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- Welcome to the Archive for February, 2007
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- February 1
Brandon Lee is born (1965). Brandon, son of martial-arts legend Bruce Lee, seemed destined for great things in the genre with his leading-man role as Eric Draven in The Crow (1994), but an accidental shooting on the set tragically clipped those dreams. Brandon was born Brandon Bruce Lee in Oakland, California.
Bill Mumy is born (1954). As an adolescent, red-headed Bill lived every young boy's dream when he played the courageous Will Robinson on television's beloved Lost in Space. Bill's other television credits include three episodes of the original Twilight Zone (the memorable "It's a Good Life," "Long Distance Call" and "In Praise of Pip") as well as installments of Bewitched, The Munsters, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("Door Without a Key" and "Bang! You're Dead"). As an adult, he guest-starred on Babylon 5 as Ranger Lennier and on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the episode "The Siege of AR-558." Bill was born in San Gabriel, California.
George Pal is born (1908). George's mastery of "replacement animation," which uses a series of differently posed models for the same object, instead of one flexible model, led to Oscar-winning effects work in When Worlds Collide, The Time Machine, and 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.
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- February 2
Donald Pleasence dies (1995). Donald will forever be remembered by horror fans as Dr. Sam Loomis, the psychiatrist hot on the trail of Michael Myers in John Carpenter's original Halloween and four of its sequels. His extensive genre credits also include Buried Alive (1990), Prince of Darkness (1987), Creepers (1985), Escape from New York (1981), Dracula (1979), Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), From Beyond the Grave (1973), The Mutations (1973), Tales That Witness Madness (1973), THX 1138 (1970), Fantastic Voyage (1966), and Circus of Horrors (1960). On television, he was featured on episodes of the original Outer Limits and ("The Man with the Power") and The Twilight Zone ("The Changing of the Guard"). Donald was born in 1919 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England.
Boris Karloff dies (1969). Boris, arguably one of the greatest actors the genre has ever known, first gained immortality for his unforgettable performances as the title monsters in the original Universal versions of Frankenstein (1931) and The Mummy (1932). He also returned for several sequels, including The Bride of Frankenstein (1935). His résumé includes dozens of popular genre titles, among them The Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968), The Sorcerers (1967), Die, Monster, Die! (1965), The Comedy of Terrors (1963), The Raven (1963), The Terror (1963), Mario Bava's Black Sabbath (1964), Frankenstein-1970 (1958), Voodoo Island (1957), The Body Snatcher (1945), The Walking Dead (1936), The Invisible Ray (1936), and The Black Cat (1934). Boris also poked fun at his own image in such projects as Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953), Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949), and the animated Mad Monster Party (1967). Late in his career, Boris played Byron Orlock, a thinly veiled version of himself in Peter Bogdonovich's disturbing Targets (1968). Boris's extensive voiceover work includes providing the voice of the narrator and the title character for television's beloved animated special, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966). Boris was born William Henry Pratt in 1887 in Camberwell, London, England.
Thomas Disch is born (1940). While fans of literary sci-fi know Thomas as the author of Camp Concentration and 334, others know him from his poetry and/or his theater criticism in The Nation. "The Double Timer" was his first published story, which he sold to Fantastic Stories. He has written numerous short stories, novels, and books of poetry. Thomas taught briefly at several colleges and was the 1995 artist-in-residence at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia. Thomas was born in Des Moines, Iowa.
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- February 3
In the Mouth of Madness opens (1995). Genre master John Carpenter (Halloween) is the director behind this horror feature about an insurance investigator (Sam Neill) hired to discover the whereabouts of a reclusive horror novelist (Jürgen Prochnow). His search leads him to a creepy New England village where the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur—with gruesome results. Is the town itself a figment of the author's imagination? Or is the detective losing his mind? This clever thriller splits critics and audiences down the middle. Some compare it to Carpenter's best work; others rate it as a pretentious, pointless mess.
John Cassavetes dies (1989). Before he became known as a seminal 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 was born in 1929 in New York, New York.
