7 May 2015

 Birthdays
Destiny Whitlock b. 2001 (Tooth Fairy)
Maxwell Perry Cotton b. 2000 (Elysium, Radio Free Ablemuth)
Alexander Ludwig b. 1992 (The Hunger Games, Race to Witch Mountain, The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising)
Roxane Hayward b. 1991 (Dominion)
Brandon Jones b. 1988 (Supernatural)
Robbie Jarvis b. 1986 (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Genie in the House)
Val Tasso b. 1977 (Wolf People, Charmed)
Arnold Chun b. 1976 (The Man in the High Castle, The Big Bang Theory, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen)
Carrie Henn b. 1976 (Aliens)
Breckin Meyer b. 1974 (Heroes, Escape from L.A., The Craft, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare)
Ivan Sergei b. 1971 (Vamps, Warehouse 13, Charmed, 10.5, Kindred: The Embraced, Bionic Ever After)
Tracy Lords b. 1968 (Black Mask 2: City of Masks, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, D.R.E.A.M. Team, Blade, Virtuosity, Plughead Rewired: Circuitry Man II, Highlander [TV], The Tommyknockers, Super Force, Not of This Earth)
Patrick Read Johnson b. 1962 (director, When Good Ghouls Go Bad, Spaced Invaders)
David Franklin b. 1962 (Farscape, Xena: Warrior Princess, The Matrix Reloaded, Time Trax)
Ned Bellamy b. 1957 (Resurrection, Under the Dome, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Twilight, Being John Malkovich, Starman [TV], Twilight Zone [1986], The Greatest American Hero)
John Fleck b. 1951 (True Blood, The World, Star Trek: Enterprise, Carnivale, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Modern Vampires, Millennium, Waterworld, Lois & Clark, Babylon 5: The Gathering, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mutant on the Bounty, Max Headroom, Howard the Duck, Hard Rock Zombies)
Randall “Tex” Cobb b. 1950 (The X-Files, Highlander [TV])
Marilyn Burns b. 1949 died 4 August 2014 (Eaten Alive, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre)
Lee de Broux b. 1941 (The Day the World Ended, Mars, The X-Files, Quantum Leap, Pumpkinhead, RoboCop, Max Headroom, Voyager from the Unknown, The Incredible Hulk, The Bionic Woman, The Terminal Man)
Roger Perry b. 1933 (Wonder Woman, The Bionic Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Thing with Two Heads, The Return of Count Yorga, Count Yorga, Vampire, The Invaders, Star Trek, The Munsters)
Gene Wolfe b. 1931 (won Nebula for The Claw of the Conciliator)
Albert Band b. 1924 died 14 June 2002 (director, Prehysteria!, Robot Wars, Ghoulies II, Dracula’s Dog, Hercules and the Princess of Troy)
Anne Baxter b. 1923 died 12 December 1985 (Batman)
Darren McGavin b. 1922 died 25 February 2006 (The X-Files, Millennium, Captain America[1990], Firebird 2015 AD, The Martian Chronicles, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Six Million Dollar Man, Mission Mars)
David Tomlinson b. 1917 died 24 June 2000 (Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Mary Poppins)
Ishiro Honda b. 1911 died 28 February 1983 (director, Godzilla [1977], Mecha Godzilla, Ultraman Returns, Godzilla’s Revenge, Yog: Monster from Space, Latitude Zero, Destroy All Monsters, King Kong Escapes, The War of the Gargantuas, Invasion of the Astro Monster, Frankenstein Conquers the World, Ghidorah, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Atrtagon, Matango, Varan, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Gorath, Mothra, Battle in Outer Space, The H-Man, The Mysterians, Rodan, Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, Godzilla [1954])
Valentine Dyall b. 1908 died 24 June 1985 (Doctor Who, Blakes 7, The Haunting, Stranger from Space)
Val Newton b. 1904 died 14 March 1951 (producer, Isle of the Dead, Cat People, The Curse of the Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. In previous years, the Picture Slot went to Carrie Henn, the little girl from Aliens, and the cover from Gene Wolfe's Nebula winner The Claw of the Conciliator. This year, I considered Oh That Guy John Fleck, but instead went with Darren McGavin as Kolchak.

2. Spot the Canadian! Only one today and hard to spot: Alexander Ludwig.

3. Living MST3K free. Ishiro Honda directed a passel of Japanese giant monster movies, but none of them got the MST3K treatment, oddly enough. I couldn't find any other movies from any of our other credit lists either.

