Yank Science Fiction Series

[Shroud 19]

A further 25 as a selection of those with some sci-fi connections for 2016.

 

1. Barbara Bain (85), Space:1999
2. Mary Carlisle (102), Dead Men Walk (1943).
3. Lupita Tovar (106), Spanish-language 1931 version of Dracula.
4. Patricia Laffan (97), Devil Girl from Mars (1954).
5. Arlene Dahl (91),Journey to the Center of the earth (1959).
6. Barbra Steele(79) Black Sunday (1960), many more.
7. John Saxon (80), The Night Caller (1965), Queen of Blood (1966), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), the Nightmare on Elm Street films.
8. Katherine Ross (76), The Steppord Wives (1975), The Swarm (1978).
9. Gary Lockwood (79), 2001: A Space Odyssey 91968).
10. JIll St. John (76), The Lost World (1960), Batman (TV), Diamonds are Forever (1971).
11. Adrian Booth (formerly Lorna Gray) (98 according to most sources), The Man They Could Not Hang (1939), Captain America (serial) (1944).
12. Max von Sydow (87), The Exorcist (1973).
13. Gene Wilder (86) Willy Wonka.....(1971), Young Frankenstein (1974).
14. Ricco Browning (85) Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) underwater sequences and its sequels.
15. Patrick Stewart (74) Captain Piccard.
16. Barbara Feldon (86) Get Smart.
17. Marsha Hunt (99), Back From the Dead (1956)
18. Ron Ely (79) Tarzan (1960's TV); Doc Savage (1975).
19. Lyle Waggoner (80), co-star Lynda Carter Wonder Woman
20. Henry Silva (88), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; 1980 FLash Gordon
21. George Dzunda (70) Salem's Lot (1979).
22. Bradford Dillman (86), Moon of the Wolf (1972), Bug (1975), Piranha (1978), etc.
23. Donald Sutherland (80 or 82 according to the source,) The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978),The Puppet Masters (1994), Salem's Lot (2004).
24. Steve Ditko (*89), comics legend, co-creator of Spider-Man, many, many others.
25. Keir Dullea (80) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

[Shroud 19]

Hope most will find this second run of mostly US sci-fi performers of-interest. Realize that some like Dillman are a stretch to get a UK obituary, but wanted to include a few like him, and Ely who are aging rather rapidly, it seems, as is Waggoner who looks quite elderly the last time I saw him. Wonder Woman was rotated its first season with The Bionic Woman due to a severe auto accident Lindsy Wagner suffered. Waggoner portrayed his own son when Wonder Woman was moved from the war years of its original setting into the (then)-present of the 1970's.

 

George Dzunda may be a stretch to get a UK obituary, but he has been a prolific actor and voice actor for such animated series as Batman-the Animated Series. He has been badly overweight for most of his life, and most likely has diabetes and other related health-issues.

 

Patrick Stewart had heart surgery a decade or so ago if I recall rightly; he is showing his age rather badly in those wine commercials as well I have noted of-late.

 

Gene Wilder battled non-Hodgkin's blood cancer some years ago, and underwent a stem cell transplant which seemed to cure it in the early 2000's. He is looking frail now, though.

 

I thought Booth should be included somewhere as she is one of the last actresses who co-starred with Karloff while he was in his prime.

 

Carlisie is also one of the last living people who appeared in a silent film.

 

Hunt is a stretch to include, but Back from the Dead did feature genre veteran Arthur Franz 91920 - 2007). She is also one of the very last surviving actors who were blacklisted during the infamous communist witch-hunts in Hollywood during the 1950's.

 

The others I picked more or less at my own discretion who i feel have some importance to them although many are much better-known for other films in various genres.

 

On Sutherland, well, I would advise everyone to skip that mid-2000's remake of Salem's Lot which had great effects, but a terrible script, and not-so-great acting. A case of better-left-alone there, I believe, despite the 1979 version's shortcomings.

[Shroud 19]

I have been intending to post this item about 1980's male model and actor Jon-Erik Hexum (1957 - 1984) who starred in the reasonably well-done sci-fi series Voyagers! from 1982 to 1983 as Phineas Bogg, a time traveler who went on various adventures throughout history. This series was placed for some bizarre reason against the news program 60 Minutes where it had no chance, and was pulled after one relatively-brief season.

