Saturday, December 25, 2004
12/25: Today in G-History
1899: FRANK FERGUSON, who played Dr. Morton in "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms",
is born in Ferndale, Calif. He was in the films "Rancho Notorious" and "Johnny
Guitar", and the TV series "My Friend Flicka" and "Peyton Place".
1940: ISAO NATSUYAGI, who was in "Tidal Wave" and played Dr. Nakanishi in
"Virus", is born in Tokyo.
1962: DAIKI NAKAMURA, who played Jilfiza on "Rescue Task Force Go Go V", is
born in Tokyo.
1966: Episode 24 of "Ultraman", "The Undersea Science Center", debuts on
Japanese TV.
1970: ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, who played an official in "Them!", dies.
1971: Episode 39 of "Kamen Rider", "Demon Wolf-Man's Huge Murderous Party",
debuts on Japanese TV.
1973: Episode 13 of "Inazuman" debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: The remake of "King Kong" is released in Sweden.
Episode 74 of "Secret Task Force Goranger" debuts on Japanese TV.
1980: LEE KRESEL, who directed the English dubs of "Mothra" and "Godzilla vs.
the Smog Monster", dies in Sag Harbor, New York.
REIKA HASHIMOTO, who played Ageha on "Heavy-Armored: Beetle Fighter",
is born.
1984: "Godzilla 1985" is released in South Korea.
1988: Episode 10 of "Kamen Rider Black RX", "Surprised With Fake People",
debuts on Japanese TV.
1997: SHINICHIRO NAKAMURA, who co-wrote the story for "Mothra", dies in
Atami, Japan.
2000: Episode 10 of "Kikaider: The Animation", "Hakaider", debuts on Japanese
TV.
2003: "Attack of the Mushroom People" is released on DVD in Japan.
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Friday, December 24, 2004
12/24: Today in G-History
1898: BERNARD W. BURTON, co-producer and editor on "The Beast from 20,000
Fathoms", is born in New York City.
1913: STANLEY D. MEYER, who produced the U.S. release of "The Human Vapor", is
born.
1937: MASAAKI HIRAO, composer on "E.S.P.Y.", is born in Chigasaki, Japan.
1941: PATRICIA MEDINA, who played Lucretia in "Latitude Zero", marries Richard
Greene.
1944: KATSUHIKO SASAKI, who played Professor Goro Ibuki in "Godzilla vs.
Megalon" and biologist Akira Ichinose in "Terror of Mechagodzilla", is born in
Tokyo. The son of Minoru Chiaki, he was also Professor Yoshi in "Evil of
Dracula", Nishiyama's assistant in "The Last Days of Planet Earth", Director of
Science Technology Takeda in "Godzilla vs. Biollante", and Dr. Hironori Masaaki
in "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah".
1954: KAZUNORI ITO, who wrote "Gamera, the Guardian of the Universe", "Gamera
2: Attack of Legion", and "Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris", is born in Yamagata,
Japan.
1967: Episode 13 of "Ultra Seven", "Man from V3" (a.k.a. "Space Ace Reunion",
debuts on Japanese TV.
1977: Episode 35, the final episode of "J.A.K.Q. Blitzkrieg Squad", debuts on
Japanese TV.
1979: ROBERT V. BARRON, who did voices on "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers",
marries Dayna Pearson.
The final episode of "Megaloman: Warrior of Fire" debuts on Japanese
TV.
1988: NANCY CARTWRIGHT, who played Caiman's secretary in "Godzilla", marries
Warren Murphy.
1989: Episode 47 of "Space Sheriff Jiban", "Shock! Christmas Battle", debuts on
Japanese TV.
1993: Episode 44 of "Five Star Task Force Dairanger", "Impression!! You'll Cry
Too", debuts on Japanese TV.
1995: Episode 45 of "Heavy Armored: Beetle Fighter", "Christmas Eve Memory",
debuts on Japanese TV.
1997: TOSHIRO MIFUNE, who starred in "The Three Treasures", "The Lost World of
Sinbad", and "Princess from the Moon", dies of organ failure in Tokyo. World
famous for his films with Akira Kurosawa, he was 77.
2000: Episode 45 of "Kamen Rider Kuuga", "Powerful Enemy", debuts on Japanese
TV.
Episode 44 of "Future Task Force Timeranger", "Case File 44: Revolt
Against Time", debuts on Japanese TV.
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Thursday, December 23, 2004
12/23: Today in G-History
1904: FRED ALDRICH, who played the radio operator in "The Beast From 20,000
Fathoms", is born in New York City.
1911: FUYUKI MURAKAMI is born in Fukuoka. He played Dr. Tanabe in "Godzilla,
King of the Monsters", "The Invisible Man", "Godzilla Raids Again", Dr. Nobu
Kawanami in "The Mysterians", Dr. Majima in "Varan the Unbelievable", Inspector
Iriake in "Battle in Outer Space", "The Three Treasures", Dr. Sano who turned
Yoshio Tsuchiya into "The Human Vapor", and a scientist in "The Secret of the
Telegian" and "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero".
