Jeff Harris and Bernie Kukoff's sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" debuted in 1978 and ran 189 episodes over a whopping eight seasons. The series starred Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, two impoverished kids from Harlem whose mother had recently died. They were adopted by the wealthy Mr. Drummond (Conrad Bain), a Park Avenue millionaire. The series revolved around the relationship Arnold and Willis developed with their adopted father, new sister Kimberly (Dana Plato), and one of three kindly housekeepers. In the 1984 season, Mr. Drummond married a woman named Maggie, and she was played by Dixie Carter for two years before being replaced by Mary Ann Mobley.
"Diff'rent Strokes" wasn't just overwhelmingly popular, but it also served as a template for a decade's worth of booming sitcoms. It was "Diff'rent Strokes" that famously presented "very special episodes" about serious issues like drug addiction, homelessness, eating disorders, and looking out...
"Diff'rent Strokes" wasn't just overwhelmingly popular, but it also served as a template for a decade's worth of booming sitcoms. It was "Diff'rent Strokes" that famously presented "very special episodes" about serious issues like drug addiction, homelessness, eating disorders, and looking out...
- 5/27/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Sheldon Harnick, the nimble lyricist who partnered with composer Jerry Bock to create the songs for some of Broadway’s greatest musicals, including Fiddler on the Roof, Fiorello! and She Loves Me, has died Friday. He was 99.
Harnick died of natural causes at his apartment overlooking Central Park on the Upper West Side, spokesperson Sean Katz told The Hollywood Reporter.
Harnick, who credited actress Charlotte Rae for inspiring him to become a Broadway lyricist, had an uncanny knack of making it sound as if the singer were having a conversation with the audience. His lyrics for such tunes as “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “She Loves Me” and “Little Tin Box” were simple and straightforward yet deeply moving at the same time.
“A theater lyricist is a playwright who writes short plays in verse that have to be set to music,” Harnick said in a 2016 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Harnick died of natural causes at his apartment overlooking Central Park on the Upper West Side, spokesperson Sean Katz told The Hollywood Reporter.
Harnick, who credited actress Charlotte Rae for inspiring him to become a Broadway lyricist, had an uncanny knack of making it sound as if the singer were having a conversation with the audience. His lyrics for such tunes as “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “She Loves Me” and “Little Tin Box” were simple and straightforward yet deeply moving at the same time.
“A theater lyricist is a playwright who writes short plays in verse that have to be set to music,” Harnick said in a 2016 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
- 6/23/2023
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Carole Cook, who used a career boost from Lucille Ball to build a career that included three turns on Broadway and roles in Sixteen Candles and The Incredible Mr. Limpet, has died. She was 98.
Cook died of heart failure on Wednesday, three days shy of her birthday, in Beverly Hills, her husband, actor Tom Troupe, announced.
On television, Cook showed up as the ex-wife of Walter Findlay (Bill Macy) on Maude, as the bar owner of the cop hangout Stella’s on Kojak, as madam Cora Van Husen on Dynasty and as Donna La Mar, the girlfriend of Charlie Cagney (Dick O’Neill), on Cagney & Lacey.
The fun-loving Texan came to Hollywood at Ball’s behest and appeared on a 1959 episode of the comedienne’s Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse. Ball convinced her to change her first name from Mildred to Carole in honor of the actress she most admired, Carole Lombard.
Cook...
Cook died of heart failure on Wednesday, three days shy of her birthday, in Beverly Hills, her husband, actor Tom Troupe, announced.
On television, Cook showed up as the ex-wife of Walter Findlay (Bill Macy) on Maude, as the bar owner of the cop hangout Stella’s on Kojak, as madam Cora Van Husen on Dynasty and as Donna La Mar, the girlfriend of Charlie Cagney (Dick O’Neill), on Cagney & Lacey.
The fun-loving Texan came to Hollywood at Ball’s behest and appeared on a 1959 episode of the comedienne’s Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse. Ball convinced her to change her first name from Mildred to Carole in honor of the actress she most admired, Carole Lombard.
Cook...
- 1/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Pat Carroll, the gregarious Emmy-winning comedienne who was a television mainstay for decades before segueing to a voiceover career that included portraying the villainous sea witch Ursula in The Little Mermaid, has died. She was 95.
Carroll died Saturday of pneumonia at her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, her daughter Kerry Karsian told The Hollywood Reporter.
Carroll’s perky personality, screwball wit and impeccable timing made her a great second banana, and Red Buttons, Jimmy Durante, Mickey Rooney, Steve Allen and Charley Weaver were among those who called upon her to make their programs funnier. Her antics on Caesar’s Hour earned her an Emmy in 1957, and she was nominated for her work on the classic variety show the following year.
In a 2013 interview with Kliph Nesteroff, Carroll compared Howard Morris, Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar on Caesar’s Hour to the Chicago Cubs’ legendary double-play...
Pat Carroll, the gregarious Emmy-winning comedienne who was a television mainstay for decades before segueing to a voiceover career that included portraying the villainous sea witch Ursula in The Little Mermaid, has died. She was 95.
Carroll died Saturday of pneumonia at her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, her daughter Kerry Karsian told The Hollywood Reporter.
Carroll’s perky personality, screwball wit and impeccable timing made her a great second banana, and Red Buttons, Jimmy Durante, Mickey Rooney, Steve Allen and Charley Weaver were among those who called upon her to make their programs funnier. Her antics on Caesar’s Hour earned her an Emmy in 1957, and she was nominated for her work on the classic variety show the following year.
In a 2013 interview with Kliph Nesteroff, Carroll compared Howard Morris, Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar on Caesar’s Hour to the Chicago Cubs’ legendary double-play...
- 7/31/2022
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It was a night of record-making firsts and honoring legends from Hollywood’s Golden Era. John Forsythe and Marlo Thomas hosted the 34th Primetime Emmy Awards on ABC on September 19, 1982 — before cable TV and streaming services took over and network TV still ruled the small screen. Read on for our Emmys flashback 40 years ago to 1982.
One of the most celebrated dramas of all time set new records and dominated the acting categories. “Hill Street Blues” received 16 major nominations, breaking the two-decade record of 14 for “Playhouse 90” in 1959. It’s also the first series to receive nine acting noms in one ceremony. It would end the evening tied with “Fame” for the most wins with four, including Best Drama Series, a writing win (it received four out of the five bids in that category) and two acting trophies.
SEEEmmys flashback 20 years ago to 2002, when ‘Friends’ finally won and ‘The West Wing’ dominated...
One of the most celebrated dramas of all time set new records and dominated the acting categories. “Hill Street Blues” received 16 major nominations, breaking the two-decade record of 14 for “Playhouse 90” in 1959. It’s also the first series to receive nine acting noms in one ceremony. It would end the evening tied with “Fame” for the most wins with four, including Best Drama Series, a writing win (it received four out of the five bids in that category) and two acting trophies.
SEEEmmys flashback 20 years ago to 2002, when ‘Friends’ finally won and ‘The West Wing’ dominated...
- 6/21/2022
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
Spoiler Alert: This post contains details about Tuesday’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience, which aired live on the East Coast on ABC.
After four decades, cameras rolled once again on the classic ’70s/’80s comedies, Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, as part of ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience tonight.
Airing live on the East Coast, the telecast unfolded smoothly, with no major line flubs and only a few uneven moments, which passed quickly. Soon-to-be-100-year-old TV legend Norman Lear, appearing with Jimmy Kimmel, who produced the third outing in the Live series, dropped an f-bomb that had to be bleeped. The curse word toward the top of the show seemed to be a staged, though amusing, element.
Before the main event, Deadline took a peek behind the curtain during Monday night’s rehearsal featuring an all-star cast of new players and...
After four decades, cameras rolled once again on the classic ’70s/’80s comedies, Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, as part of ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience tonight.
