Musician Naomi McPherson is joining the star-packed cast of SNL 1975, Jason Reitman’s forthcoming film about the debut night of the long-running NBC sketch series Saturday Night Live.
McPherson, who uses they/them pronouns, will make their acting debut as singer-songwriter Janis Ian, a musical guest on the first episode of SNL that aired Oct. 11, 1975. Reitman is directing the Sony Pictures project that focuses on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to that initial broadcast. The cast includes Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC exec Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife and former SNL writer Rosie Shuster.
McPherson is a member of the Los Angeles-based band Muna and handles production duties for most of the group’s music. Muna has spent the past two years touring in support of the self-titled 2022 album that includes the single “Silk Chiffon” featuring Phoebe Bridgers. The band,...
McPherson, who uses they/them pronouns, will make their acting debut as singer-songwriter Janis Ian, a musical guest on the first episode of SNL that aired Oct. 11, 1975. Reitman is directing the Sony Pictures project that focuses on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to that initial broadcast. The cast includes Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC exec Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife and former SNL writer Rosie Shuster.
McPherson is a member of the Los Angeles-based band Muna and handles production duties for most of the group’s music. Muna has spent the past two years touring in support of the self-titled 2022 album that includes the single “Silk Chiffon” featuring Phoebe Bridgers. The band,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Hacks’ stars and producers prep for show’s overdue Season 3 return by defending why women are funny
At last, our long national nightmare is nearly over.
It only seems like the much-decorated Max comedy “Hacks” has been away forever. It’s actually been less than two years. Overcoming strikes by writers and actors and a health crisis involving star Jean Smart – who won the Emmy for Best Comedy Actress in each of the show’s first pair of seasons – the series returns for Season 3 on May 2. The streamer will roll out two episodes on May 2, 9, 16 and 23 before running the finale of the nine-episode season on May 30.
“Hacks” was something of an Emmy juggernaut in 2021 and 2022 before going Awol due to a 10-month production delay in 2023. It earned 15 nominations in its first season and 17 in its second. It converted six of those 32 nominations (which included a pair of Best Comedy series bids) to wins, including the two for Smart as well as for the show’s writing and directing.
It only seems like the much-decorated Max comedy “Hacks” has been away forever. It’s actually been less than two years. Overcoming strikes by writers and actors and a health crisis involving star Jean Smart – who won the Emmy for Best Comedy Actress in each of the show’s first pair of seasons – the series returns for Season 3 on May 2. The streamer will roll out two episodes on May 2, 9, 16 and 23 before running the finale of the nine-episode season on May 30.
“Hacks” was something of an Emmy juggernaut in 2021 and 2022 before going Awol due to a 10-month production delay in 2023. It earned 15 nominations in its first season and 17 in its second. It converted six of those 32 nominations (which included a pair of Best Comedy series bids) to wins, including the two for Smart as well as for the show’s writing and directing.
- 4/11/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Joe Flaherty, a constant comic presence in film and TV, best known for his work on the sketch show Sctv and Freaks and Geeks, has died. He was 82.
Flaherty’s daughter, Gudrun, confirmed his death in a statement shared with the New York Times. No exact cause was given, but Gudrun said her father died on Monday, April 1, after “a brief illness.”
She continued: “Since then, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss. Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an...
Flaherty’s daughter, Gudrun, confirmed his death in a statement shared with the New York Times. No exact cause was given, but Gudrun said her father died on Monday, April 1, after “a brief illness.”
She continued: “Since then, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss. Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an...
- 4/2/2024
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The currently in production film about Saturday Night Live’s first broadcast, SNL 1975, has cast Jon Batiste in the on-screen role of Billy Preston, the sketch show’s first-ever musical guest.
The Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning Batiste will also compose the score for the film, which is being directed by Jason Reitman.
Others cast in the Sony Pictures film include Gabriel Labelle as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as NBC late-night executive Dick Ebersol, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairne as Laraine Newman, Nicholas Podano as Billy Crystal, Taylor Gray as Al Franken, Finn Wolfhard as an NBC page, and J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle.
Batiste’s participation in SNL 1975 represents a late-night return of sorts for Batiste, who lead the in-house band for CBS...
The Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning Batiste will also compose the score for the film, which is being directed by Jason Reitman.
Others cast in the Sony Pictures film include Gabriel Labelle as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as NBC late-night executive Dick Ebersol, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairne as Laraine Newman, Nicholas Podano as Billy Crystal, Taylor Gray as Al Franken, Finn Wolfhard as an NBC page, and J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle.
Batiste’s participation in SNL 1975 represents a late-night return of sorts for Batiste, who lead the in-house band for CBS...
- 3/29/2024
- by A.J. Katz
- LateNighter
Jon Batiste is tackling dual responsibilities with Jason Reitman’s forthcoming feature that will focus on the opening night for NBC’s long-running sketch series Saturday Night Live.
Batiste will compose the score for the Sony Pictures film SNL 1975, and he will also appear in the movie as keyboardist and singer Billy Preston, who was the show’s first musical guest when it debuted Oct. 11, 1975. Centering on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to that initial broadcast, Reitman’s film stars Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC exec Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife and former SNL writer Rosie Shuster.
Reitman and Gil Kenan wrote the screenplay based on their interviews with living cast, scribes and crew about the launch of the show that is currently airing its 49th season. Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld and Peter Rice serve as producers on SNL 1975...
Batiste will compose the score for the Sony Pictures film SNL 1975, and he will also appear in the movie as keyboardist and singer Billy Preston, who was the show’s first musical guest when it debuted Oct. 11, 1975. Centering on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to that initial broadcast, Reitman’s film stars Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC exec Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife and former SNL writer Rosie Shuster.
Reitman and Gil Kenan wrote the screenplay based on their interviews with living cast, scribes and crew about the launch of the show that is currently airing its 49th season. Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld and Peter Rice serve as producers on SNL 1975...
- 3/28/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
J.K. Simmons has joined the cast of Jason Reitman’s SNL 1975, and not only will the Oscar winner be playing Hollywood legend Milton Berle, but he’ll have the notable distinction of becoming the first actual SNL host to join the cast of the Sony movie.
Simmons hosted the Jan. 31, 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live, which featured D’Angelo as the musical guest. At the time, Simmons was riding high off an Oscar nomination for Whiplash, and he would go on to win the Academy Award following his SNL hosting stint.
Meanwhile, Berle hosted SNL on April 14, 1979, and Ornette Coleman was his musical guest. It’s unclear where Berle fits into Reitman’s movie at this moment in time.
SNL 1975 is a behind-the-scenes account of the very first episode of Saturday Night Live. The film will reportedly unfold in real-time.
On the heels of playing Steven Spielberg in The Fabelmans,...
Simmons hosted the Jan. 31, 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live, which featured D’Angelo as the musical guest. At the time, Simmons was riding high off an Oscar nomination for Whiplash, and he would go on to win the Academy Award following his SNL hosting stint.
Meanwhile, Berle hosted SNL on April 14, 1979, and Ornette Coleman was his musical guest. It’s unclear where Berle fits into Reitman’s movie at this moment in time.
SNL 1975 is a behind-the-scenes account of the very first episode of Saturday Night Live. The film will reportedly unfold in real-time.
On the heels of playing Steven Spielberg in The Fabelmans,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Jeff Sneider
- LateNighter
J.K. Simmons has rounded out the cast for Jason Reitman’s delve into behind-the-scenes happenings of the opening night of ‘SNL’ in ‘SNL 1975’.
