"King Dinosaur" released 1955

Bert I. Gordon's directorial debut, King Dinosaur, was released upon American audiences June 17, 1955.  It was the first of his "low-budget special effects extravaganza" and was not received well.  Its a story of four astronauts sent to investigate a planet that has entered the solar system.  They discover a host of Earth-like creatures, many of them much larger than their terran counterparts.  Stock footage was included, but the quality it was as poor as Gordon's movie.  

Joel and the bots riffed King Dinosaur during the second season of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

I want to know is, if they escaped from the "King Dinosaur", why blow it up?  If you're already clear, and he isn't coming after you, get in your rocket and leave.

Happy birthday. astronaut Donald Thomas!

Donald Alan Thomas, born May 6, 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio, has made four trips into space.  He got his BS in Physics from Case Western Reserve University in 1977, a MS and PhD in Materials Science, both from Cornell University.

NASA selected him as an astronaut in January 1990.  His first mission was aboard Columbia (STS-65) as mission specialist in July 1994, with birthday twin Chiaki Mukai. It was the mission that deployed the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) into space.  He spent almost 15 days in space.

His second flight was aboard Discovery (SGS-70) as mission specialist in July 1995.  It was the last of seven missions to carry a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) into orbit.  He spent 9 days in space.

On his third mission, he flew on Columbia (STS-83) as mission specialist in April 1997.  The flight was cut short due to a technical problem in a fuel cell, and the crew landed after just 4 days.

His fourth and final spaceflight was aboard Columbia (STS-94) as mission specialist in July 1997.  It was the re-flight of STS-83 just three months before.  The mission was a success and he landed after almost 16 days in space.

Remembering actor Leslie Jordan (1955-2022)

Actor and comedian Leslie Jordan, born April 29, 1955 in Memphis, Tennessee, passed away today after a medical emergency caused him to lose control of his vehicle and crash into a building.  He was declared dead on the scene.  

Leslie won the hearts of everyone who watched him.  He has over 135 action credits according to imdb.com.   The first role I remember him in fondly is his performance in Sordid Lives, and his depiction of Tammy Wynette.  I was pleasantly surprised and happy to see him in a season of American Horror Story.  During my research, I realized he was also in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.  These do not seem to be his strongest talents, but I'm glad to see he stepped outside of the box.  

I was again surprised and delighted to see he starred in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager: False Profits in 1996.  I remember watching the episode and not realizing he was playing one of the Ferengi!  Must watch again!  

He won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in the Will & Grace episode Beverly Leslie.

Although he stood only 4'11", he stood tall on screen and had a habit of stealing scenes in any work he was acting in.  

He is already missed.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Donald Pettit!

Donald Pettit, born April 20, 1955 in Silverton, Oregon, is a veteran of three space flights.

His first flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-113) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in November 2002.  He participated in Expedition 6 while aboard the ISS, and conducted two EVAs during the mission.  He returned to Earth Soyuz TMA-1 in May 2003.

His second flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-126)  as mission specialist to the International Space Station in November 2008.  He helped operate the Canadarm2 robotic arm while aboard.

His third and final flight was aboard Soyuz TMA-03 to the International Space Station in December 2011.  He participated in Expeditions 30 and 31. 

"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" wins two Academy Awards (1955)

Disney's science-fiction masterpiece 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea won two Academy Awards at the 27th ceremony March 30, 1955.  It won Best Art Direction, Color for John Meehan (Art Direction) and Emile Kuri (Set Decoration).  It also won Best Special Effects.

It was nominated for Best Film Editing for Elmo Williams.

I think it is great that a horror favorite of mine Them! was also nominated for Best Special Effects.

Remembering Mira Furlan (1955-2021)

Mira Furlan, Babylon 5 and Lost actress, passed away January 20, 2021.  I remember her best for her role as Ambassador Delenn on Babylon 5.  She provided the voice of Silver Sable in the animated Spider-Man series in 1997.  She won a Universe Reader's Choice Award from Sci-Fi Universe Magazine for her work in Babylon 5.  She won awards for her acting in her home country, the former Yugoslavia.

