SF Site News » Media

Obituary: Bill Hinzman

Steven H Silver — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:15:57 +0000

Actor S. William Hinzman (b.1936) died after a battle with cancer on February 5. Hinzman made his debut in George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead where he was the first zombie on screen and subsequently made a career out of playing zombies. He had the title role in 1988′s Flesheaster, and often was cast in roles like “The Experienced Zombie” and “Romero the Zombie.”

SFX Awards

Steven H Silver — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:41:35 +0000

SFX announced the winners of the SFX Awards at the SFX Weekender 3 on February 4. The awards are a mix of reader voted awards and awards given by a jury. The Elisabeth Sladen Award is a new category which was added in memory of Elisabeth Sladen. It will be given for contributions to children’s sf/f in any media.

Reader-Voted Awards

Best Film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Best Director: Matthew Vaughn for X-Men: First Class
Best Comic: The Walking Dead
Best Novel: A Dance with Dragons, by George R. R. Martin
Best TV Show: Doctor Who
Best New Show: Game of Thrones
Best Actor: Matt Smith for Doctor Who
Best Actress: Alex Kingston for Doctor Who
Biggest Disappointment: No cameo for Stan Lee in X-Men: First Class

SFX Team Choice Awards

Outstanding Literary Contribution: Brian W. Aldiss
Screenwriting Excellence: Neil Gaiman for Doctor Who “The Doctor’s Wife”
Breakout: Joe Gilgun for Misfits
Living Legend: Brian Blessed
Elisabeth Sladen Award: The Sarah Jane Adventures
Lifetime Achievement: John Wagner & Carlos Ezquerra
Hope for the Future: Dirk Gently
Phenomenon: Merlin

For more information…

Obituary: Ben Gazzara

Steven H Silver — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:30:12 +0000

Actor Ben Gazzara (b.1930) died on February 3. Gazzara, who was perhaps best known for his non-genre roles in Anatomy of a Murder and Run for Your Life, also appeared in a handful of horror, fantasy, and sf films, including Believe, The Neptune Factor, Too Tired to Die, and Christopher Roth.

Screen Actors Guild Award Winners

Steven H Silver — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:08:30 +0000

The Screen Actors Guild announced the winners of the annual SAG Awards on January 29. Genre works took three awards during the evening.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Jessica Lange, American Horror Story.
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series: Game of Thrones

For more information…

Obituary: John Rich

Steven H Silver — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:17:17 +0000

Director John Rich (b.1925) died on January 29. Although best known for his work on The Dick van Dyke Show and All in the Family, Rich’s genre credits included two episodes of The Twilight Zone several episodes of the ghostly comedy Nearly Departed. He also worked on MacGyver.

Obituary: Ian Abercrombie

Steven H Silver — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:05:17 +0000

Actor Ian Abercrombie (b.1934) died on January 26. Abercombie was known best to recent audiences as Elaine’s boss on Seinfeld, but he has a long history of genre roles, including providing the voice of the Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious on The Clone Wars. He has appeared on The Wizards of Waverly Place, Star Trek: Voyager, played Alfred Pennyworth on Birds of Prey, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Flash, and was in The Lost World: Jurassic Park. His other voice work includes Green Lantern, Rango, and The Batman.

Obituary: Dimitra Arliss

Steven H Silver — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:37:59 +0000

Actress Dimitra Arliss (b.1932) died on January 26. Arliss provided voice work for both the Iron Man and Spider-Man animated television series in the 1990s. She also appeared in the science fiction film Firefox and the fantasy film Xanadu. She may have been best know for her brief role as Salino, the hired killer, in The Sting.

Obituary: Eiko Ishioka

Steven H Silver — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:09:33 +0000

Costume designer Eiko Ishioka (b.1939) died on January 21 from pancreatic cancer. Ishioka won an Academy Award for her work on Bram Stoker’s Dracula and also designed costumes for The Cell, The Fall, Immortals, and the upcoming Mirror, Mirror. She recently helped design costumes for teh Broadway show Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Ishioka also won a Grammy Award for the cover design of the Miles Davis album, Tutu.

