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01-31 Happy birthday to the late Norm Prescott, Born: January 31, 1927 and passed away on July 2, 2005.
Norm Prescott was an associate of Filmation, and as such was a producer for Star Trek: The Animated Series. For his work on this show, Prescott, along with his production partner Lou Scheimer, won a Daytime Emmy Award in the field of “Outstanding Entertainment Children’s Series.” Prescott also voiced an Orion lieutenant in the animated episode “The Pirates of Orion” and the Romulan commander in the animated episode “The Practical Joker”.
Prescott and Scheimer have produced many popular animated TV programs under the Filmation banner, including The New Adventures of Superman (1966-1970), Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-1984) and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-1985). The latter program was turned into a motion picture featuring Star Trek: Voyager’s Robert Duncan McNeill and DS9 guest star Frank Langella.
Under the pseudonym of “Jeff Michael” (actually the names of Prescott’s two sons Jeff and Michael), Prescott also co-composed the music for most of Filmation’s programs, including Star Trek: The Animated Series.
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01-31 Happy birthday to the late James Fransicus, Born: January 31, 1934 and passed away on July 8, 1991.
James Grover Franciscus was an American actor, known for his roles in feature films and in four television series, Mr. Novak, The Naked City, The Investigators, and Longstreet.
Franciscus was born in Clayton, Missouri, to Lorraine (née Grover) and John Allen Franciscus, who was killed in action during World War II. In 1957, Franciscus received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and theatre arts from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, from which he graduated magna cum laude. He was a classmate of Dick Cavett and Bill Hinnant.
His first major role was as Detective Jim Halloran in the half-hour version of ABC’s The Naked City television series. Franciscus guest starred on the CBS military sitcom/drama Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper, and on the NBC drama about family conflicts in the American Civil War entitled The Americans. CBS soon cast him in the lead in the 13-week series The Investigators, which aired from October 5 to December 28, 1961. He played the insurance investigator Russ Andrews, with James Philbrook as a co-star. Franciscus was also cast in the role of Tom Grover in the 1961 episode “The Empty Heart” of the CBS anthology series, The DuPont Show with June Allyson. He performed in many feature films and television programs throughout the 1960s and 1970s, preceded by a minor role in an episode of The Twilight Zone titled Judgment Night in 1959, and a major role in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Summer Shade in 1961.
He starred in I Passed for White, in 1960, and in 1963, he appeared as Mike Norris in the episode “Hang By One Hand” on the NBC medical drama about psychiatry, The Eleventh Hour, Combat! and Miracle of the White Stallions. Franciscus may be best-remembered for his title roles in NBC’s Mr. Novak (1963–65) and ABC’s Longstreet (1971–72), and for his vocal performance in the big-screen version of Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973). Along with Lloyd Bridges, he served as host as the syndicated real-life adventure series Waterworld, which aired from 1972 to 1975. In 1977, he starred in his fifth television series, the short-lived Hunter (as a secret agent).
He was also frequently seen in feature films of the 1960s and 1970s such as Youngblood Hawke, Snow Treasure, The Amazing Dobermans, Marooned, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, City on Fire, When Time Ran Out, The Valley of Gwangi, and The Greek Tycoon. Over the years, Franciscus found film work with Italian cinema. In 1971, he accepted the lead role in Dario Argento’s second film, The Cat o’ Nine Tails.[4] In 1979, he appeared in Antonio Margheriti’s Killer Fish, and in 1980 he starred in director Enzo G. Castellari’s Jaws-inspired Great White (aka The Last Shark). He continued appearing in roles on the screen and television. When less important roles were offered, Franciscus turned to writing screenplays and producing. In 1991, the year of his death, he worked as an associate producer and screenwriter on the movie 29th Street starring Anthony LaPaglia and Danny Aiello; it was his final project.
He was the voice of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, in the movie of the same name, written by Richard Bach. The movie was released in October 23, 1973.
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01-31 Happy birthday to Cristine Rose, Born: January 31, 1951.
She was a regular on the short-lived television series Ferris Bueller which was a TV remake of the famous film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
She also had major recurring roles on Picket Fences as Lydia Brock, as Barbara Norton on Grace Under Fire, and on Providence as Cynthia Blake. She also had recurring roles on Ellen as Susan, and on Charmed as Claire Pryce.
She played the role of Gi’ral in the Star Trek: The Next Generation sixth season episodes “Birthright, Part I” and “Birthright, Part II” in 1993.
She has had guest roles in various shows, including 7th Heaven, Life Goes On, Friends, Days of Our Lives, Passions, Party of Five, The Wonder Years, Matlock, Malcolm in the Middle, Ally McBeal, Murder, She Wrote, Boston Legal, Diagnosis: Murder, Nash Bridges, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Practice, L.A. Law, Chicago Hope, Crossing Jordan, ER, St. Elsewhere, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gilmore Girls, Kate & Allie, Murphy Brown, Newhart, Growing Pains, How I Met Your Mother, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Clueless, Dharma and Greg, Life with Bonnie, The Nanny, The Jamie Foxx Show, The King of Queens, Two and a Half Men, Big Love, The Mentalist, Six Feet Under, and Charmed.
