Hayden Christensen was given the unforgivable task of playing Darth Vader during his "Wonder Years." For better or for worse, he did the best he could with his skills and the limitations of the material. I know folks who don't even consider the Star Wars Prequel films canon they dislike them that much, but -- as they say -- it is what it is. I'd agree that Christensen struggled to convey the gravitas most fans associate with the Dark Lord of the Sith, though I tend to fault the writing more than I do the actor.
Christensen was born on this day in 1981.
Christensen was born on this day in 1981.
Alan Wheatley leaves behind a legacy of over one hundred different screen credits, including a prominent role aboard Spaceways (1953) and a guest spot aboard the BBC's Doctor Who. Though he's no longer with us, Wheatley was born on this day in 1907.
One of Hugh O'Brian's earliest roles was as astronaut 'Harry Chamberlain' aboard the SciFi classic Rocketship X-M (1950). Plus, in the 1970's, he headlined the series Probe, a SciFi-lite property. Though he's no longer with us, O'Brian was born on this day in 1925.
Rhodes Reason made an appearance aboard "Bread and Circuses," one of the better episodes of Star Trek's second season on NBC. Though he's no longer with us, Reason was born on this day in 1930.
To wrestling fans, that's Ox Baker. To Escape From New York fans, that's 'Slag,' the reigning champion who went up against Snake Plissken and lost. Though he's no longer with us, Baker was born on this day in 1934.
Herman Zimmerman (above center) served as the Production Designer (and then some!) for some of Star Trek: The Next Generation during its run as well as for all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise. He also served similarly for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). Zimmerman was born on this day in 1935.
The lovely Elinor Donahue shone as 'Nancy Hedford' aboard the classic Star Trek episode, "Metamorphosis." Donahue was born on this day in 1937.
Veteran actor Tim Curry has been around an awful long time, certainly long enough to have built the mostly distinguished career a veteran actor should. Most know him best from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but I prefer his vastly more subtle work, such as his voice acting on the recent Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated program (he voiced Darth Sidious and Emperor Palpatine). Curry was born on this day in 1946.
Tony Plana showed up for a few episodes of USA Network's Colony in the role of a regional leader who had bitten off more than he could chew. Plana was born on this day in 1952.
Moira Sinise had a small role aboard Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and then retired from screen acting (it would appear). Sinise was born on this day in 1954.
The lovely Patricia Charbonneau played one of the brainy specialists taking care of the world's first cybernetic police officer aboard Robocop 2 (1990). She also turned up in a few guest appearances aboard NBC's SeaQuest 2032. Charbonneau was born on this day in 1959.
Aboard the Doctor Who twenty-fourth season serial "Time and the Rani," Mark Greenstreet played the role of 'Ikona.' Greenstreet was born on this day in 1960.
Late in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's run, the great Tim Ransom (above right) had a few guest spots as Jack, one of a group of closeted geniuses who reveal a secret about the station's Dr. Bashir. Ransom was born on this day in 1963.
Well before she grew up and found an apparent hatred for the political opposition, a kinder gentler Ashley Judd was wooing young Wesley Crusher aboard the starship Enterprise-D in the role of Star Trek: The Next Generation's Ensign Robin Lefler. Well. You've come a long way, baby! Judd was born on this day in 1968.
What did I think of James Franco in The Rise of the Planet of the Apes? In short, it was nice to see him "act," for a change, instead of serving up the usual antics. Franco surprised even his harshest critics as the scientist struggling to find a cure for his father's Alzheimer's when he injects an ape with a possible cure, setting in motion a series of events that gave rise to the Planet of the Apes. Franco was born on this day in 1978.
Even though the lovely Alexis Thorpe (above left) doesn't have an expansive resume, she's still managed to squeeze in roles aboard The Man From Earth (2007) and Nightmare City 2035 (2007). Thorpe was born on this day in 1980.
The stunning Catalina Sandino Moreno (above right) was one of the tough ladies who answered the call for TNT's alien invasion drama, Falling Skies. Moreno was born on this day in 1981.
The lovely Cassandra Morris is one of those voiceover talents whose face probably escapes most of us (me included). You've heard her precious pipes as part of several animes and/or video game projects, and Morris was born on this day in 1982.
