SCIFIPEDIA:This Day in SCI FI/November 2006

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November 1

Toni Collette is born (1972). Star Toni received her first Oscar nomination for her sensitive performance as the mother of haunted Haley Joel Osment in the 1999 blockbuster, The Sixth Sense. Toni was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Robert Foxworth is born (1941). Television regular Robert, who for years was the real-life significant other of Bewitched star Elizabeth Montgomery, has starred in a number of genre projects, including Invisible Strangler (1984), Prophecy (1979), and Damien: Omen II (1978). His television movies include It Happened at Lakewood Manor (1977), Frankenstein (1973), and The Devil's Daughter (1972). He's also made appearances as Admiral Leyton on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and as General William Hague on Babylon 5. Robert was born in Houston, Texas.

Gordon R. Dickson is born (1923). With more than 80 books to his credit, Gordon is known for his Childe Cycle, which includes his most popular work, the Dorsai sequence. Once the president of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America), Gordon passed away on January 31, 2001.

November 2

Irwin Allen dies (1991). Producer/director Irwin delighted generation after generation of genre fans with such television series as Lost in Space, Land of the Giants, The Time Tunnel, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. His big-screen work includes When Time Ran Out . . . (1980), The Swarm (1978), The Towering Inferno (1974), The Poseidon Adventure (1973), and The Lost World (1960). Irwin was born in 1916 in New York, New York.

Stefanie Powers is born (1942). Veteran actor Stefanie has been in a number of made-for-television genre movies, including Someone Is Watching (2000), Return to Earth (1976), and The Secret of Bigfoot (1975). Her big-screen credits include Invisible Strangler (1984), Die! Die! My Darling! (1965), and Experiment in Terror (1962). Stefanie was born in Hollywood, California.

Burt Lancaster is born (1913). Oscar-winning leading man Burt played the title role in the 1977 big-screen remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau and appeared in the 1990 made-for-television version of The Phantom of the Opera. His big-screen credits also include Field of Dreams (1989), Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977), and The Cassandra Crossing (1976). Burt, who died in 1994, was born in New York, New York.

November 3

Bob Kane dies (1998). Kane is the mastermind who created the Caped Crusader—a.k.a. Batman—and all his brethren: Robin, Catwoman, the Joker, the Riddler, and so on. Kane was born Bob Kahn on October 24, 1915, in New York, New York.

Dolph Lundgren is born (1959). Tough guy Lundgren has flexed his muscles in such genre projects as The Minion (1998), Johnny Mnemonic (1995), I Come in Peace (1990), and Masters of the Universe (1987). Lundgren was born in Stockholm, Sweden.

Kate Capshaw is born (1953). Capshaw (a.k.a. Mrs. Steven Spielberg) played Wilhelmina Scott in her husband's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). Her other genre credits include SpaceCamp (1986) and Dreamscape (1984). Capshaw was born in Fort Worth, Texas.

November 4

Gods and Monsters opens (1998). This artful drama, based on the life of Frankenstein director James Whale, stars Ian McKellan (who stars in this same year's adaptation of Stephen King's Apt Pupil) as Whale. Ian goes on to earn an Oscar nomination for his moving performance, while screenwriter Bill Condon ends up taking home the statuette for Best Original Screenplay.

Matthew McConaughey is born (1969). Matthew contributed to the genre with his performance in Contact (1997, as Palmer Joss) and plumbed further with EdTV (1999, as Ed Pekurny). Matthew was born in Uvalde, Texas.

Martin Balsam is born (1919). Martin's long and impressive list of credits includes his role as detective Milton Arbogast in Hitchcock's classic Psycho (1960). He also appeared in such genre efforts as The Black Cat (1993), Two Evil Eyes (1990), the made-for-television Murder in Space (1985), The Sentinel (1977), and the original 1973 television movie that spawned the Six Million Dollar Man series. He also starred on television in two installments of the original Twilight Zone ("The New Exhibit" and "The 16mm Shrine") and two more of the updated version ("Voices in the Earth" and "Personal Demons"). Martin, who died in 1996, was born in The Bronx, New York.

