Hmm. I guess if an author is going to pen a SciFi Dystopian novel set in London then he may as well make it arguably one of the very best ever written. Such is the case with author Aldous Huxley: his Brave New World certainly set the bar high, so much so than thousands of authors have tried reaching it on their own out of respect for what he'd done first. Though he's no longer with us, Huxley was born on this day in 1894.
Screen veteran Jason Robards built his reputation around playing strong-willed dynamic males in largely mainstream drama. In the early 80's, however, he was cast to be one of the survivors of the nuclear holocaust which decimated much of the United States in the TV event, The Day After. Though he's no longer with us, Robards was born on this day in 1922.
Biff Elliot had a role aboard the classic Star Trek episode "The Devil In The Dark," and that's something worth screaming about. Though he's no longer with us, Elliot was born on this day in 1923.
One could ask, "Where would smart, big screen science fiction be without the influence of director Stanley Kubrick?" His 2001: A Space Odyssey defines quality cinema for a whole generation of critics, not to mention his take on the dystopian future in A Clockwork Orange. Though he's no longer with us, Kubrick was born on this day in 1928.
The talented Joe Knowland had a spiffy li'l role as an antiques expert aboard the popular Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Knowland was born on this day in 1930.
True, Star Trek's third season was plagued with an awful lot of inferior storytelling, but I've always thought "The Empath" had a tone similar to much of what had come from the program's best outings. In the episode, the lovely Kathryn Hays played Gem, the empath for which the story was written. Hays was born on this day in 1933.
It isn't every day that we here in the realm of Science Fiction get to celebrate the work of a legitimate Rock'n'Roll legend, but it isn't every day we're introduced to a piece of filmmaking as demented as Freejack (1992) was, either. His name? Mick Jagger. And the Mickster was born on this day in 1943. Rock on.
Good Lord, did Star Trek's second season lovely maidens get any dreamier than the dreamy Celeste Yarnall? She also enjoyed guest spots aboard The Wild, Wild West, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Land of the Giants. Yarnall was born on this day in 1944.
Actress Linda Harrison played the incomparable Nova as part of the original Planet of the Apes (1968) and its sequel, Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). She's worked sparingly since that time, but she was wooed into an appearance into 1985's Cocoon and its sequel, Cocoon: The Return (1988). Harrison was born on this day in 1945.
Helen Mirren has built a reputation in dramatic roles, but she did gives SciFi fans a great performance in 1984's 2010: The Year We Make Contact. Mirren was born on this day in 1945.
I'd heard it said somewheres that showrunners for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had originally intended Michelle Forbes to head-up the Bajoran contingent of the cast as Ensign Ro; however, Ms. Forbes had moved on in her career and apparently was no longer interested. This paved the way for Nana Visitor to step in and have the role re-worked as Major Kira Nerys. And could you ever imagine a DS9 without Nana Visitor? I know I can't. Her portrayal of the sometimes tightly-wound-up Bajoran officer captivated fans, and she brought much depth and emotion to a universe largely underplayed by most actors. Visitor was born on this day in 1957.
Sorry, folks. There are some topics I just won't mince words on, and one of those topics is Superman Returns. Short story: it's a wretched, wretched movie. On so many levels. Granted, it did give us Kevin Spacey channeling Gene Hackman, so much so that I would rather have seen Gene Hackman in the role of Lex Luthor again, but it is what it is. Spacey -- on the other hand -- was born on this day in 1959.
HubbaHubba Alert! A completely fetching Deirdre Imershein made visits to both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Imershein was born on this day in 1963.
Though I suspect when Hollywood looks back on her career, Sandra Bullock will least likely be remembered for her work in Science Fiction, but that didn't stop her from achieving big screen attention by appearing alongside George Clooney in the box office smash Gravity. Bullock was born on this day in 1964.
Well before he achieved leading man status in major motion pictures, a much younger Jason Statham popped up in some curious genre entertainment. John Carpenter took a liking to him and cast him alongside Natasha Henstridge (of Species' fame) in the curiously silly Ghosts of Mars (2001). Statham was born on this day in 1967.
The lovely Olivia Williams first came to the attention of Science Fiction fans when she appeared alongside Kevin Costner in 1997's The Postman. About ten years later, she took a major role in the Joss Whedon TV program Dollhouse. Williams was born on this day in 1968.
