scifi top five
Greetings, gentle readers!
One of the things I've been working behind-the-scenes on developing specifically for SciFiHistory.Net is the introduction of more daily features. I know, I know, I know: you're all insisting that -- what with the wealth of research I've done to keep the interior Daily Citation Pages growing and growing and growing -- I've probably done enough, am I right? Well, that wouldn't be the way I'd prefer to see the site continue expanding into strange new worlds and new civilizations, so all I ask is that you keep your eyes peeled for these new bits because they're definitely in the offing. In fact, I'd wanted to make the transition over to doing them via YouTube.com videos, but I'm sadly behind-the-times on that front. But stay focused ... we'll get there!
In the meantime, let me introduce to you the first installment of the SciFi TopFive, a bit of extra spotlight shown on what I believe are the five biggest bits of trivia from the day of choice -- namely January 7th, 2026 -- worthy of our attention and celebration!
One of the things I've been working behind-the-scenes on developing specifically for SciFiHistory.Net is the introduction of more daily features. I know, I know, I know: you're all insisting that -- what with the wealth of research I've done to keep the interior Daily Citation Pages growing and growing and growing -- I've probably done enough, am I right? Well, that wouldn't be the way I'd prefer to see the site continue expanding into strange new worlds and new civilizations, so all I ask is that you keep your eyes peeled for these new bits because they're definitely in the offing. In fact, I'd wanted to make the transition over to doing them via YouTube.com videos, but I'm sadly behind-the-times on that front. But stay focused ... we'll get there!
In the meantime, let me introduce to you the first installment of the SciFi TopFive, a bit of extra spotlight shown on what I believe are the five biggest bits of trivia from the day of choice -- namely January 7th, 2026 -- worthy of our attention and celebration!
buck rogers
Technically, January 7th, 1929 wasn't exactly the first day that Buck Rogers -- of the incredible franchise Buck Rogers In The 25th Century -- was first seen by audiences. Google.com reports that the character first appeared in the August, 1928 issue of Amazing Stories -- under the name of Anthony Rogers, as well -- but it was on January 7th of the next year that Buck finally came alive in his own serial format in glorious comic strip fashion. From what I've read, not only was the strip a huge, huge, huge sensation with readers, but there are many -- far more educated than I -- which credit that serial as bringing Science Fiction to the masses-at-large for the very first time.
That, my friends, deserves a round of applause, am I right?
Over the years, Buck's mythology expanded into radio serials, TV shows, and the silver screen, cementing the hero as one to watch as much for action and intrigue as he was for pure escapism. Can you believe that the iconic figure turns an incredible 97 years young today? Say it isn't so!
That, my friends, deserves a round of applause, am I right?
Over the years, Buck's mythology expanded into radio serials, TV shows, and the silver screen, cementing the hero as one to watch as much for action and intrigue as he was for pure escapism. Can you believe that the iconic figure turns an incredible 97 years young today? Say it isn't so!
flash gordon
Now, little do most folks know, but it was precisely the impressive popularity of Buck Rogers that forced King Features Syndicate, illustrator Alex Raymond, and ghostwriter Don Moore to step into the realms of the Fantastic with their own do-gooder! It was on this day all the way back in 1934 that audiences were introduced to Flash Gordon and his growing cast of sidekicks, all of them focused on the task of bringing down Ming The Merciless before the villain could bring all of Earthmen (and Earthwomen) to their knees!
Like Buck, Flash was greeted to wide acclaim by young and old alike. Over the decades, the athlete-turned-astronaut has graced newspapers, comic books, and screens big and small, never shirking the responsibility to save every one of us from the clutches of evil lurking not very far out there in the cosmos.
Happy 92nd birthday, Flash! Keep up the good work!
Like Buck, Flash was greeted to wide acclaim by young and old alike. Over the decades, the athlete-turned-astronaut has graced newspapers, comic books, and screens big and small, never shirking the responsibility to save every one of us from the clutches of evil lurking not very far out there in the cosmos.