November 5

Doc Brown envisions a time-travel device (1955). In the Back to the Future film franchise, Doc Emmet Brown (Christopher Lloyd) dreams up the flux capacitor after he takes a fall and hits his head while hanging a picture in his bathroom. Once the vision is revealed to him, it takes him another 30 years to put it together with the 1.21 gigawatts necessary to kick the DeLorean back in time.

Famke Janssen is born (1965). Famke (daughter of Harry O actor David Janssen) has starred in several notable genre projects, including X-Men (2000), House on Haunted Hill (1999), The Faculty (1998), Deep Rising (1998), and Lord of Illusions (1995). She also played the empathic metamorph Kamala in a 1992 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode titled "The Perfect Mate." Famke was born in the Netherlands.

Elke Sommer is born (1940). The alluring Elke starred in two popular European horror titles of the 1970s: The House of Exorcism (1974) and Baron Blood (1973). Later, she made appearances in Severed Ties (1992) and Invisible Strangler (1984). Elke was born in Berlin, Germany.

November 6

Ethan Hawke is born (1970). As Vincent Freeman, Ethan passed himself off as the genetically ideal Jerome Morrow in the stylish independent SF sleeper, Gattaca (1997). He also starred as Ben Crandall for director Joe Dante in Explorers (1985). Ethan was born in Austin, Texas.

Sally Field is born (1946). Though not a genre regular, two-time Oscar winner Sally did play a gal with extrasensory perception in the 1970s sitcom, The Girl with Something Extra. She also directed and starred in episodes of From the Earth to the Moon (1998). Early in her career, she was in a made-for-television thriller, Home for the Holidays (1972), and in a 1973 episode of Night Gallery titled "Whisper." Sally was born in Pasadena, California.

Mike Nichols is born (1931). Oscar-winning Graduate director and occasional actor Mike has gone behind the camera to direct Gary Shandling as a horny alien in What Planet Are You From? (2000), Jack Nicholson as a man-beast in Wolf (1994), and George C. Scott as a driven scientist in The Day of the Dolphin (1973). Mike was born in Berlin, Germany.

November 7

Starship Troopers opens (1997). It's man-versus-alien bug in this futuristic update of the giant-insect movie. Directed with flair by Paul Verhoeven, of Hollow Man (2000), Total Recall (1990), and RoboCop (1987) fame, the cast of militarist Earthlings includes Casper Van Dien (Sleepy Hollow, 1999), Dina Meyer (Bats, 1999) and James Bond beauty-to-be Denise Richards (The World Is Not Enough, 1999).

Steve McQueen dies (1980). Screen icon Steve McQueen, remembered by genre fans for his early role in The Blob (1958), also starred in two popular episodes of the original Alfred Hitchcock Presents—"Man from the South" and "Human Interest Story." Steve was born on March 24, 1930, in Beech Grove, Indiana.

Jason London is born (1972). Jason played the boyfriend of a telekinetic teen in The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999). His other credits include two made-for-television efforts: Jason and the Argonauts (2000) and Alien Cargo (1999), as well as installments of the updated Outer Limits (episode "Caught in the Act") and Tales from the Crypt (episode "House of Horror"). Jason was born in San Diego, California.

November 8

Parker Posey is born (1968). Parker parlayed her Sundance notoriety and "Indie Queen" status into a role as ditzy starlet Jennifer Jolie in Wes Craven's Scream 3 (2000). Her other projects include the role of Fiona in the big-screen version of Josie and the Pussycats (2001). Early in her career, she appeared as Stephanie in the feature-length version of Coneheads (1993). Parker was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

Bram Stoker is born (1847). Stoker virtually invented the Gothic vampire genre in literature when he penned his classic novel, Dracula (1897), which inspired more than 20 film adaptations between 1921 and 2000. The sequel, Dracula's Guest, was not published until 40 years after Dracula. Stoker also wrote The Mystery of the Sea and Famous Imposters, as well as The Lair of the White Worm, which was filmed in 1988 by famed director Ken Russell. Stoker also worked as the manager of the Irving Lyceum Theater. Stoker was born Abraham Stoker in Dublin, Ireland.

