25 More Still Living Actors Age 80 Plus

Part 1: http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2011/10/50-still-living-actors-age-80-and-older.html

Part 2: http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2011/10/50-more-still-living-actors-age-80-and.html

Part 3: http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2012/01/50-still-living-actors-age-80-and-older.html

Dropping these from 50 per list to 25 due to the increased difficulty of finding additional notable names for these lists.  Is there any interest in me covering the 70-79 range?

1.      Richard Attenborough (b. 1923): Albert Blossom in the 1967 Doctor Dolittle, John Hammond in Jurassic Park movies

2.      Barbara Barrie (b. 1931): Elizabeth Miller on Barney Miller, Helen Keane on Suddenly Susan

3.      Terence Bayler (b. 1930) MacDuff) in the 1971 Tragedy of Macbeth

4.      Lucille Bliss (b. 1917): Crusader Rabbit on Crusader Rabbit, Smurfette on The Smurfs

5.      Lou Brackett (b. 1924): Dan Harrelson in SWAT

6.      Joseph Campanella (b. 1927): Curt Connors in the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon series

7.      Jon Cypher (b. 1932): Chief Fletcher on Hill Street Blues, Marcus C. Craig on Major Dad, Spellbinder on Batman Beyond

8.      Al Fann (b. 1925): Swarm on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Alvin Burke on He’s the Mayor, Will Stratton on Bodies of Evidence

9.      Richard Gautier (b. 1931): Hymie the Robot on Get Smart

10.  George Gaynes (b. 1917): Eric Lassard in the Police Academy movies

11.  Rosemary Harris (b. 1927): May Parker in the first Spider-Man movie series

12.  James Hong (b. 1929): Hannibal Chew in Blade Runner, David Lo Pan in Big Trouble in Little China, Mr. Ping in the Kung Fu Panda series

13.  Jon Ingle (b. 1928): Principal Gowen on Heathers, Doctor on Batman and Robin

14.  Marvin Kaplan (b. 1927): Alfred Prinzmetal on Meet Millie, Choo Choo on Top Cat, UIrwin in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World, Henry on Alice

15.  David Ketchum (b. 1928): Agent 13 on Get Smart

16.  Piper Laurie (b. 1922): Aunt Em in Return to Oz, Catherine Martell on Twin Peaks

17.  Allan Lurie (b. 1923): Mezmaron on Pac-Man

18.  Diana Maddox (b. 1926): Mera, Queen Vassa in The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure

19.  George Murdock (b. 1930): Ben Scanlon on Barney Miller

20.  Milo O’Shea (b. 1926): Frair Laurence in the 1968 Romeo & Juliet, Frederick Garvey on Oz

21.  Natasha Parry (b. 1930): Lady Capulet in the 1968 Romeo & Juliet

22.  Joseph Ruskin (b. 1924): Galt on Star Trek, Rudy Sandrini in the 1979 Captain America tv movie, Lewald in 1990s Spider-Man cartoon

23.  Joseph Sirola (b. 1929): Doctor Doom in 1967 Fantastic 4 cartoon, Dominick in The Magician, Harrison Fynch in Wonder Woman, Sal Wolf in Wolf

24.  Larry Storch (b. 1923): Randolph Agarn in F Troop, Joker in the Batman/Superman Hour

25.  Nita Talbot (b. 1930): Anastasia Hardy in the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon series

National Comics Live Action 1950s-1960s (Super Pup, Superboy, Wonder Woman): Where are They Now?

LAST UPDATED August 31, 2016.Specific titles noted only for 2014-on. Information derived from the imdb. All known actors noted.

The following shows originally found here have been splintered off into separate entries to give them room to breathe.

Adventures of Superman (1952-1958): Where are They Now?
http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2015/11/adventures-of-superman-1952-1958-where.html

Batman (1966-1968)

Batgirl (1967 8 min “pilot”)

http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2015/05/batman-1966-tv-series-and-movie-and.html  

The Adventures of Super Pup (1958 pilot)
New characters but based on Superman.
Billy Curtis (Super Pup/Bark Bent): died in 1988.
Ruth Delfino (Pamela Poodle): no other known acting roles; as Self in 1960.
Angelo Rossitto (Terry Bite): died in 1991.
Frank Delfino (Sergeant Beagle): died in 1997.
Harry Monty (Professor Sheepdip): died in 1999.
Sadie Delfino (Wolfingham/Montgomery Mouse): died in 1991.