Keith Gordon is born (1961). Keith played Arnie Cunningham in John Carpenter's adaptation of Stephen King's Christine (1983). His other acting credits include Brian DePalma's Dressed to Kill (1980) and Jaws 2 (1978). Keith also has a directing career, helming the ghostly romantic drama, Waking the Dead (1999) and two episodes of the anthology series Night Visions. Keith was born in New York, New York.
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- February 4
Pamela Franklin is born (1950). Pamela began her career as a child star when she played the precocious Flora in The Innocents, Jack Clayton's masterful 1961 screen adaptation of Henry James's classic ghost story, The Turn of the Screw. Her other genre appearances include H. G. Wells's Food of the Gods (1976), The Legend of Hell House (1973), Necromancy (1972), And Soon the Darkness (1970), and The Nanny (1965). Pamela's television projects include Screamer (1975) and the original Satan's School for Girls (1973). Pamela was born in Tokyo, Japan.
George A. Romero is born (1940). George first emerged as a top-notch genre auteur with his graphic and chilling low-budget classic, Night of the Living Dead (1968). After the release of that trendsetter, he went on to helm two successful sequels, Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985), as well as Martin (1978), The Crazies (1973), Season of the Witch (1972), Creepshow (1982), Monkey Shines (1988), and The Dark Half (1993). He also split directorial duties with Dario Argento on the Edgar Allan Poe-based two-parter, Two Evil Eyes (1990). Along the way, George also found time to lend his name to television's Tales from the Darkside. George was born in New York, New York.
Gary Conway is born (1936). Gary lent his youthful good looks and buff physique to the title role of 1958's I Was a Teenage Frankenstein. Later, he played Captain Steve Burton on television's Land of the Giants. Gary's other movie credits include The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent (1958) and How to Make a Monster (1958). Gary was born in Los Angeles, California.
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- February 5
Jennifer Jason Leigh is born (1962). The always intriguing Jennifer played Allegra Geller, the computer game inventor who finds herself trapped in a maze of her own creation in David Cronenberg's eXistenZ (1999). Her other genre credits include Single White Female (1992), Heart of Midnight (1988), The Hitcher (1986), and Eyes of a Stranger (1981). Jennifer was born in Hollywood, California.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers opens (1956). Director Don Siegel's chilling adaptation of Jack Finney's novel opens on this day in 1956. The plot concerns a small California town overtaken by seed pods from outer space that replicate human beings. When a local doctor and his childhood sweetheart discover the truth behind the conspiracy, it's up to the couple to find a way to escape the town and warn the rest of humanity before it's too late. This subtle, sublimely paranoid thriller, which stars Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, goes on to become an undisputed genre classic.
John Carradine is born (1906). This genre legend began his career playing the world's most famous vampire in House of Dracula (1945) and House of Frankenstein (1944). His other early projects include The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944), Voodoo Man (1944), The Mummy's Ghost (1944), and Revenge of the Zombies (1943). During the 1950s, he starred in such memorable titles as Invisible Invaders (1959) and The Unearthly (1957). His subsequent credits include Edgar Allan Poe's Buried Alive (1990), Monster in the Closet (1986), The Boogeyman (1980), The Howling (1980), Satan's Cheerleaders (1977), The Sentinel (1977), Shock Waves (1977), The House of Seven Corpses (1974), Terror in the Wax Museum (1973), Blood of Ghastly Horror (1972), Horror of the Blood Monsters (1970), Astro-Zombies (1969), Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (1966), Psycho a Go-Go (1965)—and many, many more! John also poked fun at his own image when he played the sex-crazed mad scientist Dr. Bernardo in Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972). John's plentiful television credits include such made-for-television features as The Cat Creature (1973) and Crowhaven Farm (1970), as well as episodes of the original Twilight Zone ("The Howling Man"), Night Gallery ("The Big Surprise"), Lost in Space ("The Galaxy Gift"), and Thriller ("The Remarkable Mrs. Hawk" and "Masquerade"). John, who died in 1988, was born in New York, New York.
