16 February 2015

Birthdays
Jimmy ‘Jax’ Pinchak b. 1996 (Ender’s Game,Let Me In)
Mackintosh Muggleton b. 1994 (28 Weeks Later)
Elizabeth Olsen b 1989 (Godzilla [2014])
Agyness Deyn b. 1983 (Clash of the Titans)
Eric Ladin b. 1978 (Surface)
Janet Varney b. 1976 (Warehouse 13, Catwoman)
Mahershala Ali b. 1974 (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Alphas, Predators, The 4400, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Sarah Clarke b. 1972 (The Tomorrow People, Twilight)
Elisabeth Olsen b. 1969 (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Godzilla [2014])
Pasha D. Lychnikoff b. 1967 (The Big Bang Theory, Star Trek [2009], Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystall Skull, Cloverfield)
Christopher Eccleston b. 1964 (The Leftovers, Thor: The Dark World, The Borrowers, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Heroes, Doctor Who, 28 Days Later…, The Others, eXistenZ)
Faran Tahir b, 1963 (Jinn, Elysium, Warehouse 13, Supernatural, Star Trek [2009], Lost, Iron Man, Charmed, Manitcore, FreakyLinks)
Ice-T b. 1958 (Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, Welcome to Paradox, Johnny Mnemonic, Tank Girl)
Lisa Loring b. 1958 (The Addams Family)
LeVar Burton b. 1957 (The Big Bang Theory, Rise of the Zombies, Star Trek, The Supernaturals)
Ardwight Chamberlain b. 1957 (Babylon 5)
Vincent Ward b. 1956 (director, What Dreams May Come; writer, Alien3)
Iain M. Banks b. 1954 died 9 June 2013 (author, The State of the Art, The Hydrogen Sonata, Against a Dark Background)
William Katt b. 1951 (Moon, Earthling, Heroes, The Man From Earth, Gamers, Andromeda, Piranha, The Hunger [TV], The Greatest American Hero, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend, Faerie Tale Theatre, Carrie)
Jeremy Bulloch b. 1945 (Starhyke, Star Wars, Doctor Who)
Barry Primus b. 1938 (The X-Files, SeaQuest 2032, SpaceCamp)
Don Knight b. 1933 died 18 August 1997 (The Canterville Ghost, Automan, Manimal, The Powers of Matthew Star, Small & Frye, Voyagers, Swamp Thing, Death in Space, The Immortal, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, Munster Go Home! )
Paul Sorensen b. 1926 died 17 July 2008 (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Salvage 1, Escape to Witch Mountain, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Westworld, Bewitched, Land of the Giants, The Invaders, My Favorite Martian, The Satan Bug)
Hugh Beaumont b. 1909 died 14 May 1982 (The Human Duplicators, The Mole People, Topper, Adventures of Superman)
George Woodbridge b. 1907 died 31 March 1973 (Dracula: Prince of Darkness, The Curse of the Werewolf, H.G. Wells' Invisible Man, The Mummy, The Revenge of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Previously, Christopher Eccleston and LeVar Burton were in the Picture Slot. I debated three possible candidates, Lisa Loring from The Addams Family, Ardwright Chamberlain as Kosh from Babylon 5 and the guy I actually chose, William Katt from The Greatest American Hero, who gets the nod for being closest to the top of the bill.

2. Nepotism FTW. Elisabeth Olsen is the younger sister of the Olsen Twins.

3. MST3K. We have a Hugh Beaumont daily double with The Human Duplicators and The Mole People. If there are others I've forgotten, I expect some eagle-eyed commenter will set me straight.

4. The Guy at the Door. Barry Primus is the oldest living person on the list and everyone younger than him is also alive, making him The Guy at the Door. Whenever I notice this morbid coincidence, I always extend special best wishes to the fellow or lady in that position.

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

Movie released
Ghost Rider released, 2007

 

 Predictor: The OMNI Future Almanac, published 1982

Prediction: Tomorrow's movie studios will be designed to accommodate the use of computer and video techniques. It is possible that dramatic performances, even actors' lines, will be altered via computer synthesis, yielding a perfect take every time. Actors will be synthesized into backgrounds of locations anywhere in the world. This way, expensive location shooting will be used only infrequently.

Reality: This is a hit and miss prediction, getting a very good handle on what the technology would look like but missing the mark as to the consequences of it. Shooting on location is still very common, but digital techniques are used to transform the locations significantly, either into fantasy setting like Game of Thrones or to make a place look like it did in the past or might look in the future. There are synthesized performances, some very convincing like Gollum and Groot, others disappointing like J** J** B****, the name I refuse to type.

Never to be Forgotten: Louis Jourdan 1921-2015 Louis Jourdan, the dashing French actor best known for the role of Gaston in Gigi, has died at the age of 93. He is remembered on this blog for two roles, one in Swamp Thing and the other when he played Count Dracula in a 1977 TV movie, pictured here.

