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When you're a performer on a major sitcom, you're probably saddled with some rules and restrictions about what you can and cannot do while you're not filming. Apparently, the creator and showrunner of "The Big Bang Theory" — sitcom legend Chuck Lorre — insisted that nobody make major changes to their hair during the run of the series for continuity purposes, which makes sense; all of the main characters established their individual looks pretty early on in the series, so it stands to reason that they'd all look roughly the same. Still, in precisely one episode, Parsons and his co-stars Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Nayyar — who play Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz, and Raj Koothrappali, in that order — were allowed to sport beards.

In the season 3 premiere "The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation," Leonard, Howard, Raj, and Sheldon return from an expedition to the North Pole where they were conducting research on magnetics,...

There are a few things that even casual fans know about "The Big Bang Theory." For one, it's a show about "nerds." Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons, says "Bazinga!" a lot. Also, the elevator in the building where most of the main characters live is broken for most of the series. So why is that? According to the showrunners, it all came down to the way they wanted to stage the show's "action," so to speak.

During a 2020 appearance at WonderCon, a fan asked about the elevator and whether co-creators Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre ever "considered" fixing it. "That's a great question," panel moderator Wil Wheaton said, before executive producer Steve Holland weighed in: "The elevator being broken actually serves a really important purpose on the show."

"So, one of the things you need is a place for characters to 'walk and talk,'" Prady said in response to Holland.

Once upon a time, there was a sitcom called "Rhoda." It was a spinoff of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and was an instant smash. How instant? Early in the first season, Rhoda got married, and the episode was watched by over 52 million television viewers. It was the highest-rated episode of television in the 1970s until the premiere of "Roots" in 1977, and served as a bit of a sitcom laboratory for James L. Brooks and Allan Burns. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was groundbreaking in its own right, but, at least early in the series, Brooks and his writers were a little looser on "Rhoda."

One of their most brilliant ideas was to introduce a regular character who is heard but never seen. "The Andy Griffith Show" had done this on occasion with Barney Fife's beloved Juanita Beasley, but "Rhoda" turned the alcoholic Carlton the Doorman into something of a sensation.

In the season 8 premiere of "The Big Bang Theory," Kaley Cuoco's character Penny debuted a shocking haircut ... and apparently, the actor sort of regretted it in the first place.

For the previous seven seasons, Penny was known for her flowing blonde locks — and as Cuoco revealed in Jessica Radloff's oral history "'The Big Bang Theory:' The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series" (via Us Weekly), she didn't necessarily tell anyone about the big chop. I"I just f**king cut my hair off and didn't tell anyone," Cuoco said. "I did it for an independent film called 'Burning Bodhi,' and basically showed up to our 'Big Bang' wrap party with short hair."

Not only did Cuoco need to cut her hair for "Burning Bodhi," a 2015 film that co-starred Sasha Pieterse ("Pretty Little Liars") and Meghann Fahy ("The White Lotus), but she was...

Television history is littered with failed sitcoms headlined by comedians that audiences seem to love — in the right show. Turn up in a stinker, however, and the shows are gone in a blink. Matthew Perry was great in Friends, but no one wanted Mr. Sunshine. Audiences adored McLean Stevenson in M*A*S*H but said goodbye to Hello Larry. Jon Cryer scored with Two and Half Men but was booted from his Extended Family this year.

Here are four more comedy stars who flopped multiple times while trying to get sitcoms off the ground…

1 Jason Bateman

Bateman received two well-deserved Emmy nominations for his performance as Michael Bluth in Arrested Development, recognition that came decades after his breakthrough as a Tiger Beat cover boy in Silver Spoons and The Hogan Family. In between, however, he starred in several sitcom flops that lasted a year or less, including It’s Your Move...

The Disney Plus streaming app on a smartphone. Disney is set to shut down its TV Everywhere apps in favor of Disney Plus and Hulu next month. (Photo by Mika Baumeister via Unsplash)

The Walt Disney Company will shut down most of its smartphone and smart TV apps that are associated with its broadcast and cable networks in September.