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- February 6
François Truffaut is born (1932). Truffaut, master filmmaker and leader of the French "New Wave" of the 1960s, directed quite a few genre masterpieces, including his adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 (1966). Later, longtime admirer Steven Spielberg cast Truffaut as Claude Lacombe, the UFO specialist in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). François, who died in 1984, was born in Paris, France.
Rip Torn is born (1931). This sturdy character actor, an Academy Award nominee, played Zed in Men in Black (1997) and Nathan Bryce in The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). Rip's other genre credits includes RoboCop 3 (1993), The Beastmaster (1982), A Stranger Is Watching (1982), and Coma (1978). His television appearances include two installments of the original Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("The Kiss-Off" and "Number 22") and one of Thriller ("The Purple Room"). Rip was born Elmore Rual Torn, Jr., in Temple, Texas.
Patrick Macnee is born (1922). Patrick, known here and abroad for his role as John Steed on the venerable BBC series The Avengers, has made quite a few genre appearances on the big screen and on television. His movie roles include Waxwork (1988) and Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992), Edgar Allan Poe's Masque of the Red Death (1989), Lobster Man from Mars (1989), Alien Transformation (1988), The Creature Wasn't Nice (1981) and the original The Howling (1980). He provided the voice of the Imperious Leader and narrator on television's Battlestar Galactica and also guest-starred in a two-part episode titled "Survival of the Fittest." His résumé also includes installments of Night Gallery ("Logoda's Heads"), The Twilight Zone ("Judgment Night"), and Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("Arthur"). Patrick was born in London, England.
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- February 7
James Spader is born (1960). James has made several significant genre appearances. He played Dr. Daniel Jackson in the original, big-screen Stargate (1994). More recently, he suited up as one of the crew members in Supernova (2000) and solved some alien cryptography in Alien Hunter (2003). His other credits include Wolf (1994), David Cronenberg's controversial Crash (1996), Bad Influence (1990), Jack's Back (1988), and the made-for-television Starcrossed (1985). James was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
Gloria Talbott is born (1931). Gloria, a leading lady of the 1950s, played Marge Bradley, a young bride who finds herself sharing a bed with an extraterrestrial in the still-compelling I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958). Gloria also starred in such memorable genre features as The Leech Woman (1960), The Cyclops (1957), and as the title character in Daughter of Dr. Jekyll (1957). Gloria, who died in 2000, was born in Glendale, California.
Buster Crabbe is born (1908). After one swing as Tarzan the Fearless, Olympic swimmer "Buster" Crabbe went on to do countless westerns, followed by the leads in dozens of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers telefilm serials. One of his last roles was on the 1979 Buck Rogers TV revival—as Brigadier Gordon. Buster was born Clarence Linden Crabbe in Oakland, California.
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- February 8
Planet of the Apes opens (1968). This popular sci-fi feature stars Charlton Heston as an astronaut who crashlands on a planet where intelligent apes are the dominant species and humans are zoological oddities. Inspired by the novel by Pierre Boulle (adapted for the screen by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling) and directed by Franklin J. Shaffner (The Boys from Brazil), the movie is so successful that it spawns four sequels, a short-lived television series, and a remake. The cast also includes such notable actors as Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, and James Whitmore, all performing under heavy ape makeup that goes on to win an Honorary Oscar for makeup specialist John Chambers.
Brooke Adams is born (1949). Brooke starred in two popular Stephen King titles: David Cronenberg's adaptation of The Dead Zone (1984) and the ghostly Sometimes They Come Back (1991). She also played Elizabeth Driscoll in Phillip Kaufman's expert remake of the classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978). Brooke's other genre appearances include Shock Waves (1977), The Unborn (1991) and The Stuff (1985). Brooke was born in New York, New York.
Jules Verne is born (1828). The adventurous, otherworldly works of this beloved writer have provided the basis for dozens of film and television adaptations. Verne's most popular works include Journey to the Center of the Earth, Around the World in 80 Days, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Mysterious Island, The Light at the Edge of the World, and Rocket to the Moon. Jules, who died in 1905, was born in Nantes, France.