 

After some other TV films and such, Hexum became one of the stars of Cover Up in 1984, an adventure-espionage affair in which various team members were sent around the world on covert missions involving disguises and the like. This might be better listed under Ironic Deaths although it seems more one which was the result of simply being (very) uninformed. A scene involving a .44 Magnum handgun loaded with blank cartridges hadn't gone as the director wished, and Hexum reportedly became bored while awaiting for it to be re-done. He seems to have been playing Russian Roulette according to some more recent accounts. In any case, Hexum had left one blank cartridge in the pistol, which are wads of paper or plastic with the gunpowder within. Hexum placed the gun against his right temple and pulled the trigger resulting in a portion of his skull being shattered about the size of a U S quarter coin, which sent fragments of bone throughout his brain. Hexum lived on life-support for six days, then was allowed to pass after brain death was declared. His organs were donated to several people, so the man apparently was a decent sort if not a terribly bright one.

 

I know that the UK has stringent gun control laws, and so I am guessing the majority of people don't know much about firearms in-general (the subject being a very controversial one on this side of the Atlantic presently). One never wants to put any gun against your body, let alone the weakest area of the skull and pull the trigger - even if the "bullet" is a "blank" as the force of the blast is pretty well the same as 'the real thing" would be. This was a shame although many have since remarked about the man's stupidity over the years. I dimly recall the short run of the series myself into which Hexum's death was written; it wasn't one of Glan A Larson's very best ( he could produce good-quality series at times, although most of his efforts in the sci-fi field like original Battlestar Galactica had serious problems), and seemed unable to overcome this tragedy. Hopefully an object lesson if nothing else.

[Shroud 19]

I note where actor Angus Scrimm died at 86 a day or two ago - suppose there's a 50-50 chance anyway of his receiving a UK obituary. I understand a final Phantasm film is in post-production presumably for straight-to-video release. Scrimmm stoood 6 feet, four inches tall, and was reported to have worn elevator shoes to make him appear larger. He was apparently an alien from some world with a red sun to judge from a scene in the original film, so these films could be considered sci-fi.

[The Mad Hatter 1,092]

I note where actor Angus Scrimm died at 86 a day or two ago - suppose there's a 50-50 chance anyway of his receiving a UK obituary. I understand a final Phantasm film is in post-production presumably for straight-to-video release. Scrimmm stoood 6 feet, four inches tall, and was reported to have worn elevator shoes to make him appear larger. He was apparently an alien from some world with a red sun to judge from a scene in the original film, so these films could be considered sci-fi.

He'll definitely obit,phantasm is a cult flim and his tall man character is a well known horror icon and to top this all off he is a British actor. So yes I think he'll obit.

[Sir Creep 7,070]

 

I note where actor Angus Scrimm died at 86 a day or two ago - suppose there's a 50-50 chance anyway of his receiving a UK obituary. I understand a final Phantasm film is in post-production presumably for straight-to-video release. Scrimmm stoood 6 feet, four inches tall, and was reported to have worn elevator shoes to make him appear larger. He was apparently an alien from some world with a red sun to judge from a scene in the original film, so these films could be considered sci-fi.

He'll definitely obit,phantasm is a cult flim and his tall man character is a well known horror icon and to top this all off he is a British actor. So yes I think he'll obit.

 

Wow ye of little faith. I keep hearing doubts as to the UK providing an obit for so many folks, when truth be told it cant be but maybe 20% of the iffy ones that fail.

​Angus Scrimm is guaranteed to obit. Why on earth wouldn't he? There is certainly some question as to someone with the initials A.S. getting an obit in the coming days, but Scrimm isn't that person. Andrew Smith is.

​SC

[Shroud 19]

Pleased to know Scrimm will receive his due across the pond! He did a TV commercial many years ago for Fangoria magazine when that was unusual, at least here in the States.

 

On lesser-known folks passing, Jason Wingreen from December is still having death-notices appear here and there - various people's passings do seem to appear at differing paces in the States and over in the UK, which might not be a bad thing to keep in mind, really.

