We’re sad to report the passing of Cliff Simon, the actor who brought one of SG-1’s archenemies, Ba’al, to life.
Simon passed away in a kite boarding accident on March 9, 2021, in Topanga, California.
He was born September 7, 1962, in Johannesburg, South Africa, and began his acting career in 1991. His Stargate debut was in the Season 5 episode “Summit, Part 1” (2001) and he last appeared in the movie Continuum (2008).
Pay tribute to Simon in our comments below and share your favorite Cliff Simon/Ba’al moments with us.
Stargate SG-1 premiered to Showtime viewers on July 27, 1997! The show set a few records and gave its fans a decade of sci-fi enjoyment as they followed the adventures of Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackson, joined by Samantha Carter and Teal’c, as they formed the first SG team and visited each Stargate address discovered by Daniel on Abydos.
It seemed just like yesterday, didn’t it? Did you catch the premiere or did you pick up the adventures when the show went into syndication? What were your favorite adventures? Does the show stand up to the test of time?
Beau Bridges had a long film history before playing General Hank Landry on Stargate SG-1 for Seasons 9 and 10, and his distinguished career has continued. Most recently, The Television Academy has given him an Emmy nomination nod for his guest role as Barton Scully on Showtime’s Masters of Sex. He was nominated for the same role in 2014. This makes Bridges’s 16th Emmy nomination; he’s previously won 3 Emmys. We at Solutions wish this Stargate alumnus best of luck when the Emmys air on September 20.
We’ve heard talks about a reboot or continuation of the original Stargate movie from Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin for several years, but now it appears that MGM will be going forward with it!
According to this article at Deadline Hollywood, Emmerich and Devlin stated, “The Stargate universe is one that we missed terribly, and we cannot wait to get going on imagining new adventures and situations for the trilogy. This story is very close to our hearts, and getting the chance to revisit this world is in many ways like a long lost child that has found its way back home.”
This new arrangement will not include Kurt Russell or James Spader as Col. Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackson. Instead, MGM is teaming with Warner Bros. to produce a “re-imagined trilogy” based on the Stargate. Whether or not this includes Jack and Daniel, we can only speculate at this time, but the production’s goal is to introduce the franchise to a new generation. It would be hard to imagine Stargate without these two legendary characters.
The original Stargate movie was released in 1994 and was used as the foundation for the Stargate SG-1 television series (after which our website is named), which premiered in 1997 and ran for 10 years. Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks starred in the pivotal roles of Jack and Daniel.
As SG-1 fans we can celebrate the enduring attraction that is Stargate, but it will be hard to let go of our preconceived notions of who Jack and Daniel are and how the Stargate was discovered and used to take them on new adventures. How do you feel about the reboot of Stargate and who would you like to see portray Jack and Daniel?
The original SG-1 team is back for another adventure! This time in Stargate SG-1 Unleashed, a tablet game to be released on iOS and Android platforms. “Episode 1” is slated for release this coming March. Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks, and Amanda Tapping have all tweeted about doing voice work for the game (we’re hoping that Christopher Judge recorded for the game, too, so that the original team is reunited once more)!
Embedded below is the teaser. What do you make of it? Will you be playing this adventure game from MGM and Arkalis Interactive? What season do you think is the setting and who is that Goa’uld that is threatening Earth? Make sure to register to leave your comments below (if you’re on LiveJournal, we’ve got a thread going there as well).
Australia was also the home of the developers of the never-released Stargate SG-1: The Alliance video game. They haven’t let termination stop them from creating a trailer featuring their work, however. The Gaming Liberty has extensive coverage of the ill-fated game. Below is the trailer, but The Gaming Liberty article has much, much more.