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- February 9
Frank Frazetta is born (1928). Illustrator Frank Frazetta discovered the wonders of drawing before he was three, when he sold his first crayon drawing to Grandma—for the tidy sum of one penny. The early years of his career were devoted to comics, in the ’60s he moved toward painting paperback book covers, and in the ’70s and ’80s, he produced limited-edition portfolios and worked on movies and cover art for music albums. Frazetta’s career has included oil painting, ink illustration, watercolors, and pencil, making him one of the world's top commercial artists, and he is still currently active despite enduring several strokes and other health problems. Having to switch to using his left hand could only slow him down a little but not stop this cherished artist. His career awards so far include a World Fantasy lifetime achievement award, the Spectrum grandmaster award, the Hubbard Writers/Illustrators of the Future lifetime achievement award, a Hugo Award, a World Fantasy Award, 3 Chesley Awards, and a Balrog Award. Frank was born Frank Frazzetta in Brooklyn, New York.
Charles Shaughnessy is born (1955). Shaughnessy came from a showbiz family, but pursued an education in law. After graduation, he began to develop a career on stage and in television, with his genre appearances including voice roles in Heavy Gear: The Animated Series, Disney’s Stanley, and Squirrel Boy; with guest appearances in series such as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Touched by an Angel, and Stargate SG-1. Shaughnessy was born in London, England.
Mia Farrow is born (1945). This delicate, waifish actor gave a memorable, moving performance as a terrified woman impregnated by Satan in Roman Polanski's masterful 1968 adaptation of Ira Levin's Rosemary's Baby. Farrow's résumé also includes The Haunting of Julia (1976), See No Evil (1971), Supergirl (1984), and a slew of adult-oriented fantasies, including Reckless (1995) and Alice (1990). She also provided the voice of The Last Unicorn (1982). Farrow's television credits include playing the title role in a 1975 version of Peter Pan. Farrow was born in Los Angeles, California.
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- February 10
Final Destination 3 (2006) opens in U.S. theaters. Third installment of the Final Destination series stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ryan Merriman in a tale of fatal premonitions and predestined deaths.
Laura Dern is born (1967). This Oscar-nominated Hollywood progeny—daughter of Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd—played Dr. Ellie Sattler in 1993's Jurassic Park, a role she reprised in Jurassic Park III (2001). Laura's other credits include David Lynch's Wild at Heart (1990) and Blue Velvet (1986), Haunted Summer (1988), and the made-for-television The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1989). Laura was born in Los Angeles, California.
Lon Chaney, Jr. is born (1906). This legendary genre star gave an immortal performance as the tortured Larry Talbot in 1941's The Wolf Man, a role he reprised in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944), House of Dracula (1945), and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). Lon also played the Frankenstein monster in The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), took on the world's most famous vampire in Son of Dracula (1943), and starred in a string of popular mummy movies, including The Mummy's Tomb (1942), The Mummy's Curse (1944), and The Mummy's Ghost (1944). Lon's other genre credits include Dr. Terror's Gallery of Horrors (1966), House of the Black Death (1965), the cult fave Spider Baby (1964), Witchcraft (1964), Edgar Allan Poe's The Haunted Palace (1963), The Alligator People (1959), The Cyclops (1957), Indestructible Man (1956), The Frozen Ghost (1945), Cobra Woman (1944) and Man-Made Monster (1941). Lon, who died in 1973, was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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- February 11
- February 12
The Stepford Wives opens (1975). This sinister, big-screen adaptation of the best-selling book by Ira Levin (Rosemary's Baby) stars Katharine Ross (The Legacy) and Paul Prentiss (Saturday the 14th) as feminist homemakers transplanted from the big city to an idyllic Connecticut suburb populated by strangely satisfied men and their automaton wives. The movie reinforces a new term—a "Stepford Wife"—already popularized by the success of Levin's novel. Years later, Levin's concept remains intriguing enough to inspire three made-for-television sequels: Revenge of the Stepford Wives, (1980), The Stepford Children (1987), and The Stepford Husbands (1996), as well as a remake in 2004 starring Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick.
