The venerable Julius Harris is probably most remembered for the role of 'Tee Hee' from the James Bond picture, Live and Let Die (1973), but he dabbled in genre projects for some time. His work boasts appearances in King Kong (1976), The Incredible Hulk, Voyagers, The Enchanted (1984), Amazing Stories, Darkman (1990), Eerie Indiana, and The Burning Zone. Though he's no longer with us, Harris was born on this day in 1923. [Source: IMDB.com]
Here's a little known and/or little appreciated fact: James Cameron's 1984 Sci-Fi Classic The Terminator -- the film that sent Arnold Schwarzenegger's career into high gear -- featured not one but two signature cyborgs. Of course, the first was played by Arnie himself, but the other -- known only in the script as 'Future Terminator' -- was played by another strongman who answers to the name Franco Columbu. He also did some minor screen work alongside Schwarzenegger in Conan the Barbarian and The Running Man. Columbu was born on this day in 1941.
Robert De Niro gave the realm of Fantasy a whirl with a role opposite Bradley Cooper in Limitless (2011). De Niro was born on this day in 1943. [Source: IMDB.com]
Actor Robert Joy has an incredible resume with over 130 different screen credits. He's enjoyed exposure aboard Threshold (1981), Millennium (1989), The Ray Bradbury Theatre, Waterworld (1995), The Outer Limits, Relic Hunter, Star Trek: Voyager, Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), and Syfy's Defiance. Joy was born on this day in 1951. [Source: IMDB.com]
Earlier in his acting career, the talented Larry B. Scott (at right, on the end) went to SpaceCamp with a talented group of young actors. Scott was born on this day in 1961. [Source: IMDB.com]
Actor David Conrad (pictured above right) has been busy playing in the TV incarnation of the Marvel Universe with the role of Ian Quinn on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The versatile talent also booked a recurring role on the WB's Roswell back in its heyday. Conrad was born on this day in 1967.
The very regal-sounding Helen McCrory played a role in Matt Smith's first season as the infamous Doctor Who: she played Rosanna in 2010's "The Vampires of Venice." McCrory was born on this day in 1968.
The lovely Tammy Townsend enjoyed a guest spot aboard NBC's popular Quantum Leap during that program's run. Townsend was born on this day in 1970. [Source: IMDB.com]
Aboard TNT's SciFi-lite summer series The Last Ship, actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach (pictured above center) had the good fortune (or is that misfortune) of playing the program's Patient Zero, the ultimate carrier and the ultimate weapon of the plague that threatened to wipe out mankind. Moss-Bachrach was born on this day in 1978.
As I've mentioned before, I grew up watching Gerry Anderson's Super-Marionation epic Thunderbirds which (sadly) had a theatrical reboot (if you want to call it that) back in 2004. Early in his career, young Brady Corbet played Alan Tracy in the Jonathan Frakes' directed picture, an attempt which mostly fell flat largely as it sidelined the seminal Tracy family in favor of giving a bunch of kids a chance to be action heroes. Corbet was born on this day in 1988.
Rachel Hurd-Wood continues to build her resume with one impressive project after another. So far as genre work goes, she's been involved with Dorian Gray (2009), Solomon Kane (2009), and Tomorrow When The War Began (2010). Hurd-Wood was born on this day in 1990. [Source: IMDB.com]
MTV's foray into the realm of Fantasy -- The Shannara Chronicles -- was more than a bit uneven in its first season; still, kudos for the Spike Network for picking it up for a second season. Austin Butler (above left) plays the affable 'Wil Ohmsford,' the program's central wizard-slash-hero, and Butler was born on this day in 1991. [Source: IMDB.com]
The lovely Taissa Farmiga has provided the voice for DC Comics' 'Raven' in Justice League Vs. Teen Titans (2016) and Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017). Farmiga was born on this day in 1994. [Source: IMDB.com]
On this day back in 1960, legendary director George Pal launched The Time Machine in theatres, the first big budget adaptation of the H.G. Wells' novel of the same name. Rod Taylor took a trip through time, and -- yowza! -- he found the lovely Yvette Mimieux. That certainly makes it worth it! The film went on to win the Academy Award (in 1961) for Best Special Effects, and it was also nominated for Best Dramatic Presentation to the 1961 Hugo Awards. (CBS TV's The Twilight Zone walked away with the trophy.) Still, bravo to you, Mr. Pal! Bravo!
On this day in 1984, Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight premiered in theatres, sporting one of the longer film names of the modern era. The feature starred the hunky Miles O'Keeffe and Cyrielle Clair, and here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Gawain was a squire in King Arthur's court when the Green Knight burst in and offered to play a game with a brave knight. No knights stand to defend their king's honor. Except for the valiant Gawain. After being quickly knighted Gawain plays the game, but learns that it's all a trick, and he has lost. But the Green Knight shows mercy, letting Gawain grow a year older before having to face the consequences. Gawain journeys across the land, learning about life, saving damsels, and solving the Green Knight's riddle."
