On this day in movie history - The Thing (1982 movie & novella):

The Thing

directed by John Carpenter,

written by Bill Lancaster,

based on the novella Frozen Hell aka Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell,

was released in the United States on June 25, 1982.
Music by Ennio Morricone.

Cast:

Kurt Russell, A. Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, Thomas Waites.

Recommended reading:

Frozen Hell

By John W. Campbell Jr.

Published 2019.

Published by Wildside Press.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 1479442828

ISBN-13: 978-1479442829

Description:

In 1938, acclaimed science fiction author John W. Campbell published the novella Who Goes There?, about a team of scientists in Antarctica who discover and are terrorized by a monstrous, shape-shifting alien entity. The story would later be adapted into John Carpenter’s iconic movie The Thing (following an earlier film adaptation in 1951). The published novella was actually an abridged version of Campbell’s original story, called Frozen Hell, which had to be shortened for publication.

The Frozen Hell manuscript remained unknown and unpublished for decades, and it was only recently rediscovered. Frozen Hell expands the Thing story dramatically, giving vital backstory and context to an already incredible tale. We are pleased and honored to offer Frozen Hell to you now, as Campbell intended it. You will be among the first people to ever read this completed version of the story.

On this day in movie history - The Omen (1976):

The Omen

directed by Richard Donner,

written by David Seltzer,

was released in the United States on June 25, 1976.
Music by Jerry Goldsmith.

Cast:

Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner, Billie Whitelaw, Harvey Stephens, Patrick Troughton, Martin Benson, Robert Rietty, Tommy Duggan, John Stride, Anthony Nicholls, Holly Palance, Roy Boyd, Freda Dowie, Sheila Raynor, Robert MacLeod, Bruce Boa, Don Fellows, Patrick McAlinney, Dawn Perllman, Nancy Manningham, Miki Iveria, Betty McDowall, Nicholas Campbell, Burnell Tucker, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Guglielmo Spoletini, Ya’ackov Banai, Ann Barrass, Mark Baxter, Harvey Bernhard, Michael Byrne, Victor Harrington, Juba Kennerley, Leo McKern, Noel O’Connell, Bill Reimbold, Adam Rhodes, Massimo Serato, Tina Simmons, Christine Spooner, Damian John Spooner, Guy Standeven.

On this day in movie history - Rollerball (1975 movie & book):

Rollerball

directed by Norman Jewison,

written by William Harrison,

based on the short story Roller Ball Murder by William Harrison,

was released in the United States on June 25, 1975.

Music by André Previn.

Adagio in G minor by Tomaso Albinoni.

Cast:

James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck, Moses Gunn, Pamela Hensley, Barbara Trentham, John Normington, Shane Rimmer, Burt Kwouk, Nancy Bleier, Richard LeParmentier, Robert Ito, Ralph Richardson.

Recommended reading:

Roller Ball Murder and Other Stories

by William Harrison.

ISBN-10: 0860078655

ISBN-13: 978-0860078654

Published 1975.

Anthology of short stories.

Contents:

Preface; The Warrior (1971); The Hermit (1968); Down the Blue Hole (1973); Eating It (1970); The Pinball Machines (1968); Roller Ball Murder (1973); The Blurb King (1971); A Cook’s Tale (1966); The Arsons of Desire (1972); The Good Ship Erasmus (1971); Under the House (1972); Nirvana, Götterdämmerung, and the Shot Put (1972); Weatherman: A Theological Narrative (1973).

Description:

Rollerball Murder – the deadly game of the twenty-first century. At a signal forty players run, skate and bike for their lives around a high banked, hardwood track, dodging the careening 25-pound oval balls which scatter and maim and over 300 miles an hour.

No rules, no rest periods, no substitutes. It’s play up or die. Just two hours of brute speed and crowd-pleasing carnage viewed simultaneously the world over on multivision …

Rollerball Murder is one of thirteen tightly written, provocative and, ultimately, unforgettable stories of the past, present and the horrifying future.

On this day in movie history - Klute (1971):

Klute

directed by Alan J. Pakula,

written by Andy and Dave Lewis,

was released in the United States on June 25, 1971.
Music by Michael Small.