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


Movie released
Iron Man 2 released, 2010

Predictor: Business Week, Jan. 17, 195, re-published in The Experts Speak, 1984

Prediction: Though import car sales could hit 425,000 in 1959, they may never go that high again.

Reality: It's hard for non-geezers to remember how strong a grip American car manufacturers had on the domestic market back in the day. The authors of The Experts Speak thought this was funny enough to mock back in 1984, which is now 31 years ago. Suffice it to say, this prediction scores no points.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Fridays belong to H.G. Wells and his 1902 book Anticipations.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

  

6 May 2015

 Birthdays
Dominic Scott Kay b. 1996 (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. They Call Him Sasquatch, Power Rangers Wild Force, Minority Report)
Naomi Scott b. 1993 (The Martian, Terra Nova)
Freddie Boath b. 1991 (The Mummy Returns)
Mark Daugherty b. 1989 (The Amazing Spider-Man, No Ordinary Family)
Tyler Hynes b. 1986 (Warehouse 13, Immortals, Tales from the Neverending Story)
Adrianne Palicki b. 1983 (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, GI. Joe: Retaliation, Wonder Woman, Supernatural, The Robinsons: Lost in Space, Smallville)
Gabourney Sidibe b. 1983 (American Horror Story)
Will Blagrove b. 1981 (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Powers, Divergent)
Kyle Cassie b. 1976 (Fringe, Andromeda, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Jake 2.0, Stargate SG-1, Nightman)
Kavan Smith b. 1970 (Supernatural, Almost Human, Eureka, Red: Werewolf Hunter, Stargate [TV], The 4400, Battlestar Galactica, Blade: The Series, The Time Tunnel [2006], Jeremiah, Smallville, Mission to Mars, Escape from Mars, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Buffy)
Venesa Talor b. 1970 (Demonicus, Femalien 1 and 2)
Robert Floyd b. 1967 (Dark Angel, Sliders, Godzilla [1998])
Baxter Churchville b. 1966 (director, Champions of the Deep)
Leslie Hope b. 1965 (The Strain, Revolution, RoboCop: Prime Directives, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Early Edition, SeaQuest 2032)
Lars Mikkelsen b. 1964 (Danny’s Doomsday, The Island of Lost Souls)
Dana Hill b. 1964 died 15 July 1996 (Faerie Tale Theatre, Mork & Mindy)
George Clooney b. 1961 (Tomorrowland, Gravity, Spy Kids, Batman & Robin, From Dusk Till Dawn, Return to Horror High)
Carlos Lauchu b. 1961 (The Silencers [1996], Stargate)
Anne Parillaud b. 1960 (Innocent Blood)
Roma Downey b. 1960 (Hercules and the Amazon Women)
Michael O’Hare b. 1952 died 28 September 2012 (Babylon 5, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, C.H.U.D.)
Gregg Henry b. 1952 (Guardians of the Galaxy, Dollhouse, Slither [2006], Star Trek: Enterprise, Firefly, Star Trek: Insurrection, M.A.N.T.I.S., Werewolf [TV])
Paul Linke b. 1948 (K-PAX, Smart House, Lois & Clark, Quantum Leap, The Flash [1990], Space Rage)
Alan Dale b. 1947 (Dominion, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Once Upon a Time, Beauty and the Beast [TV movie], Lost, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, Star Trek: Nemesis, The X-Files, The Lost World [TV], Space: Above and Beyond, Time Trax)
Richard Eyer b. 1945 (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, The Invisible Boy, Invasion U.S.A.)
Hilary Heath b. 1945 (Space: 1999, Cry of the Banshee, Witchfinder General, The Prisoner)
Joanna Dunham b. 1936 died 25 November 2014 (Space: 1999, The House That Dripped Blood, H. G. Wells’ Invisible Man)
Jack Sharkey b. 1931 died 28 September 1992 (author, Ultimatum in 2050 A.D.)
Gordon C. Davies b. 1923 died 1994 (artist)
Orson Welles b, 1915 died 10 October 1985 (writer/actor, Necromancy, War of the Worlds [radio])
Stewart Granger b. 1913 died 16 August 1993 (The Wizard, Hell Hunters)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. In previous years, the Picture Slot went to the late Michael O'Hare from Babylon 5 and the artwork of Gordon C. Davies, who painted a lot of sci-fi book covers with spaceships back in the day. While I considered Adrianne Palicki in the Wonder Woman costume, it's hard to call it iconic since the show never aired. Instead, it's the one A-List star among today's birthday boys and girls, George Clooney from Gravity. Using a still from his Batman movie would have just been cruel.