Ben Bova is born (1932). The author of more than 100 futuristic novels and nonfiction books, Bova received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation in 2005, “for fueling mankind’s imagination regarding the wonders of outer space.”

November 9

Child's Play 2 opens (1990). Chucky returns (for the first time) in this sequel directed by John Lafia (Man's Best Friend). Needless to say, the bloody mayhem continues as everyone's favorite killer doll tries to take over the body of a young boy. This time out, the terrorized cast includes Jenny Agutter (Logan's Run and An American Werewolf in London), Gerrit Graham (Terror Vision and the short-lived TV series Now and Again), and, returning as the voice of Chucky, the menacing Brad Dourif. (See below for more about Brad!)

Child's Play opens (1988). The Chucky franchise is born. This successful thriller, directed by Tom Holland of Fright Night fame, transfers the evil spirit of serial killer Charles Lee Ray into the body of a seemingly harmless child's toy. The cast includes Chris Sarandon (the sexy vampire from Fright Night) along with Catherine Hicks (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home) and, as the voice of the murderous doll, creepy character actor Brad Dourif, who has appeared in such genre classics as Dune (1984, as Piter de Vries), and Alien: Resurrection (1997, as USM Auriga Scientist Dr. Gediman). He also was cast as Grima Wormtongue in the big-screen adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's classic fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002, 2003).

Carl Sagan is born (1934). Noted astronomer Carl Edward Sagan broke into the mainstream with his phenomenal best-selling book Cosmos, which spawned an eponymously named series on public television in 1981. Carl's novel Contact was brought to the big screen in 1997 and launched Jodie Foster into space. Carl was born in Brooklyn, New York.

November 10

Roland Emmerich is born (1955). Emmerich is the director behind such big-budget sci-fi adventures as Independence Day (1996), Stargate (1994), and the 1998 remake of Godzilla. Emmerich's early projects include Universal Soldier (1992) and Moon 44 (1990). Emmerich was born in Stuttgart, Germany.

Roy Scheider is born (1932). Oscar-nominated actor Scheider, immortalized as Chief Martin Brody in Jaws (1975) and Jaws 2 (1978), also starred in such genre projects as Naked Lunch (1991), 2010 (1984), and Sorcerer (1977). He made his feature debut in 1964 in the low-budget horror feature, Curse of the Living Corpse. Scheider was born in Orange, New Jersey.

Neil Gaiman is born (1960). Gaiman fused the classics with the modern in his famous graphic novel series Sandman, which included such Joseph Campbell–like "Endless" personae as Destiny, Death, Destruction, Desire, Despair, Delirium (modeled on singer Tori Amos), and Dream. Gaiman's other credits include the novels Good Omens (written with Terry Pratchett) and Neverwhere. Neverwhere was produced as a 1996 BBC-TV miniseries. Gaiman also wrote for cult favorite TV series Babylon 5 and drafted the critically acclaimed English-language dialogue screenplay for Mononoke Hime, which was released in the United States as Princess Mononoke. Gaiman was born in Portchester, England.

November 11

Demi Moore is born (1962). Demi played a country girl with ESP in The Butcher's Wife (1991) and a woman haunted by her late husband in the hugely successful Ghost (1990). She also provided the voice of Esmerelda in the animated feature Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). Demi's other genre projects include Passion of Mind (2000), The Seventh Sign (1988), and Parasite (1982). Her television credits include a 1990 episode of Tales from the Crypt titled "Dead Right." Demi was born in the heart of alien country—Roswell, New Mexico.