Happy 92nd birthday, Flash! Keep up the good work!
erin gray
And speaking of Buck Rogers (as mentioned above) ...
You see, folks, I was there in the late 1970's when the latest iteration of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century came to life. Alas, I never got the chance to see the Glen Larson produced film on the big screen -- I hold out hope that maybe someday I can convince the local bargain theater to run both that and the original Battlestar Galactica in a double-bill for fans -- but I did catch it on television as stuck with it through the somewhat campy series that followed. Being young and impressionable and -- ahem -- of a certain age, I can assure you that a good many of my fellow male classmates tuned in for those weekly escapades as much for Buck as we did the glorious time spent at the altar of actress Erin Gray, the hero's fetching counterpart Col. Wilma Deering.
Just as the late Gil Gerard (who passed recently) embraced the good and bad of the program, Gray gave an inspired take of a kinda/sorta feminist-in-the-making who still had a bit of old school classy stand-up lady in her, meaning that she wasn't opposed on occasion to being swept off her feet. Yes, the scripts didn't always put her character to the best use -- you see, this incarnation of Buck pretty closely followed in Captain Kirk's shoes and was fond of his female companionships -- but when the scribes got it right they really, really, really got it right. Gray was a delight, one who wasn't afraid to trade barbs and blasts with the best of them; and the actress deserves a bit of extra attention on this, her celebrated birthday.
Happy birthday, Ms. Gray, and thanks for the memories!
You see, folks, I was there in the late 1970's when the latest iteration of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century came to life. Alas, I never got the chance to see the Glen Larson produced film on the big screen -- I hold out hope that maybe someday I can convince the local bargain theater to run both that and the original Battlestar Galactica in a double-bill for fans -- but I did catch it on television as stuck with it through the somewhat campy series that followed. Being young and impressionable and -- ahem -- of a certain age, I can assure you that a good many of my fellow male classmates tuned in for those weekly escapades as much for Buck as we did the glorious time spent at the altar of actress Erin Gray, the hero's fetching counterpart Col. Wilma Deering.
Just as the late Gil Gerard (who passed recently) embraced the good and bad of the program, Gray gave an inspired take of a kinda/sorta feminist-in-the-making who still had a bit of old school classy stand-up lady in her, meaning that she wasn't opposed on occasion to being swept off her feet. Yes, the scripts didn't always put her character to the best use -- you see, this incarnation of Buck pretty closely followed in Captain Kirk's shoes and was fond of his female companionships -- but when the scribes got it right they really, really, really got it right. Gray was a delight, one who wasn't afraid to trade barbs and blasts with the best of them; and the actress deserves a bit of extra attention on this, her celebrated birthday.
Happy birthday, Ms. Gray, and thanks for the memories!
hallie todd
What with AI -- Artificial Intelligence -- being all the rage these days, can I take a moment to tell you about Hallie Todd?
Star Trek: The Next Generation expended a great deal of effort in exploring its Spock-like clone -- Commander Data -- across its incredible seven seasons and subsequent motion pictures; but the truth is a great deal of Data's overall character arc was actually presented equally well in a singular episode ... but not necessarily by actor Brent Spiner as the singular android. No, kudos go out to another of today's birthday girls -- actress Hallie Todd -- who was blessed with the opportunity to playing the sentient 'Lal' in the third season episode "The Offspring."
For those of you who missed it, Data created a moral quandry (of the week) in the adventure when he went about the business of building his own child not so much to show that he could do it but because -- in his pursuit of becoming more and more human -- he longed to experience parenthood up close and personal. Lal -- as played by Todd -- brilliantly took viewers through her awakening and all the way until her bittersweet ending. Unlike Data -- who seemingly lives forever in Trekdom -- Lal had an extremely limited scope with which to fully appreciate the mystery of existence; and the actress deserves a special place in all of Science Fiction for putting such a human face on 1990's flirtation with AI on the small screen.
