Hank Bradford, the clever stand-up comic who performed a half-dozen times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson before serving a five-year stint as head writer on the program, has died. He was 88.
Bradford died Jan. 18 in Los Angeles, his family announced.
Bradford did uncredited dialogue rewrites on the Burt Reynolds-starring Smokey and the Bandit (1977) — when he got the script, “it wasn’t a comedy,” he revealed to host Mark Malkoff on a 2017 episode of The Carson Podcast — and wrote for such TV shows as M*A*S*H, Private Benjamin and Three’s Company.
The Brooklyn native made his first appearance on the Tonight Show in September 1966 when it was based in New York. He got a spot inside the writers room in 1969, succeeded Marshall Brickman as head writer in 1970 and moved with the show to Burbank in 1972.
Bradford’s role on the fabled NBC late-night program was...
Bradford died Jan. 18 in Los Angeles, his family announced.
Bradford did uncredited dialogue rewrites on the Burt Reynolds-starring Smokey and the Bandit (1977) — when he got the script, “it wasn’t a comedy,” he revealed to host Mark Malkoff on a 2017 episode of The Carson Podcast — and wrote for such TV shows as M*A*S*H, Private Benjamin and Three’s Company.
The Brooklyn native made his first appearance on the Tonight Show in September 1966 when it was based in New York. He got a spot inside the writers room in 1969, succeeded Marshall Brickman as head writer in 1970 and moved with the show to Burbank in 1972.
Bradford’s role on the fabled NBC late-night program was...
- 2/9/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
London, Jan 5 (Ians) David Soul, who starred as Detective Kenneth ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson in the popular American TV series ‘Starsky & Hutch’, which ran from 1975 to 1979, died on Thursday, his wife Helen Snell informed BBC. He was 80, reports ‘Variety’.
In addition to ‘Starsky & Hutch’, Soul starred in the Western series ‘Here Come the Brides’ and movies such as ‘Magnum Force’, ‘Salem’s Lot’ and more. Soul moved to the UK in the 1990s and obtained British citizenship in 2004.
In 1971, ‘Variety’ notes, Soul made his film debut in ‘Johnny Got His Gun’ and he appeared opposite Clint Eastwood in ‘Magnum Force’ (1972), one of the seasoned actor’s Dirty Harry movies.
Soul was also a singer and released several albums in the 1970s and ’80s, including the No. 1 single ‘Don’t Give Up on Us’.
And then, Soul landed the biggest role of his career on ‘Starsky & Hutch’, alongside Paul Michael Glaser as Sergeant David Michael Starsky,...
In addition to ‘Starsky & Hutch’, Soul starred in the Western series ‘Here Come the Brides’ and movies such as ‘Magnum Force’, ‘Salem’s Lot’ and more. Soul moved to the UK in the 1990s and obtained British citizenship in 2004.
In 1971, ‘Variety’ notes, Soul made his film debut in ‘Johnny Got His Gun’ and he appeared opposite Clint Eastwood in ‘Magnum Force’ (1972), one of the seasoned actor’s Dirty Harry movies.
Soul was also a singer and released several albums in the 1970s and ’80s, including the No. 1 single ‘Don’t Give Up on Us’.
And then, Soul landed the biggest role of his career on ‘Starsky & Hutch’, alongside Paul Michael Glaser as Sergeant David Michael Starsky,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
David Soul, the actor-singer who famously starred as Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson in the beloved TV series Starsky & Hutch and scored a Number One hit with the soft rock ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us,” has died at the age of 80.
Soul’s wife, Helen Snell, confirmed her husband’s death in a statement to the BBC, saying he died Thursday “after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family.” No cause of death was provided.
“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor,...
Soul’s wife, Helen Snell, confirmed her husband’s death in a statement to the BBC, saying he died Thursday “after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family.” No cause of death was provided.
“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
David Soul, who starred alongside Paul Michael Glaser on the 1970s’ ABC buddy cop show Starsky and Hutch and had a No. 1 hit with the song “Don’t Give Up on Us,” has died. He was 80.
Soul died Thursday after “a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family,” his wife, Helen Snell, said in a statement.
“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend,” she said. “His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”
Soul also appeared for two seasons on the 1968-70 ABC show Here Come the Brides, played one of the corrupt young motorcycle cops brought down by Clint Eastwood’s Harry Callahan in the thriller Magnum Force (1973) and stood out as a terrified vampire hunter in the 1979 Stephen King CBS miniseries Salem’s Lot.
On two...
Soul died Thursday after “a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family,” his wife, Helen Snell, said in a statement.
“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend,” she said. “His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”
Soul also appeared for two seasons on the 1968-70 ABC show Here Come the Brides, played one of the corrupt young motorcycle cops brought down by Clint Eastwood’s Harry Callahan in the thriller Magnum Force (1973) and stood out as a terrified vampire hunter in the 1979 Stephen King CBS miniseries Salem’s Lot.
On two...
- 1/5/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
David Soul, who starred as Sergeant Kenneth Richard “Hutch” Hutchinson in the TV series “Starsky & Hutch,” died Thursday, his wife announced on his website. He was 80.
“David Soul — beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother — died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family,” she wrote. “He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist, and dear friend. His smile, laughter, and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”
In addition to “Starsky & Hutch,” Soul starred in the Western series “Here Comes the Brides” and movies like “Magnum Force,” “Salem’s Lot” and more. He was also a singer and released several albums in the ’70s and ’80s, and the No. 1 single “Don’t Give Up on Us.”
Born in Chicago on August 28, 1943, Soul started acting on stage in the ’60s and began pursuing his passion for music.
“David Soul — beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother — died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family,” she wrote. “He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist, and dear friend. His smile, laughter, and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”
In addition to “Starsky & Hutch,” Soul starred in the Western series “Here Comes the Brides” and movies like “Magnum Force,” “Salem’s Lot” and more. He was also a singer and released several albums in the ’70s and ’80s, and the No. 1 single “Don’t Give Up on Us.”
Born in Chicago on August 28, 1943, Soul started acting on stage in the ’60s and began pursuing his passion for music.
- 1/5/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
David Soul, who was best known for playing Detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson in the hugely popular Starsky & Hutch TV series, has died aged 80, his wife has said.
In a statement to press, Soul’s wife Helen Snell said he died on Thursday “after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family.
“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend,” said Snell. “His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”
Soul played the role of Hutch in the ABC series throughout its run from 1975 to 1979, opposite Paul Michael Glaser. The American-Brit also had major roles in Here Come the Brides and Magnum Force.
Born in Chicago, Soul started performing as a stage actor in the mid-1960s, first landing a role on The Merv Griffin Show and then Star Trek.
In a statement to press, Soul’s wife Helen Snell said he died on Thursday “after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family.
“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend,” said Snell. “His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”
Soul played the role of Hutch in the ABC series throughout its run from 1975 to 1979, opposite Paul Michael Glaser. The American-Brit also had major roles in Here Come the Brides and Magnum Force.
Born in Chicago, Soul started performing as a stage actor in the mid-1960s, first landing a role on The Merv Griffin Show and then Star Trek.
- 1/5/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Shecky Greene, the legendary stand-up comedian who spent decades as one of the biggest acts in Las Vegas, has died at the age of 97.
Greene’s widow Marie Musso Greene, his wife of 41 years, confirmed the comic’s death Sunday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, noting that he died at natural causes early December 31 at his home in Las Vegas.
Born Fred Greenfield in Chicago in 1926, Greene was already an established comedian from the Borscht Belt and beyond when he was recruited to become one of the first comics to...
