in summer and heat them in winter.

Reality: Sounds like a clean room, not a home. Reversible heat pumps exist, but warming homes when the temperature gets below freezing is a difficult task that sucks up a lot of energy.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

A final report on the ESPN experts' picks for the World Series.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

 

16 October 2014

Birthdays
Jack Salvatore Jr. b. 1989 (Donnie Darko, 3rd Rock from the Sun)
Trevor Blumas b. 1984 (Warehouse 13, Earth: Virtual Mom, Final Conflict)
Caterina Scorsone b. 1981 (Alice [2009 TV], Flash Forward)
Brea Grant b. 1981 (The Guild, A Good Knight’s Quest, Halloween II, Heroes, Battle Planet)
Daniel Kountz b. 1978 (Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge, 3rd Rock from the Sun)
Kellie Martin b. 1975 (SeaQuest 2032, Matinee, Doin’ Time on Planet Earth)
Terri J. Vaughn b. 1969 (Black Scorpion, Carnosaur 3)
Ron Rogge b. 1968 (The Man in the High Castle, A Zombie Next Door, Power Rangers, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Todd Stashwick b. 1968 (Gotham, The Originals, Teen Wolf [2014 TV], Warehouse 13, Revolution, Heroes, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Supernatural, The Middleman, Star Trek: Enterprise, Dark Angel, Buffy, Angel)
Randall Batinkoff b. 1968 (Touch, X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Stepford Children)
Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff b. 1963 (Superboy, Knight Rider, Otherworld)
Flea b. 1962 (Stan Lee’s Mighty 7, Back to the Future: Part II & III, Stranded)
Tim Robbins b. 1958 (Green Lantern, Zathura: A Space Adventure, War of the Worlds, Mission to Mars, Code 46, Jacob’s Ladder, Erik the Viking, Howard the Duck, Amazing Stories, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century)
Martha Smith b. 1952 (They Came from Outer Space, Swamp Thing, Freddy’s Nightmares)
Daniel Gerroll b. 1951 (The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Mann & Machine, Drop Dead Fred)
David Greenwalt b. 1949 (writer, Buffy, Angel, Eureka, Grimm, Surface, Jake 2.0, The X Files)
Guy Siner b. 1947 (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Bug, Star Trek: Enterprise, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, Babylon 5, Doctor Who)
Suzanne Somers b. 1946 (The Six Million Dollar Man, Ants)
Christopher Mitchum b. 1943 (Lycanthrope, Aftershock, The Serpent Warriors, The Day Time Ended, Bigfoot)
Barry Corbin b. 1940 (Ben 10: Alien Swarm, Wyvern, Alien Express, Race to Space, Timequest, Virus [TV], Critters 2, Tall Tales & Legends, The Twilight Zone, My Science Project, Tucker’s Witch, WarGames)
Angela Lansbury b. 1925 (Nanny McPhee, The Company of Wolves, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Picture of Dorian Gray)
Michael Conrad b. 1925 died 22 November 1983 (The Incredible Hulk, Time Express, The Six Million Dollar Man, Planet of the Apes, Scream Blacula Scream, The Immortal, Lost in Space, My Favorite Martian, Twilight Zone)
Alice Pearce b. 1917 died 3 March 1966 (Bewitched, Twilight Zone)
Maidie Norman b. 1912 died 2 May 1998 (Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Incredible Hulk, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Twilight Zone)
Anthony Nicholls b. 1902 died 22 February 1977 (The Omen, Space: 1999)
Oscar Wilde b. 1854 died 30 November 1900 (author, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Canterville Ghost)

Notes on the birthday list
1. The Picture Slot. Last year, it was Tim Robbins, one of the few actual movie stars on the list, though his best known roles aren't in genre. This year it's Alice Pearce in her most famous role as the original Gladys Kravitz, who died during the run of Bewitched. While it's not genre, Michael Conrad met a similar fate on Hill Street Blues. Next year's choice is up in the air, though if I'm in an Oh That Guy mood, Barry Corbin is certainly a familiar face.

2. Spot the Canadians and Not the Canadian.  Two of our younger actors, Trevor Blumas and
Caterina Scorsone, were born in Canada, but they don't have the very long C.V.s we have come to expect from our neighbors to the north. Todd Stashwick, who shows up both in Canadian and American produced TV shows, was not born in Canada.

