It would be inaccurate to claim that Sid Haig was 'huge' in the realm of Science Fiction but, perhaps, not that far off-base to claim he was about as serious a genre irregular as one gets.

His nearly 150 credits on IMDB.com certainly show solid inroads into Horror -- the genre he's largely most recognized from -- but there's some meaty SciFi and Fantasy work stuck in there as well if you're looking closely.   Maybe I'm just an "old coot" because I certainly remember him from appearances aboard TV's camp classic Batman, the original (and still the best) Star Trek, and the Saturday morning classic Jason Of Star Command.  Still, I'd honestly completely forgotten THX 1138 (1971) and his visits to Buck Rogers In The 25th Century.  Sid had so many great opportunities to chew scenery, and chew with the best of them he did.

Alas, the man has passed on now, but his work remains, and it will no doubt continue to inspire.  Even when cast as the heavy (typecastig was something that the actor learned to resent about the entertainment business), he turned in solid work as somehow worthy of your fear AND admiration.

​May he rest in peace ...

Ardent fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine -- often jokingly referred to as the red-headed stepchild of Trek -- will tell you that one of the show's most effective qualities was its ongoing usage of background and/or supporting characters within major plotlines.  Unlike other SciFi programs on the air, DS9 made exceptional use of these players, oft times giving them relatively major developments -- "character arcs," as they've been called -- that were entirely organic and not screenwriting creations in order to manufacture drama.  DS9 made its living on its dramatic developments, and that's arguably why so many Trek enthusiasts wish its particular corner of the Alpha Quadrant would get visited again.

In any event, there's sad news to report today as one of the show's semi-regulars has passed: the always enthusiastic Aron Eisenberg left our world late yesterday for whatever lies beyond.

I caught the news on social media yesterday evening of his hospitalization for critical condition, but the specifics were understandably light.  Those who know Aron's own personal journey know that he was born with one kidney, a condition that plagued him somewhat over the years.  Though I've yet to read it confirmed on the web that this played into his last days, I think it's safe to suspect as much.  Leaving the world behind at the ripe young age of 50 only adds to the pain of this announcement: that's far too young for a young who showed such enthusiasm for life, a lesson all of us could benefit from learning.

Prayers and salutations to those who knew him well, and DS9's little corner of the greater Trek mythology has lost a bit of its luster today.

Often times, we learn the hard way: do not get invested in upcoming films based solely on the comic attractions.  Still, the optimist in each of us holds out hope that something good will come from a well constructed trailer -- meaning, essentially, that audiences will be treated to a winning blockbuster release -- and the Terminator franchise continues to chug along despite a solid handful of disappointments (Terminator 3, Terminator Salvation, and Terminator Genisys) ... so there's the stakes as we know them.

Now the studio is hoping that writer/director/creator James Cameron's return to the cinema franchise might just make us believe that the entertainment quotient might "be back," as it were.  Certainly, the latest trailer hypes not only Cameron's return but also Linda Hamilton's, and it looks as if she and Arnold Schwarzenegger will share the silver screen, at least, one more time.

Be warned: yes, it looks pretty grand ... but as I always caution "buyer beware."

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!

Yes, yes, and yes, folks: I did see that Rutger Hauer recently passed ... but as I've warned many times in the past, I'm often slow to the uptake on posting memorials largely because as a blogger I've often found it difficult to distinguish myself from the thousands of other testimonials by those who knew such talent well.  Also, I do tend to highlight births and achievements in our daily pages here, so I shy away from including death notices mainly because -- while good to read -- much of them are unadulterated fluff ... and I choose to recall how they lived as opposed to marking their passage.

Still, Rutger Hauer is one of those standouts who deserves a few words.

Most genre fans only know his work from the landmark Blade Runner (1982) where his singular Roy Batty just "wanted more life, f#cker."  (His words, not mine ...)  And if you're going to remember Hauer then why not choose what many considered his best work?  I stated in a Twitter thread how I thought the actor truly inhabited that character, blurring the lines between where Roy ended and Rutger began, and that's what great talent does: they make it nearly impossible to distinguish themselves from the roles they've played.  Hauer certainly did in the Ridley Scott film, and he furthermore built a career out of doing like-minded work in Ladyhawke (1985), The Hitcher (1986), and the alternative history Fatherland (1994).  His was the type of magnetism that would have fans searching out a particular property -- new or old -- just because he was in it ... and -- think what you may -- there are few actors in the business today who can boast of that kind of loyal fandom.

He's gone now -- "like tears in rain" -- but what he did will forever shine on the big or small screen.  Search it out one more time ... and then some ...