Kurt Vonnegut is born (1922). Many of Kurt's novels have hinged on a variety of science-fiction themes. A few of his contributions to the genre included Slaughterhouse-Five, Slapstick, Between Time and Timbuktu (1972, TV), and the acclaimed short story "Harrison Bergeron." Kurt was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Interview with the Vampire opens (1994). Novelist Anne Rice's best-selling yarn of erotic vampirism, Interview with the Vampire (1976), arrives at last on the big screen, starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. The film opens to respectable reviews and healthy box office. Co-stars Antonio Banderas and Christian Slater help fuel the film's appeal, but the best critical notices single out young Kirsten Dunst for her chilling portrayal of Claudia, the prepubescent vampire victimized by Louis and Lestat's insatiable lust for blood.

November 12

The Faculty opens (1998). This post-modern horror flick, directed by Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Till Dawn) combines elements of Carrie, Species, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers to tell the story of an average American high school overtaken by a malevolent alien presence. The cast of genre veterans includes Josh Hartnett (Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later, 1998), Piper Laurie (Carrie, 1976), Famke Janssen (X-Men, 2000, House on Haunted Hill, 1999, and GoldenEye, 1995), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 1991, and The X-Files, TV, 2000), and Clea Duvall (The Astronaut's Wife, 1999).

Wallace Shawn is born (1943). Shawn is a veteran character actor, and he pops up not infrequently in the genre: Toy Story 2 (1999, voice of Rex), My Favorite Martian (1999, as Dr. Edward Coleye), Toy Story (1995, voice of Rex), The Princess Bride (1987, as Vizzini), Strange Invaders (1983, as Earl). Aside from his turns on the big screen, he also had serious clout as the Ferengi Grand Nagus Zek for several seasons on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Shawn was born in New York, New York.

Michael Bishop is born (1945). Bishop's contributions to the genre are thoughtful and diverse. Who Made Stevie Crye? (1984) is a novel of the supernatural. Unicorn Mountain (1988) is a contemporary fantasy. Count Geiger's Blues (1992) details a superhero's adventures in an alternate America. No Enemy But Time (1982), in which a scientist travels through time to study primitive hominids, won the Nebula Award. His latest work, A Cross of Centuries: Twenty-five Imaginative Tales about the Christ, is slated for publication April 28, 2007, by Thunder's Mouth Press.

November 13

Robert Louis Stevenson is born (1850). Robert is the progenitor of the two-faced, classic genre novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which was first published in 1886 and has been filmed numerous times, most notably in 1931 with Frederic March (who earned an Oscar for his chilling performance), and with Spencer Tracy in 1941. Robert's mesmerizing work also provided the basis for such genre works as The Curse of the Stone Hand (1964) and The Body Snatcher (1945). Robert, who died in 1894, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer opens (1998). This sequel to 1997's I Know What You Did Last Summer opens to strong box office. The movie's familiar formula sends another masked killer on a murderous spree, this time setting his sights on a group of vacationing teens. Original cast members Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze, Jr., reprise their roles from the original film.

Bram Stoker's Dracula opens (1992). Francis Ford Coppola's baroque rendition of Bram Stoker's seminal vampire novel, Dracula, opens on this day in 1992. The movie stars Winona Ryder (Lost Souls, 2000, Alien: Resurrection, 1997, Edward Scissorhands, 1990, Beetlejuice, 1988), Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, 1999; Johnny Mnemonic, 1995; Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure 1989), and an over-the-top Gary Oldman (Lost in Space, 1998; The Fifth Element, 1997) as the world's most famous bloodsucker. The reviews are mixed, but the box office is strong enough to help push Winona and Keanu to the forefront of Hollywood's pool of young stars.

November 14

Jack Finney dies (1995). Novelist Jack is the genre legend who wrote The Body Snatchers, the classic sci-fi tale of pods from outer space that duplicate human beings, turning them into emotionless (but malevolent) automatons. His work was successfully adapted to the screen three times: by Don Siegel in 1956, by Philip Kaufman in 1978, and by Abel Ferrara in 1993. Jack was born in 1911 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Laura San Giacomo is born (1962). Laura has been in such genre efforts as The Apocalypse (1997, as Goad) and the miniseries Stephen King's The Stand (1994, as Nadine Cross). Laura was born in West Orange, New Jersey.