Best wishes to the family and friends of Louis Jourdan. He is never to be forgotten.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Another view of the 21st Century from W. Warren Wagar.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

15 February 2015

Birthdays
Zachary Gordon b. 1998 (National Treasure: Book of Secrets)
Jessica de Gouw b. 1988 (Arrow, Dracula [2013], These Final Hours)
Ashley Tesoro b. 1983 (The Werewolf Reborn!, Mystery Monsters, Demon in a Bottle, Lord of Illusions, Lost Island)
Kaj-Erik Eriksen b. 1979 (The Triple Eight, The 4400, Star Trek: Enterprise, Stephen King's Dead Zone, Poltergeist: The Legacy, The Girl From Mars)
Brendon Small b. 1975 (The Venture Brothers)
Sara Wynter b. 1973 (Stephen King’s Dead Zone [TV], The 6th Day, NightMan, Species II)
Renee O’Connor b. 1971 (Ark,Monster Ark, Boogeyman 2, Alien Apocalypse, Xena, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Tales from the Crypt)
Megan Dodds b. 1970 (Awake)
Michael Easton b. 1967 (Mutant X, Total Recall 2070, VR.5)
Kim Meyers b. 1966 (Perversions of Science, Hellraiser: Bloodline, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge)
Chris Farley b. 1964 died 18 December 1997 (Coneheads)
Christopher McDonald b. 1955 (Stargate Universe, Spy Kids 2, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Twilight Zone [1986], Knight Rider)
Matt Groening b. 1954 (writer, Futurama)
Jane Seymour b. 1951 (Smallville, The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell, Battlestar Galactica, Somewhere in Time, Frankenstein: The True Story)
Sherry Jackson b. 1942 (The Incredible Hulk, Star Trek, Batman, Lost in Space, Twilight Zone)
Francis X. McCarthy b. 1942 (Interstellar, Supernatural, CAT. 8, Smallville, Race to Mars, Stephen King's Dead Zone, 10.5 Apocalypse, Odyssey 5, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Babylon 5, The Relic, SeaQuest 2032, M.A.N.T.I.S., Alien Nation, ALF, The Man with Two Brains, The Greatest American Hero, Altered States)
Claire Bloom b. 1931 (Doctor Who, Clash of the Titans, The Illustrated Man, Charly, The Haunting, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm)
Harvey Korman b. 1927 died 29 May 2008 (Munchies, The Invisible Woman, The Star Wars Holiday Special)
Carlos Romero b. 1927 died 21 June 2007 (Wonder Woman, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Six Million Dollar Man, Soylent Green, The Invaders, )
Keene Curtis b. 1923 died 23 October 2002 (Stargate SG-1, Lois & Clark, Star Trek: Voyager, The Wizard, Knight Rider, Logan's Run [TV], Wonder Woman, Strange New World, Stowaway to the Moon, Dark Shadows)
Herman Kahn b. 1922 died 7 July 1983 (author, The Next 200 Years)
Allan Arbus b. 1918 died 19 April 2013 (The Amazing Spider-Man [1979], Americathon, Salvage 1, Damien: The Omen II, Wonder Woman)
Meg Wyllie b. 1917 died 1 January 2002 (Star Trek, Twilight Zone)
Ian Ballentine b. 1916 died 9 March 1995 (publisher, Ballentine Books)
Kevin McCarthy b. 1914 died 11 September 2010 (Ghoulies III, Eve of Destruction, Innerspace, Twilight Zone: The Movie, The Howling, Invasion of the Body Snatchers [1978 and 1956], Piranha, Between Time and Timbuktu, The Invaders, Twilight Zone [1960])
Cesar Romero b. 1907 died1 January 1994 (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Bewitched, Batman)
Gale Sondergaard b. 1899 died 14 August 1985 (The Invisible Man's Revenge)
Sax Rohmer b. 1883 died 1 June 1959 (author, Fu Manchu)
John Barrymore b. 1882 died 29 May 1942 (The Invisible Woman, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)

Notes from the birthday list
1. The Picture Slot. The list skews a little old today, with three people born in the 19th Century and three others - Meg Wyllie, Kevin McCarthy and Cesar Romero - born before World War I ends but serious contenders for the Picture Slot.  While there are others who could also get the Picture Slot, I went with the youngest who has what I consider an iconic role Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle on Xena. Is she also a fabulous babe? Funny how that works out.

2. Canadian spotted and nepotism free. Francis X. McCarthy is not, despite having a Supernatural/Smallville daily double in his credits. Kaj-Erik Eriksen is. It should be noted the Francis X. McCarthy is not related to Kevin McCarthy and Carlos Romero is no kin to Cesar Romero. Just coincidences.

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

 

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

Prediction: Only crooked gamblers claim to give the sucker the best of it, and insurance is legalized gambling.

