The Tholians made their grand entrance into Trekdom when, on this day in 1968, "The Tholian Web" premiered on NBC. The story pitted the crew of the Enterprise -- less Capt. Kirk, whom they believe to be missing-in-action -- against the dastardly aliens intent on snaring the starship in a huge galactic web.
In my regular research for the site, I've always stumbled upon references to The Satan Bug (1965), a mid-1960's SciFi-lite thriller ... and I finally had the chance to watch it the other day. Lo and behold, what do I find but a younger (but still gruff) Ed Asner in the role as one of the heavies responsible for stealing some chemical warfare agent. Go figure. Asner was born on this day in 1929.
Without a doubt, Gloria Foster's earthy, natural appeal is what gave The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded much of its needed humanity in order to make the downright otherworldly environments palatable. Though she's no longer with us, Foster was born on this day in 1933.
If you're gonna take a small part in a Science Fiction film, then make sure said picture is destined to be a classic. That very well may be the advice given Yaphet Kotto, who met an untimely demise at the hands of Ridley Scott's Alien (1979). He also had a role in The Running Man as well as an appearance on SeaQuest 2032. Kotto was born on this day in 1939.
I have a soft spot for good conspiracy thrillers, and Capricorn One (1977) remains one of the best. In it, Sam Waterson (above left) plays one of the astronauts forced to go along with faking a moon mission when the American space agency determines a real one isn't worth the risk; lo and behold, those astronauts will soon have to go away, too. Waterson was born on this day in 1940.
Bob Gunton is an actor we don't often see in genre entertainment, but -- when we do -- it's always worth tuning in. He's appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation; had a stop at the subversive Wild Palms; helped Demolition Man into the next century; and visited The Outer Limits. Gunton was born on this day in 1945.
The always lovely Beverly D'Angelo had a role in the 1987 television version of The Man Who Fell To Earth. D'Angelo was born on this day in 1951.
Ray McKinnon is one of those faces you see but never quite see enough of. While I'll probably always remember him for his work on HBO's Western Deadwood, I'm glad he's been a part of The Stand, Roswell, UPN's Legend, The Pretender, and The X-Files so that I can feature him here. McKinnon was born on this day in 1957.
Kevin J. O'Connor is only one of the many curious characters it took to help bring to life Stephen King's 11.22.63, the time travel yarn centered on stopping John F. Kennedy's assassination. O'Connor was born on this day in -- uh-oh -- 1963!!!
Rachel True is one of the few and the proud who've had to face down those pesky airborne sharks at the heart of the Sharknado phenomenon in Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014). True was born on this day in 1966.
In 2011, when "A Good Man Goes To War" as part of the BBC's long-running Doctor Who, the talented Danny Sapani showed up in uniform. Sapani was born on this day in 1970.
Sydney Tamiia Poitier was one of the lovely ladies who tried to aid the Knight Rider reboot for the 2008-2009 TV season. Sadly, that version just didn't stick. Poitier was born on this day in 1973.
USA Network enjoyed a break-out SciFi hit in Colony, and no one but no one deserved more to be a part of that success than the lovely Kathleen Rose Perkins. Perkins was born on this day in 1974.
She was little more than a budding cadet when Star Trek: The Next Generation fans first fell in love with the lovely J.C. Brandy. As the spunky Marta Batanides (in the stellar sixth season episode "Tapestry"), she made even our hearts break with the realization that she couldn't be all that she wanted with the young Jean-Luc Picard, but that didn't keep her from pursuing a career in her own rights. Brandy was born on this day in 1975.
Though she's largely recognized from more mainstream fare, Susie Abromeit is welcome in our beloved genre any time she likes. On the big screens, she braved the alien invasion that was Battle Los Angeles; and -- on the small screen -- she's booked time on the CW's Supernatural and Legends of Tomorrow. Abromeit was born on this day in 1982.
I know, I know: most of you didn't much care for Tron: Legacy, but I gotta say I totally dug it from start to finish. The lovely Yaya DaCosta had a blink-and-you'll-miss-it role in the film, and she's also been seen in In Time (2011). DaCosta was born on this day in 1982.
The up'n'coming Laci J Mailey continues to find success in every role she chooses. She's secured screen time aboard Arrow, TNT's Falling Skies, and Syfy's Continuum. Mailey was born on this day in 1990.
California girl Shailene Woodley burst on fandom's radar with the title role of Tris in 2014's Divergent, hoisting the mighty franchise based on the young adult novels onto her more than capable shoulders. Woodley was born on this day in 1991.
Emma Dumont is currently checking out her superpowers aboard The Gifted, a Marvel-themed Fantasy on Fox. Dumont was born on this day in 1994. [Source: IMDB.com]
On this day in 1985 (in Denmark), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome enjoyed its theatrical release. The SciFi/Thriller starred Mel Gibson as Max himself, and here's the plot summary compliments of IMDB.com:
"After being exiled from the most advanced town in post apocalyptic Australia, a drifter travels with a group of abandoned children to rebel against the town's queen."
"After being exiled from the most advanced town in post apocalyptic Australia, a drifter travels with a group of abandoned children to rebel against the town's queen."
