SCIFIPEDIA:This Day in SCI FI/October 2006

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

Welcome to the Archive for October, 2006

You may need to purge the cache to see the changes you make here.
You may also see the archive for 2006 or the entire archive for This Day in SCI FI

October 1

Pilot Gorman dodges a UFO (1948). North Dakota Air National Guard George F. Gorman allegedly repeatedly evades an mysterious light that dogs his plane at 14,000 feet.

Night of the Living Dead premieres (1968). George A. Romero's seminal gore film terrorized its first audiences on this date. It goes on to spawn a number of sequels, including the infamous Dawn of the Dead.

Randy Quaid is born (1950). Randy, brother to Dennis, played Russell Casse, the heroic country boy turned alien fighter in Independence Day (1996). He also played The Monster in the 1993 television version of Frankenstein. His other genre credits include Martians Go Home (1990), Parents (1989), The Wraith (1986), Heartbeeps (1981), and the television miniseries The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (1999). Randy was born in Houston, Texas.

October 2

The Twilight Zone debuts (1959). The classic, unforgettable television series first aired on this date with the episode "Where Is Everybody?"

Sting is born (1951). Sting, known to many for his work as a solo recording artist and his years as the vocalist and bass player for The Police, has appeared in a handful of genre films: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988, as Heroic Officer), The Bride (1985, as Frankenstein), Dune (1984, as Feyd Rautha) and Brimstone and Treacle (1982, as Martin Taylor). Sting was born Gordon Matthew Sumner in Newcastle, England.

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet debuts (1950). The series that made an entire generation look to space, and which spawned a classic put-down, debuted on this date.

October 3

Terror Train opens (1980). The era's spate of teen-targeted slasher flicks continues when Terror Train opens. The story finds a crew of college students (who else?) holding a "killer" party aboard a moving train. By this time, the era's undisputed reigning scream queen is Jamie Lee Curtis, who stars here with Ben Johnson, Hart Bochner, and a mysterious masked madman with a really sharp knife.

Neve Campbell is born (1973). As beleagured scrapper Sindey Prescott, Neve made her voice heard in Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), and Scream 3 (1999). She also bewitched audiences with her turn in The Craft (1996, as Bonnie). Neve was born in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Roddy McDowall dies (1998). Roddy is one of the most beloved figures in the genre, both for his contributions and his widespread and well-earned reputation for being an honestly nice chap. His name is nigh-synonymous with the Planet of the Apes franchise, having starred in Planet of the Apes (1968, as Dr. Cornelius), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971, as Cornelius), Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973, as Caesar), and Back to the Planet of the Apes (1974, television, as Galen) and the television series Planet of the Apes (1974, as Galen). Roddy has also appeared in It (1967, as Arthur Pimm), The Legend of Hell House (1973, as Benjamin Franklin Fischer), Embryo (1976), The Black Hole (1979, as the voice of V.I.N.CENT), Return of the King (1980, television, as Samwise Gamgee), The Martian Chronicles (1980, miniseries, as Father Stone), Fright Night (1985, as Peter Vincent), Fright Night Part II (1989, as Peter Vincent) and A Bug's Life (1998, as Mr. Soil). Roddy was born Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall in Herne Hill, London, England.

October 4

Alicia Silverstone is born (1976). Alicia used her Clueless stardom to gain the coveted role of Barbara Wilson (a.k.a. Batgirl) in 1997's Batman and Robin. Her other credits include Blast from the Past (1999), The Babysitter (1995), Hideaway (1995), and The Crush (1993). Alicia was born in San Francisco, California.

Liev Schreiber is born (1967). Liev is known to genre fans as Cotton Weary, the falsely accused murderer turned talk-show host in Wes Craven's Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), and Scream 3 (2000). His other genre credits include the underwater thriller Sphere (1998) and the big-screen adaptation of Dean Koontz's Phantoms (1998). Liev was born in San Francisco, California.

