Calgary Expo

Adam Baldwin

Having worked with such Hollywood icons as Stanley Kubrick, Joss Whedon and Roland Emmerich, it’s easy to see why Adam Baldwin is one of the most recognizable faces on both the small and silver screens.

Known for his role as Animal Mother in Kubrick’s grim portrayal of the Viet Nam Conflict in Full Metal Jacket, Adam has developed a name for himself amongst both mainstream and cult-film enthusiasts alike. His resume of titles is, at the very least, expansive and includes blockbuster hits such as Independence Day, The Patriot and Wyatt Earp.

However, his role as Jayne Cobb in Joss Whedon’s cult hit series Firefly, followed by the well-received film Serenity has made Adam Baldwin a fan-favorite in sci-fi circles, not to mention his multiple appearances on The X-Files and Stargate, SG-1.

Adam also starred as John Casey in the comedy series Chuck.

Jon Bernthal

Jon Bernthal made a name for himself as the morally ambiguous Shane Walsh in the hit post-apocalyptic series The Walking Dead. Having studied at the elite Moscow Art Theatre in Moscow, Russia, he eventually went on to earn his Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Over the past decade he has worked on over 30 stage productions as well as appearing on several hit television shows including Boston Legal, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and CSI: Miami.

LeVar Burton

By the time that LeVar Burton landed his role on Star Trek: The Next Generation as Lt. Commander Georgie La Forge, he had already been nominated for an Emmy award, appeared in several film and television productions and was the popular host of the successful children’s series Reading Rainbow.

Apart from his role on TNG, LeVar is known and highly esteemed for his riveting portrayal of Kunte Kinte in the provocative series Roots. The role earned him an Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series. He later went on to reprise the character in the 1988 television film Roots: The Gift.

LeVar also won a Grammy award in the category of Best Spoken Word Album for his work on the Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Additionally, his work on Reading Rainbow earned him several awards including the Peabody award in 1992 and two Daytime Emmy awards.

Denise Crosby

Best known for her role as Security Chief Tasha Yar in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Denise Crosby, the grand-daughter of infamous crooner Bing Crosby, has had a prolific acting career for over 30 years.

Some of her television roles include appearances on NYPD Blue, The X-Files, Mad Men, Dexter and Bones.

On the big screen she has appeared in several films including Pet Cemetery, Deep Impact and 48 Hours – which was her debut film.

Denise’ talent also extends to the stage as she is an accomplished thespian having acted in such theatrical productions as Orpheus Descending, Epitaph For George Dillon and Beggars in the House of Plenty.

Kizarny Nick Cvjetkovich

Kizarny – his real name being Nicholas Cvjetkovich, is also known by several other pseudonym’s including Lucifer Love, Dr. Nick Sinnful and Nicholas Doom. He made his wrestling debut in 2000 during the Iron Man Tournament with the Apocalypse Wrestling Federation.

He went on to work for the Canadian Independent Circuit where he was pitted against such wrestling heavy weights as Joe Gomez and Jake “the Snake” Roberts. After spending time on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and the WWE he returned to the Independent Circuit with which he presently tours.

Kizarny is a successful writer, artist and publisher responsible for the Fred the Possessed Flower comic book series as well as co-creating the comedic horror novel Between Chapters with his brother. He also starred as the Zombie King in the 2001 zombie film Enter...Zombie King.

Michael Dorn

It’s a fateful stroke of poetic justice that a boy, whose first love was that of aviation, would eventually grow up to be the Chief of Security on the Starship Enterprise.

Michael Dorn, also known as the stern and honourable Klingon Warrior Lieutenant Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation, was not only profoundly interested in the art of flying, but also cultivated his interests in music and acting from the time he was a child.

Having studied radio and television production in university, Dorn also played in rock bands and is an accomplished bass player, pianist and flautist.

He began his career in show business as a production assistant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and eventually made his way in front of the camera through various commercials and minor television roles. Eventually he was cast in Rocky as Apollo Creed’s bodyguard , after which he began work as Officer Jebediah Turner in CHiPs.

Apart from his prevalent role in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dorn has had great success as a voice actor, supplying voices for various video and computer games, as well as animated shows including the vastly popular Disney cartoon Gargoyles.

Robert Englund

The reigning tyrant of terror, the nefarious Numen of nightmares, the harbinger of horror Robert Englund will be taking a stab at the 2012 Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. Englund, a classically trained actor, has made over 100 appearances in film and television, his most renowned role being that of the gruesome-faced serial killer Freddy Krueger from the famed Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Englund appeared in all eight of the Nightmare on Elm Street films, a statistic matched only be fellow horror-king Doug Bradley, who also reprised his role eight consecutive times as Pinhead in the Hellraiser series.

