On this day in 1956 (in the U.S.), Science Fiction Theatre aired "Three Minute Mile."  Officially, this served as the twenty-seventh episode of the program's second season.  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Since becoming Dr. Kendall assistant, college student Britt has gained incredible strength, and can run a mile in about three minutes. A nosy reporter, along with Britt's fiance, begin snooping to find out what kind of "Frankenstein"-type experiments the doctor is conducting."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

Here are the three most fascinating pieces of trivia about "Three Minute Mile," the 27th episode of Season 2 of the classic 1950s anthology series Science Fiction Theatre:

1. Inspired by Roger Bannister's Real-Life Historic Run

The concept of the episode was heavily inspired by contemporary, real-world athletic history. Just two years before the episode aired in November 1956, English runner Roger Bannister made global headlines by shattering the "impossible" barrier to run the first recorded sub-four-minute mile (3:59.4) in 1954. The episode took this massive public fascination with human endurance limits and pushed it to a sci-fi extreme—imagining an experiment that could force a human body to run a mile in just three minutes.

2. Features a Young, Baby-Faced Martin Milner

Long before he became an iconic fixture of classic television, a young, remarkably baby-faced Martin Milner starred as the main test subject, Britt. Milner is widely recognized by television history buffs for his iconic later roles as Tod Stiles in Route 66 (1960–1964) and Officer Pete Malloy in Adam-12 (1968–1975).

3. A Rare Deviation from the Show's "Generic" Campus Rule

Science Fiction Theatre was well-known for using highly ambiguous, universal settings, routinely placing stories at a "small Midwestern college" or a "generic research facility" to emphasize the science over the setting. "Three Minute Mile" broke this habit by explicitly naming the setting as Haverly College, a rare instance of a specific, named fictional institution in the show's run.

On this day in 1951 (in the U.S.), Tales Of Tomorrow aired "The Search For The Flying Saucer."  Officially, this served as the eleventh episode of the program's first season.  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"An airman travels to a small town looking for clues about flying saucers and only meets denial."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

The episode "The Search for the Flying Saucer" (Season 1, Episode 11 of the live-action anthology series Tales of Tomorrow) originally aired on November 9, 1951.

Top 3 Trivia Facts

• Riding the Post-Roswell UFO Craze: The episode broadcasted just a few years after the 1947 Roswell incident and the peak of the late-1940s/early-1950s American UFO and "flying saucer" media phenomenon. The term "flying saucer" itself had only been coined by U.S. media a few years earlier in 1947 following Kenneth Arnold's reported sighting.

• Live-Action Stage Play Format: Because it was produced during the infancy of commercial television, the episode—like the rest of the live series—was performed and broadcast virtually live on a three-camera setup with minimal special effects, functioning more like a live theatrical stage production than a modern taped program.

• Jack Carter's Dramatic Turn: The lead role of grounded Air Corps Lieutenant Vic Russo was played by Jack Carter—who was primarily renowned as a famous American comedian, nightclub comic, and host rather than a dramatic science-fiction actor.

So many movies ... so much to celebrate!!! 

On this day in 1996 (in Hong Kong), Black Mask to the silver screen in pursuit of justice!  Directed by Daniel Lee from a story by Hark Tsui, Koan Hui, Teddy Chan, and Joe Ma, the Superhero/Fantasy starred Jet Li, Ching Wan Lau, Karen Mok, and others. 

According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Micheal, a former test subject of a project to create supersoldiers, is forced to escape with his comrades after the project was cancelled. Months later, he is trying to have a quiet life as a librarian with a tough cop as his best friend. However, a string of vicious gangland murders begins that has all the markings of his former compatriots who seem to have turned to violent crime. Realizing that the police are helpless to fight these soldiers, Micheal decides to take them on himself. Donning a mask to protect his identity, Micheal must fight these powerful villians as the mysterious superhero known only as Black Mask."

ExtraExtra Alert:
In 2024, I received a promotional new release of Black Mask (1996) from a distributor in exchange for review coverage on SciFiHistory.Net.  Interested readers can find my review right here.

-- EZ

From Google.com:

A Direct Homage to Bruce Lee's Kato
The costume and persona of Black Mask are heavily inspired by Bruce Lee’s portrayal of Kato in the 1960s television series The Green Hornet. Jet Li wears an identical domino mask, black coat, and chauffeur's cap as a deliberate tribute to the martial arts legend. This marked the second time Jet Li formally paid homage to Bruce Lee on screen, following his role in Fist of Legend (1994).

The Infamous "American Cut" Changes
When the film was imported to the United States by Artisan Entertainment in 1999, it underwent drastic alterations. The US release was shortened by roughly 10 minutes, completely scrubbed of its original techno-industrial Hong Kong score, and re-tracked with a hip-hop soundtrack featuring artists like Linkin Park and Cypress Hill. Additionally, Jet Li’s character name was changed from "Tsui Chik" to "Simon" for Western audiences.