Airing live on the East Coast, the telecast unfolded smoothly, with no major line flubs and only a few uneven moments, which passed quickly. Soon-to-be-100-year-old TV legend Norman Lear, appearing with Jimmy Kimmel, who produced the third outing in the Live series, dropped an f-bomb that had to be bleeped. The curse word toward the top of the show seemed to be a staged, though amusing, element.
Before the main event, Deadline took a peek behind the curtain during Monday night’s rehearsal featuring an all-star cast of new players and...
- 12/8/2021
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Kevin Hart went Live in Front of a Studio Audience on Tuesday night, channeling Gary Coleman as part of a reenactment of the classic NBC/ABC comedy Diff’rent Strokes.
But before the reenactment got underway, original cast member Todd Bridges (aka Willis Jackson) entered the recreated Drummond penthouse set to introduce Boyz II Men, who performed the series’ iconic theme song. He also paid tribute to his late costars.
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But before the reenactment got underway, original cast member Todd Bridges (aka Willis Jackson) entered the recreated Drummond penthouse set to introduce Boyz II Men, who performed the series’ iconic theme song. He also paid tribute to his late costars.
More from TVLineJeopardy!: Mayim Bialik, Ken Jennings to Host Through End of Season 38Tv Ratings: Live in Front of a Studio Audience, FBI Top TuesdayAbbott Elementary Premiere Recap: Grade ABC's...
- 12/8/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
The world don’t move to the beat of just one drum — but when Boyz II Men starts singing, the studio audience rises from their seats.
ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience — consisting of reenactments of Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life episodes — enlisted four-time Grammy winners Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris from Boyz II Men to perform a live rendition of the theme song that accompanied Diff’rent Strokes during its eight-year run.
More from TVLineJeopardy!: Mayim Bialik, Ken Jennings to Host Through End of Season 38Tv Ratings: Live in Front of a Studio Audience,...
ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience — consisting of reenactments of Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life episodes — enlisted four-time Grammy winners Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris from Boyz II Men to perform a live rendition of the theme song that accompanied Diff’rent Strokes during its eight-year run.
More from TVLineJeopardy!: Mayim Bialik, Ken Jennings to Host Through End of Season 38Tv Ratings: Live in Front of a Studio Audience,...
- 12/8/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
The first half of Tuesday’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience transported audiences to Eastland Academy in Peekskill, N.Y., where a star-studded ensemble — led by Friends‘ Jennifer Aniston and WandaVision‘s Kathryn Hahn — recreated a classic episode of the 1980s comedy The Facts of Life.
But before the reenactment got underway, original series star Lisa Whelchel (aka Blair Warner) entered in her Eastland uniform to perform the series’ iconic theme song, which culminated in an all-too-brief reunion with former costars Mindy Cohn (Natalie Green) and Kim Fields (Tootie Ramsey). (Nancy McKeon, who originated the role of Jo Polniaczek,...
But before the reenactment got underway, original series star Lisa Whelchel (aka Blair Warner) entered in her Eastland uniform to perform the series’ iconic theme song, which culminated in an all-too-brief reunion with former costars Mindy Cohn (Natalie Green) and Kim Fields (Tootie Ramsey). (Nancy McKeon, who originated the role of Jo Polniaczek,...
- 12/8/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
If the idea of Kevin Hart as Arnold Jackson — the 8-year-old played by Gary Coleman on “Diff’rent Strokes’ — sounds perfect on paper, wait until you see tonight’s “Live in Front of a Studio Audience.” When the 5’4” Hart stands next to the 6’4” John Lithgow — who fills Conrad Bain’s role as Arnold’s adoptive father, Mr. Drummond — the casting is about as spot-on as anything “Live” has done in the past.
And then, when Hart leaps into Lithgow’s lap at one point, expect the live studio audience to erupt. At least, they did on Monday night during a dress rehearsal of “Live in Front of a Studio Audience.” Variety was there to witness the staging of early-series episodes of “The Facts of Life,” which aired on NBC from 1979 to 1988, and “Diff’rent Strokes,” which aired from 1978-1986.
Both shows come from the stable of Norman Lear, the legendary creator...
And then, when Hart leaps into Lithgow’s lap at one point, expect the live studio audience to erupt. At least, they did on Monday night during a dress rehearsal of “Live in Front of a Studio Audience.” Variety was there to witness the staging of early-series episodes of “The Facts of Life,” which aired on NBC from 1979 to 1988, and “Diff’rent Strokes,” which aired from 1978-1986.
Both shows come from the stable of Norman Lear, the legendary creator...
- 12/7/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
This Tuesday at 8/7c, ABC will revisit two more classic sitcoms, Diff’rent Strokes and its offshoot The Facts of Life, by way of its Live in Front of a Studio Audience franchise.
But whereas these live specials in the past stayed age-accurate in the casting of characters from All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times, this time around Jimmy Kimmel, sitcom titan Norman Lear, Brent Miller and the other exec producers opted to have some fun refilling iconic roles with, let’s say, Actors of a Diff’rent Age.
More from TVLineJon Stewart Joins Live Facts of Life...
But whereas these live specials in the past stayed age-accurate in the casting of characters from All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times, this time around Jimmy Kimmel, sitcom titan Norman Lear, Brent Miller and the other exec producers opted to have some fun refilling iconic roles with, let’s say, Actors of a Diff’rent Age.
More from TVLineJon Stewart Joins Live Facts of Life...
- 12/5/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Jon Stewart joins ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience that’ll see the characters from Diff’rent Strokes and the Facts of Life back to life by a new, all-star cast of talent. The special airs Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. Et.
Stewart will appear as part of the Facts of Life cast in a surprise role. He will work opposite Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hahn, Gabrielle Union, and Allison Tolman who will play private school teens from the Facts of Life‘s fictional Eastland School: Blair (originally played by Lisa Whelchel), Jo (Nancy McKeon), Tootie (Kim Fields), and Natalie (Mindy Cohn), respectively.
Ann Dowd will play Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae), the girls’ housemother.
Diff’rent Strokes (created by Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris) follows the lives of an unconventional family brought together by circumstance. Arnold (Gary Coleman) and his older brother Willis (Todd Bridges) were two Black brothers from...
Stewart will appear as part of the Facts of Life cast in a surprise role. He will work opposite Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hahn, Gabrielle Union, and Allison Tolman who will play private school teens from the Facts of Life‘s fictional Eastland School: Blair (originally played by Lisa Whelchel), Jo (Nancy McKeon), Tootie (Kim Fields), and Natalie (Mindy Cohn), respectively.
Ann Dowd will play Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae), the girls’ housemother.
Diff’rent Strokes (created by Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris) follows the lives of an unconventional family brought together by circumstance. Arnold (Gary Coleman) and his older brother Willis (Todd Bridges) were two Black brothers from...
- 12/2/2021
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Jennifer Aniston is headed to Eastland.
The Friends vet is returning to her sitcom roots for one night only as part of ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience (airing Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 8/7c), the network has announced. She’ll play Blair Warner during a live re-staging of The Facts of Life, succeeding original portrayer Lisa Whelchel.
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The Friends vet is returning to her sitcom roots for one night only as part of ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience (airing Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 8/7c), the network has announced. She’ll play Blair Warner during a live re-staging of The Facts of Life, succeeding original portrayer Lisa Whelchel.
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- 11/30/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Jennifer Aniston, Gabrielle Union, Kathryn Hahn, and Allison Tolman have joined the cast of ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience that’ll see characters from Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes brought back to life on Dec. 7 starting at 8 p.m.
The quad will portray private school teens from the Facts of Life‘s fictional Eastland School who at times crossed over to Diff’rent Strokes.