Cape Canaveral picks up mysterious radio signals (1958). Workers at Cape Canaveral detect radio signals from something heading from Earth to the moon. The object accelerates and decelerates several times before inexplicably zooming away.

Sputnik I is launched (1957). The Soviet Union kicks off the Space Age big time and scares the bejeesus out of the United States when it launches this satellite into orbit.

October 5

Dr. Sam Beckett's last known leap date (1953). This date marks the last known jump point for Dr. Sam Beckett's Quantum Leaps through history.

Clive Barker is born (1952). Clive—writer, director, producer, and sometime actor—is the man behind Hellraiser (1987), Candyman (1992), Lord of Illusions (1995), Nightbreed (1990), and Rawhead Rex (1986), as well as a handful of successful sequels. He also took time out to act as executive producer on Gods and Monsters (1998). Clive was born in Liverpool, England.

Karen Allen is born (1951). Karen has starred in two undisputed genre classics. She played Marion Ravenwood, the heroine of the original Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and Jenny Hayden, the young widow who has a close encounter with alien Jeff Bridges in Starman (1984). Her other credits include Ghost in the Machine (1993), Scrooged (1988), and an episode of the updated Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled "The Creeper." Karen was born in Carrollton, Illinois.

October 6

Phantom of the Opera opens (1925). Lon Chaney, Sr., the "Man of a Thousand Faces," adds number one thousand and one with his sympathetic portrayal of the tortured, disfigured titular soul in this silent classic.

Elisabeth Shue is born (1963). Oscar nominee Elisabeth portrayed Jennifer Parker, the heroine of both the second and third installments of the Back to the Future trilogy. Her other big-screen credits include Hollow Man (2000), The Trigger Effect (1996), Heart and Souls (1993), and Link (1986). She also was featured in a 1989 episode of Quantum Leap. Elisabeth was born in Wilmington, Delaware.

Tod Browning dies (1962). Genre favorite Tod directed two undisputed genre classics: the masterful 1931 version of Dracula and the still-frightening Freaks (1932). Other titles on his résumé include The Devil-Doll (1936), Mark of the Vampire (1935), and London After Midnight (1927). Tod was born in 1882 in Louisville, Kentucky.

October 7

Edgar Allan Poe dies (1849). Poe, America's darkest literary genius, was the man behind titles like "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Oblong Box," "The Tomb of Ligeia," "The Masque of the Red Death," "The Raven," "The Pit and the Pendulum," "House of Usher," "The Black Cat," "Murders in the Rue Morgue"—all of which have continued to inspire filmmakers around the world, most notably genre legend Roger Corman, who cast such actors as Vincent Price and Boris Karloff in his series of Poe adaptations during the 1960s. Poe was born in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Peggy Sue Got Married opens (1986). Francis Ford Coppola directs Kathleen Turner and Nicolas Cage in a time-slip tale that manages to be both heartwarming and funny. Peggy Sue faints at her 25-year high-school reunion, waking up back in high school, with a chance to redirect the course of her life.

Alien Nation opens (1988). James Caan stars as a bigoted police detective who is unwillingly partnered with alien Sam Francisco, played by Mandy Patinkin, in the story of a load of aliens—known as Newcomers—former slaves, who have become citizens of Earth. But, hidden among the refugees, some of the former slave-owners plot to regain the power they have lost.

October 8

Apt Pupil opens (1998). This big-screen Stephen King adaptation, directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects), casts Ian McKellan as an ex-Nazi military leader whose true identity is uncovered by a teenage boy obsessed with the ugly truth behind the Holocaust. McKellan earns excellent reviews for his creepy performance, but he gets his Oscar nomination for the same season's Gods and Monsters, in which he plays tormented Frankenstein director James Whale.

Sigourney Weaver is born (1949). She was an object of desire in Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989), but those films did nothing to dilute her image as the toughest sci-fi dame in history, which she earned with her turn as Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's Alien (1979) and James Cameron's sequel, Aliens (1986). Her protrayal of Ripley continued in Alien3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997), and helped break down gender stereotypes throughout the genre.