Things were indeed looking pretty grim for the Doctor when -- on this day in 1975 -- the BBC aired the fourth and final part of Doctor Who's "Pyramids of Mars" storyline. Here's the summary, compliments of our good friends over at IMDB.com: "Sutekh forces the Doctor to transport Scarman and a mummy to Mars, where the Doctor and Sarah try to stop them destroying the Eye of Horus."
For those who really want to know more about it, feel free to check out the link to my review for the story available over on Amazon.com.
For those who really want to know more about it, feel free to check out the link to my review for the story available over on Amazon.com.
The late Gary Coleman guest-starred in a very special episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century on this day back in 1979 as the "Cosmic Whiz Kid," an intergalactic genius who happens to be the president of a world in chaos. Buck agrees to rescue the kid after he's been kidnapped ... and a good time was had by all.
On this day in 1985, Misfits of Science aired "Sonar ... And Yet So Far." This served as the sixth episode of the program's only season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"El's friend Eddie's closest friend is Donald the dolphin, with whom he can communicate using electronics. But when Donald produces a picture of a skeleton and two flamingos deep underwater, things get very dangerous for them both."
"El's friend Eddie's closest friend is Donald the dolphin, with whom he can communicate using electronics. But when Donald produces a picture of a skeleton and two flamingos deep underwater, things get very dangerous for them both."
On this day in 1987, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future aired "The Intruder." This served as the ninth episode of the program's first (and only) season, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"Two resistance fighters, Andy Jackson and Jim Mitchell want to join Captain Power's soldiers. Andy manages to sneak aboard the Jumpship and into the Power base. But the Soldiers are far from pleased that their base has been compromised."
"Two resistance fighters, Andy Jackson and Jim Mitchell want to join Captain Power's soldiers. Andy manages to sneak aboard the Jumpship and into the Power base. But the Soldiers are far from pleased that their base has been compromised."
On this day in 1993, "Photo Finish" aired as the nineteenth episode of Time Trax's (split) first season. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A fugitive from the future uses an invention of his that that acts as an undetectable steroid, to fix horse races for money."
"A fugitive from the future uses an invention of his that that acts as an undetectable steroid, to fix horse races for money."
On this day in 2000, Star Trek: Voyager continued its 'trek' toward home with "Body and Soul." Here's the episode summary from IMDB.com:
"When attacked by a species that detests holographic beings, Seven download the Doctor's program into her implants. Kim and Seven are captured and Seven begins to exhibit some of the Doctor's personality traits. On Voyager, Tuvok finally starts to exhibit Pon Farr, the Vulcan mating time."
"When attacked by a species that detests holographic beings, Seven download the Doctor's program into her implants. Kim and Seven are captured and Seven begins to exhibit some of the Doctor's personality traits. On Voyager, Tuvok finally starts to exhibit Pon Farr, the Vulcan mating time."
On this day in the year 2000, Starhunter aired the third episode of its first season. The hour was titled "Family Values," and here's the plot summary as provided by Wikipedia.org:
"While hunting down a con man on Mars named Etienne, Dante and Luc are caught in the middle of an attack by The Raiders — a gang of marauders who destroy colonies and kidnap their children which was the fate of Dante's family back on Titan a decade ago. Percy uses a remote drone to destroy a Raider ship and Dante finds a young boy in the wreckage named Jeb. Dante believes Jeb could be his lost son Travis who was kidnapped by the Raiders and he takes him back to his ship for a DNA test. When the results show Jeb is not his son, Dante takes him back to his original family."
"While hunting down a con man on Mars named Etienne, Dante and Luc are caught in the middle of an attack by The Raiders — a gang of marauders who destroy colonies and kidnap their children which was the fate of Dante's family back on Titan a decade ago. Percy uses a remote drone to destroy a Raider ship and Dante finds a young boy in the wreckage named Jeb. Dante believes Jeb could be his lost son Travis who was kidnapped by the Raiders and he takes him back to his ship for a DNA test. When the results show Jeb is not his son, Dante takes him back to his original family."
On this day in 2003, Starhunter 2300 aired the fourteenth episode of its second (and final) season. The hour was titled "The Prisoner," and here's the plot summary from Wikipedia.org:
"Travis is hired to transport a Jane Doe amnesiac prisoner to Ganymede Neural and her psychologist Dr. Alora Kir. When Jane meets Travis, she has a flashback of him when he was a Raider and shooting a man dead in alleyway brawl, and she reacts by trying to kill him. After securing her in the brig, Travis becomes obsessed with finding out who she really is and his mood swings begin to alienate him from his fellow crew. On Mars, members of a newly reformed Orchard begin their plot to control hyperspace travel through the secrets of the Divinity Cluster. Their leader Murchison, sends out an agent, Tristan Catchpole, to find those who have unlocked their cluster genes, and he targets Travis once he learns of his whereabouts."
"Travis is hired to transport a Jane Doe amnesiac prisoner to Ganymede Neural and her psychologist Dr. Alora Kir. When Jane meets Travis, she has a flashback of him when he was a Raider and shooting a man dead in alleyway brawl, and she reacts by trying to kill him. After securing her in the brig, Travis becomes obsessed with finding out who she really is and his mood swings begin to alienate him from his fellow crew. On Mars, members of a newly reformed Orchard begin their plot to control hyperspace travel through the secrets of the Divinity Cluster. Their leader Murchison, sends out an agent, Tristan Catchpole, to find those who have unlocked their cluster genes, and he targets Travis once he learns of his whereabouts."