Aniston will play the role of Blair (originally played by Lisa Whelchel), Union will play Tootie (Kim Fields), Hahn will play Jo (Nancy McKeon), and Tolman will play Natalie (Mindy Cohn).
They join the previously announced Ann Dowd who will play Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae), the girls’ housemother.
Diff’rent Strokes (created by Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris) follows the lives of an unconventional family brought together by circumstance. Arnold (Gary Coleman) and his older brother Willis (Todd Bridges) were two...
The quad will portray private school teens from the Facts of Life‘s fictional Eastland School who at times crossed over to Diff’rent Strokes.
Aniston will play the role of Blair (originally played by Lisa Whelchel), Union will play Tootie (Kim Fields), Hahn will play Jo (Nancy McKeon), and Tolman will play Natalie (Mindy Cohn).
They join the previously announced Ann Dowd who will play Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae), the girls’ housemother.
Diff’rent Strokes (created by Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris) follows the lives of an unconventional family brought together by circumstance. Arnold (Gary Coleman) and his older brother Willis (Todd Bridges) were two...
- 11/30/2021
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s… Kevin Hart as Super Arnold?
ABC announced late Thursday night that Live in Front of a Studio Audience will return for a third installment on Tuesday, Dec. 7 (at 8/7c), recreating episodes of Diff’rent Strokes and its spinoff, The Facts of Life.
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The cast of Diff’rent Strokes will feature Hart as Arnold, succeeding Gary Coleman...
ABC announced late Thursday night that Live in Front of a Studio Audience will return for a third installment on Tuesday, Dec. 7 (at 8/7c), recreating episodes of Diff’rent Strokes and its spinoff, The Facts of Life.
More from TVLineTV Ratings: 20/20 Dominates With Turpin Sisters' 'House of Horror'Grey's Anatomy Recap: Thanksgiving, From Soup to... Aw, Nuts!Dancing With the Stars: Derek Hough Contracts Covid Ahead of Season 30 Finale -- Watch His Announcement
The cast of Diff’rent Strokes will feature Hart as Arnold, succeeding Gary Coleman...
- 11/19/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
ABC has pulled back the curtain on the third installment of its Live in Front of a Studio Audience franchise. Jimmy Kimmel announced on his late-night show Thursday that the 90-minute special will re-create episodes of comedies Diff’rent Strokes and its spinoff The Facts of Life.
The live event will air at from 8-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 7.
The cast for the Diff’rent Strokes re-do is intriguing: John Lithgow will play Mr. Drummond, Kevin Hart is Arnold, Damon Wayans embodies Willis, and Ann Dowd portrays Mrs. Garrett. The Facts of Life cast is Tba.
Live Before a Studio Audience‘s executive producers Norman Lear, Jimmy Kimmel, Brent Miller, Kerry Washington, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux and Jim Burrows are returning for this round.
“Other than with my family, there’s no place I’d rather be in my 100th year than on a soundstage at Sony with these glorious actors...
The live event will air at from 8-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 7.
The cast for the Diff’rent Strokes re-do is intriguing: John Lithgow will play Mr. Drummond, Kevin Hart is Arnold, Damon Wayans embodies Willis, and Ann Dowd portrays Mrs. Garrett. The Facts of Life cast is Tba.
Live Before a Studio Audience‘s executive producers Norman Lear, Jimmy Kimmel, Brent Miller, Kerry Washington, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux and Jim Burrows are returning for this round.
“Other than with my family, there’s no place I’d rather be in my 100th year than on a soundstage at Sony with these glorious actors...
- 11/19/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Here’s what Willis is talkin’ about. Jimmy Kimmel and Norman Lear are bringing back their “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” franchise for a third edition this December, and this time they’ll be taking on the iconic sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes’ and its spin-off, “The Facts of Life.”
Already cast in the “Diff’rent Strokes” installment are John Lithgow as Mr.Drummond, Kevin Hart playing Arnold, Damon Wayans as Willis and Ann Dowd as Mrs. Garrett. The cast of “The Facts of Life” will be revealed at a later date.
“Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘The Facts of Life’ and ‘Diff’rent Strokes'” will air Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Et, followed by the premiere of new workplace comedy “Abbott Elementary.” Lear is back to executive produce and host with Kimmel. Also executive producing: Brent Miller, Kerry Washington, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux and Jim Burrows.
Already cast in the “Diff’rent Strokes” installment are John Lithgow as Mr.Drummond, Kevin Hart playing Arnold, Damon Wayans as Willis and Ann Dowd as Mrs. Garrett. The cast of “The Facts of Life” will be revealed at a later date.
“Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘The Facts of Life’ and ‘Diff’rent Strokes'” will air Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Et, followed by the premiere of new workplace comedy “Abbott Elementary.” Lear is back to executive produce and host with Kimmel. Also executive producing: Brent Miller, Kerry Washington, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux and Jim Burrows.
- 11/19/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Billie Hayes, whose portrayal of the flamboyantly and comically wicked witch Witchiepoo on the 1969-70 Saturday morning live-action children’s classic H.R. Pufnstuf, died of natural causes April 29 at Cedar’s Hospital in Los Angeles. She was 96.
Her death was announced by her family.
A Broadway veteran by the time she reached national fame as the flute-stealing nemesis to a psychedelic dragon, Hayes had starred as Mammy Yokum in both the Broadway and film versions of the popular late-1950s musical Lil’ Abner. She’d made her Broadway debut in New Faces of 1956 along with an ensemble that included actress Maggie Smith.
Following a couple of guest appearances on episodic TV in 1967 – including a Mammy Yokum-type matriarch in the “Hillbilly Honeymoon” episode of The Monkees – Hayes endeared herself to a generation of glued-to-the-tube Saturday morning viewers in 1969 as the eccentrically costumed, ever-cackling and always bumbling Witchiepoo (full name: Wilhelmina W.
Her death was announced by her family.
A Broadway veteran by the time she reached national fame as the flute-stealing nemesis to a psychedelic dragon, Hayes had starred as Mammy Yokum in both the Broadway and film versions of the popular late-1950s musical Lil’ Abner. She’d made her Broadway debut in New Faces of 1956 along with an ensemble that included actress Maggie Smith.
Following a couple of guest appearances on episodic TV in 1967 – including a Mammy Yokum-type matriarch in the “Hillbilly Honeymoon” episode of The Monkees – Hayes endeared herself to a generation of glued-to-the-tube Saturday morning viewers in 1969 as the eccentrically costumed, ever-cackling and always bumbling Witchiepoo (full name: Wilhelmina W.
- 5/3/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
When eulogizing screen performers, we often look at an Academy Award as either the launchpad or the apex of an actor’s life. In the case of Cloris Leachman, who died Wednesday at the age of 94, her Oscar was just one milestone in the career of an exceedingly versatile character actress.
Leachman was honored over the years both for her dramatic intensity and for a comedy skillset that embraced neurotic tension and fearless physicality with equal grace. She not only lived to be a nonagenarian, but she also remained busy and in demand to the very end, with recent credits as a voice in “The Croods: A New Age” and on such shows as “Mad About You” and “American Gods.”
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1926, Leachman studied at Northwestern (where her classmates included fellow comedy legends Paul Lynde and Charlotte Rae) before competing in the 1946 Miss America pageant. She...
Leachman was honored over the years both for her dramatic intensity and for a comedy skillset that embraced neurotic tension and fearless physicality with equal grace. She not only lived to be a nonagenarian, but she also remained busy and in demand to the very end, with recent credits as a voice in “The Croods: A New Age” and on such shows as “Mad About You” and “American Gods.”
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1926, Leachman studied at Northwestern (where her classmates included fellow comedy legends Paul Lynde and Charlotte Rae) before competing in the 1946 Miss America pageant. She...
