SCIFIPEDIA:This Day in SCI FI/December 2007

<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Welcome to the Archive for December, 2007

You may need to purge the cache to see the changes you make here.
You may also see the archive for 2007 or the entire archive for This Day in SCI FI

December 1

House of Frankenstein opens in US theaters (1944). This flick, written by Curt Siodmak and directed by Erle C. Kenton, unites the greatest characters in horror film and literature. The mad Dr. Niemann (Boris Karloff) revives Count Dracula, The Wolf Man, and Frankenstein's monster so that they can take revenge against their enemies.

Melissa Jaffer is born (1936). Melissa Jaffer is best known for her role as Utu-Noranti Pralatong in the series Farscape and in the miniseries Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars. Jaffer began her career in the 1960s on Australian television, guest-starring on series such as Silent Number, Division 4 and The Seven Ages of Man. She also appeared in the movies The Cars That Ate Paris, Weekend of Shadows, Starstruck, and Komodo. Jaffer has also appeared on A Country Practice, E Street, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World. Melissa was born in Gladstone, South Australia.

Jeremy Northam is born (1961). This leading man specializes in period drama but has already starred in a few high-profile genre projects, including Mimic (1997), The Net (1995), Possession (2001) and Enigma (2001). Jeremy was born in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 2

Æon Flux opens in U.S. and Canadian theaters (2005). Æon Flux is based on the animated series Æon Flux. The film was directed by Karyn Kusamaand written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. Æon Flux was filmed in Germany and starred Charlize Theron as a rebel assassin.

Dennis Christopher is born (1955). Dennis played Eddie Kaspbrak, one of the terrorized young people in the miniseries version of Stephen King's It (1990). He was also cast as a murderous movie fanatic in the bloody Fade to Black (1980). Dennis's other genre credits include H. P. Lovecraft's Necronomicon (1996), Doppelgänger (1993), Circuitry Man (1990), Alien Predator (1987), and Blood and Lace (1971). His guest spots include an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("The Search, Part 2") and an installment of Monsters ("Hostile Takeover"). Dennis was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jonathan Frid is born (1924). Jonathan Frid's on-screen alter ego, the vampire Barnabas Collins, appeared on more Dark Shadows episodes than any other character, even though he did not visit Collinwood until episode 12 of the second season. Jonathan's tenure on Dark Shadows lasted from 1967 to 1971, and during that time he also appeared as the character Bramwell Collins. His other genre credits include the horror features Seizure (1974) and The Devil's Daughter (1972), in addition to the big-screen House of Dark Shadows (1970). Jonathan was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 3

Madeline Kahn dies (1999). This Oscar-nominated funny lady is remembered for her role as Elizabeth, Dr. Frankenstein's wacky, pent-up fiancée in Mel Brooks's comedy classic Young Frankenstein. Her other credits include Clue (1985), Slapstick (of Another Kind) (1982), Simon (1980), and A Bug's Life (1998), for which she provided the voice of Gypsy. Madeline was born September 29, 1942, in Boston, Massachusetts.

Jean-Luc Godard is born (1930). Jean-Luc Goddard's Alphaville is a truly rare sci-fi film. It contains no special effects; even space travel is conducted within automobiles. Although Godard, a noted French director, has to date made no other ventures into the genre, Alphaville is regarded widely as a highly innovative approach to cinematic science fiction, and its use of SF tropes to explore the concepts of love and emotional self-expression are considered to be classic Godard touchstones. Jean-Luc was born in Paris, France.

Heather Menzies is born (1949). This 1970s genre heroine (who made her debut as one of the von Trapp children in The Sound of Music, 1965) starred in such titles as Endangered Species (1982), the made-for-television Captain America (1979), Piranha (1978), Sssssss (1973), and the short-lived 1977 television series based on Logan's Run. Heather was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 4

Victor French is born (1934). Victor French portrayed the hapless Agent 44 on Get Smart, and followed up with the role of Mark Gordon on Highway to Heaven. French, who died on June 15, 1989, was born in Santa Barbara, California.