David Carradine is born (1936). David was a driven hero in Deathrace 2000 and starred in the television series Kung Fu as a grasshopper with a past.

October 9

Scott Bakula is born (1954). Scott is a huge genre celebrity for his portrayal of the quietly noble Dr. Sam Beckett of television's Quantum Leap. He has also appeared in Netforce (1999, miniseries, as Alex Michaels), The Invaders (1995, miniseries, as Nolan Wood) and Lord of Illusions (1995, as Harry D'Amour). Scott was born in St. Louis, Missouri.

Frank Mancuso, Jr., is born (1958). Frank's was the creative hand behind two high-quality genre television efforts—the long-running Friday the 13th: The Series (1987) and War of the Worlds (1988). He has also produced feature films, such as Stigmata (1999), Species II (1998), Species (1995), Cool World (1992), Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988), April Fool's Day (1986), Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), Friday the 13th Part 3: 3D (1982), and Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981). Frank was born in Buffalo, New York.

Michael Paré is born (1959). Michael has been in quite a few genre flicks. He played an unwitting time traveler in The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), a werewolf in Bad Moon (1996), and the presumed parent of an alien child in the remake of Village of the Damned (1996). He has also been featured in such titles as Space Fury (2000), the made-for-television Carver's Gate (1995), Lunarcop (1994), Moon 44 (1990), and Space Rage (1985). Michael was born in Brooklyn, New York.

October 10

Jessica Harper is born (1949). Jessica played Janet Majors in Shock Treatment, the 1981 sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She's also been featured in Dario Argento's Suspiria (1977), Brian DePalma's Phantom of the Paradise (1974), and the creepy The Evictors (1979). Jessica was born in Chicago, Illinois.

Peter Coyote is born (1941). Peter has been featured in a number of genre projects, including Sphere (1998), Endangered Species (1982), Timerider (1982), and Spielberg's E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial (1982). He also starred in a 1986 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "Shadow Play." Peter was born in Colver, Pennsylvania.

Edward Wood, Jr. is born (1924). Ed's work as a writer/director is among the quirkiest and unintentionally campiest in the genre. Ed was a man of many monikers, and is sometimes credited as Jonny Carpenter, Daniel Davis, Edward Davis, Don Miller, Akdon Telmig, or Akdov Telmig. His roster of credits includes (in varying combinations of writer, producer and/or director) Devil Girls (1999, novel), Necromania (1971), Orgy of the Dead (1965), Night of the Ghouls (1959), The Bride and the Beast (1958), Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958), The Night the Banshee Cried (1957), and Bride of the Monster (1956). Ed was born in Poughkeepsie, New York.

October 11

Richard Denning dies (1998). A leading man in the 1950s, Denning played Mark Williams in Universal's classic Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). He also lent his heroic presence to a number of that era's most beloved low-budget genre titles, including The Black Scorpion (1957), Roger Corman's The Day the World Ended (1956), Creature with the Atom Brain (1955), and Target Earth (1954). Later on, he played opposite Vincent Price in Nathaniel Hawthorne's Twice-Told Tales (1963). Denning was born in 1914 in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Joan Cusack is born (1962). Cusack gave voice to Jessie the Cowgirl in Toy Story 2 (1999) and portrayed diverse characters in such films as Addams Family Values (1993, as Debbie Jellinsky), Toys (1992, as Alsatia Zevo), and The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez (1991, as Cathy). Cusack was born in Evanston, Illinois.

October 12

Celia Lovsky dies (1979). As the unforgettable matriarch ruler and wise-woman T'Pau, every phrase she spoke in her sonorous, grave accent laid the foundation of the inscrutable Vulcan civilization. She appeared in only one Star Trek episode ("Amok Time"), and spoke few words ("Art thou human, or art thou Vulcan?"), but made an invaluable contribution to Roddenberry's world. Lovsky also appeared in Soylent Green (1973, as Exchange Leader) and The Power (1968, as Mrs. Hallson). In addition, she appeared on The Twilight Zone (1959, episode "Queen of the Nile," in a dual role as both Mrs. Draper and Viola). Lovsky was born Caecilie Lvovsky in Vienna, Austria.