"Gawain was a squire in King Arthur's court when the Green Knight burst in and offered to play a game with a brave knight. No knights stand to defend their king's honor. Except for the valiant Gawain. After being quickly knighted Gawain plays the game, but learns that it's all a trick, and he has lost. But the Green Knight shows mercy, letting Gawain grow a year older before having to face the consequences. Gawain journeys across the land, learning about life, saving damsels, and solving the Green Knight's riddle."
Of course, some Fantasies are quickly dismissed as high camp, but when the 'camp' is as lovely as Tanya Roberts, then sign me up! Sheena: Queen of the Jungle premiered theatrically on this day in 1985, and here's the premise from IMDB.com:
"Sheena grew up in the African wild, raised by a mystical witch woman. When her foster mother is framed for a murder Sheena is forced to flee, helped by her ability to talk to animals and her knowledge of the jungle."
"Sheena grew up in the African wild, raised by a mystical witch woman. When her foster mother is framed for a murder Sheena is forced to flee, helped by her ability to talk to animals and her knowledge of the jungle."
On this day in 1951, Tales Of Tomorrow aired "A Child Is Crying." This served as the third episode of the program's first season, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"A young child with a genius I. Q. is taken away from her mother to work at a military base. Unfortunately her intellect is so stellar she can only predict absolute doom for everyone in the future."
"A young child with a genius I. Q. is taken away from her mother to work at a military base. Unfortunately her intellect is so stellar she can only predict absolute doom for everyone in the future."
On this day in 1960, Men Into Space aired "Flare Up." This served as the thirty-fourth episode of the program's only season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A Soviet Major is the sole survivor of a crash landing near a US advance moon station. Determined to appear blameless, he reports Americans sabotaged the landing and then takes drastic action to destroy all evidence."
"A Soviet Major is the sole survivor of a crash landing near a US advance moon station. Determined to appear blameless, he reports Americans sabotaged the landing and then takes drastic action to destroy all evidence."
On this day in 1994, Babylon 5 aired "The Quality of Mercy." This served as the twenty-first episode of the program's first season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Talia must enter the mind of a convicted murderer while Dr. Franklin goes to Downbelow to investigate a doctor who apparently is 'magically' healing people."
"Talia must enter the mind of a convicted murderer while Dr. Franklin goes to Downbelow to investigate a doctor who apparently is 'magically' healing people."
On this day in 2001, Stargate: SG-1 aired "The Tomb." This served as the eighth episode of the long-running program's fifth season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"SG-1 teams up with a Russian task force to investigate the disappearance of a Russian SG team on P2X-338. They discover that the Russian SG team released a creature that killed Marduk, a Goa'uld, in his sarcophagus. SG-1 must trust their Russian partners in order to escape the ziggurat alive."
"SG-1 teams up with a Russian task force to investigate the disappearance of a Russian SG team on P2X-338. They discover that the Russian SG team released a creature that killed Marduk, a Goa'uld, in his sarcophagus. SG-1 must trust their Russian partners in order to escape the ziggurat alive."
On this day in 2014, Falling Skies aired the ninth episode of its fourth season. It was an hour titled "Till Death Do Us Part," and it weaved various stories about the relationships between the show's various couples throughout the main storyline. Here's the plot summary, compliments of our friends at IMDB.com:
"While members of the 2nd Mass attempt to dig out a shot-down Beamer, Tom and a small team follow the Volm to a supply cache in search of equipment to expedite the process. Along the way, they encounter a friend, and must decide whether or not to trust her. Back at camp, Maggie and Ben grow closer as he teaches her to hone her new skills, while Pope and Sara (guest star Mira Sorvino) continue to clash, resulting in a fight from which they may never recover."
"While members of the 2nd Mass attempt to dig out a shot-down Beamer, Tom and a small team follow the Volm to a supply cache in search of equipment to expedite the process. Along the way, they encounter a friend, and must decide whether or not to trust her. Back at camp, Maggie and Ben grow closer as he teaches her to hone her new skills, while Pope and Sara (guest star Mira Sorvino) continue to clash, resulting in a fight from which they may never recover."
On this day in 2014, Lifetime's The Lottery aired "Crystal City." This served as the fifth episode of the program's only season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"The President announces the 200 lottery finalists; Vanessa makes a discovery about the kidnapping."
"The President announces the 200 lottery finalists; Vanessa makes a discovery about the kidnapping."