Sandahl Bergman is born (1951). Sandahl, who played lissome warrior-thief Valeria in the original Conan the Barbarian (1982), has put her buff body to work in a variety of other genre projects, including Sorceress II: The Temptress (1996), Ice Cream Man (1995), the made-for-television TekWar: TekJustice (1994), and Hell Comes to Frogtown (1987). Sandahl was born in Kansas City, Missouri.

November 15

Beverly D'Angelo is born (1951). Beverly has been in a variety of eccentric projects, including the ghostly Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (1994), High Spirits (1988), the baroque Aria (1987), Maid to Order (1987), The Sentinel (1977), and the made-for-television The Man Who Fell to Earth (1987). She was also featured in a 1992 episode of Tales from the Crypt titled "Werewolf Concerto." Beverly was born in Columbus, Ohio.

Roger Donaldson is born (1945). Australian director Roger helmed the popular SF-horror hybrid, Species (1995), as well as for the volcanic epic, Dante's Peak (1997). Roger was born in Ballarat, Australia.

Sam Waterston is born (1940). Stage, television, and film veteran actor Sam has been seen in Mindwalk (1990), Warning Sign (1985), Capricorn One (1978), and the made-for-television Diabolique remake, Reflections of Murder (1974). He was also in episodes of Tales from the Crypt ("As Ye Sow") and Amazing Stories ("Mirror, Mirror..."). Sam was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

November 16

Close Encounters of the Third Kind opens (1977). Steven Spielberg's large-scale humanity-meets-aliens adventure opens on this day in 1977. Along with the same year's Star Wars, Close Encounters sets a new standard for big-screen special effects and science-fiction storytelling. It also solidifies Spielberg's standing as one of Hollywood's most reliable hit-makers. Star Richard Dreyfuss goes on to win the year's Oscar as Best Actor (for The Goodbye Girl, not for Close Encounters), but Spielberg's smash earns eight nominations of its own, including one for Melinda Dillon as Best Supporting Actress. Come Oscar night, Close Encounters director of photography Vilmos Zsigmond takes home the statuette for Best Cinematography.

Carrie opens (1976). If you've got a taste for terror, take Carrie to the prom. Director Brian DePalma turns Stephen King's Carrie into a big-screen smash with his masterful adaptation. As the telekinetic high-school outcast, Sissy Spacek gives a performance as heartbreaking as it is terrifying. Sissy's critically acclaimed portrayal earns her an Oscar nomination as Best Actress (a rare achievement for a performer in a horror movie) and transforms her into a bona fide leading lady. Piper Laurie, coaxed out of retirement by DePalma, also scores an Oscar nod for her unforgettable, over-the-top turn as Carrie's demented mom.

A Nightmare on Elm Street opens (1984). Director Wes Craven causes many filmgoers to suffer sleepless nights and creates an unstoppable horror franchise with his original A Nightmare on Elm Street. The story, about a group of sleepless teens stalked by a ghostly slasher, makes a genre legend out of villain Freddy Krueger as well as the actor who portrays him, longtime genre actor Robert Englund. The film also helps to launch the career of actor Johnny Depp, whose other genre credits include Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Ninth Gate (1999), The Astronaut's Wife (1999), and Sleepy Hollow (1999).

November 17

Sleepy Hollow opens (1999). Genre artiste Tim Burton puts his unique stamp on the classic Washington Irving tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with his dark, stylish feature, Sleepy Hollow, which opens to generally favorable reviews. Burton's game cast includes regular collaborator Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands, The Ninth Gate, The Astronaut's Wife) as Ichabod Crane, along with Christina Ricci (The Addams Family, Addams Family Values, Little Red Riding Hood), Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers, Wing Commander IV, The Omega Code), Miranda Richardson (a veteran of such made-for-TV films and miniseries as Fatherland, Merlin, Alice in Wonderland, and Snow White), and Christopher Walken (The Dead Zone, Brainstorm, Batman Returns, The Prophecy) in a chilling turn as the Headless Horseman himself.

