Saturday, December 04, 2004
12/4: Today in G-History
1940: KATSUTOSHI ATARASHI, who was in "The War in Space", is born in Tokyo.
MASANARI NIHEI, who played Mitsuhiro Ide a.k.a. Ito on "Ultraman" and "Ultraman: Monster Big Battle", is born in Tokyo. He also played astronaut Ito in "Gorath", a bandit in "The Lost World of Sinbad", Jerry in "Mighty Jack", and the tourist at Kinkakuji Temple in "Ultraman Zearth", and was in "Don't Call Me a Con Man" and "Ultraman Zearth 2".
1948: SABURO SHINODA, who was the geologist and G-Force Meltdown Specialist Fukazawa in "Godzilla vs. Mothra: Battle for the Earth" and "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah", is born.
1949: JEFF BRIDGES, who played Jack Prescott in the 1976 remake of "King Kong", is born in Los Angeles. The son of Lloyd Bridges and brother of Beau Bridges, he starred in "The Last Picture Show", "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot", "Starman", and "The Fisher King".
1955: YOJIRO TAKITA, who directed "Onmyoji", is born in Toyama, Japan.
1966: Episode 21 of "Ultraman", "Breach the Wall of Smoke", debuts on Japanese TV.
1971: Episode 36 of "Kamen Rider", "Egyptus: The Mummy Mutant Rises Again", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 49 of "Spectreman", "Genius Monster: Nouman", debuts on Japanese TV.
1972: YUKO MIYAMURA, who played Kyoko Hayase on "Rescue Task Force Go Go V", is born in Hyogo, Japan. She was also the training video girl in "Battle Royale".
Episode 23 of "Triple Fighter", "Operation: Assassinate #1001", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 23 of "Emergency Command: 10/4-10/10", "The Skeleton Beckons Its Flesh", debuts on Japanese TV.
1973: Episode 10 of "Inazuman", "Terror of the Man-Eating Gas", debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: Episode 71 of "Secret Task Force Goranger", "Scarlet Decisive Battle!! The Earth Relocation Project", debuts on Japanese TV.
1979: ROBERT KARNES, who played Prof. Alan Templeton in "Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman", dies of heart failure in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
1982: Episode 43 of "Greatest Task Force Goggle V" debuts on Japanese TV.
1988: Episode 7 of "Kamen Rider Black RX", "SOS! The Ring of Friendship", debuts on Japanese TV.
1992: Episode 41 of "Dinosaur Task Force Zyuranger", "Blaze Up, Burai!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1993: Episode 35 of "Electronic Superhuman: Gridman", "Shock! Undercover Yuka!?", debuts on Japanese TV.
2002: "Ringu" is released in the Philippines.
2004: "Godzilla: Final Wars" is released in Japan.
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Friday, December 03, 2004
12/3: Today in G-History
1950: TORU OKAZAKI is born in Nagasaki. He played Daisuke Yamamoto a.k.a. "Kamen Rider Amazon", reprising the role on "Kamen Rider Stronger" and "Kamen Rider: All Back Again! 7 Riders", and appeared in "Shin Inazuman".
1964: GEORGE LYNN, who played the Mutual Transportation bus driver in "The Deadly Mantis", dies in Los Angeles.
1967: Episode 10 of "Ultra Seven", "The Strange Neighbor" (a.k.a. "The Man Next Door"), debuts on Japanese TV.
1971: Episode 35 of "Return of Ultraman", "Cruel! The Light-Monster Priz-Evil", debuts on Japanese TV.
1972: Episode 9 of "Iron King", "Gentaro in a Moment of Crisis!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: Episode 35 of "Space Ironmen: Kyodyne", "Departure! Planet Dada Snow Super Express!!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1977: Episode 32 of "JAKQ Blitzkrieg Squad", "Which One is Real!? Big-1 in Danger", debuts on Japanese TV.
1979: Episode 28 of "Megaloman: Warrior of Fire", "Deadly Monster: Wild Bull Warrior Buffalon", debuts on Japanese TV.
1982: Episode 34 of "Space Sheriff Gavan", "Memory of the Stars' Tears: A Child Without a Father or Mother", debuts on Japanese TV.
1983: Episode 44 of "Science Task Force Dynaman", "Explosion! The Magma Bomb", debuts on Japanese TV.
1988: Episode 40 of "Super Beast Task Force Liveman", "Lover!? Megumi and the Jewel Thief", debuts on Japanese TV.