2. Spot the Canadians! There are four today, Leslie Hope, Kavan Smith (not a typo), Kyle Cassie and Tyler Hines.

3. Nepotism... not so much. George Clooney is the nephew of Rosemary Clooney. He says she told him things about the ins and outs of show biz, but I don't how many doors the kinship opened for him.

4. Wait... I know they are dead. Dana Hill died very young and Michael O'Hare died at a relatively young age, but in their cases, my once reliable brain is still reliable and I remember they are gone.

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


Movie released
Thor released, 2011  

In the 21st Century, early May is all about the Marvel Studios releases.

Predictor: George Sutherland in his 1901 book Twentieth Century Inventions

Prediction: To a very large extent the automobile will be rather a feeder to the railway than a rival to it; and all sorts of by-roads and country lanes will be improved and adapted so as to admit of residents running into their stations by their own motor-cars and then completing their journeys by rail. But when this point has been reached, and when fairly smooth tracks adapted for automobile and cycling traffic have been laid down all over the country, a very interesting question will crop up having reference to the practicability of converting these tracks into highways combining the capabilities both of roads and of railways.

Reality: Certainly not full credit on this one. The auto is a feeder to railways, but it is also most certainly a rival or more to the point, a rival who won the day.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

 

5 May 2015

Birthdays
Clark Duke b. 1985 (Kick-Ass, Hot Tub Time Machine 1 & 2)
Henry Cavill b. 1983 (Batman vs. Superman, Man of Steel, Immortals, Stardust)
Pauline Egan b. 1985 (Olympus, Elysium, Supernatural)
Danielle Fishel b. 1981 (Rocket’s Red Glare, Harry and the Hendersons [TV])
Alana Curry b. 1980 (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Time Changer)
Vincent Kartheiser b. 1979 (In Time, Angel, The Indian in the Cupboard)
Santiago Cabrera b. 1978 (Merlin, Heroes)
Don Payne b. 1964 died 26 March 2013 (writer, Thor: The Dark World, Thor, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, My Super Ex-Girlfriend)
Manoj Sood b. 1962(Tomorrowland, Continuum, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Watchmen, The 4400, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Dead Like Me, Jake 2.0)
Richard E. Grant b. 1957 (The Little Vampire, Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life, Dracula [1992], How to Get Ahead in Advertising, Warlock)
Lisa Eilbacher b. 1956 (Leviathan, Twilight Zone [1986], Man from Atlantis, Logan’s Run, The Amazing Spider-Man)
Roger Rees b. 1944 (Forever, Warehouse 13, The Invasion, The Prestige, Veritas: The Quest, The Scorpion King, M.A.N.T.I.S.)
John Rhys-Davies b. 1944 (Once Upon a Time, Time Lapse, 100 Degrees Below Zero, Metal Hurlant Chronicles, Legend of the Seeker, Ferocious Planet, Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire, Anaconda, Lord of the Rings, Revelations, Chupacabra Terror, Star Trek: Voyager, Sliders, Cyborg Cop, The Lost World, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Goddess of Love, 1990)
Michael Palin b. 1943 (Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Brazil, Time Bandits, Jabberwocky)
Marc Alaimo b. 1942 (Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Quantum Leap, Total Recall, Freddy’s Nightmares, The Last Starfighter, Knight Rider, The Phoenix, The Greatest American Hero, The Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman, The Bionic Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Lance Hendrikson b. 1940 (The Strain, Alien Rising, The Witches of Oz, Scream of the Banshee, The Genesis Code, Screamers: The Hunting, Pumpkinhead, Sasquatch Mountain, Abominable, Supernova, AVP: Alien vs. Predator, Dream Warrior, The X Files, Millennium, Super Mario Bros., Alien³, The Pit and the Pendulum, Beauty and the Beast, Near Dark, The Terminator, Piranha Part Two: The Spawning, The Visitor [1979], Damien: Omen II, Close Encounter of the Third Kind)
Michael Murphy b. 1938 (X-Men: The Last Stand, Batman Returns, Shocker, The Sixth Sense [TV], Count Yorga, Vampire)
Sandy Baron b. 1937 died 21 January 2001 (The Munsters’ Scary Little Christmas, Leprechaun 2, The Munsters Today, Vamp)
Richard Schaal b. 1928 4 November 2014 (Once Bitten, Song of the Succubus, Slaughterhouse-Five, I Dream of Jeannie)
Pat Carroll b. 1927 (Legends of the Superheores, Cinderella [1965])
Bing Russell b. 1926 died 8 April 2003 (Satan’s School for Girls, Now You See Him, Now You Don’t, I Dream of Jeannie, Billy the Kid Versus Dracula, The Munsters, The Twilight Zone, The Deadly Mantis, Tarantula)
Joseph Stefano b. 1922 died 25 August 2006 (writer, Swamp Thing, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Kindred, The Outer Limits)

Notes on the birthday list. 
1. The Picture Slot. In previous years, the Picture Slot went to guys born in the 1940s, Lance Hendrikson and John Rhys-Davies. I could have continued the tribute to that generation with either Mark Alaimo or Michael Palin, but I decided to skew younger with Henry Cavill.

