I’m a big fan of 1950s science fiction movies. Two of my favorite actors appeared in these old movies — Arthur Franz (1920-2006) and Marshall Thompson (1925-1992). To my eye they look very much alike, and to my ear their voices are very similar too.

Left: Arthur Franz. Right: Marshall Thompson.

Invaders from Mars (1953) – Franz plays an astronomer who discovers a Martian invasion. One of my all-time favorite movies. My grade = A.

The Atomic Submarine (1959) – Franz plays Lieutenant Commander Richard Holloway. He and the crew of the Tigerfish battle an alien spacecraft under the Arctic ice. My grade = B+.

The Flame Barrier(1958) – Franz plays a jungle guide who is hired to find a U.S. space probe that unfortunately bought an alien blob back to Earth. My grade = C.

Fiend Without a Face (1958) – Thompson plays an Air Force major in charge of a secret U.S. radar site. He investigates the appearnace of nasty enegy creatures that take the form of brains. My grade = B.

First Man into space (1959) – Thompson plays a Navy Commander whose brother takes an experimental rocket plane into space, but who comes back mutated. My grade = C+

It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) – Thompson plays a U.S. Air Force Colonel who goes to Mars but the expedition picks up a nasty stowaway. My grade = A-.