Think what you might, Rip Torn was a funny, funny guy.

I'd seen him in plenty of projects, most of which are clearly far more mainstream fare than Science Fiction or Fantasy.  He always turn up in some role that he made all of his own ... and his comic chops were especially fine-tuned.  Most of the players he brought to life were in some way, shape, or form a bit "bigger than life," perhaps too big to be encased in such a small parameter.  Specifically, I'm think of his work as 'Arthur' aboard the very funny The Larry Sanders Show for HBO: his production manager was always working to put out a fire well before the show's host (Sanders) could accidentally or intentionally fan the flames, and he always did it with such gusto and flare that audiences could find some peace in simply watching the man work.

And dare I forget his inspired lunacy in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story?  As a washed out coach and trainer, he still managed to whip those unathletic athletes into some (ahem) shape, all of it working out for better or for worse.

To genre fans, his 'Zed' kept the machine churning aboard Men In Black I and II, and I suspect we'll always be thankful for his presence in protecting the Earth from the scum of the galaxy.

​Godspeed, Mr. Torn ...

For those of you who asked, "No, I don't live on an island ... and, yes, I did hear the news of Peter Mayhew's passing."  It's just that I wanted to take a few days on this one to think of something prolific or profound to say, and -- as per usual -- I'll likely come up short though give it my best.

Like so many, I grew up a fan of the Original Trilogy.

Now, I don't dislike the Prequels, per se: I just see them as an entirely different animal, one that perhaps was never much intended for my complete digestion, and I leave the debate over their merits to those who wish to engage in such activity.  As for those Originals, Chewbacca was never a favorite of mine: as the Trilogy wore on, it seemed as if the poor thing was reserved more for comic relief as opposed to a full-fledged character.  My evidence?  Well, George couldn't even see fit to give the Wookiee a medal in the formal ceremony at the end of A New Hope, so it was downhill from there for the one-time resident of Kashyyyk.  (Don't even get me started on Return Of The Jedi's near-slapstick antics of the final assault ...)  Sometimes characters deserve better than they get, and Chewbacca always seemed to be just outside of the central focus perhaps he deserved.

In any event, I've read countless times about how infectious Peter Mayhew's sense of fun and appreciation was at conventions.  I've been told he always had a kind word for anyone he encountered.  Though I've never taken in a pure Star Wars con, I do follow the trades and fan feedback; and it looks as though he's always been a favorite amongst those in attendance.  For one who played so winningly such a big creature on the silver screen, I find it utterly fascinating that he was as big-hearted behind-the-scenes when the cameras weren't really capturing anything.  In that regard, all I can say is that, yes, maybe even the actor deserved more credit than he ever got.

While memories fade, film is permanent, and Mayhew's performances will continue to delight and inspire fans young and old in the years ahead.  The Force was strong with him, and I'm thankful to have enjoyed what he did in that galaxy far, far away.  May he rest in peace.

As always, thanks for reading ... and May the Force be with you.

I can't begin to recount for you the measure of grief I've suffered over the years for talking about shows like Knight Rider and Airwolf as Science Fiction.  Admittedly, they're nothing even remotely close to shows like Star Trek and Star Wars (both of which I've also had to defend as SciFi for differing reasons), but when a program relies fairly heavily on futuristic technology I do tend to get sucked in a bit easier than most of blog on entertainment.  Also, at the end of the day, "it's my party, and I'll cry if I want to" also applies, so what I say goes ... and Airwolf was a mainstay in my TV diet back in the day.

Today, I read the news on Jan-Michael Vincent's passing.  Much like others in his generation, Jan-Michael was probably best known to have a particular 'era' in movies and television: he hadn't done anything professional in quite some time -- some of which can be chalked up to health and/or choosing to live a life a certain way -- and I'll admit I've often missed the toughness he brought hand-in-hand to his craft.  While others might consider his genre credentials a bit lightweight, I'd caution them to check out his contributions to the Apocalyptic-themed Damnation Alley and think again.

I'm missing him already.

As always, thanks for reading ...

We spend the better part of our lives just living it: we get up each day, fresh with the promise of new beginnings, and we spend the next eight to ten to twelve or more hours just getting by.  Working.  Eating.  Talking.  Like I said: living.  But never do we know what Life or Fate has in store for us.  Oft times, it takes an event -- sadly, it's often the passing of someone we may know or have followed in the news -- to serve up a real epiphany, the kind that reminds us all that life is so very short and so very precious it deserves to be celebrated each day.

I woke up today never expecting to write this sentence: "Luke Perry has passed away."