Billy Bryk (Friendship), Joe Chrest (Stranger Things), Taylor Gray (Star Wars: Rebels) and Mcabe Gregg (Teenage Badass) have also joined the cast.
Simmons is set to take on the role of comedian Milton Berle, with Chrest as Weekend Update co-creator Herb Sargent. Gray and Gregg portray Al Franken and Tom Davis, the SNL writer-performers of duo Franken & Davis. Details as to Bryk’s role haven’t been disclosed.
Also in news – Benedict Cumberbatch stars in first look images for ‘Eric’
The latest group of actors join the already cast Gabriel Labelle who leads the ensemble as Lorne Michaels, with Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Ella Hunt, Lamorne Morris, Dylan O’Brien, Nicholas Braun, Finn Wolfhard and Kaia Gerber.
The script for the project is penned by Reitman and Gil Kenan.
Billy Bryk (Friendship), Joe Chrest (Stranger Things), Taylor Gray (Star Wars: Rebels) and Mcabe Gregg (Teenage Badass) have also joined the cast.
Simmons is set to take on the role of comedian Milton Berle, with Chrest as Weekend Update co-creator Herb Sargent. Gray and Gregg portray Al Franken and Tom Davis, the SNL writer-performers of duo Franken & Davis. Details as to Bryk’s role haven’t been disclosed.
Also in news – Benedict Cumberbatch stars in first look images for ‘Eric’
The latest group of actors join the already cast Gabriel Labelle who leads the ensemble as Lorne Michaels, with Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Ella Hunt, Lamorne Morris, Dylan O’Brien, Nicholas Braun, Finn Wolfhard and Kaia Gerber.
The script for the project is penned by Reitman and Gil Kenan.
- 3/26/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Exclusive: Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons (The Accountant 2) is among the final additions to the cast of Sony Pictures’ film SNL 1975 (working title), based on real-life behind-the-scenes accounts of the opening night of Saturday Night Live. Other new cast members for the Jason Reitman pic include Billy Bryk (Friendship), Joe Chrest (Stranger Things), Taylor Gray (Star Wars: Rebels) and Mcabe Gregg (Teenage Badass).
Simmons plays comedian Milton Berle, with Chrest as Weekend Update co-creator Herb Sargent. Gray and Gregg portray Al Franken and Tom Davis, the SNL writer-performers of duo Franken & Davis. Details as to Bryk’s role haven’t been disclosed.
As previously announced, The Fabelmans breakout Gabriel Labelle leads the ensemble as Lorne Michaels, with Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Ella Hunt, Lamorne Morris, Dylan O’Brien, Nicholas Braun, Finn Wolfhard and Kaia Gerber also to star.
It was on October 11th, 1975 that a ferocious troupe of young...
Simmons plays comedian Milton Berle, with Chrest as Weekend Update co-creator Herb Sargent. Gray and Gregg portray Al Franken and Tom Davis, the SNL writer-performers of duo Franken & Davis. Details as to Bryk’s role haven’t been disclosed.
As previously announced, The Fabelmans breakout Gabriel Labelle leads the ensemble as Lorne Michaels, with Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Ella Hunt, Lamorne Morris, Dylan O’Brien, Nicholas Braun, Finn Wolfhard and Kaia Gerber also to star.
It was on October 11th, 1975 that a ferocious troupe of young...
- 3/25/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Rita McKenzie, known for staging the longest-running one-woman show in theatrical history, died Feb. 17 in Los Angeles days before her 77th birthday. She succumbed to what her family described as a long-term illness.
A powerhouse stage voice and theatrical personality, McKenzie’s 1988 off-Broadway one-woman show, Ethel Merman’s Broadway, became the longest-running one- woman show in theatrical history.
McKenzie had a wide theatrical resume. She played Lita Encore in the Los Angeles premiere of Ruthless! The Musical and reprised the role in the recent New York revival of the show.
She also performed a wide range of stage roles throughout the U..S , including Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes!, appeared in the 50th Anniversary tour of Annie Get Your Gun, played Rose in Gypsy, and starred in a three-year U.S. tour of Neil Simon’s The Female Odd Couple, co-starring with Barbara Eden.
Additionally, she was the opening act...
A powerhouse stage voice and theatrical personality, McKenzie’s 1988 off-Broadway one-woman show, Ethel Merman’s Broadway, became the longest-running one- woman show in theatrical history.
McKenzie had a wide theatrical resume. She played Lita Encore in the Los Angeles premiere of Ruthless! The Musical and reprised the role in the recent New York revival of the show.
She also performed a wide range of stage roles throughout the U..S , including Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes!, appeared in the 50th Anniversary tour of Annie Get Your Gun, played Rose in Gypsy, and starred in a three-year U.S. tour of Neil Simon’s The Female Odd Couple, co-starring with Barbara Eden.
Additionally, she was the opening act...
- 2/18/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Rita McKenzie, the actress and singer best known for her boisterous performances in the one-woman show Ethel Merman’s Broadway, died Saturday in Los Angeles after a long illness, her husband, talent agent Scott Stander, announced. She was 76.
McKenzie first starred on stage as the powerful Merman — star of such iconic Broadway hits as Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy and Hello, Dolly! — in New York in 1988.
Belting out tunes like “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “I Got Rhythm” and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” McKenzie toured throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia in what many consider the longest-running one-woman show in theatrical history.
She also starred in parts that Merman made famous: Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes!, the gunslinger in a 50th anniversary tour of Annie Get Your Gun and Rose in Gypsy.
Watch her perform here.
A native of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, McKenzie starred...
McKenzie first starred on stage as the powerful Merman — star of such iconic Broadway hits as Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy and Hello, Dolly! — in New York in 1988.
Belting out tunes like “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “I Got Rhythm” and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” McKenzie toured throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia in what many consider the longest-running one-woman show in theatrical history.
She also starred in parts that Merman made famous: Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes!, the gunslinger in a 50th anniversary tour of Annie Get Your Gun and Rose in Gypsy.
Watch her perform here.
A native of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, McKenzie starred...
- 2/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: A Midnight Movie for the Love of a Woman
The cinematic understanding of romance is on the run. It’s a sad topic ahead of Valentine’s Day, I know. But the big romantic gestures and sweeping professions of love that once characterized the rom-com genre are now about as welcome in real life as TikTok therapists are welcome on the big screen. Add a family counselor to your next “Clueless” viewing and you just won’t see Paul Rudd the same way; try planting one on your step-sister at...
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: A Midnight Movie for the Love of a Woman
The cinematic understanding of romance is on the run. It’s a sad topic ahead of Valentine’s Day, I know. But the big romantic gestures and sweeping professions of love that once characterized the rom-com genre are now about as welcome in real life as TikTok therapists are welcome on the big screen. Add a family counselor to your next “Clueless” viewing and you just won’t see Paul Rudd the same way; try planting one on your step-sister at...
- 2/10/2024
- by Alison Foreman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Until recently, the oldest entertainment program known to survive on color videotape was NBC’s An Evening with Fred Astaire, broadcast live on October 17, 1958.
But now, a rare color videotape of the Kraft Music Hall Starring Milton Berle that predates the Astaire special by nine days has been discovered. The tape will be shown at the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum in Westwood on Saturday, February 24th at 7:30 Pm in a program that is free and open to the public.