2. Nepotism more or less. Bing Russell is the dad of Kurt Russell and had a career long before his son stepped in front of the camera. Still, once Kurt became a big enough star, he got his dad work in minor roles in films in which he starred.

3. Canadians spotted. Both our Canadians today are transplants. Manoj Sood's family moved to Canada from India when he was a boy and Pauline Egan is Australian by birth, but moved to Canada to get work.

4. Wait... He's dead? I was not aware the comedian Sandy Baron was dead.

5. MST3K. Bing Russell was in The Deadly Mantis.

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

Predictor: John Langdon-Davies in his 1936 book A Short History of the Future

Prediction: The only reply to the menace of dictatorships of the right is the popular front. Its success in France will give her the moral authority of the world for the next five years and may check the warlike ways of Germany in a way that The League of Nations never could.

Reality: Ummm... no.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Time once again to hear from our sensible pal George Sutherland from 1901, thinking soberly about 21 Century inventions.


Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

4 May 2015

Birthdays
Alexander Gould b. 1994 (Supernatural, Dark Shadows [2005 TV movie], The Day the World Ended)
Ashley Rickards b. 1992 (A Haunted House 2, American Horror Story, Gamer)
Grace Phipps b. 1992 (Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, Fright Night)
Freddie Fox b. 1989 (Victor Frankenstein)
Christian Howard b. 1984 (Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist, U.F.O. [2012])
Jesse Moss b. 1983 (iZombie, Strange Empire, WolfCop, Extraterrestrial, Continuum, Seeds of Destruction, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Merlin and the Book of Beasts, The Uninvited, The Andromeda Strain, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, The Collector, Jeremiah, Mysterious Ways, Level 9, Stargate SG-1, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids [TV show], Highlander [TV])
Emily Perkins b. 1977 (Extraterrestrial, Supernatural, Repeaters, Dead Like Me, Ginger Snaps 1, 2 & 3, The X-Files, The Odyssey [1993], It)
Oscar Jaenada b. 1975 (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides)
John Rawls b. 1972 (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Legend of the Seeker, 30 Days of Night)
Will Arnett b. 1970 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Men in Black 3, Jonah Hex)
Ana Gasteyer b. 1967 (3rd Rock from the Sun, Geppetto)
Stevie Ray Dallimore b. 1967 (Ender’s Game)
Juliette Cummins b. 1964 (Max Headroom, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning)
Steve Barron b. 1956 (director, Arabian Nights, Merlin, The Adventures of Pinocchio, Coneheads, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Jeff Lester b. 1955 (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
Pia Zadora b. 1954 (Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme, Voyage of the Rock Aliens, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians)
Anthony Hamilton b. 1952 died 29 March 1995 (Howling IV: The Original Nightmare, The Charmings, The Twilight Zone [1986], Deadly Nightmares)
Harry Winer b. 1947 (director, Invasion, Jake 2.0, Jeremiah, SpaceCamp, Tucker’s Witch, Mr. Merlin)
Richard Jenkins b. 1947 (The Cabin in the Woods, Let Me In, What Planet Are You From?, Wolf, The Witches of Eastwick)
Robin Cook b. 1940 (writer, Coma, Invasion, Virus)
Paul Gleason b. 1939 died 27 May 2006 (Abominable, Dark Skies, Lois & Clark, Wishman, Beauty and the Beast, Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, The Invaders, Panic in Year Zero!)
Eric Sykes b. 1923 died 4 July 2012 (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Others, Theatre of Blood)
Curt Conway b. 1915 died 19 April 1974 (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone)
James Ellison b. 1910 died 23 December 1993 (I Walked with a Zombie, The Undying Monster)
Howard Da Silva b. 1909 died 16 February 1986 (The Outer Limits)
Luther Adler b. 1903 died 8 December 1984 (Twilight Zone)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Regular readers will know I often discuss how many iconic choices there are on the list, but today I admit there aren't that many here. In 2013, I went with a picture of The Avengers, released a year earlier and in 2014, I put a picture of Richard Jenkins from Cabin in the Woods, likely my favorite actor on the list and showing off my Whedonverse geekery, but I don't think the role is truly iconic. Today, I went with Curt Conway as Hitler from The Twilight Zone, something of a spoiler from that episode. If I hadn't used his picture, it was down to Pia Zadora in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, and nobody wants that.