Choreographed by the Master Behind The Matrix
The movie’s intensely stylized fight sequences were choreographed and directed by action legend Yuen Woo-ping. His innovative work blending martial arts with wire-fu in Black Mask caught the eye of Hollywood, directly leading to his hiring for major American blockbusters like The Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Kill Bill.

So many movies ... so little time ...

On this day in 1924 (in the U.S.), that sterling mecca known as New York City, New York served as host for the exclusive theatrical premiere engagement of HE Who Gets Slapped.  Written (in part) and directed for the screen by Victor Sjöström, the film starred Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert, and others. 

According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"A bitter clown endeavors to rescue the young woman he loves from the lecherous baron who once betrayed him."

For the record:

In 2017, HE Who Gets Slapped was inducted into the National Film Registry, that U.S. organization that seeks to preserves films which have demonstrated a lasting artistic aesthetic.

-- EZ

From Google.com:

• It stands as a historic milestone as the first film produced entirely by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) following the landmark merger of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer Pictures.

• It was the very first movie to feature the iconic MGM lion mascot logo, utilizing an Irish-born lion named Slats who, because it was a silent film, only looked around instead of roaring.

• The film features the unique stylization of capitalizing the word "HE" in the title (HE Who Gets Slapped) on the original title cards to emphasize that it serves as the character's proper name rather than a basic pronoun.

As I'm always apt to remind readers, Science Fiction and Fantasy understandably comes in products for all shapes and sizes.  On this day in 1999 (in the United Kingdom) a family-friendly sitcom gave the young and old a chance to come together under the idea of My Parents Are Aliens ... something all of us have no doubt thought of our own at one time or another.  Created by Andy Watts, this BAFTA-nominated Comedy / Sitcom starred Tony Gardner, Alex Kew, Charlotte Francis, Carla Mendonça, Danielle McCormack, and others. 

According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the series' premise:

"The day-to-day lives of three orphaned children who are adopted by aliens that have trouble adjusting to the local culture."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

• The Recasting of Sophie: The alien mother, Sophie, was originally played by Barbara Durkin in Series 1, but she left the show. To explain the change in-universe, the writers penned a storyline where Sophie had trouble morphing back into her original human disguise and permanently transformed into a new face played by Carla Mendonça. Fans affectionately dubbed the eras "Blonde Sophie" and "Redhead Sophie".

• Only One Cast Member Appeared in Every Episode: Tony Gardner, who played the bumbling alien dad Brian Johnson, is the only actor in the entire series to appear in every single episode across all eight seasons.

• A Surprising Family Connection: Carla Mendonça (the second Sophie) comes from a very famous and eclectic family. Her brother Jorge Mendonça was the youngest-ever British Army colonel, and her other brother, Jason Mendonça, is the lead singer of the extreme blackened death metal band Akercocke.

It isn’t that uncommon for Science Fiction films to showcase a variety of artistic looks … especially when it comes to female characters.

Naturally, fandom has always gone a bit bonkers for ladies whose female attributes lend themselves to a kinda/sorta comic book aesthetic: blonde or brunette bombshells outfitted in retro-looking aluminum bikinis often rule the day, and this kind of raw sexualized energy has been the kind of thing fanboys and fangirls celebrate to varying degrees whenever they see it.  While such objectification has long drawn the ire of our cultural betters – along with our parents and grandparents – Science Fiction and Fantasy enthusiasts have often looked the other way when suffering criticisms for what such adoration says about women (or men, for that matter).  Why, one need look no further than the World Wide Web’s unending fascination of ‘Slave Leia’ – Carrie Fisher famously filled out that someone metal bikini in Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi – to see that a flash of skin here and there certainly captivated audiences to the nth degree.

The truth over where such a look originates – along with Science Fiction’s fascination with it – is a bit more complex.

However, 1936’s Things To Come from London Film Productions arguably serves as a foundation for some of what fandom might dub the slightly more elegant ‘Space Lady’ design.  Director William Cameron Menzies helmed this cinematic adaptation of the celebrated H.G. Wells’ novel; and Google.com reports that the man worked closely alongside René Hubert, John Armstrong, and Cathleen Mann to give the character of Catherine Caball – as played by South Africa actress Pearl Argyle – an almost regal look by comparison to what 1936’s Flash Gordon would do with its ‘Dale Arden’ that same year.  In fact, one could make the argument that the artistic merits of Things To Come definitely influenced the many ladies who’d appear costumed in Gene Roddenberry’s groundbreaking Star Trek (1966-1969) as well as 1976’s Logan’s Run.

