{"id":590,"date":"2011-01-05T10:14:55","date_gmt":"2011-01-05T18:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hotnerdgirl.wordpress.com\/?p=590"},"modified":"2024-02-27T09:45:22","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T09:45:22","slug":"7-of-9-in-memorium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/2011\/01\/05\/7-of-9-in-memorium\/","title":{"rendered":"7 of 9 – In Memoriam 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"
I know she's not dead. Just go with me on the theme, ok?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Tis the time of year for In Memoriams <\/em>and there will be plenty of them.\u00a0 All of the awards shows and news organizations will have them.\u00a0 Heck, I even saw one last night on Turner Classic Movies (after watching the original 1968 version of Night of the Living Dead<\/em>, of course).<\/p>\n

My 95-year-old Danish Grandmother says that people don\u2019t die, they Graduate.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know what that has to do with her being Danish but I\u2019ve always liked it and it\u2019s a common saying in our family.<\/p>\n

I know what you’re thinking…7 of 9 is a strange name for an In Memoriam post…but there’s a method to my madness.\u00a0 Out of all the folks who\u00a0Graduated this year, I wanted to focus on the ones that are relevant to nerd culture.\u00a0 There were 7 that really stood out to me.\u00a0 I also lost several loved ones in the past year, 2 of which were huge nerds…7+2=9…7 of 9…get it?\u00a0 Well, it sounded cool to me \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

So, here\u2019s a post remembering 7 influential people in the Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror genres who Graduated this past year.<\/p>\n

1. Corey Allen<\/strong> \u2013 Director, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the latest surviving cast members of Rebel Without A Cause<\/em>, Corey Allen<\/a> got his start as an actor in the mid-1950\u2019s.\u00a0 He switched to directing television in the 1960\u2019s, eventually becoming a regular director on Star Trek: The Next Generation<\/em> (including the first episode \u201cEncounter at Farpoint\u201d) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine<\/em>.\u00a0 He Graduated from complications of Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

2. Peter Graves<\/strong> \u2013 Actor, Mission: Impossible<\/em><\/p>\n

Best known for portraying Jim Phelps, leader of the IMF on Mission<\/em>: Impossible<\/em>, Peter Graves<\/a> was in so many B science fiction films, like Killers From Space<\/em>, that he ended up being an accidental regular on Mystery Science Theater 3000<\/em>.\u00a0 Even though he was less than thrilled about the attention, it became such a running joke that he parodied himself in Men in Black: II<\/em>.\u00a0 He Graduated from a heart attack after having brunch with his family.<\/p>\n

3. Irvin Kershner<\/strong> \u2013 Director, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back<\/em><\/p>\n

"This shot was shortly before the evening turned into a hot mess. I don't want to talk about it."<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Irvin Kershner<\/a> was a prolific musician and photographer when he joined the world of Cinema at USC.\u00a0 He was a quirky, independent film director when George Lucas approached him about directing the second installment of his epic trilogy.\u00a0 The exchange went something like this\u2026 Kershner: \u201cOf all the younger guys around, all the hot-shots, why me?” Lucas: “Because you know everything a Hollywood director is supposed to know, but you’re not Hollywood.” He went on to direct Robocop 2<\/em> and several episodes of seaQuest DSV<\/em>, but nothing has come close to matching the success he achieved with Empire<\/em>.\u00a0 After a 3.5 year battle, lung cancer finally claimed him.<\/p>\n

4. Grant McCune<\/strong> \u2013 Special Effects Designer, Star Wars, Star Trek: The Motion Picture<\/em><\/p>\n

Trained in biology, Grant McCune<\/a> was picked by Steven Spielberg to create the giant white shark for Jaws<\/em>.\u00a0 He went on to win an Academy Award for Star Wars: A New Hope.<\/em> His second Oscar nomination was for Star Trek: The Motion Picture<\/em>.\u00a0 He created many aliens and creatures during his career, the most beloved of which has got to be the lovable robot R2D2.\u00a0 More recently he worked on Batman Forever<\/em>, Red Planet <\/em>and Spider-Man<\/em>.\u00a0 He Graduated from pancreatic cancer.<\/p>\n

5. Harvey Pekar<\/strong> \u2013 Underground Comic Book Writer, American Splendor<\/em><\/p>\n

Harvey Pekar<\/a> is most famous for his autobiographical graphic novel American Splendor<\/em> which was eventually made into a hit feature film.\u00a0 His comics were not filled with Superheroes, but with everyday heroes and he took it upon himself to broaden the horizons of the comic book genre believing that they could do anything motion pictures could do.\u00a0 Often filled with pain and the trials of everyday life, his graphic novels were wax-poetic in their brutal honesty.\u00a0 He was often compared to Chekhov and Dostoevski by literary critics who don\u2019t normally pay attention to the comic book genre.\u00a0 Having been diagnosed with cancer for the third time, he Graduated from an accidental overdose of medications.<\/p>\n

6. Ingrid Pitt<\/strong> \u2013 Actress, The Vampire Lovers, Countess Dracula, The House That Dripped Blood, The Wicker Man<\/em><\/p>\n

To my knowledge, Ingrid Pitt<\/a> (aka Ingoushka Petrov) is the only person on this list who is a holocaust survivor.\u00a0 She married an American soldier and moved to America in the 1950\u2019s.\u00a0 After a small role in Doctor Zhivago<\/em>, she embarked on a career that would earn her the cult title of the Queen of Horror for her participation in several horror genre films in the 1960\u2019s and 70\u2019s.\u00a0 She Graduated two days after her 73rd<\/sup> birthday after collapsing in London.<\/p>\n

