I've said it before: I never really got Babylon 5. (Sorry if I'm repeating myself!) It's all well and good -- I just wasn't really engaged that much by the characters, so their respective arcs just didn't resonate. But the one I did admire was G'Kar who was played by the late Andreas Katsulas. Katsulas had also turned in a memorable performance during Star Trek: The Next Generation's TV run, with four apperances as the Romulan Commander Tomalak. About his work in the entertainment industry, the man once said: "People often ask me why I always play villains. I tell them, 'G'Kar's not a villain, he's a patriot!'"
Though he's no longer with us, Katsulas was born on this day in 1946.
Though he's no longer with us, Katsulas was born on this day in 1946.
I can remember watching Five Million Years To Earth as a young boy, mostly because I distinctly remember not quite understanding all of it. Still, the premise of a recently unearthed artifact wrecking havoc on London caught my attention. (FYI: The film has also been seen under the title Quartermass and The Pit, for those who love those details.) In it, James Donald played Dr. Mathew Rony, and -- though he's no longer with us -- Donald was born on this day in 1917.
If classic Star Trek is your thing, then does it get any more classic than the third season entry, "Plato's Stepchildren"? For it was in this episode that Kirk kissed Lt. Uhura, making it the first interracial smooch on television! The episode featured a terrific line-up of guest stars, including the venerable Liam Sullivan. He also had roles on Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, Lost In Space, and TV's Logan's Run. Though he's no longer with us, Sullivan was born on this day in 1923.
Though IMDB.com confirms she hasn't had an appearance on film since 1960's -- when she offered fans two great guest roles aboard The Outer Limits and Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea -- Sara Shane's lovely face can still bring a smile. Shane was born on this day in 1928.
To this day, one of my very favorite episodes of the original Star Trek remains the second season adventure, "The Doomsday Machine." I think I liked it then as much as I do today because, in my humble opinion, of all the TV episodes "Doomsday" remains the one that feels the most theatrical. Paramount's recently updating of the effects for the HD release only made it more so. In it, the lovely Elizabeth Rogers takes over the communications post (in lieu of Lt. Uhura) as Lt. Palmer, a role she showed up again in the program's last season. Though she's no longer with us, Rogers was born on this day in 1934.
Honestly, I don't remember all that many episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine that took place before the Dominion War arcs started, but I do recall "Paradise." It was one of the program's more obvious allegory episodes dealing with political prisoners and torture, and the lovely Gail Strickland starred as the chief baddie. Strickland was born on this day in 1947.
Ah, synchronicity! Hugh Keays-Byrne played the villainous Toecutter in the 1979 original Mad Max, and director George Miller called the actor back into service as Immortan Joe in 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road. In between? The actor managed to drum up some terrific character work as Grunchlk on Farscape and Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars. Keays-Byrne was born on this day in 1947.
The venerable Diane Duane has penned Science Fiction and Fantasy works both inside the realm of Star Trek and beyond. You can check out her profile over at IMDB.com or her own website here or simply do a quick search of her works at Amazon.com. Her Rihannsu novels are practically required reading for anyone wishing to know more about the Romulan Empire. Duane was born on this day in 1952.
Patrick St. Esprit is one of those fabulous character actors who has built a phenomenal career playing persons of authority, both good and bad. Most recently, he did so as Commander Thread in the The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. St. Esprit was born on this day in 1954.
Deliciously easy-on-the-eyes Cynthia Preston had a small but critical role in 2014's Ascension, a miniseries that aired on Syfy to some modest reviews. However, longtime SciFi fans might remember her work as Olivia Hume in the cult series Total Recall 2070. Preston was born on this day in 1968.
Take note: the big girl gets the big gun! 2008's Mrs. World winner -- Kamaliya -- crossed into the realm of Science Fiction with the role of Dr. Natasya Irina Pushkin in 2012's Mantera. Kamaliya was born on this day in 1977.
With twenty years in the business, Chad Donella has bounded around to a variety of projects in roles big and small. As far as SciFi goes, he's scored parts in The X-Files, the alien abduction miniseries Taken, Lost, and the CW's Smallville. Donella was born on this day in 1978.
Matt Long joined Syfy's plague drama Helix for its second season; unfortunately at that point the writing was pretty much on the wall for the program but here's hoping he finds a home in Science Fiction again in the future. Long was born on this day in 1980.
Though it would appear Allen Leech's acting forte is far more conventional and period dramas, he did have a small role in an episode of the BBC's Primeval. Leech was born on this day in 1981.