- 1/28/2021
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Academy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman has died at the age of 94. The news was originally broken by TMZ who reported the actress passed away of natural causes on Tuesday night at her home in Encinitas, California. Leachman boasted nearly 300 credit in film and television, throughout her career, making memorable turns in “The Last Picture Show,” “Young Frankenstein,” “The Twilight Zone,” and “Raising Hope.”
Leachman was born in Des Moines, Iowa on April 30, 1926. She started acting as a teenager, and after graduating high school she enrolled at Northwestern University in its School of Education. Her classmates included fellow comics Paul Lynde and Charlotte Rae. In 1946, Leachman participated in the Miss America pageant where she placed in the top 16. She used the scholarship she won to attend the famed Actors Studio in New York City, learning under acclaimed director Elia Kazan.
It was quickly after working with Kazan that Leachman started working on Broadway,...
Leachman was born in Des Moines, Iowa on April 30, 1926. She started acting as a teenager, and after graduating high school she enrolled at Northwestern University in its School of Education. Her classmates included fellow comics Paul Lynde and Charlotte Rae. In 1946, Leachman participated in the Miss America pageant where she placed in the top 16. She used the scholarship she won to attend the famed Actors Studio in New York City, learning under acclaimed director Elia Kazan.
It was quickly after working with Kazan that Leachman started working on Broadway,...
- 1/27/2021
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
Veteran TV actress Cloris Leachman, who won eight Emmys across a career that spanned seven decades and hundreds of roles, has died at the age of 94.
Leachman passed away on Tuesday of natural causes at her home in Encinitas, California, our sister site Variety reports.
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Making her TV debut in 1949, Leachman was a frequent guest star throughout the 1950s and ’60s on shows like The Twilight Zone,...
Leachman passed away on Tuesday of natural causes at her home in Encinitas, California, our sister site Variety reports.
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- 1/27/2021
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
I was never the biggest fan of “The Facts of Life,” a sitcom about an all-girls boarding school that ran nine seasons on NBC from 1976 to 1988. But I learned through pop-culture osmosis that Tootie was played by Kim Fields, that Mindy Coen was Natalie and character actress Charlotte Rae was cast as Edna Garrett, a mother hen to a flock of adolescent lassies. I also was somewhat aware of Lisa Whelchel, who was spoiled rich girl Blair Warner on the popular show.
But when Whelchel signed on as a castaway on the 25th season of “Survivor” that took place in the Philippines in 2012, I became quite intrigued by her presence on the show. It was partly because she was able to keep her identity a secret from most of the other players, most who were too young to know about her ties with the sitcom.
See‘Survivor’ host Jeff Probst...
But when Whelchel signed on as a castaway on the 25th season of “Survivor” that took place in the Philippines in 2012, I became quite intrigued by her presence on the show. It was partly because she was able to keep her identity a secret from most of the other players, most who were too young to know about her ties with the sitcom.
See‘Survivor’ host Jeff Probst...
- 4/30/2020
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Tootie, Natalie, Blair and Jo are together again for the holidays. Lifetime on Wednesday rolled out the trailer for You Light Up My Christmas, an upcoming movie that features The Facts of Life‘s core four — Kim Fields, Mindy Cohn, Lisa Whelchel and Nancy McKeon — back in action. The film premieres Sunday, Dec. 1 at 8/7c.
Although McKeon doesn’t appear in this trailer, you can rest assured that she does make a cameo in the movie. The actress “had a really difficult, unexpected family emergency she had to work through, and she still stayed committed,” Fields, who also executive-produced the film,...
Although McKeon doesn’t appear in this trailer, you can rest assured that she does make a cameo in the movie. The actress “had a really difficult, unexpected family emergency she had to work through, and she still stayed committed,” Fields, who also executive-produced the film,...
- 11/27/2019
- TVLine.com
Break out the cheese since Lifetime has made it clear, as has Bethany Guerrero of ScreenRant that the Facts of Life cast will be coming together for a Christmas special that will be aimed at releasing on December 1st. It’s been a long time since we saw the girls together and unfortunately one of the cast won’t be making it as Charlotte Rae, aka Edna Garrett, passed away in 2018. There will be plenty of discussion centering around her likely as there will reportedly be an ice rink in the movie named after her. The whole story goes that when
Facts of Life Cast is Reuniting for a Lifetime Christmas Movie...
Facts of Life Cast is Reuniting for a Lifetime Christmas Movie...
- 11/15/2019
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
GoFundMe, the world’s largest social fundraising platform, announced today an initiative in partnership with Netflix’s critically-acclaimed series, Orange Is the New Black, the Poussey Washington Fund.
Named after the memorable character from the series played by Emmy-winning actress Samira Wiley, Poussey Washington, the fund is an initiative that will support eight preexisting non-profits to benefit organizations focused on social issues surrounding criminal justice and policy reform, immigrants’ rights and helping those affected by mass incarceration. To learn more about the non-profits and donate, visit: crowdrise.com/Pwf.
The fund began as a fictional storyline that will play out in the seventh and final season of Orange Is The New Black, launching Friday, July 26 on Netflix. Creator and writer, Jenji Kohan and executive producer, Tara Herrmann, realized they had an opportunity to encourage their passionate fanbase to help make an impact. Viewers will be made aware of the fund...
Named after the memorable character from the series played by Emmy-winning actress Samira Wiley, Poussey Washington, the fund is an initiative that will support eight preexisting non-profits to benefit organizations focused on social issues surrounding criminal justice and policy reform, immigrants’ rights and helping those affected by mass incarceration. To learn more about the non-profits and donate, visit: crowdrise.com/Pwf.
The fund began as a fictional storyline that will play out in the seventh and final season of Orange Is The New Black, launching Friday, July 26 on Netflix. Creator and writer, Jenji Kohan and executive producer, Tara Herrmann, realized they had an opportunity to encourage their passionate fanbase to help make an impact. Viewers will be made aware of the fund...
- 7/29/2019
- Look to the Stars
For Sunday’s Oscars 2019 ceremony, producers had a difficult decision of which film industry people would make the cut and who would be left out of the “In Memoriam.” For the segment, Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Philharmonic performed music by Oscar winner John Williams.
Over 100 Academy members or film industry veterans died in the past 12 months. Visit our own Gold Derby memoriam galleries for the year of 2018 and the newly-started gallery for 2019.
SEEDirector Stanley Donen, dead at 94, was light on his feet and a movie musical heavyweight
Stanley Donen would have certainly been included, but he died on the weekend after the segment had been finalized (look for him on the 2020 show). Here is list of some of the people included in the Memoriam tribute for the ceremony (Academy members are indicated with ** by their names):
Susan Anspach (actor)
Bernardo Bertolucci (director)
Yvonne Blake (costume designer)**
Paul Bloch...
Over 100 Academy members or film industry veterans died in the past 12 months. Visit our own Gold Derby memoriam galleries for the year of 2018 and the newly-started gallery for 2019.
SEEDirector Stanley Donen, dead at 94, was light on his feet and a movie musical heavyweight
Stanley Donen would have certainly been included, but he died on the weekend after the segment had been finalized (look for him on the 2020 show). Here is list of some of the people included in the Memoriam tribute for the ceremony (Academy members are indicated with ** by their names):
Susan Anspach (actor)
Bernardo Bertolucci (director)
Yvonne Blake (costume designer)**
Paul Bloch...
- 2/25/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
While Academy Awards producers have strived for a much shorter ceremony this year, the annual “In Memoriam” segment will definitely remain. In fact this moment on Sunday’s 2019 event should be extra classy since Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Philharmonic will be performing as part of the tribute.
Over 100 Academy members or film industry veterans died in the past 12 months. But which ones will be featured in the short segment? There are generally outcries each year from family members upset about people being left out. Visit our own Gold Derby memoriam galleries for the year of 2018 and the newly-started gallery for 2019.