Obituary: Nicol Williamson

Steven H Silver — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:35:53 +0000

Actor Nicol Williamson (b.1938) died on December 16. Williamson, who hasn’t appeared on film since 1997, is best known for his role as Merlin in John Boorman’s 1981 film Excalibur, has appeared in numerous genre films over the years, including Venom, Spawn, Return to Oz, and The Exorcist III. Williamson also took great pride in a recording of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. He also played Little John in Robin and Marion and Sherlock Holmes in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution.

Obituary: James Farentino

Steven H Silver — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:40:53 +0000

Actor James Farentino (b.1938) died on January 24. Farentino appeared in two episodes of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, the film The Final Countdown, and horror films Dead & Buried, The Possessed.

Oscar Nominations Announced

Steven H Silver — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:23:59 +0000

The nominees for this year’s Academy Awards have been announced and winners will be presented on February 26. The science fiction film Hugo received the most nominations, with 11 nods. Nine films were nominated in the Best Picture category. Categories with nominees of genre interest are listed below.

Best Picture

The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Director

Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life
Alexander Payne for The Descendants
Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Animated Feature

A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Animated Short Film

Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books o fMr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

Writing, Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
Hugo, Screenplay by John Logan
The Ides of March, Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
Moneyball, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Story by Stan Chervin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Written, Original Screenplay

The Artist, by Michael Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids, by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
Margin Call, by J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
A Separation, by Asghar Farhadi

Art Direction

The Artist, Laurence Bennett (Production Design) and Roubert Gould (Set Decoration)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Stuart Craig (Production Design) and Stephenie McMillan (Set Decoration)
Hugo, Dante Ferretti (Production Design), Francesca Lo Schiavo (Set Decoration)
Midnight in Paris, Anne Siebel(Production Design) and Hélène Dubreuil (Set Decoration)
War Horse, Rick Carter (Production Design) and Lee Sandales (Set Decoration)

Achievement in Cinematography

The Artist, Guillaume Schiffman
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Jeff Cronenweth
Hugo, Robert Richardson
The Tree of Life, Emanuel Lubezki
War Horse, Janusz Kaminski

Achievement in Costume Design

Anonymous, Lisy Christl
The Artist, Mark Bridges
Hugo, Sandy Powell
Jane Eyre, Michael O’Connor
W.E., Arianne Phillips

Achievement in Film Editing

The Artist, Anne-Sophie Bion & Michael Hazanavicius
The Descendants, Kevin Tent
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall
Hugo, Thelma Schoonmaker
Moneyball, Christopher Tellefsen

Achievement in Makeup

Albert Nobbs, Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston, and Matthew W. Mungle
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
The Iron Lady, Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)

The Adventures of Tintin, John Williams
The Artist, Ludovic Bource
Hugo, Howard Shore
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Alberto Iglesias
War Horse, John Williams

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)

“Man or Muppet” from The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
“Real in Rio” from Rio, Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Achievement in Sound Editing

Drive, Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
The Girls with the Dragon Tattoo, Ren Klyce
Hugo, Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
War Horse, Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Achievement in Sound Mixing

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce, and Bo Persson
Hugo, Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
Moneyball, Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco, and Ed Novick
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush, and Peter J. Devlin
War Horse, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, and Stuart Wilson

Achievement in Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler, and John Richardson
Hugo, Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman, and Alex Henning
Real Steel, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor, and Swen Gillberg
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White, and Daniel Barrett
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler, and John Frazier

For more information…

Obituary: Dick Tufeld

Steven H Silver — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:50:11 +0000

Voice actor Dick Tufeld (b.1926) died on January 22. Tufeld may be best known as the voice of the robot on Lost in Space, a role he reprised for the film and in various homages to the series, such as an episode of The Simpsons. He had numerous other voice over roles, often uncredited, on shows including Space Patrol, The Amazing Spider-Man and His Friends, The Fantastic Four, The Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and many more.

Obituary: Jenny Tomasin

Steven H Silver — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:10:57 +0000

Actress Jenny Tomasin (b.1936) died the week of January 8. Although best known for portraying Ruby on Upstairs, Downstairs, Tomasin also appeared in the 1985 Doctor Who serial “Revelations of the Daleks” as Tasambeker and in 2000 appeared in a made-for-television adaptation of Cinderella.