Robert Carlyle, who currently stars in the series Once Upon A Time, was of the same mind [as Sean Bean’s that the snobbery of whether one was a film star versus a television star has diminished]. “I have always wanted to do a bit of US TV because in the past five to 10 years they’ve raised the bar incredibly. Probably when 24 came along – that changed everything. And then the advent of cable TV,” he said, adding that developments in communications technology also helped change the game. “In the past … there was still an attitude that if you did film, you didn’t do TV, and vice versa. That’s all gone now. I mean, look at it – you can watch movies on the Internet, on the phone, whatever. You don’t have to go to the cinema to see a movie.”
Christopher Judge’s Projects
CHRISTOPHER JUDGE co-stars in the last installment of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight triology, The Dark Knight Rises. The movie premieres July 20.
Judge is currently filming To Have and to Hold. The movie has had several filming locations, including Virginia, Cayman Islands, and the Bahamas. Judge co-stars with Aiden Turner (“All My Children”), Kelly Greyson (“Alone Yet Not Alone”), Rusty Joiner (“Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story), Mark Dacascos (Hawaii Five-0) and John Rhys-Davies (“Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”). A release date has not yet been announced, but is set for this year.
Stallone About Momoa: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy move like this”
Catch a video interview with Bullet to the Head star Sylvester Stallone at Best Movies Ever News & Reviews as he talks about the physical demands of this action film that co-stars JASON MOMOA. The legendary action star praises Momoa’s moves in their fire-ax fighting sequence. Bullet to the Head is being released April 13 to American movie theaters.
Mallozzi & Mullie: Still Partners in Sci-Fi
DARK MATTER #1JOSEPH MALLOZZI and PAUL MULLIE joined the Stargate production crew during Season Four of SG-1 and were there when the television franchise ended. They’ve written a new comic book series, Dark Matter, which will hit shelves January 11.
LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS can be seen tonight (January 1) in the premiere of the Food Network’s Celebrity Cook-Off at 9 PM ET. There are six episodes and six celebrities: Olympic gold medalist swimmer Summer Sanders; Golden Globe-nominated actor Lou Diamond Phillips (The King and I); recording artist-actor Aaron Carter (The Fantasticks); singer, actor and founding member of ‘N Sync, Joey Fatone (Rent); recording star-actress Taylor Dayne (Aida); Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Coolio; comedian, writer and actor Cheech Marin; and Miss USA 2011 Alyssa Campanella. One of these celebrities will be sent home each week until there is only one still standing.
BEAU BRIDGES co-stars with George Clooney in one of this year’s Oscar-hopeful films The Descendants. In response to the movie’s popularity, as well as the actor’s own, I Am Rogue got a chance to talk with Bridges about The Descendants, “working with director Alexander Payne, his love for Hawaii, George Clooney, how filmmaking has changed over the years, and the book his father gave him about acting that he has now passed on to his own daughter.” The introduction includes a brief mention of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.
Carlyle Film Debuting at Sundance
ROBERT CARLYLE’s independent film California Solo will debut at the Sundance Film Festival this coming January (January 19-29, 2012) in Park City, Utah. The film tells the story of a “Britpop ex-rocker now living on a farm outside Los Angeles [who] must deal with personal demons.” It was directed by Marshall Lewy and also stars Alexia Rasmussen, Kathleen Wilhoite, A Martinez and Danny Masterson. Variety reports that the film does not yet have distribution rights in place.
If you’re interested in some of Carlyle’s previous work, Barbara Barnett of Blog Critics has compiled a list of must-watch projects, including Stargate Universe. She warns, “This little guide to the films of Robert Carlyle is hardly comprehensive. I struggled with which of his film and television roles to include, but decided to focus on those that have gotten to me on an emotional level, which is why I’ve suggested these as ‘favorites’ rather than ‘the best of…'”
First-Look Photo of Jason Momoa in Bullet to the Head
Sylvester Stallone and Jason Momoa in fight scene in BULLET TO THE HEAD (IM Global)Coming Soon has published the first image of its star Sylvester Stallone in a fight sequence for his new film Bullet to the Head. As it turns out, this fight sequence is with our very own Jason Momoa!