Virtually certain to be part of the montage are Oscar-winning directors Bernardo Bertolucci and Milos Forman, Oscar-nominated actors Carol Channing, Albert Finney and Burt Reynolds, director and actress Penny Marshall, executive producer and entertainment icon Stan Lee and many more.
SEEDana Carvey, Mike Myers, Queen Latifah, Barbra Streisand...
Over 100 Academy members or film industry veterans died in the past 12 months. But which ones will be featured in the short segment? There are generally outcries each year from family members upset about people being left out. Visit our own Gold Derby memoriam galleries for the year of 2018 and the newly-started gallery for 2019.
Virtually certain to be part of the montage are Oscar-winning directors Bernardo Bertolucci and Milos Forman, Oscar-nominated actors Carol Channing, Albert Finney and Burt Reynolds, director and actress Penny Marshall, executive producer and entertainment icon Stan Lee and many more.
SEEDana Carvey, Mike Myers, Queen Latifah, Barbra Streisand...
- 2/22/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
One of the saddest and most important segments of the SAG Awards each year is the In Memoriam segment. For the 2019 event, it turns out to be even sadder for family members of certain long-time members of the Screen Actors Guild. Which actors and actresses were not even featured in this portion of the program on Sunday night? Check out this list below:
Marty Allen (actor)
Charles Aznavour (actor)
Kaye Ballard (actor)
Dushon Monique Brown (actor)
Joseph Campanella (actor)
Roy Clark (actor/singer)
Vic Damone (actor/singer)
Daryl Dragon (host/musician)
Louise Latham (actor)
Robin Leach (host)
Stan Lee (executive/host)
Katherine MacGregor (actor)
Robert Mandan (actor)
Peggy McKay (actor)
Tim O’Connor (actor)
Roger Perry (actor)
Douglas Rain (actor)
Ken Swofford (actor)
Clint Walker (actor)
Nancy Wilson (actor/singer)
Louis Zorich (actor)
SEE2019 SAG Awards: Full winners list in the 6 film and 9 TV categories
For the ceremony hosted by...
Marty Allen (actor)
Charles Aznavour (actor)
Kaye Ballard (actor)
Dushon Monique Brown (actor)
Joseph Campanella (actor)
Roy Clark (actor/singer)
Vic Damone (actor/singer)
Daryl Dragon (host/musician)
Louise Latham (actor)
Robin Leach (host)
Stan Lee (executive/host)
Katherine MacGregor (actor)
Robert Mandan (actor)
Peggy McKay (actor)
Tim O’Connor (actor)
Roger Perry (actor)
Douglas Rain (actor)
Ken Swofford (actor)
Clint Walker (actor)
Nancy Wilson (actor/singer)
Louis Zorich (actor)
SEE2019 SAG Awards: Full winners list in the 6 film and 9 TV categories
For the ceremony hosted by...
- 1/28/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Sunday’s telecast of the 2019 Screen Actors Guild Awards will feature a special In Memoriam segment devoted to many of the actors and actresses who have died since last year’s ceremony in late January. Sure to be among those saluted include actress and director Penny Marshall, Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Burt Reynolds and Grammy winner Aretha Franklin. Visit our own Gold Derby memoriam galleries for the year of 2018 and the newly-started gallery for 2019.
The 25th annual ceremony will be hosted by past winner Megan Mullally (“Will and Grace”) for TNT and TBS on Sunday, January 27, at 8:00 p.m. Et; 5:00 p.m. Pt. Tom Hanks will be presenting the SAG life achievement award to Alan Alda.
SEE2019 SAG Awards nominations: Full list of Screen Actors Guild Awards nominees
Over 100 people in SAG/AFTRA have passed away in the past 12 months. Which of the following 50 names will also...
The 25th annual ceremony will be hosted by past winner Megan Mullally (“Will and Grace”) for TNT and TBS on Sunday, January 27, at 8:00 p.m. Et; 5:00 p.m. Pt. Tom Hanks will be presenting the SAG life achievement award to Alan Alda.
SEE2019 SAG Awards nominations: Full list of Screen Actors Guild Awards nominees
Over 100 people in SAG/AFTRA have passed away in the past 12 months. Which of the following 50 names will also...
- 1/25/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Amid the chaos that was 2018, the show business industry lost some major players. There were icons of the big screen (Burt Reynolds) and TV, along with such legends as Marvel hero Stan Lee, sportscaster Keith Jackson and singer Aretha Franklin, to name just a few of the year’s high-profile passings.
Hollywood also lost groundbreaking producers, unforgettable writers, and executives.
Familiar actors including Joseph Campanella, Sondra Locke, Tab Hunter, John Mahoney, Charlotte Rae, Harry Anderson, Jerry Van Dyke, David Ogden Stiers, Verne Troyer and R. Lee Ermey also left us this year.
We also said goodbye to such influential folks including physicist Stephen Hawking, SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg, editor Anne V. Coates, Bambi animator Don Lusk, gossip columnist Liz Smith, Blockbuster founder Wayne Huzienga,...
Hollywood also lost groundbreaking producers, unforgettable writers, and executives.
Familiar actors including Joseph Campanella, Sondra Locke, Tab Hunter, John Mahoney, Charlotte Rae, Harry Anderson, Jerry Van Dyke, David Ogden Stiers, Verne Troyer and R. Lee Ermey also left us this year.
We also said goodbye to such influential folks including physicist Stephen Hawking, SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg, editor Anne V. Coates, Bambi animator Don Lusk, gossip columnist Liz Smith, Blockbuster founder Wayne Huzienga,...
- 1/1/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
With 2018 now ending, Gold Derby celebrates over 30 celebrities who died in the past 12 months. Tour our photo gallery above as we feature tributes to these entertainer losses from this past year.
Just a few of the people honored in our special photo gallery:
Actress and director Penny Marshall died December 17 at age 75. She became one of the biggest stars on TV in the 1970s and early 1980s with “Laverne and Shirley.” She then directed such blockbuster films as “Big,” “A League of Their Own” and “Awakenings.”
SEERaise a beer to Penny Marshall, who talked like a Bronx truck driver and directed mass-appeal films like a pro
Bernardo Bertolucci died on November 26 at age 77. His 1987 film “The Last Emperor” swept the Oscars, including for Best Picture and Best Director. Other movies in his career included “Last Tango in Paris,” “The Conformist,” “The Sheltering Sky” and “Little Buddha.”
Screenwriter William Goldman died...
Just a few of the people honored in our special photo gallery:
Actress and director Penny Marshall died December 17 at age 75. She became one of the biggest stars on TV in the 1970s and early 1980s with “Laverne and Shirley.” She then directed such blockbuster films as “Big,” “A League of Their Own” and “Awakenings.”
SEERaise a beer to Penny Marshall, who talked like a Bronx truck driver and directed mass-appeal films like a pro
Bernardo Bertolucci died on November 26 at age 77. His 1987 film “The Last Emperor” swept the Oscars, including for Best Picture and Best Director. Other movies in his career included “Last Tango in Paris,” “The Conformist,” “The Sheltering Sky” and “Little Buddha.”
Screenwriter William Goldman died...
- 12/28/2018
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Every year, the Oscars, Emmys and Grammys must choose which notable performers and creators to memorialize in their In Memoriam segments, and the three organizations will have many talented entertainers to remember at 2019’s ceremonies.
The past year saw the loss of celebrated stars of the big screen, such “Smokey and the Bandit” star Burt Reynolds, who died Sept. 6. Reynolds, who was 82, earned an Oscar nom for “Boogie Nights” and also appeared on television in “Evening Shade.”
Among the other notable movie performers lost this year were “Superman” and “Smallville” actress Margot Kidder, who died May 13; “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” star Sondra Locke, who was also a film director and died Nov. 3; and Susan Anspach, who starred in “Five Easy Pieces” and “Blume in Love” and died April 2.