Though some of her work has gone uncredited (as was the case for her 'Sexy Deputy' from 2007's Planet Terror), Emmy Robbin's become a bit of a staple in the cinema realm of Robert Rodriguez. Good on him for giving a gal a gun and something to point it at. Robbin was born on this day in 1982.
Early in his career, Ryan Cooley saw his career go to the dogs ... .well, Cybermutt (2003) would be more accurate. The talented actor also supplied voice work to the animated series, Oh, No! It's An Alien Invasion, more recently. Cooley was born on this day in 1988.
For those of you who do your streaming via Amazon, you might want to check out the pretty stellar The Man In The High Castle, an alternative version of world history (where the Nazis and Japan triumph in World War II) based on the novel by the legendary Philip K. Dick. In it, Luke Kleintank plays the secret agent who infiltrates the American Resistance for purposes yet undisclosed. Kleintank was born on this day in 1990.
HubbaHubba Alert! Everyone knows just how fond we at SciFiHistory.Net are the ladies willing to play dress-up, and we'd follow the lovely Violett Beane to another Earth on the CW's The Flash just for a look at her magnificence! Beane was born on this day in 1996.
Uh oh. Looks like we're gonna need a bigger boat! (Sorry, wrong franchise.) But still: isn't honestly the worst that can be said is that 2012's Battleship actually tried to make an action star out of Rihanna? (Or is that the best that could be said?) Meh. The flick first opened in theatres on this day in 2012, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals."
"A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals."
On this day in 1962, The Twilight Zone aired "I Sing The Body Electric," an episode based on a story by the legendary Ray Bradbury. This served as the thirty-fifth episode for the program's third season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A recent widower, needing loving care for his three young children, orders a cybernetic "grandmother". While two of the children accept her, one of his daughters fiercely rejects her, with near tragic consequences."
"A recent widower, needing loving care for his three young children, orders a cybernetic "grandmother". While two of the children accept her, one of his daughters fiercely rejects her, with near tragic consequences."
On this day in 1994, J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5 aired its thirteen episode: "Signs and Portents" largely was a game-changer for the seminal sci-fi show. Secrets were so much revealed as they were finally employed to help show just where the show was heading. It certainly set a new bar for the program to keep in mind as it marched ever forward, and there's the summary from IMDB.com:
"Londo obtains a priceless Centauri artifact and a stranger visits each alien ambassador asking only one question."
"Londo obtains a priceless Centauri artifact and a stranger visits each alien ambassador asking only one question."
On this day in 2002, Mutant X aired "A Breed Apart." This served as the twenty-first episode of the program's first season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Mutant X encounters a new faction of New Mutants - the Strand, led by the powerful first mutant, Gabriel Ashlocke."
"Mutant X encounters a new faction of New Mutants - the Strand, led by the powerful first mutant, Gabriel Ashlocke."
On this day in 2007, Stargate: SG-1 aired "Bad Guys" as the sixteenth episode of its tenth season. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"When SG-1, minus Carter, investigates a previously unexplored planet expecting to find themselves in a pyramid, they are astounded to find themselves in a museum. Finding a party occurring in the lobby, they decide to leave and make first contact later, but they find that the DHD is a replica and thus incapable of getting them home. They are discovered and believed to be rebels and are forced to take hostages to buy time for their escape."
"When SG-1, minus Carter, investigates a previously unexplored planet expecting to find themselves in a pyramid, they are astounded to find themselves in a museum. Finding a party occurring in the lobby, they decide to leave and make first contact later, but they find that the DHD is a replica and thus incapable of getting them home. They are discovered and believed to be rebels and are forced to take hostages to buy time for their escape."
On this day in 2013, Doctor Who aired "The Name of the Doctor." This served as the fourteenth hour of the seventh season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"The Doctor's friends are being kidnapped, which leads him to the fields of Trenzalore, where his greatest secret will be revealed and Clara's mystery will be solved."
"The Doctor's friends are being kidnapped, which leads him to the fields of Trenzalore, where his greatest secret will be revealed and Clara's mystery will be solved."
On this day in 2013, the countdown to the first season finale of Orphan Black began as the pieces to the puzzle grew even more diverse with an hour titled "Entangled Bank." Here's the episode summary from IMDB.com:
"Sarah's actions pit the Orphans against each other as she tries to plan her next move. As Paul tries desperately to cover up Sarah's existence, Alison takes vengeance on her suspected monitor, which could cost her everything she holds dear."
"Sarah's actions pit the Orphans against each other as she tries to plan her next move. As Paul tries desperately to cover up Sarah's existence, Alison takes vengeance on her suspected monitor, which could cost her everything she holds dear."