Cast:

Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Charles Cioffi, Roy Scheider, Dorothy Tristan, Rita Gam, Nathan George, Vivian Nathan, Morris Strassberg, Barry Snider, Betty Murray, Jane White, Shirley Stoler, Robert Milli, Anthony Holland, Fred Burrell, Richard B. Shull, Mary Louise Wilson, Marc Malvin, Rosalind Cash, Jean Stapleton, Jan Fielding, Antonia Rey, Robert Ronan, Richard Russell Ramos, Garrett Cassell, Jerome Collamore, Candy Darling, Kevin Dobson, Veronica Hamel, Richard Jordan, Margaret Linn, Tony Major, Harry Reems, Joe Silver, Ellen Stretton, Lee Wallace.

On this day in movie history - Gaslight (1940 movie & play):

Gaslight

directed by Thorold Dickinson,

written by A.R. Rawlinson and Bridget Boland,

based on the play Gas Light by Patrick Hamilton,

was released in the United Kingdom on June 25, 1940.
Music by Richard Addinsell.

Cast:

Anton Walbrook, Diana Wynyard, Frank Pettingell, Cathleen Cordell, Robert Newton, Jimmy Hanley, Minnie Rayner, Marie Wright, Aubrey Dexter, Mary Hinton, Angus Morrison, Jack Barty, The Darmora Ballet.

Recommended reading:

Gas Light

a play by Patrick Hamilton.

Filmed as:

Gaslight (1940), directed by Thorold Dickinson.

Gaslight (1944), directed by George Cukor.

Published by Constable and Company Ltd.

First published 1939.

ASIN: B0DSZRVND4

Paperback.

Description:

This classic Victorian thriller was first produced in 1935. Jack Manningham is slowly, deliberately driving his wife, Bella, insane. He has almost succeeded when help arrives in the form of a former detective, Rough, who believes Manningham to be a thief and murderer. Aided by Bella, Rough proves Manningham's true identity and finally Bella achieves a few moments of sweet revenge for the suffering inflicted on her.

Born on this day – Mark Withers:

Mark Withers

Actor

June 25, 1947 – November 22, 2024

Credits:

A Final Gift (2012); Alex: The Life of a Child (1986); Basic Training (1985); Best of the West (1981); Bolden (2019); California Fever (1979); Castle (2013); Citizen X (2002); Criminal Minds (2011); Dallas (1987); Days of Our Lives (1986–1987); Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story (1981); Divorce Court (1986); Drop Dead Diva (2013); Dynasty (1981); Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar (2006); Frasier (2001); Hart to Hart (1982); Her Life as a Man (1984); Hill Street Blues (1986); Hollywood and Beyond with Steven Brittingham (2018); Hotel (1986); How the West Was Won (1978); Hunter (1986); In Development (2013); It's Your Move (1985); Kaz (1978–1979); L.A. Law (1987); Magnum, P.I. (1982); Matlock (1989); McNamara's Band (1977); Reckless (2014); Remington Steele (1985); Ruby & Martin (2012); Santa Barbara (1985); Sense8 (2017–2018); She Spies (2003); Something About Amelia (1984); Southern Man (1998); Stranger Things (2016); The Creatress (2019); The Dukes of Hazzard (1982); The Greatest American Hero (1981); The Hugga Bunch (1985); The King of Queens (2002); The New Gidget (1987); The Phoenix Incident (2015); The Ultimate Life (2013); The Wizard (1987); Trapper John, M.D. (1979–1981); Trauma Center (1983); True Blood (2013); Turn Around Jake (2014); Wild and Wooly (1978); Wonder Woman (1978); Work from Home (2014).

Born on this day – Salli Sachse:

Salli Sachse

Actress

Model

Photographer

June 25, 1943 – September 8, 2025

Credits:

Beach Blanket Bingo (1965); Bikini Beach (1964); Devil's Angels (1967); Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965); Fireball 500 (1966); How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965); Love's A Secret Weapon Podcast (2022); Mannix (1969); Muscle Beach Party (1964); Pajama Party (1964); Sergeant Dead Head (1965); Shindig! (1965); Ski Party (1965); The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966); The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967); The Trip (1967); The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot (1965); Thunder Alley (1967); Wild in the Streets (1968).