Born on this day – Stuart Margolin:

Stuart Margolin

Actor

Director

January 31, 1940 – December 12, 2022

Born on this day – Ron Thompson:

Ron Thompson

Actor

Singer

Songwriter

Dancer

January 31, 1941 – April 13, 2024

Credits:

American Me (1992); American Playhouse / This Ain't Bebop (1989); American Pop (1981); Amy Prentiss (1974); An Interview with Joe Black (2017); Armstrong Circle Theatre (1962); Baretta (1975–1976); Bottleneck (2006); Bronk (1975); Brown Eye, Evil Eye (1968); Cagney & Lacey (1985); [Cargo] (2018); Chicks, Man (2018); Crisis Center (1997); Death Ring (1992); Deep Cover (1992); Ethnically Ambiguous (2020); Fallen Arches (2000); Gena (2018); Happy Winter Solstice (2014); Hate Horses (2017); Ironside (1974); Last Days of Coney Island (2015); Low Town (2017); Mannix (1974); Natasha Hall (2021); Quincy M.E. (1977); Stitches (2017); Suffrage (2023); Tellers (2019); The Actor's Choice (2018–2019); The Dream Makers (1975); The Greatest American Hero (1982); The Gun (1974); The Jimmy Star Show with Ron Russell (2023); The No Mercy Man (1973); The Only One in the Room (2020); The Rebels (1976); The Streets of San Francisco (1975); The Waltons (1980); The White Buffalo (1977); This Ain't Bebop (1989).

Born on this day – Jessica Walter:

Jessica Walter

Actress

January 31, 1941 – March 24, 2021

Born on this day – Torsten Michaelis:

 

Torsten Michaelis

Actor

January 31, 1970 – August 17, 2025

Credits:

1. Mai (2008); Ägyptens versunkene Hafenstadt - Ein Mythos taucht auf (2013); Angst in meinem Kopf (2018); Arme Millionäre (2006); Bella Block (2012); Berlin Station (2018); Bronstein's Children (1991); Castles and Palaces of Europe (2013); Close (2004); Cologne P.D. (2011); Das Joshua-Profil (2018); Der Clown (2000); Der kleine Herr Friedemann (1990); Der Kriminalist (2011–2016); Der letzte Zeuge (2007); Der Raketenmann - Wernher von Braun und der Traum vom Mond (2009); Der Staatsanwalt hat das Wort (1988); Der Uranberg (2010); Der Verleger (2001); Die gestundete Zeit (1989); Die Männer vom K3 (2000); Die Stunde des Wolfes (2011); Die unheimliche Leichtigkeit der Revolution (2021); Die vielen Gesichter der USA: Der Fotograf Martin Schoeller (2023); Drachenlanze (2012); Drakensang: The Dark Eye (2008); Ein Dorf schweigt (2009); Eine Stadt wird erpresst (2006); Engel mit einem Flügel (1991); Ernst Thälmann (1986); Five Years (2013); Frantz (2016); Geheimnisvolle Orte (2004); Geisterjäger John Sinclair: Edition 2000 (2005–2013); Genug ist nicht genug (2009); Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation (2009); Gold für den König (1987); Greed: Black Border (2009); Großstadtrevier (2004); Hai-Alarm am Müggelsee (2013); Hallo, Onkel Doc! (1998); Heiter bis tödlich - Hauptstadtrevier (2012–2014); Hotel Lux (2011); In aller Freundschaft (1999–2019); Inspektor Rolle (2002–2004); Kabale und Liebe (2005); Kafka's the Burrow (2014); Kai aus der Kiste (1988); Konrads Erbtanten (1982); Legendäre Raddampfer (2012); Leipzig Homicide (2020); Let the Cat Out of the Bag (2005); Letzte Spur Berlin (2015); Lila, Lila (2009); Lotte Jäger und das tote Mädchen (2016); March of the Penguins (2005); Merle Trilogy: Hörspielserie (2017); My Führer (2007); Naked Among Wolves (2015); Never Too Late for Justice (2017); Nord bei Nordwest (2015); Notruf Hafenkante (2012); NVA (2005); Offroad (2012); Police Call 110 (1987–2011); Polnische Ostern (2011); Praxis mit Meerblick (2022); R.I.S (2007); Rache (1996); Raus aus dem Käfig - Wohin mit Europas Affen (2005); Sarah Kohr (2022); Schatten der Gerechtigkeit (2009); Shores of Hope (2012); SOKO Wismar (2004–2019); Special Unit (2007–2008); Spielzeugland (2007); Star Wars: Dark Lord / Podcast Series (2008); Star Wars: Rebels / Podcast Series (2014–2015); Sturmzeit (1999); Tatort (1998–2022); Terra X - Rätsel alter Weltkulturen (2014); The Final Days (2008); The Fox (2015–2018); The Reader (2008); The Same Sky (2017); The Skin of Others (2018); Theresa Wolff - Waidwund (2022); This Is Not a Hotel (1996); Trauzeugen (2023); Unknown (2011); Victor Vran (2015); WaPo Berlin (2020); We Children from Bahnhof Zoo (2021); Wendland - Stiller und der rote Faden (2024); Where's Wanda? (2024); Wie ein Vogel im Schwarm (1990); Wilsberg (2009); Wolffs Revier (2003); Zwölf Winter (2009).

On this day in movie and book history - Touch of Evil (1958) and Badge of Evil (1956):

Touch of Evil

directed and written by Orson Welles,

based on the novel Badge of Evil by Whit Masterson,

was released in the United States on January 31, 1958.

Music by Henry Mancini.

Cast:

Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, Joanna Cook Moore, Ray Collins, Dennis Weaver, Val de Vargas, Mort Mills, Victor Millan, Lalo Rios, Phil Harvey, Joi Lansing, Harry Shannon, Rusty Wescoatt, Wayne Taylor, Ken Miller, Raymond Rodriguez, Arlene McQuade, Dan White, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Marlene Dietrich, Mercedes McCambridge, William Tannen, Joseph Cotton.

Recommended reading - Badge of Evil

Badge of Evil

by Whit Masterson.

Filmed as Touch of Evil (1958), directed by Orson Welles.

Published by Adams Media.

First published 1956.

ASIN: 1440560919

ISBN-10: 9781440560910

ISBN-13: 978-1440560910

Description:

“Orson Welles based his noir masterpiece on this equally fine novel.” – The Washington Post.

Quinlan and McCoy – veteran cops who could smell out a murderer …

A dark, swift-running tale of love and hate and death under the bright California sun.

Assistant District Attorney Mitch Holt suspects the wrong people have been arrested in the murder of Rudy Linneker. But if it wasn't Linneker's daughter and her fiance, who was it? And why do two of the city's most decorated and beloved cops look like they're not shooting straight? If they've planted evidence in this case, what else are they guilty of in the past?

On this day in movie history - The Border:

The Border

directed by Tony Richardson,

written by Deric Washburn, Walon Green and David Freeman,

was released in the United States on January 31, 1982.

Music by Ry Cooder.

Cast:

Jack Nicholson, Harvey Keitel, Valerie Perrine, Warren Oates, Elpidia Carrillo, Shannon Wilcox, Manuel Viescas, Jeff Morris, Mike Gomez, Dirk Blocker, Lonny Chapman, Stacey Pickren, Floyd Levine, James Jeter, Alan Fudge, William Russ, Gary Grubbs, Gary Sexton, Campbell De Silva, Bill McLaughlin, David Beecroft, Esther Sylvey, Luis Mejía, Roberto Rivera, Jay Thurman, Craig Terry, Juan Ramírez, Adalberto Cortez, Concepción Palmeres, Juan Salas, Norma Mayo, Paula Ruiz,Carlos Bruno Villaneuva, Ronne Drummond, Richard Watts, Bernice E. Shamaley, Kenna Espersen, Glenda Meadows, Joe Zizik, Maria Delgado, Lupe Ontiveros, Francisco Farias, Edmundo Alonzo, Alan Gibbs, Don Charles, Beverly Overstreet.