 

Given the recent passing of Geo. Clayton Johnson, I checked out the film version of Logan's Run (1976) again; Jenny Agutter was certainly a damned fine looking woman throughout the 1970's and into the 1980's, I have to admit. She is showing her age now from appearance sin the Marvel Universe' films as a member of the secret World Councilfor S.H.I.E.L.D., then again, it's been forty years, now.

[Shroud 19]

As most have probably heard, charactor actor Richard Libertini died recently @ 82. He had several sci-fi horror TV credits like The Bionic Woman and Supernatural. He also appeared in one of the better installments of 1980's Twilight Zone, "A Saucer of Lonliness" from the Theodore Sturgeon tale. This remake of Zone was often lackluster, yet still superior to later attempts to revive the program. Shows like that rarely work wihtout their creators, after all.

[Shroud 19]

I have noticed some suggestions of director Bert I. Gordon (aka Mr. B.I.G.) (94) here and there. The old boy still is semi-active, apparently, hard as they may seem to eblieve at his age. Joan Collins has stated that the 1977 Empire of the Ants (allegedly based on the Wells story) is her least-favorite film, although it has taken on cult-status now.

[Shroud 19]

In mentioning the 1980's version of Twilight Zone, I think two who have been discussed a good deal here were connected, weren't they? Harlan Ellison and George R R Martin?

[Shroud 19]

On Angus Scrimm, Morbidkid says he was a British actor. All the data I have been able to find on the fellow says he was American, born Lawrence Rory Guy in Kansas City, Kansas, which, not to be overly sarcastic, I hope, is some distance from the UK. I honestly haven't noticed that many obituaries for the man at all, and suspect he wasn't terribly well-known by name outside the "fan community" despite other activities outside acting. Did his parents possibly come over from England before he was born? In any case, he had completed the final Phantasm film not too long before he passed. he had a recurring role on the series Alias as well.

[Shroud 19]

In the 1970's, UFOs and the Bermuda Triangle were very popular among many in the US especially, it seems, and this gave rise to some sci-fi series. One of the more-obvious ones inspired by such interest, people, was The Fantastic Journey (1977, NBC). It dealt with a scientific crew whose ship sails into a greenish bank of fog or clouds, and they then find themselves on a weird island afterwards. The show only ran for 10 episodes, as it was placed against The Waltons and Welcome Back, Kotter, both of which were very popular then (despite Kotter's being rather inane much of the time). Series stars included Jared Martin before he found fame on Dallas a little later on, Roddy McDowall from the 2nd or 3rd show onward, and Ike Eisenman, a popular juvenile actor who turned up in a lot of sci-fi items in the '70's. Gorgeous Katie Saylor joined the cast a Liana, a half-human/half alien from Atlantis. This show was actually pretty neat as the people encountered different cultures by simply walking thru invisible "gateways" to other times, mostly ones in the future. The series hasn't ever been released to home video, but it did play a lot on SyFy channel during its early years.

 

Come to think of it, Martin might be a possibility to watch as he's 75 this year.

 

Anybody else recall this obscure title?

[Shroud 19]

Another "Yank" sci-fi series from this same period is Patrick Duffy's The Man from Atlantis (NBC, 1977-1978), which ran in the UK against Dr Who ironically seeming more popular in the UK than in the States. Duffy had the grace and agility to do quite well as "Mark Harris,' the titular character; his costars were sexy Belinda Montgomery as Dr Elizabeth Merriell, and her fellow scientist played by the late Alan Fudge (1944 - 2011 while Victor Buono showed up often as a sea-going mad scientist Harris opposed. For those interested, there were 4 pilot films oddly enough which were all better than the series which followed episodes of which were often on the silly side. I think the final installment may not have been broadcast in the uS, which was a fairly-common practice at the time ny US networks. There are 3 or 4 novels based on the series by Richard Woodley as well as a Marvel comic written by the ill-fated Bill Mantlo which only lasted seven issues for those interested in finding them - I think the novels had UK printings. Curiously, Duffy also found fame on Dallas as did Jared Martin from the contemporary series The Fantastic Journey.