BAFTA Nominations

Steven H Silver — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:37:35 +0000

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced the nominees for the Orange British Academy Film Awards. Categories with films of genre interest are listed below. The winners will be announced on February 12.

Animated Film

The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Rango

Director

Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive
Martin Scorsese for Hugo
Tomas Alfredson for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Lynne Ramsay for We Need to Talk About Kevin

Original Screenplay

Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig for Bridesmaids
John Michael McDonagh for The Guard
Abi Morgan for The Iron Lady
Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

Original Music

Ludovic Bource for The Artist
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore for Hugo
Alberto Iglesias for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
John Williams for War Horse

For more information…

Golden Globe Winners

Steven H Silver — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:09:18 +0000

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the winners of the Golden Globe Awards Awards on January 15. Categories with winnersof genre interest are listed below.

Movies

Best Director: Martin Scorsese Hugo

Best Animated Film: The Adventures of Tintin

Best Screenplay: Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

Television

Best Supporting Actor, TV Series, Mini-Series, or Movie: Peter Dinklange in Game of Thrones

For more information…

Obituary: Barbara Stuart

Steven H Silver — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:10:50 +0000

Actress Barbara Stuart (b.1930) died on May 15. Stuart appeared in episodes of several genre television shows, including Otherworld, The Twilight Zone, Out of This World, and Batman. She also appeared in the film Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills.

Critics Choice Awards

Steven H Silver — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:58:42 +0000

The Critics Choice Awards were presented on January 12 by the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Although The Artist and The Help dominated the awards, four films of genre interest did receive awards.

Best Animated Feature: Rango
Best Original Screenplay: Midnight in Paris
Best Makeup: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Best Sound: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

For more information…

People’s Choice Awards

Steven H Silver — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:36:25 +0000

Genre shows and films, as well as actors who often appear in genre works, were very successful at the People’s Choice Awards on January 11. Below is a listing of winners of genre interest.

Favorite Movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Favorite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp
Favorite Movie Icon: Morgan Freeman
Favorite Action Film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Favorite Action Movie Star: Hugh Jackman
Favorite Movie Stars Under Age 25: Chloe Moretz
Favorite Ensemble Movie Cast: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Favorite Animated Movie Voice: Johnny Depp as Rango in Rango
Favorite Movie Superhero: Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern
Favorite Book Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Favorite Network TV Drama: Supernatural
Favorite Network TV Drama Actor: Nathan Fillion
Favorite Network TV Drama Actress: Nina Dobrev
Favorite TV Comedy Actor: Neil Patrick Harris
Favorite SF/Fantasy Show: Supernatural

For more information…

Obituary: Israel Baker

Steven H Silver — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:45:52 +0000

Violinist Israel Baker (b.1919) died on December 25. Baker performed on the soundtracks of many films, including Raiders of the Lost Ark, but his most famous performance in a genre film was when he served as first violinist (and concertmaster) for the orchestra on Psycho.

Obituary: Bob Anderson

Steven H Silver — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:56:36 +0000

Fencer Bob Anderson (b.1922) died on January 1. Anderson represented Great Britain at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki and later served as a fencing master on numerous films, including The Princess Bride, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit. Although uncredited, he portrayed Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi in the light saber duel scenes.

Obituary: Harold Hopkins

Steven H Silver — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:13:57 +0000

Australian actor Harold Hopkins (b.1944) died on December 11. Hopkins appeared in episodes of Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, Beastmaster, Time Trax, and the film The Clinic.

Obituary: Susan Gordon

Steven H Silver — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:10:55 +0000

Actress Susan Gordon (b.1949) died on December 11. Gordon’s film debut occurred in Attack of the Puppet, directed by her father, when the actress who had been cast became ill. She also appeared in The Twilight Zone episode “The Fugitive” and the films Picture Mommy Dead, Tormented, and The Boy and the Pirates.

Obituary: Don Sharp

Steven H Silver — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:39:29 +0000

Australian director Don Sharp (b.1922) died on December 18. Sharp directed and wrote numerous films, including The Kiss of the Vampire, Rasputin: The Mad Monk, Curse of the Fly, and Those Fantastic Flying Fools. Much of his work was done for Hammer Studios.