Reality: This is written in 1956 and is typical of Heinlein's cut-the-crap view of economics, but I am going to give it the status of a failed prediction because between 1956 when it is written and 1970 when the story takes place, Edward Thorp writes the first important book on card-counting in Blackjack Beat the Dealer in 1962. Thorp is not a crook and he proves the house doesn't have the long-term advantage in blackjack the way it is set up.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Even when Monday is a holiday, we still get a visit from the OMNI Future Almanac.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

14 February 2015

Birthdays
Allie Grant b. 1994 (Zombie Basement)
Shane Harper b. 1993 (Wizards of Waverly Place, Re-Animated)
Freddie Highmore b. 1992 (Astro Boy, The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Golden Compass, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story, The Mists of Avalon)
Brett Dier b. 1990 (Mighty Mighty Monsters, Mega Cyclone, V, Supernatural, Goblin, Meteor Storm, Phantom Racer, Smallville)
Cody Deal b. 1986 (Almighty Thor)
Stephanie Leonidas b. 1984 (Defiance, Atlantis: End of the World, Birth of a Legend, Dracula [2006], MirrorMask)
Matt Barr b. 1984 (Sleepy Hollow [2015], The Big Bang Theory)
Sebastian Pigott b. 1983 (Darknet, Pacific Rim, Haven)
Erica Leerhsen b. 1976 (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [2003], Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2)
Mark Lutz b. 1970 (Angel, Mutant X, Earth: Final Conflict, Specimen)
Simon Pegg b. 1970 (The World’s End, Star Trek, Paul, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Land of the Dead, Doctor Who, Shaun of the Dead, Dr. Terrible’s House of Horrible)
Zach Galligan b. 1964 (Nightbeasts, Infested, Star Trek: Voyager, Warlock: The Armageddon, Tales from the Crypt, Waxwork I & II, Deadly Nightmares, Gremlins)
Enrico Colantoni b. 1963 (Warehouse 13, Contagion, Stargate SG-1, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Galaxy Quest)
Meg Tilly b. 1960 (Caprica, Body Snatchers, Nightmare Classics)
Matthias Hues (Immortally Yours, Legion of the Dead, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, Conan, Bloodsuckers, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Dark Angel [1990 Movie])
James Eckhouse b. 1955 (Futurestates, Marvel’s The Avengers, Jericho, Big)
Anton Lesser b. 1952 (Game of Thrones, Atlantis, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Primeval, Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story, Invasion: Earth, Guinevere)
Frank Collison b. 1950 (Runestone, Radio Free Albemuth, Ghosts/Aliens, The Happening, Stargate: Atlantis, Invasion, Carnivale, The Village, K-PAX, Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Lawnmower Man, Quantum Leap, Alien Nation, The Blob [1988])
Gregory Hines b. 1946 died 9 August 2003 (Eve of Destruction, Amazing Stories, Faerie Tale Theatre, Wolfen)
Alan Parker b. 1944 (director, Angel Heart)
Andrew Robinson b. 1942 (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The X Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., The Puppet Masters, Child’s Play 3, The Twilight Zone [1986], Hellraiser, The Greatest American Hero, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Kolchak: The Night Stalker)
Andrew Prine b. 1936 (The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes, Weird Science [TV], Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Freddy’s Nightmares, V, Amityville II: The Possession, The Evil, The Bionic Woman, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Nightmare Circus, Wonder Woman, Hanna, Queen of the Vampires, Simon, King of the Witches, The Invaders )
Florence Henderson b. 1934 (Out of This World, Free Spirit)
Jonathan Adams b. 1931 died 13 June 2005 (Star Cops, 1990, The Invisible Man, The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
Vic Morrow b. 1929 died 23 July 1982 (Twilight Zone: The Movie, 1990: The Bronx Warriors, Humanoids from the Deep, Message from Space, The Immortal)
Edward Platt b. 1916 died 19 March 1974 (Bewitched, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Outer Limits, Atlantis, the Lost Continent, Twilight Zone)
Ray Corrigan b. 1902 died 10 August 1976 (It! The Terror from Beyond Space, Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla, The Monster and the Ape, The Monster Maker, Undersea Kingdom, Flash Gordon, Night Life of the Gods, The Phantom Empire)

Notes on the birthday list.
The Picture Slot. In previous years, there were pictures of Andrew Robinson from Deep Space Nine and Simon Pegg from Shaun of the Dead. If I wanted to skew toward the youth market, Freddie Highmore has starred in a lot movies, including the title role in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There are other valid choices as well, but Enrico Colantoni from Galaxy Quest gets the nod because I still love that movie.

The Canadians. Colantoni is Canadian, though he usually works in Hollywood. We also have Brett Dier, Sebastian Pigott and Mark Lutz, of whom only Dier has the typically Canadian credit list.

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

Movie released 
Daredevil released, 2003

Predictor: David Swing (1830-1894), Chicago professor and preacher, predicting 1993 in honor of the 1893 Columbian Exhibition.

Predictions: By 1993, Canada and Mexico will be in the greater American republic... the American President will have only one term of six or eight years and at the close of the next century, some rare and noble woman will have been elected president... Railways will travel at 130 miles an hour... Workers will become shareholders and will not strike, since they would be fighting against their own interests... balloons will travel from city to city along wires strung about 100 feet off the ground.