From 2006 to 2010, she played Angela Petrelli on the NBC series Heroes. In 2008, her role went from recurring to series regular. She reprised her role in 2015 miniseries Heroes Reborn. As for her roles in movies as of 2009, she had a small role in the movie He’s Just Not That into You and was one of the main supporting characters on the Disney Channel television movie Go Figure.
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01-31 Happy birthday to the late Jean Simmons, Born: January 31, 1929 and passed away on January 22, 2010.
Simmons began acting in 1944, appearing in British films such as Give Us the Moon (1944), Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), and David Lean’s Academy Award-winning 1946 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, in which she played the young Estella. She then played the supporting role of Kanchi in the acclaimed 1947 British drama Black Narcissus.
In 1949, she starred in the original British version of the romance adventure The Blue Lagoon and co-starred with her then-husband, Stewart Granger, in the romantic comedy Adam and Evelyne.
Simmons’ first American production was Otto Preminger’s 1952 film-noir Angel Face with Robert Mitchum.
In 1953, Simmons was selected as Best Actress by the National Board of Review for her performances in three films released that year. One was Young Bess, in which she played the title role (aka Queen Elizabeth I) opposite her husband. Another was George Cukor’s The Actress, which co-starred Ian Wolfe. The third was the Biblical drama The Robe, in which she played Diane. n addition, Simmons starred in the comedy Androcles and the Lion, which was also released in 1953. She was in the 1954 film Desirée.
Simmons and Brando co-starred together in the Academy Award-nominated 1955 musical Guys and Dolls. In 1957, Simmons starred in two films, This Could Be the Night and Until They Sail.
She starred in William Wyler’s 1958 western drama The Big Country.
Simmons was in the 1960 film Elmer Gantry. She earned a second Academy Award nomination and a fifth Golden Globe nominations for her leading role in the 1969 drama The Happy Ending.
Her other film credits during the 1960s included the 1966 drama Mister Buddwing. She also starred in her first TV movie, NBC’s infamous 1968 adaptation of Heid.
Simmons’ feature film credits during the 1970s included the 1975 comedy Mr. Sycamore. In 1977, Simmons guest-starred on the CBS television series Hawaii Five-O. Simmons then starred in the 1978 mini-series The Dain Curse. In 1979, Simmons starred in the NBC TV movie Beggarman, Thief.
In the 1980s, Simmons appeared primarily in television productions. She played Fiona “Fee” Cleary in ABC’s acclaimed mini-series The Thorn Birds.
Simmons later guest-starred as Clarissa Main in the mini-series North and South in 1985 and North and South, Book II the following year. In 1989, Simmons starred in Disney’s miniseries adaptation of Great Expectations.
Simmons’ TV movie credits during the 1980s included Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls, A Small Killing, Midas Valley, Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love, Inherit the Wind. Her only two feature films in this decade were released in 1988: The Dawning and Going Undercover.
In 1983 and again in 1985, Simmons guest-starred on the series Hotel. In 1989, Simmons guest-starred in a two-episode arc on the mystery series Murder, She Wrote.
In 1991, Simmons starred in the short-lived MGM/NBC re-imagining of the Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. She played two characters on this show, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and Naomi Collins.
In 1993, Simmons was a regular cast member on the short-lived CBS drama Angel Falls.
She played the retired Rear Admiral Norah Satie in the Star Trek: The Next Generation fourth season episode “The Drumhead” in 1991.
Simmons had her wardrobe fitting for her appearance in “The Drumhead” on Friday 15 February 1991 at 8:00 a.m. and filmed this episode between Tuesday 19 February 1991 and Wednesday 27 February 1991 on Paramount Stage 8 and 9. All call sheets features notes for the transportation department to pick Simmons up at home prior to her shootings.
Simmons’ other TV movie credits this decade include the movies People Like Us and One More Mountain.
Simmons’ sole feature film credit during the 1990s was the 1995 drama How to Make an American Quilt.
In the last years of her career, Simmons lent her voice to foreign animated films, including the English version of the acclaimed 2005 Japanese film Howl’s Moving Castle. In addition, she had a voice-over role in the 2001 Japanese-animated Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Simmons later lent her voice to the Chinese film Thru the Moebius Strip.
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01-30 Happy birthday to Abdullah II, Born: January 30, 1962.
Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein has been King of Jordan since 1999 upon the death of his father King Hussein. Abdullah is considered to be the 41st generation direct descendant of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, through his belonging to the ancient Hashemite family, which has ruled Jordan since 1921.
An acknowledged fan of Star Trek, King Abdullah (then a prince) appeared as an uncredited extra in the 1996 Star Trek: Voyager episode “Investigations”. Voyager executive producer Jeri Taylor commented, “Take away the title and the trappings, and at the core you have a Star Trek fan.” (Star Trek Monthly issue 16)
Abdullah’s cameo was arranged as a surprise for him by his US advisor. The prince – who, at the time of his cameo, was thirty-four years old.
He appears in the episode’s opening scene as a science officer who speaks with Harry Kim as the scene fades in.
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01-30 Happy birthday to Sheldon Collins, Born: January 30, 1955.