Golden Globe Nominees

Steven H Silver — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:35:08 +0000

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced the nominees for the Golden Globe Awards Awards. Categories with nominees of genre interest are listed below.

Movies
Best Picture: Drama

The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

Best Picture: Comedy or Musical

50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
My Week With Marilyn

Best Director

Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris
George Clooney The Ides of March
Michel Hazanavicius The Artist
Alexander Payne The Descendants
Martin Scorsese Hugo

Best Actor: Comedy or Musical

Jean Dujardin in The Artist
Brendan Gleeson in The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 50/50
Ryan Gosling in Crazy, Stupid, Love
Owen Wilson in Midnight in Paris

Best Animated Film

The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Best Screenplay

The Artist
The Descendants
The Ides of March
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball

Television
Best Supporting Actor, TV Series, Mini-Series, or Movie

Peter Dinklange in Game of Thrones
Paul Giamatti in Too Big to Fail
Guy Pearce in Mildred Pierce
Tim Robbins in Cinema Verite
Eric Stonestreet in Modern Family

Best Supporting Actress, TV Series, Mini-Series, or Movie

Jessica Lange in American Horror Story
Kelly Macdonald in Boardwalk Empire
Maggie Smith in Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece)
Sofia Vergara in Modern Family
Evan Rachel Wood in Mildred Pierce

Best Actor, TV Comedy

Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock
David Duchovny in Californication
Johnny Galecki in The Big Bang Theory
Thomas Jane in Hung
Matt LeBlanc in Episodes

For more information…

SAG Award Nominations

Steven H Silver — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:25:40 +0000

The Screen Actor’s Guild has announced the nominees for the SAG Awards. Science fiction and fantasy have been mostly overlooked this year, but categories with nominees of genre interest are listed below.

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Descendants
Midnight in Paris
The Help

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Kathy Bates in Harry’s Law
Glenn Close in Damages
Jessica Lange in American Horror Story
Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife
Kyra Sedgwick in The Closer

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
Glee
Modern Family
The Office

For more information…

Critics Choice Nominations Announced

Steven H Silver — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:21:02 +0000

The Critics Choice Award nominations have been announced. The awards, which have been given out for sixteen years, will be presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association on January 12.

Best Picture

The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks in Drive
Nick Nolte in Warrior
Patton Oswalt in Young Adult
Christopher Plummer in Beginners
Andrew Serkis in Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Young Actor/Actress

Asa Butterfield in Hugo
Elle Fanning in Super 8
Thomas Horn in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Ezra Miller in We Need to Talk About Kevin
Saoirse Ronan in Hanna
Shailene Woodley in The Descendants

Best Director

Stephen Daldry for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Alexander Payne for The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive
Martin Scorsese for Hugo
Steven Spielberg for War Horse

Best Original Screenplay

The Artist, written by Michel Hazanavicius
50/50, written by Will Reiser
Midnight in Paris, written by Woody Allen
Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy, Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni
Young Adult, written by Diablo Cody

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants, written by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, written by Eric Roth
The Help, written by Tate Taylor
Hugo, written by John Logan
Moneyball, written by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Story by Stan Chervin

Best Art Direction

The Artist, Production Designer: Laurence Bennett, Art Director: Gregory S. Hooper
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Production Designer: Stuart Craig, Set Decorator: Stephenie McMillan
Hugo, Production Designer: Dante Ferretti, Set Decorator: Francesca Lo Schiavo
The Tree of Life, Production Designer: Jack Fisk, Art Director: David Crank
War Horse, Production Designer: Rick Carter, Set Decorator: Lee Sandales

Best Cinematography

The Artist, Guillaume Schiffman
Drive, Newton Thomas Sigel
Hugo, Robert Richardson
The Tree of Life, Emmanuel Lubezki
War Horse, Janusz Kaminski

Best Costume Design

The Artist, Mark Bridges
The Help, Sharen Davis
Hugo, Sandy Powell
Jane Eyre, Michael O’Connor
My Week With Marilyn, Jill Taylor

Best Editing

The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius and Anne-Sophie Bion
Drive, Matthew Newman
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
Hugo, Thelma Schoonmaker
War Horse, Michael Kahn