The move will impact “TV Everywhere” apps like FX Now, ABC, Disney Now, Nat Geo TV and Freeform that require a cable, satellite or streaming cable-like subscription to use. Those apps allowed customers to watch on-demand episodes and movies that aired across Disney-owned networks, as well as live east and west coast feeds of Freeform, FX, Fxx and National Geographic, as well as their local ABC station or affiliate if available.

Customers are being notified that their access to these apps will end on September 23, at which point they’ve been...

Mitzi McCall, the trailblazing comedian, actress and half of the comedy duo McCall and Brill, died Thursday in Burbank. She was 93.

Born on Sept. 9, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, her comedic talents were evident early in life, leading to a distinguished career that spanned over seven decades. She emerged as a prominent voice in the male-dominated comedy world, paving the way for future generations of female comedians.

McCall’s legacy is perhaps most enduringly marked by her work with her husband, actor and comedian Charlie Brill, as part of the comedy duo “McCall and Brill.” The pair became television staples, gracing numerous variety shows, including a memorable appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” during The Beatles’ American debut in 1964 — a moment that has since become television history.

Mitzi’s career began in the late 1940s with a stage debut at the Pittsburgh Playhouse in “Strange Bedfellows” in 1948. In the early 1950s, she...

Comedian and actress Mitzi McCall of comedy duo McCall and Brill died Thursday at 93 years old, according to a statement from her representative. She died in Burbank at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, surrounded by loved ones.

McCall began in the 1950s and made a name for herself on the comedy scene. She was best known for her work as a team with her husband, Charlie Brill. They became mainstays on the era’s variety shows, including “The Ed Sullivan Show” — and were even on the episodes where The Beatles made their American debut.

“Mitzi McCall’s life was a testament to the power of laughter, and her influence on the world of comedy will be remembered for years to come,” the statement from her representative reads. “Her legacy will live on through the countless laughs she inspired and the doors she opened for future generations.”

She appeared on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In...

Mitzi McCall, whose five-decade resume in entertainment included 11 films, 14 TV shows and many animated series voice-overs, died August 8 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank at age 93. No details on cause were immediately available.

Her husband and comedy partner, Charlie Brill, confirmed her death in a Facebook post. “I lost my Mitzi last night. Rest in peace my one and only love…Rest in peace and laughter.”

McCall and Brill appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, better known as the U.S. television debut of The Beatles; the pair’s act can be seen on the DVD of the Beatles’ appearance on the show. They were interviewed in 2005 for Public Radio International’s “Big Break” episode of This American Life regarding their Beatles-Sullivan experience, including a dressing room encounter with John Lennon.

McCall started her entertainment career on the Kiddie Castle program on Kdka-tv in Pittsburgh.

aThe Disney Plus streaming app on a smartphone. (Photo by Mika Baumeister via Unsplash)

The Walt Disney Company is looking at different ways to make its direct-to-consumer streaming apps more “sticky” with subscribers, and is considering the launch of “pop-up” content streams based around some of its intellectual property, according to a report.

This week, the Wall Street Journal said executives and developers at Disney have discussed linear content streams that offer shows like “The Simpsons” and movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a way to reach streamers who want a “lean-back” experience akin to traditional broadcast or cable TV channels.

The idea would not be entirely new for Disney: Last year, The Desk was first to reveal the existence of around two dozen free, ad-supported content streams within Disney’s ABC app for phones, tablets and smart TVs, which offer re-runs of shows like “General Hospital,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition...

The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik has opened up about one very significant rule while working with Chuck Lorre on the popular sitcom. The actress took on the role of Amy Farrah Fowler starting in Season 3 and recently reprised her role alongside Jim Parsons in Young Sheldon.

A still from The Big Bang Theory | CBS

Her time working on the Emmy-winning TV series helped her gain many insights into comedy. One crucial lesson was a key rule that showrunner Chuck Lorre adhered to was to always prioritize the audience’s perception of what’s funny.