Several stars known for their work in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s passed away in 2018, including Dorothy Malone, who starred...
The past year saw the loss of celebrated stars of the big screen, such “Smokey and the Bandit” star Burt Reynolds, who died Sept. 6. Reynolds, who was 82, earned an Oscar nom for “Boogie Nights” and also appeared on television in “Evening Shade.”
Among the other notable movie performers lost this year were “Superman” and “Smallville” actress Margot Kidder, who died May 13; “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” star Sondra Locke, who was also a film director and died Nov. 3; and Susan Anspach, who starred in “Five Easy Pieces” and “Blume in Love” and died April 2.
Several stars known for their work in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s passed away in 2018, including Dorothy Malone, who starred...
- 12/24/2018
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Over the last 12 months, there was much TV news that made us happy — and plenty that made us so, so sad.
Among the headlines that broke our hearts: the deaths of many beloved television stars, which we’re reflecting on in our latest Year in Review photo gallery.
In 2018, we said goodbye to some small-screen legends, including The Facts of Life actress Charlotte Rae, Emmy winner Burt Reynolds, Laverne & Shirley star Penny Marshall and Days of Our Lives veterans Frank Parker and Peggy McCay.
Some of the year’s deaths were less high-profile, but nonetheless tragic — and we weren...
Among the headlines that broke our hearts: the deaths of many beloved television stars, which we’re reflecting on in our latest Year in Review photo gallery.
In 2018, we said goodbye to some small-screen legends, including The Facts of Life actress Charlotte Rae, Emmy winner Burt Reynolds, Laverne & Shirley star Penny Marshall and Days of Our Lives veterans Frank Parker and Peggy McCay.
Some of the year’s deaths were less high-profile, but nonetheless tragic — and we weren...
- 12/21/2018
- TVLine.com
Throughout 2018, we will continue to update this photo gallery with major celebrity deaths from film, television, theater and music.
For this year, losses have included Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Marvel founder Stan Lee, Tony winner Neil Simon, Oscar winners Bernardo Bertolucci, Milos Forman, Dorothy Malone, Emmy winners Steven Bochco, Anthony Bourdain, Reg E. Cathey, Olivia Cole and Burt Reynolds, Emmy nominees Harry Anderson, John Mahoney, Charlotte Rae and Jerry Van Dyke, Oscar-nominated composer Johann Johannsson, and legendary sports announcer Keith Jackson.
For this year, losses have included Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Marvel founder Stan Lee, Tony winner Neil Simon, Oscar winners Bernardo Bertolucci, Milos Forman, Dorothy Malone, Emmy winners Steven Bochco, Anthony Bourdain, Reg E. Cathey, Olivia Cole and Burt Reynolds, Emmy nominees Harry Anderson, John Mahoney, Charlotte Rae and Jerry Van Dyke, Oscar-nominated composer Johann Johannsson, and legendary sports announcer Keith Jackson.
- 11/27/2018
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
With just six weeks left for 2018, Gold Derby celebrates over 40 celebrities and entertainers who died in the past 12 months. Tour our photo gallery above as we feature tributes to 25 losses from this year so far.
Stan Lee, co-creator of many iconic superheroes, died on November 12 at age 95. For Marvel Comics and later many films and TV programs, his characters included Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and the Avengers.
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen died on October 15 at age 65. He and Bill Gates helped start the microcomputer revolution in the mid-1970s by creating the world’s largest PC software company.
Burt Reynolds died on September 6 at age 82 in Florida. He was an Oscar nominee for “Boogie Nights” and an Emmy winner for “Evening Shade.” He was one of the top box office stars of the 1970s with movies such as “Deliverance,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” “The Longest Yard,...
Stan Lee, co-creator of many iconic superheroes, died on November 12 at age 95. For Marvel Comics and later many films and TV programs, his characters included Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and the Avengers.
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen died on October 15 at age 65. He and Bill Gates helped start the microcomputer revolution in the mid-1970s by creating the world’s largest PC software company.
Burt Reynolds died on September 6 at age 82 in Florida. He was an Oscar nominee for “Boogie Nights” and an Emmy winner for “Evening Shade.” He was one of the top box office stars of the 1970s with movies such as “Deliverance,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” “The Longest Yard,...
- 11/15/2018
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The Actors Fund has announced a star-studded lineup for the 2018 Looking Ahead Awards hosted by Garrett Clayton and Ashley Argota (“The Fosters”) on Sunday, October 28 from 4-8pm at the magnificent Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.
The fifth annual gala, which raises support and awareness for The Actors Fund’s Looking Ahead Program, features exciting “blue carpet” arrivals, cocktail hour, gourmet dinner, awards ceremony and live performances. Tickets are now on sale at www.actorsfund.org/LookingAheadAwards.
The Looking Ahead Awards celebrates leaders in the current and former young performer community who inspire the world by living the Looking Ahead Program’s core values of growth, education, leadership and community service.
The Judy & Hilary Swank Award for Parenting, honoring the parent of a former young performer, will be presented by actress Ari Graynor to her mother, Joani Geltman.
The Looking Ahead Award for Education, honoring a former young performer who has...
The fifth annual gala, which raises support and awareness for The Actors Fund’s Looking Ahead Program, features exciting “blue carpet” arrivals, cocktail hour, gourmet dinner, awards ceremony and live performances. Tickets are now on sale at www.actorsfund.org/LookingAheadAwards.
The Looking Ahead Awards celebrates leaders in the current and former young performer community who inspire the world by living the Looking Ahead Program’s core values of growth, education, leadership and community service.
The Judy & Hilary Swank Award for Parenting, honoring the parent of a former young performer, will be presented by actress Ari Graynor to her mother, Joani Geltman.
The Looking Ahead Award for Education, honoring a former young performer who has...
- 10/24/2018
- Look to the Stars
The Actors Fund has announced that the 2018 Looking Ahead Awards will honor the cast of Disney Channel’s “Andi Mack,” Raven-Symoné and Monique Coleman on Sunday, October 28 from 4-8pm at the magnificent Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.
The fifth annual celebration, which raises support and awareness for The Actors Fund’s Looking Ahead Program, features exciting “blue carpet” arrivals, cocktail hour, gourmet dinner and celebrity-studded awards ceremony. Tickets are now on sale at www.actorsfund.org/LookingAheadAwards.
The Looking Ahead Awards celebrates leaders in the current and former young performer community who inspire the world by living the Looking Ahead Program’s core values of growth, education, leadership and community service.
The Elizabeth Taylor Award for Social Awareness, honoring the youth cast of a current TV show that is raising awareness about important societal issues though their roles, will be presented to the young stars of Disney Channel’s hit...
The fifth annual celebration, which raises support and awareness for The Actors Fund’s Looking Ahead Program, features exciting “blue carpet” arrivals, cocktail hour, gourmet dinner and celebrity-studded awards ceremony. Tickets are now on sale at www.actorsfund.org/LookingAheadAwards.
The Looking Ahead Awards celebrates leaders in the current and former young performer community who inspire the world by living the Looking Ahead Program’s core values of growth, education, leadership and community service.
The Elizabeth Taylor Award for Social Awareness, honoring the youth cast of a current TV show that is raising awareness about important societal issues though their roles, will be presented to the young stars of Disney Channel’s hit...
- 9/20/2018
- Look to the Stars
The Emmys paid their final respects tonight to dozens of industry notables who died over the past year, including 10-time Emmy-winning writer-producer Steven Bochco, who employed half the town on such shows as Hill Street Blues, La Law and NYPD Blue; five-time Emmy-winner Anthony Bourdain, whose suicide shocked his friends and fans; and three-time winning actress and humanitarian Nanette Fabray. Sen. John McCain also was honored, as was Neil Simon and Aretha Franklin, whose moving rendition of “Amazing Grace” was played throughout.
