Daily Birthdays and Events in Sci-Fi, Comics and related areas

February 9, 2012

Frank Frazetta, Flash Gordon, Little Annie Fanny, Alberto Vargas, Varga Girls, Roswell, Duckman, Spaceballs, Supergirl, Peter Pan, Roo, Grimjack.

Three great artists were born today. Frank Frazetta, Alberto Vargas, and Timothy Truman all celebrate their birthdays.


Enjoy !!!



Birthdays

Frank Frazetta 1928, fantasy and science fiction artist, noted for work in comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, record-album covers, and other media, At 16, Frazetta started drawing for comic books in various genres: Westerns, fantasy, mysteries, histories, and other contemporary themes. Some of his earliest work was in funny animal comics, which he signed as "Fritz." During this period he turned down job offers from giants such as Walt Disney. In the early 1950s, he worked for EC Comics, National Comics, (including the superhero feature "Shining Knight"), Avon, and several other comic book companies. Much of his work in comic books was done in collaboration with friend Al Williamson. Noticed because of his work on the Buck Rogers covers for Famous Funnies, Frazetta started working with Al Capp on his Li'l Abner comic strip. Frazetta was also producing his own strip, Johnny Comet at this time, as well as assisting Dan Barry on the Flash Gordon daily strip. Eventually he joined Harvey Kurtzman on the bawdy parody strip Little Annie Fanny in Playboy magazine.
Alberto Vargas 1896, Peruvian painter of pin-up girls and erotica. His early career included work as an artist for the Ziegfeld Follies and for many Hollywood studios. Vargas' most famous piece of film work was that for the 1933 film The Sin of Nora Moran, which shows a near-naked Zita Johann in a pose of desperation. The poster is frequently named one of the greatest movie posters ever made. He became famous in the 1940s as the creator of iconic World War II era pin-ups for Esquire magazine known as "Varga Girls." The nose art of many World War II aircraft was adapted from these Esquire pin-ups. A legal dispute with Esquire over the use of the name "Varga" resulted in a judgment against Vargas and he struggled financially until the 1960s when Playboy magazine began to use his work as "Vargas Girls." His career flourished and he had major exhibitions of his work all over the world.
Jason George 1972, actor, Agent Matheson - Roswell (2 episodes, 2000), Jolan - Stargate SG-1 (2 episodes, 2005-2006).
Charles Shaughnessy 1955, actor, Duckman - Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (3 episodes, 1994-1995), Douglas Bader - Gargoyles (1 episode, 1995), Various Voices - Johnny Bravo (1 episode, 1997), Golf Store Man - Hey Arnold! (1 episode, 1999), Maj. Drake Alexander Wallis III - Heavy Gear: The Animated Series (6 episodes), Serge de la Rouge Max Steel (1 episode), Dr. Necrosis - Jackie Chan Adventures (1 episode, 2001), Squirrel - The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002) (voice), Dennis - Stanley (21 episodes, 2001-2003), Alec Colson - Stargate SG-1 (1 episode, "Covenant", 2004), Archie the Rabbit - Squirrel Boy (2 episodes, 2006-2007), Cannon Pirate / Crew Member #1, Mr. Pants / Valencourt / Worthington - The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack (4 episodes, 2009).
Jim J. Bullock 1955, actor, Prince Valium - Spaceballs (1987), Neal Tanner - ALF (5 episodes, 1989-1990), Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (1 episode, 1994), Adam Seymour "Queer Duck" Duckstein - Queer Duck (1999) TV series (voice), Adam Seymour 'Queer Duck' Duckstein - Queer Duck: The Movie (2006) (V) (voice), Mr. Monroe - Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (17 episodes, 2004-2007).
Penny Peyser 1951, actress, Lannie - The Incredible Hulk (1 episode, "Two Godmothers", 1981), Cheryl Burns - Knight Rider (1 episode, "The Final Verdict", 1982), Jane - Amazing Stories (1 episode, "Secret Cinema", 1986), Attorney Nancy Hudson - Quantum Leap (1 episode, 1991).
Mia Farrow 1945, actress, Alura - Supergirl (1984).
Clive Swift 1936, actor, Jobel - Doctor Who (2 episodes, "Revelation of the Daleks: Part 1 & 2", 1985), St. John Court - The Ray Bradbury Theater (1 episode, 1988), King George II - Aristocrats (1999) TV mini-series, Mr. Copper - Doctor Who (1 episode, "Voyage of the Damned", 2007).