Mayim Bialik Reveals Chuck Lorre’s Golden Rule for Comedy Success

One of the many names behind the success of hit shows like The Big Bang Theory, Dharma & Greg, and Cybill, has been Chuck Lorre, who is also known as the ‘King of Sitcoms.’ And actress Mayim Bialik has revealed the secret behind his success.

On June 6, the first two episodes of the new season of one of the longest-running crime shows on television, Criminal Minds, will be released.

And although many of the stars of the Bau team have returned for the project's reboot, Evolution, some, for one reason or another, have yet to join them.

1. Dr. Spencer Reid played by Matthew Gray Gubler

Matthew Gray Gubler got the role of Dr. Spencer Reid after Lukas Haas turned it down. The role of Reid, a child prodigy with a photographic memory and phenomenal orientation in various fields of human knowledge, was perfect for Haas, but he was unwilling to balance his life and career with the strict schedule of TV filming and ended up playing only one of the antagonists of the first season.

The much less famous Gray Gubler fit the role like a glove – so much so that fans of the series...

Leanne Morgan’s current tour is called Just Getting Started, and the 58-year-old comedian is living up to that with a comedy series and two more specials at Netflix. The streamer has given a 16-episode order to an untitled multi-cam sitcom, headlined by Morgan in her TV acting debut and executive produced by top comedy showrunner Chuck Lorre. Additionally, Netflix has picked up two more stand-up specials from Morgan following the success of her first one, the 2023 Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman.

Co-created by Morgan, Lorre and Susan McMartin, the Untitled Leanne Morgan Project will follow Leanne whose life is upended when her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman. Starting over when you’re a grandmother and in menopause isn’t exactly what she had in mind, but with the help of her family, she will navigate this new chapter with grace, dignity and jello salad.

"The Love Boat" holds a fascinating place in pop culture history. While most of the shows with reruns playing in heavy rotation today were in some way groundbreaking upon their initial release, "The Love Boat" is a novelty the likes of which modern TV rarely – if ever – tries to emulate. An anthology-like rom-com set aboard a cruise ship, "The Love Boat" featured a revolving door of guest stars and little connective tissue to speak of aside from the cast playing the crew aboard the ship.

The deeply '70s series earned high ratings for much of its run, yet was considered pretty silly even at the time of its release. John J. O'Connor called it a "dreadful porridge of a conception" in The New York Times, while the Orlando Sentinel's Noel Holston said it needed "sharper writing, better casting, more original situations, an end to the indefatigable laugh track or,...

Jack Axelrod, the actor who played the role of Victor Jerome on General Hospital, has died. He was 93.

Multiple reports indicate that Axelrod died on Nov. 28 of natural causes in Los Angeles.

Axelrod was featured on the ABC soap for 40 episodes between 1987 and 1989. He had previously made guest appearances in Kojak (1977), Hill Street Blues (1984), Dallas (1983), The Judge (1986), Dynasty (1987), Outlaws (1987) and Night Court (1989).

“I had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with him in his last years, as he had no immediate family,” representative Jennifer Garland said in a statement to EW. “We spent much time outdoors, where Jack loved to sketch, read news articles, and recite Shakespearean sonnets.”

Following his stint on General Hospital, Axelrod went on to play Arnie Zimmer on three episodes of Knots Landing between 1989 and 1990. Guest appearances would follow on shows like Murphy Brown (1992), Everybody Loves Raymond (1999), Boys Meets World (1999), Good vs Evil (1999), Jack & Jill...