1993: Episode 41 of "Five Star Task Force Dairanger", "The Great Ascension of Kujaku", debuts on Japanese TV.
1995: Episode 42 of "Heavy Armored: Beetle Fighter", "The Malicious Bear: Beetle Fighter Hunting", debuts on Japanese TV.
2000: JUN FUKUDA, who directed "Godzilla versus the Sea Monster", "Son of Godzilla", "Godzilla on Monster Island", "Godzilla vs. Megalon", and "Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster", dies of cancer at 76 in Tokyo.
HOYT S. CURTIN, who co-wrote the theme for "The Godzilla Power Hour", dies in Los Angeles.
Episode 42 of "Kamen Rider Kuuga", "Battlefield", debuts on Japanese TV.
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Thursday, December 02, 2004
12/2: Today in G-GHistory
1875: FRANK REICHER, who played Captain Englehorn in "King Kong", is born in Munich, Germany.
1906: DONALD WOODS, who played Captain Phil Jackson in "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms", is born Ralph L. Zink in Brandon, Man.
1913: JERRY SOHL, who wrote the U.S. version of "Frankenstein Conquers the World", is born in Los Angeles.
1925: DEE CARROLL, who played the telephone operator in "Tarantula", is born Betty Jean Marsh in Colorado.
1936: TSUTOMU YAMAZAKI, who was in "Deathquake", is born in Chiba, Japan.
1943: KIWAKO TAICHI, who played the daughter-in-law in "Kuroneko", is born in Tokyo.
1962: SAYOKO HAGIWARA, who played Ryoko Hoshi/Princess Yurian on "Ultraman 80", Rei Tachibana a.k.a. Dyna Pink on "Science Task Force Dynaman", and the evil Ley Nefel/Nefelura on "Super Nova Flashman", is born.
1972: Episode 36 of "Vigilante Lion Maru", "Broken Spear: Mutant Hachigawara", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 21 of "Kikaida", "Brutal! The Poisonous Fangs of Purple Rat", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 88 of "Kamen Rider", "Mystery: The Painting of the Black Cat Cries for Blood!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1974: Episode 9 of "Super Robot: Mach Baron", "The Super Robot of Glass", debuts on Japanese TV.
1975: Episode 9 of "Akumaizer 3", "Why? Is Gabura an Enemy", debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: Episode 9 of "Pro-Wrestling Star: Aztecizer", "Send! This Prayer of Sorrow", debuts on Japanese TV.
1977: The "Super Robot Mach Baron" movie is released in West Germany.
1978: Episode 19 of "Message From Space: Galactic Battle", "Rise! Courageous One of the Plains", debuts on Japanese TV.
1983: Episode 39 of "Space Sheriff Sharivan", "The Doll Knows: The Scarred Heart of an Iga Warrior", debuts on Japanese TV.
1984: SHIRO MORITANI, who directed "Tidal Wave" and "Mount Hakkoda", dies.
1994: Episode 42 of "Ninja Task Force Kakuranger", "Ninja Seizure Power", debuts on Japanese TV.
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Wednesday, December 01, 2004
12/1: Today in G-History
1890: ETTA MCDANIEL, who played a native woman in "King Kong", is born in Wichita, Kan. She was the sister of actress Hattie McDaniel.
1921: RALPH MANZA, who played Joe the old fisherman in "Godzilla", is born in San Francisco.
1922: PAUL PICERNI, whose scenes were deleted from "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" (though he could be seen in the trailer), is born in New York City.
1936: AKIRA KUBO is born in Tokyo. He was in "The Three Treasures", played brash Cadet Astronaut Tatsuo Kanai in "Gorath", Dr. Kenji Murai who survived the "Attack of the Mushroom People", nerdy inventor Tetsuo Teri in "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero", "Ultra Q", pesky reporter Goro Maki in "Son of Godzilla", SY-3 Captain Katsuo Yamabe in "Destroy All Monsters", photographer Taro Kudo in "Yog — Monster from Space", and the captain of the Kairyumatu in "Gamera, the Guardian of the Universe". A former child actor, Kubo went on to appear in "The Sound of Waves", "Throne of Blood" (in the Malcolm role in Kurosawa’s take on "Macbeth"), and a naive samurai in "Sanjuro".
