BORN ON THIS DATE
1898: Olga Solbelli, who played Mega the witch in the movie in episode 1108- THE LOVES OF HERCULES.
1906: Kent Taylor, who played Dr. Max Weitzberg in the movie in episode 106- THE CRAWLING HAND.
1909: Warren Wilson, who wrote the teleplay for the episodes of TV’s “Rocky Jones, Space Ranger,” which were seen in episode 417- CRASH OF MOONS.
1912: Winstead Sheffield Glenndenning Dixon “Doodles” Weaver, who played Salty Sam in the movie in episode 615- KITTEN WITH A WHIP.
1912: Foster Brooks, who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 302- GAMERA.
1914: Haroun Tazieff, camera operator for the volcano shots for the movie in episode 412- HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN.
1915: Nathan Scott, who composed stock music used in the season one serial RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON.
1918: Richard Feynman, who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 515- THE WILD WILD WORLD OF BATWOMAN.
1921: Phil Harvey, who played Lou in the movie in episode 804- THE DEADLY MANTIS and Trooper Kennedy in the movie in episode 805- THE THING THAT COULDN’T DIE.
1923: Tadashi Okabe, who played a Red Bamboo scientist in the movie in episode 213- GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER.*
1925: Gunther Simon, who played Brinkman in the movie in episode 211- FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS.
1930: Bud Ekins, who played Gardner in the movie in episode 1201- MAC AND ME. He was also a stuntman in that movie.
1934: Andre Gregory, who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 1105- THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN.*
1935: Doug McClure, who played Hank Fairbanks in the movie in episode K13- SST: DEATH FLIGHT, played Bowen Tyler in the movie in episode 1107- THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT and played David Innes in the movie in episode 1114- AT THE EARTH’S CORE.
1939: René Cardona Jr., production manager for the movie in episode 521- SANTA CLAUS.
1943: Faith Popcorn, after whom Joel named his invention exchange in the movie in episode 423- BRIDE OF THE MONSTER.*
1947: Allman Brothers Band member Butch Trucks, who played drums for the song “Melissa,” which can be heard coming from the radio of the “loaner Crow” in a host segment in episode 913- QUEST OF THE DELTA KNIGHTS.*
1953: Boyd Gaines, who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 607- BLOODLUST.*
DIED ON THIS DATE
1967: Nando Tamberlani (age 71), who played Gladius in the movie in episode 410- HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN and Tiresia in the movie in episode 412- HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN.
1975: Fred Maguire (age 85), editor for the “Rocky Jones, Space Ranger” episodes seen in episodes 413- MANHUNT IN SPACE and 417- CRASH OF MOONS.
1981: Ron Ormond (age 70), who played the janitor in the movie in episode 514- TEEN-AGE STRANGLER.
1991: John Elias (age 58), editor for the movie in episode 614- SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL.
1994: Romano Puppo (age 61), who played Trash’s dad in the movie in episode 705- ESCAPE 2000.
1998: Gene Fowler Jr. (age 80), director of the movies in episodes 419- THE REBEL SET and 809- I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF.
2021: Buddy Van Horn (age 92), an uncredited stunt double in the movie in episode 401- SPACE TRAVELERS.
EVENTS ON THIS DATE
1946: Andrew V. McLaglen, director of the movie in episode 512- MITCHELL, marries Veda Ann Borg.
1954: The second chapter of “The Pirates of Prah” from TV’s “Rocky Jones, Space Ranger” premieres. The three chapters of “The Pirates of Prah” would be seen in the movie in episode 413- MANHUNT IN SPACE.
1955: The movie in episode 423- BRIDE OF THE MONSTER has its premiere.
1993: Joel Hodgson announces he will be stepping down as host of “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”
* = If this appears next to a birthday, this person is alive, according to the IMDB. If you can supply evidence that he or she has died, and when, please let us know.
** = If this appears next to a birthday, the IMDB indicates that the person has died, but the IMDB does not have a full death date (probably just a month and year or just the year he or she died). If you can give us the exact date (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.
** = If this appears next to a death date, the IMDB does not have this person’s full birthday. If you can provide it (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.
This Date in MSTory is written and compiled by Christopher Cornell, Brian Henry and Steve Finley with assistance by Tim Brown, Gordon Lawyer and many other Satellite News commenters.
This Date in MSTory is copyright 2025. © All rights reserved. Do not reproduce This Date in MSTory items in any form without express written permission from the authors.