The Adventures of Superboy (1961 pilot)

John Rockwell (Superboy): last known acting role in 1989, the 1965 before that; as Self in 1990.

Bunny Henning (Lana Lang): last known acting role in 1967.

Ross Elliott (Mr. Drake): died in 1999.

Monty Margetts (?): died in 1997.

Charles Maxwell (?): died in 1993.

Robert Williams (Police Chief Parker): died in 1978.

Richard Reeves (Shifty): died in 1967.

Yvonne White (?): died in 1972.

Stacy Harris (Jake): died in 1973.

Jimmy Bates (?): last known acting role in 1973, as Self in 2005; as Self, filming: Legacy: The Heart of Milton C. Anderson (2017).

Ray Walker (Theater Manager): died in 1980.

True Ellison (Donna): died in 1977.

Wonder Woman: Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince? (1967 4 min “pilot”)

Ellie Wood Walker (Diana Prince): last known acting role in 1990.

William Dozier (Narrator): died in 1991.

Linda Harrison (Wonder Woman): last known acting role in 2001 but Midnight Massacre (2016; also Executive Producer) filming; as Self: Greatest Sci-Fi Movies (2015), Monster Madness: The Counter Culture to Blockbusters (2015), Inside Edition (1 episode 2014).

Maudie Pickett (Mother): died in 1976.

Lochside Trail Walks

Sometimes, when I`m feeling really ambitious, I`ll walk from my home downtown Victoria to Sidney via the Lochside Trail. The trail actually starts a little to the west of Uptown Shopping Centre, though I usually get on the trail where it intercepts Quadra St., immediately south of the Saanich Centre.  From downtown to Sidney it takes about three and a half to four and a half hours.  What makes it appealing to me is that the trail constantly changes.  Sometimes it`s a path through the woods, sometimes it becomes Lochside Road for a stretch.  There`s a lake early on in the hike, and later a pioneer-like shopping area (Maddicks Farm), an actual farm with pigs and roosters, and a pioneer-like museum.  Sometimes you`re in the woods, s sometimes in a residential district, sometimes in an open field, sometimes almost touching the highway.  Horses are common especially the closer to get up north.  So despite the long walk you`re generally hot too bored.

1989-1994 Live Action Marvel Movie Actors: Where are They Now?

This has now been split into separate posts as of Nov 8, 2015 to give the increasingly long posts room to breathe.

The Punisher (1989)

http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-punisher-1989-where-are-they-now.html

Captain America (1990)

http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2015/11/captain-america-1990-where-are-they-now.html

Fantastic Four (1994)

http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-fantastic-four-1994-where-are-they.html

The Impossible 5 Chapter 5

Chapter 1 can be found here: http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2012/01/impossible-five-introduction-and.html

Chapter 2 can be found here: http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2012/01/impossible-5-chapter-2.html 

Chapter 3 can be found here: http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2012/01/impossible-5-chapter-3.html

Chapter 4 can be found here: http://saneinsanities.blogspot.com/2012/01/impossible-5-chapter-4.html

“I don’t know.  There’s a cottage in that direction.” She pointed right, though left looked exactly the same to Wallbreaker.  “There’s a nice couple there.  They’ll help us. Fortunately this world has randomly developed a language that is virtually identical to English.  The odds of something like this happening are incredible, but, well, it happens.”

“You know,” said Wallbreaker, “I was wondering. Maybe Dr. Magic’s foe the One Armed Head from the Purple Dimension comes from here.  We’re in a purple dimension for sure.”  Dr. Magic, born Marvin Magic, was the world’s greatest sorcerer.  A shame there was no way to alert him to the team’s troubles.

“Hmm,” said O’Canada. “Could be.  Our old foe Dr. Trouble described the One Armed Head’s world as being like this that time they teamed up.”  Dr. Trouble was a mad inventor named Terrence von Trouble.  Wallbreaker often wondered how their Doctor foes always seemed to have strange last names that no one else seemed to have and yet somehow described them perfectly.

