The lovely Madeleine Stowe has built a terrific career in big and small screen potboilers, but she did make an appearance in SciFi alongside screen star Bruce Willis in Terry Gilliam's Twelve Monkeys (1995). Stowe was born on this day in 1958.
He's not only one of the most notable Science Fiction authors of a generation, but Brian Aldiss also serves as the Vice-President of the international H.G. Wells Society. In 2000, he was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America, and -- in 2004 -- he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Aldiss was born on this day in 1925.
That pretty lady behind the wheel (no jokes, men!) is none other than Joan Taylor. Science Fiction fans know her best from the amazing two-fer: Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (1956) and 20 Millions Miles To Earth (1957). Though she's no longer with us, Taylor was born on this day in 1929.
Grant Williams found himself with no small problem with his starring role aboard The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). Though he's no longer with us, Williams was born on this day in 1931. [Source: IMDB.com]
Actor Budd Albright played the victim of a Salt Vampire in the Star Trek episode "The Man Trap." He also turned up in an uncredited appearance a bit later. Albright was born on this day in 1936. [Source: IMDB.com]
Screen veteran and political activist Robert Redford made a rare mainstream appearance as Alexander Pierce, a behind-the-scenes foe for Cap and S.H.I.E.L.D. alike in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). Redford was born on this day in 1936.
Not all that long after taking the lead in the alternative history tale of America's downfall in Red Dawn (1984), Patrick Swayze hung up his dancing shoes and showed us another look at an Apocalyptic tomorrow in the cryptic Steel Dawn (1987), basically a direct-to-DVD Mad Max knock-off. He played Nomad, a warrior still quick enough on his feet to beat back the forces of evil seeking to steal one small village's water supply. Though he's no longer with us, Swayze was born on this day in 1952.
Those of you familiar with the Sweden SciFi series Real Humans will recognize Anki Larsson (above right) as the synthetic caregiver 'Vera' from the program. Larsson was born on this day in 1954. [Source: IMDB.com]
Comedic motormouth Denis Leary made a rare SciFi appearance as one of the leaders of the Underground of tomorrow as part of the Sylvester Stallone vehicle, Demolition Man (1993). He also had an uncredited appearance as Captain Stacy in 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Leary was born on this day in 1957.
Without a doubt, one of the most prolific interpretations of mankind's impending doom (ever) remains Stephen King's The Stand, and this novel underwent a pretty solid TV miniseries adaptation in the mid-1990's. In it, Adam Storke played Larry Underwood, one of the survivors facing the ultimate battle of good versus evil in those wicked days. Storke was born on this day in 1962.
On or about the time that "virtual reality" became the "it thing," Hollywood immediately started turning out picture after picture exploring the possibilities. The problem was many of these just weren't very good, mostly because screenwriters didn't quite understand virtual reality yet. In any event, Craig Bierko played multiple roles in 1999's The Thirteenth Floor, an attempt that actually hit close to mark but just wasn't all that interesting. Bierko was born on this day in 1964.
Sarita Choudhury (pictured above right) enjoyed a small role in the uber-popular franchise spawned by The Hunger Games; she appeared as Egeria in Mockingjay -- Part 1. Choudhury was born on this day in 1966.
The lovely Griffin Drew got her cinematic start with a role aboard the Fantasy/Comedy Dinosaur Island (1994). Drew was born on this day in 1968. [Source: IMDB.com]
Critical favorite Edward Norton had a bona fide shot at the Marvel screen universe when he played Dr. Bruce Banner in the 2008 kinda/sorta reboot of The Incredible Hulk. Depending upon whose story you believe, Norton shot himself in the foot by behaving too much like a cinema diva when it came to script, editing, and shooting procedures. Personally, I liked his flick quite well. Norton was born on this day in 1969.