Jack Axelrod, an actor whose screen career lasted for nearly a half century, has died. He was 93 years old. Axelrod’s rep said that the actor died of natural causes in Los Angeles on November 28, as The Hollywood Reporter announced on Friday. The earliest entry in Axelrod’s filmography is his role as Arroyo in the 1971 Woody Allen comedy film Bananas. During the 1970s and 1980s, he had small roles in the TV shows Kojak, Hill Street Blues, Dynasty, Night Court, and Knots Landing. He also starred as mob boss Victor Jerome on the ABC soap General Hospital between 1987 and 1989. As the 20th century wrapped up, Axelrod guest-starred on Murphy Brown, Everybody Loves Raymond, Boy Meets World, and Dharma & Greg. In the new millennium, TV viewers saw him on Alias, Frasier, Malcolm in the Middle, Scrubs, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Gale Adler/ABC/Courtesy: Everett Collection In Seasons 3 and 4 of Grey’s Anatomy,...

Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for “The Crown” Season 6, streaming on Netflix now.

The final episodes of “The Crown” have dropped and, as Netflix boss Ted Sarandos pointed out at the premiere of Season 5, that means Google searches will be going up, since many fans like to fact-check scenes from Peter Morgan’s royal drama while they watch.

“This is the story of Queen Elizabeth. This is the story of the royal family. Peter has told and dramatised these stories, some very memorable, some forgotten, judging by the Google activity that happens every time we drop a new season,” said Sarandos at the premiere last November.

Annie Sulzberger, who is head of research on the show, said that if fans spot discrepancies between real events and those on “The Crown,” those are intentional. “This is a drama, and dramatists have to look at history differently,” she told Variety. “These are not inaccuracies.

Susan Sullivan is on the mend.

After sharing a cryptic photo of herself in a hospital gown earlier this week, the Falcon Crest and Castle vet revealed Tuesday on X (formerly known as Twitter) that she recently underwent surgery to treat lung cancer.

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“Thanks for all the lovely comments and concerns,” Sullivan, 80, wrote. “I had lung cancer. The surgery was successful. The healing process is a struggle.”

Sullivan alarmed fans on Monday when she...

Jenna Elfman is an actor who blew up on the pop culture scene in the mid-90s. After beginning her professional career as a dancer, she transitioned into TV. She landed her popular role in Dharma & Greg around this time. As an actor Elfman’s personal life and religious affiliation make headlines. Notably, she is a proud Scientologist. In spite of the controversy surrounding the religion, she has always stood by the church. In a 2020 interview, Elfman even slammed the Scientology controversy as “boring.”

Jenna Elfman is a high-profile Scientologist Actress Jenna Elfman arrives at the premiere of Disney’s ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’ at the El Capitan Theatre on May 23, 2016 in Hollywood, California. | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Scientology is a religion that has caused a lot of controversy and rumors. And with so many high-profile celebrities extolling the virtues of Scientology, it’s no wonder that some fans have questions about it.

It’s the new year, and there are a lot of new shows and films coming to Amazon Prime Video, including the Jennifer Lopez-led comedy “Shotgun Wedding” and Season 2 of the platform’s animated fantasy series “The Legend of Vox Machina.”

If you’re not in the gym working on those New Year’s resolutions, you can go on an comedic adventure with Prime Video’s “Shotgun Wedding,” which stars Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel who play a couple that attempts to wrangle their family members together for an ultimate designation wedding. However, things take a dark turn when the couple starts to get cold feet, and the entire wedding ends up being held hostage. The film drops on Prime Video Jan. 27.

As for shows, “Hunters” returns Jan. 13 with its second and final season. The series follows a group of skilled Nazi hunters who are on a mission to...

Prime Video and Amazon Freevee are ringing in the new year with an impressive slate of titles coming to their libraries in January 2023. Among the highlights is the long-awaited second season of Hunters starring Logan Lerman and Al Pacino as well as the Jennifer Lopez–Josh Duhamel flick Shotgun Wedding. And don’t miss the return of The Legend of Vox Machina which delivers its second season to the streamer this month. Plus, Judy Justice will return for Season 2 on Freevee in the new year. See the full list of titles coming to Prime Video and Amazon Freevee, below. Available for Streaming on Prime Video: January 1 Dharma & Greg S1-5 Invader Zim Nella the Princess Knight Shimmer and Shine 12 O’Clock High S1-3 Welcome to Flatch 50/50 A.I. Artificial Intelligence After Earth Akeelah and the Bee Ali Antwone Fisher Are We There Yet? Baby Boy Barbershop 2: Back in Business A.