7. Zelda Rubinstein<\/strong> \u2013 Actress, Poltergeist<\/em><\/p>\n

At the age of 45 Zelda Rubinstein <\/a>the medical lab technician decided that it was high time she started her acting career.\u00a0 She went on to portray many psychics, most notably in the Poltergeist<\/em> series of films. She was also a passionate AIDS and human right activist, to the detriment of her acting career.\u00a0 She succumbed to kidney and lung failure in January.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Then there are the regular Joes.\u00a0 The nerds and geeks we know and love who aren\u2019t famous or involved in the entertainment industry.\u00a0 They don\u2019t get recognized during awards shows or in magazines but their loss is just as devastating and much more personal for us.\u00a0 The nerd world lost 2 wonderful souls this past year who deserve to be recognized for the incredible people they were.<\/p>\n

8. Randall Peterson<\/strong> \u2013 CS Lewis & classic science fiction\u00a0enthusiast, Step-dad extraordinaire<\/em><\/p>\n

My step-dad, Randall, collected many books in his 60 years and we shared a mutual love of Robert Service and CS Lewis.\u00a0 I\u2019m pretty sure he owned every book Lewis ever wrote and every book ever written about Lewis.\u00a0 He was also a huge fan of Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke\u00a0and other classic science fiction authors. He introduced me to\u00a0Clarke and gave me my first\u00a0Clarke novel, Against The Fall of Night<\/em>.\u00a0 He was very supportive of my nerdiness, and would brave the screaming teenagers to go see the Twilight<\/em> movies on opening night with me when no one else would.\u00a0 He even pretended that he liked them.\u00a0 Randall was a unique and wonderful human being and I miss him terribly.\u00a0 He Graduated from cancer\u00a0this past\u00a0October 3rd<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

9. Kevin Workman<\/strong> \u2013 Super Trekkie, faithful friend<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Every so often a person comes along who is a genuine joy and an inspiration to be around. Kevin was that person to his family, friends and colleagues.\u00a0 A die-hard Trekkie and computer genius, Kevin\u2019s loved ones created an entire facebook page \u201cget well card\u201d after he fell ill inexplicably.\u00a0\u00a0A lot of people considered Kevin a good friend and there was a reason for that: he was a good man to the core and thought of others before he ever thought of himself.\u00a0 He Graduated just a few days ago at the much-too-young age of 40.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Do you know a nerd who Graduated in 2010 who deserves to be recognized? Please leave a comment and let us know or post a picture and comment on the Hot Nerd Girl facebook page<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Other notable Graduates that didn’t make the full fledge 7 of 9:<\/p>\n

Lisa Blount \u2013 Actress, Prince of Darkness, Starman<\/em><\/p>\n

David Brown \u2013 Producer, Jaws<\/em><\/p>\n

Art Clokey \u2013 Creator, Gumby<\/em><\/p>\n

Robert Culp \u2013 Actor, I Spy<\/em><\/p>\n

Tony Curtis \u2013 Actor, Houdini, Lobster Man from Mars, The Mummy Lives, Alien X Factor, Stargames<\/em><\/p>\n

Dino De Laurentiis \u2013 Producer, King Kong<\/em><\/p>\n

John Forsythe \u2013 Actor, Charlie\u2019s Angels<\/em><\/p>\n

James Gammon \u2013 Actor, The Iron Giant<\/em><\/p>\n

Corey Haim \u2013 Actor, The Lost Boys<\/em><\/p>\n

Dennis Hopper \u2013 Actor, Super Mario Brothers, Waterworld, Land of the Dead, The Twilight Zone<\/em><\/p>\n

Andrew Koenig \u2013 Actor, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Batman: Dead End<\/em><\/p>\n

Kevin McCarthy \u2013 Actor, Invasion of the Body Snatchers<\/em><\/p>\n

Leslie Nielsen \u2013 Forbidden Planet, 2001: A Space Travesty, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Superhero Movie<\/em><\/p>\n

Fess Parker \u2013 Actor, Davy Crockett<\/em><\/p>\n

Meinhardt Raabe \u2013 Actor, The Wizard of Oz<\/em><\/p>\n

Glenn Shadix \u2013Actor, Beetlejuice, Nightmare Before Christmas<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\n
“Every life comes to an end when time demands it. Loss of life is to be mourned, but only if the life was wasted.<\/em>“<\/p>\n
\n
– Spock<\/a> (TAS<\/a>: “Yesteryear<\/a>“)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2018Tis the time of year for In Memoriams and there will be plenty of them.\u00a0 All of the awards shows and news organizations will have them.\u00a0 Heck, I even saw one last night on Turner Classic Movies (after watching the original 1968 version of Night of the Living Dead, of course). My 95-year-old Danish Grandmother […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[34,216,389,409,456,463,467,542,738,773,895,1108],"class_list":["post-590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-list","tag-7-of-9","tag-corey-allen","tag-grant-mccune","tag-harvey-pekar","tag-in-memorium","tag-ingrid-pitt","tag-irvin-kershner","tag-kevin-workman","tag-peter-graves","tag-randall-peterson","tag-star-trek-voyager","tag-zelda-rubinstein"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=590"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hotnerdgirl.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}