Say what you will about the new-fangled Battlestar Galactica, but I preferred the wholesome, do-gooder charm of the original just a bit more. And Starbuck? A girl? No way! Dirk Benedict remains Starbuck in my mind, and the actor who played him celebrates another year growing older and wiser today! Benedict was born on this day in 1945.
The great Cesare Danova certainly did far more mainstream projects than he did Science Fiction. He did book time aboard Night Gallery, Gemini Man, Tentacles (1977), Automan, and Airwolf. Though he's no longer with us, Danova was born on this day in 1926.
Raymond St. Jacques aptly chewed scenery as a fire-and-brimstone street preacher aboard the subversive SciFi flick, They Live (1988), from director John Carpenter. He also appeared in The Invaders, Gemini Man, The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, Voyagers, The Powers of Matthew Star, Airwolf, Starman, and Timebomb (1991). Though he's no longer with us, St. Jacques was born on this day in 1930.
Joan Hackett joined George Segal aboard The Terminal Man (1974), the tale of a man using computers to control a dire medical condition. Though she's no longer with us, Hackett was born on this day in 1934.
The fabulous Vitina Marcus had an ongoing love affair with genre projects, securing screen time in such properties as The Lost World (1960), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, and The Time Tunnel. Marcus was born on this day in 1937.
The dreamy Lana Wood has certainly left an impression on fans of genre entertainment with her work aboard The Wild Wild West, Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Night Gallery, The Next Step Beyond, and Captain America II: Death Too Soon (1979). Wood was born on this day in 1946. [Source: IMDB.com]
Aboard the WB's long-running Smallville, Camille Mitchell played Sheriff Nancy Adams in a recurring guest role. Mitchell was born on this day in 1954.
Hollywood wunderkind Ron Howard stepped in to complete directing Solo: A Star Wars Story when Walt Disney parted company with its earlier choices. Howard was born on this day in 1954. [Source: IMDB.com]
What a Super day! Tim Daly helped bring to life the animated version of Superman, and the actor ended up creating one of the more revered versions of the Last Son of Krypton to date. Daly was born on this day in 1956 ... and that's just the beginning of the various Superman references for March 1st. Read on!
On top of providing voicework for the Alien: Isolation video game (2014), the great Sean Gilder enjoyed a guest spot on the BBC's long-running Doctor Who in 2005. Gilder was born on this day in 1964.
One of Chris Eigeman's earliest roles was a guest spot aboard Red Dwarf. Since then, he's squeezed in work on The Outer Limits and Fox TV's Fringe. Eigeman was born on this day in 1965.
In his youth, Todd Lookinland appeared alongside the lovely Lynda Carter in an episode of Wonder Woman. In his adulthood, he's embarked on a career in special effects, contributing his wares to such features as Robocop 2, Men In Black, and Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Lookinland was born on this day in 1965.
Also celebrating a birthday today is director Zack Snyder, whose Man Of Steel thrilled audiences of new and old fans alike! Snyder was born on this day in 1966.
Critical darling Javier Bardem made waves as the villain aboard Skyfall (2012), and he even voiced a robot for good measure in 2014's Automata. Bardem was born on this day in 1969.
After surviving a look at futuristic technology in CBS's popular Persons Of Interest, Cara Buono found things even more fantastical aboard Netflix's Stranger Things. Buono was born on this day in 1971.
During the 2009 TV season, one of the more promising dramas to emerge was ABC TV's FlashForward; unfortunately, the program never quite 'gelled' early enough to maintain a solid viewing audience. On the show, Jack Davenport played Lloyd Simcoe, a man who may or may not have had ties to a global conspiracy. Davenport was born on this day in 1973.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar dipped briefly into the realm of Science Fiction with a role aboard Atomic Twister (2002) for Once Upon A Time Films. Gosselaar was born on this day in 1974. [Source: IMDB.com]
Truth be told, the great Emily Holmes has never really strayed all that far from some great genre projects. Since embarking on her professional careers, she's secured roles in Strange Frequency, Dark Angel, The Dead Zone, Taken (miniseries), Paycheck (2003), Stargate: SG-1, Tru Calling, Andromeda, Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance, Bionic Woman, The Andromeda Strain, Fringe, Meteor Storm (2010), Alcatraz, Supernatural, Independence Daysaster (2013), Delete, Zodiac: Signs of the Apocalypse (2014), and Amazon's The Man In The High Castle. That's quite the resume! Holmes was born on this day in 1977.
Long before he went off on a quest to rid the world of paranormal evil (on the CW's Supernatural), Jensen Ackles was making things rough for a certain 'Last Son of Krypton' aboard the WB's Smallville. Ackles was born on this day in 1978.
Sadly, ABC TV's ambitious SciFi/Drama FlashForward just never quite caught on with audiences. Actor Dominic Rains had a recurring role in its only season, and he's also been seen on Powers. Rains was born on this day in 1982.
Lupita Nyong'o braved the daunting task of bringing to life the Force-user Maz Kanata in JJ Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. Nyong'o was born on this day in 1983.
By even the most liberal standards, Laserblast was a pretty awful excuse for SciFi. I know, I know: it was the 70's, and that's the best we could do with the budget. Heck, I think it's even had the MST3K treatment from what I recall. This was one of those smaller films that hit the cinemas not long after the original Star Wars film made such a big splash, and no doubt someone thought they stood a good chance to make a pretty penny on it. I'm betting they didn't. It premiered on this day in 1978, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"A teenager stumbles upon an alien weapon, which transform him into a grotesque killer."