I'm told Netflix's incarnation of Irwin Allen's SciFi classic Lost In Space has evolved into more of a love story between a man and his chicken ... I kid, I kid. I don't Netflix, so I can't speak for the veracity of that statement. In any event, I have read that the hunky Ignacio Serricchio plays 'Don West' on the property, and Serricchio was born on this day in 1982. [Source: IMDB.com]
According to IMDB.com, the lovely Mia Serafino got her acting start aboard The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations (2009). Serafino was born on this day in 1989.
On this day in 2007 (in Argentina), La Antena first played for audiences. The SciFi/Fantasy starred Alejandro Urdapilleta and Valeria Bertuccelli, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"This near-silent black and white film from Argentina tells the story of a city that has lost its voice, stolen by Mr. TV, and the attempts of a small family to win the voice back. Similar in design to early German expressionist films."
"This near-silent black and white film from Argentina tells the story of a city that has lost its voice, stolen by Mr. TV, and the attempts of a small family to win the voice back. Similar in design to early German expressionist films."
On this day in 2008, the SciFi/Telefilm Warbirds bared its beak ... erm, teeth? The feature starred Jamie Elle Mann and Brian Krause, and here's the premise that's listed aboard IMDB.com:
"During WWII, a pilot and her crew carry a small group of American soldiers and an unknown cargo. However they get caught in a storm and they are forced to land in what is thought to be enemy territory. But the small island they land on holds more than men with guns."
"During WWII, a pilot and her crew carry a small group of American soldiers and an unknown cargo. However they get caught in a storm and they are forced to land in what is thought to be enemy territory. But the small island they land on holds more than men with guns."
Scientology's Tom Cruise took another step into the realm of Science Fiction on this day in 2013 with the release of Oblivion in theatres. I missed it on its go-round, but I did watch it on home video as soon as it came out. To be honest, I quite liked it. I don't think it has the 'legs' most truly great SciFi films do, but it was nice to see Tom try to do something a bit different for a change. According to IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A veteran assigned to extract Earth's remaining resources begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself."
"A veteran assigned to extract Earth's remaining resources begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself."
On this day in 1957, Adventures of Superman aired the fiery Money To Burn. This served as the seventh episode of the program's fifth season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"When one of the Planet's warehouses catches fire Superman arrives in time to stop it. Later Perry learns that a large payroll he placed in the safe, is not there. So the insurance company refuses to pay, claiming that the fire was deliberately set to cover up the money's disappearance, which Perry knows he didn't do. So he sets out to find out who did. What he or anyone doesn't know is that a couple of guys who call themselves "The Firemen's Friend" because they go to fires and serve coffee and donuts to the firemen, were the ones who stole the money by using a fireproof suit and a special hearing aid that can help them open any safe. When Perry runs into them, he notices a few things that are odd."
"When one of the Planet's warehouses catches fire Superman arrives in time to stop it. Later Perry learns that a large payroll he placed in the safe, is not there. So the insurance company refuses to pay, claiming that the fire was deliberately set to cover up the money's disappearance, which Perry knows he didn't do. So he sets out to find out who did. What he or anyone doesn't know is that a couple of guys who call themselves "The Firemen's Friend" because they go to fires and serve coffee and donuts to the firemen, were the ones who stole the money by using a fireproof suit and a special hearing aid that can help them open any safe. When Perry runs into them, he notices a few things that are odd."
On this day in 1969, Doctor Who aired "The War Games, Part 1." This served as the thirty-fifth episode of the program's sixth season, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe realise they have arrived in the trenches of the First World War, where the sinister General Smythe accuses them of espionage."
"The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe realise they have arrived in the trenches of the First World War, where the sinister General Smythe accuses them of espionage."
On this day in 1975, Doctor Who aired "Revenge of the Cybermen, Part 1." This served as the seventeenth episode of the program's twelfth season, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"The Time Ring returns The Doctor, Sarah and Harry to Nerva Beacon thousands of years before they left. Where the Doctor, Sarah and Harry find the Beacon's crew have been wiped out by a space plague, only to discover the crew have been murdered by a cybermat and the culprits are the Cybermen and geologist Professor Kellman who bid to wipe out "Voga" a planet of gold, home of the subterranean Vogans who defeated the Cybermen in a war."
"The Time Ring returns The Doctor, Sarah and Harry to Nerva Beacon thousands of years before they left. Where the Doctor, Sarah and Harry find the Beacon's crew have been wiped out by a space plague, only to discover the crew have been murdered by a cybermat and the culprits are the Cybermen and geologist Professor Kellman who bid to wipe out "Voga" a planet of gold, home of the subterranean Vogans who defeated the Cybermen in a war."