Donnelly Rhodes is born (1937). Donnelly Rhodes is best known to genre fans for his role on Battlestar Galactica as Doctor Cottle. Rhodes was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Karl Edward Wagner is born (1945). Karl Edward Wagner is known for his heroic fantasy sagas featuring the exploits of Kane, the Mystic Swordsman, and for his contributions as a horror anthologist. Wagner, who died October 13, 1994, was born in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 5

Flash Gordon opens (1980). Starring Sam J. Jones in the title role, with Melody Anderson as Dale Arden, Topol as Dr. Zarkov, Max von Sydow as Ming the Merciless, Timothy Dalton as Prince Barin, Brian Blessed as Vultan, Ornella Muti as Aura, and Peter Wynngarde as the masked henchman, Klytus. The film's soundtrack, composed and performed by the rock band Queen, has earned a reputation as one of the best rock & roll soundtracks ever produced.

Journey Back to Oz opens in US theaters (1974). Journey Back to Oz is an official animated sequel to MGM's The Wizard of Oz (1939). Liza Minnelli voices Dorothy Gale, the role previously played by her mother, Judy Garland. Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, Paul Lynde, Herschel Bernardi, Paul Ford, Danny Thomas, and Margaret Hamilton provide other voices.

Amy Acker is born (1976). Amy Louise Acker was part of the "Buffyverse" as the physicist Winifred "Fred" Burkle on Angel. When that series came to an end in 2004, Acker turned to film, appearing in The Novice, Mr. Dramatic, and The Perfect Man. She guest starred on Supernatural and lent her voice to episodes of Justice League as Huntress. In 2005, she joined the cast of Alias in its final season as the villainous Kelly Peyton. Acker was born in Dallas, Texas.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline

December 6

The Green Mile is released in theaters (1999). The Green Mile is an Academy Award–nominated film based on the Stephen King novel The Green Mile. The novel was adapted for the screen by director Frank Darabont and starred Tom Hanks as Paul Edgecomb and Michael Clarke Duncan as the gentle but imposing John Coffey.

JoBeth Williams is born (1948). JoBeth first wowed critics and audiences with her emotional turn as Diane Freeling, the mother to a child lost to "the other side" in Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist and its first sequel, Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986). Her other genre credits include It Came from the Sky (1999), Endangered Species (1982), and television's seminal The Day After (1983). JoBeth was born in Houston, Texas.

Agnes Moorehead is born (1900). Agnes, perhaps best known as meddlesome mother-in-law Endora on television's Bewitched, also starred in such made-for-television genre efforts as Frankenstein: The True Story (1972), Night of Terror (1972), and The Strange Monster of Strawberry Cove (1971). Her big-screen credits include What's the Matter with Helen? (1971), Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), and The Bat (1959), in which she played opposite Vincent Price. She also appeared on two episodes of Night Gallery ("The Witches Feast" and "Certain Shadows on the Wall") and as a speechless woman battling a diminutive alien in the classic 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "The Invaders." Agnes, who died in 1974, was born in Clinton, Massachusetts.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline

December 7

House of Dracula opens in U.S. theaters (1945). House of Dracula was directed by Erle C. Kenton and produced by Paul Malvern for Universal Studios. It starred Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, Martha O'Driscoll, Lionel Atwill, Onslow Stevens, and Jane Adams.

Shiri Appleby is born (1978). Shiri Appleby is best known to television audiences for her role on the sci-fi series Roswell. Her genre roles include appearances on Freddy's Nightmares, Raven, Xena: Warrior Princess, and Batman Beyond, and in the films Curse II: The Bite (1988), The Thirteenth Floor, Deal of a Lifetime, and Darklight. In 2006, Appleby had a recurring role on the short-lived series Six Degrees. Appleby was born in Los Angeles, California.

C. Thomas Howell is born (1966). This former teen heartthrob starred as a terrified driver in The Hitcher (1986) and played a small role in director Steven Spielberg's blockbuster E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982). As an adult, Howell has been featured in such genre fare as Dead Fire (1997), Last Lives (1997), and Sleeping Dogs (1997). Howell was born in Los Angeles, California.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 8

Mary Woronov is born (1943). This ex-Warhol girl has lent her distinctive persona to a number of genre efforts, including Watchers II (1990), Warlock (1989), Chopping Mall (1986), Nomads (1986), TerrorVision (1986), Hellhole (1985), Night of the Comet (1984), Death Race 2000 (1975), and Silent Night, Bloody Night (1973). She also starred in episodes of Babylon 5 ("Born to the Purple") and Monsters ("Pillow Talk"). Mary was born in Brooklyn, New York.