Best Makeup

Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Iron Lady
J. Edgar
My Week With Marilyn

Best Song

“Hello Hello,” performed by Elton John and Lady Gaga/written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, from Gnomeo & Juliet
“Life’s a Happy Song,” performed by Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie, from The Muppets
“The Living Proof,” performed by Mary J. Blige/written by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman and Harvey Mason, Jr. from The Help
“Man or Muppet,” performed by Jason Segel and Walter/written by Bret McKenzie, from The Muppets
“Pictures in My Head,” performed by Kermit and the Muppets/written by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman, from The Muppets

Best Score

The Artist, by Ludovic Bource
Drive, by Cliff Martinez
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
Hugo, by Howard Shore
War Horse, by John Williams

Best Sound

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Super 8
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Best Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8
The Tree of Life

Best Animated Feature

The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Best Action Movie

Drive
Fast Five
Hanna
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8

Best Comedy

Bridesmaids
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Horrible Bosses
Midnight in Paris
The Muppets

For more information…

Doctor Who Episodes Found

Steven H Silver — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:26:29 +0000

Two missing episodes of Doctor Who have been discovered. The third episode of the William Hartnell serial “Galaxy 4″ has been found, making it the only known episode of that serial’s four episodes to be known to exist. In addition, the second episode of Patrick Troughton’s serial “The Underwater Menace” has been discovered, meaning that now two of that serials four episodes are known to exist (the third episode appears on the “Lost in Time” DVD set).

For more information…

Obituary: Russell Garcia

Steven H Silver — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:34:43 +0000

Jazz musician Russell Garcia (b.1916) died on November 20 in Kerikeri, New Zealand. Garcia scored numerous films including Atlantis, the Lost Continent and George Pal’s The Time Machine. In 2009, Garcia, who was born in Oakland, California but lived for many years in New Zealand, received the Queen’s Service Medal for his musical work.

Obituary: Marion Dougherty

Steven H Silver — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:58:44 +0000

Casting director Marion Dougherty (b.1923) died on December 4. Dougherty cast the films Slaughterhouse-Five, The Lost Boys, Batman and Batman Returns, Ladyhawke, and dozens of other films. In 1987, she won the Hoyt Bowers Award from the Casting Society of America.

Obituary: Harry Morgan

Steven H Silver — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:45:05 +0000

Actor Harry Morgan (b.1915) died on December 7. Morgan was best known for playing Colonel Potter on M*A*S*H, as well as Bill Gannon on Dragnet, but also had several genre credits, including a recurring role on Third Rock from the Sun, episodes of Night Gallery and The Twilight Zone, and the films The Cat from Outer Space and The Flight of Dragons. Morgan won one Emmy for his work on M*A*S*H out of eleven nominations.

Ellison Drops Lawsuit

Steven H Silver — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:05:44 +0000

Harlan Ellison has dropped his lawsuit against Andrew Niccol’s film In Time. Ellison had previously alleged that In Time was based on his short story “Repent Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman,” and there was an erroneous report that the suit was settled. Ellison has now seen the film and decided to voluntarily dismiss the action. Despite earlier reports, including on this site, at no time was Ellison promised payment or screen credit on the film.

Obituary: Ken Russell

Steven H Silver — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:11:52 +0000

Director Ken Russell (b.1927) died on November 27. Russell directed the films Altered States, The Lair of the White Worm, Gothic, and the Who’s Tommy.

Star Wars in Montreal

Steven H Silver — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:11:31 +0000

LucasFilm has announced that a new Star Wars exhibit, Star Wars: Identities, will open at the Montréal Science Centre on April 19, 2012. The interactive exhibit will examine the biological and social forces which determine identity and will also include numerous iconic props and costumes for the Star Wars series.

For more information…

Obituary: John Neville

Steven H Silver — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:49:07 +0000

Actor John Neville (b.1925) died on November 19. Neville may be best known for his portrayal of Baron Munchausen in Terry Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Neville provided the voice for Eternity in the animated Silver Surfer series and portrayed The Well-Manicured Man in The X-Files. Neville also appeared as Isaac Newton in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

People’s Choice Nominations

Steven H Silver — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:44:20 +0000

The nominations for the 2012 People’s Choice Awards have been announced. Categories with nominees of genre interest are listed below. The awards will be presented in January.