It was getting dark, a darker purple.  Luckily the Glowing Man was helping to make what few surroundings there were visible.  Though it attempt at being reassuring (“Don’t worry, team and friends, I’m only glowing a fraction of what I could be.”) didn’t really make Wallbreaker feel much better. He was definitely going to have a check-up when they got back.

From the distance a cottage started to become visible.  It was a light… purple. Who would have guessed? But then a giant head with a hand on top of it started approaching the heroes. It was holding onto a rod. “@#$%!” said the Missile. “It’s the One-Armed Head from the Purple Dimension!”

The Missile flew after the head at full speed.  The head shot out a ray from the rod.  The Missile screamed as his skeleton appeared for a second, and then dust from his apparently disintegrated body fell to ground.  “Missile! No!” shouted Rita.  Everyone had a look of horror on their face.  Everyone except Token Woman.  She scowled but kept her calm, forming a protective force field around the rest of the heroes.

She looked at the others, starred longer at Wallbreaker and said, “You’ve figured it out, haven’t you? That’s the real reason you didn’t want to talk at the Blazer’s funeral.  And to thing everyone thinks you’re the dumb one.”  Oh my. Token Woman also knows?!?

“What the hell are you smoking, TW?” asked the Crack Heroine.

“The Missile can’t really die. None of can’t.”

“He sure looks dead to me!”

“We don’t have time for this at the moment,” said O’Canada.

“Agreed,” said Token Woman.

O’Canada said, “Glowing Man, glow as brightly as you can.  Token Woman, keep that shiekld up. Rita, blast him with your mind as hard as you can.  Give him a migraine.”

The one armed head started to scream.  The Crack Heroine took another tablet and then went after the Head before O’Canada could give the order.  She started kicked the head on the chin. “Oh well,” Said O’Canada. “Guess you might as well attack, Wallbreaker!”

Wallbreaker nodded , ran forward, and started punching the head. Some purple substance started coming out of the head’s nose. The head shot out its tongue.  Wallbreaker screamed at the acid qualities of the tongue.  O’Canada did a running leap and grabbed the rod. The Glowing Man concentrated his energies on the hand, causing the Head’s hand to let go.

“We have the first rod!” shouted O’Canada.

Rita turned towards the cottage. She saw faces in the window. “I'll be with you guys in a moment.” She started running towards the house.

But as she started running, Crack Heroine and Wallbreaker hit the Head simultaneously, and it fell unconscious.

Meerlim’s voice entered their heads. “First task completed.”

“No, wait!” should Rita.  But they all vanished.  Wallbreaker breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully they heroes wouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of Rita’s new back story until after all this was over.

15 Things that I Hope Won’t Be in the Before Watchmen Books

Hopefully DC shows some restraint and avoids the following:

1.      In the 1960s the Watchmen heroes and Charlton heroes team up to foil a plot by Moloch and Praying Mantis-Man

2.      Rorschach and Silk Spectre’s secret affair

3.      The person who killed the Comedian is revealed to be an imposter with the memories of the person they took over

4.      Dr. Manhattan is revealed to be an alien force of pure light who has the memories of Jon Osterman but isn’t him

5.      The Silhouette is tempted to heterosexual love by the original Nite Owl

6.      Ozymandias’ enhanced abilities prove to be the result of a deal be made with the devil

7.      The Comedian is revealed to have an evil twin brother. Whenever he does something questionable, it’s actually the brother

8.      The Vietnamese girl the Comedian killed is resurrected by her family as a zombie and sent after him.

9.      The Silk Spectre is impregnated by Dr. Manhattan but their baby grows quickly and heads to outer space

10.  The Silk Spectre is a murdered and becomes a literal spectre fighting crime like the Spectre for a time until a ceremony by Moloch and Ozymandias brings her back to life.