1947: JINPACHI NEZU, who played Gensai in "Red Shadow" and was in "Dragon Head", is born in Yamanashi, Japan.
1954: ERI KAAKI, who played E.A.G.L.E. Agent 007 on "Secret Task Force Goranger", is born.
1962: SAYOKO HAGIWARA, who played Ryoko Hoshi/Princess Yurian in "Ultraman 80", Rei Tachibana a.k.a. Dyna Pink on "Science Task Force Dynaman", and Ley Nefel in "Super Nova Flashman", is born.
1972: Episode 35 of "Transforming Ninja Arashi", "Arashi Vanishes: The Demon Gang Approaches", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 35 of "Ultraman Ace", "A Gift From Zoffy", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 9 of "Warrior of Love Rainbowman", "Drive Takeshi Insane", debuts on Japanese TV.
1973: Episode 29 of "Kikaida 01", "Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Ten Billion Volt Terror!", premieres on Japanese TV.
Episode 46 of "Jumborg Ace", "Satangone’s Last Great Charge!", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 42 of "Kamen Rider V3", "The Snail Man's Human Experiements", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 9 of "Ironman Tiger-Seven", "Death Duel! Hiryu Genjin vs. Tiger Seven", debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: Episode 35 of "Ninja Captor", "Terror of the Moth Man", debuts on Japanese TV.
1977: YUKO MOCHIZUKI, who played Minokichi’s mother in the "Woman in the Snow" segment of "Kwaidan", dies in Japan.
1978: Episode 22 of "Dinosaur Task Force: Koseidon", "Burn Up Gou: Yet Another Human Cannonball", debuts on Japanese TV.
1979: Episode 44 of "Battle Fever J", "Tsugkage Family of Hell Valley", debuts on Japanese TV.
1984: Episode 44 of "Super Electron Bioman", "The Beautiful Conscience Circuit", debuts on Japanese TV.
1986: Episode 31 of "Hyper Dimension Warrior: Spielban", "Tokyo Sinking! 3 Change Helen Lady", premires on Japanese TV.
1989: Episode 40 of "High Speed Task Force Turboranger", "Walk! Child of Shikoku", debuts on Japanese TV.
1994: "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" is released on laserdisc in Japan.
1995: CNN runs a feature on "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah", including an interview with Momoko Kochi.
Episode 38 of "Superpower Task Force Ohranger", "It's Hard Being a Majin", debuts on Japanese TV.
1997: KAIJU-CON concludes.
1998: FREDDIE YOUNG, cinematographer on "Gorgo", dies of natural causes in London, England.
2000: ROBERT V. BARRON, who did voices on "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers", dies in Salinas, Calif.
2001: KATSUMI MURAMATSU, who played Koichi Asakawa in "Ringu" and "Ringu 2", dies of stomach cancer in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
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Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Godzilla Gets Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Yesterday Godzilla became an official star. Read about it here. The day was capped off by the official premiere of Godzilla: Final Wars (2004).
posted by Scott | permalink
Monday, November 29, 2004
11/29: Today in G-History
1910: FUMIKO HONMA, who played Ken's screaming mother in "Varan the Unvelievable" and the spiritualist in "Godzilla versus the Sea Monster", is born in Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan.
1924: RALPH JAMES, who was in the U.S. version of "Tidal Wave", is born Ralph James Torrez.
1930: YUSUKE TAKITA, who played Eiji Tsuburaya in Episode 49 of "Ultraman Tiga", is born in Setagaya Go, Tokyofu, Japan. He was also geophysics professor Yukinaga in "Tidal Wave".
1931: SHINTARO KATSU, who was in "The Whale God" and played Eiichi Shibusawa in "Tokyo: The Last Megalopois", is born Toshio Okumura in Tokyo. He is best remembered for playing the blind swordsman Zatoichi in two dozen films.
1944: CHOEI TAKAHASHI, who had a role in the TV series "Star Wolf" ("Fugitive Alien") is born.
1968: Episode 8 of "Johnny Sokko and His Giant Robot", "Doublion: The Two-Faced Monster", debuts on Japanese TV.
1974: Episode 35 of "Electroid Zaborger", "Flower Bomb Become Gigantic!!", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 34 of "Ultraman Leo", "Ultra Brothers: Eternal Vow", debuts on Japanese TV.