3. The Gal at the Door. I hate to be morbid, but we have another list where all the dead are at the bottom and all the living are above, and the oldest living birthday girl is Angela Lansbury.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list, especially Miss Angela Lansbury, 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: Striking developments in irrigation and flood control, more efficient use of solar energy, electronic acceleration of germination and growth, and revolutionary chemical and biological discoveries will expand mankind's food resources so that famine will be eliminated-despite immense population increases.

Reality: Okay, this is pretty darned good. The electronic acceleration of germination and growth isn't a major factor, but the conventional wisdom back in the second half of the 20th Century was that overpopulation was going to trigger massive starvation. (Remember Dr. Paul Ehrlich?) Here, de Forest says yes, there will be large population growth but food technology will keep up with it. He went a little far saying "famine will be eliminated", but a half century later, the percentage of the world that experiences food shortages is much smaller than in was in 1960.

In any case, he beats Paul Ehrlich. If I had my way, Paul Ehrlich would be beaten on a regular basis, at least metaphorically.

Never to be Forgotten: Elizabeth Peña 1959-2014

I wrote earlier that I hate to be morbid, and I feel this keenly announcing the death of Elizabeth
Peña. Like Jan Hooks earlier this week, I knew and liked Peña's work in many films and like Ms. Hooks, Ms. Peña was born after I was. My favorite film she was in is probably John Sayles' Lone Star, but she is remembered here for roles in Strangeland, It Came from Outer Space II, The Invaders, Jacob’s Ladder and *batteries not included. I don't list all voice work when giving credits, but Ms. Peña was also the voice of Mirage in The Incredibles.

Best wishes to the family and friends of Elizabeth Peña, from a heartsick fan. She is never to be forgotten.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Friday gives us another clumsy attempt at predicting the future from The Experts Speak.
 
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!

14 August 2014

Birthdays
Mila Kunis b. 1983 (Jupiter Ascending, Oz the Great and Powerful, Ted, The Book of Eli, Piranha)
Nick Holmes b. 1981 (Guardians of the Galaxy)
Zack Whedon b. 1979 (writer, Fringe, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)
Christopher Gorham b. 1974 (Once Upon a Time, Jake 2.0, Odyssey 5, Buffy)
Raoul Bova b. 1971 (AvP: Alien vs Predator)
Michelle Lintel b. 1969 (Battle Planet, Black Scorpion)
Catherine Bell b. 1968 (The Good Witch, Threshold, The Triangle, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Alien Nation: Body and Soul)
Ben Bass b. 1968 (Dead Like Me, Jeremiah, Strange Frequency, The Lone Gunmen, The 6th Day, Stargate SG-1, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, The Hunger, Bride of Chucky, Forever Knight)
Adrian Lester b. 1968 (Merlin [2009], Doomsday, Being Human, Afterlife, Day After Tomorrow, Jason and the Argonauts [2000 TV])
Halle Berry b. 1966 (Extant, X-Men, Cloud Atlas, Catwoman, They Came from Outer Space [TV])
Brannon Braga b. 1965 (Salem, Terra Nova, FlashForward, Threshold, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Cristi Conaway b. 1964 (Timecop, The Advanced Guard, Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman, Batman Returns)
Andrew Kevin Walker b. 1964 (writer, The Wolfman, Sleepy Hollow [film], Perversions of Science)
Emmanuelle Beart b. 1963 (Date with an Angel)
David Aaron Baker b. 1963 (The Leftovers, Revolution, Beauty and the Beast [2014])
Macia Gay Hardin b. 1959 (The Invisible, Space Cowboys, Flubber, Superman 50th Anniversary)
Tony Moran b. 1957 (Halloween)
Carl Lumbly b. 1951 (Hope: The Last Paladin, Battlestar Galactica, Strange World, M.A.N.T.I.S., The X Files, SeaQuest 2032, Buckaroo Banzai, Lifepod, Caveman)
Jim Wynorski b. 1950 (director, So much cheap crap I’m a little ashamed I know who he is)
Lou Wagner b. 1948 (Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The UFO Incident, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Beneath of the Planet of the Apes, Pufnstuf, Hello Down There, Planet of the Apes, Lost in Space)
Susan Saint James b. 1946 (Love at First Bite)
Antonio Fargas b. 1946 (Heroes, Good vs Evil, Homeboys in Outer Space, Firestarter, Kolchak: The Night Stalker)
Wim Wenders b. 1945 (director, Until the End of the World, Wings of Desire)
Steve Martin b. 1945 (Little Shop of Horrors, The Man with Two Brains)
Alexei Panshin b. 1940 (winner of 1969 Nebula for Rite of Passage)
Candace Hilligoss b. 1935 (The Curse of the Living Corpse, Carnival of Souls)
Alice Ghostley b. 1924 died 21 September 2007 (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Small Wonder, Bewitched, Captain Nice)
Angela Clarke b. 1909 died 16 December 2010 (The Outer Limits, House of Wax)

Random thoughts.