God's gift to heterosexual males everywhere -- Kate Beckinsale -- graciously stepped into the shoes previously filled by Sharon Stone with the 2012 remake of Total Recall. While many found the updating a bit too obligatory, it was certainly grand to see Kate show up in a SciFi vehicle. Beckinsale was born on this day in 1973.
Who doesn't appreciate a maniacal bad guy? I tell you who doesn't: Science Fiction fans! That's who! We love our bad guys, even when they take the face of actor Ben Cotton. We've seen him chew scenery in Stargate: Atlantis, Kyle XY, Alcatraz, Fringe, and even Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome. Cotton was born on this day in 1975.
The lovely Eve Myles plays the curiously equally lovely Gwen Cooper for the BBC's Doctor Who spin-off -- Torchwood -- focusing on the adventures of Captain Jack Harkness and his crew. Myles was born on this day in 1978.
Hawaiian-born Mageina Tovah joined Tobey Maguire in Spider-man 2 (2004) and 3 (2007) for some web-slinging action. Tovah was born on this day in 1979.
On this day in 1979, the Walt Disney company flirted with Science Fiction again with Unidentified Flying Oddball. The feature starred Dennis Dugan, and here's the plot summary as detailed on IMDB.com:
"An astronaut and his android double travel back to the time of King Arthur."
"An astronaut and his android double travel back to the time of King Arthur."
The Christian Slater space vehicle, Stranded, premiered on this day in 2013. It's not a downright awful sci-fi B-movie, but, in all honesty, it's pretty close. The greatest problem with it -- so far as I'm concerned -- is that it really brought nothing bold, new, or visionary to its slim story of astronauts battling a space virus on a small moon base. Still, it's use of practical miniatures and some claustrophobic cinematography make it a one-time-only viewing experience.
On this day in 1962, The Andromeda Breakthrough aired "Hurricane." This served as the fifth episode of the program's second season (as continued from A For Andromeda), and here's the plot summary from TV.com:
"The alien enzyme is causing the Earth's atmosphere to get thinner, and violent storms are sweeping the world. Intel get the scientists to develop a solution, to be sold on their terms. A counter-revolution led by the former president overthrows the rebels and Intel."
"The alien enzyme is causing the Earth's atmosphere to get thinner, and violent storms are sweeping the world. Intel get the scientists to develop a solution, to be sold on their terms. A counter-revolution led by the former president overthrows the rebels and Intel."
On this day in 2002, that Syfy epic Farscape aired the seventh episode of its fourth and final season. It was an hour titled "John Quixote," and here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Crichton and Chiana get stuck in a video game where they encounter strange/twisted versions of their friends. They must figure how to beat the game, or they'll be stuck inside forever. The game shows Crichton how dangerous/distracting his feelings for Aeryn are, leading him to a dark path to deal with his feelings."
"Crichton and Chiana get stuck in a video game where they encounter strange/twisted versions of their friends. They must figure how to beat the game, or they'll be stuck inside forever. The game shows Crichton how dangerous/distracting his feelings for Aeryn are, leading him to a dark path to deal with his feelings."
On this day in 2003, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed aired "Lucas Strikes." This served as the forty-second 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 2015, AMC's Humans aired the fifth hour of its popular first season. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"With Karen on her tail, Leo sends Niska to George's house and an unlikely friendship begins. Also: Joe's secret threatens to destroy the Hawkins family."
"With Karen on her tail, Leo sends Niska to George's house and an unlikely friendship begins. Also: Joe's secret threatens to destroy the Hawkins family."
On this day in 1951, the SciFi/Radio drama Dimension X aired "Courtesy." This served as the program's forty-first episode, and here's the plot summary as detailed by The Oldtime Radio Review:
"When the members of an Earth expedition on an alien planet are faced with a deadly plague their only hope for a cure lies with the planet's indigenous inhabitants. Based on a short story first published in Astounding Science Fiction magazine, in August 1951; and later in Clifford D. Simak's short-story collection The Autumn Land and Other Stories, in 1990."
"When the members of an Earth expedition on an alien planet are faced with a deadly plague their only hope for a cure lies with the planet's indigenous inhabitants. Based on a short story first published in Astounding Science Fiction magazine, in August 1951; and later in Clifford D. Simak's short-story collection The Autumn Land and Other Stories, in 1990."