Other roles include his portrayal of the seedy Jackson Roth in Dee Snider’s Strangeland and Willie in the mid-80’s sci-fi series of V. Recently Englund has directed his talents toward the world of literature, bringing to life H.P. Lovecraft’s The Terrible Old Man and Ambrose Bierce’s An Occurrence at Owl Bridge Creek on Spinechillers, a series of audiobooks produced by Doug Bradley.

Jonathan Frakes

With an authoritative presence and an impish glimmer in his eye, it’s no wonder that the man who launched his show business career as Marvel’s Captain America ultimately ascended the ranks to stardom as one of science fiction’s most outstanding characters – Commander William T. Riker.

As “number one” to the infamous Captain Picard, Riker bore a striking contrast for Star Trek fans who, until TNGs debut in 1987, were used to the cold logic of their beloved Mr. Spock. A ladies-man, musician and poker player, Riker was risky yet rational, passionate yet principled.

Behind the camera, Frakes has found prolific success as a director, having taken the helm for Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection amongst many other films. On the small screen his accomplishments in the Star Trek franchise have also been triumphant, directing several episodes of TNG, Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

Outside the world of Star Trek, Frakes has been involved with numerous other projects including Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction?, Disney’s Gargoyles, Roswell and special guest appearances on The Family Guy.

Jonathan Frakes will be appearing on Saturday and Sunday only.

Gil Gerard

Gil Gerard, known for his role as Captain William “Buck” Rogers in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, has enjoyed a lengthily and prolific career in the world of show business. He has had roles in productions such as The Doctors, Hawaii Five-O, Little House on the Prairie, Nightingales and Star Trek: New Voyages.

In 2007 Gil produced, narrated and was the principle subject in a documentary called Action Hero Makeover which aired on the Discovery Health Channel.

Some of his hobbies include horseback riding, tennis and scuba diving.

Richard Hatch

Having begun his career in theatre during the 1960`s, Richard Hatch starred in several Off Broadway plays before finding his way to film and television. In the 1970’s he worked on productions such as All My Children, Barnaby Jones, Hawaii Five-O and The Streets of San Francisco. However, it would be his role as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica that would forever put his name in the spotlight. Although the series was only on for a single season, Richard was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his portrayal of Captain Apollo.

Since then he has appeared in shows such as Jake and the Fatman and Baywatch. Eventually he was cast as Tom Zarek in the re-imagined series of Battlestar Galactica, a role for which he has become very well known.

Laurie Holden

Laurie Holden’s acting experience is a true testament to her incredible range as one of Hollywood’s leading actresses.

Known for her role as Andrea in the current smash hit series The Walking Dead, Laurie is no stranger to the world of science fiction and horror. She also starred on The X-Files for several seasons as Marita Covarrubias and has had roles in such productions as The Mist, Highlander: The Series and the film adaptation of Silent Hill. Other titles to her credit include Mary Travis in The Magnificent Seven, Adele Stanton in The Majestic and Agent Olivia Murphy in The Shield.

Laurie is also an avid human rights activist who is currently acquiring her Masters in Human Rights from Columbia University. She is a Founding Board Member for the Canadian chapter of the Somaly Mam Foundation which is a charity dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and reintegrating victims of sexual slavery and human trafficking.

Stan Lee

Emerging from the brokenness of the Great Depression and persisting through the adversity of WWII, Stan Lee, born Stanley Martin Lieber, has become an icon in the comic-book industry and a model of strength, determination and resilience.

As a child, Stan had an insatiable appetite for reading and writing, interests that led him to his first job as an obituary writer for the local news service and composing press releases for the National Tuberculosis Centre. He launched his arts and entertainment career in 1939 with Timely Comics. His duties were menial to begin with - refilling ink wells, erasing pencils from finished pages and delivering lunches to the artists. Unbeknownst to Stan, Timely Comics would eventually develop into one of the world’s leading comic book production companies – Marvel Comics, instigating Lee’s career as the most notorious comic book creator since the industry’s inception.

Stan, along with Jack Kirby, would go on to create such outstanding characters as Thor, Iron Man, X-Men and The Fantastic Four. In August of 1962 Lee co-created Spiderman with Steve Ditko, launching one of the most well-known, well-loved and well-received comic book heroes of all time.