Last year's Picture Slot was Halle Berry and I don't think there would have been a riot of disapproval if I had her in again, but instead I went with Mila Kunis for Oz the Great and Powerful, with a semi-spoiler of her in make-up.

There's plenty more pretty on the list. Casting Emmanuelle Beart as an angel was obvious back in the 1980s and as for luck in acting, some actresses get to be Buffy or Xena and some get to be Black Scorpion.

Carl Lumbly is a great Oh That Guy and Alice Ghostley an equally strong Oh That Gal.

I like a good exact same day pair and Steve Martin and Wim Wenders count in my book, but I think only film buffs are going to know Wenders, especially in the United States.

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

Movies released
District 9 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: The ability to "transplant" certain organs and tissues, new cures for many mental ailments, mastery of crippling arthritis and even most types of headaches and colds-all will be part of medicine's achievements.

Reality: The quotes around transplant are from the original text and they are unnecessary. De Forest makes this prediction before the first successful heart transplant, and now we can transplant hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys and several other organs as well as tissues. 100% credit on that part.

He also gets credit on the cures for some mental ailments. Antidepressants aren't perfect panaceas, but they are a big step forward from the state of the art in 1960. He loses points on predicting the cold and arthritis cures.

Like several of his most recent entries, this one is hit and miss, but on balance I'd put in on the plus side of the ledger.


Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Edgar Cayce still has a few usable predictions with dates attached. Not correct, but usable.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

31 July 2014

Birthdays
Alexis Knapp b. 1989 (Vamp U, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief)
Sofia Pernas b. 1989 (Age of the Dragons)
Charlie Carver b. 1988 (The Leftovers, Teen Wolf [TV])
Eric Lively b. 1981 (The Butterfly Effect 2)
Harry Potter b. 1980 (fictional wizard)
B.J. Novak b. 1979 (Amazing Spider-Man 2)
James Harvey Ward b. 1978 (The Dark Knight Rises, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, No Ordinary Family)
Annie Parisse b. 1975 (Fringe, NYPD 2069, National Treasure)
Jodi Ann Paterson b. 1975 (Dude, Where’s My Car?)
Emilia Fox b. 1974 (Merlin, Dorian Gray)
Tami Stronach b. 1972 (The NeverEnding Story)
Christina Cox b. 1971 (Elysium, Stargate: Atlantis, The Chronicles of Riddick, Andromeda, Mutant X, Code Name: Eternity, Earth: Final Conflict, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, First Wave, Forever Knight)
Ben Chaplin b. 1974 (The Water Horse, Dorian Gray, The Return of the Borrowers [TV])
Dean Cain b. 1966 (Smallville, 10.5: Apocalypse, Lost, Futuresport, Lois & Clark)
Jim True-Frost b. 1966 (666 Park Avenue, Fringe, W.E.I.R.D. World)
Pat Finn b. 1965 (Wizards of Waverly Place, Dude, Where’s My Car?, 3rd Rock from the Sun)
J. K. Rowling b. 1965 (won the 2001 Hugo for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
Ian Roberts b. 1965 (Infected, Puppet Master X; Axis Rising, Superman Returns)
Wesley Snipes b. 1962 (Blade, Futuresport, Demolition Man)
Greg Travis b. 1958 (Halloween II [2009], Night of the Living Dead 3D, Starship Troopers, Humanoids from the Deep, American Gothic, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures [TV])
Dirk Blocker b. 1957 (The X Files, Quantum Leap, Starman, Poltergeist, Beyond Westworld)
Michael Biehn b. 1956 (Metal Hurlant Chronicles, Planet Terror, The Insatiable, Clockstoppers, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, Asteroid, The Abyss, The Seventh Sign, Aliens, The Terminator, Logan’s Run [TV])
James Read b. 1953 (Charmed, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Star Trek: Voyager, Lois & Clark)
Lane Davies b. 1950 (3rd Rock from the Sun, Babylon 5: In the Beginning, Lois & Clark)
Richard Griffiths b. 1947 died 28 March 2013 (Harry Potter, Hugo, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Whoops Apocalypse, Superman II)
Geraldine Chaplin b. 1944 (Gulliver’s Travels [TV], Z.P.G.)
Sab Shimono b. 1943 (Ben 10: Race Against Time, Southland Tales, Waterworld, The X-Files, The Shadow, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, Max Headroom, Knight Rider)
France Nuyen b. 1939 (Automan, The Six Million Dollar Man, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, Dimension 5)
Geoffrey Lewis b. 1935 (Odyssey 5, The X-Files, The Lawnmower Man, Annihilator, Amazing Stories, Night of the Comet, The Amazing Spider-Man [TV], Mork & Mindy, Quark, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Ted Cassidy b. 1932 died 16 January 1979 (Man From Atlantis, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Planet Earth, Genesis II, I Dream of Jeannie, Mr. Terrific, The Addams Family, Jack and the Beanstalk [TV], Star Trek, Batman, Lost in Space)
Don Murray b. 1929 (The Stepford Children, Radioactive Dreams, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes)
Primo Levi b. 1919 died 11 April 1987 (author, The Periodic Table)
Mario Bava b. 1914 died 27 April 1980 (director, Baron Blood, A Bay of Blood, Blood Brides, Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs, Planet of the Vampires, Caltiki, the Immortal Monster, Lust of the Vampire)