Georges Méliès is born (1861). Georges Méliès might be the first special-effects man to work in the cinema. Not only did he develop such standard motion-picture effects techniques as the fade-out and double-exposure dissolves, he invented trick photography—such as making actors "vanish" by stopping the camera so they could leave the frame before he rolled film once more, creating the illusion of instantaneous disappearance.

Dominic Monaghan is born (1976). Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan is a English actor, best known for his role as Merry Brandybuck in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy and his role on the hit series Lost as Charlie Pace. Monaghan was born in Berlin, Germany.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 9

Hermione Gingold is born (1897). Hermione Ferdinanda Gingold had a long and varied career in entertainment, including such genre contributions as Bell, Book and Candle (1958), Munster, Go Home (1966). and Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon (1967). Gingold, who died May 24, 1987, was born in London, England.

John Cassavetes is born (1929). Before he became known as a prominent independent filmmaker, John was a sturdy leading man who lent his talent to the role of Guy Woodhouse, the ambitious actor who surrenders his firstborn to the devil in Roman Polanski's classic screen adaptation of Ira Levin's Rosemary's Baby (1968). John's other genre appearances include The Incubus (1981), Brian DePalma's The Fury (1978), Two-Minute Warning (1976), and The Night Holds Terror (1955). John's television appearances include episodes of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ("The Peacemaker"), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ("Murder Case"), and the original Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("You Got To Have Luck"). John, who died in 1989, was born in New York, New York.

Margaret Hamilton is born (1902). Margaret has become known to generation after generation for her immortal performance as The Wicked Witch of the West (as well as her Kansas alter ego, Almira Gulch) in the classic The Wizard of Oz (1939). Margaret also made appearances in such big-screen genre fare as William Castle's 13 Ghosts and The Invisible Woman. Margaret's television credits include playing Hester Frump in several episodes of The Addams Family and starring in the made-for-television Kolchak thriller, The Night Strangler (1973). Margaret, who died in 1985, was born in Cleveland, Ohio.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 10

Bedazzled opens in US theaters (1967). Bedazzled is a comedic fantasy directed by Stanley Donen and written by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. Both men also appeared in the movie. Cook plays the devil, while Moore stars as short-order cook Stanley Moon. Disappointed with his inability to impress Whimpy Burger coworker Margaret Spencer (Eleanor Bron), Stanley decides to commit suicide. The devil endows him with seven wishes in exchange for his soul. In the course of using his wishes, he meets the seven deadly sins, who try to influence him. Raquel Welch plays Lilian Lust.

Tommy Kirk is born (1941). After he was featured in such family titles as The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and Son of Flubber (1963), this former child star became a B-movie fixture in such genre titles as Blood of Ghastly Horror (1972), Psycho a Go-Go (1972), It's Alive! (1969), Mars Needs Women (1967), The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966), and Village of the Giants (1965). Kirk was born in Louisville, Kentucky.

Susan Dey is born (1952). Television veteran Susan, formerly of The Partridge Family and L.A. Law, played a fashion model in danger of being computerized in Michael Crichton's futuristic thriller, Looker (1981). Dey's other genre credits include Skyjacked (1972) and the made-for-television Terror on the Beach (1973). Dey was born in Pekin, Illinois.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 11

Superman: The Movie opens in US theaters (1978). Superman is based on the comic-book characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The critically acclaimed movie was directed by Richard Donner and starred Christopher Reeve as Superman. Margot Kidder took on the character of Lois Lane while Gene Hackman played Lex Luthor and Marlon Brando gave life to Jor-El, father of Kal-El/Clark Kent.

Ben Browder is born (1962). Robert Benedic Browder is best known for his lead roles in two hit TV series on the SCI FI Channel. He stars as John Crichton in Farscape, and as Cameron Mitchell in Stargate SG-1. Browder was born in Memphis, Tennessee.