1975: Episode 32 of "Secret Task Force Goranger", "Blue Hot Winds! The Variblune Doesn’t Respond", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 35 of "Kamen Rider Stronger", "Return of the Man! His Name Is V3!!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: Episode 43, the final episode of "Ninja Captor", debuts on TV Tokyo.
1978: Episode 29 of Toei’s "Spiderman", "Hurry GP-7: Time Must Be Halted", debuts on Japanese TV.
1980: Episode 43 of "Electronic Task Force Denziman", "The Enigmatic Spectrum Lady", debuts on Japanese TV.
1985: Episode 29 of "Monster Investigator: Juspion", "Red Balloon-Blue Balloon: Balloon Panic", debuts on Japanese TV.
1986: Episode 39 of "Super Nova Flashman", "Sara Burns With Anger", debuts on Japanese TV.
1987: Episode 9 of "Kamen Rider Black", "Bishima’s Scarlet Lips", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 34 of "Super Manchine: Metalder" debuts on Japanese TV.
1991: Episode 42 of "Icarus Task Force Jetman", "My Limbs Are Asleep!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1996: Episode 40 of "Highspeed Task Force Carranger", "The Self-Sacrificing Crossing Guard Scramble Robo!?", debuts on Japanese TV.
1997: Episode 13 of "Ultraman Dyna", "The Monster Factory", debuts on Japanese TV.
"Tao no tsuki" a.k.a. "Moon Over Tao" is released in Japan.
1998: Episode 39 of "Star Beast Task Force Gingaman", "Heart Massage", debuts on Japanese TV.
2004: Godzilla receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame outside Mann's Chinese Theater, and "Godzilla: Final Wars" has its world premiere there that night.
posted by Jay | permalink
Sunday, November 28, 2004
11/28: Today in G-History
1910: KINUYO TANAKA, who was in "The Three Treasures", is born in Yamaguchi, Japan. She appeared in "Ugetsu", "Red Beard", and "Sandokan No. 8", and was the first female Japanese director.
1930: FUYUKICHI MAKI, who played White Shadow (Shiro-Kage) on "Masked Ninja Red Shadow" and was in "Transforming Ninja Arashi" and "Legend of the Dinosaurs", is born in Odate, Akita, Japan.
1941: CHOTARO TOGIN, who played a bystander in "Dogora, The Space Monster", Ichino in "Godzilla versus the Sea Monster", a surveyor in "Son of Godzilla", Ogata in "Destroy All Monsters", an assistant detective in "Godzilla's Revenge", and agent Yokoyama in "Yog — Monster from Space", is born in Tokyo. He also played Uchida the bank robber on "Ultra Q".
1946: JOE DANTE, who was in the U.S. version of "Tidal Wave", is born in Morristown, N.J. A protege of Roger Corman and Steven Spielberg, he went on to be the editor on "Grand Theft Auto" and director of "Hollywood Boulevard", "Piranha", "The Howling", "Gremlins", "Explorers", "Amazon Women on the Moon", "Innerspace", "The 'burbs", "Gremlins 2: The New Batch", "Matinee", and "Looney Tunes: Back in Action".
1950: RUSS POWELL, who played a watchman in "King Kong", dies of arteriosclerosis in Los Angeles.
1966: Episode 22 of "The Space Giants", "Stop That Space Rocket!!" a.k.a. "The Rampaging Terror", debuts on Japanese TV.
1972: Episode 9 of "Thunder Mask", "Bore Through the Earth!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1973: Episode 22 of "Super Robot: Red Baron", "Red Baron in Crisis", debuts on Japanese TV.
1980: Episode 7 of "Kamen Rider Super-1", "Dogma-Class Living Computer", debuts on Japanese TV.
1981: Episode 42 of "Solar Task Force Sunvulcan" debuts on Japanese TV.
1987: Episode 40 of "Psi Task Force Maskman", "Haruka & Momoko: The Powerful Female Thieves", debuts on Japanese TV.
1993: Episode 43 of "Investigation Robo: Janperson", "Last of the Powerful Super Gods", debuts on Japanese TV.
1996: Shusuke Kaneko receives an award for outstanding direction for "Gamera 2: Advent of Legion" by the Japanese Science Fiction Writers Society.
1998: Episode 13 of "Ultraman Gaia", "Night of the Marionettes", debuts on Japanese TV.
1999: Episode 40 of "Rescue Task Force Go-Go V" debuts on Japanese TV.
2001: "Generation Kikaida" is broadcast on TV in Hawaii.
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