“The Berle Kraft tape is the oldest known color videotape of an entertainment program,” said Mark Quigley, the John H. Mitchell Television Curator at the UCLA Film & Television Archive. “Entertainment” is a key distinction. The oldest known color tape is of the NBC Washington studios dedication ceremony on 05-22-1958.
“With the introduction of videotape technology in the broadcast industry starting in 1956, one of...
But now, a rare color videotape of the Kraft Music Hall Starring Milton Berle that predates the Astaire special by nine days has been discovered. The tape will be shown at the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum in Westwood on Saturday, February 24th at 7:30 Pm in a program that is free and open to the public.
“The Berle Kraft tape is the oldest known color videotape of an entertainment program,” said Mark Quigley, the John H. Mitchell Television Curator at the UCLA Film & Television Archive. “Entertainment” is a key distinction. The oldest known color tape is of the NBC Washington studios dedication ceremony on 05-22-1958.
“With the introduction of videotape technology in the broadcast industry starting in 1956, one of...
- 2/9/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Bill Hayes, the actor and singer who with his real-life wife, Susan Seaforth Hayes, starred on NBC’s Days of Our Lives as the beloved first couple of daytime television, died Friday in Los Angeles, a rep from the show told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 98.
Before he was known as a soap opera legend, Hayes was a regular on Sid Caesar‘s famed live TV variety program Your Show of Shows, and in 1955 he had the No. 1 song in America, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.”
He also partnered in a nightclub act with future Brady Bunch star Florence Henderson; they were known as “The Singing Sweethearts” and sang about Oldsmobiles on TV commercials, many of them performed live.
Hayes joined Days of Our Lives to play con artist/lounge singer Doug Williams in February 1970. Seaforth Hayes, who portrayed the spoiled heiress Julie Olsen Banning Anderson Williams, had joined the show 15 months earlier.
Before he was known as a soap opera legend, Hayes was a regular on Sid Caesar‘s famed live TV variety program Your Show of Shows, and in 1955 he had the No. 1 song in America, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.”
He also partnered in a nightclub act with future Brady Bunch star Florence Henderson; they were known as “The Singing Sweethearts” and sang about Oldsmobiles on TV commercials, many of them performed live.
Hayes joined Days of Our Lives to play con artist/lounge singer Doug Williams in February 1970. Seaforth Hayes, who portrayed the spoiled heiress Julie Olsen Banning Anderson Williams, had joined the show 15 months earlier.
- 1/13/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In early January, comedian Katt Williams went on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast and took aim at Cedric the Entertainer for stealing “my very best joke.” The bit in question — which involved a pantomime of driving with music blasting — was first performed by Katt in a 1998 appearance on ComicView, then reproduced by Cedric (according to Katt) for his set in Spike Lee’s The Original Kings of Comedy. Cedric called the accusations “revisionist history” on Instagram.
We’ve been down this road many times before. For much of the 20th century, joke stealing was an open secret. “All comedians steal from all comedians,” the legend Stan Laurel once mused. Some of the biggest names in comedy did it. Milton Berle was so blatant in his joke stealing that he earned the nickname “The Thief of Bad Gags.” Richard Pryor admitted on The Tonight Show that he ripped off his comedy idols,...
We’ve been down this road many times before. For much of the 20th century, joke stealing was an open secret. “All comedians steal from all comedians,” the legend Stan Laurel once mused. Some of the biggest names in comedy did it. Milton Berle was so blatant in his joke stealing that he earned the nickname “The Thief of Bad Gags.” Richard Pryor admitted on The Tonight Show that he ripped off his comedy idols,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Eric Spitznagel
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Iron Claw is hitting theaters and tells the tragic story of the Von Erich family, who dominated the wrestling world for two decades. We learn about the triumphs and the tragedy of one of the most significant families in professional wrestling. They are not the only interesting characters in the often time wacky world of tights and arm bars. A lot of wrestlers led exciting lives outside of the ring. Their stories are just ready for the big screen treatment. Wrestler biopics could be an interesting subgenre we didn’t know we needed.
Gorgeous George
The name Gorgeous George is known by hardcore wrestling fans, but many casual fans may have no idea how big of an impact he had on the wrestling industry and pop culture in general. He wrestled for 30 years, from the 30s into the 60s. George is perhaps known as one of the greatest heel performers of all time.
Gorgeous George
The name Gorgeous George is known by hardcore wrestling fans, but many casual fans may have no idea how big of an impact he had on the wrestling industry and pop culture in general. He wrestled for 30 years, from the 30s into the 60s. George is perhaps known as one of the greatest heel performers of all time.
- 12/26/2023
- by Bryan Wolford
- JoBlo.com
The first "Pigs in Space" segment of "The Muppet Show" occurred in the third episode of the show's second season, the one hosted by Milton Berle. "Pigs in Space" sought to lampoon all of the most popular sci-fi tropes of the day, most notably "Star Trek," which was exploding in popularity at the time thanks to endless syndication deals. The segments took place on board a pig-shaped vessel called the Swinetrek, which was commanded by the handsome Captain Link Hogthrob (Jim Henson). Miss Piggy (Frank Oz) played First Mate Piggy, and the ship's chief medical officer was Dr. Strangepork (Jerry Nelson). The "Pigs in Space" segment was so popular, it appeared in 32 episodes of "The Muppet Show" through its fifth season. The segment was revived for the short-lived 1997 series "Muppets Tonight," where it was called "Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine: The Next Generation of Pigs in Space."
"The Muppet Show...
"The Muppet Show...
- 12/23/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Norby Walters, a music agent who worked with Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Kool & the Gang and Public Enemy before gaining renown in Hollywood for his annual “Night of 100 Stars” Oscar party and weekly poker game, has died. He was 91.
Walters died Dec. 10 of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Burbank, his son, producer Gary Michael Walters (Whiplash), told The Hollywood Reporter.
Walters hosted his first Oscar night gala in 1990 and the last in 2017, most often inside the Beverly Hilton’s Crystal Ballroom. Among those who attended were Shirley Jones, Robert Forster, Charles Bronson, Patricia Neal, Richard Dreyfuss, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Landau, Louis Gossett Jr., J.K. Simmons, Cliff Robertson, Red Buttons, Jon Voight and Allison Janney.
Walters for years also presided over a weekly poker game at his West Hollywood high-rise condo. The low-stakes $2 game was, his son said, “designed to be a place where actors could kibbutz,...
Walters died Dec. 10 of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Burbank, his son, producer Gary Michael Walters (Whiplash), told The Hollywood Reporter.
Walters hosted his first Oscar night gala in 1990 and the last in 2017, most often inside the Beverly Hilton’s Crystal Ballroom. Among those who attended were Shirley Jones, Robert Forster, Charles Bronson, Patricia Neal, Richard Dreyfuss, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Landau, Louis Gossett Jr., J.K. Simmons, Cliff Robertson, Red Buttons, Jon Voight and Allison Janney.
Walters for years also presided over a weekly poker game at his West Hollywood high-rise condo. The low-stakes $2 game was, his son said, “designed to be a place where actors could kibbutz,...
- 12/21/2023
- by Mike Barnes and Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Norman Lear, the writer, producer and citizen activist who coalesced topical conflict and outrageous comedy in such wildly popular sitcoms as All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and The Jeffersons, has died. He was 101.
Lear died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by his family who, according to a statement on his official Instagram account, sang songs until the very end.