Deborah Foreman is born (1962). Valley Girl star Foreman was one of the reigning genre queens of the 1980s. Among her most popular jobs was playing the dual role of Muffy and Buffy in the amusing mock slasher flick, April Fool's Day (1986). Other titles on her résumé include Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989), Lobster Man from Mars (1989), Waxwork (1988), and Real Genius (1985). Foreman was born in Montebello, California.

October 13

Strange Days opens (1995). Kathryn Bigelow (Near Dark) directed this futuristic thriller. Set on New Year's Eve, 1999, the plot involves an ex-cop who gets himself into deep trouble by peddling secret data-discs that hold the memories and emotions of previous users. This visually dazzling feature, based on a screenplay by James Cameron, features a first-rate cast that includes Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, and Juliette Lewis.

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers opens (1989). Masked madman Michael Myers returns yet again, this time to continue his search for his long-lost niece who is holed up in a children's hospital. Thankfully, Donald Pleasence (as Dr. Sam Loomis) returns to do battle with the indestructible Haddonfield slasher in this sequel.

Chris Carter is born (1956). Carter—as a creator, writer, director and executive producer—is synonymous with his series, The X-Files (1993), the slick fin-de-siecle show that deftly weaves the warp of the unexplained with the weft of conspiracy. His breakout series infused the genre with new life and marketing credibility, and was inspired by the 1970s cult favorite, Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Carter's other efforts (besides the X-Files film, of course) include the series Millennium (1996) and Harsh Realm (1999). Carter was born in Bellflower, California.

Fox Mulder is born (1961). Fox "Spooky" Mulder left the womb and began his journey into the unknown on this day, with the FBI and flukemen just over the horizon. Is it just a coincidence that Fox has the same birthday as X-Files creator Chris Carter? Or is it a sign of some unknown conspiracy? Only the Cigarette-Smoking Man knows for certain . . .

October 14

Day of the Dead opens (1985). Director George A. Romero delivers the long-awaited sequel to the classic horror films Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. In a future where the walking dead outnumber the living by as many as 400,000 to 1, a group of scientists engage in outlandish experiments on unwilling soldiers in a quest to find a way of reversing the transformation that animates the dead. But when the military leaders realize what the scientists are doing to their own troops, the last surviving humans turn against each other at the same moment the zombies penetrate humanity's last stronghold. The cast includes Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, and Joseph Pilato.

Starship Invasions opens (1977). Robert Vaughn and Christopher Lee star in this low-budget UFO flick in which friendly aliens battle evil ones—with Earth as the battlefield. Despite its X-Files-like pretensions, the movie is, needless to say, overshadowed by the same year's SF blockbusters Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Udo Kier is born (1944). Udo is a true veteran of the industry, having appeared in more than 130 films (many of them produced in Germany) since 1966. His extensive genre credits include featured roles in Andy Warhol's Frankenstein (1974, as Baron Frankenstein), Andy Warhol's Dracula (1974, as Count Dracula), Dario Argento's Suspiria (1977, as Professor Frank Mandel), Doctor Jekyll and His Women (1981, as Dr. Jekyll), Johnny Mnemonic (1995, as Ralfi), Barb Wire (1996, as Curly), The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996, as Lorenzini), Prince Valiant (Germany, 1997, as Sligon), Armageddon (1998, as Psychologist), Blade (1998, as Dragonetti), Modern Vampires (1998, as Vincent), End of Days (1999, as Head Priest), Shadow of the Vampire (2000), and BloodRayne (2005). Udo was born in Cologne, Germany.

October 15

The Evil Dead opens (1982). Sam Raimi redefines the contemporary horror movie with this outrageous, gory, high-energy feature. The story follows a group of young people who visit a remote cabin in the woods, where they find (and unfortunately open) The Book of the Dead. Needless to say, they go on to suffer a variety of grisly fates. The movie is a hit with genre audiences and begets two Raimi-directed follow-ups: Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness.