The new year is upon us and Amazon Prime Video is kicking things off in grand fashion. Not only are they debuting the third season of their Tom Clancy adaptation “Jack Ryan,” they’re also debuting the final season of the ambitious, Al Pacino-starring actioner “Hunters.”

Initially debuting to the service in February of 2020, right as the pandemic started, the series’ first season follows a ragtag group of Nazi hunters in 1977 New York City. The so-called Hunters discover that hundreds of high-ranking Nazi officials are living in the United States and are conspiring to create a Fourth Reich in America. The Nazi hunters, led by Pacino, will embark on a bloody quest to bring the Nazis to justice and thwart their genocidal plans. The series concluded in 2020 and has taken some time to get back to screens. Unfortunately, this second season will be a finale as well so fans...

Sad news to report today that it was announced today that Cheers star Kirstie Alley has died at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer.

The news of Kirstie Alley’s death was shared by her children on her official social media pages. “To all our friends, far and wide around the world… We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered,” the statement reads. “She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead. As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.” The statement continues: “We are grateful to the incredible team of doctors and nurses at the Moffitt Cancer Center for their care. Our mother’s zest and passion for life,...

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“The following is a true story. Except for cutting the boring shit and making up a bunch of stuff, this really happened.”

So opens Sex, Drugs and a Sitcom, a wild TV pilot script written by überproducer Chuck Lorre about the tumultuous time he spent steering the ship at Two and a Half Men. The series starred, of course, Charlie Sheen, then one of the highest-paid actors on TV, before he was fired in 2011 after publicly attacking Lorre, launching antisemitic insults and calling him a “turd” and a “clown.”

The script, obtained by THR, is dated June 15, 2022. According to a source, Lorre shopped it around town but didn’t set it up — though there’s little doubt it dropped a few jaws with its raucous, no-holds-barred account of what (possibly?) went on behind the scenes.

After opening with a fired-up Sheen being interviewed...

HBO Max has given an eight-episode straight-to-series order to How To Be a Bookie, the first comedy for the streamer from one of Warner Bros. Television’s top showrunners, Chuck Lorre, co-creator/exec producer of HBO Max’s most watched off-network series, The Big Bang Theory. Actor-comedian Sebastian Maniscalco (The Irishman) is set to star in the single-camera series, which Lorre is co-writing with one of his close associates over the past decade, Nick Bakay. It is comedy king Lorre’s first sale since the start of the pandemic.

In How To Be a Bookie, a veteran bookie (Maniscalco) struggles to survive the impending legalization of sports gambling, increasingly unstable clients, family, co-workers, and a lifestyle that bounces him around every corner of Los Angeles, high and low.

“It’s an absolute dream to work with Sebastian Maniscalco — whom I’ve been a fan of for years,” Lorre said. “To...

One of John Mayer's songs will serve as the basis for a "major" new movie.

During a concert last night, the seven-time Grammy Award winner announced that "Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967," a song from his 2012 album "Born & Raised," is being adapted into a film. The concert was live-streamed online in an effort to raise money to support the Montana community where he's lived for more than a decade, which experienced devastating flooding earlier this summer.

"I want to say one thing that might get me in trouble, 'cause that's what I do," Mayer said after finishing a rendition of "Walt Grace" on stage. "That song is soon to be a major motion picture. It's true. It's true. It's going to be a movie."

"Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967" is one of the most novelistic songs in Mayer's extensive discography. While his typical sound encompasses soulful ballads, blistering guitar jams,...

Chuck Lorre, the producer behind “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men” and many other TV hits, is separating from his wife of nearly four years, Arielle Lorre.