2. Spot the Canadians! Will Arnett is Canadian, but he mainly works in Hollywood, so his credit list doesn't give away his nationality. On the other hand, the other two Canadians are easily spottable, so I will leave it as an exercise for the reader. One hint: both are younger than Arnett.

3. MST3K. The previously mentioned Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

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


Movie released
Marvel’s The Avengers released, 2012  

Weak ass pun of the day. May the fourth be with you.

Puns have an expiration date. This one has reached it.

 

Predictor: ESPN's pro basketball experts

Predictions:
Hawks in 5 (actually Hawks in 6, 9 points of 10)
Cavaliers in 5 (actually Cavs in 4, 9 points of 10)
Bulls in 5 (actually Bulls in 6, 9 points of 10)
Raptors in 5 (actually Wizards in 4, 0 points of 10)
Warriors in 5 (actually Warriors in 4, 9 points of 10)
Rockets in 7 (actually Rockets in 5, 8 points of 10)
Spurs in 7 (actually Clippers in 7, 5 points of 10)
Grizzlies in 6 (actually Grizzlies in 5, 9 points of 10)

Reality: The overall grade is 58 of 80 or 72.5%, which is a passing grade. If instead we look at what percentage of the experts picked the correct winners over all the series, the grade is 71.8%, which is also not terrible.

Further prediction: The experts have put up their picks the second round.

Consensus second round picks
Hawks in 7 over Grizzlies (Hawks favored in series by 60.3% of the experts)
Cavaliers in 7 over Bulls (Cavs favored in series by 59.9% of the experts)
Warriors in 5 over Grizzlies (Warriors favored in series by 81.5% of the experts)
Clippers in 6 over Rockets (Cavs favored in series by 50.6% of the experts)

The experts are hedging their bets quite a bit in these series. Even if they get all the series' winners right this round, the percentage of correct picks will have to go down under 70%. Personally, I think at least 18.5% of the experts are deeply confused, because the Grizzlies are hurt, the Warriors are not (knock wood) and even with both healthy, Golden State really does look like the best team in basketball by a wide margin. You might well take me for a hometown fan, but I'm old enough to remember the last championship 40 years and I know that in all that time, I never saw a Warrior team that looked like they were the best team in the Western Conference, let alone the best team in the NBA.

Here's my non-expert prediction: Barring major injury, sometime probably in June, young people will be able to say for the first time "the world champion Golden State Warriors".

Has a nice ring to it.

Never to be Forgotten: Grace Lee Whitney 1930-2015 While I admit the number of iconic actors on today's birthday list is not a lot, we sadly have two iconic actors in today's obituaries. Grace Lee Whitney, best known as Yeoman Janice Rand on the original Star Trek series, has died at the age of 85. Her other roles in genre TV of the 1960s include Batman, Bewitched and The Outer Limits.

Best wishes to the family and friends of Grace Lee Whitney, from a fan. She is never to be forgotten.

Never to be Forgotten: Nigel Terry 1945-2015 Nigel Terry, the British actor whose role as Arthur in Excalibur is at the top of all his obituaries so far, has died at the age of 69. It's remarkable how well he played Arthur as a spotty and clueless youth at the beginning of the film, given that he was in his late thirties at the time. His first big break was in the 1968 film The Lion in Winter, where he plays Prince John as a spotty and clueless youth. As for other genre roles, he was on the TV shows Doctor Who and Highlander.

Excalibur had a great cast, including Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Cherie Lunghi and Nicholas Clay at the top of the bill, and such now well known actors as Sir Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne, Ciaran Hinds and Liam Neeson in smaller roles. Of that group, only Clay and Williamson are dead, and now Terry. It's getting sadly familiar when people who you remember from roles in the 1960s are dying, but to see the obit of someone whose fame was greatest in the 1980s is still a little jarring.

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

Looking one day ahead...  INTO THE FUTURE!

Back to our regular schedule of predictors and Tuesday means a visit from John Langdon-Davies.

Join us then...  IN THE FUTURE!