Tanya Roberts is born (1954). Tanya, one of television's Charlie's Angels, played the title role in 1984's Sheena and has starred in a number of other genre projects, including Tourist Trap (1979), The Beastmaster (1982), and the high-tech James Bond thriller, A View to a Kill (1985). Tanya was born in The Bronx, New York.

Mark Lenard is born (1924). Mark is best known as Vulcan ambassador Sarek, the inscrutable father of Leonard Nimoy's legendary alter-ego, Spock. Mark's portrayal of the reserved, graceful Sarek began on the original Star Trek series (1966). (He also guest-starred as the Romulan Commander in the first-season episode "Balance of Terror.") His portrayal of Sarek continued in the franchise's big-screen adventures, Star Trek: The Search for Spock (1984), Star Trek: The Voyage Home (1986), and Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (1991), and also in episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation (episodes "Sarek" and "Unification, Part 1"). He also appeared in Back to the Planet of the Apes (1974, television, as Urko), Planet of the Apes (1974, series, as Urko), and Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979, as Klingon Captain). Mark was born in Chicago, Illinois, and died November 22, 1996.

October 16

Smallville, a prequel to the classic Superman tale, debuts in 2001 with Clark Kent as a teenager, just learning who he is and what he can do. The story follows Clark learning how to deal with his new secret while balancing the usual woes of a teenager's life.

Practical Magic opens (1998). Mega-stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman share top billing in this tale of two cursed sisters who join forces to overcome a legacy of witchcraft. This strange brew, based on a story by Alice Hoffman, is concocted by director Griffin Dunne, the actor who played David Naughton's doomed pal in An American Werewolf in London.

Bride of Chucky opens (1998). With the tagline "Chucky gets lucky," Jennifer Tilly joins the franchise as the demonic doll's main squeeze. This latest sequel in the Chucky series does fairly well at the box office, ensuring that this franchise will continue to be as unkillable as Chucky himself.

Angela Lansbury is born (1925). Television's famous Jessica Fletcher (of Murder, She Wrote) played the granny in The Company of Wolves (1984), Neil Jordan's surreal retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale. She also lent her voice to the roles of Mrs. Potts in Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Mommy Fortuna in The Last Unicorn (1982). Her earlier big-screen credits include Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) and her Oscar-nominated turn in the classic The Manchurian Candidate (1962). Angela was born in London, England.

October 17

I Know What You Did Last Summer opens (1997). The teen slasher movie revival hits a peak with I Know What You Did Last Summer, a derivative thriller about a man with a hook hand. Despite the familiarity of the plot, the movie rakes in the dough at the box office, thanks primarily to a young, attractive cast led by teen idols Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze, Jr.

Space: 1999 premieres in Britain (1975). Barbara Bain and Martin Landau star in this inventive British series, which crosses the Atlantic to take up residence on UK television screens.

Margot Kidder is born (1948). Kidder was the very portrait of determination as feisty reporter Lois Lane in Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman 3 (1983), and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. She was haunted out of house and home when she played Kathy Lutz in The Amityville Horror (1979). Kidder's other genre credits include The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975), Black Christmas (1974), and Brian DePalma's Sisters (1973), in which she played homicidal Siamese twins. Her television appearances include a 1992 episode of Tales from the Crypt titled "Curiosity Kills." Kidder was born in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada.

October 18

Burnt Offerings opens (1976). Oliver Reed, Karen Black, and Bette Davis star in this horror flick about an evil summer house with a mind of its own. The director is Dan Curtis, the man behind Black's classic 1975 made-for-television thriller, Trilogy of Terror, and the 1990 TV revival of Dark Shadows.

Pam Dawber is born (1951). Pam will forever be remembered as Mindy, Robin Williams' earthbound sidekick on Mork and Mindy. Pam's other credits include the made-for-television Don't Look Behind You (1999) and the big-screen fantasy-adventure Stay Tuned (1992). Pam was born in Detroit, Michigan.