Teri Garr is born (1949). This Oscar nominee and longtime funny lady played Ronnie Neary, the confused wife of an obsessed man (Richard Dreyfuss) in writer-director Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Other choice roles include Inga, the buxom lab assistant to Gene Wilder in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974), a guest-star slot in the original Star Trek ("Assignment: Earth"), A Simple Wish (1997), Mom and Dad Save the World (1992), Witches' Brew (1980), and Oh, God! (1977). Teri was born in Lakewood, Ohio.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 12

Mädchen Amick is born (1970). Mädchen Amick, who played Shelly Johnson on David Lynch's Twin Peaks series, has made genre appearances in Dream Lover (1994), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Stephen King's Sleepwalkers (1992), and the made-for-television Heartless (1997). Amick was born in Reno, Nevada.

Wings Hauser is born (1947). Gerald Dwight Hauser is a B-movie regular who specializes in playing macho men and psychotics, has made genre appearances in Tales from the Hood (1995), Watchers III (1994), In Between (1991), and Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991). Hauser was born in Hollywood, California.

Bill Nighy is born (1949). Bill Nighy is a BAFTA–winning British actor; he gained international recognition for his roles in the comedic romance Love Actually and the Pirates of the Caribbean Films in which he plays Davy Jones. Nighy also appeared alongside Kate Beckinsale as the villainous Viktor in Underworld and Underworld Evolution. Nighy was born in Caterham, Surrey, England.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 13

The Devil Bat opens (1940). The Devil Bat, a "late show" staple directed by Jean Yarbrough (She-Wolf of London), stars the one-and-only Bela Lugosi as a madman who trains bats to suck blood on command, then sends them out to do his evil bidding.

Garrett Wang is born (1968). Garrett Wang is best known for his portrayal of Ensign Harry Kim on the series Star Trek: Voyager. Genre roles include Demon Island, and voice roles in the video games Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force and Star Trek: Of Gods and Men (2006). Wang was born in Riverside, California.

Christopher Plummer is born (1927). This respected and prolific actor has been featured in a wide variety of genre projects, including Dracula 2000 (2000), Twelve Monkeys (1995), Wolf (1994), Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), Dreamscape (1984), Somewhere in Time (1980), and Starcrash (1979). Plummer was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 14

Runaway opens (1984). This futuristic thriller, directed by Michael Crichton (Westworld, Looker), stars Tom Selleck as a tough cop up against a madman (rocker Gene Simmons of KISS) who uses killer robots to carry out a sinister plan. Though the high-tech gadgetry is a lot of fun, the story around it fails to impress critics or audiences.

Patty Duke is born (1946). Anna Marie Duke, an Oscar-winning child star, matured into a potent performer. Patty starred on the big screen in such genre projects as Prelude to a Kiss (1992), The Swarm (1978), You'll Like My Mother (1971), and 4D Man (1959). Among her television movies are Amityville: The Evil Escapes (1989), She Waits (1971), and Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby (1976), in which she inherited the role of Rosemary Woodhouse from Mia Farrow. Patty also was featured in a 1972 episode of Ghost Story ("Circle of Fear") and in a 1971 installment of Night Gallery ("The Diary"). Patty was born in New York, New York.

Lee Remick is born (1935). Lee, whose delicate beauty belied her serious acting chops, played Katherine Thorn, the unfortunate adoptive mother of Satan's spawn in the original The Omen (1976). Her other genre appearances include The Medusa Touch (1978), No Way to Treat a Lady (1968), and Experiment in Terror (1962). Lee, who died in 1991, was born in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 15

Michael Shanks is born (1963). Michael Garrett Shanks is best known for his role as Daniel Jackson in the series Stargate SG-1. During his years on Stargate SG-1, Shanks also directed and wrote for the show. In 2004, he won the Leo Award for Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series (for the Stargate SG-1 episode "Lifeboat"). Shanks was born in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Helen Slater is born (1963). Helen made her first splash when she played the titular heroine of Supergirl (1984). Later, she lent her voice to the character of Talia in television's Batman: The Animated Series (1992). Helen was born in Massapequa, Long Island, New York.

Charles Laughton dies (1962). Stout British character Charles Laughton starred opposite Boris Karloff in The Old Dark House (1932). Outstanding as the sadistic, whip-cracking Dr. Moreau in Island of Lost Souls (1933), the sympathetic bell-ringer in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and the displaced spirit in The Canterville Ghost (1944), some of his later performances were served up with a lamentable slice of ham. Laughton was born July 1, 1899, in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 16

A Christmas Carol opens in U.S. theaters (1938). A Christmas Carol is one of the numerous adaptations of Charles Dickens' story. Reginald Owen stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly merchant, who is taught the true spirit of Christmas and generosity by a series of ghosts.