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is born (1958). Stage and screen actor Mary Elizabeth played Lindsey Brigman, a scientist trapped on an underwater oil-drilling rig infiltrated by a strange, aquatic alien presence in James Cameron's high-tech adventure The Abyss (1989). Mary Elizabeth was born in Lombard, Illinois.

Danny DeVito is born (1944). Danny is known in the genre as the stout, grotesque villain The Penguin in the big-screen Batman Returns (1992). Danny also appeared in Mars Attacks! (1996, as Rude Gambler), Last Action Hero (1993, as the voice of Whiskers), and Twins (1988, as Vincent Benedict). Danny also served as a producer on the intellectual genre hit, Gattaca. Danny was born in Neptune, New Jersey.

November 18

Star Trek: Generations opens (1994). William Shatner's Captain Kirk and Patrick Stewart's Captain Picard meet at last in Star Trek: Generations. Kirk and Picard join forces to stop Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell, A Clockwork Orange, Time after Time, Lexx: Gigashadow), a murderous, intergalactic madman who threatens to slaughter billions of innocent people to serve his own selfish ends. The cast also features Star Trek: The Next Generation regulars Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burton, and Marina Sirtis.

Owen Wilson is born (1968). Wilson has starred in a number of genre projects, including the remake of The Haunting (1999), Armageddon (1998), and Anaconda (1997). Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas.

Margaret Atwood is born (1939). Considered foremost an author concerned with feminist issues, Atwood has used dystopian science fiction to illustrate how easily freedoms can be lost and how environmental catastrophes can upset social equilibrium. Her 1986 novel The Handmaid's Tale was adapted to the big screen in 1990. Her novel The Blind Assassin (2000), which contained a posthumously published SF novel-within-a-novel in its complex narrative of two sisters, earned the 2000 Booker Prize. Atwood was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

November 19

James Cole abducts Dr. Kathryn Railly (1996). In director Terry Gilliam's nightmarish instant classic, Twelve Monkeys (1995), reluctant time-traveler James Cole (Bruce Willis) abducts Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe) and orders her to drive them both to Philadelphia, where Cole believes the Army of the Twelve Monkeys is based.

Jodie Foster is born (1962). This two-time Oscar winner and Hollywood powerhouse played Dr. Eleanor Ann Arroway, the woman looking for proof of extraterrestrial life in Robert Zemeckis' 1997 adaptation of Carl Sagan's novel, Contact (1985). She also played FBI heroine Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (1991), the abused wife of a hypnotic John Lithgow in Mesmerized (1986), and, early on, a precocious murderess in The Little Girl who Lives Down the Lane (1976). Foster was born in Los Angeles, California.

Meg Ryan is born (1961). The ever effervescent Ryan has been romanced by an angel in City of Angels (1998) and body-swapped with an elderly man in Prelude to a Kiss (1992). She first met her real-life (and soon her ex-) husband Dennis Quaid when she starred opposite him in Innerspace (1987). Her other genre credits include I.Q. (1994), Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), and an early appearance in Amityville 3-D (1983). She lent her producing skills to the apocalyptic Winona Ryder vehicle, Lost Souls (2000). Ryan was born in Fairfield, Connecticut.

November 20

Sean Young is born (1959). Sean made a film noir, femme fatale splash as Rachael in Blade Runner (1982) before she played Chani in director David Lynch's Dune (1984). She also was slated to star as Vicki Vale in Batman before an on-set horseback riding accident forced her to relinquish the role to Kim Basinger. Sean also had a brief romantic liaison with actor James Woods (John Carpenter's Vampires, Videodrome) that ended badly, with Woods accusing her of stalking and harassing him. Sean later married actor Bob Lujan (Vampire's Kiss, 1989) and bore him two sons, Quinn and Rio. Sean was born in Louisville, Kentucky.

Bo Derek is born (1956). Bo, who achieved notoriety as a 1980s big-screen bombshell, flirted with the genre in such titles as Ghosts Can't Do It (1991), Tarzan, The Ape Man (1981), and Orca (1977). Bo was born in Long Beach, California.