Greene’s widow Marie Musso Greene, his wife of 41 years, confirmed the comic’s death Sunday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, noting that he died at natural causes early December 31 at his home in Las Vegas.
Born Fred Greenfield in Chicago in 1926, Greene was already an established comedian from the Borscht Belt and beyond when he was recruited to become one of the first comics to...
- 12/31/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Shecky Greene, the legendary standup comedian known for his long tenure as a Las Vegas headliner and for working with Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, died Dec. 31 at his home in the city. He was 97.
Greene’s wife of 41 years, Marie Musso Greene, confirmed his death to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Greene was a regular on the TV talk show and guest star circuit in his 1960s and ’70s heyday, when he often sported a comb-over haircut and wide-lapel suits. Earlier in his career, he came to represent the epitome of the Rat Pack-adjacent comedian in a tux, delivering lightly risque or edgy anecdotal stories and zingers on stage.
Greene was known for his many appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and for working as the opening act for Sinatra in Miami and Presley in Las Vegas. During the 1962-63 season, he played a recurring character on the...
Greene’s wife of 41 years, Marie Musso Greene, confirmed his death to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Greene was a regular on the TV talk show and guest star circuit in his 1960s and ’70s heyday, when he often sported a comb-over haircut and wide-lapel suits. Earlier in his career, he came to represent the epitome of the Rat Pack-adjacent comedian in a tux, delivering lightly risque or edgy anecdotal stories and zingers on stage.
Greene was known for his many appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and for working as the opening act for Sinatra in Miami and Presley in Las Vegas. During the 1962-63 season, he played a recurring character on the...
- 12/31/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Shecky Greene, a legendary stand-up comedian who became one of Las Vegas’ top headliners in the 1950s and ’60s has died. Greene died Sunday morning of natural causes at his home in Las Vegas, his wife Miriam Musso Greene confirmed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He was 97.
Born and raised on the North Side of Chicago, Greene began his comedy career at the Prevue Lounge in New Orleans, Louisiana, later moving on to clubs in Miami, Chicago, and Reno/Lake Tahoe and eventually Las Vegas where he opened for Dorothy Shay in 1954, the “Park Avenue Hillbillie” at the Last Frontier. In 1957, he opened as a headliner at The Tropicana Hotel, where he remained for the next five years. Remaining a stalwart on the Las Vegas stage, his final appearance came in 2011 at the South Point Showroom.
Throughout his career, Greene appeared in several films, including Tony Rome; History of the World,...
Born and raised on the North Side of Chicago, Greene began his comedy career at the Prevue Lounge in New Orleans, Louisiana, later moving on to clubs in Miami, Chicago, and Reno/Lake Tahoe and eventually Las Vegas where he opened for Dorothy Shay in 1954, the “Park Avenue Hillbillie” at the Last Frontier. In 1957, he opened as a headliner at The Tropicana Hotel, where he remained for the next five years. Remaining a stalwart on the Las Vegas stage, his final appearance came in 2011 at the South Point Showroom.
Throughout his career, Greene appeared in several films, including Tony Rome; History of the World,...
- 12/31/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Richard Pryor did more than reinvent comedy, he changed culture, and not only in America. The five-time Grammy Award-winner, actor, writer, director, and standup icon underwent a series of self-discoveries which he revealed to audiences from the inside out long before co-writing Blazing Saddles, and conquering every aspect of showbiz. He did it without compromise. Listeners can study the growing genius of his most transformative years, 1968 through 1973, on newly remastered vinyl reissues of Pryor’s early live albums released through Stand Up! Records along with Omnivore Records and Pryor’s production company Indigo. Richard Pryor (1968), ‘Craps’ (After Hours) (1971), and the vinyl debut of Live At The Comedy Store, 1973, along with the bonus material, shows the artist’s evolution into a revolutionary force.
As the recordings will attest, Richard Pryor is his own theater troupe. Even without the visuals, we can visualize him inhabiting each and every character. He plays them with love,...
As the recordings will attest, Richard Pryor is his own theater troupe. Even without the visuals, we can visualize him inhabiting each and every character. He plays them with love,...
- 6/7/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
In a Season 9 episode of “Seinfeld,” Kramer reconstructs the remnants of the “The Merv Griffin Show” in his apartment so he can host his own talk show. As far as “hipster doofus” fantasies go, it’s a pretty good one — what TV lover hasn’t fantasized about sitting down behind Johnny Carson’s desk from “The Tonight Show,” or wished they could post up for a pint next to Norm and Cliff at the bar from “Cheers”? Thanks to James Comisar, curator of the Comisar Collection, you can now do just that — and unlike Kramer, you don’t have to fish it out of a dumpster to do it. Starting on June 2, Comisar is selling almost 1,000 items from his personal collection of television memorabilia, from the 1950s to present day, that fans and collectors can win for as little as a dollar, if they’re lucky.
Starting in the early...
Starting in the early...
- 6/2/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
A “show about nothing” meant a lot to Seinfeld’s devotees, millions of whom tuned in to NBC a quarter-century ago, on May 14, 1998, to watch the sitcom’s series finale. That final episode, however, isn’t among fans’ favorites. In fact, “The Finale” is only the 154th-best episode, according to IMDb voters. The top 10, meanwhile, are below. From the origin of Seinfeld’s “yada yada yada” to a domain-mastering wager, these are IMDb users’ favorite episodes, all of which have user ratings of 9.0/10 or higher. 10. Season 8, Episode 19: “The Yada Yada” As George (Jason Alexander) contends with his new girlfriend’s way of truncating anecdotes, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) suspects that his dentist (Bryan Cranston) only converted to Judaism so that he can tell Jewish jokes. “The writing is just perfect, the actors are on the top of their game, and the plot is just blending amazingly together,” one IMDb reviewer raves.
- 5/14/2023
- TV Insider
Hollywood pop-music biopics tend to be about artists who go back a long way. “Bohemian Rhapsody” felt rooted in a fresher, less done-to-death-by-biopics era — though when the Freddie Mercury drama came out, its title song was already 43 years old. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” which tells the exultant and tragic story of Whitney Houston, feels different. Houston’s first album was released in 1985, and maybe because her triumphs and travails were chronicled, right as they were happening, by a newly emerging entertainment-media-gossip complex, the film feels like it’s telling a story that never went away. Yet as you watch, you may realize how much there is to the story you didn’t know, and how transporting it is. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is the kind of lavishly impassioned all-stops-out biopic you either give into or you don’t — and if you do, you may find yourself getting so emotional,...
- 12/21/2022
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Dick Carson, brother of TV legend Johnny Carson and a former director for The Tonight Show, died at 92 at his home in Studio City, Calif. on December 19, 2021 following a brief illness, his family said.
Richard Charles Carson, was born in Clarinda, Iowa, the youngest of three children of Homer Lloyd (“Kit”) and Ruth Hook Carson.
He began his career in Nebraska radio. Later, at San Diego television station Kogo-tv, the local NBC affiliate, he first worked as a “floor man” for local programming, and then began directing commercials and local news and sports shows.
When a summer job opportunity as a stage manager and associate director for ABC in Los Angeles became available in 1960, he commuted to fill it. Within months, that led to moving his family to the city to take a permanent position directing children’s programs including “Chucko the Birthday Clown.” He later moved on to directing “The Soupy Sales Show.
Richard Charles Carson, was born in Clarinda, Iowa, the youngest of three children of Homer Lloyd (“Kit”) and Ruth Hook Carson.