11.  We learn that Mothman was also attracted to Hooded Justice and what drove him mad was Hooded Justice’s affair with Captain Metropolis and subsequent death

12.  We learn that the real reason that Captain Metropolis was decapitated was another hero learned he was a vampire

13.  Moloch acquires a spell book that turns Nite Owl into an actual owl

14.  We learn that the real reason that the Screaming Skull reformed was he had an affair with the original Silk Spectre

15.  We learn that the real reason that Rorschach dropped Captain Carnage down an elevator shaft was that a previous blow to the head by Captain Carnage turned him sane for a while. He had to make himself insane again to do what was needed and resented Captain Carnage for this

15 Thoughts on the Watchmen Prequel Comics

The rumours of these have been around for a while. Here are my thoughts now that it’s official:

1.      I’d rather they didn’t make these and probably won’t be getting these myself (Darwyn Cooke on Minutemen isn’t the worst idea admittedly).

2.      DC is part of a large corporation.  As pointed out in the movie The Corporation, corporations fit the diagnostic criteria for being a sociopath. It’s a minor miracle that this hasn’t happened sooner and to be sure DC does deserve some praise for how long they restrained themselves.

3.      I am glad that these are prequels rather than sequels.  What happens after that last panel of Watchmen should be left to the reader’s imagination.

4.      If you are truly dead set against these, don’t buy them, at least not firsthand. That will only guarantee more of these. If you hate the idea but feel compelled to read them, they’ll eventually be collected and make it to libraries.

5.      One way to look at these is as apocryphal, not entirely canon.  Even if DC insists they’re canon you are entitled to make up your own mind and treat them as canon or not as you desire. You can even like them and still think of them as apocryphal. If I go the library route or something similar I’ll definitely take the apocryphal approach.

6.      Original writer Alan Moore has spoken out against them while original artist Gibbons has given his blessing.  Prior to his falling out with DC, Moore did take part (with Ray Winninger) on Watchmen prequels previously, but only for role-playing games, which are definitely apocryphal.

7.      35 total issues of prequel seems a bit excessive for a 12-issue series, though to be fair modern day comics are a lot more decompressed than they were when Watchmen was first released.

8.      Despite my disinterest in reading these, I don’t begrudge others enjoying these. I decided I wasn’t the target audience for DC anyway when the new 52 comics came out, so I view these as simply being aimed at a different sort of reader than myself. Life’s too short for me to get upset that someone enjoyed something I’d rather didn’t exist.

9.      My main concern isn’t that someone other than Alan Moore is touching these (certainly Moore has touched numerous other writers’ work without their blessing) but rather because I consider the original story to be as complete as a story can be.

10.  Having said that, given that other people are writing Watchmen, I would hope that they bring their A-game to this project and realize that any new stories, while not necessarily in Moore’s style, should at least be written as smartly. If you are trying to write something that “cool”, you’re probably doing it wrong.  If your own skin crawls while you write it, you might be on the right track.

11.  Likewise, the art shouldn’t just look pretty but add more detail to the story than is normally the case.  If you read the word balloons but just glimpse at the art, you should be missing a lot of the story.

12.  Given the time lag between the original work and the prequels, it’s highly unlikely that most people will judge the quality of the original work on the basis of the prequels.  There might be the odd person who picks up a prequel and decides to pass on the original work, but probably not too many, and there is of course the possibility that someone will read a prequel and decide to sample the original as a result.

13.  This coming out so soon after the new 52 means that DC has gotten yery brave, very desperate, or both.

14.  If you don’t read the prequels, they are neither good nor bad.  You can make an educated guess as to how you’d enjoy them but can’t state categorically either way.

15.  At least DC is resisting the temptation to make the Watchmen part of their multiverse.  Like them or not, as far as I know there’s no meeting with Superman or the Charlton characters (and the latter must be very tempting for some at DC). I would ask DC to keep things that way.  It would only take Green Lantern showing up and gathering up all the nukes to turn things into a joke that would make the Comedian gasp.  Even if they did, though, the solution would be to ignore those tales.

In summary: I don’t care for the idea and I’m passing on it but making them prequels (and not using other DC characters) will hopefully prevent this from being a total train wreck.  I still think that Watchmen shouldn’t be touched, being self-contained, but I respect that others feel differently and if people enjoy these that’s great.  The original story is still as good as it ever was and ten years from now, when people talk about Watchmen, the default will remain the original mini-series and not the prequels.