Happy birthday, Hallie Todd! (Sigh) You broke our hearts!
Star Trek: The Next Generation expended a great deal of effort in exploring its Spock-like clone -- Commander Data -- across its incredible seven seasons and subsequent motion pictures; but the truth is a great deal of Data's overall character arc was actually presented equally well in a singular episode ... but not necessarily by actor Brent Spiner as the singular android. No, kudos go out to another of today's birthday girls -- actress Hallie Todd -- who was blessed with the opportunity to playing the sentient 'Lal' in the third season episode "The Offspring."
For those of you who missed it, Data created a moral quandry (of the week) in the adventure when he went about the business of building his own child not so much to show that he could do it but because -- in his pursuit of becoming more and more human -- he longed to experience parenthood up close and personal. Lal -- as played by Todd -- brilliantly took viewers through her awakening and all the way until her bittersweet ending. Unlike Data -- who seemingly lives forever in Trekdom -- Lal had an extremely limited scope with which to fully appreciate the mystery of existence; and the actress deserves a special place in all of Science Fiction for putting such a human face on 1990's flirtation with AI on the small screen.
Happy birthday, Hallie Todd! (Sigh) You broke our hearts!
gene l. coon (1924-1973)
Those of you who've never heard this, let me tell you the brief story of Star Trek's other Gene ...
His name was Gene L. Coon, and he had pretty much established his entertainment industry bona fides as a screenwriter, penning episodes for such genre programs as Zorro, Peter Gunn, My Favorite Martian, and Off To See The Wizard (animated) when he was tapped to assist Gene Roddenberry in bringing the ultimate 'Wagon Train To The Stars' to life for Desilu Studios. As well as helping to produce the show, Coon was responsible for thirteen of its scripts, either directly or collaborating with others. First season's "Arena," "Space Seed," and "The Devil In The Dark" are just a few examples of his genius at work, as are second season's "A Piece Of The Action" and "Bread And Circuses" along with third season's "Spectre Of The Gun" and "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield."
In fact, a quick search of Google.com suggests that Coon played a heavy hand in crafting some of the original lore for the groundbreaking Science Fiction fra70nchise. A great many credit him for pushing at all costs for narrative focus on Trek's Trinity -- Kirk, Spock, and McCoy -- whenever possible; and I think it's very difficult to imagine what the entire property might look like without his participation. Sadly, he passed away (from cancer, I believe) in the early 1970's, meaning he never got the chance to see how Trek evolved into the entertainment juggernaut it became in television syndication and film history.
Happy heavenly birthday, Gene L. Coon!
-- EZ
His name was Gene L. Coon, and he had pretty much established his entertainment industry bona fides as a screenwriter, penning episodes for such genre programs as Zorro, Peter Gunn, My Favorite Martian, and Off To See The Wizard (animated) when he was tapped to assist Gene Roddenberry in bringing the ultimate 'Wagon Train To The Stars' to life for Desilu Studios. As well as helping to produce the show, Coon was responsible for thirteen of its scripts, either directly or collaborating with others. First season's "Arena," "Space Seed," and "The Devil In The Dark" are just a few examples of his genius at work, as are second season's "A Piece Of The Action" and "Bread And Circuses" along with third season's "Spectre Of The Gun" and "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield."
In fact, a quick search of Google.com suggests that Coon played a heavy hand in crafting some of the original lore for the groundbreaking Science Fiction fra70nchise. A great many credit him for pushing at all costs for narrative focus on Trek's Trinity -- Kirk, Spock, and McCoy -- whenever possible; and I think it's very difficult to imagine what the entire property might look like without his participation. Sadly, he passed away (from cancer, I believe) in the early 1970's, meaning he never got the chance to see how Trek evolved into the entertainment juggernaut it became in television syndication and film history.
Happy heavenly birthday, Gene L. Coon!
-- EZ
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