Reality: Swing wasn't shy, that's for sure. Except for predicting much faster railroad trains, nothing he predicted has happened. The next closest thing to a correct answer is the idea of much more air travel, though he gets the technology completely wrong. It would have been hard for a sane man to guess what aircraft would look like in the 20th Century.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Robert A. Heinlein returns with another prediction from The Door Into Summer.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
  

13 February 2015

 Birthdays
Mena Suvari b. 1979 (American Horror Story, The Cape, Day of the Dead, The Rage: Carrie 2)
Carey Torice b. 1977 (Dark Night of the Pumpkinman 2, Silent Scream)
Michael DeMello b. 1974 (Surrogates)
Scott Levy b. 1971 (The Helix… Loaded)
Andrew Bryniarski b. 1969 (Dracula’s Guest, Texas Chainsaw Massacre [2006], Seven Mummies, Firefly, Rollerball [2002], Good vs Evil, NightMan, Scooby-Doo, Conan, Lois & Clark, Batman Returns, Street Fighter)
Kelly Hu b. 1968 (Arrow, Age of Tomorrow, Warehouse 13, The 100, The Vampire Diaries, Area 57, Dark Shadows [2004 TV movie], X-Men 2, The Scorpion King, Strange Days, L.A.X. 2194, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan)
Neal McDonough b. 1966 (Agent Carter, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Captain America: The First Avenger, Tin Man, Minority Report, The X-Files, Star Trek: First Contact, White Dwarf, VR.5, Quantum Leap, Darkman)
Stephen Manley b. 1965 (Nightwing: The Series, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
Mark Patton b. 1964 (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, Anna to the Infinite Power)
Henry Rollins b. 1961 (The Devil’s Tomb, Jack Frost, Welcome to Paradox, Johnny Mnemonic)
Richard Tyson b. 1961 (Bigfoot, Flight of the Living Dead, Battlefield Earth)
Matt Salinger b. 1960 (What Dreams May Come, Captain America [1990])
David Naughton b. 1951 (The Nightmare Room, Beanstalk, Twilight Zone [1989], An American Werewolf in London, Planet of the Apes [TV])
Pernilla August b. 1958 (Star Wars: Episodes I and II)
Leslie Bevis b. 1957 (Deep Space Nine, Alien Nation, Spaceballs, V)
Joe Estevez b. 1946 (Drakul, The Attack of the 30 Foot Chola, Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan, The Voices from Beyond, Horrorween, La Femme Vampir, Zombie Farm, Hercules in Hollywood, Vampire Blvd., Black Scorpion, Blood Slaves of the Vampire Wolf, Rollergator, Cyber Seeker, Beach Babes from Beyond, Starman [TV], The Invisible Woman, Werewolf, Soul Taker)
Michael Ensign b. 1944 (The Drone Virus, Star Trek: Enterprise, Solaris, The X Files, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Star Trek: Voyager, Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Doctor Hackenstein, Otherworld, Voyagers!, WarGames, Jekyll and Hyde… Together Again, The Greatest American Hero, Superman)
Stockard Channing b. 1944 (Practical Magic)
Donald Sumpter b. 1943 (Jekyll & Hyde, Atlantis [2013], Game of Thrones, Merlin [2010], Being Human, The Sarah Jane Chronicles, Dracula [2006], Doctor Who, The Lost Continent)
Carol Lynley b. 1942 (The Shape of Things to Come [1979], The Evil Touch, Beware! The Blob, The Sixth Sense [1972], The Night Stalker, The Immortal, The Invaders)
Bo Svenson b. 1941 (Deep Space, Wizards of the Lost Kingdom)
Oliver Reed b. 1938 died 2 May 1999 (The Pit and the Pendulum, The House of Usher, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Gor, Venom, Condorman, Doctor Heckyl and Mr. Hype, Z.P.G., The Curse of the Werewolf, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man)
George Segal b. 1934 (2012, The Terminal Man)
Caroline Blakiston b. 1933 (Return of the Jedi, My Partner the Ghost, Out of the Unknown)
Barbara Shelley b. 1933 (Doctor Who, Blakes 7, Five Million Miles to Earth, Dracula: Prince of Darkness [1966], The Gorgon, Village of the Damned, H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man, Blood of the Vampire)
Kim Novak b. 1933 (Satan’s Triangle, Bell Book and Candle)
Susan Oliver b. 1932 died 10 May 1990 (Freddy’s Nightmares, Star Trek, Death in Space, The Invaders, Twilight Zone)
James Griffith b. 1916 died 17 September 1993 (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Isis, The Six Million Dollar Man, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Batman, The Amazing Transparent Man, The Vampire, Rocky Jones, Space Ranger)
William Dozier b. 1908 died 23 April 1991 (producer, Batman, The Green Hornet, Red Brown of the Rocket Rangers)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. In previous years, There were pictures of Susan Oliver from Star Trek and Pernilla August from Star Wars, and with them removed there are still some iconic roles to choose from, but I'm jonesing so bad for some new Game of Thrones, I went with Donald Sumpter as Master Luwin.