Given that Things To Come explored a Utopian’s view of the Future, Caball sported an almost Greek-looking ensemble, one highlighted with flowing layers and almost royally confident shoulders.  While the hemline wasn’t opposed to showcasing the actress’ natural beauty (Argyle performed as a ballerina in London and was once dubbed ‘the most beautiful woman of her generation), there was still an aura of high culture and respectability around such a display.  The point here was that the future was bright, assured, and prosperous; so effort was made to guarantee that Caball looked as though she fit effortlessly into an enclave that was both fashionable and minimalist.  Indeed, this is a template that the more thoughtful forays into the realms of the Fantastic would follow … but it truly got its start ninety years ago and still turns up from time-to-time almost a century later.

Chiefly, I bring this up today in celebration of Pearl Argyle’s birthday.  Born on this day back in 1910 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the actress would go on to eventually establish this archetypical look in Science Fiction; and she deserves to be remembered as one of the earliest and finest examples of the highly-cultured ‘Space Lady’ amongst those who cherish such things.

-- EZ

On November 7, 1951, American television audiences had one of the medium’s earliest experiments in what many folks these days call ‘Meta.’

Viewers tuned in to their regular Science Fiction and Fantasy anthology – Tales Of Tomorrow – for an episode titled “The Window.”  Directed by Don Medford – the fellow who helmed an astonishing 36 installments of the genre program – from a script by Frank De Felitta – a name also heavily associated to the show – the event unfolded routinely not at all unlike any other visit.  However, the opening credits suggested that the next 29 minutes would be known as “The Lost Planet,” and this is where things took a turn to the hard, hard, hard left.

As the audience watched, “The Lost Planet” suddenly experienced somewhat of a signal loss; and the scene opened on two seemingly regular folks plotting to commit murder.  (Dun dun DUN!)  From what I’ve read online, it’s been confirmed that network affiliates’ phones were mildly off-the-hook with folks believing that they were witnessing a planning killing; and it’s even been reported that several of these local networks suspending their regular Tales Of Tomorrow broadcast under the belief that they were somehow airing a crime-in-progress.  Just as radio stations more than a decade early had home audiences suspecting that an alien invasion had started (with Orson Welles’ version of H.G. Wells “The War Of The Worlds”), now TV viewers had been swept up into some curious delights.

Heck, Google.com’s reportage on the event even clarifies that the stage crew – Tales Of Tomorrow was one of those live broadcast shows of the bygone era – were given things do onscreen as events unfolded; and, of course, such activity only gave “The Window” further credibility with those tuning in.  When everything was suitably tied up toward the end of the episode, watchers ultimately realized that they had been somewhat duped by such clever trickery of 50’s era storytelling; and a good time – along with, perhaps, a good laugh – was had by all.  Still, that creative breaching of the wall normally separated fact and fiction appeared to have come down all those years ago.  Who knows how many shows big and small have tried such things since?

From what I’ve read online, the whole thing was apparently hatched on little more than a bet: Tomorrow’s co-creator – Mort Abrahams (a producer who would go on to work in the Planet Of The Apes franchise for a time) – wagered to De Felitta that the screenwriter couldn’t come up with a yarn which could only be executed on live television, meaning that the script couldn’t be re-interpreted as is on radio, theater, or film.  (Perhaps the challenge was intended to underscore the importance of television and how it so intimately involved viewers more than any other presentation?)  Whatever the intent was, De Felitta won the bet by making use of the very mechanics and milieu that established what live meant back in the day; and the rest is history.

(NOTE: I used several online sources in order to complete this feature article.)

-- EZ

On this day in 1976 (in the U.S.), Wonder Woman aired "The Feminum Mystique: Part 1."  Officially, this served as the fifth episode in the program's first season.  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Wonder Woman's sister Drusilla is sent from Paradise Island to Washington to tell Diana to come home. Drusilla discovers her own alter ego, Wonder Girl, and is kidnapped by the Nazis."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

"The Feminum Mystique: Part 1" is the fourth episode of Season 1 of the 1975–1979 Wonder Woman television series, originally airing on November 6, 1976.

Key Plot & Details

• The Mission from Paradise Island: Queen Hippolyta sends Diana’s younger sister, Princess Drusilla (played by guest star Debra Winger), from Paradise Island to Washington, D.C., with orders to summon Diana home.
• Enter Wonder Girl: In Washington, young Drusilla discovers modern life (including ice cream), learns how to perform the Amazonian transformation twirl, and adopts her own superhero alter ego as Wonder Girl.
• Nazi Plot & Kidnapping: Nazi agents Captain Radl (John Saxon) and Lieutenant Wertz target the U.S. War Department's new experimental XPJ-1 jet engine and become fixated on discovering the secret behind Wonder Woman's bullet-deflecting bracelets—which they suspect are made of a magical metal. When Drusilla tries to rescue General Blankenship, she is captured by the Nazis.
• The Cliffhanger: Imprisoned by Nazi intelligence, Drusilla claims to be the real Wonder Woman to stall them, leaving Diana and Steve Trevor scrambling to mount a rescue before the Nazis test her bracelets.