He began his career in Nebraska radio. Later, at San Diego television station Kogo-tv, the local NBC affiliate, he first worked as a “floor man” for local programming, and then began directing commercials and local news and sports shows.
When a summer job opportunity as a stage manager and associate director for ABC in Los Angeles became available in 1960, he commuted to fill it. Within months, that led to moving his family to the city to take a permanent position directing children’s programs including “Chucko the Birthday Clown.” He later moved on to directing “The Soupy Sales Show.
- 1/9/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Dick Carson, a TV director who worked on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and was the younger brother to the show’s host, died on Dec. 19, 2021 following a brief illness. He was 92 years old.
Carson’s death was announced by his family through publicist Charlie Barrett.
Born on June 4, 1929 in Clarinda, Iowa, Richard Charles Carson was the youngest of three children to Homer Lloyd and Ruth Hook Carson.
Carson began his career working in Nebraska radio before relocating to San Diego to serve at the NBC affiliate Kogo TV. Beginning work as a “floor man,” Carson worked his way up to directing commercials and local news and sports shows. Carson moved to Los Angeles in 1960 to take on a position directing children’s television programs like “Chucko the Birthday Clown” and “The Soupy Sales Show.”
Dick Carson was recommended by his brother, Johnny Carson, to join the N.Y.
Carson’s death was announced by his family through publicist Charlie Barrett.
Born on June 4, 1929 in Clarinda, Iowa, Richard Charles Carson was the youngest of three children to Homer Lloyd and Ruth Hook Carson.
Carson began his career working in Nebraska radio before relocating to San Diego to serve at the NBC affiliate Kogo TV. Beginning work as a “floor man,” Carson worked his way up to directing commercials and local news and sports shows. Carson moved to Los Angeles in 1960 to take on a position directing children’s television programs like “Chucko the Birthday Clown” and “The Soupy Sales Show.”
Dick Carson was recommended by his brother, Johnny Carson, to join the N.Y.
- 1/9/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Jay Black, the musician who sang the most iconic version of the classic “This Magic Moment,” penned by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, as frontman for American rock group Jay and the Americans, has died. He was 82.
His passing was confirmed in a post published on Saturday to the band’s official Facebook page. “Today, we mourn the passing of David Blatt a/k/a Jay Black and we acknowledge the great successes we had with him both as a partner and as a lead singer,” a spokesperson wrote. “We shared both wonderful and very contentious times, and much like an ex-wife, we are so proud of the beautiful children we created. We’ll always remember The Voice.”
The artist born in Brooklyn on November 2, 1938 as David Blatt joined Jay and the Americans as lead singer in 1962, stepping into the role previously occupied by John “Jay” Traynor. With them, he...
His passing was confirmed in a post published on Saturday to the band’s official Facebook page. “Today, we mourn the passing of David Blatt a/k/a Jay Black and we acknowledge the great successes we had with him both as a partner and as a lead singer,” a spokesperson wrote. “We shared both wonderful and very contentious times, and much like an ex-wife, we are so proud of the beautiful children we created. We’ll always remember The Voice.”
The artist born in Brooklyn on November 2, 1938 as David Blatt joined Jay and the Americans as lead singer in 1962, stepping into the role previously occupied by John “Jay” Traynor. With them, he...
- 10/24/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Jackie Mason, the sometimes-controversial standup comedian who unapologetically embraced Jewish themes and political incorrectness, achieving a national profile through a series of successful one-man shows on Broadway without substantial work in film or television, died Saturday in Manhattan. He was 93.
The New York Times said his death was confirmed by his friend Raoul Felder.
Mason was one of the last of the Borscht Belt comedians, and he married that sensibility to strong views on racial and ethnic politics.
He also recurred on “The Simpsons” as the voice of Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, the father of Krusty the Clown, winning his second Emmy for his efforts in 1992 and most recently voicing the character in a 2014 episode. He also appeared as himself in a 2007 episode of “30 Rock.”
In the 2004 TV special “Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time,” he was ranked No. 63.
The comic received a 1987 special Tony Award for his...
The New York Times said his death was confirmed by his friend Raoul Felder.
Mason was one of the last of the Borscht Belt comedians, and he married that sensibility to strong views on racial and ethnic politics.
He also recurred on “The Simpsons” as the voice of Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, the father of Krusty the Clown, winning his second Emmy for his efforts in 1992 and most recently voicing the character in a 2014 episode. He also appeared as himself in a 2007 episode of “30 Rock.”
In the 2004 TV special “Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time,” he was ranked No. 63.
The comic received a 1987 special Tony Award for his...
- 7/25/2021
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
There is a heartbreaking scene near the end of episode three of HBO Max’s acclaimed comedy series “Hacks.” Young writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbender), who has been hired to create new material for veteran stand-up comic Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), is watching an old VHS tape of a young Deborah’s unaired TV pilot for a late-night talk show. She is fresh-faced, funny and hopeful. She thanks her husband, her sister and her young daughter.
If the show had succeeded, Deborah would have been the first woman to headline late-night. But it didn’t happen. Her ex-husband ran off with her sister and she has a less than wonderful relationship with her daughter. Instead of challenging herself, she has had a longtime residency at a Las Vegas casino. But she’s been told that her dates are being cut back to make way for new talent.
Despite the fact...
If the show had succeeded, Deborah would have been the first woman to headline late-night. But it didn’t happen. Her ex-husband ran off with her sister and she has a less than wonderful relationship with her daughter. Instead of challenging herself, she has had a longtime residency at a Las Vegas casino. But she’s been told that her dates are being cut back to make way for new talent.
Despite the fact...
- 7/16/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
John Gabriel, the actor known for his turn in ABC soap opera Ryan’s Hope, has died. The Daytime Emmy nominee was 90 years old.
While no details were immediately available regarding a cause of death, Gabriel’s passing was confirmed on Instagram today by his daughter, actress Andrea Gabriel (Lost).
“It is with an unspeakably heavy heart that I share the news of my father’s passing,” she wrote. “John Gabriel was my hero, my role model, and my champion, but above all, my daddy… I will love you forever.”
Born on May 25, 1931 in Niagara Falls, New York, Gabriel portrayed Ryan’s Hopes‘ controlling Dr. Seneca Beaulac between 1975 and 1985, and then between 1988 and ’89.
During his decades as an actor, he gathered nearly 60 screen credits, receiving his first and only Emmy nomination in 1980. The actor is also known to have played the Professor—the role that ultimately went to Russell Johnson—in the original,...
While no details were immediately available regarding a cause of death, Gabriel’s passing was confirmed on Instagram today by his daughter, actress Andrea Gabriel (Lost).
“It is with an unspeakably heavy heart that I share the news of my father’s passing,” she wrote. “John Gabriel was my hero, my role model, and my champion, but above all, my daddy… I will love you forever.”
Born on May 25, 1931 in Niagara Falls, New York, Gabriel portrayed Ryan’s Hopes‘ controlling Dr. Seneca Beaulac between 1975 and 1985, and then between 1988 and ’89.
During his decades as an actor, he gathered nearly 60 screen credits, receiving his first and only Emmy nomination in 1980. The actor is also known to have played the Professor—the role that ultimately went to Russell Johnson—in the original,...
- 6/14/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Owen Simon, a public relations executive for Westinghouse and Group W Productions, passed away in Los Angeles on April 2nd. He was 93.
In his career, Simon most notably worked on campaigns for series like “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Merv Griffin Show” and other Westinghouse productions. Simon was noted for his kindness and wit in his industry.