Presented by Tina Fey, the In Memoriam portion of the show also paid tribute to dozens of actors including Burt Reynolds, Rose Marie, Jim Nabors, Della Reese, Jerry Van Dyke, Charlotte Rae, Bill Daily and David Cassidy. Emmy-winning actors Robert Guillaume, Reg E. Cathey and Olivia Cole also were honored.
David Ogden Stiers, who was nominated for three Emmys – twice for his role as Major Charles Emerson Winchester...
Presented by Tina Fey, the In Memoriam portion of the show also paid tribute to dozens of actors including Burt Reynolds, Rose Marie, Jim Nabors, Della Reese, Jerry Van Dyke, Charlotte Rae, Bill Daily and David Cassidy. Emmy-winning actors Robert Guillaume, Reg E. Cathey and Olivia Cole also were honored.
David Ogden Stiers, who was nominated for three Emmys – twice for his role as Major Charles Emerson Winchester...
- 9/18/2018
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
The special “In Memoriam” segment on the 2018 Emmy Awards ceremony was tearful as beloved television legends Steven Bochco, Anthony Bourdain, Robert Guillaume, Monty Hall, John Mahoney, Jim Nabors, Charlotte Rae, Burt Reynolds, Neil Simon and Craig Zadan were part of the annual tribute.
SEEEmmy winners 2018: Full list of winners and nominees at the 70th Emmy Awards
But who was missing from the memoriam this time? Some of those surprising omissions included:
Marty Allen (actor/comedian)
Peter Baldwin (director)
Brent Briscoe (actor)
Dushon Monique Brown (actor)
Frank Buxton (writer/director)
Joseph Campanella (actor)
Olivia Cole (actor)
Vic Damone (actor/singer)
Bradford Dillman (actor)
Roy Dotrice (actor)
John Dunsworth (actor)
Harlan Ellison (writer)
Nanette Fabray (actor)
Dominic Frontiere (composer)
Michael Gershman (cinematographer)
Billy Graham (host)
Vanessa Greene (producer)
Doug Grindstaff (sound editor)
John Hillerman (actor)
Rance Howard (actor)
Tab Hunter (actor)
Earle Hyman (actor)
Anne Jeffreys (actor)
Margot Kidder (actor)
Louise Latham...
SEEEmmy winners 2018: Full list of winners and nominees at the 70th Emmy Awards
But who was missing from the memoriam this time? Some of those surprising omissions included:
Marty Allen (actor/comedian)
Peter Baldwin (director)
Brent Briscoe (actor)
Dushon Monique Brown (actor)
Frank Buxton (writer/director)
Joseph Campanella (actor)
Olivia Cole (actor)
Vic Damone (actor/singer)
Bradford Dillman (actor)
Roy Dotrice (actor)
John Dunsworth (actor)
Harlan Ellison (writer)
Nanette Fabray (actor)
Dominic Frontiere (composer)
Michael Gershman (cinematographer)
Billy Graham (host)
Vanessa Greene (producer)
Doug Grindstaff (sound editor)
John Hillerman (actor)
Rance Howard (actor)
Tab Hunter (actor)
Earle Hyman (actor)
Anne Jeffreys (actor)
Margot Kidder (actor)
Louise Latham...
- 9/18/2018
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The special “In Memoriam” segment on the 2018 Emmy Awards ceremony will be especially tearful this year. Beloved television legends Steven Bochco, Anthony Bourdain, Robert Guillaume, Monty Hall, John Mahoney, Jim Nabors, Charlotte Rae, Burt Reynolds, Neil Simon and Craig Zadan will certainly be just a few people honored with in a musical tribute.
Let’s take a look back at these TV icons as well as over 50 others who have died since mid-September last year. Many will be included in the memoriam for the live Emmys ceremony hosted by Michael Che and Colin Jost for NBC on September 17.
SEECelebrity Deaths 2018: In Memoriam Gallery
Bochco died on April 1 at age 74. The 10-time Emmy winner was the creator of such TV classics as “Hill Street Blues,” “L.A. Law,” “NYPD Blue” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.” He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1996.
Bourdain died in France on June...
Let’s take a look back at these TV icons as well as over 50 others who have died since mid-September last year. Many will be included in the memoriam for the live Emmys ceremony hosted by Michael Che and Colin Jost for NBC on September 17.
SEECelebrity Deaths 2018: In Memoriam Gallery
Bochco died on April 1 at age 74. The 10-time Emmy winner was the creator of such TV classics as “Hill Street Blues,” “L.A. Law,” “NYPD Blue” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.” He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1996.
Bourdain died in France on June...
- 9/14/2018
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
• Nyt Aretha Franklin Rip. Wesley Morris on her power but did we "Respect" it?
• Variety Estonia has selected the single parent drama Take It Or Leave It for the Oscars
• Tfe Our updated Oscar Foreign Submission charts
• Boy Culture because Madonna is awesome she has released her 2018 Met Gala performance to her fans as a charity fundraiser for her orphans in Malawi. Each $25 will givea child food, schooling, and healthcare for a month
• Uproxx A little info on Mike Moh, who has been cast as Bruce Lee in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (for those of you wondering why Bruce Lee is a character in the movie -- he worked with Sharon Tate prior to her murder)
• Playbill two time Oscar nominee Janet McTeer talks about playing legendary pre-cinema stage actress Sarah Bernhardt in a new play on Broadway called Bernhardt/Hamlet
• Vanity Fair Ruth Wilson...
• Variety Estonia has selected the single parent drama Take It Or Leave It for the Oscars
• Tfe Our updated Oscar Foreign Submission charts
• Boy Culture because Madonna is awesome she has released her 2018 Met Gala performance to her fans as a charity fundraiser for her orphans in Malawi. Each $25 will givea child food, schooling, and healthcare for a month
• Uproxx A little info on Mike Moh, who has been cast as Bruce Lee in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (for those of you wondering why Bruce Lee is a character in the movie -- he worked with Sharon Tate prior to her murder)
• Playbill two time Oscar nominee Janet McTeer talks about playing legendary pre-cinema stage actress Sarah Bernhardt in a new play on Broadway called Bernhardt/Hamlet
• Vanity Fair Ruth Wilson...
- 8/17/2018
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Aretha Franklin, who passed away at age 76, has left more than just a legacy of music.
“We mourn the loss of a legend and urge the public to take action against pancreatic cancer,” said Julie Fleshman, Jd, Mba, president and CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). “We are working diligently to change outcomes for patients, but we need more people to get involved and help fund critical research.”
The nation’s leading civil rights organization also mourns the passing of superstar Aretha Franklin, one of the nation’s most powerful and accomplished artists.
“We remember Aretha for the joy and love she brought into our lives and society via her powerful voice,” said NAACP Chairman Leon W. Russell. “No one can discuss the civil rights movement nor music without paying respect to the Queen of Soul. We’ll miss her dearly.”
Aretha Franklin not only revolutionized the sound of music during her career,...
“We mourn the loss of a legend and urge the public to take action against pancreatic cancer,” said Julie Fleshman, Jd, Mba, president and CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). “We are working diligently to change outcomes for patients, but we need more people to get involved and help fund critical research.”
The nation’s leading civil rights organization also mourns the passing of superstar Aretha Franklin, one of the nation’s most powerful and accomplished artists.
“We remember Aretha for the joy and love she brought into our lives and society via her powerful voice,” said NAACP Chairman Leon W. Russell. “No one can discuss the civil rights movement nor music without paying respect to the Queen of Soul. We’ll miss her dearly.”
Aretha Franklin not only revolutionized the sound of music during her career,...