The movie’s storyline: “Stallone plays a New Orleans hitman who teams with a New York City detective in a high-stakes investigation that leads from the dingy back alleys of New Orleans all the way to the power corridors of Washington, D.C. The unlikely duo, brought together by two vicious murders, take on all who stand in their way, and are willing to sacrifice everything to exact revenge.” From the picture, you can guess that Momoa’s character is among those who “stand in their way.”
Browder & Black: Farscape Blu-ray and Official Convention
Farscape: The Complete Series, starring SG-1’sBEN BROWDER and CLAUDIA BLACK, is coming out on Blu-ray in the USA this Tuesday, November 15 (Amazon link)! Additionally, Creation Entertainment will be having its “5th Anniversary FINAL FRELLIN’ FAREWELL Official FARSCAPE Convention” this weekend in Los Angeles (coinciding with the Official Stargate convention). Browder is scheduled to be in attendance.
Judge’s Dark Knight Prologue Rated and Scheduled
Mania: Beyond Entertainment has gathered more information about the six-minute prologue that will be shown in IMAX theaters for The Dark Knight Rises. CHRISTOPHER JUDGE appears in this third installment in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy that stars Christian Bale:
A few weeks after it was revealed that director Christopher Nolan was planning the same type of prologue that he utilized for the Dark Knight back in December 2007—attached to I Am Legend IMAX showings—the MPAA has officially rated a similar block of video to be shown off when Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol arrives in IMAX theaters on December 16. As with the other Batman features under Nolan’s direction, the 6-minute prologue has been officially rated PG-13 for “some violence”.
A list of the theaters that will be screening the prologue is forthcoming.
Happy Birthday, Ming-Na!
SGU star MING-NA will be celebrating her birthday this coming weekend on Sunday, November 20! She’s on Twitter if you’d like to send your birthday wishes!
Lou Diamond Phillips an Honorary Wildlife Guardian
San Diego, California – San Diego Zoo Global is expanding its conservation focus through the launch of its new Wildlife Conservancy. By bringing the worldwide conservation efforts of San Diego Zoo Global under a single umbrella, the Wildlife Conservancy provides people around the world an easy way to support and become involved with the organization’s efforts to save critically endangered species.
Although in its infancy, the Conservancy has already gained strong support from notable personalities and a sizable donation. Celebrities Lou Diamond Phillips and Jesse Tyler Ferguson have been named honorary Wildlife Guardians, helping to encourage others to become involved in this effort.
The Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction by helping to preserve imperiled wildlife, bank crucial genetic resources, prevent wildlife disease, conserve habitat, restore nature, and inspire change. For nearly 100 years, San Diego Zoo Global has worked with rare and endangered species, managing them in both captive and wild settings, including more than 15 successful programs where species have been reintroduced into the wild. By sharing groundbreaking work on endangered species such as the giant panda, African elephant, Hawaiian crow, and California condor, and giving people a glimpse into these animals’ lives and the measures taken to preserve them, individuals will not only develop a better understanding of these species but will also be inspired to join the effort. With 100 conservation projects in 35 countries around the world, the Conservancy needs help from supporters like Phillips and Ferguson to grow its efforts.
More at the link.
Robert Picardo and The Great Allentown Comic Con
The Great Allentown Comic Con is coming this weekend (November 19-20), and Stargate star ROBERT PICARDO will be there. The weekend will be featuring an auction for Epilepsy Awareness, and Picardo has placed up for bids a dinner with him (“What is the Nature of the Dinner Emergency?”). The Epilepsy Awareness Fundraiser is “to support the Toteman Epilepsy Awareness Comic Book. All monies raised will go to cover the printing costs for the book, which will then be distributed to local hospitals, schools and youth groups to increase awareness of epilepsy in children.” For more on the guests and fundraiser, make sure to visit The Great Allentown Comic Con website.