“Norman lived a life in awe of the world around him. He marveled at his cup of coffee every morning, the shape of the tree outside his window, and the sounds of beautiful music,” read the post. “But it was people — those he just met and those he knew for decades — who kept his mind and heart forever young. As we celebrate his legacy and reflect on the next chapter of life without him, we would like to thank everyone for all the love and support.
Lear died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by his family who, according to a statement on his official Instagram account, sang songs until the very end.
“Norman lived a life in awe of the world around him. He marveled at his cup of coffee every morning, the shape of the tree outside his window, and the sounds of beautiful music,” read the post. “But it was people — those he just met and those he knew for decades — who kept his mind and heart forever young. As we celebrate his legacy and reflect on the next chapter of life without him, we would like to thank everyone for all the love and support.
- 12/6/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“The Brady Bunch” star Barry Williams was inspired by TV mom Florence Henderson to go on “Dancing With the Stars,” he told TheWrap in an interview last week.
Henderson, who played mom Carol Brady on the ’70s sitcom, competed in Season 11 of the ABC competition. “She was my inspiration,” he said. When asked if he thinks of the actress, who died on Nov. 24, 2016, whenever he hits the dance floor, he answered, “Yes. Every week.”
Williams visited the set in 2010 to watch Henderson rehearse and perform. “I was really taken with it,” he said. “She had always mentored me in one way or another. She knew that I had been active theatrically in a lot of musicals, and she thought this would be a great fit for me. I got the bug, and she made me promise to go for it.”
The Brady Bunch cast at the 5th Annual TV Land...
Henderson, who played mom Carol Brady on the ’70s sitcom, competed in Season 11 of the ABC competition. “She was my inspiration,” he said. When asked if he thinks of the actress, who died on Nov. 24, 2016, whenever he hits the dance floor, he answered, “Yes. Every week.”
Williams visited the set in 2010 to watch Henderson rehearse and perform. “I was really taken with it,” he said. “She had always mentored me in one way or another. She knew that I had been active theatrically in a lot of musicals, and she thought this would be a great fit for me. I got the bug, and she made me promise to go for it.”
The Brady Bunch cast at the 5th Annual TV Land...
- 11/15/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Richard Moll, best known as the towering bailiff “Bull Shannon” on the long-running NBC sitcom Night Court, died Oct. 26 at his home in Big Bear Lake, Calif. He was 80 and no cause was given by his family.
Standing 6’8″, Moll was a character actor, but worked steadily during his career. Night Court ran from 1984 to 1992, and his commanding presence, deep voice, and endearing manner drew the frequent attention of casting directors.
After Night Court, Moll landed a recurring role on the sitcom Getting By, starring Cindy Williams, before appearing in an episode of the cult sci-fi hit Babylon 5. He also voiced the bodyguard to the title character of the animated Mighty Max.
His Night Court stint also enabled him to branch out into larger films and voiceover work on animated series, where he often relished the chance to play the bad guy. Moll was...
Standing 6’8″, Moll was a character actor, but worked steadily during his career. Night Court ran from 1984 to 1992, and his commanding presence, deep voice, and endearing manner drew the frequent attention of casting directors.
After Night Court, Moll landed a recurring role on the sitcom Getting By, starring Cindy Williams, before appearing in an episode of the cult sci-fi hit Babylon 5. He also voiced the bodyguard to the title character of the animated Mighty Max.
His Night Court stint also enabled him to branch out into larger films and voiceover work on animated series, where he often relished the chance to play the bad guy. Moll was...
- 10/27/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Richard Moll, the fun-loving actor who portrayed the towering and tenderhearted bailiff Aristotle Nostradamus “Bull” Shannon on all nine seasons of the popular NBC sitcom Night Court during its original run, has died. He was 80.
Moll died peacefully Thursday at his home in Big Bear Lake, California, his publicist announced.
Suitable for his 6-foot-8 frame, Moll played an abominable snowman alongside Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach in the comedy feature Caveman (1981), and he was a scary, decomposing Vietnam veteran in the horror film House (1986).
Moll also did lots of voiceover work, with a regular gig as the immortal bodyguard Norman on the syndicated series Mighty Max and turns as Harvey Dent/Two-Face for three Batman cartoons.
Moll had a shaved head — he did that to play the warrior Hurok in the sci-fi film Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) — when he auditioned for the role of Shannon on Night Court, created by Reinhold Weege.
Moll died peacefully Thursday at his home in Big Bear Lake, California, his publicist announced.
Suitable for his 6-foot-8 frame, Moll played an abominable snowman alongside Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach in the comedy feature Caveman (1981), and he was a scary, decomposing Vietnam veteran in the horror film House (1986).
Moll also did lots of voiceover work, with a regular gig as the immortal bodyguard Norman on the syndicated series Mighty Max and turns as Harvey Dent/Two-Face for three Batman cartoons.
Moll had a shaved head — he did that to play the warrior Hurok in the sci-fi film Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) — when he auditioned for the role of Shannon on Night Court, created by Reinhold Weege.
- 10/27/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
f it was the summer of the megawatt blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” September has turned into a month of sequelitis with “The Nun 2,” “Equalizer 3” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.” Even Kenneth Branagh’s “A Hunting in Venice,” is the third installment in the actor/director’s Hercule Poirot mystery series. It’s all a bit of a snooze. That wasn’t the case 70 years ago this month.
There were some oddball films that were released September, 1953 including “Cat-Women of the Moon” with Sonny Tufts and Marie Windsor and “The Sins of Jezebel” starring Paulette Goddard. But 70 years ago, audiences were introduced to a new wide-screen format and young actress who would become one of the biggest stars of the 1950s and ‘60s and Clark Gable returning to a role he originated in 1932.
Twentieth Century Fox’s Darryl F. Zanuck unveiled the studio’s new widescreen process Cinemascope...
There were some oddball films that were released September, 1953 including “Cat-Women of the Moon” with Sonny Tufts and Marie Windsor and “The Sins of Jezebel” starring Paulette Goddard. But 70 years ago, audiences were introduced to a new wide-screen format and young actress who would become one of the biggest stars of the 1950s and ‘60s and Clark Gable returning to a role he originated in 1932.
Twentieth Century Fox’s Darryl F. Zanuck unveiled the studio’s new widescreen process Cinemascope...
- 9/19/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Bob Barker was a pillar of television’s greatest generation.
Barker, the enduring host of “The Price Is Right” who died Aug. 26 at the age of 99, was a World War II veteran who trained as a Navy fighter pilot. But his destiny was not to fly missions in the Pacific theater. Barker’s service to his country came in the years after the war, when he and an elite corps of seasoned radio announcers laid a large part of the foundation for commercial television as we know it today.
Barker was a born broadcaster. He had a resonant voice, and his 6-foot-1 frame didn’t hurt in making an impression on viewers in the early days of grainy TV pictures. But his biggest asset was the gift of being to speak extemporaneously on live television – and make it look and feel natural while doing so.
Bob Barker, Longtime Host of ‘The Price Is Right,...
Barker, the enduring host of “The Price Is Right” who died Aug. 26 at the age of 99, was a World War II veteran who trained as a Navy fighter pilot. But his destiny was not to fly missions in the Pacific theater. Barker’s service to his country came in the years after the war, when he and an elite corps of seasoned radio announcers laid a large part of the foundation for commercial television as we know it today.
Barker was a born broadcaster. He had a resonant voice, and his 6-foot-1 frame didn’t hurt in making an impression on viewers in the early days of grainy TV pictures. But his biggest asset was the gift of being to speak extemporaneously on live television – and make it look and feel natural while doing so.
Bob Barker, Longtime Host of ‘The Price Is Right,...
- 8/27/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Tony Bennett's first record, "Because of You" was released in 1952 and it instantly codified the entertainer as one of the music world's great crooners. In 1962, his 15th record, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" was certified platinum by the RIAA, but that was after he had already established himself with Count Basie and his Orchestra and as a great fan of songwriter Harold Arlen. All told, he released 61 records in his decades-long career, not including his eight albums of collaborations and duets. He sang with Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Carrie Underwood, Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Mariah Carey, Bono, Sting, Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, and many others. Most recently, he released two collaborations with Lady Gaga in 2018 and 2021. Bennett passed away on July 21, 2023 at the age of 96. He will be deeply missed.
Naturally, a talent of Bennett's stature couldn't be ignored by Hollywood, and he would appear...
Naturally, a talent of Bennett's stature couldn't be ignored by Hollywood, and he would appear...
- 7/21/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
At age 93, producer George Schlatter has a lifetime of memories to look back at. Producing the groundbreaking and iconic TV comedy show Laugh-in is just one facet. There’s also presidential inaugurations, countless TV specials with big-name talent, running the Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethons, and hanging with Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra among them.
All of that and more is captured in a memoir just-released via Unnamed Press/Rare Bird Books, Still Laughing: A Life in Comedy.
Already a well-regarded producer of television specials and variety shows by 1967, Schlatter pitched NBC on an idea that was a radical departure: a comedy special inspired by the hippie counter-culture, one which would take the idea of sit-ins, love-ins, and be-ins and manifest that politicized, sexualized, consciousness-raising energy into comedic sketches. The special that emerged, Laugh-in, was so successful it became a regular television series, running from January 1968 to March 1973 and eventually becoming the #1 show on TV.
All of that and more is captured in a memoir just-released via Unnamed Press/Rare Bird Books, Still Laughing: A Life in Comedy.
Already a well-regarded producer of television specials and variety shows by 1967, Schlatter pitched NBC on an idea that was a radical departure: a comedy special inspired by the hippie counter-culture, one which would take the idea of sit-ins, love-ins, and be-ins and manifest that politicized, sexualized, consciousness-raising energy into comedic sketches. The special that emerged, Laugh-in, was so successful it became a regular television series, running from January 1968 to March 1973 and eventually becoming the #1 show on TV.
- 7/16/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Milt Larsen, who wrote for the game show Truth or Consequences for nearly two decades and co-founded The Magic Castle in Hollywood, died Sunday of natural causes in Los Angeles, his family announced. He was 92.
Larsen produced TV specials for ABC, CBS and NBC and wrote songs with Richard Sherman, the Oscar winner who partnered with his late brother, Robert, to create tunes for such Disney classics as Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Jungle Book.
He also was the creator and consultant for the $50 million Caesars Magic Empire at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
In 1963, Larsen and his late brother, Bill, founded The Magic Castle in a 1909 French Chateau mansion on Franklin Avenue. With its many stages, labyrinthine corridors and old-fashioned decor, the place would become a renowned private club for magicians.
Larsen wrote five joke books and three books involving The Magic Castle, penned a weekly...
Larsen produced TV specials for ABC, CBS and NBC and wrote songs with Richard Sherman, the Oscar winner who partnered with his late brother, Robert, to create tunes for such Disney classics as Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Jungle Book.
He also was the creator and consultant for the $50 million Caesars Magic Empire at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
In 1963, Larsen and his late brother, Bill, founded The Magic Castle in a 1909 French Chateau mansion on Franklin Avenue. With its many stages, labyrinthine corridors and old-fashioned decor, the place would become a renowned private club for magicians.
Larsen wrote five joke books and three books involving The Magic Castle, penned a weekly...
- 5/29/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On April 18, Netflix announced that it was “sunsetting” — aka terminating — its material-world DVD rental option. The last picture show in the form of five-inch disks hand-delivered to your door in red envelopes will shut down on September 29, 2023. After 25 years of mail-order interface, “DVDs are done,” Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph declared, adding an unsentimental kiss-off: “Thank you for your service.”
Though it was only inevitable that Netflix would embrace the promise embedded in its name, the announcement struck many as another death rattle from the sickbed of physical media, that resonant term for a record album, film reel, or DVD box set you can actually get your paws on and collect. Increasingly, there is only one way to press play on home entertainment and that is by logging on and streaming (or downloading) a digital file.
Netflix’s disc-toss feels like a decisive pivot point because the trajectory of the company...
Though it was only inevitable that Netflix would embrace the promise embedded in its name, the announcement struck many as another death rattle from the sickbed of physical media, that resonant term for a record album, film reel, or DVD box set you can actually get your paws on and collect. Increasingly, there is only one way to press play on home entertainment and that is by logging on and streaming (or downloading) a digital file.
Netflix’s disc-toss feels like a decisive pivot point because the trajectory of the company...
- 4/28/2023
- by Thomas Doherty
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For many decades, the “Big Three” networks dominated American television, bringing laughter, drama, breaking news and real-life events into our homes. NBC, CBS and ABC have broadcast thousands of fictional programs, sporting events, talk shows and news programs for nearly a century, with roots in radio. Television programming began in the 1940s, with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) leading the way, establishing several firsts for the medium, and becoming home to some of the longest-running programs in the history of the small screen.
But which 30 primetime and late night scripted series are the absolute best? We rank our favorites in the photo gallery above based on quality, quantity (number of seasons/episodes), impact on society and other shows, plus Emmy Awards nominations/wins. Each show on our list has some combo of at least a few of those traits (some have all four!).
In 1948, Milton Berle began hosting “Texaco Star Theatre,...
But which 30 primetime and late night scripted series are the absolute best? We rank our favorites in the photo gallery above based on quality, quantity (number of seasons/episodes), impact on society and other shows, plus Emmy Awards nominations/wins. Each show on our list has some combo of at least a few of those traits (some have all four!).
In 1948, Milton Berle began hosting “Texaco Star Theatre,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
For many decades, the “Big Three” networks dominated American television, bringing laughter, drama, breaking news and real-life events into our homes. NBC, CBS and ABC have broadcast thousands of fictional programs, sporting events, talk shows and news programs for nearly a century, with roots in radio. Television programming began in the 1940s, with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) leading the way, establishing several firsts for the medium, and becoming home to some of the longest-running programs in the history of the small screen.
But which 30 primetime and late night scripted series are the absolute best? We rank our favorites based on quality, quantity (number of seasons/episodes), impact on society and other shows, plus Emmy Awards nominations/wins. Each show on our list has some combo of at least a few of those traits (some have all four!).
In 1948, Milton Berle began hosting “Texaco Star Theatre,” and ruled Tuesday night television for several years,...
But which 30 primetime and late night scripted series are the absolute best? We rank our favorites based on quality, quantity (number of seasons/episodes), impact on society and other shows, plus Emmy Awards nominations/wins. Each show on our list has some combo of at least a few of those traits (some have all four!).
In 1948, Milton Berle began hosting “Texaco Star Theatre,” and ruled Tuesday night television for several years,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Westerns hold a nostalgic place in television history. Dominating the primetime airwaves, more than 100 original TV Western series aired between 1949 and 1969. Shows such as The Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, and The Rifleman had a faithful following, tuning in each week to witness the fast-paced, gun-slinging, horse-riding action. The Big Valley, starring prominent actors Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Majors, and Linda Evans, ran for four seasons in the mid-’60s. Despite its immense popularity, the TV series ended abruptly. Why was The Big Valley canceled?
‘The Big Valley’ was a big deal ‘The Big Valley’ cast | ABC Photo Archives/Contributor
In 1964, The Big Valley premiered on ABC, becoming one of the first Westerns to showcase a woman as the lead. The controversial move proved popular among viewers, and the series reignited the career of Stanwyck, an iconic big-screen actor. She portrayed the formidable matriarch of the wealthy Barkley family, tasked with running her late husband’s California ranch.
‘The Big Valley’ was a big deal ‘The Big Valley’ cast | ABC Photo Archives/Contributor
In 1964, The Big Valley premiered on ABC, becoming one of the first Westerns to showcase a woman as the lead. The controversial move proved popular among viewers, and the series reignited the career of Stanwyck, an iconic big-screen actor. She portrayed the formidable matriarch of the wealthy Barkley family, tasked with running her late husband’s California ranch.
- 4/16/2023
- by Rita DeMichiel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Carol Burnett has always made the audience her priority. Over 11 seasons of her landmark variety show, she indulged fans in countless Tarzan yells, never reshot a sketch when one of her co-stars cracked up and prided herself on getting The Carol Burnett Show‘s weekly crowds (and its staff) out of the studio in time for dinner. Naturally, during the recent taping of the upcoming NBC special Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love, she avoided the trappings of a clip show. And she kept things moving. “It’s a two-hour show, and we were done in about two-and-a-half,” she says of her early birthday party — filmed in front of a live audience. “I want people to feel like they’re seeing a Broadway show, not sitting around waiting for scenery or costume changes.”
As she turns 90 on April 26, the day her special drops, Burnett’s love of comedy...
As she turns 90 on April 26, the day her special drops, Burnett’s love of comedy...
- 4/13/2023
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For a live television show that is assembled on the fly over a six-day period, "Saturday Night Live" has suffered remarkably few on-air disasters. The f-bomb has been uttered more than a few times, Jimmy Fallon used to co-host the Weekend Update, and there was the whole Ashlee Simpson lip synching snafu. But SNL, overall, goes on as it must.
This doesn't mean every episode has been a party. If you've read Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad's "Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live" or Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller's "Live from New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers and Guests," you know there've been behind-the-scenes scraps, scrapes, and scenic malfunctions. Worst of all, there have been multiple lousy guest hosts: stars who didn't get the show or bristled against its collaborative nature. Madonna, Steven Seagal,...
This doesn't mean every episode has been a party. If you've read Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad's "Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live" or Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller's "Live from New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers and Guests," you know there've been behind-the-scenes scraps, scrapes, and scenic malfunctions. Worst of all, there have been multiple lousy guest hosts: stars who didn't get the show or bristled against its collaborative nature. Madonna, Steven Seagal,...
- 3/25/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. This week, we examine three under-the-radar films which more than likely escaped your notice.
Uzmaki is a 2000 horror film based on a manga (Japanese graphic novel) which was still being created while the movie was being made. Hence, the two stories ended up with different endings. The plot centers on a town’s obsession with spirals, and the tendency of its inhabitants to turn into snails. The real horror? There is no French restaurant around to take advantage of the suddenly plentiful supply of king-sized escargot.
Beware if you see this in a theater and one of the patrons leaves a slimy trail as he exits.
The film was released as the lead picture of a double feature – which leaves us to wonder why the second half was...
Uzmaki is a 2000 horror film based on a manga (Japanese graphic novel) which was still being created while the movie was being made. Hence, the two stories ended up with different endings. The plot centers on a town’s obsession with spirals, and the tendency of its inhabitants to turn into snails. The real horror? There is no French restaurant around to take advantage of the suddenly plentiful supply of king-sized escargot.
Beware if you see this in a theater and one of the patrons leaves a slimy trail as he exits.
The film was released as the lead picture of a double feature – which leaves us to wonder why the second half was...
- 3/9/2023
- by Randy Fuller
- Trailers from Hell
As branded residences continue to take off in Los Angeles — such as the Pendry Residences on the Sunset Strip and the new Mandarin Oriental Residences on Wilshire Boulevard — the in-development Rosewood Residences Beverly Hills is making moves to open next year.
Nahla Capital and Gpi Companies, the developers of the Rosewood Residences, have announced that top L.A. real estate agents Sally Forster Jones and Tomer Fridman of Compass have been tapped to exclusively lead sales for the luxury project, which broke ground in June of last year and is expected to open near the end of 2024.
Located on South Santa Monica Boulevard and across Charleville Boulevard from the Peninsula Hotel, the project includes four floors encompassing 17 residences, each of which has a unique design. They range in size from around 3,000 square feet and go up to around 7,500 square feet at the penthouse level. The starting price of the residences,...
Nahla Capital and Gpi Companies, the developers of the Rosewood Residences, have announced that top L.A. real estate agents Sally Forster Jones and Tomer Fridman of Compass have been tapped to exclusively lead sales for the luxury project, which broke ground in June of last year and is expected to open near the end of 2024.
Located on South Santa Monica Boulevard and across Charleville Boulevard from the Peninsula Hotel, the project includes four floors encompassing 17 residences, each of which has a unique design. They range in size from around 3,000 square feet and go up to around 7,500 square feet at the penthouse level. The starting price of the residences,...
- 3/8/2023
- by Degen Pener
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
William Dozier's 1966 TV adaptation of "Batman" remains, even at this late date, the high water mark for all Batman media.
Colorful, whimsical, surreal, and borderline kinky, "Batman" served as an arch satire of the conservative underpinnings of most mainstream comic book heroes. Batman and Robin, played by the legendary Adam West and Burt Ward, were depicted as simultaneously heroic and terminally square, eschewing vice and indecency in favor of painfully wholesome, all-American activities such as camping, chess, drinking milk, birdwatching, and engaging in proper hygiene. Batman and Robin were walking 1950s classroom scare films, living in a bizarre universe of costumed vigilantes and horny criminals. The brilliance of the show came largely from West and Ward, who were able to deliver some of the strangest dialogue ever written without once ever winking or cracking a smile. "Batman" is a comedy masterpiece.
Of course, the most appealing aspect of "Batman" were its villains.
Colorful, whimsical, surreal, and borderline kinky, "Batman" served as an arch satire of the conservative underpinnings of most mainstream comic book heroes. Batman and Robin, played by the legendary Adam West and Burt Ward, were depicted as simultaneously heroic and terminally square, eschewing vice and indecency in favor of painfully wholesome, all-American activities such as camping, chess, drinking milk, birdwatching, and engaging in proper hygiene. Batman and Robin were walking 1950s classroom scare films, living in a bizarre universe of costumed vigilantes and horny criminals. The brilliance of the show came largely from West and Ward, who were able to deliver some of the strangest dialogue ever written without once ever winking or cracking a smile. "Batman" is a comedy masterpiece.
Of course, the most appealing aspect of "Batman" were its villains.
- 1/11/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
As Hollywood origin stories go, it doesn’t get more inspirational than the philanthropic spark that led Danny Thomas to launch St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It’s a tale that has been well told, but it bears repeating at this time of year.
In the late 1950s and early ’60s, Thomas led the charge among Hollywood stars and in Arab American immigrant communities across the country to raise millions of dollars to build a hospital guided by the principle that no child would be turned away because of race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.
Today, St. Jude endures out of its home base in Memphis, Tenn., with a multi-billion dollar operating budget to provide life-saving care for children with catastrophic illnesses and conduct medical research into terminal illnesses. Simply put, St. Jude has become “America’s hospital,” in the words of Tony Thomas, producer of...
In the late 1950s and early ’60s, Thomas led the charge among Hollywood stars and in Arab American immigrant communities across the country to raise millions of dollars to build a hospital guided by the principle that no child would be turned away because of race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.
Today, St. Jude endures out of its home base in Memphis, Tenn., with a multi-billion dollar operating budget to provide life-saving care for children with catastrophic illnesses and conduct medical research into terminal illnesses. Simply put, St. Jude has become “America’s hospital,” in the words of Tony Thomas, producer of...
- 12/23/2022
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Six television legends will be inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame on November 16. Those chosen for the 26th ceremony are: Debbie Allen, Ken Burns, Bob Daly, Robert L. Johnson, Rita Moreno and Donald A. Morgan. In addition, actor Sean Penn will receive the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. The event will be held in North Hollywood at the Saban Media Center.
The Hall of Fame event will take place Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center and includes the unveiling of new busts of previous inductees, the induction of the 2022 Hall of Fame recipients, and the presentation of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
Seetv Hall of Fame: Top 50 best choices who should be inducted next
The first induction was held in 1984 and it’s been an annual tradition almost every year. That class of legends consisted of actress/executive Lucille Ball, actor/comedian Milton Berle, writer Paddy Chayefsky,...
The Hall of Fame event will take place Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center and includes the unveiling of new busts of previous inductees, the induction of the 2022 Hall of Fame recipients, and the presentation of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
Seetv Hall of Fame: Top 50 best choices who should be inducted next
The first induction was held in 1984 and it’s been an annual tradition almost every year. That class of legends consisted of actress/executive Lucille Ball, actor/comedian Milton Berle, writer Paddy Chayefsky,...
- 10/25/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The Emmy landscape has changed drastically in the past two decades. Going in to the 54th Emmy Awards, which took place on Sept. 22, 2002, it was a broadcast network — NBC — that led the nominations with 47. Emmy powerhouse HBO came in second with 38. FX and VH1 earned their first nominations while the first major streaming series, Netflix’s “House of Cards,” was still 11 years away. Several of this year’s contenders for Emmy gold were either nominated or won 20 years ago.
Laura Linney, who has been nominated nine times and won four statuettes, is nominated this year for her lead role in the final season of Netflix’s “Ozark” and as co-executive producer of this drama series contender. Two decades ago, she won her first Emmy for her lead role in the Showtime telefilm “Wild Iris.”
HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm, which has been nominated 51 times and has won two Emmys, is...
Laura Linney, who has been nominated nine times and won four statuettes, is nominated this year for her lead role in the final season of Netflix’s “Ozark” and as co-executive producer of this drama series contender. Two decades ago, she won her first Emmy for her lead role in the Showtime telefilm “Wild Iris.”
HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm, which has been nominated 51 times and has won two Emmys, is...
- 8/22/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Writer. Producer. Activist. War hero. National icon. He has worn many hats, and is a sterling example of how to make it to 100 years with style, spunk and humility. He has produced and/or written for television in every decade since the 1950s, sparking laughter, creating a little controversy and igniting much-needed debates in millions of homes. Today, we celebrate the 70-year career and incredible life of Norman Lear as he celebrates his 100th birthday!
Norman Milton Lear was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on July 27, 1922 to a Jewish family. In 1942, he joined the Army, serving as a radio operator/gunner on Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in 52 combat missions during WWII, and was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters for his service.
After the war, Lear moved to Los Angeles with intentions of a career in public relations. He ended up partnering with Ed Simmons, an aspiring comedy writer,...
Norman Milton Lear was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on July 27, 1922 to a Jewish family. In 1942, he joined the Army, serving as a radio operator/gunner on Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in 52 combat missions during WWII, and was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters for his service.
After the war, Lear moved to Los Angeles with intentions of a career in public relations. He ended up partnering with Ed Simmons, an aspiring comedy writer,...
- 7/27/2022
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Click here to read the full article.
There’s a story — usually a salacious and illicit one — behind every celebrity sex tape, including the one involving Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. Lily James and Sebastian Stan play the real-life Baywatch star and Mötley Crue drummer in Pam & Tommy, the original Hulu drama series that just nabbed 10 Emmy nominations, including best limited or anthology series and best actor and actress in that category.
The eight-episode miniseries follows the love story of the former couple, who married in 1995 four days into a Cancún getaway that was also their first date. Their honeymoon sex tape was stolen by Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen), a carpenter hired and later fired by Lee, who then refused to pay the construction bill. Nick Offerman plays Uncle Miltie, a porn producer who helps Rand capitalize on his pilfered video, and Taylor Schilling portrays Rand’s ex-wife and porn star,...
There’s a story — usually a salacious and illicit one — behind every celebrity sex tape, including the one involving Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. Lily James and Sebastian Stan play the real-life Baywatch star and Mötley Crue drummer in Pam & Tommy, the original Hulu drama series that just nabbed 10 Emmy nominations, including best limited or anthology series and best actor and actress in that category.
The eight-episode miniseries follows the love story of the former couple, who married in 1995 four days into a Cancún getaway that was also their first date. Their honeymoon sex tape was stolen by Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogen), a carpenter hired and later fired by Lee, who then refused to pay the construction bill. Nick Offerman plays Uncle Miltie, a porn producer who helps Rand capitalize on his pilfered video, and Taylor Schilling portrays Rand’s ex-wife and porn star,...
- 7/15/2022
- by Danielle Directo-Meston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s such fun flashing back to Emmy ceremonies of yesteryear, and it’s interesting to see how they have evolved over time, and reflect on how much TV has grown and changed. In the early years, the categories were much different, with no distinction between dramatic and comedic performances; instead, there was a category for “Outstanding Continued Performance” (which came from ongoing series) and a separate one for “Outstanding Single Performance”. Going back six decades, there were only three networks competing, but some of the biggest names in the history of the medium were on the ballot, and some legendary performers presented, when Johnny Carson, Bob Newhart and David Brinkley hosted the 14th Emmy Awards on NBC on May 22, 1962. Read on for our Emmys flashback 60 years ago to 1962.
Newhart was already making a name for himself in these early days of television. His variety series “The Bob Newhart Show...
Newhart was already making a name for himself in these early days of television. His variety series “The Bob Newhart Show...
- 7/14/2022
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
I started my new essay film, It’s a Zabriskie, Zabriskie, Zabriskie, Zabriskie Point, with an attractive if patently absurd proposition. I was convinced that one could seamlessly edit together Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point with Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Imagine situating Daria Halprin, Mark Frechette, and their “dirty hippie” friends in California desert landscapes next to Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, Jonathan Winters, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, and the rest of that legendary cast.
One narrative universe, with just a little editing room hocus-pocus!
There are lots of highlights, but to whet your appetite: University radical Mark Frechette flies his stolen aircraft right past the one piloted by Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett as they spin out of control. Daria Halprin ignores a hitchhiking Jonathan Winters. Milton Berle leaps right into a cascade of amorous sand-covered bodies. Spencer Tracy and Daria Halprin in a torrid extramarital affair.
One narrative universe, with just a little editing room hocus-pocus!
There are lots of highlights, but to whet your appetite: University radical Mark Frechette flies his stolen aircraft right past the one piloted by Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett as they spin out of control. Daria Halprin ignores a hitchhiking Jonathan Winters. Milton Berle leaps right into a cascade of amorous sand-covered bodies. Spencer Tracy and Daria Halprin in a torrid extramarital affair.
- 7/7/2022
- by Daniel Kremer
- Trailers from Hell
The life and legacy of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe is being explored in Netflix's new documentary "The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes." The late starlet's tumultuous life and tragic death has been subject to endless speculation over the years, including those she was romantically involved with since she emerged on the big screen in the 1950s.
Throughout her life, Monroe was married three times, but rumors about affairs and flings with movie costars like Milton Berle to even former president John F. Kennedy followed her relentlessly. Following Monroe's sultry performance of "Happy Birthday" at the Democratic Rally for JFK in 1962, there was an influx of rumors circulating that the two had an affair, though there's no evidence to support the long-enduring theory.
In light of Netflix's documentary, here are all the people Monroe romanced in her life.
Throughout her life, Monroe was married three times, but rumors about affairs and flings with movie costars like Milton Berle to even former president John F. Kennedy followed her relentlessly. Following Monroe's sultry performance of "Happy Birthday" at the Democratic Rally for JFK in 1962, there was an influx of rumors circulating that the two had an affair, though there's no evidence to support the long-enduring theory.
In light of Netflix's documentary, here are all the people Monroe romanced in her life.
- 4/29/2022
- by Alicia Geigel
- Popsugar.com
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If you took the evolution drawing showing the progress from ape to man and replaced it with televisions, it would be a long line of large, heavy monkeys for about 60 years, and then a very rapid transformation to the slim, upright human that is today’s Smart TV.
Even that plasma TV you owned a mere dozen years ago would be a hairy knuckledragger. Why? Chances are it didn’t have internet connectivity or apps, and it most definitely did not stream. Of course, then you were getting your movies in the mail-in red envelopes from Netflix, so it didn’t matter.
What made your TV make the leap from stone tools to Smart? In short, it cross-bred with your laptop, and in the process gained internet access, powerful processors,...
If you took the evolution drawing showing the progress from ape to man and replaced it with televisions, it would be a long line of large, heavy monkeys for about 60 years, and then a very rapid transformation to the slim, upright human that is today’s Smart TV.
Even that plasma TV you owned a mere dozen years ago would be a hairy knuckledragger. Why? Chances are it didn’t have internet connectivity or apps, and it most definitely did not stream. Of course, then you were getting your movies in the mail-in red envelopes from Netflix, so it didn’t matter.
What made your TV make the leap from stone tools to Smart? In short, it cross-bred with your laptop, and in the process gained internet access, powerful processors,...
- 4/29/2022
- by Mike Fazioli
- Variety Film + TV
You might feel like you’ve already seen Mr. Saturday Night the musical even if you’ve never seen Mr. Saturday Night the movie, and whether you find that comforting – Billy Crystal certainly is one of the most likable presences in all of show business – or disappointing might depend entirely on your taste for well-delivered Borsht Belt comedy.
That’s not damning with faint praise: Mr. Saturday Night, the Broadway musical opening tonight at the Nederlander Theatre based on the 1992 comedy, is, at its best, a charming showcase for the undeniable talents of both Crystal and the showbiz icons he adores. There are shout-outs galore here to the likes of Milton Berle, Harry Ritz, Jack Carter, Phil Silvers, Myron Cohen, Moms Mabley, Shecky Green and more, and a lovely visual tribute (Scott Pask designed the attractive sets) to comedy and TV pioneers from Betty White and Phyllis Diller to Richard Pryor and George Carlin.
That’s not damning with faint praise: Mr. Saturday Night, the Broadway musical opening tonight at the Nederlander Theatre based on the 1992 comedy, is, at its best, a charming showcase for the undeniable talents of both Crystal and the showbiz icons he adores. There are shout-outs galore here to the likes of Milton Berle, Harry Ritz, Jack Carter, Phil Silvers, Myron Cohen, Moms Mabley, Shecky Green and more, and a lovely visual tribute (Scott Pask designed the attractive sets) to comedy and TV pioneers from Betty White and Phyllis Diller to Richard Pryor and George Carlin.
- 4/28/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Who is the best male TV star of all time? Our photo gallery above takes on the tough task of ranking the 50 greatest actors and performers. Agree or disagree with our choices?
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
- 4/17/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Who is the best male TV star of all time? Our photo gallery above takes on the tough task of ranking the 50 greatest actors and performers. Agree or disagree with our choices?
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
- 4/14/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Many worthy people are still waiting and waiting for their induction into the Television Academy’s TV Hall of Fame. Each year a small committee makes the selection of just a few people to be inducted. You can visit their busts, statues and tributes at the plaza in North Hollywood, California. Our photo gallery above offers up 50 individuals who easily deserve to be included, so please take a look at these choices, esteemed committee members, and let’s induct even more this year. Also, because of the overwhelming volume of excellent choices, how about raising the induction number from five to eight per year?
Seetv Hall of Fame 2020: Red carpet interviews for inductions of Seth MacFarlane, Cicely Tyson, Bob Iger, Geraldine Laybourne, Jay Sandrich
The first induction was held in 1984 and it’s been an annual tradition almost every year. That class of legends consisted of actress/executive Lucille Ball,...
Seetv Hall of Fame 2020: Red carpet interviews for inductions of Seth MacFarlane, Cicely Tyson, Bob Iger, Geraldine Laybourne, Jay Sandrich
The first induction was held in 1984 and it’s been an annual tradition almost every year. That class of legends consisted of actress/executive Lucille Ball,...
- 4/7/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Lucille Ball is very much back in the public eye due to the success of the acclaimed film "Being the Ricardos". Here's a blast from the past, provided by Shout! Factory- the complete Dean Martin Roasts program "honoring" Lucille Ball. The lineup of greats is almost surrealistic: Jack Benny, Dan Rowan, Don Rickles, Bob Hope, Ginger Rogers, Dick Martin, Totie Fields, Milton Berle, Henry Fonda, Nipsey Russell, Vivian Vance, Rich Little, Foster Brooks, Phyllis Diller, Gale Gordon, and, of course, Dino. This time capsule from 1975 is the epitome of what would now be called politically incorrect humor, but it thankfully preserves a period of time in which people could not only take a joke about themselves, but were honored to be the recipient of those pointed barbs. - Lee Pfeiffer...
- 4/4/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Godfather, which opened 50 years ago on March 24, 1972, is the premiere gangster film of all time, elevating the genre to high art and taking all of filmmaking with it. Francis Ford Coppola adapted Mario Puzo’s best-selling novel to tell the story of an immigrant family crashing the dance of the American dream. The singer is Johnny Fontane, paying homage to his benefactor, Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). The character may also be something less than a tribute to The Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.
“Frank, I make fun of you, but what could you do to me,” Don Rickles asked Sinatra from the stage at his 80th Birthday Celebration in 1995. Audiences and investigative agencies have been asking the same question for years! Jokes and gossip about Ol Blue Eyes’ ties to organized crime are legendary. But is Frank Sinatra an actual Og?
The Godfather never uses the word...
“Frank, I make fun of you, but what could you do to me,” Don Rickles asked Sinatra from the stage at his 80th Birthday Celebration in 1995. Audiences and investigative agencies have been asking the same question for years! Jokes and gossip about Ol Blue Eyes’ ties to organized crime are legendary. But is Frank Sinatra an actual Og?
The Godfather never uses the word...
- 3/26/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
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