Forrest Tucker is born (1919). Before he became a television favorite, Forrest battled an army of monster eyes in the memorable The Crawling Eye (1958). His other genre appearances include The Strange World of Planet X (1957), The Abominable Snowman (1957), and the made-for-television Timestalkers (1987). Forrest was also featured in an episode of Night Gallery titled "Dr. Stringfellow's Rejuvenator." Forrest, who died in 1986, was born in Plainfield, Indiana.
Lorne Greene is born (1915). Lorne, best known for his work in the western genre, earned a place in the sci-fi books for his role as Commander Adama on television's Battlestar Galactica. He also starred in a 1956 installment of Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled "Help Wanted." Lorne, who died in 1987, was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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- February 13
Carol Lynley is born (1942). This pretty blonde made a variety of genre appearances in such projects as Howling VI: The Freaks (1991), Spirits (1990), H. G. Wells's The Shape of Things to Come (1979), Beware! The Blob (1972), and the macabre The Shuttered Room (1967), but she is best remembered by genre fans as Gail Foster, the female lead in television's original The Night Stalker (1972). Carol was featured on installments of Monsters ("Stressed Enviroment"), Night Gallery ("Last Rites for a Dead Druid"), and the original Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("The Young One"). Carol was born Carole Ann Jones in New York, New York.
Oliver Reed is born (1938). This hell-raising British actor got one of his earliest leads as the title monster in Curse of the Werewolf (1961). His other genre credits include Gladiator (2000), Severed Ties (1992), The House of Usher (1988), Spasms (1983), David Cronenberg's The Brood (1979), Burnt Offerings (1976), The Devils (1971), and The Shuttered Room (1967). Oliver, who died in 1999, was born in Wimbledon, London, England.
Kim Novak is born (1933). Kim played sexy witch Gillian Holroyd in Bell, Book and Candle (1958) and was the duplicitous blonde (or was she?) at the heart of Hitchcock's classic Vertigo (1958). Her other credits include Tales that Witness Madness (1973), The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968) and the made-for-television Satan's Triangle (1975). Kim was born Marilyn Pauline Novak in Chicago, Illinois.
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- February 14
Zach Galligan is born (1964). Zach peaked early when he was cast as young Billy Peltzer, the owner of some very unusual pets in both Gremlins (1984) and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). His subsequent credits include Cyborg 3: The Recycler (1995), Warlock: The Armageddon (1993), Waxwork (1988) and Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992), and Psychic (1992). Zach has also appeared on episodes of Star Trek: Voyager ("In the Flesh") and Tales from the Crypt ("Strung Along"). Zach was born in New York, New York.
Meg Tilly is born (1960). This Oscar nominee (and sister to Jennifer "Bride of Chucky" Tilly) has made a number of memorable genre appearances, most notably in Abel Ferrara's updated Body Snatchers (1993), the creepy Impulse (1984), One Dark Night (1983), and Psycho II (1983). Meg was born in Long Beach, California.
Tod Browning's Dracula opens (1931). This timeless genre classic, based on Bram Stoker's novel, brings the evil but undeniably charming Transylvanian vampire to theaters across the country. In addition to Bela Lugosi's definitive characterization in the title role, this Dracula features classic performances by Dwight Frye as Renfield, and Edward Van Sloan as Professor Van Helsing. The director is master of the macabre, Tod Browning (Freaks).
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- February 15
Red Dwarf debuts on BBC (1988). "The End," the premiere episode of sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf, debuts in England. The series stars Craig Charles as Dave Lister, Chris Barrie as his holographic nemesis and crewmate Arnold Judas Rimmer, and Danny John-Jules as Cat—a mutant whose mannerisms are strangely reminiscent of 20th-century funkmaster James Brown. The trio are stranded in deep space in the far future, where hilarity ensues. The series develops a rabid cult following in the UK and the USA.
Saturn 3 opens (1980). In this sci-fi feature, spacebound lovers Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett are terrorized aboard their ship by demented (and jealous) scientist Harvey Keitel and his evil invention—a deadly, sexually frustrated, robotic alter-ego named Hector. This futuristic love triangle, which features one of Fawcett's first starring roles following her departure from Charlie's Angels, is directed by Hollywood veteran Stanley Donen.