George C. Scott is born (1927). Oscar-winner George, who worked steadily on stage and screen throughout his career, starred in such genre titles as Exorcist III (1990), Firestarter (1984), The Changeling (1980), The Day of the Dolphin (1973), and Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove (1964). George's television credits include Murders in the Rue Morgue (1986) and a 1976 TV-movie version of Beauty and the Beast. George, who died in 1999, was born in Wise, Virginia.

October 19

John Lithgow is born (1945). Lithgow, star of television's sci-fi sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, has been featured in a wide variety of genre projects, including Harry and the Hendersons (1987), The Manhattan Project (1986), 2010 (1984), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), and three films directed by Brian DePalma: Raising Cain (1992), BlowOut (1981), and Obsession (1976). He also was featured in a 1995 episode of Tales from the Crypt titled "You, Murderer." Lithgow was born in Rochester, New York.

Arthur C. Clarke writes Nobel-ly (1945). Today in 1945, Clarke contributes a nonfiction article to Wireless World magazine regarding a design for extraterrestrial relay stations. Cut to 50 years later: This article earns him a Nobel Prize nomination, after satellite communications become inextricably entwined with modern life.

Tor Johnson is born (1903). Rotund, bald-headed Johnson, a favorite of director Ed Wood, was a menacing presence in a slew of grade-Z horror flicks, including The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961), Night of the Ghouls (1959), Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958), The Unearthly (1957), and Bride of the Monster (1956). Johnson, who died in 1971, was born in Sweden.

October 20

Village of the Giants opens (1965). Village of the Giants, based on a story by H. G. Wells is a comic horror flick casts young Ron Howard as a genius teenager who invents a substance that turns a small town's teen population (including co-stars Beau Bridges and Mousketeer Tommy Kirk) into towering hellions who turn against the adult population. The director is Bert I. Gordon, the man who played with scale on a variety of genre projects, including Attack of the Puppet People and The Amazing Colossal Man.

The Old Dark House opens (1932). A creepy old mansion in Wales, a stormy night, and a gathering of very bizarre characters — including Boris Karloff, Charles Laughton, Melvyn Douglas, Raymond Massey, and Gloria Stuart (Titanic, 1997) — set the tone for this stylish, tongue-in-cheek thriller directed by James Whale (of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein fame).

Bela Lugosi is born (1882). Bela is forever remembered as Dracula, a character he helped define for the moviegoing public, but he also starred in The Black Cat, The Wolf Man, and Murders in the Rue Morgue, as well as the camp classics Plan 9 From Outer Space (1958), Bride of the Monster (1956) and Glen or Glenda (1953). He also helped lampoon the genre in the comedy classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). Bela was sometimes credited as Arisztid Olt. Bela was born Be'la Ferenc Dezso Blasko in Lugos, Austria-Hungary (now Romania).

October 21

Lair of the White Worm opens (1988). In this outrageous adaptation of a novel by Bram Stoker, a Scottish archeologist digging near an ancient estate unearths a huge skull that brings with it a rash of grisly events—including an outbreak of vampirism linked to a cult of worm-worshippers. This loopy horror yarn is infused with sexy, campy splendor by stylish British director Ken Russell (Tommy, The Devils).

The Dead Zone opens (1983). This white-knuckle adaptation of the Stephen King novel, about a man with paranormal abilities who tries to stop the meteoric rise of a deranged and very dangerous politician, opens on this day in 1983. The movie, which features an excellent cast led by Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, and Martin Sheen, is directed by Canadian genre master David Cronenberg, whose other credits include eXistenZ (1999), The Fly (1986), Videodrome (1983), and Scanners (1981).

Ursula K. Le Guin is born (1929). Le Guin is one of the most gifted authors ever to work in any genre, matching her talent for ideas with an excellence in prose, and balancing innovative explorations of futuristic technology with examinations of anthropological desmenes. Her most famous works are The Left Hand of Darkness, The Leviathan, and The Lathe of Heaven, which in 1980 was adapted into a classic TV movie. Le Guin was born in Berkeley, California.