- 8/17/2018
- Look to the Stars
Charlotte Rae died after going into cardiac arrest ... and she was also battling salivary gland cancer ... TMZ has learned. According to the "Diff'rent Strokes" and 'Facts of Life' star's death certificate, Rae's immediate cause of death is listed as cardiopulmonary arrest, while metabolic acidosis -- an abnormal acid buildup -- and carcinoma of the right parotid gland were contributing factors. In line with her announcement she had been diagnosed with bone cancer last year,...
- 8/13/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Charlotte Rae’s Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life cast mates have been remembering the beloved actress, who died Sunday in Los Angeles at 92.
Facts of Life‘s Kim Fields rhetorically asked, “…how do I capture 40 yrs of love/admiration/respect/gratitude/joy/laughter in a statement? How can I make them understand the body of ur theater/film/tv wk was amazing, w/an iconic staple at the core?”
Tweeted Diff’rent Strokes‘ Todd Bridges, “My heart is full of pain,” while Facts‘ Whelchel thanked Rae for “40 years of friendship and love.” On Instagram, Facts‘ Mindy Cohn write, “It’s with a heavy heart & lots of tears (but a smile as i think of her) that I now move through the world without this incredible force of a woman being in it.”
Rae, a longtime stage actress whose theater credits spanned Pickwick to The Vagina Monologues, also...
Facts of Life‘s Kim Fields rhetorically asked, “…how do I capture 40 yrs of love/admiration/respect/gratitude/joy/laughter in a statement? How can I make them understand the body of ur theater/film/tv wk was amazing, w/an iconic staple at the core?”
Tweeted Diff’rent Strokes‘ Todd Bridges, “My heart is full of pain,” while Facts‘ Whelchel thanked Rae for “40 years of friendship and love.” On Instagram, Facts‘ Mindy Cohn write, “It’s with a heavy heart & lots of tears (but a smile as i think of her) that I now move through the world without this incredible force of a woman being in it.”
Rae, a longtime stage actress whose theater credits spanned Pickwick to The Vagina Monologues, also...
- 8/7/2018
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
I was a teenager when I first met Charlotte Rae. At 16 is when you’re individuating from authority, and so I think the first couple years of our relationship I was a bit rebellious. I would play practical jokes and I think I drove her crazy. Keep in mind I was older than the other Facts of Life girls. They were in the tutoring trailer and I was on set with the stand-ins. Between 12 and 16 there really is a big difference. Sixteen is when you think you know everything. We laughed in the later years about our dynamic....
For a generation of latchkey kids growing up in the 1980s, Charlotte Rae was more than just a sitcom actress. Her Edna Garrett was a surrogate maternal figure, raising her teenaged wards — first as a housekeeper on Diff'rent Strokes, then as a prep school administrator on its spinoff The Facts of Life — with a firm, if frazzled, hand.
But for Todd Bridges, who played Willis on Strokes, Rae — who died Aug. 5 at 92 — was no surrogate. She was the same nurturing and ebullient woman who appeared on the screen.
"She was always so bright ...
But for Todd Bridges, who played Willis on Strokes, Rae — who died Aug. 5 at 92 — was no surrogate. She was the same nurturing and ebullient woman who appeared on the screen.
"She was always so bright ...
Charlotte Rae, an American TV actress, comedian, singer and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) champion, has died. She was 92. No cause of death has been announced, but Rae publicly fought pancreatic cancer since 2009 and more recently, was diagnosed with bone cancer.
Rae with fellow survivors at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network PurpleStride Orange County 2016
Rae was known most notably for her portrayal of Edna Garrett (Mrs. Garrett) in the sitcoms “Diff’rent Strokes” and its spin-off, “The Facts of Life.”
“In the pancreatic cancer community, Charlotte was a cherished champion for the cause,” said Pamela Acosta Marquardt, PanCAN Founder. “She served as an Influencer of Hope, an elite group of notables who lend their voice and unite with everyday heroes in the fight against pancreatic cancer, and Charlotte was always willing to use her voice to raise awareness and visibility.”
Pancreatic cancer was personal to Rae even before her own diagnosis.
Rae with fellow survivors at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network PurpleStride Orange County 2016
Rae was known most notably for her portrayal of Edna Garrett (Mrs. Garrett) in the sitcoms “Diff’rent Strokes” and its spin-off, “The Facts of Life.”
“In the pancreatic cancer community, Charlotte was a cherished champion for the cause,” said Pamela Acosta Marquardt, PanCAN Founder. “She served as an Influencer of Hope, an elite group of notables who lend their voice and unite with everyday heroes in the fight against pancreatic cancer, and Charlotte was always willing to use her voice to raise awareness and visibility.”
Pancreatic cancer was personal to Rae even before her own diagnosis.
- 8/7/2018
- Look to the Stars
Despite a career that spanned more than 70 years, from radio acting in the 1940s to various stage, film and TV appearances over the decades, there's no denying that the late Charlotte Rae made the greatest impact on television viewers with her portrayal of Edna Garrett. It was the role she introduced on the series Diff'rent Strokes (1978-86) and, then, in its spin-off The Facts of Life (1979-88), which scored her a 1982 Emmy Award nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress. Charlotte may have died on Aug. 5, 2018, after a battle with bone cancer, but one can imagine the incredible joy she would have gotten from the outpouring of love and memories that were devoted to her, conveying just how much of an impression her portrayal has had on the audience. When asked by the Television Academy Foundation what she hoped her legacy would be, she responded, "If I took people...
- 8/7/2018
- by Ed Gross
- Closer Weekly
In today’s roundup, CBS All Access releases trailers for their upcoming series “One Dollar” and “Tell Me a Story,” while “Safe Harbour” lands at Hulu for its U.S. debut.
Dates
CBS All Access has announced that Kevin Williamson‘s psychological thriller series “Tell Me a Story” will premiere just in time for Halloween on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The 10-episode first season will be available on-demand weekly on Thursdays. During the show’s panel at TCA, the creative team released a sneak peek trailer at the upcoming series that reimagines the world’s most beloved fairytales in a dark and twisted manner. The panel featured a conversation with Williamson and cast members Billy Magnussen, Dania Ramirez, Danielle Campbell, and Dorian Missick. Watch the trailer below.
CBS All Access also previewed upcoming mystery series, “One Dollar” at TCA, which is set to premiere on Thursday, Aug. 30. Set in a small rust belt town in post-recession America,...
Dates
CBS All Access has announced that Kevin Williamson‘s psychological thriller series “Tell Me a Story” will premiere just in time for Halloween on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The 10-episode first season will be available on-demand weekly on Thursdays. During the show’s panel at TCA, the creative team released a sneak peek trailer at the upcoming series that reimagines the world’s most beloved fairytales in a dark and twisted manner. The panel featured a conversation with Williamson and cast members Billy Magnussen, Dania Ramirez, Danielle Campbell, and Dorian Missick. Watch the trailer below.
CBS All Access also previewed upcoming mystery series, “One Dollar” at TCA, which is set to premiere on Thursday, Aug. 30. Set in a small rust belt town in post-recession America,...
- 8/7/2018
- by Tara Bitran
- Variety Film + TV
Rest in peace, Charlotte Rae. Hours after the beloved TV actress passed away at age 92 after battling cancer, many of Charlotte's former co-stars and fans took to social media to express their sadness over her death. "It's with a heavy heart and lots of tears (but a smile as I think of her) that I now move through the world without this incredible force of a woman being in it. She was my champion, a teacher, a proud example of the tenacity and perseverance needed to live an actor’s life," Charlotte's The Facts of Life co-star Mindy Cohn wrote in an Instagram tribute on Sunday, Aug. 5. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) "I love you, Char. I will continue to make you proud. And, as I send sympathies to Larry and the rest of the family, I wish you the happiest of homecomings," Mindy concluded her touching post. Charlotte and Mindy's...
- 8/6/2018
- by Julia Birkinbine
- Closer Weekly
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