2. Nepotism Not FTW. Joe Estevez is the younger brother of Martin Sheen. He has been in a huge number of films, but I don't list the ones on imdb.com that are said to be direct to video. Consider that Attack of the 30 Foot Chola  is NOT listed as direct to video and this gives you an idea of how successful his career has been. (No, I've never seen it.) On imdb, it says that Joe gets voiceover work largely because he sounds like his brother, so there is a little nepotistic advantage at work. He also showed up in two MST3K targets, Werewolf and Soul Taker.

3. More MST3K. The Amazing Transparent Man with James Griffith also got riffed by Joel and the bots.

4. Where are the young people? And the Canadians? No actor on our list today was born in the 1980s or after. That's pretty rare. Quite often, our Canadians who get work on the genre shows are younger actors, but there are no Canadians either. Go figure.

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

Predictor: H.G. Wells from his 1902 book Anticipations

Prediction: One always imagines a cook working with a crimsoned face and bare blackened arms. But with a neat little range, heated by electricity and provided with thermometers, with absolutely controllable temperatures and proper heat screens, cooking might very easily be made a pleasant amusement for intelligent invalid ladies. It seems likely that there will be no chimneys at all to the house of the future of this type, except the flue for the kitchen smells. This will not only abolish the chimney stack, but make the roof a clean and pleasant addition to the garden spaces of the home.

Reality: Okay, Herb gets full points here, although cooking is not just an amusement for "intelligent invalid ladies". Lots of people like to cook and some are able bodied men. I will not comment on intelligence or lack of same.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Back to 1893 for some bold predictions from the Reverend David Swing.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

12 February 2015

Birthdays
Sam Webb b. 1997 (Transcendence, Adventures of a Teenage Dragonslayer)
Jennifer Stone b. 1993 (Deadtime Stories, Wizards of Waverly Place)
Afshan Azad b. 1988 (Harry Potter)
Anna Hopkins b. 1987 (Lost Girl, Arrow, Stephen King’s Dead Zone)
Clare-Hope Ashitey b. 1987 (Children of Men)
Valorie Curry b. 1986 (Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2)
Sam Kennard b. 1982 (The Dark Knight Rises)
Enver Gjokaj b. 1980 (Agent Carter, Extant, Witches of East End, The Walking Dead, Marvel’s The Avengers, Dollhouse)
Christina Ricci b. 1980 (After.Life, Speed Racer, The Gathering, Sleepy Hollow [movie], Casper, Addams Family, Addams Family Values)
Sarah Lancaster b. 1980 (Witches of East End, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch)
Jesse Spencer b. 1979 (Time Trax)
Michael Bower b. 1975 (Wishcraft, Dark Angel, Evolution, Dude, Where’s My Car?, The X Files, Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills, Weird Science [TV], Tales from the Crypt)
Lisa Brenner b. 1974 (The Librarian)
Darren Aronofsky b. 1969 (director, The Fountain, Pi)
Josh Brolin b. 1968 (Guardians of the Galaxy, Men in Black 3, Jonah Hex, Planet Terror, Hollow Man, Mimic)
Lochlyn Munro b. 1966 (Tomorrowland, Arrow, Lost Girl, Mysterious Island [2012], Infection: The Invasion Begins, Xtinction: Predator X, Smallville, Andromeda, Dead Like Me, Freddy vs. Jason, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Dracula 2000, Charmed, Welcome to Paradox, Dead Man on Campus, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, Sliders, Highlander [TV], Needful Things, The Girl from Mars)
David Joseph Steinberg b. 1965 died 16 March 2010 (Transylmania, Charmed, Willow)
Alex Meneses b. 1965 (Amanda and the Alien)
Christine Elise b. 1965 (Charmed, Escape from Mars, Body Snatchers, Child’s Play 2)
Raphael Sbarge b. 1964 (Once Upon a Time, No Ordinary Family, Heroes, Dollhouse, Journeyman, Threshold, Charmed, Dark Skies, Independence Day, Star Trek: Voyager, SeaQuest 2032, Carnosaur, The Hidden II, Quantum Leap, Monsters, Werewolf, My Science Project)
John Michael Higgins b. 1963 (Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, Blade: Trinity, Bicentennial Man, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids [TV], From the Earth to the Moon, Weird Science [TV], Vampire’s Kiss)
Sigrid Thornton b. 1959 (Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Trapped in Space)
Fraser Clarke Heston b. 1955 (director, Needful Things)
Zach Grenier b. 1954 (RoboCop [2014], Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Star Trek: Enterprise, The X Files)
Simon MacCorkindale b. 1952 died 14 October 2010 (Relic Hunter, Dark Realm, The Dinosaur Hunter, Earth: Final Conflict, Poltergeist: The Legacy [TV], Wing Commander, NightMan, Manimal, The Sword and the Sorceror, Hammer House of Horror, Quatermass)
Larry Joshua b. 1952 (Lost, Spider-Man, The X Files, Conan, War of the Worlds [TV])
Michael Ironside b. 1950 (Turbo Kid, Extraterrestrial, Ice Soldiers, Meltdown on the Ice Planet, X-Men: First Class, Smallville, Lake Placid 3, Terminator Salvation, Mutants, Stargate SG-1, Andromeda, Ignition, Mindstorm, Starship Troopers, SeaQuest 2032, Highlander II: the Quickening, Total Recall, Watchers, V, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, Scanners)
Robin Thomas Grossman b. 1949 (Pacific Rim, Clockstoppers, Halloweentown I & II)
Ray Kurzweil b. 1948 (author, The Age of Spiritual Machines, The Singularity is Near)
Maud Adams b. 1945 (Rollerball)
David Seltzer b. 1940 (screenwriter, Prophecy, The Omen, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Hellstrom Chronicle)
Richard Lynch b. 1940 died 19 June 2012 (The Lords of Salem, Halloween [2007], Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy, The Mummy’s Kiss, Charmed, Highlander [TV], Necromicon: Book of Dead, Star Trek: Next Generation, Merlin, Super Force, Alligator II: the Mutation, Invasion Force, Manimal, The Sword and the Sorcerer, The Phoenix, Werewolf, The Barbarians, Automan, Battlestar Galactica, Vampire, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Bionic Woman)
Ralph Bates b. 1940 died 27 March 1991 (Moonbase 3, Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, Lust for a Vampire, The Horror of Frankenstein, Taste the Blood of Dracula)
Joe Don Baker b. 1936 (Mars Attacks!, Congo, Leonard Part 6)
Paul Shenar b. 1936 died 11 October 1989 (Logan’s Run [TV], Wonder Woman, The Bionic Woman, Gemini Man, The Invisible Man [TV])
Annette Crosbie b. 1934 (Into the Woods, Doctor Who, Hawk the Slayer, The Slipper and the Rose)
Lincoln Kilpatrick b. 1932 died 18 May 2004 (Fortress, The Greatest American Hero, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Six Million Dollar Man, Soylent Green, The Omega Man)
H.M. Wynant b. 1927 (The Lost Skeleton Returns Again, Trail of the Screaming Forehead, SeaQuest 2032, Solar Crisis, Earthbound, Future Cop, The Six Million Dollar Man, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Batman, Twilight Zone, Men Into Space)
Forrest Tucker b. 1919 died 25 October 1986 (The Bionic Woman, The Ghost Busters [TV], The Crawling Eye, The Cosmic Monster, The Abominable Snowman)
Lorne Greene b. 1915 died 11 September 1987 (Battlestar Galactica)
Wallace Ford b. 1898 died 11 June 1966 (Harvey, The Ape Man, The Mummy’s Tomb, The Mummy’s Hand)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. A long list today and several names stand out. I used Michael Ironside from Starship Troopers in the Picture Slot previously, but there are plenty of good choices, so no repeats this year. From oldest to youngest, the best candidates are Lorne Greene from Battlestar Galactica, Simon McCorkindale from Manimal, Enver Gjokaj from several of his TV shows and Clare-Hope Ashitey as the pregnant woman from Children of Men, but instead I went with Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams. She has grown into an attractive woman, so I have no qualms about using the fabulous babe label here.