Heather Angel 1909, actress, Alice's sister - Alice in Wonderland (1951) (voice), Mrs. Darling - Peter Pan (1953) (voice).
Brian Donlevy 1901, actor, Prof. Bernard Quatermass - The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), Prof. Bernard Quatermass - Quatermass 2 (1957).
Gene Lyons 1921, actor, Psychiatrist - The Twilight Zone (1 episode, "King Nine Will Not Return",1960), Sam Blake - Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond (1 episode, "Tonight at 12:17",1960), Ambassador Fox - Star Trek (1 episode, "A Taste of Armageddon",1967), John Corwin / Sawyer-Alien - The Invaders (2 episodes, 1967-1968).
Ronnie Claire Edwards 1933, actress, Avery - Future Cop (1976) (TV), Bootsie - The Torkelsons (4 episodes, 1991), Talur - Star Trek: The Next Generation (1 episode, "Thine Own Self",1994).
Marianna Hill 1941, actress, Nina Link - The Outer Limits (1 episode, "I, Robot",1964), Cleo Patrick - Batman (2 episodes, 1966), Helen Noel - Star Trek (1 episode, "Dagger of the Mind", 1966), Eskimo / Lousia - Hogan's Heroes (1 episode, 1969), Bambi Greer - Invisible Strangler (1976).
Julie Warner 1965, actress, Christy Henshaw - Star Trek: The Next Generation (2 episodes, "Transfigurations", "Booby Trap", 1989-1990).
Lauren Moore 1971, actress, Bajoran Pah-wraith follower - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1 episode, "Covenant", 1998)
James "Jimmy" Bennett 1996, actor, Roo - Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004) (V) (voice), Roo - Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005) (V) (voice), Rerun - He's a Bully, Charlie Brown (2006) (TV) (voice), Young James T. Kirk - Star Trek (2009).
Zhang Ziyi 1979, actress, Karai - TMNT (2007) (voice).
Timothy Truman 1956, writer, comic book artist, best known for his stories and Wild West-style comic book art, and in particular, for his work on Grimjack (with John Ostrander), Scout, and the reinvention of Jonah Hex, with Joe R. Lansdale. Truman is currently writing Conan. Truman's first professional comics work was Grimjack with writer John Ostrander, for the independent comics company First Comics. Grimjack first appeared in Starslayer #10 in November 1983, before moving to his own series after issue #18 in 1984, and continued for 81 issues. Along with being a fan favorite and often imitated character, Grimjack almost single-handedly defined the "grim and gritty" action comic character archetype. In 1985, he created Scout, which was followed by Scout: War Shaman, a futuristic western. A year later, he relaunched the Hillman characters Airboy and The Heap for Eclipse Comics. He also developed The Prowler, a Shadow type character, and adapted The Spider for Eclipse. In 1991, at DC Comics he created Hawkworld, a reinvention of Hawkman. With author Joe R. Lansdale, he reinterpreted Jonah Hex as a horror western. In it, their creation of villain Edgar Autumn elicited a complaint from musician Edgar Winter. Truman was chosen by Dark Horse Comics to illustrate a newly completed Tarzan novel and wrote a story arc for the comic book. He also wrote virtually the entire run of Turok: Dinosaur Hunter for Valiant Comics, after David Michelinie launched the book with its first three-issue story arc and subsequently departed the series. For the defunct SF imprint of DC, Helix, he created The Black Lamb. He also worked on a typical pulp adventure Guns of the Dragon, featuring Enemy Ace and Bat Lash; and wrote Star Wars at Dark Horse Comics. While at Dark Horse Comics, he took over the writing of Conan from Kurt Busiek in 2006, and after that series ended he started Conan The Cimmerian.


Events

1953, The Adventures of Superman TV series premieres in syndication.
1967, Star Trek:TOS, "The Return of the Archons" airs.
1968, Star Trek:TOS, "Return to Tomorrow" airs.
1970, Doomwatch begins on BBC 1.
1994, Babylon 5 Episode 3 - "Born to the Purple" first aired
2000, Star Trek:Voyager, "Tsunkatse" airs.
2002, Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension airs on Fox.

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