Ida Lupino at 103

 

Today marks Ida Lupino's date of birth, 1918.  She's a favorite here at The Signal Watch, and I probably go on about her too much, but that's just how we're gonna be.  I will defend this decision forever.

Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton

 

Today is Dolly Parton's 75th birthday, and if 2020 gave us anything, it's yet another wave of well-deserved Dolly-mania as Dolly showed us all, once again, what it looks like to be a decent human being who can also make grown adults cry with a song.

We're experiencing our own wave of Dolly-mania here at League HQ, so join us.

And here's Dolly's gift to us - a reminder that things can and will be better.

Happy birthday, Audrey Totter

 born this day in 1917

Happy Birthday to Helen Slater

Today is the birthday of Helen Slater, famous around these parts for playing Kara in Supergirl, as well as Lara on Smallville and Eliza Danvers on the CW show Supergirl.  She also starred in The Legend of Billy Jean, City Slickers, Ruthless People, The Secret of My Success, and has appeared in numerous shows, including the final episodes of Mad Men.  In addition, she loaned her voice to DC Superhero Girls as Martha Kent and Batman: The Animated Series as Talia al Ghul.  

If you didn't know, she's also cut a few records (she's pretty great!), and continues on her trend of being terribly crush-worthy.  

Today is the 100th Birthday of Noel Neill

Today is the 100th birthday of the late Noel Neill, the original live-action Lois Lane.  

Neill mostly famously played Lois Lane for five seasons of The Adventures of Superman alongside actor George Reeves.

Neill was active on the convention circuits and became a fixture at the Metropolis, Illinois Superman Celebration each summer until her very last years.  

Happy Birthday, Boris!

 Boris Karloff, born this day, 1887.  

He would have been 44-45 when he played the Monster for the first time.

Happy 100th, Gene Tierney

Good golly, that Gene Tierney.

Today marks her 100th birthday.  She's very, very good in some very good films.  I do not have time to Google her for you, but I recommend you check out her work.

Today is the birthday of Carrie Fisher

 

all hail The General

Happy Birthday, Cassandra Peterson

 

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.  

Facebook

Twitter

Happy Birthday, Amy Adams

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.

A Century of Maureen O'Hara

Today marks the 100th birthday of Maureen O'Hara.

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.

Happy Birthday, Lucille Ball

what pic did you think I was going to use?

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.

Happy Birthday Myrna Loy

Today would be the 115th birthday of Myrna Loy

Happy 80th Birthday, Bugs Bunny!

in which I argue this is a hero of the people

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.

It's printed on our DNA.

Happy Byrthday Lynda Carter

Happy birthday to Ms. Carter!  May it be a wonder-ful b-day for our own Amazing Amazon and Princess of Themyscira!

reigning supreme at the Met Gala in 2018!

45

Keep the Car Running
Arcade Fire


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 - First Supergirl - Arrived March 31, 1959!

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.

Everyone Wish Jamie/ @mcsteans a Happy Birthday

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

Steanso rehearses for his next gig

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.



PS:  Mom likes me best.

It's Superman's Birthday

It's Superman's birthday!

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.