2. Nepotism FTW. Josh Brolin has been in so many big budget productions, he no longer has to be introduced as James Brolin's kid. Fraser Clarke Heston on the other hand... he's still Charlton Heston's son and without much chance of equaling or eclipsing his dad's career.

3. A list honeycombed with Canadians. Lochlyn Munro has a very typical Canadian resume, Anna Hopkins is a little harder to detect. But unless you make a hobby of knowing who was born in Canada, you wouldn't be able to guess Lorne Greene and Michael Ironside.

4. MST3K. The Crawling Eye with Forrest Tucker was the very first movie that got the MST3K treatment. While it's not a genre production, Joe Don Baker in Mitchell is a very well-known episode.

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

Predictor: David Sarnoff, chairman of RCA, 1955

Prediction: “I do not hesitate to forecast that atomic batteries will be commonplace long before 1980. It can be taken for granted that before that date, ships, aircraft, locomotives and even automobiles will be atomically fueled.”

Reality: The first nuclear powered submarine was launched in 1954 and the whole Atoms for Peace thing was in full swing when Sarnoff made this prediction. The 1970s did see the start of nuclear powered aircraft carriers, but other than governmental customers, atomic power for moving vehicles didn't pan out.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Another visit from H.G. Wells with a prediction that doesn't make him look like a racist scumbag.


Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

11 February 2015

 Birthdays
Taylor Lautner b. 1992 (Twilight, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D, Shadow Fury)
Q’orianka Kilcher b. 1990 (Neverland)
Harris Allan b. 1985 (Supernatural, Final Destination 3, The 4400, Smallville, The New Addams Family)
Sarah Butler b. 1985 (Moontrap: Target Earth, I (Heart) Vampires)
Natalie Dormer b. 1982 (The Hunger Games – Mockingjay, Game of Thrones, Captain America)
Dru Viergever b. 1981 (The Colony, Survival of the Dead)
Matthew Lawrence b. 1980 (Creature of Darkness, Big Monster on Campus, Tales from the Darkside)
Damian Lewis b. 1971 (Dreamcatcher, Life Force)
Jennifer Aniston b. 1969 (Bruce Almighty, Leprechaun, Quantum Leap, Mac and Me)
Becky LeBeau b. 1962 (Munchie, Dinosaur Island, Transylvania Twist, Not of This Earth)
Diane Franklin b. 1962 (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, TerrorVision, Amityville II: The Possession)
Catherine Hickland b. 1956 (Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe, Witchery, Robowar – Robot da Guerra, Werewolf [TV], Knight Rider)
Wesley Strick b. 1954 (writer, Arachnophobia, Wolf, Doom, A Nightmare on Elm Street [2010])
Philip Anglim b. 1952 (Deep Space Nine, Millennium, Monsters)
Paul Norell b. 1952 (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena, Power Rangers, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
Sonny Landham b. 1941 (2090, Predator, The Switch or How to Alter Your Ego)
John Fink b. 1940 (Batman & Robin, Batman Forever, Battlestar Galactica [1978], The Bionic Woman, Topper Returns [1973])
D’Urville Martin b. 1939 died 28 May 1984 (Rosemary’s Baby, The Invaders)
Burt Reynolds b. 1936 (The X Files, Universal Solider II & III, Frankenstein and Me, Twilight Zone)
Tina Louise b. 1934 (The Stepford Wives, Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby)
Conrad Janis b. 1928 (Bad Blood, V, Mork & Mindy, Quark, The Invisible Man [1975], My Favorite Martian)
Leslie Nielsen b. 1926 died 28 November 2010 (Stan Helsing, Superhero Movie, 2001: A Space Travesty, Repossessed, The Ray Bradbury Theatre, The Creature Wasn’t Nice, Creepshow, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Day of the Animals, The Reluctant Astronaut, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Tales of Tomorrow, Forbidden Planet)
Kim Stanley b. 1925 died 20 August 2001 (The Right Stuff)
Sidney Sheldon b. 1917 died 30 January 2007 (writer, The Twilight Zone [1986], I Dream of Jeannie)
Pat Welsh b. 1915 died 26 January 1995 (Return of the Jedi, E.T.)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. I often fret over making geezer choices for the Picture Slot, but this is the third February 11th where I have had pictures of actors at the top of the post and my prior choices were Taylor Lautner from Twilight and Natalie Dormer from Game of Thrones, two choices that are not geezer-ish in any way. When you take those two out of contention, Leslie Nielsen from Forbidden Planet is as iconic as it gets, though there was another possible choice I will discuss later in the post.

2. Spot the Canadians! Harris Allan is the obvious Canadian, Dru Viergever... not so much.

3. Voice work that counts. I often skip over any voice acting credits on a list. For example, I took The Iron Giant out of Jennifer Aniston's credits today. But the late Pat Welsh is here because of two voices credits, one as a bounty hunter in Return of the Jedi and the more important one, the voice of E.T. The alien in E.T. didn't look much like any movie alien before it and a lot of its look and behavior made it seem old. Having it voiced by a woman in her late sixties was not done by accident. This was a creature that had spent a very long time on a space ship.

4. The gateway drug to genre. There were sci-fi shows on TV before Twilight Zone, both for kids and for adults, but they are largely forgotten today. No channel airs a Science Fiction Theatre marathon on a three day weekend. It's remarkable to see the people who showed up on Twilight Zone, many of whom had very successful careers with almost no genre work. Robert Redford is one obvious example, and today's birthday boy Burt Reynolds is another.

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

Predictor: George Sutherland in his 1901 book Twentieth Century Inventions

Prediction: If then we recognize clearly that steam cargo transport across the ocean can only be done remuneratively at about one half the speed now attained by the very fastest mail-boats, we shall soon perceive also that the chances of the auxiliary principle, if wisely introduced, placing the "sailer" on a level with the cargo ship worked by steam alone, are by no means hopeless.

Reality: I've made it clear I like George Sutherland. He is very knowledgeable of the state of the art in 1901 and he is sensible. But it is because he is sensible that he never guesses the truly unbelievable advances that would happen in the 20th Century. Container ships seem very mundane to us, but they are principal reason Chinese products can flood the American market. If you told Sutherland how big and how fast these things would be, he would be flabbergasted. You couldn't surprise him any more by telling him men would walk on the moon and we would heave heavier than air craft traveling faster than the speed of sound.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

More silliness from The Experts Speak.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