The Pastor’s Wife Can Be Viewed Online
If you missed MICHAEL SHANKS in the Lifetime movie A Pastor’s Wife, you can watch it online! Visit My Lifetime or Hulu (expires soon).
Congratulations to Stargate star MICHAEL SHANKS, who now has a new television series, CTV’s Saving Hope! Also starring in the series is Smallville’sERICA DURANCE, who guest starred on SG-1 in the Season Eight episode “Affinity.” Shanks also took a turn at guest starring with Durance a few years later as Smallville’s well-received character Carter Hall/Hawkman.
CTV Orders New One-Hour Original Drama Series SAVING HOPE
Toronto, ON (November 2, 2011) – CTV announced today that it has ordered to series SAVING HOPE, a new, one-hour original drama starring Erica Durance (SMALLVILLE) and Michael Shanks (STARGATE ATLANTIS) from the acclaimed Gemini award-winning producers Ilana Frank and David Wellington (THE ELEVENTH HOUR, Of Murder and Memory, ROOKIE BLUE). CTV has ordered 12 one-hour episodes in addition to the pilot shot this summer.
In SAVING HOPE, when charismatic Chief of Surgery Charlie Harris (Shanks) at Toronto’s Hope-Zion Hospital ends up in a coma, he leaves the hospital in chaos – and his fiancée and fellow surgeon, Alex Reid (Durance), in a state of shock. Along with newly-arrived star surgeon, Joel Goran (Daniel Gillies,THE VAMPIRE DIARIES), Alex races to save Harris’ life. As the action unfolds, comatose Dr. Harris wanders the halls of Hope-Zee in “spirit” form, not sure if he’s a ghost or a figment of his own imagination. Reid, along with her fellow doctors, press on to save his life and those of their other patients, as they deal with the complicated and courageous decisions that are made in their daily struggle to keep hope alive.
“Tapping into the frenetic lives of medical professionals entrusted to make life and death decisions every single day, SAVING HOPE is a sexy, heart-pumping hospital drama with captivating storylines,” said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports. “We look forward to working with the talented actors and creative team behind this compelling new series.”
**Media Note** Photography for SAVING HOPE is available online at BellMediaPR.ca
SAVING HOPE also stars Huse Madhavji (COMBAT HOSPITAL, STAR DAILY), Julia Taylor-Ross (ROOKIE BLUE), and Kristopher Turner (ROOKIE BLUE, THE LISTENER).
SAVING HOPE, which is inspired by Ian Brown’s The Globe and Mail “Mount Hope” series based on stories from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, is executive produced by Thump Inc.’s Ilana Frank and David Wellington (THE ELEVENTH HOUR, Of Murder and Memory, ROOKIE BLUE). Co-created and written by Malcom MacRury (REPUBLIC OF DOYLE, LIVES OF THE SAINTS) and Morwyn Brebner (ROOKIE BLUE). Lesley Harrison is also executive producer. David Wellington directs. Trish Williams is Director, Independent Production, Drama, Bell Media. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.
[spoiler intro=”Remaining portion of the press release”]
About Bell Media Independent ProductionBell Media has produced some of Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming in partnership with Canadian independent producers, including, most recently, ratings success stories FLASHPOINT and THE LISTENER, Emmy Award-winning period drama THE BORGIAS, international hit DEGRASSI, Gemini Award-winning comedy TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL, sci-fi fan favourite SANCTUARY, critically acclaimed sketch comedy series PICNICFACE, as well as the upcoming drama HIGHLAND GARDENS, the upcoming special A RUSSELL PETERS CHRISTMAS, and the upcoming documentary series METAL EVOLUTION. In addition to SAVING HOPE, Bell Media recently announced series orders for mythological action/adventure series PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD and the original theatre docu-series BROADWAY BOOTCAMP (working title). The company has also ordered two-hour drama pilot, BOREALIS, and the television feature THE HORSES OF McBRIDE.
