In my own never-ending quest to make time for quality programming that tickled my fancy, I happily made time for UPN's Seven Days when it aired on the fledgling network. You know the one? UPN wanted to take up the other major networks, and it tried to do so by bringing an all-new Star Trek to the masses ... when arguably a much better program like Seven Days was more original, more compelling, and more interested to this viewer.
Seven Days benefitted by taking a fabulous premise -- mankind has discovered the ability to travel in time but is limited to only just a seven-day jump backward -- and pairing it with some smart and timely writing (i.e. terrorist attacks, assassination attempts, and major catastrophes -- the kind of things audiences clamor for) as well as an incredibly nimble, gifted cast, of which Norman Lloyd was a series regular for much of its run. His 'Dr. Isaac Mentnor' was one of the program's brainy influences, the genius who originally conceived of the Backstep potential by way of his involvement in covering up that dastardly alien technology the U.S. government recovered from the infamous Roswell, New Mexico UFO crash.
As is always the case when discussing creatives, Seven Days was hardly Lloyd's singular sensation. IMDB.com reports the talented man got his start in live theater, eventually pursuing television and acting gigs to continue perfecting his craft. He even tried his hand at producing: genre fans 'round these parts have definitely heard of his work with Journey To The Unknown (1968-1969) and Tales Of The Unexpected (1982-1985). Star Trek enthusiasts might remember him best as 'Professor Galen,' one of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard's influences in the 1993 episode "The Chase" of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Alas, word reached me last night via a press announcement that Mr. Lloyd has passed on.
Which among us wouldn't hope for the wild ride of a life lasting 106 years? I know I would.
Prayers go out from SciFiHistory.Net to Lloyd's friends and family. He will be missed.
-- EZ
Seven Days benefitted by taking a fabulous premise -- mankind has discovered the ability to travel in time but is limited to only just a seven-day jump backward -- and pairing it with some smart and timely writing (i.e. terrorist attacks, assassination attempts, and major catastrophes -- the kind of things audiences clamor for) as well as an incredibly nimble, gifted cast, of which Norman Lloyd was a series regular for much of its run. His 'Dr. Isaac Mentnor' was one of the program's brainy influences, the genius who originally conceived of the Backstep potential by way of his involvement in covering up that dastardly alien technology the U.S. government recovered from the infamous Roswell, New Mexico UFO crash.
As is always the case when discussing creatives, Seven Days was hardly Lloyd's singular sensation. IMDB.com reports the talented man got his start in live theater, eventually pursuing television and acting gigs to continue perfecting his craft. He even tried his hand at producing: genre fans 'round these parts have definitely heard of his work with Journey To The Unknown (1968-1969) and Tales Of The Unexpected (1982-1985). Star Trek enthusiasts might remember him best as 'Professor Galen,' one of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard's influences in the 1993 episode "The Chase" of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Alas, word reached me last night via a press announcement that Mr. Lloyd has passed on.
Which among us wouldn't hope for the wild ride of a life lasting 106 years? I know I would.
Prayers go out from SciFiHistory.Net to Lloyd's friends and family. He will be missed.
-- EZ
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