Gil Kane, Wilson McCoy, The Phantom, Warlords of Atlantis, Hogan's Heroes, The Invaders, Alien Nation, Heroes, Robot Chicken, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

When it comes to comic book artists from my past Gil Kane was one of my favorites. His work on the Green Lantern was always a pleasure, and of all the comic strips Wilson McCoy's Phantom was one of my favorites to read. So it's a great day when both are celebrating birthdays.


Today is also a great day for events from the past. I recommend you take a browse through them.


As always read through the birthdays and events and enjoy !!


Birthdays

Gil Kane 1926, comic book artist, his career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character. Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and co-created Iron Fist with Roy Thomas for Marvel Comics. He was involved in such major storylines as that of The Amazing Spider-Man #96–98 (May-July 1971). Kane additionally pioneered an early graphic novel prototype, His Name is...Savage, in 1968, and a seminal graphic novel, Blackmark, in 1971. During the 1970s and 1980s, Kane did character designs for various Hanna-Barbera[6] and Ruby-Spears animated TV series. In 1977, he created the newspaper comic strip Star Hawks with writer Ron Goulart. In the early 1980s, he shared regular art duties on Superman with Curt Swan, and also contributed to the 1988 Superman animated TV series.

Wilson McCoy 1902, cartoonist, was the second artist on the (still running) "The Phantom" comic strip. He started out as Ray Moore's assistant, but when Moore retired from the strip after a war-injury, McCoy took over the entire strip (1949).

John Ratzenberger 1947, actor, Fenn - Warlords of Atlantis (1978), Controller #1 - Superman (1978), Rebel Force Major Derlin - Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Controller #1 - Superman II (1980), Tarlow - Outland (1981), Rusty - Warlords of the 21st Century (1982), General Joe Brodsky - Timestalkers (1987) (TV), Rigger - Captain Planet and the Planeteers (12 episodes, 1990-1992), Cliff Clavin - The Simpsons (1 episode, "Fear of Flying", 1994), Hamm - Toy Story (1995) (voice), P.T. Flea - A Bug's Life (1998) (voice), Hamm the Piggy Bank - Toy Story 2 (1999) (voice), The Abominable Snowman - Monsters, Inc. (2001) (voice), Fish School - Finding Nemo (2003) (voice), Underminer - The Incredibles (2004) (voice), Mack / Hamm Truck / Abominable Snow Plow / P.T. Flea Car - Cars (2006) (voice), Mustafa - Ratatouille (2007) (voice), P.T. Flea - Your Friend the Rat (2007) (V), John - WALL·E (2008) (voice), Construction Foreman Tom - Up (2009) (voice), Hamm the Piggy Bank - Toy Story 3 (2010) (post-production) (voice).

Ivan Dixon 1931, actor, Bolie Jackson / Reverend Anderson - The Twilight Zone (2 episodes, 1960-1964), Major Harold Giles / Sgt. James Conover - The Outer Limits (3 episodes, 1963-1964), Sgt. James 'Kinch' Kinchloe - Hogan's Heroes (145 episodes, 1965-1970).

Ted Gehring 1929, actor, Cab Driver - The Invaders (1 episode, "The Mutation", 1967), Unknown Role - Captain Nice (1 episode, "That Thing", 1967), Second Policeman - Star Trek (1 episode, "Assignment: Earth", 1968), Gate Guard - The Invisible Man (1 episode, "The Invisible Man",1975), Croad - Battlestar Galactica (1 episode, "The Long Patrol", 1978), Sheriff - Galactica 1980 (2 episodes, "Galactica Discovers Earth: Part 2 & 3", 1980), Lutz / Counterman - The Greatest American Hero (2 episodes, 1982-1983), Mike - Starman (1 episode, 1987).

Judith McConnell 1944, actress, Yeoman Tankris - Star Trek (1 episode, "Wolf in the Fold", 1967), Elinor - Alien Nation: Body and Soul (1995) (TV), Sylvia / Clerk - Sliders (2 episodes, 1999).

Mona Grudt 1971, actress, Ensign Graham - Star Trek: The Next Generation (1 episode, "Identity Crisis", 1991).

Joel West 1975, actor, Raakin - Star Trek: Enterprise (1 episode, "Borderland", 2004), Agent Daniel Simmons - Heroes (2 episodes, 2009).

Scott Miles 1976, actor, Terek - Star Trek: Voyager (1 episode, "Nightingale", 2000).

Diora Baird 1983, actress, Orion - Star Trek (2009)(deleted scene), Fantasia/Spanish Woman/Woman/Lady/Girl - Robot Chicken (2 episodes, 2009). However, her scene was deleted from the final cut of the film. In this short scene she portrayed an Orion science division crewmember aboard the Enterprise who was mistaken for Gaila by Kirk.

Events

1967, Star Trek:TOS, "The City on the Edge of Forever" airs.

1968, 2001: A Space Odyssey is released.

1982, Design patent for shuttlecraft is issued.

1983, The Disney-produced TV show Zorro and Son first airs on CBS. Only five episodes were aired.

1991, The Disney Channel begins airing the animated series Darkwing Duck.

2003, Astro Boy cartoon series begins again.