3 May 2015

 Birthdays
Zoe Belkin b. 1993 (Carrie)
Danila Kozlovsky b. 1985 (Vampire Academy)
Rebecca Hall b. 1982 (Transcendence, Iron Man 3, The Prestige)
Candace Hutson b. 1980 (Quantum Leap)
Christina Hendricks b. 1975 (Lost River, Firefly, Angel)
Dule Hill b. 1975 (10.5)
Jonas Ball b. 1975 (The Objective)
Joseph Kosinski b. 1974 (director, Oblivion, TRON: Legacy)
Kristin Lehman b, 1972 (The Chronicles of Riddick, Andromeda, Strange World, Poltergeist: The Legacy, The X Files, Hemoglobin, Forever Knight)
Bobby Cannavale b. 1970 (Ant-Man)
Amy Ryan b. 1968 (Birdman, War of the Worlds, Quantum Leap)
Firdous Bamji b. 1966 (Unbreakable, The Sixth Sense)
Rob Brydon b. 1965 (Cinderella, MirrorMask)
Joseph J. Lawson b. 1962 (director, Age of Dinosaurs, Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future)
Jaron Lanier b. 1960 (author, Who Owns the Future?)
Timmy Cappello b. 1955 (The Lost Boys)
Peter Duncan b. 1954 (Aladdin and the Forty Thieves, Flash Gordon, Space: 1999, The Tomorrow People [1974])
Caitlin Clarke b, 1952 died 9 September 2004 (The Stepford Husbands, Dragonslayer)
Toni Naples b. 1952 (Sorceress, Munchie Strikes Back, Dinosaur Island, Munchie, Transylvania Twist)
Ron Canada b. 1949 (The Strain, Grimm, Stargate SG-1, The X Files, Star Trek: Voyager, Nick Fury: Agent of Shield, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Larry Brandenburg b. 1948 (Charmed, Mighty Joe Young, SeaQuest 2032, Quantum Leap)
Chris Mulkey b. 1948 (Grimm, The Purge, Vampire Mob, Knight Rider [2008], Lost, K-9000, Beauty and the Beast [1987], Twilight Zone [1987], Runaway, Dreamscape, Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann)
Alex Cord b. 1933 (War of the Worlds [TV], The Six Million Dollar Man, Genesis II)
Jeanne Bal b. 1928 died 30 April 1996 (Star Trek)
Mary Carver b. 1924 died 18 October 2013 (Star Trek: Enterprise, The Visitor, Arachnophobia, Tales from the Darkside, Beyond Westworld, Twilight Zone)
Walter Slezak b. 1902 died 21 April 1983 (Batman, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, Pinocchio [1957 TV], Sinbad, the Sailor)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. In 2013, the birthday list only had Christina Hendricks and I used a picture of her as Saffron (or is it Yolanda?) from Firefly. In 2014, it was a picture of Caitlin Clarke from Dragonslayer. (I typed in her death date last year, but I'm still not completely used to it.) With those two removed from the competition, I consider Jeanne Bal's role from the original Star Trek series the most iconic, pictured here with an unidentified Canadian actor.

I kid. I'm a kidder.

2. Spot the Canadians! First off, Ron Canada is not Canadian. There are two Canadians. Zoe Belkin hasn't been in enough to be easily spottable, but the other Canadian, born in the 1970s, does have the telltale signs in the credit list.

3. Nepotism FTW. Rebecca Hall is a British actress. Her dad is Peter Hall, a film and stage director who lead the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s.

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

Movies released
Spider-Man released, 2002
Iron Man 3 released, 2013
 

Predictor: Oblivion, released 19 April 2013


Prediction: On May 3, 2017, the Odyssey crew is awakened from cryosleep to investigate a large tetrahedral object in orbit around the earth.

Reality: Most of the film's action takes place in the more distant future, but near the end of the film, there is a flashback to this scene that takes place in 2017. It assumes the space program is going to be pretty damn fancy two years from now and that doesn't seem very likely. More than that, during the scene, it's mentioned the Super Bowl was played "last night". There's no chance in hell that the Super Bowl is going to be moved from early February to early May in the next two years.

 Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

The first round of the NBA playoffs is over and we check in on the ESPN experts' predictions.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

2 May 2015

 Birthdays
Megan McKinnon b. 1996 (Alien Agenda: Project Grey, The Last Mimzy)
Kay Panabaker b. 1990 (No Ordinary Family, Phil of the Future, Angel)
Thomas McDonell b. 1986 (The 100, Dark Shadows [2012], The Forbidden Kingdom)
Michael Caloz b. 1985 (Screamers, The Lifeforce Experiment)
Lauren Eckstrom b. 1984 (Star Kid)
Robert Buckley b. 1981 (iZombie, 666 Park Avenue)
Alicia Ziegler b. 1981 (Rise of the Dinosaurs, Lake Placid 2)
Finlay Robertson b. 1975 (Cockneys vs Zombies, Doctor Who, Lexx)
Matt Berry b. 1974 (Snow White and the Huntsman, Moon, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace)
Jarred Blancard b. 1973 (The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Saban’s Ninja Turtles, Millennium, It)
Dwayne Johnson b. 1972 (Hercules [2014], G.I. Joe; Retaliation, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Tooth Fairy, Race to Witch Mountain, Southland Tales, The Scorpion King, The Mummy Returns, Star Trek: Voyager)
Maetrix Fitten b. 1972 (Hancock)
Katherine Willis b. 1971 (Resurrection, Revolution, Sin City, The Faculty)
Karel Dobry b. 1969 (Children of Dune, Dune)
Ari Lehman b. 1965 (Friday the 13th)
Brad Wright b. 1961 (writer, Stargate, Poltergeist: The Legacy, The Odyssey, Highlander [TV], Forever Knight)
Brian Tochi b. 1959 (Starship Troopers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Twilight Zone [1985], Wonder Woman, Project U.F.O., Space Academy, The Omega Man, Star Trek)
Christine Baranski b. 1952 (Into the Woods, The Big Bang Theory, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Addams Family Values)
David Suchet b. 1946 (Dracula [TV 2006], Wing Commander, Harry and the Hendersons)
Lesley Gore b. 1946 died 16 February 2015 (Batman)
Regina Carrol b. 1943 died 4 November 1992 (Doctor Dracula, Dracula vs. Frankenstein, Brain of Blood)
Jo Ann Pflug b. 1940 (Knight Rider, Gemini Man, Cyborg 2087)
Don Marshall b. 1936 (The Incredible Hulk, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Bionic Woman, The Thing with Two Heads, Land of the Giants, Mr. Terrific, Star Trek)
Bruce Glover b. 1932 (Die Hard Dracula, Warlock: The Armageddon, Battlestar Galactica, The Six Million Dollar Man, My Favorite Martian, Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster)
Philip Bruns b. 1931 died 8 February 2012 (Digital Man, Love Bites, Return of the Living Dead II, Amazing Stories, Twilight Zone [1985], The Six Million Dollar Man)
John Neville b. 1925 died 19 November 2011 (Odyssey 5, The X Files, The Fifth Element, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen)
Roscoe Lee Browne b. 1925 died 11 April 2007 (Swamp Thing [TV], Moon 44, Space, Twilight’s Last Gleaming, Logan’s Run, Planet of the Apes [TV], The Invaders)
Theodore Bikel b. 1924 (Babylon 5, The Burning Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Beauty and the Beast [TV], Knight Rider, The Amazing Spider-Man [TV], Twilight Zone)
Edward E. “Doc” Smith b. 1890 died 31 August 1965 (author, Lensman, Subspace, The Galaxy Primes)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Back in 2013, the birthday list was empty so the Picture Slot was Iron Man because of the movie release from 2008. In 2014, I went with Don Marshall from Land of the Giants. If my choice was just based on iconic among the people remaining, I'd probably have chosen John Neville as Baron Munchausen, but the Picture Slot has been very 20th Century this week, so instead I've got Dwayne Johnson as the Scorpion King.

2. Spot the Canadians. Plenty of Canadians to choose from today. The oldest, writer Brad Wright, has the easiest credit list to spot as Canadian. The other three, Jared Blancard, Michael Maloz and Megan McKinnon, are not quite as obvious.

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

Movies released
X2:X-Men United released, 2003
Iron Man released, 2008
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 released, 2014
The Avengers: Age of Ultron released, 2015

Obviously, Marvel Studios thinks May 2nd is lucky or something.

Predictor: James Tiptree Jr., A.K.A. Alice Bradley Sheldon, in the 1972 story The Man Who Walked Home

Prediction: On 2 May 1989, the Bonneville labs are transformed into high energy plasma, which rapidly becomes airborne, radiating seismic and atmospheric events.