Honestly, I was never that much a fan of his work.  I was a bit old to buy into the teen-set antics of Beverly Hills, 90210, perhaps his most notable claim to fame.  As I've made it my business of following talent closely associated with the genres of Fantasy and Science Fiction, I am aware of his greater contributions to Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992), The Fifth Element (1995), and J. Michael Strazzynski's Jeremiah.  As time permits, I'll have to do a few more scans of his IMDB.com profile and maybe even pop in a DVD or two to remember him by and to celebrate a talent taken from us far too soon in the greater scheme of things.

As always, thanks for reading ...

Regular readers to SciFiHistory.Net know all too well that I don't often acknowledge passings: it isn't that I don't see them as newsworthy ... it's that I try to keep my focus on celebrating life and the accomplishments that go along with them instead of just highlighting those who pass beyond this world into what ever comes after.  Still, from time-to-time (and as time permits!) I post a few.

Morgan Woodward enjoyed a career in the entertainment industry that spanned four decades, and his was a face I can remember from so many properties of my formative years, including work aboard the classic Star Trek (two different appearances in differing roles), TV's sadly overlooked Planet Of The Apes series, the Logan's Run TV series, and the Roger Corman produced Battle Beyond The Stars (1980).  One of his last professional gigs was work aboard Fox TV's stellar The X-Files, and I suspect Morgan's fans even recognized him, though his features had changed a bit.  For what it's worth, I thought he always played roles where he was a bit of 'the heavy,' imposing upon those around him but never an imposition.

Though he's passed beyond, we'll always have his work to remember him; and there's certainly something to be said for that in these troubled times.

Well, well, well, welcome to another Monday in another week in what's shaping up to be a very interesting year (2019, that is); and I'm thrilled to point out a few of the newbies you'll find on the February 25th day of citations here at SciFiHistory.Net!  You may find them a bit obscure, but if nothing else they underscore what I've often said about SciFi and Fantasy, that being that all roles -- large or small -- deserve a bit of recognition from we fans for keeping the flame alive.

Let's get started, shall we?
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I certainly realize and appreciate that not all readers have enjoyed access to some of the International releases that have come down the pike.  While I'll admit that's a lowdown dirty shame I'm also quick to point out that, sadly, so few folks enjoy flicks wherein they must "read" subtitles in order to understand the greater nuances of any story.  True, some of these releases have dubbed releases; I'm thrilled to point out that more and more of them are actually incorporating English into the spoken language, and that's probably owed to production houses growing more and more savvy in trying to increase the opportunity for exposure outside of their shores.

In any event, France's Mutants is a terrific example of how the zombie flick has traveled around the world and back again before the superhero flick can squeeze into its Spandex pants.  (I believe -- but don't quote me -- I saw this one thanks to a video release from IFC.)  It's a tight little story structured much like the best zombie flicks are -- survivors are all trapped in an abandoned building with the dead closing in -- and I think it's worth your time.  Plus, it has the lovely Hélène de Fougerolles in a central role, so let's all be thankful for great extras when you weren't expecting them.  This talented actress celebrates her birthday today.
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I didn't get the pleasure of enjoying all of TV's Sliders during its run.  I remember watching the first season when it aired on Fox; and I vaguely recall watching a few installments of its second and wondering why they tweaked the formula, losing some of the charm of those earlier hours.  And -- so far as No Ordinary Family is concerned -- I missed it entirely: I think my take on the show's promotional shorts was that it was basically a live action lower-budget version of Walt Disney's The Incredibles (one of my personal favorite Pixar properties), so why bother?

Well, I suppose one of the finer reasons to go back and explore these properties might be to explore the lovely Laurie Fortier's gifts: she's an actress who enjoyed a bit of screen time aboard both of these.  She turns another year wiser today.
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Ah, the Van Dyke family ... what a true Hollywood original.  It's always a pleasure to see that one generation of TV stars spawns another generation (FYI: the venerable Dick Van Dyke is this family's Don Corleone).  Granted, the sum of their contributions may never equal much less surpass the original, but it's nice to see the business of 'all in the family' still meaning something beyond the 'bread and butter' states of the Midwest.

​In that respect, Carey Van Dyke started out in the biz of acting, but his career took a detour into the realm of screenwriting.  While he has no huge "hits" (per se) to his credit, there are a few genre entries worthy of note: 2008's The Day The Earth Stopped and 2012's Chernobyl Diaries.  They may not be Oscar-contenders, but let's hope they have something to offer genre junkies who are into some of the lesser flicks.

As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!