[Shroud 19]

The 1976 film version of Logan's Run led to a short-lived TV series of the same name in 1977 - 1978. Logan's Run (TV) featured Gregory Harrison as Logan, Heather Menzies-Urich as Jessica, and a rather dumb robot character called Rem played by Donald Moffat. Francis was portrayed by Randy Powell(US actor) here. The series was only "so--so' although people like David Gerrold and George Clayton Johnson wrote for it - the network interfered, and insisted on some changes to the plot, probably including the addition of Rem. Imagine some here may recall this vaguely as all episodes did air in the UK, while the final three were pulled by CBS here in the "colonies." US audiences didn't get to see the entire series until it showed up on one of Ted Turner's cable channels in the late 1980's, although it was released to the US home video market within the past few years. All of the stars of the series are still with us, although Ms. Menzies-Urich has battled cancer in the relatively recent past. Marvel did a short-run comic which is easy to find, and worthwhile for those interested.

 

There was talk of doing Marvel's Prince Namor the Submariner as a TV series around the same time; it would have resembled The Man from Atlantis probably, but since Submariner also flies, and has vast superhuman strength, it would have been hard to do the show very well with the effects technology of the time.

[Shroud 19]

There were some special dvd editions of the 1953 The War of the Worlds back around 2005 when the so-so Tom Cruise remake was first released. If the special collector's edition dvd was released in the UK, it has some interesting commentary tracks by stars Ann Robinson and Gene Barry, plus a second where the film is discussed by film historian Bill Warren, director Joe Dante and sci-fi/horror collector and sometime actor Bob Burns. Ann Robinson says she was 70 in 2004, apparently, and twenty when the film was released, so it seems she was born in 1933 or 1934 (rather than 1929 as is often stated). Robinson really kept the film alive until it was realized as a classic. The alien fighting machines have been produced as hobby kits in the States incidentally, for those interested. She and William Phipps may be the last surviving credited cast members left from the film. Phipps is one of the three fellows in the small town who is vaporized by the first machine which lands in California early on in the film, though he appeared in Five (1951) and others during the decade, some definitely not in the "classics" division.

 

Bill Warren's book Keep Watching the Skies! is probably the last word on 1950's sci-fi films, and was revised in the mid-2000's - it covers films through 1962. Most are US efforts, although some UK ones are covered such as the Cushing/Lee Hammer Frankenstein films and a few others from France, etc., which had US theatrical releases when new - highly recommended.

[YoungWillz 21,050]

A more-lengthy listing of surviving performers who appeared on the original Twilight Zone-Pt. 1.

 

Shirley Ballard 1925

 

Now here's a thing. Here is a recent notification that Shirley Ballard died back in 2012 at the age of 87. http://westernboothill.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/rip-shirley-ballard.html

 

I'm not inclined to disbelieve the notification as this blog is generally in the loop, however, there is no back-up or obit to link to it.

 

Make of that what you will.

 

Edit: Found this also: http://death-records.mooseroots.com/l/181532390/Shirley-Ballard and this http://www.voy.com/221392/178366.html and indeed this: http://thejuicebar.live/tag/shirley-ballard/

[YoungWillz 21,050]

For behind the scenes people on original Twilight Zone, surviving directors are Robert Butler(1927) Richard Donnor(1930)/RobertEllis Miller(1932)/Ralph Senesky(1923)/James Sheldon(1920)/Elliot Silverstein(1927).

 

Richard L. Bare was one of the oldest surviving US directors until his recent death;(1913 - 2015).

 

Earl Hamner, Jr may indeed, be the last surviving scriptwriter from the original series with the death of George Clayton Johnson.

 

James Sheldon dies: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/arts/television/james-sheldon-director-whose-career-reflected-tvs-evolution-dies-at-95.html?_r=0

[msc 18,477]

 

For behind the scenes people on original Twilight Zone, surviving directors are Robert Butler(1927) Richard Donnor(1930)/RobertEllis Miller(1932)/Ralph Senesky(1923)/James Sheldon(1920)/Elliot Silverstein(1927).

 

Richard L. Bare was one of the oldest surviving US directors until his recent death;(1913 - 2015).

 

Earl Hamner, Jr may indeed, be the last surviving scriptwriter from the original series with the death of George Clayton Johnson.