Richard Masur is born (1948). Richard has starred on screens both large and small in a variety of genre projects, including Multiplicity (1996), the miniseries version of Stephen King's It (1990), The Believers (1987), My Science Project (1985), Nightmares (1983), and John Carpenter's remake of The Thing (1982, as sled-dog keeper Clark). Richard also appeared in an episode of Amazing Stories titled "The Amazing Falsworth." Richard was born in New York, New York.

November 21

Bill Bixby dies (1993). Bill, who starred as Dr. David Banner on television's popular The Incredible Hulk series, also produced and directed a number of made-for-television movies, including The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990) and The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989). He also appeared in two episodes of Night Gallery ("The Return of the Sorcerer" and "Last Rites for a Dead Druid") and in an installment of the original Twilight Zone ("The Thirty-Fathom Grave"). Bill was born on January 22, 1934, in San Francisco, California.

Westworld opens (1973). This clever sci-fi thriller sends Richard Benjamin (who starred as Adam Quark on the TV series Quark) and James Brolin (Capricorn One, The Amityville Horror) into an ultra-realistic futuristic playground fashioned after the Old West and populated with submissive robots. When the theme park's computerized system goes awry, the robots start to rebel and ultimately turn into murderous enemies. Yul Brynner (The Ultimate Warrior, Futureworld) also is featured (as an especially deadly robotic gunslinger) in this suspenseful feature written and directed by Michael Crichton, whose career was launched by his sci-fi thriller The Andromeda Strain (1971). Crichton goes on to pen novels that will be adapted into such silver-screen blockbusters as Jurassic Park (1993), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), and Sphere (1998), as well as original screenplays for such films as Looker (1981), Runaway (1984), and Twister (1996).

Goldie Hawn is born (1945). Oscar-winning American sweetheart Goldie played a woman so obsessed with eternal youth that she joins an army of the undead in Death Becomes Her (1992). Goldie also starred as a woman who suspects her seemingly ideal husband of murder in Deceived (1991). Goldie was born in Washington, D.C.

November 22

The Addams Family opens (1991). This eccentric comedy, based on Charles Addams' famed cartoon family (earlier translated to television in the memorable 1960s series), stars the ideally cast Anjelica Huston (The Witches, Ever After) and Raul Julia (Frankenstein Unbound) as Morticia and Gomez, the leaders of a ghoulish, darkly humorous suburban clan that includes Christina Ricci (Sleepy Hollow, Little Red Riding Hood), Christopher Lloyd (the Back to the Future trilogy, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension), and Carol Kane (Transylvania 6-5000, The Princess Bride). The Addams Family marks the directorial debut of Barry Sonnenfeld, the cinematographer behind Stephen King's Misery (1990) who would go on to helm Addams Family Values (1993), Men in Black (1997), and Wild Wild West (1999).

Back to the Future, Part II opens (1989). Robert Zemeckis's first Back to the Future sequel brings together Marty McFly and Doc Emmett Brown (stars Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd), as they punch the accelerator to 88 miles per hour and jump back in their time-tripping DeLorean. This time, Fox and Lloyd joined by rising star Elisabeth Shue. The box office for this clever sci-fi comedy is strong—which is fortunate, because director Zemeckis filmed the third installment in the series simultaneously with the second, to preserve the continuity of his complex time-travel narrative.

Jamie Lee Curtis is born (1958). Jamie Lee was catapulted to stardom by her starring role as Laurie Strode in John Carpenter's terrifying boogeyman flick, Halloween (1978), which ushered in a Renaissance of the horror genre and firmly established the "slasher" sub-genre. Jamie Lee's other numerous genre credits include The Fog (1980), Prom Night (1980), Terror Train (1980), Halloween II (1981), True Lies (1994), Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later (1998), and Virus (1999). Jamie Lee is the daughter of graceful leading lady Janet Leigh (Psycho, The Fog) and Hollywood legend Tony Curtis (Brainwaves, The Mummy Lives). Jamie Lee, whose nickname in the genre is "The Scream Queen," was born in Los Angeles, California.