Favorite Movie

Bridesmaids
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Help
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Favorite Movie Actor

Daniel Radcliffe
Hugh Jackman
Johnny Depp
Robert Pattinson
Ryan Reynolds

Favorite Movie Icon

George Clooney
Harrison Ford
Morgan Freeman
Robert DeNiro
Tom Hanks

Favorite Action Film

Fast Five
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Thor
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
X-Men: First Class

Favorite Action Movie Star

Hugh Jackman
Ryan Reynolds
Shia LaBeouf
Taylor Lautner
Vin Diesel

Favorite Drama Movie

The Adjustment Bureau
The Help
Limitless
Moneyball
Water for Elephants

Favorite Movie Stars Under Age 25

Chloe Moretz
Daniel Radcliffe
Emma Watson
Rupert Grint
Tom Felton

Favorite Ensemble Movie Cast

Bridesmaids
The Hangover Part II
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
X-Men: First Class

Favorite Animated Movie Voice

Anne Hathaway as Jewel in Rio
Jack Black as Po in Kung Fu Panda 2
Johnny Depp as Rango in Rango
Katy Perry as Smurfette in The Smurfs
Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen in Cars 2

Favorite Movie Superhero

Chris Evans as Captain America
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
James McAvoy as Professor X
Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique
Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern

Favorite Book Adaptation

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Help
I Am Number Four
Soul Surfer
Water For Elephants

Favorite Network TV Drama

The Good Wife
Grey’s Anatomy
House
Supernatural
The Vampire Diaries

Favorite Network TV Drama Actor

David Boreanz
Hugh Laurie
Ian Somerhalder
Nathan Fillion
Patrick Dempsey

Favorite Network TV Drama Actress

Blake Lively
Ellen Pompeo
Emily Deschanel
Eva Longoria
Nina Dobrev

Favorite Cable TV Drama

Dexter
Game of Thrones
Pretty Little Liars
True Blood
White Collar

Favorite Network TV Comedy

The Big Bang Theory
Glee
How I Met Your Mother
Modern Family
Two and a Half Men

Favorite TV Comedy Actor

Alec Baldwin
Chris Colfer
Cory Monteith
Jim Parsons
Neil Patrick Harris

Favorite TV Comedy Actress

Courteney Cox
Jane Lynch
Kaley Cuoco
Lea Michele
Tina Fey

Favorite SF/Fantasy Show

Fringe
Supernatural
True Blood
The Vampire Diaries
The Walking Dead

Favorite New TV Drama

A Gifted Man
Grimm
Hart of Dixie
Once Upon A Time
Pan Am
Person of Interest
Prime Suspect
Revenge
Ringer
The Secret Circle
Terra Nova
Unforgettable

For more information…

Obituary: Margaret Field

Steven H Silver — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:30:56 +0000

Actress Margaret Field (b.1923) died on November 6 following a six year battle with cancer. Field appeared in the films The Man from Planet X, Night Has a Thousand Eyes, and Captive Women. She also made appearances on The Twilight Zone and Science Fiction Theatre. Field’s daughter is actress Sally Field.

In Time Lawsuit Settlement

Steven H Silver — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:04:57 +0000

Harlan Ellison’s lawsuit against New Regency and director Andrew Niccol over plagiarism for their film In Time has been settled. Ellison claimed that In Time was based on his 1965 story “Repent, Harlequin! Said The Ticktockman.” Ellison’s original lawsuit asked that all copies of the film be destroyed, its release stopped, and he be paid compensatory damages. The settlement calls for the film’s release to go ahead with an on-screen credit for Ellison.

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Obituary: Richard Gordon

Steven H Silver — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:15:40 +0000

Producer Richard Gordon (b.1925) died on November 1. Gordon moved from the UK to New York and founded Gordon Pictures, which imported and distributed numerous low budget horror films from the UK before he turned his attention to production. Beginning with the short Return to Glennascaul, which featured Orson Welles, Gordon went on to produce Devil Doll, Horror on Snape Island, The Playgirls and the Vampire, and Corridors of Blood.