Multiple random thoughts:

Ted Cassidy is the reason I became interested in obits: I had an idea for a genre detective show back in the 1980s and our heroes had colleagues/competitors named The Feather Brothers. In my head, I cast Richard Kiel and Ted Cassidy as The Feather Brothers, guys who mainly do bodyguard work, Keil as the friendly one and Cassidy as the not friendly one. It was my brother who told me Ted Cassidy was dead. After that, I checked the obits in the papers every day.

And, oh yeah, iconic. I could have used Cassidy as Lurch or his one shot role on Star Trek, though there are plenty of other great choices on the list.

Acting is a hard way to make a living: A lot of the laments about the acting profession deal with beautiful women who are forgotten once they reach a certain age and France Nuyen is an example of that. But I'd like to point out a few actors who had their moment in the spotlight and faded as well.

Don Murray starred opposite Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop. IMDB.com doesn't even have a picture of him.

Dean Cain's post-Lois & Clark career is pretty spotty.

Michael Biehn had good roles in the first Terminator and Aliens, but since then it's a lot more low budget.

Or maybe acting is easy as pie: Geoffrey Lewis, an Oh That Guy of the first order, makes it look easy. Looking at his 218 credits on imdb.com, he might be best known as Clint Eastwood's pal in Every Which Way but Loose, though I'm not sure the general public remembers anyone besides Clint and the orangutan Clyde.

Harry Potter's birthday: On Twitter, I advertise the blog by saying "Birthdays for Captain Picard and Han Solo" when I actually mean Patrick Steward and Harrison Ford, but according to J.K. Rowling's book, she gave Harry Potter her birthday, just fifteen years later.

Who did I forget? Lots of other interesting names on the list, but the unmentioned people who have serious shots at the Picture Slot in 2015 are Wesley Snipes as Blade and Richard Griffiths as Uncle Vernon.

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: You'll be able to dictate memos and personal letters directly into an electronic typewriter. Already, a rudimentary phonetic typewriter can type a few simple words and phrases as they are spoken into a microphone.

Reality: This technology was certainly not ready for prime time in 2000, though as de Forest points out, prototypes have been kinda working for over 50 years. He's not completely wrong, but he overshot the prediction.

Never to be Forgotten: Robert Halmi, Sr. 1924-2014

Robert Halmi, Sr. died yesterday at the age of 90. His production company, which he ran with his son Robert Jr., is responsible for 137 credits, mostly TV movies and mini-series, going back to 1974. The first genre production was 1997's Gulliver's Travels starring Ted Danson and continued with Riverworld, Flash Gordon, Hogfather, Jason and the Argonauts, Alice in Wonderland and Dinotopia, from which the picture on the left is taken.

Best wishes to the family and friends of Robert Halmi, Sr., from a fan. He is never to be forgotten.