Kevin McCarthy is born (1914). Kevin made the genre history books when he was cast as Miles Binnell, the small-town doctor who finds himself at the center of a sinister plot from outer space in Don Siegel's still chilling Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). Kevin's other genre appearances include Ghoulies 3: Ghoulies Go to College (1991), The Sleeping Car (1990), Innerspace (1987), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), The Howling (1980), Piranha (1978), and Nightmare (1956). His plentiful television credits include The Midnight Hour (1985), Duplicates (1992), and an episode of the original Twilight Zone titled "Long Live Walter Johnson." Kevin was born in Seattle, Washington.
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- February 16
LeVar Burton is born (1957). LeVar first became famous for his role in the epic miniseries Roots, but genre fans know him best as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge on television's Star Trek: The Next Generation. He reprised that role on the big screen in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), and Star Trek: Generations (1994). LeVar's other genre credits include The Supernaturals (1986) and the made-for-television The Midnight Hour (1985). LeVar was born in Landstuhl, West Germany.
William Katt is born (1950). William played Tommy Ross, the unfortunate guy who takes Sissy Spacek to the prom in Brian DePalma's adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie (1976). Later, William played haunted novelist Roger Cobb in House (1986) and House IV (1992). His credits also include the made-for-television Devil's Food (1996), Cyborg 3: The Recycler (1995), The Paper Boy (1994), and Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985). William was born in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Eccleston is born (1964). Christopher played the 9th incarnation of the The Doctor on the British sci-fi program Doctor Who. He is the shortest-lived incarnation (barring the 8th Doctor from the television movie), lasting one season of 13 episodes. He also appeared in the movies The Others, Elizabeth and 28 Days Later. Eccleston was born February 16, 1964, in Salford, England.
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- February 17
Denise Richards is born (1972). This Bond girl has made genre appearances in Scary Movie 3 (2003), Valentine (2001), and Starship Troopers (1997), and she starred as the human half of Tammy and the T-Rex (1994). Denise was born in Downers Grove, Illinois.
Don Coscarelli is born (1954). Don is the stylish independent filmmaker who started the legend of the "Tall Man" as well as his very own horror franchise with the 1979 drive-in hit, Phantasm. Don went on to direct all of the sequels—Phantasm II (1988), Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994), Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998), andPhantasm's End (2002)—as well as the original The Beastmaster (1982). Don was born in Tripoli, Libya.
Hal Holbrook is born (1925). This sturdy American character actor, known for his work on both stage and screen, played Father Malone, the holy man with a deadly secret in John Carpenter's The Fog (1980). Hal's other genre appearances include The Unholy (1988), Girls' Nite Out (1984), George Romero and Stephen King's Creepshow (1982), the made-for-television Murder by Natural Causes (1979), Capricorn One (1978), and Rituals (1977). Hal also starred in an episode of the updated Outer Limits titled "Final Appeal." Hal was born in Cleveland, Ohio.
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- February 18
John Travolta is born (1954). This big-screen superstar began his movie career with a small role in The Devil's Rain (1975), then played Billy Nolan, one of Sissy Spacek's tormentors in Brian DePalma's adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie (1976). Later, he starred for DePalma again, this time in Blow Out (1981). John took a lot of ribbing for his big-budget Battlefield Earth (2000), but scored solid box-office hits with such genre fare as Face/Off (1997), Michael (1996), and Phenomenon (1996). John was born in Englewood, New Jersey.
Jack Palance is born (1920). Oscar-winning actor Jack played the menacing, titular monsters in two highly regarded television versions of genre classics: Dracula (1973) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968). Jack's other credits include television's Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics (1994), Cyborg 2: Glass Shadow (1993), Solar Crisis (1993), Tim Burton's Batman (1989), Alone in the Dark (1982), Without Warning (1980), and H. G. Wells's The Shape of Things to Come (1979). Jack was born Vladimir Palanuik in Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania.