As of late, Christian Slater's luck on the big screen hasn't been all that grand, but he continues to churn out TV series and direct-to-DVD releases (2013's Stranded comes to mind) like the professional workhorse that he is. Star Trek fans remember his great li'l cameo from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and they wonder about what greater role there could've been for the man. Slater was born on this day in 1969.
Darren Pettie has tried to play a source for law and order aboard the television adaptation of Stephen King's The Mist. Pettie was born on this day in 1970. [Source: IMDB.com]
Former Cosby kid Malcolm-Jamal Warner made the jump to Science Fiction with a coveted role aboard J. Michael Straczynski's Jeremiah. Warner was born on this day in 1970.
The talented Artine Brown (above left) continues to dabble in the realm of Science Fiction and Fantasy with small roles aboard such entities as Sliders, The X-Files, Stargate: SG-1, The Outer Limits, Babylon 5, The Twilight Zone, Tru Calling, The Dead Zone, Stargate: Atlantis, Fringe, Once Upon A Time, Soldiers of the Apocalypse, Supernatural, The Tomorrow People, Arrow, The 100, Helix, and AMC's Fear The Walking Dead. Brown was born on this day in 1974. [Source: IMDB.com]
The talented Andrew Shim helped push back the Alien Uprising (a.k.a. U.F.O.) (2012) for Filmbox and Hawthorn Productions. Shim was born on this day in 1983. [Source: IMDB.com]
The lovely and talented Anna Akana is exploring another possible look at tomorrow with a starring role aboard the SciFi/Comedy Miss 2059. Akana was born on this day in 1989. [Source: IMDB.com]
Since launching an acting career in 2003, newcomer Richard Harmon has been all over Science Fiction television. He's appeared in Jeremiah, Smallville, Caprica, Fringe, The 100, and Syfy's Continuum. That's an impressive track record, indeed. Harmon was born on this day in 1991.
Fresh-faced Maia Mitchell had her day ruined with the untimely arrival of a nuclear Apocalypse in 2013's SciFi psychological drama After The Dark. Mitchell was born on this day in 1993.
Newcomer Max Charles plays 'Momma's boy' Zach Goodweather aboard FX's SciFi-lite The Strain for Guillermo del Toro. The talented young man has also had the good fortune of playing a younger version of Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Charles was born on this day in 2003.
On this day in 1950 (in the United Kingdom), Destination Moon saw that the eagle had landed in theaters. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"After their latest rocket fails, Dr. Charles Cargraves and retired General Thayer have to start over again. This time, Gen. Thayer approaches Jim Barnes, the head of his own aviation construction firms to help build a rocket that will take them to the moon. Together they gather the captains of industry and all pledge to support the goals of having the United States be the first to put a man on the moon. They build their rocket and successfully leave the Earth's gravitational pull and make the landing as scheduled. Barnes has miscalculated their fuel consumption however and after stripping the ship bare, they are still 100 lbs too heavy meaning that one of them will have to stay behind."
"After their latest rocket fails, Dr. Charles Cargraves and retired General Thayer have to start over again. This time, Gen. Thayer approaches Jim Barnes, the head of his own aviation construction firms to help build a rocket that will take them to the moon. Together they gather the captains of industry and all pledge to support the goals of having the United States be the first to put a man on the moon. They build their rocket and successfully leave the Earth's gravitational pull and make the landing as scheduled. Barnes has miscalculated their fuel consumption however and after stripping the ship bare, they are still 100 lbs too heavy meaning that one of them will have to stay behind."
On this day in 1961 (in Italy), Walt Disney released The Absent Minded Professor. The SciFi/Comedy feature starred Fred MacMurray and Keenan Wynn, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A college professor invents an anti-gravity substance which a corrupt businessman wants for himself."
"A college professor invents an anti-gravity substance which a corrupt businessman wants for himself."
On this day in 1980 (in Sweden), Ravagers showed audiences one more look at mankind's bleak future. The feature starred Richard Harris and Ann Turkel, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"In a post-apocalyptic world divided between two groups called the Flockers and the Ravagers, an adventurer and his "pleasure girl" try to find their way to a rumored safe haven called the Land of Genesis."
"In a post-apocalyptic world divided between two groups called the Flockers and the Ravagers, an adventurer and his "pleasure girl" try to find their way to a rumored safe haven called the Land of Genesis."
On this day in 1983 (in Australia), Krull enjoyed its theatrical premiere. Directed by Peter Yates, the SciFi/Fantasy starred Ken Marshall and Lysette Anthony, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet."
"A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet."
On this day in 1989, the SciFi/Comedy Mutant On The Bounty did wonders with a little wordplay. The feature starred Kyle T. Heffner and Deborah Benson, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"The crew of a space freighter picks up a mutated jazz musician who got lost in space. What they don't know is that two dangerous criminals are after him. They hijack the ship and take the crew hostage. The crew comes up with a plan."
"The crew of a space freighter picks up a mutated jazz musician who got lost in space. What they don't know is that two dangerous criminals are after him. They hijack the ship and take the crew hostage. The crew comes up with a plan."
On this day in 1993, Dark Vengeance (aka WarForce 3000) enjoyed its release on U.S. home video. Written and directed by Faruque Ahmed, the Apocalypse feature starred Jay Roberts Jr. and Denice Duff, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Set in a distant post-apocalyptic future when the environment has been blasted into a poisoned wasteland and society has degenerated to rule by competing hordes of marauding gangs. There is one warrior, though, who fights to bring some semblance of peace and order to the land. When his family is brutally murdered, however, he becomes obsessed with seeking out their killer and taking his revenge."
"Set in a distant post-apocalyptic future when the environment has been blasted into a poisoned wasteland and society has degenerated to rule by competing hordes of marauding gangs. There is one warrior, though, who fights to bring some semblance of peace and order to the land. When his family is brutally murdered, however, he becomes obsessed with seeking out their killer and taking his revenge."
On this day in 1993, the curiously-named Mandroid premiered theatrically. Here's the plot synopsis as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"In his hidden laboratory deep in Russia, Dr. Karl Zimmer has invented the Mandroid, a humanoid robot which follows the motions of a man in a special control suit. He has offered the invention to the USA, who have sent Smith and Wait from the CIA for inspection. However Zimmer's partner Drago has different plans, wants to sell Mandroid to the military. The night he tries to steal Mandroid, he becomes exposed to the highly toxic Superconn. But he can flee and won't give up on Mandroid, even though he's terribly disfigured."
"In his hidden laboratory deep in Russia, Dr. Karl Zimmer has invented the Mandroid, a humanoid robot which follows the motions of a man in a special control suit. He has offered the invention to the USA, who have sent Smith and Wait from the CIA for inspection. However Zimmer's partner Drago has different plans, wants to sell Mandroid to the military. The night he tries to steal Mandroid, he becomes exposed to the highly toxic Superconn. But he can flee and won't give up on Mandroid, even though he's terribly disfigured."
On this day in 1993, the SciFi/Action flick TC 2000 threw a few theatrical punches. The feature starred Billy Blanks and Bolo Yeung, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"Somewhere in the future the environmental overkill had come. Many people had died. The rich were able to build the underworld, the poor had to stay on the surface building gangs to survive. Jason Storm, an underworld guard gets knowledge of a conspiracy to kill all people on the surface. He needs to flee to the surface, and wins Sumai, a respected martial arts master, as his ally to stop the dirty plot."
"Somewhere in the future the environmental overkill had come. Many people had died. The rich were able to build the underworld, the poor had to stay on the surface building gangs to survive. Jason Storm, an underworld guard gets knowledge of a conspiracy to kill all people on the surface. He needs to flee to the surface, and wins Sumai, a respected martial arts master, as his ally to stop the dirty plot."