October 22

Halloween 3: Season of the Witch opens (1983). This third entry in the Halloween franchise has absolutely nothing to do with bogeyman Michael Myers, but it does involve holiday masks and murderous mayhem. The story is about a demented mask manufacturer who markets costumes secretly designed to kill their young wearers on Halloween night. This oddball feature fails to capture the imagination of genre audiences. Needless to say, Michael Myers was called out of retirement and given back his knife for Halloween 4.

Jeff Goldblum is born (1952). The SF buzz about Goldblum probably began with his portrayal of the title character in The Fly (1986). He also appeared in The Race for the Double Helix (1987, television, as Jim Watson), Vibes (1988, as Nick Deezy), Earth Girls Are Easy (1989, as Mac), Jurassic Park (1993, as Dr. Ian Malcolm), Powder (1995, as Donald Ripley), Independence Day (1996, as David Levinson), and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997, as Dr. Ian Malcolm). Goldblum was born Jeff Lynn Goldblum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Christopher Lloyd is born (1938). Lloyd is the likely inheritor to Lon Chaney Sr.'s moniker, "The Man of a Thousand Faces." Lloyd is probably best known as Doctor Emmett "Doc" Brown from the Back to the Future trilogy, but his is a rich and varied genre career. His other appearances include Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984, as Klingon Captain Kruge), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension (1984, as John Bigboote), Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988, as Judge Doom), The Addams Family (1991, as Uncle Fester Addams), Addams Family Values (1993, as Uncle Fester Addams), The Pagemaster (1994, as Mr. Dewey and The Pagemaster), My Favorite Martian (1999, as Uncle Martin), and It Came from the Sky (1999, television, as Jarvis Moody). Lloyd was born in Stamford, Connecticut.

October 23

Prince of Darkness opens (1987). This effectively creepy (but often incomprehensible) horror flick concerns a group of academics who set up shop in an old church, where they find themselves battling demonic forces determined to end the world as we know it. The movie reunites director John Carpenter with his Halloween star, Donald Pleasance, and casts rocker Alice Cooper as an ominous homeless man tied to an apocalyptic conspiracy.

Sam Raimi is born (1959). Raimi is the evil genius behind The Evil Dead and the Darkman films. He also has taken broad liberties with the annals of ancient history with his campy television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. Raimi was born in Franklin, Michigan.

Philip Kaufman is born (1936). Kaufman is the director behind two very different but equally intelligent genre projects—1983's acclaimed The Right Stuff and 1978's highly regarded remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. He also wrote the original story upon which Spielberg's 1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark is based. Kaufman was born in Chicago, Illinois.

October 24

Gattaca opens (1997). This stylish feature, about a not-so-distant future in which genetic engineering has led to the formation of a master class, was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, who also scripted The Truman Show. Rhe film stars Ethan Hawke along with Uma Thurman (Batman and Robin) and Jude Law (eXistenZ). Soon after the movie is released, Hawke and Thurman eventually wed, started a family, and subsequently divorced.

Raul Julia dies (1994). Raul, star of stage and screen, could play both menacing and suave—and often portrayed both simultaneously. He was especially memorable (and convincingly eccentric) as Gomez in the feature-film version of The Addams Family (1991) and its sequel, Addams Family Values (1993). Raul's other genre credits include The Plague (1992), Roger Corman's Frankenstein Unbound (1990), and The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978). Raul was born in 1940 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Gene Roddenberry dies (1991). Star Trek creator Gene worked on the 1966 original series and its successor, Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), and acted as an executive consultant on several of the big-screen Star Trek projects. His other television projects include Planet Earth (1974), Genesis II (1973), Earth: Final Conflict (1997), and Andromeda (2000). Gene was born in 1921 in El Paso, Texas.