Obituary: Sid Melton

Steven H Silver — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:17:39 +0000

Actor Sid Melton (b.1920, Sidney Meltzer) died of pneumonia on November 2. his largest genre role was as Ichabod ‘Ikky’ Mudd, the sidekick, on Captain Midnight. Melton also appeared in The Lost Continent and on an episode of The Adventures of Superman.

Obituary: Leonard Stone

Steven H Silver — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:30:56 +0000

Actor Leonard Stone (b.1923) died November 2, the day before his 88th birthday. Stone may be most famous for his role as Sam Beauregarde in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. He also appeared in Soylent Green and in many episodes of television series such as The Outer Limits, Land of the Giants, and The Six Million Dollar Man. In 1959, Stone was nominated for a Tony Award for his work in Redhead.

Icon Award: June Foray

Steven H Silver — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:12:32 +0000

June Foray has been announced as the winner of this year’s Icon Award by Comic-Con. The Icon Award is presented to individuals who have been instrumental in bringing comics and/or the popular arts to a wider audience. Foray is a voice artist who has long worked in the field and may be best known for providing the voices of Rocket J. Squirrel, Natasha Fatale, Granny, and Witch Hazel, among many others. Beginning in the Tex Avery short Wacky Wildlife in 1940, Foray still works, currently voicing characters on The Garfield Show and The Looney Toons Show. She published her autobiography in 2009.

Warren Ellis Documentary

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:07:36 +0000

Warren Ellis will appear for a question and answer session before the London debut of the documentary Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts, which is part of the London International Comics Festival. The screening will take place at 7:00 GT at Bishopsgate Institute’s Great Hall, in London. The London debut will take place one day after the world debut for the film occurs at the Napa Valley Film Festival in California.

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Obituary: Marilyn Nash

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:46:53 +0000

Actress Marilyn Nash (b.1924) has died. Nash only appeared in two films. Her second film was the 1951 science fiction movie Unknown World. Her only other movie role was as the girl in Charlie Chaplin’s Monsieur Verdoux.

Obituary: David Hess

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:44:06 +0000

Actor David Hess (b.1942) died on October 8. Hess appeared in several horror films, including Zombie Nation, The House That Wept Blood, House on the Edge of the Park and its sequel. He also appeared in an episode of Knight Rider and Manimal and was in the film Swamp Thing.

Obituary: George Baker

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:40:36 +0000

Actor George Baker (b.1931) died on October 7. Baker may have been best known for appearing in the Ruth Rendall Mysteries, but he also had numerous genre roles, including an appearance in the Doctor Who serial “Full Circle,” the 1980s television series Robin Hood, The Curse of the Fly, The Sword of Lancelot, and several James Bond films.

Obituary: Diane Cilento

Steven H Silver — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:03:03 +0000

Actress Diane Cilento (b.1933) died on October 6. Cilento, who was married to Sean Connery for 11 years, Cilento appeared in The Wicker Man, The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp, and several episodes of Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left.

Obituary: Charles Napier

Steven H Silver — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:50:13 +0000

Actor Charles Napier (b.1936) died on October 5. Napier appeared in the Star Trek episode “The Way to Eden” as well as episodes of The Incredible Hulk, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Napier also did voice work for numerous animated television series as well as video games. Napier also appeared in Rambo: First Blood, Part II and as the leader of “The Good Ol’ Boys” in The Blues Brothers.

Firefly Improv

Steven H Silver — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:52:58 +0000

iO, one of Chicago’s premiere improvisational theatres, will be running “The ‘Verse: Another Firefly Story” on Thursdays from October 6 through November 10. Tickets for the show are $15.

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Emmy Awards

Steven H Silver — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 03:14:53 +0000

Despite a large number of nominations, science fiction and fantasy related shows did not do particularly well at this year’s Emmy Awards. The two categories which had winners of genre interest are shown below.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: The Big Bang Theory, Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Game of Thrones, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister

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Obituary: Richard Datin

Steven H Silver — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:19:59 +0000

Model maker Richard Datin (b.1929) died on January 24 in Reno, Nevada. Datin created the original model of the Starship Enterprise and led the team that built the eleven foot model used for Star Trek as well as other models used in the original series. In 1979, Datin left model-making and became the founding curator of the Nevada State Railroad Museum.