Happy birthday to Cassandra Peterson, who you may know better as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.
She's a bit of a thing around here at The Signal Watch, and we're hoping she's having a good birthday!
If you're not following her on social media, do so! She's active and has been doing sketches and updates in-character during lockdown. And, of course, no one gets fired up for Halloween like The Queen of Halloween.
Today is the birthday of one of the brightest actors on the big and small screen, Amy Adams.
I *think* the public understands what we have in Adams, so I won't belabor the point. Anyway, take a second today and raise a glass to one of the best.
God bless her. She probably has an equal or greater part in the early development of my interest in non-modern movies as anything else. You watch Miracle on 34th Street for your reasons, I'll watch it for mine.
Born in Dublin, O'Hara had a career that spanned decades, weathered controversy and made her an icon.
Saw a couple of reminders already that it's the 109th birthday of Lucille Ball, Queen of American Television Comedy.
It's kinda sad they don't replay I Love Lucy a ton anymore, the older I get, the more I appreciate what she and the cast did, instead of taking it for granted as "a thing which is always on".
Of course we also like to remember that Lucille Ball was originally pitched as a glamour girl, and she fit the bill. A lot of actors were asked to flip between comedy and drama in the studio days, and I'm not sure the studios understood what they had in the movies I've seen her appear. Even in her dramatic roles, you can see a spark there that someone should have poured some fuel on, but she did it herself and things worked out pretty dang well.
Because parents are now largely concerned their children will experience any joy that doesn't have bumpers on it,* I don't think kids really know about Bugs Bunny. Which is a shame.
Being a 1980's latchkey kid who had a Zenith for a babysitter, like most of my generation, I had WB cartoons blasted at me day and night for my entire youth. From my earliest memories straight through college, Looney Tunes were not just a staple, but a constant. In a way, the cheap programming of a thousand UHF channels and basic cable options may be the truest common denominator for 2-3 decades of Americans. All of us know "Rabbit Season/ Duck Season". We all know the weird, hilarious poetic tragedy of Michigan J. Frog and those who find him. We all know the best thing to do when pursued is to dress as a coquettish young blonde and flirt with our pursuer.
Every night my dream's the same
Same old city with a different name
They're not coming to take me away
I don't know why, but I know I can't stay
There's a weight that's pressing down
Late at night you can hear the sound
Even the noise you make when you sleep
Can't swim across a river so deep
They know my name because I told it to them
But they don't know where, and they don't know when
It's coming
When it's coming
There's this fear I keep so deep
Knew it's name since before I could speak
Oh, oh, oh, oh
They know my name because I told it to them
But they don't know where, and they don't know when
It's coming, oh when
But it's coming, keep the car running
If some night I don't come home
Please don't think I've left you alone
The same place that I must go when they die
You can't climb across a mountain so high
The same city where I go when I sleep
Can't swim across a river so deep
They know my name because I told it to them
But they don't know where, and they don't know when
It's coming, oh when
Is it's coming?
Keep the car running
Keep the car running
Keep the car running
Action 252 is the first appearance of the second time DC floated a super girl,* but it brought Kara Zor-El to Earth, not from a dimensional wormhole or anything like we get in fancy, modern stories, but from a loose chunk of Krypton that was just hurling through space with a city and an atmosphere.
Happy Birthday, Jamie. I wish you were not stuck in the house. I wish I had thought to buy cake ingredients two weeks ago. Frankly, I wish I'd bought you something for your birthday.
I can only make it better through the power of Greg Louganis in his prime.
Here's to a future where we can leave the house and not pretend we're on the International Space Station.
Happy birthday to my brother, who is marginally older than me, and nowhere near as handsome (or smart, but let's not rub it in).
These days, I mostly just like his kids and wife, but he's okay, too, I guess.
It's a real kick in the crotch that we can't go out and celebrate his birthday, but that's what next year is for. I got him a present, and when we're de-quarantined, I'm sure this cake I made will still be fine. I'll keep it in the garage til whenever we see each other again.
Anyhoo... Happy birthday, dummy. I hope you enjoy whatever it is you're up to for the day.
Back in the day the editors of Superman comics decided to be cheeky and said the reason Superman didn't seem to age was that his birthday was on Leap Day. So, now, we only get to celebrate Superman's birthday every four years, so you gotta take advantage. Go out there and eat a pint of ice cream or a whole cake in honor of Superman's b-day. It's only every four years.
Today marks the 100th birthday of the late, great Curt Swan. For those taking any kind of deep dive into Superman as a long-running comic book character, it doesn't take long before you start producing your list of giants associated with the character's creation and adventures - and Curt Swan is top of the list.
Siegel and Shuster created Superman, but eventually many of the art duties fell to first Wayne Boring, and then as we transitioned into the mid-Silver and Bronze Age, Swan became the primary pencil behind Superman. For about three decades Swan drew covers and interiors of Adventure Comics, Superman and Action Comics, and saw the end of his reign with the new era that began post COIE. In his tenure he created such characters as Supergirl, Titano, Lucy Lane and many more.
I became familiar with his work through a mish-mash of back-issues and collections of Silver Age comics, and he's very much locked in my mind as one of the best of the best. It's astounding to see the care put into every panel of his art and how his own style evolved to meet (and often exceed) the times.
Today is the birthday of Ida Lupino, born this day in 1918.
A phenomenal actor, she also went on to direct and produce - while continuing to act. While kinda unknown to the general public these days, she has her die-hard fanbase among film fans.
Today is the 90th birthday of noted American actor Gene Hackman.
I am unsure if the kids really understand what a big deal Hackman is in movies, but he was one of the most solid actors of the second half of the 20th Century. He was in top-flight movies and elevated the B-movies her appeared in, always bringing something great to the part.
For my Super-Pals, of course he played Lex Luthor in three Superman films, but the role I'll always love best is Royal Tenenbaum, the guy I will surely age into.
Happy birthday to Star Trek phenom Nichelle Nichols, who is a pioneer of television and pop culture as well as a pioneer in making a 10 year old The League's heart go pitter-patter.
And a 44 year old The League's heart go pitter-patter. But I digress.
Here's to one of the greats on her b-day! May she have cake, family and friends!
Happy Birthday to one of the great artists of Hollywood, Edith Head. If you don't know Edith Head, I highly recommend at least looking at her Wikipedia entry and imdb page.