Cinderfella debuts in New York City (1960). Cinderfella was an expensive production of the traditional Cinderella story, with comedian Jerry Lewis doing his best to turn rags to riches. Ed Wynn, Judith Anderson, and Anna Maria Alberghetti also star. The movie was partly filmed at the Beverly Hillbillies estate.

Philip K. Dick is born (1928). Philip K. Dick's stories have a strong readership and have been adapted into numerous movies, including Blade Runner (1982), Total Recall (1990), Minority Report (2002), Paycheck (2003), and A Scanner Darkly (2006). He received the Hugo Award in 1963 for his novel The Man in the High Castle. Philip, who died March 2, 1982, was born in Chicago, Illinois.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 17

Bicentennial Man opens wide in U.S. theaters (1999). Bicentennial Man is based on the novella Bicentennial man by Isaac Asimov and on The Positronic Man by Asimov and Robert Silverberg. It was directed by Chris Columbus and stars Robin Williams, Embeth Davidtz, Sam Neill, and Oliver Platt.

Kate Hewlett is born (1976). Katherine Emily Hewlett, younger sister of Stargate Atlantis star David Hewlett, guest-starred on the series playing Jeannie Miller, the sister of David's character, (Rodney McKay). She has also made appearances in Loose Change, Kevin Hill, and Dark Water. Kate was born in Toronto, Ontario.

Milla Jovovich is born (1975). Milla Jovovich is an actress and former model, who got her genre start in the scifi-action feature The Fifth Element with Bruce Willis. She also took on the title role in The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, led the Resident Evil franchise, and stars in Ultraviolet. Milla was born in Kiev, Ukraine.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 18

*batteries not included opens in U.S. theaters (1987). Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy star in this heartwarming family film directed by Matthew Robbins, story by Mick Garris, and screenplay by Brad Bird, Matthew Robbins, Brent Maddock, and S. S. Wilson.

Peggy Cummins is born (1925). This classy leading lady played Joanna Harrington, the woman who tries to discover the truth behind a supposed demonic curse in the 1957 cult favorite, Night of the Demon. Peggy's other credits include lead roles in Meet Mr. Lucifer (1953) and Gun Crazy (1950). Peggy was born in Prestatyn, Wales.

Victoria Pratt is born (1970). Victoria Pratt is perhaps most identified with her role as Shalimar Fox in the Marvel TV series Mutant X. Victoria played Cyane, Queen of the Amazons on Xena: Warrior Princess, and had a lead role as Sarge in the series Cleopatra 2525.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 19

Jacques Tourneur dies (1977). The genre loses one of its most stylish directors when Jacques Tourneur dies on this day in 1977. Jacques was the man behind the RKO classic I Walked With a Zombie (1943) as well as such favorites as Cat People (1942), Night of the Demon (1957), The Comedy of Terrors (1963), and War Gods of the Deep (1965). Jacques was born November 12, 1904, in Paris, France.

Alyssa Milano is born (1972). This former child star matured into a video vixen, thanks in part to such genre projects as Embrace of the Vampire (1994), Double Dragon (1993), Fear (1996) and Poison Ivy II (1995). She also starred in the television feature The Canterville Ghost, on an episode of the updated Outer Limits titled "Caught in the Act," and took the lead as one of the three stars of the television series Charmed. Alyssa was born in Brooklyn, New York.

Jennifer Beals is born (1963). Jennifer's post7ndash;Flashdance credits include a handful of genre titles. She played an updated Bride of Frankenstein (opposite pop-music icon Sting) in The Bride (1985) and a dangerous seductress who might or might not be a bloodsucker (opposite Nicolas Cage) in Vampire's Kiss. Her résumé also includes The Prophecy II (1998), Four Rooms (1995), the "Cinderella" installment of the famous Faerie Tale Theatre, and a 1997 Outer Limits episode titled "Bodies of Evidence." Jennifer was born in Chicago, Illinois.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline

December 20

It's a Wonderful Life opens in New York City (1946). It's a Wonderful Life is a fantasy film directed by Frank Capra based on the short story "The Greatest Gift," written by Philip Van Doren Stern. Set shortly after WW II, the story centers on George Bailey (James Stewart), who attempts suicide on Christmas Eve. His guardian angel appears and grants him the chance to see what life would be like for others without him. The classic movie also starred Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore.