In 1997, after 40 years of work, Simon retired. The longtime exec said in an interview that his post-work plans included training his grandkids at basketball. “It seems time to start getting them in shape as a basketball team,” Simon told Variety.
Raised in Pennsylvania, Simon got his feet wet at Pittsburgh radio stations Kqv and Kdka. He was promoted to publicity manager of Kdka in 1957.
He later moved to Group W and rose to publicity chief in 1977. He bided his time at Westinghouse and CBS before heading west in 1978 after “The Mike Douglas Show” moved to Los Angeles.
In his career, Simon most notably worked on campaigns for series like “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Merv Griffin Show” and other Westinghouse productions. Simon was noted for his kindness and wit in his industry.
In 1997, after 40 years of work, Simon retired. The longtime exec said in an interview that his post-work plans included training his grandkids at basketball. “It seems time to start getting them in shape as a basketball team,” Simon told Variety.
Raised in Pennsylvania, Simon got his feet wet at Pittsburgh radio stations Kqv and Kdka. He was promoted to publicity manager of Kdka in 1957.
He later moved to Group W and rose to publicity chief in 1977. He bided his time at Westinghouse and CBS before heading west in 1978 after “The Mike Douglas Show” moved to Los Angeles.
- 4/4/2021
- by Brandon Choe
- Deadline Film + TV
Owen Simon, a longtime PR executive for Westinghouse and Group W Productions, died April 2 in Los Angeles. He was 93.
Simon was known for his savvy promotional campaigns on behalf of such series as “The Mike Douglas Show” and “The Merv Griffin Show” and other productions from Westinghouse’s Group W Prods. syndication division. Simon was also well-loved in the industry for his kindness and wit.
When Simon retired in 1997 after a 40-year career, he told Variety he was looking forward to spending more time with his grandchildren. “With five grandsons, it seems time to start getting them in shape as a basketball team,” he quipped.
A native of Beaver Falls, Pa., Simon got his start in the industry at Pittsburgh radio stations Kvq and Kdka. In 1957, he was named publicity manager for Westinghouse’s Kdka.
Ten years later, Simon moved to Group W, rising to publicity chief in 1977. He worked...
Simon was known for his savvy promotional campaigns on behalf of such series as “The Mike Douglas Show” and “The Merv Griffin Show” and other productions from Westinghouse’s Group W Prods. syndication division. Simon was also well-loved in the industry for his kindness and wit.
When Simon retired in 1997 after a 40-year career, he told Variety he was looking forward to spending more time with his grandchildren. “With five grandsons, it seems time to start getting them in shape as a basketball team,” he quipped.
A native of Beaver Falls, Pa., Simon got his start in the industry at Pittsburgh radio stations Kvq and Kdka. In 1957, he was named publicity manager for Westinghouse’s Kdka.
Ten years later, Simon moved to Group W, rising to publicity chief in 1977. He worked...
- 4/4/2021
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Last month the documentary feature Dear Santa proved to be the perfect film to coincide with the upcoming holiday. And though this week’s doc is only a couple of days away from its holiday, it couldn’t be more timely and relevant to today’s headlines. This coming Monday our nation once again celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.. Of course, he wasn’t as revered then, during his own lifetime, as he is now. Some groups openly despised him. At the top of that list, white supremacists like the Ku Klux Klan may have been the most vocal (and violent). But Dr. King had a more powerful enemy, very close to the President, none other than “G-man number one” J. Edgar Hoover, who put considerable effort into spying on and discrediting him. How did Hoover’s obsession over King begin? And just how far did it go?...
- 1/15/2021
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Martin Markinson, a producer and theater owner who took Torch Song Trilogy to Broadway and returned the venue now known as the Hayes Theatre to theatrical use, died Thursday, January 7 at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was 89.
Arlena Markinson, his wife of 58 years, said the cause of death was cancer. The producer had been battling the disease for two years.
In addition to the Tony-winning Torch Song Trilogy (1982), Markinson, over a five-decade career, produced such notable Broadway productions as The Gathering starring Hal Linden (2001), Honeymoon in Vegas, Gigi and the Gloria Estefan musical On Your Feet (2015), as well as George Gershwin Alone (2001), Getting and Spending (1998), Corpse! (1986), Peter Nichol’s Passion (1983), Ned and Jack (1981). He served as associate producer on Chicago (1975), Poor Murderer (1976), Some of My Best Friends (1977), Cheaters (1978) and Whoopee! (1979).
Another of Markinson’s contributions to Broadway: The 1979 purchase, with nephew Donald Tick, of what was then called the Little Theatre,...
Arlena Markinson, his wife of 58 years, said the cause of death was cancer. The producer had been battling the disease for two years.
In addition to the Tony-winning Torch Song Trilogy (1982), Markinson, over a five-decade career, produced such notable Broadway productions as The Gathering starring Hal Linden (2001), Honeymoon in Vegas, Gigi and the Gloria Estefan musical On Your Feet (2015), as well as George Gershwin Alone (2001), Getting and Spending (1998), Corpse! (1986), Peter Nichol’s Passion (1983), Ned and Jack (1981). He served as associate producer on Chicago (1975), Poor Murderer (1976), Some of My Best Friends (1977), Cheaters (1978) and Whoopee! (1979).
Another of Markinson’s contributions to Broadway: The 1979 purchase, with nephew Donald Tick, of what was then called the Little Theatre,...
- 1/11/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, but Wheel of Fortune — which debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC and premieres its primetime spinoff, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, on ABC on Jan. 7— was first hosted by Chuck Woolery. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer.
After performing on The Merv Griffin Show, Griffin “took me to his office and said, ‘We got this show that we’re doing called Shopper’s Bazaar,’ ” recalls Woolery. That pilot incorporated Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel but was “horrible,” says Woolery,...
After performing on The Merv Griffin Show, Griffin “took me to his office and said, ‘We got this show that we’re doing called Shopper’s Bazaar,’ ” recalls Woolery. That pilot incorporated Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel but was “horrible,” says Woolery,...
It’s most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, but Wheel of Fortune — which debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC and premieres its primetime spinoff, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, on ABC on Jan. 7— was first hosted by Chuck Woolery. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer.
After performing on The Merv Griffin Show, Griffin “took me to his office and said, ‘We got this show that we’re doing called Shopper’s Bazaar,’ ” recalls Woolery. That pilot incorporated Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel but was “horrible,” says Woolery,...
After performing on The Merv Griffin Show, Griffin “took me to his office and said, ‘We got this show that we’re doing called Shopper’s Bazaar,’ ” recalls Woolery. That pilot incorporated Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel but was “horrible,” says Woolery,...
Norm Crosby, a comedian known as the “Master of Malaprop,” has died. The actor-writer, also known for appearing in a number of film titles, including Grown Ups 2, Cougar Club and Alright Already, was 93.
Crosby died of heart failure at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, The Hollywood Reporter learned.
The Master of Malaprop was born on September 15, 1927 in Boston. He kicked off his career in the 1950s on the standup scene. Coming up as a comedian, Crosby soon made malaprop, the intentional mistaken use of a similar sounding word for comedy, as his signature move.
From his various appearances on the stand-up scene, Crosby expanded the reach of his career, landing spots on notable talk shows throughout the 60s.
He first came on to the television scene by flaunting his comedy style on The Garry Moore Show, where he would make multiple appearances. Throughout the decade,...
Crosby died of heart failure at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, The Hollywood Reporter learned.