10 February 2015

 Birthdays
Tiffany Espensen b. 1999 (Earth to Echo, Repo Men)
Chloe Grace Moretz b. 1997 (The Fifth Wave, Carrie [2013], Dark Shadows, Hugo, Let Me in, Jack and the Beanstalk, Kick-Ass)
Makenzie Vega b. 1994 (X-Men: The Last Stand, Sin City)
Emma Roberts b. 1991 (American Horror Story, Scream 4, Aquamarine)
Jade and Nikita Ramsey b. 1988 (Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2, All About Evil, Gamer, The Man Who Sold the World [2006], X-Men 2)
Emily Morris b. 1982 (The Vampire Diaries, I Kissed a Vampire)
Barry Sloane b. 1981 (Gotham [2012 TV Movie])
Max Brown b. 1981 (Sleepy Hollow [2015], Beauty and the Beast [2013])
Keeley Hawes b. 1976 (Doctor Who, The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box)
Meadow Williams b. 1976 (Raven [2010], Apollo 13, The Mask)
Elizabeth Banks b. 1974 (The Hunger Games, Spider-Man)
Rob Carpenter b. 1973 (iZombie, V [2010], Condition Human, Reaper, Flash Gordon [2007])
Laura Dern b. 1967 (Jurassic Park)
Paul Kersey b. 1970 (Hulk, Charmed, Lois & Clark)
Vince Gilligan b. 1967 (writer, Hancock, Night Stalker [2006], The X-Files, The Lone Gunmen, Wilder Napalm)
Philip Glenister b. 1963 (Demons)
Robert Addie b. 1960 died 30 November 2003 (Red Dwarf, Merlin, Excalibur)
Bess Motta b. 1958 (The Terminator)
Michael Apted b. 1941 (director, Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)
Peter Purves b. 1939 (Doctor Who)
Robert Wagner b. 1930 (Netherbeast Incorporated, Category 7: The End of the World, City Beneath the Sea)
Jerry Goldsmith b. 1929 died 21 July 2004 (composer, Star Trek, The Mummy, Small Soldiers, Congo, Omen IV, Alien Nation, Supergirl, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Coma, Logan’s Run, The Satan Bug)
John Ringham b. 1928 died 20 October 2008 (V for Vendetta, A Christmas Carol [1977], Doctor Who)
Hazel Court b. 1926 died 15 April 2008 (Omen III, Masque of the Red Death, Twilight Zone, The Raven, Premature Burial, The Curse of Frankenstein [1957], Devil Girl From Mars)
Walter Reed b. 1916 died 20 August 2001 (The Invaders, Batman, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Twilight Zone, World of Giants, How to Make a Monster, Adventures of Superman, Flying Disc Man from Mars)
Douglas Spencer b. 1910 died 6 October 1960 (Twilight Zone, This Island Earth, The Thing from Another World)
Lon Chaney Jr. b. 1906 died 12 July 1973 (Dracula vs. Frankenstein, House of the Black Death, The Alligator People, The Cyclops, Indestructible Man, Bride of the Gorilla, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, House of Dracula, The Mummy’s Curse, House of Frankenstein, The Mummy’s Ghost, Son of Dracula, The Mummy’s Tomb, The Ghost of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Man Made Monster, One Million B.C.)
Dame Judith Anderson b. 1897 died 3 January 1992 (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, The Borrowers)
Robert Keith b. 1890 died 22 December 1966 (Twilight Zone)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. In previous years, the Picture Slot was awarded to Lon Chaney Jr. and Laura Dern. This year, I could go with Elizabeth Banks from The Hunger Games or Hazel Court from Devil Girl From Mars, but instead I chose Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit-Girl from Kick-Ass. She's one of the most successful child actors of the 21st Century and I think she's got a good chance to transition into adult roles. I'm somewhat conflicted about giving the Fabulous Babe label to an 18 year old because there's a lot of creepiness around actresses becoming legal age, but she's a good actress and she's adorable, so there.

2. One Canadian, pre-spotted for your convenience. Rob Carpenter is Canadian, though he hasn't been on either Supernatural or Smallville. It happens.

3. Nepotism FTW. It isn't truly nepotism if a father's career isn't as successful as his son's, and that is the case with Robert Keith and his son Brian. Lon Chaney Jr. may not have been the star his father was in the silent movies, but he had a long career and is likely on a par with his father's fame now, though both are waning. Laura Dern has worked so much, I don't think most folks think of her as Bruce Dern's daughter anymore. On the other hand, Emma Roberts is most likely better known as Eric Roberts' daughter (or Julia Roberts' niece) than she is for her own accomplishments so far.

4. Lotsa Brits today. The American (and Canadian) film and TV industries produce a lot more genre than the British do, though there are exceptions like Doctor Who, Harry Potter and a lot of the cast of Game of Thrones. We have a few Doctor Who actors today, but there's also Dame Judith Anderson, The Ramsey Twins, Barry Sloane, Max Brown, Philip Glenister, Robert Addie, Michael Apted and Hazel Court. That is a lot more than usual.

5. MST3K. I almost forgot The Indestructible Man with Lon Cheney Jr. and This Island Earth with Douglas Spencer.

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

Movie released
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island released, 2012
  

Predictor: W. Warren Wagar from the 1991 edition of his book, A Short History of the Future

Prediction: The Vienna Conference of 2001 split the world into “regions of influence” among the major powers. To Russia and its partners were assigned Central Asia and the Middle East, excluding Israel (under American influence) and North Africa, which was ceded to the European Community along with the rest of the continent.

Reality: Oh yeah, the Russians are going to be given "influence" over the region where most of the oil is produced.

Sorry, professor, never gonna fuckin' happen without a big damned war with a very surprising winner.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Another speculation from our New Sensible Friend George Sutherland.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!