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- February 19
Army of Darkness opens (1993). The third entry in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy finds Bruce Campbell (the overworked hero of Evil Dead and Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn) transported back to the 14th century, where he is forced to battle a plethora of outrageous monsters, warriors, and sorcerers. Thankfully, Campbell takes along his trusted '73 Oldsmobile as well as a highly effective chainsaw to help sort out the mayhem.
John Frankenheimer is born (1930). John directed 1966's Seconds, the cult classic that stars Rock Hudson as an average, middle-aged American man given a second chance at life thanks to the wonders (and eventual horrors) of modern science. John also directed the 1996 remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau, the eco-thriller Prophecy (1979), the classic The Manchurian Candidate (1962), and a made-for-television version of Henry James's ghostly The Turn of the Screw (1959). John was born in New York, New York.
Cedric Hardwicke is born (1893). This British actor played Dr. Frankenstein in The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) and Mr. Brink (a.k.a. The Grim Reaper) in the beloved fantasy On Borrowed Time (1939). Cedric's credits also include Invisible Agent (1942), Hitchcock's Suspicion (1941), The Invisible Man Returns (1940), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), H. G. Wells's Things to Come (1936), and The Ghoul (1934). Cedric also made appearances on episodes of the original The Outer Limits ("The Forms of Things Unknown"), The Twilight Zone ("Uncle Simon"), and Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("A Man Greatly Beloved" and "Wet Saturday"). Cedric, who died in 1964, was born in Stourbridge, England.
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- February 20
Dark City opens (1998). A man finds himself trapped in an urban world of eternal night, suspected of a series of grisly murders, and subjected to experiments conducted by malevolent aliens in this busy sci-fi fantasy directed by Alex Proyas, the man behind the original The Crow (1994). The cast includes Rufus Sewell (Bless the Child), Kiefer Sutherland (The Lost Boys), Jennifer Connelly (The Rocketeer), William Hurt (Lost in Space), and Richard O'Brien (Riff Raff in the camp cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show).
Lili Taylor is born (1967). Lili, widely regarded as the "Queen of the Indie Films," played fragile Eleanor "Nell" Vance in Jan De Bont's big-budget remake of The Haunting (1999), which was based (loosely) on Shirley Jackson's classic novel, The Haunting of Hill House. Lili also played a vampire in Abel Ferrara's artsy horror flick, The Addiction (1995). Lili's other credits include Four Rooms (1995), Household Saints (1993), and a 1998 episode of The X-Files titled "Mind's Eye." Lili was born in Glencoe, Illinois.
Pierre Boulle is born (1912). Novelist Pierre's classic La Planète des Singes was published as Monkey Planet in the United States, but Rod Serling and Michael Wilson's film adaptation used the title's literal translation: Planet of the Apes. Outside the genre, Pierre also penned the novel Le pont de la rivire Kwai, which movie fans also know better under its English-language title, The Bridge on the River Kwai. Pierre, who died in 1994, was born in Avignon, Vaucluse, France.
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- February 21
Jennifer Love Hewitt is born (1979). Hewitt played Julie James, the leading lady in the neo-slasher flicks I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998). She also starred in the spy-fi romp The Tuxedo (2002) with Jackie Chan, and the TV series The Ghost Whisperer (2005–2007). Hewitt was born in Waco, Texas.
One Million Years B.C. opens (1966). An American sex symbol is born when Raquel Welch appears as a prehistoric babe in a fur bikini. The film's other notable assets include Michael Carreras's delightfully campy adaptation of George Baker's original 1940 screenplay, and the classic stop-motion animation of special-effects legend Ray Harryhausen.
William Baldwin is born (1963). Baldwin, a member of the infamous Baldwin acting clan, has made genre appearances opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in Virus (1999), Sharon Stone in Sliver (1993), and Julia Roberts in Flatliners (1990). His other genre credits include Shattered Image (1998) and the made-for-TV Scream of the Wolf (1974). Baldwin was born in Massapequa, Long Island, New York.
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- February 22
Drew Barrymore is born (1975). Drew, descended from the famous Barrymore acting clan, made a vivid first impression as the cherubic Gertie in director Steven Spielberg's blockbuster E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (
