Star Trek's Chief engineer Montgomery Scott gets possessed by the spirit of Jack the Ripper in the episode, "Wolf in the Fold," which first aired on this day back in 1967.
Frankie Darro is one of Science Fiction's ultimate "unseen faces": in Forbidden Planet (1956), he was the actor actually inside the suit that better known as Robbie the Robot. Though he's no longer with us, Darro was born on this day in 1917.
The venerable Hector Elizondo (second from left) took a terror-filled voyage to the bottom of the sea in Leviathan (1989), a SciFi/Horror hybrid featuring an undersea creature. Elizondo was born on this day in 1936.
In his brief time in the entertainment industry, Michael Summerton played a Dalek aboard the BBC's long-running Doctor Who. Though he's no longer with us, Summerton was born on this day in 1943.
Graham Beckel (above right) has a great history as a character actor willing to take on tough, no-nonsense roles. He was Colonel Jack Fisk as part of Syfy's Battlestar Galactica reboot, as well as making appearances in Strange World, Amerika, C.H.U.D., and Heroes. Beckel was born on this day in 1949.
With an astounding 250 citations on IMDB.com to his career, I think it's safe to say that Jay Brazeau couldn't avoid roles in Science Fiction if he tried! He's booked roles aboard Highlander, Mega Man (animated), The X-Files, Sliders, Strange Luck, The Sentinel, Poltergeist: The Legacy, RoboCop: Alpha Command, Millennium, Seven Days, First Wave, Stargate: SG-1, The Outer Limits, Taken (miniseries), Stargate: Atlantis, Watchmen (2009), Polar Storm (2009), Eureka, Seattle Superstorm (2012), and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. Brazeau was born on this day in 1953.
The 1984 adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 remains a favorite of many SciFi fans around the world, but I've honestly yet to see it (though I have seen the mid-1950's version and love it). Gregor Fisher (above left) played a role in the film, and the actor was born on this day in 1953.
Sure, it's a small role, but when it's part of one of the most successful science fiction franchises of all times, you take it! That's exactly what Hugh Quarshie (pictured above left) did in seizing the part of Capt. Panaka when George Lucas offered it as part of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. And who can blame him? He's also had some small roles in the excellent Horatio Hornblower television movies as well as a solid guest stint on Doctor Who. Quarshie was born on this day in 1954.
Electric Dreams is one of those rarely-cited SciFi/Romances that helped make much of the 1980's so memorable for Science Fiction fans at the moviehouses. Lenny von Dohlen played the lead in the picture, and he's also appeared in Twin Peaks, The Flash (CBS), and Red Dwarf. Von Dohlen was born on this day in 1958.
Well before he joined the James Bond film series as M, Ralph Fiennes headlined one of James Cameron's less-popular Science Fiction flicks, Strange Days (1995). Fiennes was born on this day in 1962.
Hers is a face Marvel fans should know and love: Victoria Alonso is just one of powerhouse producers responsible for bringing the Marvel properties like Iron Man, Captain America, and Guardians of the Galaxy to glorious cinematic life. Alonso was born on this day in 1965.
Currently, David S. Goyer is hard to work bringing NBC's Constantine to life, but that's not the only comic book property he's been affiliated with. Having penned the story for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises as well as Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, Goyer has proven himself a bankable commodity in crafting action-packed tales with some emotional resonance. Personally, I love his work on the vastly underrated DaVinci's Demons, and he did what he could in bringing FlashForward to life on television for its single season. Goyer was born on this day in 1965.
For a whole host of reasons -- good and bad -- Starship Troopers (1997) took a beating when it premiered in theatres. Let's just agree that it can be hard adapting one of the most revered sci-fi novels of a generation, and we'll leave it at that. One of the characters who did translate fairly well was Dizzy Flores, who was played by the incomparable Dina Meyer. Meyer managed to ooze sexiness when she wasn't plugging giant insects full of lead, and that certainly went down well with the fanboys. Meyer was born on this day in 1968.
Though he's probably more well known for his time in the entire Degrassi franchise, Pat Mastroianni has also secured roles in War of the Worlds (TV), Godzilla (1998), and Syfy's Dark Matter. Mastroianni was born on this day in 1971.
The delicious Heather Donahue (above left) rode a wave of popularity emanating from her lead role in The Blair Witch Project into roles aboard The Outer Limits, Taken (the miniseries), and Manticore (2005). Donahue was born on this day in 1974.
Early in his acting career, a young Chris Carmack (above left) joined Tom Welling for an episode of the WB's Smallville. Carmack was born on this day in 1980.
Brooke Nevin is a lovely actress who has booked appearances in such genre properties as Smallville and The 4400. Nevin was born on the day in 1982.
Presently, actor Joe Dinicol is making the rounds aboard the CW's Arrow program in the guise of the Ragman. Dinicol was born on this day in 1983.
Greg Finley played a role aboard The CW's short-lived Star-Crossed, a SciFi/Fantasy focused on love from the stars. The talented actor has also appeared aboard iZombie and The Flash. Finley was born on this day in 1984.
in 2009, Logan Huffman played young Tyler Evans, an Earth youth who fell head-over-heels for lovely Laura Vandervoort in ABC's somewhat revisionist interpretation of the SciFi classic series V. Huffman was born on this day in 1989.
A star is born! On this day in 1932 (in Germany), F.P.1 Doesn't Answer took to the skies and the sea to show audiences what a feature could look like with a mid-Atlantic oceanic platform. Directed by Karl Hartl from a script by Walter Reisch and Kurt Siodmak, the SciFi/Drama starred Hans Alberts, Sybille Schmitz, and Peter Lorre; and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Urged by famous airman Ellissen the Lennartz Company puts into reality the project proposed by his friend Droste: F.P.1, a huge floating platform in the Atlantic that makes long-distance flights viable. Ellissen is in love with company heiress Claire, but when he returns from his adventures to save the endangered F.P.1 he finds out that he has lost her to Droste."
For the record: In 2021, I had the good fortune of receiving a complimentary Blu-ray version of F.P.1 Doesn't Answer from the kind folks at Kino Lorber. What to know more? How about checking out my review of the vintage Science Fiction Drama right here.
"Urged by famous airman Ellissen the Lennartz Company puts into reality the project proposed by his friend Droste: F.P.1, a huge floating platform in the Atlantic that makes long-distance flights viable. Ellissen is in love with company heiress Claire, but when he returns from his adventures to save the endangered F.P.1 he finds out that he has lost her to Droste."
For the record: In 2021, I had the good fortune of receiving a complimentary Blu-ray version of F.P.1 Doesn't Answer from the kind folks at Kino Lorber. What to know more? How about checking out my review of the vintage Science Fiction Drama right here.
A star is born! On this day in 1933, audiences were treated to a family picture known as Son Of Kong. The feature starred Robert Armstrong and Helen Mack, and here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"The men who captured the giant ape King Kong return to Skull Island and find his likewise gigantic but far more friendly son."
"The men who captured the giant ape King Kong return to Skull Island and find his likewise gigantic but far more friendly son."
On this day in 1994 (in Hungary), Timecop broke the barriers of time and space for its theatrical release. Directed by Peter Hyams, the SciFi flick starred Jean-Claude Van Damme and Mia Sara, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"When the ability to travel through time is perfected, a new type of law enforcement agency is formed. It's called Time Enforcement Commission or TEC. A cop, Max Walker, is assigned to the group. On the day he was chosen, some men attack him and kill his wife. Ten years later Max is still grieving but has become a good agent for the TEC. He tracks down a former co-worker who went into the past to make money. Max brings him back for sentencing but not after telling Max that Senator McComb, the man in charge of TEC, sent him. Max has his eye on McComb."
"When the ability to travel through time is perfected, a new type of law enforcement agency is formed. It's called Time Enforcement Commission or TEC. A cop, Max Walker, is assigned to the group. On the day he was chosen, some men attack him and kill his wife. Ten years later Max is still grieving but has become a good agent for the TEC. He tracks down a former co-worker who went into the past to make money. Max brings him back for sentencing but not after telling Max that Senator McComb, the man in charge of TEC, sent him. Max has his eye on McComb."
A star is born! On this day in 2000 (in the United Kingdom), Merlin: The Return worked its magic on those whose hearts were pure. The feature starred Patrick Bergin and Craig Sheffer, and here's the premise as supplied by IMDB.com:
"A scientist awakens King Arthur and his knights, and the forces of good and evil do battle once more."
"A scientist awakens King Arthur and his knights, and the forces of good and evil do battle once more."
On this day in 1958, the BBC aired the first installment of the Quatermass and the Pit television serial. The first part (of six) was called "The Halfmen," and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"Prof. Quatermass is resisting the planners of a grisly rocket project known as the Dead Man's Deterrent, But then comes an interruption - Excavation work at a building site in Hobbs Lane, London, unearths a human skull which Dr Roney estimates to be five million years old, Then a strange projectile is dug up."
"Prof. Quatermass is resisting the planners of a grisly rocket project known as the Dead Man's Deterrent, But then comes an interruption - Excavation work at a building site in Hobbs Lane, London, unearths a human skull which Dr Roney estimates to be five million years old, Then a strange projectile is dug up."
The Twilight Zone's "Five Characters In Search of an Exit" first aired on this day in 1961. It was another one of those 'people in a box' scenarios that didn't quite play out the way most folks expected -- that's what made the show so special, after all.
On this day in 1968, Land Of The Giants aired "The Weird World." Officially, this served as the eleventh episode in the program's first season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"The castaways find a tape recorder which has the taped log of Major Kagan, an astronaut who crash landed on the planet with his crew a few years earlier. Barry is later captured by the paranoid Kagan, who thinks that the castaways are working with the giants. However, they later convince him that they are not and he agrees to help them go to the giant's science center to help retrieve his ship, which is being examined by their scientists. However, when they get there Kagan does not enter with them due to the fact that he remembers that something horrible is in there and it killed his crew. However, when the castaways are being chased by a giant scientist he must conquer his fear and save them."
"The castaways find a tape recorder which has the taped log of Major Kagan, an astronaut who crash landed on the planet with his crew a few years earlier. Barry is later captured by the paranoid Kagan, who thinks that the castaways are working with the giants. However, they later convince him that they are not and he agrees to help them go to the giant's science center to help retrieve his ship, which is being examined by their scientists. However, when they get there Kagan does not enter with them due to the fact that he remembers that something horrible is in there and it killed his crew. However, when the castaways are being chased by a giant scientist he must conquer his fear and save them."
On this day in 1973, The Starlost aired "Farthing's Comet" as part of its first and only season. Here's an episode summary provided from a review over at IMDB.com:
"Loud crashing noises and the jolt of impact lead Devon (Keir Dullea), Garth (Robin Ward) & Rachel (Gay Rowan) to think that the Ark - the massive starship they are on which is housing the remaining people of Earth, is under alien attack. Devon asks the computer 'sphere projector' (William Osler) what is going on and he is directed to the on board observatory of Dr.Linus Farthing (Edward Andrews). Farthing informs them it is not an attack but a meteor shower. It naturally occurs to Rachel to ask whether or not they can alter the course of the Ark. As the viewers of previous episodes know an accident knocked the Ark off course and into the path of a class 'G' solar star. Farthing can't fix the course and says nothing can which is perplexing since he manoeuvred the ship into the meteor shower just so he could get a look close up. It becomes apparent that the meteor shower will destroy the Ark unless necessary repairs are made. Devon and his friends volunteer on a risky mission to set things right. It involves Devon doing a spacewalk to make the repairs on the exterior of the Ark before meteors begin to collide with its path again."
"Loud crashing noises and the jolt of impact lead Devon (Keir Dullea), Garth (Robin Ward) & Rachel (Gay Rowan) to think that the Ark - the massive starship they are on which is housing the remaining people of Earth, is under alien attack. Devon asks the computer 'sphere projector' (William Osler) what is going on and he is directed to the on board observatory of Dr.Linus Farthing (Edward Andrews). Farthing informs them it is not an attack but a meteor shower. It naturally occurs to Rachel to ask whether or not they can alter the course of the Ark. As the viewers of previous episodes know an accident knocked the Ark off course and into the path of a class 'G' solar star. Farthing can't fix the course and says nothing can which is perplexing since he manoeuvred the ship into the meteor shower just so he could get a look close up. It becomes apparent that the meteor shower will destroy the Ark unless necessary repairs are made. Devon and his friends volunteer on a risky mission to set things right. It involves Devon doing a spacewalk to make the repairs on the exterior of the Ark before meteors begin to collide with its path again."
The animated adventures of Flash Gordon continued to explore the adventures of the Earth's last, best hope against Mongo when, on this day in 1979, they aired "Chapter 14: The Desert Hawk." Here's the summary from IMDB.com:
"In Prince Garin's treetop palace in Arboria, he, Princess Aura, Thun and Vultan discuss how to find the missing Flash Gordon. Flash and his party continue to flee from the traitorous Braznor who has seized control of Tropica from Queen Desira. With capture imminent, the party flees into the desert of fire where they are saved from a fire dragon by Gundar the desert hawk, Lord of the Fire Lands. Brazor's laser-firing armored tanks penetrate Gundar's mountain fortress and capture Flash and his friends. Vultan and Prince Garin's forces soundly de-feat Braznor and restore Queen Desira to her throne. The chapter ends with Barin, Vultan, Thun, Desira and Gundar pledging their forces to fight the battle to free Mongo from Ming's tyrannical clutches."
"In Prince Garin's treetop palace in Arboria, he, Princess Aura, Thun and Vultan discuss how to find the missing Flash Gordon. Flash and his party continue to flee from the traitorous Braznor who has seized control of Tropica from Queen Desira. With capture imminent, the party flees into the desert of fire where they are saved from a fire dragon by Gundar the desert hawk, Lord of the Fire Lands. Brazor's laser-firing armored tanks penetrate Gundar's mountain fortress and capture Flash and his friends. Vultan and Prince Garin's forces soundly de-feat Braznor and restore Queen Desira to her throne. The chapter ends with Barin, Vultan, Thun, Desira and Gundar pledging their forces to fight the battle to free Mongo from Ming's tyrannical clutches."
On this day in 1990, Super Force aired "Gravity's Rainbow: Part 2." This served as the fourteenth episode of the program's first season, and here's the plot summary from TV.com:
"Frank, still under Satori's control, steals the Super Force suit, causing the world to believe he's turned bad."
"Frank, still under Satori's control, steals the Super Force suit, causing the world to believe he's turned bad."
It all began right here ... well, for the TekWar series anyway! On this day in 1994, TekWar (the series) aired "Sellout." According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"In a high-tek future, a prototype of Oculus has become the addiction of the times. Jake working for a detective agency is contacted by an old acquaintance, who has secrets she wants to sell him. She is killed and the secrets are stolen before they can meet. Jake investigates."
"In a high-tek future, a prototype of Oculus has become the addiction of the times. Jake working for a detective agency is contacted by an old acquaintance, who has secrets she wants to sell him. She is killed and the secrets are stolen before they can meet. Jake investigates."
On this day in 1997, the tale that was known as Deepwater Black came to its televised finished with the airing of its final episode, "Aurora," on the SyFy Channel. According to our friends at TV.com, here's the plot summary:
"A beacon in space signals Deepwater with a vid-message -- the image of a beautiful woman named Aurora -- who was Reb's donor's girlfriend."
"A beacon in space signals Deepwater with a vid-message -- the image of a beautiful woman named Aurora -- who was Reb's donor's girlfriend."
It all came down to this: on this day in 1997, Australia's Ocean Girl aired "The Queen," its series finale. This served as the twenty-sixth episode of the program's fourth (and final) season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Asleep on her island late at night, Neri has a vision of her mother, she tells Neri that it is "her time" but Neri admits that she is afraid of what is to come."
"Asleep on her island late at night, Neri has a vision of her mother, she tells Neri that it is "her time" but Neri admits that she is afraid of what is to come."
On this day in 2006 (in the United States), Doctor Who aired "Doomsday." Officially, this served as the thirteenth episode in the program's second relaunched season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Earth becomes the battlefield for the greatest and deadliest war of all time, as the Daleks and the Cybermen clash with the whole universe at stake. The Doctor and Rose, reunited with old friends and Cybermen experts Mickey and Jake, race to find a way to bring the war to an end before it brings about the destruction of the whole of space and time. But the Doctor soon faces an even bigger dilemma - could ending the war mean the death of Rose?"
"Earth becomes the battlefield for the greatest and deadliest war of all time, as the Daleks and the Cybermen clash with the whole universe at stake. The Doctor and Rose, reunited with old friends and Cybermen experts Mickey and Jake, race to find a way to bring the war to an end before it brings about the destruction of the whole of space and time. But the Doctor soon faces an even bigger dilemma - could ending the war mean the death of Rose?"
On this day in 2007 (in the Netherlands), Doctor Who aired "Doomsday." Officially, this served as the thirteenth episode in the long-running program's second relaunched season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Earth becomes a battleground for the Daleks and the Cybermen. With the whole planet at stake and the Genesis Ark activated, how much will the Doctor sacrifice in order to end the war?"
"Earth becomes a battleground for the Daleks and the Cybermen. With the whole planet at stake and the Genesis Ark activated, how much will the Doctor sacrifice in order to end the war?"