October 25

Forrest Tucker dies (1986). Before he gained pop stardom on television's F-Troop, Forrest was a genre hero in such memorable titles as The Crawling Eye (1958), Cosmic Monsters (1958), and The Abominable Snowman (1957). His extensive television credits include the 1987 sci-fi feature Timestalkers, as well as a 1971 episode of Night Gallery titled "Dr. Stringfellow's Rejuvenator." Forrest was born in 1919 in Plainfield, Indiana.

Halloween opens (1978). The "slasher" movie comes of age when Halloween, a low-budget, independently produced thriller from an unknown director named John Carpenter, opens. The plot is simple: A deranged killer dons a creepy Halloween mask and returns to his hometown wielding a huge kitchen knife and a nasty childhood grudge. The movie earns strong reviews, introduces audiences to Jamie Lee Curtis, spawns a slew of sequels, and inspires a decade's worth of similarly low-budget horror flicks focusing on weapon-wielding maniacs.

Gale Anne Hurd is born (1955). Gale Anne is one of the most successful film producers of the modern age. She started out as an assistant to Roger Corman and worked her way up to a position of leadership in the industry. She has produced some of the biggest sci-fi blockbuster films of the genre: Armageddon (1998), The Relic (1997), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), The Abyss (1989), Alien Nation (1988), Aliens (1986), and the SF-action classic The Terminator (1984).

October 26

The Terminator opens (1984). He came, he saw, he pursued relentlessly: After much ordnance and anguish, The T-101 Terminator is defeated—but he'll be back. . . . This intense sci-fi action film by writer-director James Cameron launches Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger into the ranks of superstardom and eventually spawns two sequels, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

Bob Hoskins is born (1942). Tough guy and Oscar nominee Hoskins played Eddie Valiant, the private detective hot on the trail of a cartoon killer in Robert Zemeckis' comic fantasy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). He also played roles in Michael (1996), Super Mario Bros. (1993), and Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985). Hoskins was born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England.

Don Siegel is born (1912). Respected director Don was the man behind Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), the classic adaptation of Jack Finney's chilling novel about pods from outer space that take over the inhabitants of a small California town. Siegel's other directing credits include The Beguiled (1971), Telefon (1977), and the made-for-television The Hanged Man (1964). Siegel, who died in 1991, was born in Chicago, Illinois.

October 27

Samantha Mulder is abducted (1973). Samantha, younger sister of future F.B.I. special agent Fox Mulder, was abducted by aliens, spurring her brother on his quest for the truth on The X-Files.

Peter Firth is born (1953). British actor Peter, who made an early splash as the disturbed youth (on stage and screen) in Equus, went on to play roles in such genre fare as Mighty Joe Young (1998), Lifeforce (1985), and the television series Total Recall 2070 and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (episode "Istanbul, September 1918.") Peter was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England.

Ivan Reitman is born (1946). Ivan is the director who helmed Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989). He also acted as producer on Space Jam (1996), Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983), and two early titles by David Cronenberg: Rabid (1977) and Shivers (1975). Ivan was born in Czechoslovakia.

October 28

Julia Roberts is born (1967). Mega-star Julia's contributions to the genre include her titular role in the Jekyll-and-Hyde adaptation Mary Reilly (1996), and in Spielberg's Hook (1991), in which she played Tinkerbell. Her other genre projects include Conspiracy Theory (1997) and Flatliners (1990). Julia was born in Smyrna, Georgia.

Daphne Zuniga is born (1962). Television regular Daphne made an early appearance in the low-budget thriller The Dorm that Dripped Blood (1981), then graduated to The Fly II (1989) and the role of Princess Vespa in Mel Brooks's Spaceballs (1987). She also starred in a 1999 episode of The Outer Limits titled "Essence of Life." Daphne was born in Berkeley, California.

Michael Crichton is born (1942). Michael is one of the most prolific swriters, directors, and producers in any genre. He has penned several novels that have been adapted into blockbuster films. His adapted novels and original screenplay credits include The Andromeda Strain (1971, novel), Westworld (1973), The Terminal Man (1974, novel),