The Master of Malaprop was born on September 15, 1927 in Boston. He kicked off his career in the 1950s on the standup scene. Coming up as a comedian, Crosby soon made malaprop, the intentional mistaken use of a similar sounding word for comedy, as his signature move.
From his various appearances on the stand-up scene, Crosby expanded the reach of his career, landing spots on notable talk shows throughout the 60s.
He first came on to the television scene by flaunting his comedy style on The Garry Moore Show, where he would make multiple appearances. Throughout the decade,...
- 11/8/2020
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Carol Arthur, an actress known for appearing in Hot Stuff, Intrepid and Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles and the widow of Dom DeLuise has died. She was 85.
The actress died Sunday at the Mary Pickford House at the Motion Picture & Television Fund senior home in Woodland Hills, the retirement center confirmed.
Born in Hackensack, N.J., in 1935, Arthur kicked off her acting career in 1971 as Christina in David Swift’s television series Arnie. After Making It and Emergency!, came her time as Harriett Johnson in Brooks’ Oscar-nominated comedy Blazing Saddles. In the film, starring Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little, Arthur’s Harriett expresses “extreme displeasure” towards Little’s Sheriff Bart in a strongly worded letter.
“The fact that you have sent him here just goes to prove that you are the leading asshole in the state,” Harriett reads to an approving crowd. She also has a famous line when Little was...
The actress died Sunday at the Mary Pickford House at the Motion Picture & Television Fund senior home in Woodland Hills, the retirement center confirmed.
Born in Hackensack, N.J., in 1935, Arthur kicked off her acting career in 1971 as Christina in David Swift’s television series Arnie. After Making It and Emergency!, came her time as Harriett Johnson in Brooks’ Oscar-nominated comedy Blazing Saddles. In the film, starring Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little, Arthur’s Harriett expresses “extreme displeasure” towards Little’s Sheriff Bart in a strongly worded letter.
“The fact that you have sent him here just goes to prove that you are the leading asshole in the state,” Harriett reads to an approving crowd. She also has a famous line when Little was...
- 11/3/2020
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Marvyn Roy, a magician and illusionist known as "Mr. Electric," died Wednesday in Los Angeles of a cerebral hemorrhage, his publicist announced. He was 95.
Roy and his late wife, Carol, found fame over five decades with a magic act based around light bulbs that became known as Artistry in Light. They opened for the likes of Liberace and Dean Martin and once toured Russia with Ed Sullivan, appearing on his CBS program four times in one year.
They also performed on The Merv Griffin Show, The Hollywood Palace and The Tonight Show and played such showrooms as ...
Roy and his late wife, Carol, found fame over five decades with a magic act based around light bulbs that became known as Artistry in Light. They opened for the likes of Liberace and Dean Martin and once toured Russia with Ed Sullivan, appearing on his CBS program four times in one year.
They also performed on The Merv Griffin Show, The Hollywood Palace and The Tonight Show and played such showrooms as ...
Here are many more movies to watch when you’re staying in for a while, featuring recommendations from Steven Canals, Larry Karaszewski, Gareth Reynolds, and Alan Arkush with special guest star Blaire Bercy from the Hollywood Food Coalition.
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)
Groundhog Day (1993)
Kung Fu Mama a.k.a. Queen of Fist (1973)
Ali: Fear Eats The Soul (1974)
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)
In The Mood For Love (2000)
Hunger (2008)
The Sweet Hereafter (1997)
Fargo (1996)
Night of the Lepus (1971)
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Soylent Green (1973)
Silent Running (1972)
Canyon Passage (1946)
McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
The Professionals (1966)
Ride Lonesome (1959)
Carrie (1952)
The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
Hello Down There (1969)
The Brass Bottle (1964)
The Trouble With Angels (1966)
Pollyanna (1960)
Tiger Bay (1959)
The Parent Trap (1961)
Endless Night (1972)
The Family Way (1966)
Take A Girl Like You (1970)
Freddy Got Fingered...
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)
Groundhog Day (1993)
Kung Fu Mama a.k.a. Queen of Fist (1973)
Ali: Fear Eats The Soul (1974)
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)
In The Mood For Love (2000)
Hunger (2008)
The Sweet Hereafter (1997)
Fargo (1996)
Night of the Lepus (1971)
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Soylent Green (1973)
Silent Running (1972)
Canyon Passage (1946)
McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
The Professionals (1966)
Ride Lonesome (1959)
Carrie (1952)
The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
Hello Down There (1969)
The Brass Bottle (1964)
The Trouble With Angels (1966)
Pollyanna (1960)
Tiger Bay (1959)
The Parent Trap (1961)
Endless Night (1972)
The Family Way (1966)
Take A Girl Like You (1970)
Freddy Got Fingered...
- 4/10/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Orson Bean, the prolific character actor known for his work in “Being John Malkovich,” “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” and a host of TV shows, died Friday after being hit by twice by cars while walking in Los Angeles. He was 91.
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office told the Associated Press that Bean’s death was under investigation as a traffic-related fatality. The industry veteran was walking in the Venice area on Friday night when he was hit by a car and fell, after which he was hit by a second car, according to the AP. Bean’s survivors include his wife, actor Alley Mills, who he married in 1993.
Bean was a co-founder of the non-profit actors collective Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, where he also lived. Bean’s official bio on the theater’s website concludes with the observation: “He is one lucky son of a bitch.”
Bean was...
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office told the Associated Press that Bean’s death was under investigation as a traffic-related fatality. The industry veteran was walking in the Venice area on Friday night when he was hit by a car and fell, after which he was hit by a second car, according to the AP. Bean’s survivors include his wife, actor Alley Mills, who he married in 1993.
Bean was a co-founder of the non-profit actors collective Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, where he also lived. Bean’s official bio on the theater’s website concludes with the observation: “He is one lucky son of a bitch.”
Bean was...
- 2/8/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Jack Sheldon, a jazz trumpeter who had a career as a TV performer in the 1960s and ’70s and sang classic “Schoolhouse Rock” tunes, died on Dec. 27 at age 88, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Long recognized for his trumpet playing, Sheldon was also a singer and TV performer. He lent his gentle voice to classic “Schoolhouse Rock” animated shorts such as “Conjunction Junction” and “I’m Just a Bill.”
For nearly two decades on “The Merv Griffin Show,” he not only performed in the band but served as an on-camera foil to the host.
He even co-starred in the mid-’60s CBS sitcom “The Cara Williams Show” and then headlined his own series, “Run, Buddy Run,” which lasted just a single season in the late ’60s.
As a trumpeter, he may be best remembered for his work on “The Shadow of Your Smile,” the theme to the 1965 Elizabeth Taylor-...
Long recognized for his trumpet playing, Sheldon was also a singer and TV performer. He lent his gentle voice to classic “Schoolhouse Rock” animated shorts such as “Conjunction Junction” and “I’m Just a Bill.”
For nearly two decades on “The Merv Griffin Show,” he not only performed in the band but served as an on-camera foil to the host.
He even co-starred in the mid-’60s CBS sitcom “The Cara Williams Show” and then headlined his own series, “Run, Buddy Run,” which lasted just a single season in the late ’60s.
As a trumpeter, he may be best remembered for his work on “The Shadow of Your Smile,” the theme to the 1965 Elizabeth Taylor-...
- 1/1/2020
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
Jack Sheldon, known to children as one of the voices of “Schoolhouse Rocks” and adults as a master trumpeter who served as music director on “The Merv Griffin Show,” has died at age 88.
