Gary Kurtz, Star Wars producer, dies
Gary Kurtz, producer of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back and George Lucas’ right-hand man during the making of both movies, dies at the age of 78 after a year-long battle with cancer. Kurtz was instrumental in the deal-making behind both Star Wars and its predecessor, Lucas’ American Graffiti, initially pitching both to Universal Studios. While Universal was eager to make American Graffiti, they passed on Star Wars, which was then pitched to 20th Century Fox. Kurtz was literally in the Death Star trenches helping Lucas complete the first film, directing many second-unit shots (including many of the X-Wing cockpit scenes from the movie’s climactic battle) and riding herd on the somewhat overburdened Industrial Light & Magic. Fundamental differences over the storytelling choices Lucas was making for Return Of The Jedi led Kurtz to distance himself from Lucasfilm, and he would go on to produce such films as The Dark Crystal, Return To Oz, and Slipstream.
Eureka: From Fear To Eternity
Sci-Fi Channel airs the 33rd episode of the science fiction series Eureka, starring Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson, and Joe Morton. Ever Carradine (Runaways, The Handmaid’s Tale) guest stars. As a side-effect of the 2007-2008 Writers’ Guild strike, the series goes on an extended hiatus after this episode, not to return until the summer of 2009.
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Eureka now streaming on Amazon Prime
Battlestar Galacitca: Pegasus
Sci-Fi channel airs the 23rd episode of Ronald D. Moore’s re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica. Michelle Forbes guest stars. The Pegasus plotline is adapted from a two-part episode of the original Battlestar Galactica; this is the second season’s “mid-season finale.”
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Battlestar Galactica now streaming on Amazon Prime
Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast
The Cape: No Fear
The third episode of the science fiction series The Cape premieres in syndication in North America, starring Corbin Bernsen (L.A. Law) and Adam Baldwin, and focusing on a fictionalized version of NASA’s shuttle program.
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The X-Files: The Host
The 26th episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
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Star Trek: TNG: Redemption, Part II
The week-long national syndication window opens for the 100th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Todd and Denise Crosby guest star. This episode is the beginning of the show’s fifth season.
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Star Trek: The Next Generation now streaming on Paramount Plus
Jason Of Star Command: Escape From Dragos
CBS airs the third episode of the Space Academy spinoff series Jason Of Star Command, starring Craig Littler, Sid Haig, and James Doohan (Star Trek).
Doctor Who: The Ribos Operation, Part 4
The 483rd episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1, continuing the Key To Time storyline. Iain Cuthbertson (Children Of The Stones) and Prentis Hancock (Space: 1999) guest star.
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Wonder Woman: Anschluss ’77
The 15th episode of Wonder Woman airs on CBS, starring Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner. Mel Ferrer guest stars. 
Enterprise Approach & Landing Test 3
For the third time, Space Shuttle Enterprise separates from the back of a Boeing 747 flying at nearly 25,000 feet above the dry lake bed landing strips at Edwards Air Force Base in California. With astronauts Fred Haise and Gordon Fullerton aboard, Enterprise safely glides to her third safe landing at Edwards. This is the last of the test landings to leave the aerodynamic tail cone over Enterprise’s “anatomically correct” (but nonfunctional) main engines; the remaining Approach & Landing test flights will test the aerodynamics of an orbiter as it would return from space with those engines exposed.
Logan’s Run: The Collectors
CBS airs the second episode of the TV adaptation of Logan’s Run. Angela Cartwright guest stars.
Gemini Man: Smithereens
NBC airs the first episode of Gemini Man, starring Ben Murphy and Katherine Crawford; William Sylvester takes over Richard Dysart’s role from the pilot movie, and Andrew Prine and country music artist Jim Stafford guest star. This episode becomes infamous for a later appearance on Mystery Science Theater 3000.
The The Evil Touch: Heart To Heart
The second episode of the horror anthology series The Evil Touch airs on Australia’s Nine Network, hosted by Anthony Quayle (Strange Report). (The series will later appear in the U.S. and elsewhere in first-run syndication.) Mildred Natwick (Dangerous Liaisons) guest stars in an episode written by Sylvester Stallone.
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The Sixth Sense: Coffin, Coffin In The Sky
The 14th episode of The Sixth Sense airs on ABC, starring Gary Collins. Ed Nelson and Sharon Gless (Cagney & Lacey) guest star in the second season premiere.
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Ace Of Wands: Now You See It Now You Don’t, Part 2
ITV airs the ninth episode of Ace Of Wands, starring Michael McKenzie, Tony Selby and Judy Loe. Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) guest stars. This episode, like the rest of the series’ first two seasons, is now missing from the archives.
UFO: Exposed
The second episode of Gerry Anderson’s live-action UFO series airs on ITV, starring Edward Bishop and Michael Billington. George Sewell and Jean Marsh (Doctor Who, Upstairs, Downstairs) guest star.
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UFO now streaming on Amazon Prime
Journey To The Center Of The Earth: The Creative World
ABC broadcasts the third episode of the Filmation animated series Journey To The Center Of The Earth, very loosely based on the 1959 movie of the same name. Ted Knight, Pat Harrington Jr., and Jane Webb lead the voice cast.
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Doctor Who: Tomb Of The Cybermen, Part 4
The 173rd episode of Doctor Who airs on the BBC. This story, which launched the series’ fifth season, is the earliest complete Patrick Troughton story in the BBC’s archives.
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Time Tunnel: End Of The World
The third episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series The Time Tunnel airs on ABC, starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. Paul Fix, Whit Bissell, and Lee Meriwether geust star.
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The Time Tunnel now streaming on Amazon Prime
Surveyor 2 doesn’t land on the moon
Three days after lifting off from Earth, NASA’s Surveyor 2 robotic probe is en route to the moon when all contact is lost. Thanks to an engine failure, Surveyor 2 is left tumbling out of control, and does eventually reach the moon, slamming into the lunar dust of Copernicus Crater at a leisurely speed of 6,000 miles per hour – perfect for traversing the distance between Earth and moon in a hurry, but not so good for landing intact.
The Outer Limits: The Hundred Days Of The Dragon
ABC airs the second episode of Leslie Stevens’ anthology series The Outer Limits. Sidney Blackmer and Phillip Pine star.
Luna E-1 #1
Less than a year after launching the first Earth-orbiting artificial satellite, the Soviet Union makes its first attempt to launch an unmanned space vehicle toward the moon. The flight of Luna E-1 #1 lasts a mere 92 seconds before its launch vehicle explodes in mid-air. Further attempts will be made by Sergei Korolev’s team of engineers to launch a lunar spacecraft, giving the escalating international space race a new (if somewhat obvious) target for both unmanned and crewed space flights over the next decade.