Never to be Forgotten: Dick Smith 1922-2014

Dick Smith started working in film in the 1940s, but his best known work was in masks that either aged actors, notably Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man and Marlon Brando in The Godfather, or masks that turned characters into monsters, like Jack Palance in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Linda Blair in The Exorcist, pictured here. His other work in genre includes House on Haunted Hill [1999], Death Becomes Her, Monsters [TV], Poltergeist III, Starman, The Hunger, Ghost Story, Scanners, Altered States, The Stepford Wives, Dark Shadows, ‘Way Out, The Alligator People and the 1955 TV version of Alice in Wonderland. It should be noted that another great prosthetic designer Rick Baker revered Dick Smith not unlike the way Ray Harryhausen looked up to Willis O'Brien.

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

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

It's the beginning of August and time to look in on the prediction for the playoffs in Major League Baseball.


Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

10 July 2014

 Birthdays
Hector David Jr. b 1989 (Power Rangers Samurai, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief)
Thomas Ian Nicolas b. 1980 (Halloween: Resurrection, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, A Kid in King Arthur’s Court, Harry and the Hendersons [TV])
Wyatt Russell b. 1986 (The Walking Dead, Cowboys and Aliens, Solider, Escape from L.A.)
Chiwetel Ejiofor b. 1977 (2012, Children of Men, Serenity)
Peter Serafinowicz b. 1972 (Guardians of the Galaxy, Shaun of the Dead, Star Wars: Episode I – The One We Don’t Mention, Jack and the Beanstalk [TV 1998])
Jamie Glover b. 1969 (An Adventure in Space and Time, Jupiter Moon)
Fiona Shaw b. 1958 (True Blood, Harry Potter, Super Mario Bros.)
Ron Glass b. 1945 (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Serenity, Firefly, Star Trek: Voyager, Deep Space, Twilight Zone [1985])
Lawrence Pressman b. 1939 (Dark Angel, The X-Files, Mighty Joe Young [1999], Deep Space Nine, Man from Atlantis, Tucker’s Witch)
Tura Satana b. 1938 died 4 February 2011 (The Astro Zombies)
Nick Adams b. 1931 died 7 February 1968 (Mission Mars, Invasion of Astro-Monster, Frankenstein Conquers the World, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Outer Limits)
Susan Cummings b. 1930 (Twilight Zone)
George Clayton Johnson b. 1929 (writer, Logan’s Run, Star Trek, Twilight Zone)
William Smithers b. 1927 (The Amazing Spider-Man [TV], The Six Million Dollar Man, Star Trek, The Invaders, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)
Fred Gwynne b. 1926 died 2 July 1993 (Pet Sematary, The Munsters)
Earl Hamner Jr. b. 1923 (The Invaders, Twilight Zone)
Joe Shuster b. 1914 died 30 July 1992 (writer/artist, Superman)
Thomas Gomez b. 1905 died 18 June 1971 (Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Bewitched, Twilight Zone)
John Wyndam b. 1903 died 11 March 1969 (author, Day of the Triffids, the Midwich Cuckoos)
Nikola Tesla b. 1856 died 7 January 1943 (inventor/writer)

It's a very Twilight Zone set of birthdays. We have two writers from the original series, George Clayton Johnson and Earl Hamner Jr, and both of them are still alive, bless them. Thomas Gomez and Susan Cummings were in episodes from the original series and Ron Glass was on the 1980s version of the show. And even so, when it came to the Picture Slot, I chose Peter Serafinowicz as Darth Maul from that movie I try to mention as rarely as possible, just because he's as iconic as it gets without going all baby boomer and picking Fred Gwynne. Other good choices are Nicola Tesla and Joe Shuster's cover art from the first issue of Action Comics in June 1938. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ron Glass, Tura Satana, a cover from a John Wyndham novel? Yes, I could go in one of those directions as well. Next year's Picture Slot is a wide open field.

Many happy returns to 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: Many firms now are drowning in an ever-rising sea of paper work; so is government. Electronic computers will take over vast recording and accounting jobs, freeing tens of thousands of clerical personnel for other responsibilities. The need for expensive models of many new products, from jets to smaller items, will be eliminated: computers can predict their performance under varying conditions in a few hours.