On this day in 1998, the SciFi/Thriller Darkdrive turned up the heat virtually. The feature starred Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi and Claire Stansfield, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Set in the near future, one man must restore order when a mainframe system crashes in a virtual reality prison where computers control the inmates' thoughts."
"Set in the near future, one man must restore order when a mainframe system crashes in a virtual reality prison where computers control the inmates' thoughts."
On this day in 1951, Space Patrol aired "The Underwater Hideout." Officially, this served as the thirty-fourth episode in the program's first season, and here's the plot summary as provided by Solarguard.com:
"The two accomplices of the captured payroll robber, Sobia, try to force Buzz to order Sobial's release. What started as a routine flight to Earth for Commander Corry, Cadet Happy and Major Robertson turns into terrifying adventure when the two criminals nearly ram the Commanders ship in space. They lead Buzz and his comrades to their hideout at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, where they attempt to force Buzz, by a brutal attack on Happy, to order Sobia's release."
"The two accomplices of the captured payroll robber, Sobia, try to force Buzz to order Sobial's release. What started as a routine flight to Earth for Commander Corry, Cadet Happy and Major Robertson turns into terrifying adventure when the two criminals nearly ram the Commanders ship in space. They lead Buzz and his comrades to their hideout at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, where they attempt to force Buzz, by a brutal attack on Happy, to order Sobia's release."
On this day in 1962 (in the United Kingdom), Out Of This World aired "Vanishing Act." Officially, this served as the ninth episode in the program's first season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Edgar Brocklebank, a third rate conjurer, becomes a sensation after buying the vanishing trick box from the estate of the 'Great Vorg' a once famous magician. However, what Edgar can't explain is exactly where his assistants or objects are going once they have entered the box - as they don't return."
"Edgar Brocklebank, a third rate conjurer, becomes a sensation after buying the vanishing trick box from the estate of the 'Great Vorg' a once famous magician. However, what Edgar can't explain is exactly where his assistants or objects are going once they have entered the box - as they don't return."
On this day in 2000, Farscape aired the episode "Won't Get Fooled Again." It was the fifteenth hour of their second season, and here's the plot summary as described by IMDB.com:
"Crichton has returned to Earth. Or has he always been on Earth all this time? People from his past and present appear. Is this some trick, if so who is behind it and why."
"Crichton has returned to Earth. Or has he always been on Earth all this time? People from his past and present appear. Is this some trick, if so who is behind it and why."
On this day in 2000, Stargate: SG-1 aired "The First Ones." This served as the eighth episode to the long-running program's fourth season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"Whilst on an archaeological dig at the original Goa'uld home world, Jackson is captured by a young Unas. He tries to communicate with it and slowly builds a rapport. Meanwhile, SG1 comes to the planet to find Jackson and they soon realise that some of the SG members there may have been taken over by Goa'uld. Will they be able to discover which ones in time to rescue Daniel."
"Whilst on an archaeological dig at the original Goa'uld home world, Jackson is captured by a young Unas. He tries to communicate with it and slowly builds a rapport. Meanwhile, SG1 comes to the planet to find Jackson and they soon realise that some of the SG members there may have been taken over by Goa'uld. Will they be able to discover which ones in time to rescue Daniel."
On this day in 2006, Stargate: SG-1 aired "200." This served as the sixth episode to the program's tenth season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"Martin Lloyd seeks out SG-1 for assistance when his failed TV show based on the real Stargate program becomes a feature film."
"Martin Lloyd seeks out SG-1 for assistance when his failed TV show based on the real Stargate program becomes a feature film."
On this day in 2015, Zoo aired "The Cheese Stands Alone." This served as the eighth episode of the program's first season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"After a cargo ship comes to shore in Massachusetts, rats invade the island; Mitch makes a visit to his daughter and prepares to get the cure to her terminal illness."
"After a cargo ship comes to shore in Massachusetts, rats invade the island; Mitch makes a visit to his daughter and prepares to get the cure to her terminal illness."