She passed away from complications from the West Nile Virus.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Stephen Robinson!

Stephen Robinson, born October 26, 1955 in Sacramento, California, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights.

His first flight was aboard Discovery (STS-85) as mission specialist in August 1997.  The mission lasted almost 12 days.

His second flight was again on Discovery (STS-95) as mission specialist in October-November 1998. One of his fellow astronaut was US Senator John Glenn, his second trip into space.

His third flight was aboard Discovery (STS-114) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in July-August 2005.  It was the "Return to Flight" space shuttle mission, the first following the Columbia disaster in 2003.

His fourth and final flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-130) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in February 2010. 

"Captain Kangaroo" debuts 1955

The long-running award-winning children's show Captain Kangaroo first appeared on television October 3, 1955, starring Robert Keeshan in the title role.  During its run, Captain Kangaroo was nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys and won 5 Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Children's Programming.

It is the longest-running children's series on US commercial television.  It was the longest-running children's series until 1999 when Sesame Street surpassed it.

Bob Keeshan played the character until 1984. 

Piers Sellers, British astronaut, born 1955

Piers Sellers, born April 11, 1955 in East Sussex, England, was a veteran of three space shuttle missions.

His first trip into space was aboard Atlantis (STS-112) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in October 2002.  He conducted three EVAs with fellow astronaut David Wolf for a total of over 19 hours.

His second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-121) as mission specialist to the ISS in July 2006.  He conducted three more EVAs with fellow astronaut Michael Fossum.

His third and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-132) as mission specialist to the ISS in May 2010.  He operated the Canadarm 2 robotic arm during the mission.

He passed away in December 2016 of pancreatic cancer.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Richard Heib!

Richard Heib, born September 21, 1955 in Jamestown, North Dakota, is a veteran of three space shuttle missions.

His first trip was aboard Discovery (STS-39) as mission specialist in April-May 1991, which conducted a number of experiments with an unclassified payload from the Department of Defense.

His second mission was aboard the maiden flight of Endeavour (STS-49) as mission specialist in May 1992.  He participated in the only 3-man EVA in space history with fellow astronauts Pierre Thuot and Thomas Akers.

Heib's third and final flight was aboard Columbia (STS-65) as mission specialist in July 1994.  The mission was dedicated to the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) and life science experiments.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Carl Walz!

Carl Walz, born September 6, 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights. 

His first flight was aboard Discovery (STS-51) as mission specialist in September 1993.  He and fellow astronaut Jim Newman performed an EVA to evaluate tools and procedures for a Hubble Telescope maintenance flight later in the year.

His second flight was aboard Columbia (STS-65) as mission specialist in July 1994.  The mission included the second flight of the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2).

Walz's third mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-79) as mission specialist in September 1996.  Shannon Lucid returned from Mir after her record-breaking stay.

His fourth and final mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-108) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in December 2001.  Walz was part of Expedition 4.  He returned to Earth in June 2002 aboard Endeavour (STS-111).

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Charles Gemar!

Charles "Sam" Gemar, born August 4, 1955 in Yankton, South Dakota, is a veteran of three space shuttle missions and obtain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army.

His first mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-38) as mission specialist in November 1990.  The flight carried a classified payload into space for the Department of Defense.

His second flight was aboard Discovery (STS-48) as mission specialist in September 1991.

His third and final flight was aboard Columbia (STS-62) with fellow astronaut/birthday twin Andrew Allen.

Gemar has spent over 24 days in space.

Happy birthday, Flash!

Handsome actor John Wesley Shipp, born January 22, 1955 in Norfolk, Virginia, is probably best known for his work on the Emmy-nominated television series, The Flash, which ran for one season in 1990-1991.  He is starring in the current series The Flash as Henry Allen, the Flash's father.

Shipp has won two Daytime Emmy awards:  One for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series for Santa Barbara.  The second was for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for As the World Turns.

Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around The Clock" first pop song to hit #1 on Billboard Pop Charts 1955

Rock Around the Clock, recorded and released by Bill Haley & His Comets, was released in May 1954 as the B-side to Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town).  Remember that classic hit?  No?  Neither do I. 

Rock Around the Clock was considered a commercial disappointment until 1955, when it was used for the opening credits of the movie, Blackboard Jungle.  The rest is history.

July 9, 1955 it became the first rock and roll recording to top Billboard's Pop charts and stayed their for 8 weeks.  Rolling Stone lists it as #158 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In 2018, it was selected for preservation into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Around_the_Clock

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Charles Precourt!

Charles Precourt, born June 29, 1955 in Waltham, Massachusetts, is a veteran of four space shuttle missions.

His first flight was on Columbia (STS-55) as mission specialist April-May 1993.  It was the second flight to carry a German spacelab into orbit.

His second flight was as pilot on Atlantis (STS-71) June-July 1995.  It was the first of seven straight missions to Mir flown by Atlantis.

For his third mission, Precourt was named Commander on Atlantis (STS-84) in May 1997.  This was the sixth flight of the shuttle program to Mir.

He was commander for his fourth and final spaceflight on Discovery (STS-91) in June 1998.  It was the final flight to Mir.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Tom Jones!

Thomas Jones, born January 22, 1955 here in Baltimore, Maryland, is a veteran of four (magic number!) space shuttle flights.  He graduated from high school in Essex and got his Bachelor's Degree from the United States Air Force Academy.  While serving 6 years in the Air Force, he got pilot training in Oklahoma!  Wikipedia doesn't say where, though.

His first flight was on Endeavour (STS-59) in April 1994 as mission specialist.  His second flight was also on Endeavour (STS-68) September-October 1994 as mission specialist.

He was scheduled to conduct two EVAs during his third mission on Columbia (STS-80) with fellow astronaut Tammy Jernigan in November-December 1996.  However, problems with the airlock hatch resulted in both being cancelled.

His fourth and final mission was on Atlantis (STS-98) in February 2001 to the International Space Station.  This time he completed three successful EVAs totaling over 19 hours in space.

He retired from NASA in 2001.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Jerry Linenger!

Jerry Michael Linenger, born January 16, 1955 in East Detroit, Michigan, is a veteran of 3 Space Shuttle flights and one mission aboard Mir.  After graduating from the US Naval Academy in 1977 down here in Annapolis, Maryland, he went to medical school, eventually getting a Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina in 1989.

His first trip into space was aboard Discovery (STS-64) in September 1994 as mission specialist.  Dr. Linenger's second mission was on Atlantis (STS-81) in January 1997 to the space station Mir, where he stayed for 132 days as part of Expedition EO-22.  While on board, he became the first American astronaut to conduct an EVA from a foreign spacecraft, wearing a foreign-made spacesuit.

He returned to Earth aboard Atlantis (STS-84) in May 1997.

Happy birthday, Capt. Janeway!

Beautiful and talented Kate Mulgrew who won the hearts of many Trekkies as Captain Katheryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager, was born April 29, 1955 in Dubuque, Iowa.  In 1998, she won a Saturn Award (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films) and a Golden Satellite for her work on Star Trek: Voyager.

"Godzilla Raids Again" released in 1955

Only 6 months after the original Godzilla aired, Toho Company released its sequel Godzilla Raids Again April 24, 1955.  Riding on the wave of success of the first, Toho rushed the production of the second movie to capitalize on the popularity.

It was originally released in the U.S. as Gigantis: The Fire Monster to give American audiences the illusion they were seeing another monster, but that antic failed.  Still, Godzilla Raids Again was another success.  It pitted the G-Man against Anguirus and destroyed Osaka.

It was also George Takei's first film as he provided voice-over work for the American release.  He also did work for Toho's Rodan.

Happy birthday, Couselor Troi!

Beautiful and talented Marina Sirtis, born March 29, 1955 in London, is best known to us Trekkies as Counselor Deanna Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation.  After auditioning for Star Trek, she was planning to fly back to London, but got the call that she had been given the role of Counselor Troi right before boarding the plane.  All about that timing!