Albert Dekker is born (1905). This stage and screen actor will forever be remembered for his sinister performance as the title madman in the classic Dr. Cyclops (1940). He also made appearances in such genre fare as Gamera (1965), She Devil (1957), and Kiss Me Deadly (1955). Albert, who died in 1968, was born in Brooklyn, New York.

Jenny Agutter is born (1952). This British actress has proven as comfortable in genre projects as she is in period drama. Her genre credits include Child's Play 2 (1990), An American Werewolf in London (1981), Dominique (1978), and Logan's Run (1976). She also has been featured in two episodes of the updated Twilight Zone ("Voices in the Earth" and "The Last Defender of Camelot"), and played Dr. Leah Russell on a two-part installment of The Six Million Dollar Man titled "Deadly Countdown." Jenny was born in Taunton, England.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline

December 21

The Black Hole opens in U.S. theaters (1979). Disney's first PG-rated movie, The Black Hole pits the crew of the U.S.S. Palomino against Dr. Hans Reinhardt and his robot companion, Maximillian, who live on a supposedly lost ship near a black hole. The movie starred Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, and Ernest Borgnine; and was nominated for Academy Awards for Cinematography and Visual Effects.

Kiefer Sutherland is born (1966). William Frederick Dempsey George Sutherland, known as Kiefer to his friends and fans, watched his career take flight after his diabolically vampiric turn in The Lost Boys (1987). After that, Kiefer's career got a big jolt from Flatliners (1990). He also had roles in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Dark City (1998) and The Sentinel (2006). He is perhaps best known in his role as Jack Bauer on 24. Kiefer is the son of actor Donald Sutherland, and was born in London, England.

Ted Levine is born (1958). Ted played serial killer Buffalo Bill in the Oscar-winning The Silence of the Lambs (1991). His genre credits also include Wild Wild West (1999), Flubber (1997), The Mangler (1995), and the made-for-television The Killing Floor (1984). Ted was born in Cleveland, Ohio.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 22

Ralph Fiennes is born (1962). Ralph portrayed the troubled Lenny Nero in Strange Days (1995) and also donned the derby of the dashing John Steed in The Avengers (1998). He showed his nose for a good role as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. Ralph was born in Suffolk, England.

Peggie Castle is born (1927). This B-movie leading lady helped Peter Graves to battle hungry giant grasshoppers in Beginning of the End (1957). She also played roles in Back from the Dead (1957), I, the Jury (1953), and Invasion U.S.A. (1952). Peggie, who died in 1973, was born in Appalachia, Virginia.

Freddie Francis is born (1917). This British director and Hammer Studios regular was at the helm on a wide variety of genre projects, among them The Doctor and the Devils (1985), The Creeping Flesh (1973), Tales That Witness Madness (1973), the original Tales from the Crypt (1972), Trog (1970), Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), and The Evil of Frankenstein (1964). He also acted as cinematographer on some notable genre efforts, such as David Lynch's Dune (1984) and Jack Clayton's classic ghost story, The Innocents (1961). Freddie was born in London, England.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 23

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad opens in U.S. theaters (1958). This fantasy film is the first of a trilogy created by Ray Harryhausen. It was scored by Bernard Herrmann and directed by Nathan Juran.

Estella Warren is born (1978). Estella Dawn Warren began her career as a model. Her genre roles include Planet of the Apes (2001), Trespassing (2004), and a guest role on Ghost Whisperer (2005). Estella was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

Corey Haim is born (1971). Cory Ian Haim first found his way to the silver screen in the horror film Silver Bullet (1985, as Marty Coslaw), which led to a part with more bite in The Lost Boys (1987, as Sam Emerson). He also starred in the telefilm Merlin (1998). Corey was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 24

David F. Friedman is born (1923). David F. Friedman is the legendary producer who combined genre conventions with heaping doses of sleaze and gore in a variety of low-budget projects, including Ilsa - She Wolf of the SS (1974), The Adult Version of Jekyll & Hyde (1972), Space Thing (1968), She Freak (1967), Two Thousand Maniacs (1964,) and Blood Feast (1963). David was born in Birmingham, Alabama.