1913: JORGEN BLAKSTED, who was in "Reptilicus", is born in Denmark.
1943: HARRY SHEARER, who played WIDF anchor Charles Caiman in "Godzilla", is
born in Los Angeles. He is known for his many voices (Mr. Burns & Smithers, Ned
Flanders, Principal Skinner, Dr. Hibbert) on "The Simpsons", as bassist Derek
Smalls in the mock-rock band Spinal Tap, and for his program "Le Show" on
National Public Radio, and was also in the films "Abbott & Costello Go to
Mars", "The Robe" (as a child actor) and "Teddy Bears' Picnic" (which he also
directed).
1953: CLINT EASTWOOD, who played the jet squadron leader in "Tarantula",
marries Maggie Johnson.
1972: Episode 24 of "Kikaida", "A She-Devil?? Peach Armadillo", debuts on
Japanese TV.
Episode 91 of "Kamen Rider", "Gel Shocker - Enroll in Terror
School!!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1978: AKIKO YADA, who played Mai Takano in "Ringu: The Final Chapter" and "The
Spiral" TV series, and Junko Aoki in "Cross Fire", is born in Kanagawa, Japan.
1979: ROBERT V. BARRON, who did voices on "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers",
marries Dayna Pearson.
ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK, who co-directed, co-wrote, and/or produced "King
Kong", "Son of Kong", and "Mighty Joe Young", and played the machine gunner on
the plane that killed Kong, dies in Los Angeles County.
1991: "Ultraman: Towards the Future" a.k.a. "Ultraman Great" premieres on
Japanese TV.
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Wednesday, December 22, 2004
12/22: Today in G-History
1931: KOZO NOMURA, who played Kenji (or Paul Iso in the U.S. version) in "Varan
the Unbelievable", is born Terunobu Nomura in Tokyo. His other credits include
"Battle in Outer Space", "The Three Treasures", Kyoko's fellow reporter in "The
Human Vapor", "The Last War", a fuel checkout man in "Gorath", a rebel in "The
Lost World of Sinbad", a research team member in "Godzilla vs. the Thing" a
geologist in "Ghidrah — the Three-Headed Monster", and an overzealousreporter
in "Frankenstein Conquers the World".
1946: HIROSHI MURAKAMI, who played Hiroshi Tsukuba a.k.a. "Sky Rider" in his
own series and "8 Kamen Riders vs. Galaxy King", is born in Rikuzentakata,
Iwate.
1963: "Kaitei gunkan" ("Undersea Battleship") a.k.a. "Atragon" is released in
Japan.
1971: PAT MASTROIANNI, who played Apache Pilot #3 in "Godzilla", is born
Pasquale Mastroianni in Toronto.
1972: Episode 12 of "Warrior of Love Rainbowman", "Critical Moment!!", debuts
on Japanese TV.
Episode 38 of "Transforming Ninja Arashi" debuts on Japanese TV.
1973: Episode 32 of "Kikaida 01", "Beckoning in Hell — Bijinder", debuts on
Japanese TV.
Episode 43 of "Kamen Rider V3", "Destron's Xmas Present", debuts on
Japanese TV.
1979: Episode 47 of "Battle Fever J" debuts on Japanese TV.
1994: NOBUKO OTOWA, who played the ill mother in "The Last War", dies.
1995: Episode 41 of "Superpower Task Force Ohranger" debuts on Japanese TV.
2002: KENNETH TOBEY, who played Col. Jack Evans in "The Beast From 20,000
Fathoms" and Pete Mathews in "It Came from Beneath the Sea", dies in Rancho
Mirage, Calif.
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Tuesday, December 21, 2004
12/21: Today in G-History
1928: KEI SATO, who played Chief Editor Gondo in "Godzilla 1985", is born in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima, Japan. He also played a ghost samurai in "Kwaidan", Hachi in "Onibaba", Raiko in "Kuroneko", and Iyemon in "The Ghost of Yotsuya".
1955: OTIS GARTH, who played an admiral at the second conference in "Them!", dies in Hollywood. He was born in 1901.
1957: TSUTOMU KITAGAWA, who played Godzilla in "Godzilla 2000", "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus", "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" (also playing a maser tank pilot), "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.", and "Godzilla: Final Wars", is born in Yamaguchi-ken, Honshu, Japan. He also did stunts as an enemy soldier on "Akumaizer 3", Change Pegasus on "Blitzkrieg Task Force Changeman", Blue Flash on "Super Nova Flashman", Blue Mask on "Aura Task Force Maskman", and King Ghidorah in "Rebirth of Mothra 3".