"A teenager stumbles upon an alien weapon, which transform him into a grotesque killer."
Believe it or not, there actually was a time when Jesse Ventura tried to make a go at a legitimate movie career; and on this day in 1991 Abraxas, Guardian Of The Universe quite probably ground much of that momentum to a halt. Here's the premise as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"An alien policeman arrives on Earth to apprehend a renegade of his own race who impregnates a woman with a potentially destructive mutant embryo."
"An alien policeman arrives on Earth to apprehend a renegade of his own race who impregnates a woman with a potentially destructive mutant embryo."
On this day in 2008, InAlienable sprang from the mind of screenwriter Walter Koenig and director Robert Dyke. The feature starred Richard Hatch, Jett Patrick, and Priscilla Garita, and here's the premise as listed on IMDB.com:
"Still guilt-ridden over the accident that took his family's lives, Eric Norris discovers that his body is host to a parasite from another world. Except, it is more than a parasite: it carries his DNA."
"Still guilt-ridden over the accident that took his family's lives, Eric Norris discovers that his body is host to a parasite from another world. Except, it is more than a parasite: it carries his DNA."
On this day in 2015, Parallels found its way to audiences. The SciFi-lite property starred Mark Hapka, Jessica Rothe, and Eric Jungmann, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A mysterious building is the gateway to infinite parallel Earths."
"A mysterious building is the gateway to infinite parallel Earths."
As I've often said, the beauty of Science Fiction is that its films come in all shapes and sizes ... and on this day in 2016 it took the sexy shape of Hot Bot. Here's the plot summary from IMDB.com for the SciFi/Comedy:
"Hot Bot is the hilarious journey of two sexually repressed and unpopular teenage geeks who accidentally discover a life-like super-model sex bot (Bardot)."
"Hot Bot is the hilarious journey of two sexually repressed and unpopular teenage geeks who accidentally discover a life-like super-model sex bot (Bardot)."
On this day in 1968, Star Trek aired the episode "The Omega Glory." Here's the summary from IMDB.com:
"Responding to a distress signal, Kirk finds Captain Tracey of the U.S.S. Exeter violating the prime directive and interfering with a war between the Yangs and the Kohns to find the secret of their longevity."
"Responding to a distress signal, Kirk finds Captain Tracey of the U.S.S. Exeter violating the prime directive and interfering with a war between the Yangs and the Kohns to find the secret of their longevity."
On this day in 1993, "Death Takes A Holiday" as the sixth episode of Time Trax's first season. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Darien attempts to capture Clinton Sajak, a fugitive from the future who is now running a gambling casino."
"Darien attempts to capture Clinton Sajak, a fugitive from the future who is now running a gambling casino."
It all began right here: on this day in 1997, the SciFi/Drama Crime Traveller enjoyed its television premiere in the United Kingdom. The series starred Michael French and Chloë Annett, and here's the premise for "Jeff Slade and the Loop of Infinity" from IMDB.com:
"Jeff Slade's world is turned upside down when he discovers his friend Holly has a secret. She can travel in time."
"Jeff Slade's world is turned upside down when he discovers his friend Holly has a secret. She can travel in time."
On this day in 1997, Dark Skies aired "Burn, Baby, Burn." This served as the fifteenth episode on the cult program's only season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"During the outbreak of a race riot, Kim is brought to Los Angeles to have her baby."
"During the outbreak of a race riot, Kim is brought to Los Angeles to have her baby."
On this day in 2003, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed aired "The Sea Dyed Red." This served as the twenty-second episode of the program's only season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"After a final pitched battle in the desert, the Archangel must begin to make her way to the Federation base at Alaska. Cagalli and Kisaka decide to accompany them. En route, they are attacked numerous times by ZAFT maritime mobile suits. The Strike is at a distinct disadvantage. During the battle, Cagalli is shot down and lands on a deserted island. But Athrun has also crash-landed there. Cagalli takes an instant dislike to Athrun, who doesn't seem to care. The war just became personal. Finally, with an exhausted crew and a badly-damaged ship, the Archangel reaches the neutral nation of Orb. They think they're safe, but how long will it last?"
"After a final pitched battle in the desert, the Archangel must begin to make her way to the Federation base at Alaska. Cagalli and Kisaka decide to accompany them. En route, they are attacked numerous times by ZAFT maritime mobile suits. The Strike is at a distinct disadvantage. During the battle, Cagalli is shot down and lands on a deserted island. But Athrun has also crash-landed there. Cagalli takes an instant dislike to Athrun, who doesn't seem to care. The war just became personal. Finally, with an exhausted crew and a badly-damaged ship, the Archangel reaches the neutral nation of Orb. They think they're safe, but how long will it last?"
On this day in 2017, The Expanse aired "Paradigm Shift." This served as the sixth episode of the program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Earth is planning an expedition to the point of Eros impact. Chrisjen conflicts with Sadavir about Jules-Pierre Mao. Col. Frederick Lucius Johnson improves his position in unexpected way. New battleground is opening."
"Earth is planning an expedition to the point of Eros impact. Chrisjen conflicts with Sadavir about Jules-Pierre Mao. Col. Frederick Lucius Johnson improves his position in unexpected way. New battleground is opening."
William Shatner's adventures in Star Trek fiction are hit-and-miss as far as most people are concerned, but, for my tastes, The Ashes of Eden remains a highwater mark for our signature captain. It's a massive tale -- told in the continuity of the original Trek movies -- that puts Kirk in the middle of a huge crisis involving the Romulans and an old nemesis of Kirk's. Excellent reading. Highly recommended.