Sheldon was the sidekick as well as MD on Griffin’s talk show for 18 years. But his own discography as a band leader added up to more than 20 albums, starting in the late ’50s, when he was part of the west coast bebop movement, continuing through his last release in 2007.
“To all Jack Sheldon fans,” Cynthia Jimenez wrote on the musician’s Facebook page, “on behalf of my sister Dianne Jimenez [his longtime manager], sadly, Jack passed away on December 27. May he rest in peace with all the Jazz Cats in heaven!” No cause of death was given.
Sheldon’s film work included one of the renditions of “The Long Goodbye” heard in the Robert Altman movie of that name,...
Sheldon was the sidekick as well as MD on Griffin’s talk show for 18 years. But his own discography as a band leader added up to more than 20 albums, starting in the late ’50s, when he was part of the west coast bebop movement, continuing through his last release in 2007.
“To all Jack Sheldon fans,” Cynthia Jimenez wrote on the musician’s Facebook page, “on behalf of my sister Dianne Jimenez [his longtime manager], sadly, Jack passed away on December 27. May he rest in peace with all the Jazz Cats in heaven!” No cause of death was given.
Sheldon’s film work included one of the renditions of “The Long Goodbye” heard in the Robert Altman movie of that name,...
- 12/31/2019
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Jack Sheldon, the stand-out jazz trumpeter and affable Merv Griffin sidekick whose gave voice to the Schoolhouse Rock classics I’m Just a Bill and Conjunction Junction, has died. He was 88.
Sheldon’s face and name were most recognizable to fans of The Merv Griffin Show thanks to his 16-year sidekick stint but his trumpeting reached its greatest acclaim via the big screen with the forlorn Oscar- and Grammy-winning song The Shadow of Your Smile from The Sandpiper (1965).
Sheldon’s voice, however, became a signature part of Saturday morning cartoons for years thanks to two beloved installments of the oft-repeated Schoolhouse Rock educational series of animated shorts. The ABC series was ramping up its second season when it brought Sheldon in and the charismatic jazzman delivered winning performances both as the dedicated train conductor from Conjunction Junction (1974) and lonely piece of proposed legislation in the civics-minded I’m Just a Bill.
Sheldon’s face and name were most recognizable to fans of The Merv Griffin Show thanks to his 16-year sidekick stint but his trumpeting reached its greatest acclaim via the big screen with the forlorn Oscar- and Grammy-winning song The Shadow of Your Smile from The Sandpiper (1965).
Sheldon’s voice, however, became a signature part of Saturday morning cartoons for years thanks to two beloved installments of the oft-repeated Schoolhouse Rock educational series of animated shorts. The ABC series was ramping up its second season when it brought Sheldon in and the charismatic jazzman delivered winning performances both as the dedicated train conductor from Conjunction Junction (1974) and lonely piece of proposed legislation in the civics-minded I’m Just a Bill.
- 12/31/2019
- by Geoff Boucher
- Deadline Film + TV
Rip Taylor, one of Televisions most flamboyant personalities known as "The Crying Comedian" and "The King of Camp and Confetti" has passed away. He was 84.
Taylor died on Sunday in Beverly Hills, publicist Harlan Boll confirmed, reports variety.com.
Also Read:?Chrissy Teigen flaunts her new tattoo
Taylor, whose high-energy personality and confetti-throwing antics quickly made him a mainstay on Television, made appearances on everything from sitcoms to talk shows, including "The Gong Show", "Password", "The Merv Griffin Show", "The Mike Douglas Show", "The Tonight Show", and "Late Night with David Letterman" in addition to a hosting stint for "The $1.98 Beauty Show" -- a parody of beauty contests whose big prize was a bouquet of rotten vegetables.
He saw even more success outside of game shows and late-night TV, headlining Las Vegas' The Flamingo Hotel's Rockettes Extravaganza -- where he won Entertainer of the Year three consecutive times --...
Taylor died on Sunday in Beverly Hills, publicist Harlan Boll confirmed, reports variety.com.
Also Read:?Chrissy Teigen flaunts her new tattoo
Taylor, whose high-energy personality and confetti-throwing antics quickly made him a mainstay on Television, made appearances on everything from sitcoms to talk shows, including "The Gong Show", "Password", "The Merv Griffin Show", "The Mike Douglas Show", "The Tonight Show", and "Late Night with David Letterman" in addition to a hosting stint for "The $1.98 Beauty Show" -- a parody of beauty contests whose big prize was a bouquet of rotten vegetables.
He saw even more success outside of game shows and late-night TV, headlining Las Vegas' The Flamingo Hotel's Rockettes Extravaganza -- where he won Entertainer of the Year three consecutive times --...
- 10/7/2019
- GlamSham
Comedian Rip Taylor, whose myriad TV credits include dozens of appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Mike Douglas Show, died on Sunday at the age of 84.
Taylor was the self-proclaimed “King of Confetti.” He was known for dousing his audience with colorful streamers at all of his performances.
More from TVLineWho Is A Million Little Things' Mystery Man? Jason Ritter Weighs InThe Conners Sneak Peek: Watch Dan 'Rescue' Katey Sagal's Louise9-1-1 Sneak Peek: Buck's Search for Christopher Takes a Devastating Turn
He racked up over 2,000 (!) small-screen credits over a career that spanned six decades.
Taylor was the self-proclaimed “King of Confetti.” He was known for dousing his audience with colorful streamers at all of his performances.
More from TVLineWho Is A Million Little Things' Mystery Man? Jason Ritter Weighs InThe Conners Sneak Peek: Watch Dan 'Rescue' Katey Sagal's Louise9-1-1 Sneak Peek: Buck's Search for Christopher Takes a Devastating Turn
He racked up over 2,000 (!) small-screen credits over a career that spanned six decades.
- 10/6/2019
- TVLine.com
Rip Taylor, one of Television’s most flamboyant personalities known as “The Crying Comedian” and “The King of Camp and Confetti,” died Sunday in Beverly Hills, publicist Harlan Boll confirmed. He was 84.
Taylor, whose high-energy personality and confetti-throwing antics quickly made him a mainstay on television, made appearances on everything from sitcoms to talk shows, including “The Gong Show,” “Password,” “The Merv Griffin Show,” “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Tonight Show,” “Late Night with David Letterman” in addition to a hosting stint for “The $1.98 Beauty Show” — a parody of beauty contests whose big prize was a bouquet of rotten vegetables.
Taylor saw even more success outside of game shows and late-night TV, headlining Las Vegas’ The Flamingo Hotel’s Rockettes Extravaganza — where he won Entertainer of the Year three consecutive times — and touring the country in lead roles for productions such as “Sugar Babies,” “Anything Goes, Oliver,” “Peter Pan” and...
Taylor, whose high-energy personality and confetti-throwing antics quickly made him a mainstay on television, made appearances on everything from sitcoms to talk shows, including “The Gong Show,” “Password,” “The Merv Griffin Show,” “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Tonight Show,” “Late Night with David Letterman” in addition to a hosting stint for “The $1.98 Beauty Show” — a parody of beauty contests whose big prize was a bouquet of rotten vegetables.
Taylor saw even more success outside of game shows and late-night TV, headlining Las Vegas’ The Flamingo Hotel’s Rockettes Extravaganza — where he won Entertainer of the Year three consecutive times — and touring the country in lead roles for productions such as “Sugar Babies,” “Anything Goes, Oliver,” “Peter Pan” and...