About CTVCTV, Canada’s Olympic Network, is also Canada’s largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada’s most-watched television network and lead broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network’s website at ctv.ca.
About Thump Inc.Thump Inc. was founded by Ilana Frank, one of Canada’s most celebrated and respected producers of long form drama. In 2007 Thump produced the powerful four-hour mini-series WOULD BE KINGS directed by David Wellington, starring Ben Bass, Currie Graham and Natasha Henstridge for which Natasha won a Gemini. In 2008, Thump produced OF MEMORY AND MURDER (aka MURDER ON HER MIND), a made for television movie starring Annabeth Gish (BROTHERHOOD, THE WEST WING) and Chandra West (JOHN FROM CINCINNATI, NYPD BLUE), for CTV and Lifetime. More recently Thump developed and produced the very successful series ROOKIE BLUE, now in its third season of production, distributed and available worldwide through Entertainment One. Thump, under Frank’s leadership, focuses on nurturing and developing the talents of up and coming and established writers and creators, and producers of long form drama for television and film. Frank’s talents were recognized as co-creator and executive producer of THE ELEVENTH HOUR, winning over fifteen Geminis in all major categories during its three year run. In 2007, the Writers Guild of Canada awarded Frank the Alex Barris Mentorship Award and Women in Film and Television honoured Frank with the Crystal Award for Creative Excellence.
If you’re on the look-out for Stargate-themed auctions, look no further than Legends Memorabilia for a chance to bid on Stargate props, costumes, and replicas. It’s a trip down memory lane just to look at what’s being offered.
Beau Bridges to Be Honored at FLiFF
BEAU BRIDGES is to be awarded the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLiFF), which begins October 21. This news from Sun Sentinel:
Bridges, son of the late Lloyd and older brother of Oscar winner Jeff, will be at the 26th annual event Oct. 23 for a Cinema Paradiso screening of his new film,”Don’t Fade Away,” starring Ryan Kwanten (“True Blood”), Mischa Barton and rapper Ja Rule.
FLiFF will present Bridges with a Lifetime Achievement Award, a ceremony highlighted by a clip reel retrospective of his screen performances, just prior to the 5:45 p.m. showing of “Don’t Fade Away.” An audience Q&A follows the movie.
In “Don’t Fade Away,” Bridges portrays a fatally ill family patriarch whose estranged son (Kwanten) puts his poisonous L.A. music career on hold to return to North Carolina to care for his father.
MICHAEL SHANKS is filming a new zombie movie he referred to as Eerie 13 (aka 13 Eerie). We’ve got more information about the plot from this article in MJ Times, the news site for the movie’s filming location, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.
“The film is a zombie movie,” Richelle Bourgoin, publicist for Minds Eye Entertainment, told the Times-Herald.
“It centres on some forensic undergraduate students who are undertaking a scientific expedition on a remote island that was formerly used as a biological testing ground for life-term criminals left for dead, but they are not dead. They are undead as they find out,” she said.
Bourgoin said filming is taking place in and around Moose Jaw and is due to finish at the end of October.
The film stars Katharine Isabelle, a Canadian actress, who played the lead role in Ginger Snaps, as student Megan; Michael Shanks from Stargate as the professor; Brendan Fletcher from The Pacific as student Josh; Nick Moran from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as Larry the driver; and Brendan Fehr from CSI Miami as student Daniel.
In a similar announcement, Dread Central published the name of Shanks’s character as Professor Tomkins. We’ve added Eerie 13 to our COMING SOON feature and will update it when more info becomes available.
We’re sad to report the passing of Cliff Simon, the actor who brought one of SG-1’s archenemies, Ba’al, to life.
Stargate SG-1 premiered to Showtime viewers on July 27, 1997! The show set a few records and gave its fans 
Beau Bridges had a long film history before playing 
We’ve heard talks about a reboot or continuation of the original Stargate movie from Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin 
SGU star 