A notable difference in Lee’s characters was the human element of imperfection – something that had previously been absent from most super-hero archetypes. Stan’s heroes were not only visions of strength and stamina, they also struggled with angst, sadness, fear, loneliness and yes, heartache. These character flaws propelled the Marvel Revolution as fans, maintaining their admiration for their superhero archetypes, also began to relate to them on a more personal level. This cultivated a sense of community between the creators, the characters and the fans, forever changing the way that comic books would be written.

For over 60 years the entertainment industry has felt the presence of Stan Lee’s profound devotion to art and literature. In 2010 the Stan Lee Foundation was formed, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literacy, cultural awareness and artistic diversity throughout the States. His influence has encouraged thousands of aspiring writers and artists to pursue their ambitions and enhance their talents.

James Marsters

Known for his bleached blonde hair, black trench coat and irresistibly believable English accent, James Marsters has made quite the name for himself as Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Spike – the vampire that claims to be responsible for Billy Idol’s platinum rock n’ roll style. Spike’s character, often flipping back and forth across the blurred line between good and evil (though never quite achieving the coveted “big bad” status) has enjoyed a cult following over the past 15 years. The success of his character was further advanced when he reprised his role as Spike in the well-received Buffy spin-off Angel. His bad-boy image has inspired hoards of fan fiction, fan pages and fan clubs all over the globe, making him one of the best-loved characters in the wonderful world of Whedon.

Further to his work on Buffy, Marsters has also enjoyed recurring roles on Smallville as Brainiac, Torchwood as Captain John Hart and The Superhero Squad Show as Mr. Fantastic.

Off screen Marsters has dabbled in the fine art of comic book writing, having written the comic book Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike and Dru for Dark Horse Comics. He is also a very accomplished musician, fronting the band Ghost of the Robot from 2003-2004 subsequently moving on to establish himself as a successful solo musician.

Gates McFadden

Although Gates McFadden is primarily known as the brilliant and beautiful Dr. Beverly Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation, her talent and experience extends to worlds far beyond the universe of Star Trek.

Gates studied at Brandeis University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts. She then moved to Paris where she studied under renowned thespian Jacques Lecoq. Her expertise in dance and the fine arts led her to Jim Henson productions where she worked as a choreographer for cult-fantasy film The Dark Crystal as well as the Director of Choreography and Puppet Movement for Labyrinth.

Other roles to her credit include appearances on The Cosby Show, Mad About You and a series of commercials for Microsoft.

Mr Beefy Goodness Vance Nevada

For nearly 20 years Vance Nevada, more widely renowned as Mr. Beefy Goodness, has made a significant mark on Canada’s world of wrestling. Since his debut in 1993, he has won several titles and has over 1300 professional matches under his belt. Some of his competitors in the ring include Honky Tonk Man, Cyrus the Virus and Tatanka. His book, Wrestling in the Canadian West details the history of professional wrestling across western Canada and is available to purchase through his website www.vancenevada.ca.

Jasika Nicole

Born in Alabama, Jasika studied the performing arts at Catawba College in North Carolina. She is best known for her role as Astrid Farnsworth in the sci-fi hit series Fringe. Some of her other roles include Dora in The Return of Jezebel James and Egypt in Take the Lead. Jasika is an accomplished artist whose work can be seen on her website – www.jasikanicole.com

John Noble

Known as the Mad Scientist Dr. Walter Bishop in the hit sci-fi series Fringe, John Noble has been an accomplished actor since the 1980’s. Having started his career in his homeland of Australia, John gained notoriety as the disturbed Denathor in Peter Jackson’s critically acclaimed films Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The role earned him a Screen Actor’s Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in 2003.

Some of his other appearances include roles in 24, Stargate: SG-1, and the voice of Leland in the video game L.A. Noire.

Hayden Panettiere

Having commenced her career in show business at the young age of 11 months, Hayden Panettiere is no stranger to being in the spotlight. Known primarily for her role as Claire Bennet in the mind-bending thriller series Heroes, Hayden has taken on a multitude of roles, making her one of this generations most well-known faces.

For her role in Remember the Titans, Hayden won the Best Performance in a Feature Film Award as a Supporting Young Actress in 2001. She was also the recipient of the Teen Choice Award from 2007 to 2009 for her role on Heroes.

Some of her other roles include Dot in Pixar's A Bug’s Life and Kirby Reed in the comedy-horror film Scream 4.

Dave Prowse

In the past 30 years, few phrases have become as iconic and legendary as the booming voice of Darth Vader declaring, “Luke, I am your father.” It’s a proclamation that will be remembered for many more
generations to come.

Underneath the brash attire is the man Dave Prowse – the physical embodiment of science fiction's most eminent antagonist: Darth Vader. Known in England for his character Green Cross Code Man, Prowse has enjoyed a varied background not only in show business but also in the world of fitness. As an active bodybuilder, Prowse assisted in training Christopher Reeve for his famous role as Superman, as well as Cary Elwes in his heartthrob role as Westley in The Princess Bride.

In front of the camera, Prowse has had appearances in celebrated films such as A Clockwork Orange, Jabberwocky and the 1981 version of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Jake the Snake Roberts

Jake “The Snake” Roberts has been a heavy-hitter in the wrestling world for over 20 years. He is known primarily for his work in the World Wrestling Federation from 1986-1992 and again from 1996-1997.

Nicknamed “The Snake” due to his deceitful reputation, he would often slither under the ropes when entering the wrestling ring. Some of his most famous opponents include the late Andre the Giant, fellow Calgary Expo guest Honky Tonk Man, “Ravishing” Rick Rude and Randy Savage. Part of his performance was to use the DDT maneuver – a move that Jake “The Snake” claims to have invented – and then wrap his Burmese python Damien around the neck of his opponent to simulate strangulation. At one point he also used a reticulated python and even a devenomized cobra during his act.

Katee Sackhoff

If you love science fiction then odds are you’ve come across the lovely face of Katee Sackhoff. Although she is well renowned for her portrayal of Captain Kara Thrace on Battlestar Galactica, her repertoire of work is expansive, to say the least.

Her other work includes recurring roles on hit shows such as 24, where she played CTU analyst Dana Walsh, Jen in Halloween: Resurrection, Sherry Clarke in the thriller White Noise: The Light (alongside Nathan Fillion) and Sarah Corvus in the Bionic Woman.

Like many sci-fi enthusiasts, her interest in the genre began with the original Star Trek. Years later she would become a prominent figure in the universe of science fiction and would be featured in the Entertainment Weekly’s 2007 article, 100 Stars We Love Right now.

Katee Sackhoff will be appearing on Saturday & Sunday only.

Marina Sirtis

Marina is an established actress in both film and television. Amongst her 70 titles is that of Councillor Deanna Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Born in London, Marina involved herself in the theatre from a very young age and appeared in several major films before beginning her journey with Star Trek. Other titles to her credit include Death Wish 3, The Wicked Lady and Blind Date. Following TNG, Marina began work on the hit television series Gargoyles as the voice of Demona. She has also had guest appearances on popular television productions including The Outer Limits, Stargate SG-1, Earth: Final Conflict and Grey’s Anatomy.

Brent Spiner

Brent Spiner has over 70 titles to his credit but it his role as the beloved android Lieutenant Commander Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation that has left a lasting impression in the minds of pop culture enthusiasts.

Born in Houston, Texas, Brent involved himself in drama at a young age, eventually moving to New York City where he would perform in Broadway and Of-Broadway productions. After moving to Los Angeles, Brent appeared in several shows including Night Court, Cheers and Tales from the Darkside before landing his role as Data. He has since appeared in productions such as Independence Day, Frasier, The Big Bang Theory and Friends.

He has released two albums, the first album, Ol’ Yellow Eyes was released in 1991 and pays homage to the musical stylings of Frank Sinatra. The second album, a derivative of a radio musical with Maude Maggart, was released in 2008 under the title Dreamland.

Brent Spiner will be appearing on Saturday and Sunday only.

Patrick Stewart

He has taken charge of ships that explore the uncharted reaches of the ocean’s expanse and ships that pass through space to “seek out new life and new civilizations”. He has had dominion over countries, commanded armies, and has even uttered the occasional, “bah, humbug!” There is no denying that Sir Patrick Stewart’s career is both illustrious and influential, having spanned the course of over five decades.

Best known for his role as Captain Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, Stewart has created an image of authority for himself, often portraying characters who, though stern at times, necessitate respect, ethical awareness and wisdom. Of course there are always exceptions – two notable examples being his outstanding 2007 performance as MacBeth at London’s Gielgud Theatre and Dr. Jonas in 1997’s Conspiracy Theory.

Beyond film and television, Stewart is a successful voice actor, having appeared in animated works such as Family Guy, American Dad and Steven Spielberg’s The Prince of Egypt.

However, before Xavier and Picard, before Avery Bullock and his other animated endeavours, Patrick Stewart was, and still is, one of the most eminent stage actors in the history of theatre. He has appeared in more than 60 productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company and his one-man production of A Christmas Carol demands that he take on no less than 40 roles – a project that earned him a Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performance in 1992 and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment for Solo Performance in 1994. In 1999 he was nominated for a Screen Actor’s Guild Award in for his portrayal as Scrooge in a television film version of A Christmas Carol.

Patrick Stewart will only be appearing on Saturday and Sunday.

Arthur Suydam

ZOMBIE KING, ARTHUR SUYDAM, is an award winning American comic creator best known for his work on the smash hit series Marvel Zombies, and for reinventing history’s pop icons in a zombie universe. Additional credits include winning the prestigious Spectrum Gold Award and Film Festival of San Sebastian Lifetime Achievement Awards among others. Suydam has worked on numerous hit series, including, Deadpool, Batman, Wolverine, Army of Darkness, Raise the Dead, Red Sonja, Vampirella and more....

Amanda Tapping

Amanda’s portrayal of intelligent and powerful women has made her a favourite amongst sci-fi fans across Canada, the U.S. and the UK. In fact, her deadly combination of brains and beauty has gained her such notoriety that she has been dubbed the High Empress of Sci-Fi by her adoring fans.

Born in England but raised in Canada, Amanda has become a true hero of the Canadian television industry. Based primarily in Vancouver, she is best known for her role as Samantha Carter in Stargate: SG-1. However, her work on Sanctuary has not only highlighted her talents as a director, actress and producer, it has also emphasized her popularity amongst Canadian Sci-Fi fans.

“We are a one-hundred percent independent Canadian television series,” says Tapping. “I think that's an anomaly in this country, and probably around the world in most countries. To have a television show that doesn't have the backing of a major studio or a major network is really unusual.”

Her other roles include appearances on The X-Files, The Outer Limits, and of course Stargate: Atlantis where she reprised her role as Samantha Carter.

Amanda is also one of the founding members of the S4K (Sanctuary for Kids) charity which works to find relief for children who face exploitation, depravation and adversity from around the world. As a winner of the prestigious Women of Vision award, Amanda has become a role model and true inspiration for people of all ages as a representative of strength, resilience and innovation.

Amanda will be appearing on Saturday and Sunday only.

Honky Tonk Man

Honky Tonk Man, famous for his outstanding record as Intercontinental Champion for 64 consecutive weeks, has been a wrestling icon for over 30 years. Some of his past opponents include Hulk Hogan, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Randy Savage and The Legion of Doom. Best known for his work with the WWF, he has also worked for WCW and is actively touring the independent circuit.

Adam West

The Calgary Expo will be going off with a BANG this year as we welcome The Dark Knight Adam West to the Expo! His name, his voice and his face are all undeniably iconic – afterall, being the Classic Batman tends to have that effect on a super-hero hungry nation. To his credit, Adam West has appeared in over 50 film titles and several television shows, not to mention his prolific work as a voice actor.

Over half a century of work in the world of arts and entertainment has made Adam West a beloved house hold name for multiple generations. Some of his film and television titles – apart from Batman, naturally – include, Drop Dead Gorgeous, An American Vampire Story, The Young Philadelphians, The Last Precinct, and The Clinic.

He has seen great success as a voice actor, contributing to such animated hits as The Simpsons, Johnny Bravo, Animaniacs and of course, Family Guy in which he plays the kooky and utterly hilarious Mayor Adam West.

Adam West will be appearing on Saturday and Sunday only.

Wil Wheaton

Wil Wheaton, once a child actor on Jello-O commercials, has now become a cult-favorite amongst sci-fi and gaming fans with a Twitter following of nearly two million people.

Famous for his role as the child prodigy Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wil has enjoyed a lengthily career in show business for the past three decades. His career in film began as the voice of Martin Brisby in the classic animated film The Secret of NIMH. He then went on to work on such films as Stand By Me and Toy Soldiers.

After his run on TNG, Wil went on to work on various independent films including The Good Things and Jane White is Sick & Twisted. As a voice actor he has worked on several productions including Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Kurokami: The Animation.

Recently he has appeared in the successful web series The Guild as well as the smash hit television show The Big Bang Theory. He also has a recurring role on the sci-fi series Eureka.

Wil is an avid writer whose blogs have gained a widespread following. He has penned several books including Dancing Barefoot and Just a Geek.