Nancy Cartwright weds Warren Murphy (1988). Nancy's is the voice behind many Springfield residents of The Simpsons fame: Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggam, Rod and Todd Flanders, Database, and Jimmy. She also has appeared in Godzilla (1998, as Caiman's Secretary), Space Ace (1984, television series, as the voice of Kimberly), and in Twilight Zone: The Movie, (1983, as Ethel). It was on this day that she wed her husband, screenwriter Warren Murphy (Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins...).

Tom Cruise weds Nicole Kidman (1990). Tom (born as Tom Cruise Mapother IV) marries auburn-tressed Aussie thespian Nicole on this day. Tom has starred in such genre efforts as Mission Impossible II (2000, as Ethan Hunt) and Mission Impossible (1996, as Ethan Hunt), Interview with the Vampire (1994, as Lestat), and Legend (1985, as Jack). Tom was born in Syracuse, New York.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 25

Mighty Joe Young opens (1998). Bill Paxton (Apollo 13, Aliens) and Charlize Theron (The Astronaut's Wife) team up for this family-friendly, Disney-produced remake of the 1949 classic about a boy, a girl, and their really big gorilla. The director is Ron Underwood (Tremors, Hearts and Souls). The special-effects crew includes genre makeup expert Rick Baker.

Sissy Spacek is born (1949). Sissy rewrote prom etiquette when she starred as the title heroine of the horror classic Carrie (1978). She also provided the voice of Anne Uumellmahaye in The Man with Two Brains (1983). Sissy got a special note of thanks in the credits of David Lynch's oddball reverie Eraserhead (1977). Sissy was born in Quitman, Texas.

Dick Miller is born (1928). Dick is a veteran character and genre actor. Here's a sampling: Small Soldiers (1998), The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy (1998, a.k.a. The Osiris Chronicles), Demon Knight (1995), Matinee (1993), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Amazon Women on the Moon (1987), Innerspace (1987), Project X (1987), Chopping Mall (1986), Night of the Creeps (1986), Gremlins (1984), The Terminator (1984), V: The Final Battle (1984, miniseries), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), The Howling (1980), Piranha (1978), The Terror (1963), X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963), The Premature Burial (1962), The Little Shop of Horrors (1960), Bucket of Blood (1959), and Not of This Earth (1957). He also has appeared in episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("Past Tense: Part 1" and "Past Tense: Part 2," as Vin), Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Weird Science, Eerie, Indiana, and numerous episodes of The Flash. Dick was born in the Bronx, New York.

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.

December 26

Jeff Morrow dies (1993). The genre loses one of its most reliable leading men when Jeff Morrow dies on this day in 1993. Jeff played Leslie Gaskill, the scientist fighting a sinister machine from space in Kronos (1957), and took on the famous "Gill Man" when he played Dr. William Barton in The Creature Walks Among Us (1956). Jeff's other credits include The Giant Claw (1957), the classic This Island Earth (1954), Blood Legacy (1971), and Octaman (1971). He also starred in an episode of the original Twilight Zone ("Elegy") and in an episode of the updated version ("A Day in Beaumont"). Jeff was born January 13, 1907, in New York, New York.

Elsa Lancaster dies (1986). Elsa will remain forever young as the intended in The Bride of Frankenstein (1935). She also appeared in Terror in the Wax Museum (1973, as Julia Hawthorn), Willard (1971, as Henrietta Stiles), and Bell, Book and Candle (1958, as Queenie). Elsa was born Elizabeth Sullivan in London, England.

Donald Moffat is born (1930). This respected stage and screen actor has more than a few genre credits under his belt. His big-screen credits include Monster in the Closet (1986), The Right Stuff (1983), John Carpenter's remake of The Thing (1982), and The Terminal Man (1974). He was Rem on the short-lived television series version of Logan's Run (1977), and has been featured in episodes of Night Gallery ("Pickman's Model") and the updated Twilight Zone ("The Star"). Donald was born in Plymouth, Devon,