Reality: Computers have changed the face of record keeping, and according to an article in The Washington Post, the percentage of clerical workers in government has shrunk from 75% of the federal workforce in the 1950s to about 4% now. On the other hand, using computers to predict performance of other products is not one of the main uses. We still buy expensive models of new products without doing the cost-benefit analysis

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

The mystical and ineffable wrongness that is Edgar Cayce.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

3 July 2014

Birthdays
Dean Cook b. 1985 (Powers, The Little Vampire, Highlander [TV])
Corey Sevier b. 1984 (Supernatural, Immortals, Age of the Dragons, Smallville, Metamorphosis, The Dresden Files, 2030 CE)
Brandon Jay McLaren b. 1981 (Dead Before Dawn 3D, Falling Skies, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Kyle XY, Smallville, Blade: The Series, Power Rangers S.P.D., Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed)
Olivia Munn b. 1980 (Iron Man 2)
Kevin Hart b. 1980 (This is the End, Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire)
Ian Anthony Dale b. 1978 (American Horror Story, Mortal Kombat: Legacy, The Event, Tekken, Dollhouse, Charmed, Angel)
Patrick Wilson b. 1973 (Ant-Man, Space Station 76, Prometheus, Watchmen)
Shawnee Smith b. 1970 (The Island, Breakfast of Champions, Armageddon, The Shining [1997 TV], The X-Files, The Stand, The Blob [1988])
Connie Nielsen b. 1965 (Demonlover, Mission to Mars, Solider, The Devil’s Advocate)
Tommy Flanagan b. 1965 (Sin City, Alien vs. Predator)
Thomas Gibson b. 1962 (Category 6: Day of Destruction, The Lost Empire, Psycho Beach Party)
Tom Cruise b. 1962 (Edge of Tomorrow, Oblivion, War of the Worlds, Minority Report, Vanilla Sky, Interview with the Vampire, Legend)
Rick Ducommun b. 1956 (Brimstone, Ghost in the Machine, Groundhog Day, Encino Man, Gremlins 2, Little Monsters, Spaceballs, Max Headroom)
Cork Hubbert b. 1952 died 28 September 203 (Charmed, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Sinbad of the Seven Seas, The Charmings, The Twilight Zone [1986], Legend)
Betty Buckley b. 1947 (The Happening, Carrie)
Michael Cole b. 1945 (It, Beyond Westworld, Wonder Woman)
Kurtwood Smith b. 1943 (Resurrection, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Deep Impact, Star Trek: Voyager, Deep Space Nine, The X-Files, Star Trek VI, RoboCop)
Harrison Schmidt b. 1935 (walked on the moon)
Tom Stoppard b. 1937 (screenplay, Brazil)
Ken Russell b. 1927 died 27 November 2011 (The Lair of the White Worm, Altered States)
Tim O’Connor b. 1927 (The Burning Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Wonder Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Sssssss, The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, ‘Way Out)
Carol Ohmart b. 1927 (House on Haunted Hill, Men Into Space)
Rae Allen b. 1926 (Vampire Mob, Stargate, The Greatest American Hero)
George Sanders b. 1906 died 25 April 1972 (The Body Stealers, Batman, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Village of the Damned, From the Earth to the Moon)
Franz Kakfa b. 1883 died 3 June 1924 (author, Metamorphosis)

This year, walking on the moon is trump, so Harrison Schmidt, the last guy to leave in 1972, gets the Picture Slot.

Walking on the moon! Yay!

Professor Schmidt is also a climate change denier associated with the Heartland Institute. Not so yay.

He's also appeared on the Alex Jones show. Shaking my head in sorrow and disgust.

Last year's picture slot was Tom Cruise (another shake of my head) and next year is wide open, though the front runners are several fabulous babes, Franz Kafka and Kurtwood Smith, who is at the "Hey, it's Red from That 70s Show!" level of fame.

You don't know him as Red from That 70s Show? Dumbass.

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

Movies released 
Despicable Me 2 released, 2013
The Amazing Spider-Man released, 2012
Transformers released, 2007
Men In Black released, 2002
Terminator 2 released, 1991
Back to the Future released, 1985

As you might surmise, July 3 is a very popular date to release what is often the last summer blockbuster.

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: Automation, electronic equipment, and other machines will make it possible to increase production per worker, creating more leisure time and a constantly rising living standard. (Atomic processing plants, oil refineries, and others now can be operated in large part from a control panel.)

Reality: Well, this is a three parter. Increased production per worker is absolutely true, but in the United States, leisure time hasn't increased much since and the living standard has stagnated because... FREEDOM!!!1!

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Our new Friday regular comes in with his first prediction.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!