Sheldon Collins (born Sheldon S. Golomb) portrayed a tough kid in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “A Piece of the Action”. He filmed his scenes on Tuesday 7 November 1967 on location at Paramount Pictures’ “Boston Street” backlot.
He had a recurring role as Arnold Bailey on the television series The Andy Griffith Show and appeared in the 1966 film The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, co-starring fellow Trek alumni Brian Keith, Theodore Bikel, Andrea Dromm, Guy Raymond, and Michael J. Pollard.
He also appeared in an episode of The Time Tunnel, where he played the young version of James Darren’s character.
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01-30 Happy birthday to Daphne Ashbrook, Born: January 30, 1963.
Daphne Lee Ashbrook is the actor who played Melora Pazlar in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Melora”. She is perhaps better known as the Eighth Doctor’s companion Dr. Grace Holloway in the 1996 television film Doctor Who. She prepared for the role of Melora Pazlar by taking a wheelchair to a local shopping mall. Commenting on the experience, she said, “Everything’s an obstacle and also nobody looks at you. I think because people are uncomfortable and they don’t know what to do.”
Ashbrook is one of the few actors to have speaking roles in both the Star Trek and Doctor Who franchises, appearing the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie. Until 2011, she was the only woman to do so.
Prior to Deep Space Nine, Ashbrook had guest roles in the television series Knight Rider, Fame, The A Team (with Dwight Schultz), and Murder, She Wrote. After playing Melora, she appeared in two episodes of Sisters and one episode of Diagnosis Murder. She also portrayed different characters in two further episodes of Murder, She Wrote, with Casey Biggs, John Rhys-Davies and Rosalind Chao. Between 1995 and 1998, Ashbrook had a recurring role as Annie Pendry on the long running series JAG, appearing alongside Norman Large, Steven Culp, Paul Collins and Gregory Itzin. She later starred in Profiler, Cupid and Judging Amy, before gaining the recurring role of Dawn Atwood in The OC (working with Melinda Clarke and again, Rosalind Chao). In 2005, Ashbrook starred in Crossing Jordan and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (with Jessica Collins), before going on to appear in Cold Case, Ghost Whisperer and Without a Trace. Her most recent television appearances are that of Jodi Morris in the 2010 Law & Order: Los Angeles episode “Playa Vista”, and Donna Peyton in the NCIS episode “Out of the Frying Pan…”
Ashbrook has also appeared in numerous television movies including Brothers-in-Law (1985), That Secret Sunday (1986), Carly’s Web (1987) and 14 Going on 30 (1988, with Richard McGonagle and Judith Jones), before going onto appear alongside future Deep Space Nine actors Rene Auberjonois and Andrew Robinson in the movies Longarm (1988) and Rock Hudson (1990) respecively. She later starred in Daughters of Privilege (1991, with Kate Vernon), Intruders (1992, again with Rosalind Chao), Dead Man’s Revenge (1994) and The Love Letter (1998).
Asbrook’s big screen debut came in 1984, when she was cast as Phoebe Willis in the cheerleading comedy film Gimme an ‘F’. Since then, she has starred in the movies Quiet Cool (1986), Sunset Heat (1992, with Tony Todd), Automatic (1995), Dumbarton Bridge (1999) and Delia’s Song (2000). Her latest film role, albeit a minor one, was in the 2009 movie The Lodger.
Aside from her acting career, Ashbrook also enjoys singing, citing “music runs thru the viens [sic] of my family like theatre does.” In November 2010, she released her first album entitled Grace Notes, featuring covers of her favorite songs by Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin and Patty Griffin, among others. The album was produced by her long-time partner and musician, David Vito Gregoli.
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01-30 Happy birthday to the late David Opatoshu, Born: January 30, 1918 and passed away on April 30, 1996.
David Opatoshu, born David Opatovsky, was the actor who played Anan 7 in the Star Trek episode “A Taste of Armageddon”. He filmed his scenes between Wednesday 28 December 1966 and Wednesday 4 January 1967 at Desilu Stage 10.
Opatoshu enjoyed a career that spanned five decades, almost a hundred television guest appearances, and forty-five movie and television roles. His Semitic features and knowledge of the Yiddish language led to frequent roles as Jewish or Arabic characters. Well known roles include Menachem Begin in Raid on Entebbe, and one of the lead characters in a 1980s miniseries about the Roman siege of Masada.
Prior to his Trek appearance, he co-starred with James Doohan in an episode of The Twilight Zone, entitled “Valley of the Shadow”. He also starred in a 1981 episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century directed by Vincent McEveety in which Barbara Luna, Sid Haig, and Felix Silla also appeared, and in an episode of Ricardo Montalban’s Fantasy Island. He also guest starred in an episode of The Time Tunnel, starring James Darren, Whit Bissell and Lee Meriwether. He also had a small role in the Oscar-winning 1958 film, The Brothers Karamazov, which also featured Harry Townes and William Shatner.
In 1964, Opatoshu was considered by Gene Roddenberry for the role of Doctor Philip Boyce in “The Cage”.
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Just some cool Star Trek art for the day.
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