Reality: The story is about time travel and the explosion causes the main character to become unstuck in time. We don't have time travel yet, another one of those fun sci-fi plot devices that takes unfathomable amounts of energy to achieve, assuming it is even possible.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Another interruption in the weekly schedule for an exact date prediction from a movie.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

 

1 May 2015

Birthdays
Ariel Gade b. 1997 (Meteor, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Invasion)
Caitlin Stasey b. 1990 (I, Frankenstein)
Nicholas Braun b. 1988 (The Watch, Brave New World, Sky High)
Emilia Clarke b. 1987 (Terminator: Genesis, Game of Thrones, Triassic Attack)
Jamie Dornan b. 1982 (Once Upon a Time)
James Badge Dale b. 1978 (World War Z, Iron Man 3)
Darius McCrary b. 1976 (Transformers, Vampires: Los Muertos)
Violante Placido b. 1976 (Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance)
Jodhi May b. 1975 (Game of Thrones, The Turn of the Screw)
Julie Benz b. 1972 (Defiance, No Ordinary Family, Supernatural, Locusts: The 8th Plague, Taken, Angel, Buffy, Roswell, Darkdrive, Sliders)
Bailey Chase b. 1972 (Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Awake, Dark Metropolis, Buffy, Charmed)
Kendrick Cross b. 1971 (Insurgent, Under the Dome, Witches of East End, Iron Man 3, Teen Wolf [TV])
Carrie Stevens b. 1969 (Birdemic 2: The Resurrection, Dinocroc vs. Supergator, Black Scorpion, Weird Science [TV])
Todd Eric Andrews b. 1966 (Big Bang Theory, Zapped Again!)
John Diehl b. 1950 (Almost Human, Singularity Principle, Jericho, Jurassic Park III, The X-Files, Stargate, The Dark Side of the Moon, Beauty and the Beast [TV], Escape from New York)
Dann Florek b. 1950 (From the Earth to the Moon, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Free Spirit, Angel Heart)
Douglas Barr b. 1949 (Spaced Invaders, Superboy, The Wizard, The Unseen)
Joanna Lumley b. 1946 (Ella Enchanted, James and the Giant Peach, The Satanic Rites of Dracula, The House That Dripped Blood)
Stephen Macht b. 1942 (Sliders, Millennium, The Legend of Galgameth, Babylon 5, Trancers, Deep Space Nine, Highlander [TV], The Monster Squad, Galaxina, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Sharon Spelman b. 1942 (The Blob [1988], The Stepford Children, Amazing Stories)
Joy Harmon b. 1940 (Village of the Giants, Bewitched, Batman)
Terry Southern b. 1924 died 29 October 1995 (writer, Barbarella)
Dan O’ Herlihy b. 1919 died 17 February 2005 (VR5, RoboCop 1 & 2, The Ray Bradbury Theatre, The Last Starfighter, Halloween III: The Season of the Witch, Death Ray 2000, Battlestar Galactica, The Bionic Woman, The People, Invasion U.S.A.)
Glenn Ford b. 1916 died 30 August 2006 (Day of Resurrection, Superman, The Visitor)
Louie Nye b. 1913 died 9 October 2005 (Alice in Wonderland [1985], The Munsters, Zotz!)
Henry Koster b. 1905 died 21 September 1988 (director, Harvey)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. In previous years, the Picture Slot went to Emilia Clarke and Julie Benz. Continuing in the fabulous babe mode, this year it's Joy Harmon from Village of the Giants. I have shown restraint not using her picture previously, but the movie is notable on this blog because it got the MST3K treatment, and by chance, much increased by the sixteen year gap between Ms. Harmon and the next oldest person on the list, she is The Gal at the Door today. As if I needed a reason, special birthday wishes for Joy Harmon on her 75th birthday.

2. Unspottable Canadian. Canadians are spottable by showing up on the genre TV shows of the past few decades. That is not the career path of Canadian Glenn Ford, since he was born way too early to be part of that scene.

3. Hey... no Star Trek! When I typed this label, it felt like a while since we had a birthday list devoid of folks from Star Trek, and I was right. The last Trek free list was in the middle of March. These things happen just not that often.

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

Movies released
X-Men Origins: Wolverine released, 2009
  

 Predictor: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, first aired in 1979

Prediction: In May 1987, Captain William Anthony “Buck” Rogers aboard the Ranger 3 is put into suspended animation, only to awaken in 2491.

Reality: People are getting frozen and nobody has shut down these businesses yet, even though no one is close to solving the "thawing them back out" problem.

This month's splash illustration: It was by no means the greatest of the 1950s sci-fi movies, but the giant rat spider from The Angry Red Planet was one of the scariest monsters from all those films, or at least that's how I felt as a pre-teen. I don't know if seeing this picture is going to bring back any nightmares now. I guess I have about a month to find out, right?

Looking one day ahead... IN THE FUTURE!

The regular schedule is interrupted for a prediction by James Tiptree Jr.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!