 

James Sheldon dies: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/arts/television/james-sheldon-director-whose-career-reflected-tvs-evolution-dies-at-95.html?_r=0

 

 

Naturally, It's a Good Life is the best known of his Twilight Zone episodes, but I highly recommend Long Distance Call, in which a dead gran tries to convince her child grandson to join her on the other side. From memory, it has a lot of suitably creepy moments.

 

Checking his imdb, it's a shame he wasn't a unique hit for The Love Boat. Too obscure for DDP, I'd guess.

[YoungWillz 21,050]

Discussing Twilight Zone, it's being reported that author George Clayton Johnson died December 22 or 23 @ 86. Johnson wrote several epsiodes of the series, as well as installments for a number of other series. he is no doubt best known as co-author with William F. Nolan of Logan's Run and the films, and TV series based there-on. I would imagine this leaves Earl Hamner, Jr and maybe two, three others left as scriptwriters for Twilight Zone (Hamner is the guy usually forgotten as a TZ scriptwriter).

 

Not by msc or some others...he's dead and a pick on the DDP.

 

Edit: Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3508914/Earl-Hamner-Jr-created-Waltons-dies-surrounded-family-aged-92-Los-Angeles-hospital-battle-cancer.html

[YoungWillz 21,050]

Joe Napolitano, director on Quantum Leap and X-Files, dies at 67, cancer. http://variety.com/2016/biz/news/joe-napolitano-x-files-director-dies-67-1201823463/

[YoungWillz 21,050]

A more-lengthy listing of surviving performers who appeared on the original Twilight Zone-Pt. 1.

 

*snip*

 

Paul Comi 1932

 

*snip*

 

 

Paul Comi reportedly died back on August 26. http://thequincysun.com/2016/09/12/paul-comi/

 

Mentioned here by Buford T Justice here in Ideas and Possibilities for 2016 as part of the cast of Towering Inferno: https://forums.deathlist.net/topic/8444-ideas-and-possibilities-for-2016/?p=246214

 

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Comi

 

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0173815/

[Cat O'Falk 3,290]

 

A more-lengthy listing of surviving performers who appeared on the original Twilight Zone-Pt. 1.

 

*snip*

 

Paul Comi 1932

 

*snip*

 

 

Paul Comi reportedly died back on August 26. http://thequincysun.com/2016/09/12/paul-comi/

 

Mentioned here by Buford T Justice here in Ideas and Possibilities for 2016 as part of the cast of Towering Inferno: https://forums.deathlist.net/topic/8444-ideas-and-possibilities-for-2016/?p=246214

 

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Comi

 

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0173815/

 

Why aren't you a mod?

[YoungWillz 21,050]

 

 

A more-lengthy listing of surviving performers who appeared on the original Twilight Zone-Pt. 1.

 

*snip*

 

Paul Comi 1932

 

*snip*

 

 

Paul Comi reportedly died back on August 26. http://thequincysun.com/2016/09/12/paul-comi/

 

Mentioned here by Buford T Justice here in Ideas and Possibilities for 2016 as part of the cast of Towering Inferno: https://forums.deathlist.net/topic/8444-ideas-and-possibilities-for-2016/?p=246214

 

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Comi

 

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0173815/

 

Why aren't you a mod?

 

 

Call me irresponsible...don't need more mods, they are doing a wonderful job they tell me...

[Cat O'Falk 3,290]

 

 

 

A more-lengthy listing of surviving performers who appeared on the original Twilight Zone-Pt. 1.

 

*snip*

 

Paul Comi 1932

 

*snip*

 

 

Paul Comi reportedly died back on August 26. http://thequincysun.com/2016/09/12/paul-comi/

 

Mentioned here by Buford T Justice here in Ideas and Possibilities for 2016 as part of the cast of Towering Inferno: https://forums.deathlist.net/topic/8444-ideas-and-possibilities-for-2016/?p=246214

 

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Comi

 

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0173815/

 

Why aren't you a mod?

 

 

Call me irresponsible...don't need more mods, they are doing a wonderful job they tell me...

 

Stay as a rocker then!

[YoungWillz 21,050]

Richard Hatch, best known as Captain Apollo in Battlestar Galactica, reported dead at 71. https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/02/07/do-not-post/

 

However, it is under a Do Not Post url, so I'm wondering if it's a mistake that it has got out onto the internet....