- 10/6/2019
- by Nate Nickolai
- Variety Film + TV
William F. Brown, whose libretto for Broadway’s The Wiz earned him a Tony Award nomination, died yesterday in Westport, Ct, according to his wife and collaborator Tina Tippit. Brown was 91.
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 16, 1928, Brown attended Princeton University, wrote for Look Magazine, served a year in the U.S. Army, and, from 1952-54 was a TV producer for the advertising agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborne (Bbdo), all before launching the freelance writing career that would include contributing comedy sketches and lyrics to nine of cabaret producer Julius Monk’s revues in New York and Chicago through the 1950s and ’60s.
Brown’s Broadway debut came when his play The Girl in the Freudian Slip opened at the Booth Theatre on May 18, 1967. The contemporary comedy about a married psychiatrist who finds himself attracted to a patient ran only four performances but is remembered as the first...
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 16, 1928, Brown attended Princeton University, wrote for Look Magazine, served a year in the U.S. Army, and, from 1952-54 was a TV producer for the advertising agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborne (Bbdo), all before launching the freelance writing career that would include contributing comedy sketches and lyrics to nine of cabaret producer Julius Monk’s revues in New York and Chicago through the 1950s and ’60s.
Brown’s Broadway debut came when his play The Girl in the Freudian Slip opened at the Booth Theatre on May 18, 1967. The contemporary comedy about a married psychiatrist who finds himself attracted to a patient ran only four performances but is remembered as the first...
- 6/24/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Stars: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins | Written by Ruth Goetz, Augustus Goetz | Directed by William Wyler
Ruth and Augustus Goetz adapted their own stage play (itself based on a 19thcentury Henry James novel) for this 1949 melodrama. Directed by William Wyler, just before his mega-budget 1950s period, it’s a small-scale play with big ideas. Like many films of the period, the setting is the high society of New York, except this time the period is the mid-19th century.
Catherine Sloper (Olivia de Havilland) is an enigma. She carries herself with a boyish energy and disarming shyness, more interested in her embroidery than socialising. Socialising in this context means trying to bag a husband, of course. Catherine’s reclusiveness is more of an unwillingness to “present” herself in the cattle market of the upper social echelons. Then she meets the lithe, charming and persuasive Morris Townsend...
Ruth and Augustus Goetz adapted their own stage play (itself based on a 19thcentury Henry James novel) for this 1949 melodrama. Directed by William Wyler, just before his mega-budget 1950s period, it’s a small-scale play with big ideas. Like many films of the period, the setting is the high society of New York, except this time the period is the mid-19th century.
Catherine Sloper (Olivia de Havilland) is an enigma. She carries herself with a boyish energy and disarming shyness, more interested in her embroidery than socialising. Socialising in this context means trying to bag a husband, of course. Catherine’s reclusiveness is more of an unwillingness to “present” herself in the cattle market of the upper social echelons. Then she meets the lithe, charming and persuasive Morris Townsend...
- 6/18/2019
- by Rupert Harvey
- Nerdly
Jim Fowler -- the famous zoologist who made tons of appearances alongside Johnny Carson on the 'Tonight Show' and made a cameo on "Seinfeld" -- has died. The longtime co-host of "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" died Wednesday at his home in Norwalk, Connecticut ... according to his family. The cause of death is unclear. Fowler worked at a raptor sanctuary in Florida before landing his show 'Wild Kingdom' in 1963 ... co-hosting with fellow zoologist Marlin Perkins...
- 5/9/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
1968: The Doctors' Liz was on a ledge, and on the news.
1977: David Hasselhoff performed the Y&R theme song on Merv.
1995: Oltl's Viki had an emotional confrontation with Dorian.
2006: Gh's Port Charles faced an encephalitis outbreak."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1955: On The Road of Life, Sybil Overton (Barbara Becker) became upset when the bank called with news her account was overdrawn. Sybil's father, Conrad Overton (Charles Dingle), later asked attorney Byron Unger if his daughter had a claim on the estate.
1977: David Hasselhoff performed the Y&R theme song on Merv.
1995: Oltl's Viki had an emotional confrontation with Dorian.
2006: Gh's Port Charles faced an encephalitis outbreak."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1955: On The Road of Life, Sybil Overton (Barbara Becker) became upset when the bank called with news her account was overdrawn. Sybil's father, Conrad Overton (Charles Dingle), later asked attorney Byron Unger if his daughter had a claim on the estate.
- 2/2/2019
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
1968: The Doctors' Liz was on a ledge, and on the news.
1977: David Hasselhoff performed the Y&R theme song on Merv.
1995: Oltl's Viki had an emotional confrontation with Dorian.
2006: Gh's Port Charles faced an encephalitis outbreak."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1955: On The Road of Life, Sybil Overton (Barbara Becker) became upset...
1977: David Hasselhoff performed the Y&R theme song on Merv.
1995: Oltl's Viki had an emotional confrontation with Dorian.
2006: Gh's Port Charles faced an encephalitis outbreak."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1955: On The Road of Life, Sybil Overton (Barbara Becker) became upset...
- 2/2/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
August 6th marks Lucille Ball's 106th birthday and getTV is celebrating. Recently, the network announced they are airing a marathon of TV shows featuring Ball in honor of the I Love Lucy star's birthday.The special event will include episodes of The Merv Griffin Show and Van Dyke and Company that feature Lucille Ball, her family, and her friends. The marathon kicks off on getTV on August 6th at 10 p.m. Et.Read More…...
- 8/5/2017
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Long before the Kardashians captured the public's imagination, three sisters from Hungary established that you can become famous just for being famous, with only a dash of acting ability and a whole lot of personality. And with her mellifluous moniker, glittering glamour, multiple marriages and bawdy bon mots, Gabor fully embodied and embraced the role of Hollywood royalty.
All the "daahlings," décolletage and drama were carefully calculated, creating both an air of majesty and mystery that made Gabor irresistible to men, women and the gossip pages, catapulting her past sisters Magda and Eva to a level of fame that allowed her to draw headlines into her 90s.
"I'm a very serious person," Gabor said in a The New Yorker profile decades ago. "I couldn't have built up this idiotic image of myself all these years if I hadn't been serious." Born in Hungary in 1917 as Sari Gabor (although she went out of her way to obfuscate her age...
All the "daahlings," décolletage and drama were carefully calculated, creating both an air of majesty and mystery that made Gabor irresistible to men, women and the gossip pages, catapulting her past sisters Magda and Eva to a level of fame that allowed her to draw headlines into her 90s.
"I'm a very serious person," Gabor said in a The New Yorker profile decades ago. "I couldn't have built up this idiotic image of myself all these years if I hadn't been serious." Born in Hungary in 1917 as Sari Gabor (although she went out of her way to obfuscate her age...
- 12/19/2016
- Entertainment Tonight
For over fifty years, the big, belt voice of Karen Morrow has been filling theatres and TV screens. While audiences across America will fondly remember her numerous appearances on The Merv Griffin Show, it is her live appearances on Broadway, blasting the roof of numerous theatres, that epitomize Karen Morrow. Joining Rob amp Kevin via phone, Karen reminisces on how she became known as 'the flop queen', what it was like to share the spotlight with Buddy Hackett, and how she counted Ethel Merman among her biggest fans.