On this day in 1992, Mann & Machine aired "No Pain, No Gain." This served as the third episode in the program's only season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Eve revives an ex-cop, who wants to die, by getting him to help investigate murders committed for body parts."
"Eve revives an ex-cop, who wants to die, by getting him to help investigate murders committed for body parts."
The USS Saratoga takes aboard a mysterious general and the corpse of recently deceased criminal in "Stardust," an episode of Space: Above and Beyond that first aired on April 19, 1996.
It all came down to this: on this day in 1997, Crime Traveller aired "The Broken Crystal." This served as the eighth episode of the program's first (and only) season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"The most expensive and most vital part of the machine breaks meaning Holly and Slade's time traveling escapades are over, permanently."
"The most expensive and most vital part of the machine breaks meaning Holly and Slade's time traveling escapades are over, permanently."
On this day in 2000, Star Trek: Voyager aired "Live Fast and Prosper." This served as the twenty-first episode of the program's sixth season, and here's the plot summary as provided by TrekCore.com:
"A troupe of alien con artists pose as Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok in their mock up "Delta Flyer" in order to take advantage of other species riding on Voyager's good name."
"A troupe of alien con artists pose as Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok in their mock up "Delta Flyer" in order to take advantage of other species riding on Voyager's good name."
On this day in 2003, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed aired "Kira." This served as the twenty-eighth episode of the program's only season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A war is under way between genetically enhanced Coordinators and unmodified Naturals."
"A war is under way between genetically enhanced Coordinators and unmodified Naturals."
On this day in 2004, Mutant X aired "In Between." This served as the eighteenth episode in the program's third (and final) season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"When Jesse's life hangs in the balance, Brennan must connect to him and lead him through past memories they've shared in order to save his life."
"When Jesse's life hangs in the balance, Brennan must connect to him and lead him through past memories they've shared in order to save his life."
On this day in 2008 (in Hungary), Doctor Who aired "Army of Ghosts." This served as the twelfth episode in the relaunched program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"As the ghosts of loved ones appear, the whole world celebrates. But as the Doctor investigates he believes that there is a more sinister motive behind their appearence. And deep within the Torchwood tower, a mysterious sphere containing the greatest enemies of the Doctor is opened..."
"As the ghosts of loved ones appear, the whole world celebrates. But as the Doctor investigates he believes that there is a more sinister motive behind their appearence. And deep within the Torchwood tower, a mysterious sphere containing the greatest enemies of the Doctor is opened..."
On this day in 2014, the BBC's clone drama Orphan Black returned to the airwaves with "Nature Under Constraint and Vexed." This served as the first episode to the program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Sarah learns that Kira and Siobhan's disappearance is down to Rachel who wants her to come back. She manages to avoid Rachel's henchmen. Cosima decides she will research her own illness. Delphine finds herself under suspicion when she returns to the DYAD Institute. Alison is trying to get her family life in order. She's given up drinking and has gotten involved in community theater. She agrees to help Felix and Sarah by getting them an unregistered gun. When Sarah finally gets close to Rachel, she learns she needs to look elsewhere."
"Sarah learns that Kira and Siobhan's disappearance is down to Rachel who wants her to come back. She manages to avoid Rachel's henchmen. Cosima decides she will research her own illness. Delphine finds herself under suspicion when she returns to the DYAD Institute. Alison is trying to get her family life in order. She's given up drinking and has gotten involved in community theater. She agrees to help Felix and Sarah by getting them an unregistered gun. When Sarah finally gets close to Rachel, she learns she needs to look elsewhere."
On this day in 2016, Stitchers aired "Midnight Stitcher." This served as the fifth episode of the program's second season, and here's the premise as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"When a woman is found dead with a note "This is his fault. K.C." on her body, Kirsten is convinced it's a message from her fugitive father."
"When a woman is found dead with a note "This is his fault. K.C." on her body, Kirsten is convinced it's a message from her fugitive father."
On this day in 2017, The Expanse aired "Caliban's War." This served as the thirteenth episode of the program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"In the final episode of this season, the crew of the Rocinante comes face to face with an evolving intelligence infused with the alien protomatter."
"In the final episode of this season, the crew of the Rocinante comes face to face with an evolving intelligence infused with the alien protomatter."