We've all heard the ol' wish about -- if you had a time machine -- would you go back in time and kill Adolf Hitler?  Well, a few merry yucksters took the idea a bit differently in Raising Hitler, a streaming program that suggested maybe going back to kill the li'l scamp might have you changing one's tactics to a more humane course of action.  The Comedy premiered on the Information Superhighway (in France) on this day in 2017.  According to our friends at Google.com, here's the series' premise:

"Raising Hitler  (2017) is a dark, satirical comedy series about two Jewish slacker best friends, Mickey Applebaum and Jesse Wagnon, who use a time machine to travel back to 1900s Austria with the intention of killing a young, 10-year-old Adolf Hitler."

ExtraExtra Alert:
In 2026, I received an all new home video release of Raising Hitler (2017) from a distributor in exchange for review coverage on SciFiHistory.Net.  Interested readers can find my review of the whole season right here.

-- EZ

From Google.com:

Raising Hitler is a 2017 dark comedy web series (released around November 2017) directed by Louis Farge and produced in France/by Blackpills.

Premise & Plot

• The Setup: The story follows two slackers and best friends—Mickey Applebaum (played by Ziad El May) and Jesse Wagnon (played by Lucas Englander)—who believe Adolf Hitler is to blame for their personal failures and troubled family history.
• The Time Travel Plan: Jesse invents a time machine, and the duo travels back to the late 19th century with the original intention of drowning or killing a young, 10-year-old Adolf Hitler (played by Moritz Hoyer) to prevent future atrocities.
• The Twist: Upon meeting the young boy and seeing him as a victim of an overbearing father, Mickey has a change of heart. Instead of killing him, they decide to kidnap and raise young Hitler themselves, hoping that love, modern behaviors, and good parenting can rewrite history and strip away future malice.

Key Details

• Cast: Features Ziad El May (Mickey), Lucas Englander (Jesse), Moritz Hoyer (Young Hitler), Christian Erickson, Victoria Cyr, and Joel Wood.
• Format: It spans 1 season (roughly 8 short episodes / around 1 hour and 6 minutes total runtime depending on the platform cut).

On this day in 1996 (in the U.S.), Star Trek: Voyager aired "Future's End: Part 1."  Officially, this served as the eighth episode in the program's third season.  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"A timeship from the future who tries to stop Voyager gets thrown with Voyager into the twentieth century. His timeship is found in 1967 and Voyager discovers that a company that has benefited from its technology exists in 1996."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

"Future's End, Part I" is the eighth episode of the third season of Star Trek: Voyager, originally airing on November 6, 1996. [1, 2]

The Premise & Inciting Incident

• The 29th-Century Threat: While traveling through the Delta Quadrant, the USS Voyager is confronted by Captain Braxton, a time-traveling police officer piloting the Federation timeship Aeon. Braxton claims that Voyager will cause a catastrophic temporal explosion in the 29th century that destroys Earth's solar system.
• The Time Jump: Intent on stopping Voyager, Braxton attacks the ship. During the retaliatory defense, both Voyager and the Aeon are caught in a temporal rift. The Aeon crashes in Earth's past (in 1967, appearing as a "meteor" to a lone camper), while Voyager and an away team are thrown back to Los Angeles in 1996.

The 1996 Investigation

• Henry Starling and Chronowerx: In 1967, a young tech entrepreneur named Henry Starling (played by Ed Begley Jr.) discovered the crashed Aeon. By reverse-engineering its 29th-century technology, Starling kickstarted the modern microcomputer revolution and built a massive tech conglomerate called Chronowerx Industries (or Super Mega Technoc International).
• The Away Team on Earth: Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Tuvok, and Tom Paris beam down to 1996 L.A. to investigate local warp signatures and locate the timeship. They cross paths with Rain Robinson (played by Sarah Silverman), an astronomer at Griffith Observatory who detects Voyager's strange anomalies.
• Displaced Braxton: The crew also tracks down Captain Braxton himself—who has been stranded in the 20th century for decades, now aged and living as a deranged homeless man warning people about the end of the world.

The Cliffhanger

• Up in orbit, Ensign Harry Kim commands Voyager.
• Down on the ground, Starling manages to tap into Voyager's computer database and forcibly teleports the ship's Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) into his office, setting up the high-stakes confrontation for Part II.