- 9/5/2016
- by Behind the Curtain
- BroadwayWorld.com
Fans that lament Orson Welles' many career frustrations will flip over this Spanish-filmed masterpiece. Not well distributed when new and Mia for decades, its serious audio problems have now mostly been cleared up. It's great -- right up there with Kane and Touch of Evil, and it features what is probably Welles' best acting. Chimes at Midnight Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 830 1966 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 116 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Falstaff, Campanadas a medianoche / Street Date August 30, 2016 / 39.95 Starring Orson Welles, Keith Baxter, Jeanne Moreau, Margaret Rutherford, John Gielgud, Norman Rodway, Marina Vlady, Walter Chiari, Michael Aldridge, Tony Beckley, Alan Webb, José Nieto, Fernando Rey, Beatrice Welles, Ralph Richardson. Cinematography Edmond Richard Film Editor Fritz Mueller Original Music Angelo Francesco Lavagnino Produced by Alessandro Tasca Directed by Orson Welles
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
It's even better than I remembered. Sometime during film school I went with UCLA friends Clark...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
It's even better than I remembered. Sometime during film school I went with UCLA friends Clark...
- 8/26/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
David Cronenberg swaps his venereal ick-monsters for Samantha Eggar's mater furiosa, an annihilating female who commits her killings as would the villain of a Greek tragedy -- through her offspring. Oliver Reed is the new-age guru of 'Psychoplasmics,' who teaches Eggar to direct her rage in an utterly unique way. The disturbing concept sounds less preposterous when one finds out it was written in response to a brutal divorce experience. Hell hath no fury. The Brood Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 777 1979 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 92 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 13, 2015 / 39.95 Starring Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Henry Beckman, Nuala Fitzgerald, Cindy Hinds, Susan Hogan, Gary McKeehan, Michael Magee, Robert Silverman, Felix Silla. Cinematography Mark Irwin Film Editor Alan Collins Original Music Howard Shore Special Makeup Jack Young, Dennis Pike Art Direction Carol Spier Produced by Claude Héroux Written and Directed by David Cronenberg
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Reviewed by...
- 10/27/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Brood
Written and directed by David Cronenberg
Canada, 1979
Inspired by his own unpleasant divorce, and the subsequent liberation of his daughter just before his ex-wife was able to take the girl to a California cult, David Cronenberg’s The Brood is essentially an ugly, highly unorthodox custody battle. As the great Canadian filmmaker famously quipped, “The Brood is my version of Kramer vs. Kramer [also released in 1979], but more realistic.”
The Brood is Cronenberg’s sixth feature, coming just after the seemingly out of place Fast Company (1979)—not so very odd given the director’s love for automobile racing—and just before his more exemplary breakthrough, Scanners (1981). It is consummate Cronenberg, with a heady mixture of clinically twisted science and the deep psychological strain that inevitably mars said science with corporeal disfigurement.
With his wife, Nola (Samantha Eggar), undergoing treatment at a facility known as the Somafree Institute of Psychoplasmics (a Cronenbergian...
Written and directed by David Cronenberg
Canada, 1979
Inspired by his own unpleasant divorce, and the subsequent liberation of his daughter just before his ex-wife was able to take the girl to a California cult, David Cronenberg’s The Brood is essentially an ugly, highly unorthodox custody battle. As the great Canadian filmmaker famously quipped, “The Brood is my version of Kramer vs. Kramer [also released in 1979], but more realistic.”
The Brood is Cronenberg’s sixth feature, coming just after the seemingly out of place Fast Company (1979)—not so very odd given the director’s love for automobile racing—and just before his more exemplary breakthrough, Scanners (1981). It is consummate Cronenberg, with a heady mixture of clinically twisted science and the deep psychological strain that inevitably mars said science with corporeal disfigurement.
With his wife, Nola (Samantha Eggar), undergoing treatment at a facility known as the Somafree Institute of Psychoplasmics (a Cronenbergian...
- 10/19/2015
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
As we get closer and closer to Halloween, the home entertainment releases on Blu-ray and DVD seem to get better and better, as this Tuesday will see the release of several fantastic cult classics and so much more. On October 13th, Criterion Collection is bringing home David Cronenberg’s terrifying masterpiece The Brood to both Blu and DVD and we’ve also got The Return of Count Yorga to look forward to courtesy of Scream Factory.
For those of you who love a good "bad movie," Synapse Releasing has a restored version of the granddaddy of them all, Manos: The Hands of Fate, arriving on both formats this week as well.
Other notable October 13th releases include a two-disc Blu-ray of the 192os classic The Phantom of the Opera, The Gallows, the 2oth anniversary release of Mosquito, Shakma, Tomorrowland, and the high-def debut of Class of Nuke ’Em High 3.
The Brood (Criterion Collection,...
For those of you who love a good "bad movie," Synapse Releasing has a restored version of the granddaddy of them all, Manos: The Hands of Fate, arriving on both formats this week as well.
Other notable October 13th releases include a two-disc Blu-ray of the 192os classic The Phantom of the Opera, The Gallows, the 2oth anniversary release of Mosquito, Shakma, Tomorrowland, and the high-def debut of Class of Nuke ’Em High 3.
The Brood (Criterion Collection,...
- 10/13/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
“Mommie’S Dearest”
By Raymond Benson
David Cronenberg’s horror films always seem to tackle subjects that involve an unpredictable human body and the terror of your consciousness residing inside of it. He explored parasites in his first mainstream picture, Shivers (aka They Came From Within, 1975), and viral “stingers” than grow in a woman’s armpit in his second, Rabid, 1977. The rest of his movies, leading up to the ultimate statement of being trapped in a horrible body, The Fly (1986), all dealt with some aspect of physical or mental transformation. The Brood, released in 1979, fits right in with Cronenberg’s thematic fascination with flesh and blood. And it’s a corker.
Oliver Reed plays Dr. Raglan, an unorthodox psychotherapist who uses controversial techniques that cause his patients to manifest their inner turmoil and anger into visible, bizarre growths on their bodies. One guy sprouts spots. Another man grows a weird...
By Raymond Benson
David Cronenberg’s horror films always seem to tackle subjects that involve an unpredictable human body and the terror of your consciousness residing inside of it. He explored parasites in his first mainstream picture, Shivers (aka They Came From Within, 1975), and viral “stingers” than grow in a woman’s armpit in his second, Rabid, 1977. The rest of his movies, leading up to the ultimate statement of being trapped in a horrible body, The Fly (1986), all dealt with some aspect of physical or mental transformation. The Brood, released in 1979, fits right in with Cronenberg’s thematic fascination with flesh and blood. And it’s a corker.
Oliver Reed plays Dr. Raglan, an unorthodox psychotherapist who uses controversial techniques that cause his patients to manifest their inner turmoil and anger into visible, bizarre growths on their bodies. One guy sprouts spots. Another man grows a weird...
- 10/9/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
From the time it debuted, on CBS, in the fall of 1963, "The Judy Garland Show" featured guests of which Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and Jimmy Kimmel could only dream: Count Basie, Lena Horne, Bobby Darin, Peggy Lee. The series was, as evidenced by Garland's singing introduction of Barbara Streisand and The Smothers Brothers in the clip below, very much of its time, with swooning, sincere musical numbers and strained comic chatter, and it failed to measure up to NBC's unbeatable "Bonanza." "The Judy Garland Show" was cancelled in 1964, after just one season. Now, the iconic performer of "The Wizard of Oz," "Meet Me in St. Louis," and "A Star Is Born" is returning to television, in getTV's weekly block of classic variety and talk programming. On Monday nights beginning Oct. 12, the network will showcase both "The Judy Garland Show," long considered "lost," and "The Merv Griffin Show,"...
- 10/7/2015
- by Matt Brennan
- Thompson on Hollywood
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