November 23

I Was a Teenage Frankenstein opens (1957). "Body of a boy! Mind of a monster! Soul of an unearthly thing!" So proclaim the ads for I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, which followed up on the astounding success of the previously released I Was a Teenage Werewolf. This similarly youth-targeted genre quickie from American International Pictures stars Whit Bissell as a mad scientist who pieces together a monstrous adolescent who ultimately takes the form of heartthrob-of-the-day Gary Conway. This film does well enough at the box office to pave the way for Teenagers from Outer Space, Teenage Zombies, and a slew of other low-budget genre pictures that tap into the burgeoning youth market of the 1950s.

Cocoon: The Return opens (1988). A group of senior citizens reunite with a ship of eternally youthful aliens in this sequel to the 1985 hit, directed by Daniel Petrie (Resurrection), brings together Elaine Stritch and Cocoon alums Wilford Brimley (Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins . . .), Hume Cronyn (*batteries not included), Jack Gilford (Caveman), Maureen Stapleton (The Electric Grandmother), Jessica Tandy (*batteries not included, The Birds), Gwen Verdon, and Don Ameche (Harry and the Hendersons) in a reprise of his Oscar-winning role from the original film. The cast also includes an unknown newcomer named Courteney Cox, who later achieves superstardom on the television sitcom Friends before starring as tabloid news reporter Gale Weathers in Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), and Scream 3 (2000).

Boris Karloff is born (1887). Boris is one of the undying icons of the genre. His portrayal of Frankenstein's Monster molded the role for generations to come, and his visage can be seen in avatars as diverse as Herman Munster, various Halloween costumes, and the never-ending parade of Frankenstein remakes. And if that weren't enough for one career, Boris did the same thing for the role of the Mummy when he took his turn as Imhotep/Adrath Bey in 1932. Boris also was the voice of the narrator in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) and the host of television's Thriller. Boris was born William Henry Pratt in Camberwell, London, England.

November 24

Mystery Science Theater 3000 debuts (1988). Joel and the 'bots lampoon their first cheesy feature on Minneapolis TV station KTMA. The honored flick: Invaders from the Deep. The series goes on to become a long-lasting favorite, surviving syndication, network changes, and even an outright cancellation. The series eventually goes on to the big movie theater in the sky, but not before becoming a beloved icon of SF fans around the globe.

Forrest J Ackerman is born (1916). He's also known as "Forry," and he is the honorary First Fan of the genre. His collection of props and memorabilia is immense; he has worked within the genre as an editor, writer, and agent; and he is best known for editing the book Famous Monsters of Filmland.

Denise Michelle Crosby is born (1957). Denise is the granddaughter of famed singer Bing Crosby. She is best known in the role of Security Officer Lt. Tasha Yar on the series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Denise was born in Hollywood, California.

November 25

John Larroquette is born (1947). Early in his career, this multiple Emmy Award-winning actor provided the voice of the narrator in the grisly classic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). His subsequent genre credits include the miniseries The 10th Kingdom as well as television's Lost in Space Forever (1998), and supporting roles in such big-screen titles as Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), the remake of Cat People (1982), and Altered States (1980). John was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jeffrey Hunter is born (1926). Jeffrey played Captain Christopher Pike, the original commanding officer of the starship Enterprise, in Gene Roddenberry's rejected 1966 pilot episode of Star Trek, titled "The Cage." After the pilot was rejected, Jeffrey backed out of the series to pursue what he felt was a more promising film career. Three years later, he suffered a fatal accident when he fell down a flight of stairs. Nevertheless, Jeffrey's turn as Captain Christopher Pike is an integral piece of Star Trek lore, because the series' pilot footage was later recycled for a special two-part episode titled "The Menagerie." Jeffrey was born Henry Herman McKinnies, Jr., in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Ricardo Montalban is born (1920). The ever-suave Ricardo starred as Khan Noonien Singh in the popular "Space Seed" episode of the original Star Trek series, then reprised the role 15 years later for the Star Trek feature film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). Ricardo's other genre credits include the role of Mr. Roarke on the original Fantasy Island television series, playing Armando in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) and