1963: JOHN CLOSE, who played a helicopter pilot in "Them!" and an engineer in "The Deadly Mantis", dies in a car accident in Palm Springs, Calif.
1966: "Ogon batto" ("Golden Bat") is released in Japan.
1974: Episode 10 of "Kamen Rider Amazon", "Black Cat Beastman — Aiming at the Kindergarten!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1979: Episode 12 of "Sky Rider" debuts on Japanese TV.
1985: KAMATARI FUJIWARA, who played Mariko’s grandfather in "The Invisible Man", dies in Tokyo.
1994: KOREYA SENDA, who played Dr. Maki in "The H-Man", Dr. Sugimoto in "Varan the Unbelievable", and Professor Adachi in "Battle in Outer Space", dies.
1997: Episode 43 of "Electromagnetic Task Force Megaranger", "Don't Lose! Decisive Battle on Christmas Eve", debuts on Japanese TV.
2001: "War of the Gargantuas", "The Human Vapor", and "Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster" are released on DVD in Japan.
"Godzilla vs. Megaguirus" is released in Poland.
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Monday, December 20, 2004
12/20: Today in G-History
1899: MINORU TAKADA is born in Akita, Japan. Appearing in film since the 1920s, his credits include the gang boss in "The Invisible Man", "Atomic Rulers", "Invaders from Space", "Evil Brain from Outer Space", the commander in "Battle in Outer Space", "The Last War", a government official in "Atragon", the Minister of Home Affairs to whom the Shobijin address their plan in "Ghidrah — the Three-Headed Monster", and "Don't Call Me a Con Man".
1905: ALBERT DEKKER, who played the Secretary of Defense in the U.S. release of "Gammera the Invincible", is born in Brooklyn, N.Y. The veteran character actor’s films include the title character in "Dr. Cyclops", "The Great Garrick", "The Man in the Iron Mask", "Beau Geste", "Among the Living", "The Woman of the Town", "The French Key", "The Killers", "Gentleman’s Agreement", "East of Eden", "Kiss Me Deadly", "Suddenly, Last Summer", and "The Wild Bunch", and served as a member of the California legislature.
1949: TAKAO OKAWARA, who directed "Godzilla vs. Mothra: The Battle for Earth", "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II", "Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon", and "Godzilla 2000", is born in Tokyo. He also directed "Psychic Girl Reiko" and was assistant director on "Tidal Wave" and "Kagemusha".
1960: "The Three Treasures" is released in the U.S.
1964: "San daikaiju chikyu saidai no kessen" ("Three Giant Monsters Greatest Battle on Earth") a.k.a. "Ghidrah — The Three-Headed Monster" is released in Japan.
1968: VAN NEST POLGLASE, supervising art director on "King Kong", dies from burns from a house fire in Los Angeles.
1969: "Oru kaiju daishingeki" ("All Monsters Big Attack") a.k.a. "Godzilla's Revenge" a.k.a. "All Monsters Attack" is released in Japan.
1970: "Godzilla vs. the Thing" is rereleased in Japan.
1974: Episode 38 of "Electroid Zaborger", "Decisive Battle, Zaborger versus Doctor Akunomiya!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1975: Episode 34 of "Secret Task Force Goranger" debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 38 of "Kamen Rider Stronger" debuts on Japanese TV.
1978: OLE WISBORG, who played Captain Brandt in "Reptilicus", dies in Denmark.
1987: Episode 12 of "Kamen Rider Black", "The Birth of the Legend of Super Mechanics", debuts on Japanese TV.
1996: Episode 43 of "Highspeed Task Force Carranger", "Merry Carmagic Christmas", debuts on Japanese TV.
2001: KOJI NAMBARA, who played Gen Kai Ryuu/King Cobra on "Diamond Eye", dies.
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Sunday, December 19, 2004
12/19: Today in G-History
1931: REIKO SATO, who was in "Invaders from Space" and "The Devil Incarnate", is born in Los Angeles County.
1957: JUROTA KOSUGI, the voice of Saburo/Hakaida on "Kikaider: The Animation", is born in Kanagawa, Japan.
1965: "Kaiju Daisenso" ("Great Monster War") a.k.a. "Monster Zero" a.k.a. "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" a.k.a. "Invasion of the Astro Monsters" a.k.a. "Invasion of Astro Monster" is released in Japan.
1966: Episode 25 of "The Space Giants", "A Christmas Present from the Devil" a.k.a. "Invaders from a Far Planet", debuts on Japanese TV.
1977: DAVID TOMACK, who played the power line foreman in "Earth vs. the Spider", dies in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
1980: Episode 10 of "Kamen Rider Super-1" debuts on Japanese TV.
2003: LES TREMAYNE, the narrator in the U.S. versions of "Rodan" and "King Kong vs. Godzilla" and played Professor Theodore Gettell in "The Angry Red Planet", dies in California.
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