The two were married in September 2018. Arielle Lorre is a lifestyle influencer who is known for her active presence on Instagram and YouTube with a focus on health and wellness. The couple confirmed their split in a joint statement to Variety.

“It is with mutual consideration and respect that we have decided to separate. Our plan is to move forward in different directions but with great love, admiration and gratitude for the time we shared. We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time. Thank you for your support,” the statement said.

Chuck Lorre ranks among the most successful producers in Hollywood and is among the most prolific TV producers of the past four decades. Among his other...

Warner Bros. Television Group adds to its growing roster of talent by signing a new first-look deal with writer/producer Bill Prady and Chris Sanagustin’s Pine Tree Entertainment.

Under the terms of the deal, Pine Tree Entertainment will develop new scripted programming — including dramas, multi- and single-camera comedies, genre series, and more — for all platforms, including HBO Max, external streaming services, cable, and broadcast networks. Financial terms of the multi-year agreement were not disclosed.

“It’s exciting for Chris and me to be back at Warner Bros., a studio I first called home almost two decades ago,” Prady said. “We are thrilled to partner with a creative team that shares our vision for innovative television and the championing of new voices.”

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The deal brings both Prady and Sanagustin back into the Wbtv fold. Prady co-created...

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Bill Prady, the co-creator of one of television’s most successful comedies in the past few decades, is returning to the studio behind it.

The Big Bang Theory alum has signed a new multiple-year, first-look deal with Warner Bros. Television, the Channing Dungey-led studio that Prady had called home until 2020 when he signed with Netflix.

Under the new multiple-year deal, Prady and his Pine Tree Entertainment banner will develop new scripted programs for multiple platforms, including HBO Max, outside streaming services, cable and broadcast networks.

The deal reunites Prady with Dungey, who, in her previous role at Netflix, recruited him to the streamer a couple of years ago. Prady will make the move back to Warners alongside his Pine Tree topper Chris Sanagustin.

“It’s exciting for Chris and me to be back at Warner Bros., a studio I first called home almost two decades ago,...

Bill Prady, co-creator of The Big Bang Theory, is heading back to Warner Bros. Television.

Prady’s Pine Tree Entertainment, which he runs with former Netflix exec Chris Sanagustin, has struck a first-look deal with the studio behind the long-running CBS sitcom that Prady co-created with Chuck Lorre.

It comes just two years after Prady struck a first-look deal with Netflix.

The new multi-year deal will see Pine Tree develop scripted programming including multi- and single-camera comedies, dramas and genre series, for a variety of platforms including HBO Max, cable and broadcast networks and non-Warner Bros.-owned streamers.

In addition to reuniting Prady with the studio behind 279 episodes of The Big Bang Theory, it also reunites him with Warner Bros. Television Group Chairman Channing Dungey, who signed Prady to his Netflix deal. The deal also sees Sanagustin return to the studio, where she got her first Hollywood gig as a production assistant.

Bill Prady and Chris Sanagustin’s Pine Tree Entertainment has set a multi-year first-look deal with Warner Bros. Television.

Prady is best known for co-creating the hit Wbtv series “The Big Bang Theory” with Chuck Lorre, while Sanagustin got her start as a production assistant on a Wbtv series. Under the deal, Pine Tree Entertainment will develop scripted programming for all platforms, including HBO Max, external streamers, cable, and broadcast.

“It’s exciting for Chris and me to be back at Warner Bros., a studio I first called home almost two decades ago,” Prady said. “We are thrilled to partner with a creative team that shares our vision for innovative television and the championing of new voices.”

“The Big Bang Theory” ran for 12 seasons and 279 episodes on CBS, which makes it the longest-running multi-cam series in TV history. Prady began his career at Jim Henson Productions and went on to write for shows like “Married…...

John Aylward, the actor best known for his recurring roles in popular NBC dramas “ER” and “The West Wing,” died Monday in Seattle from natural causes, his agent Mitchell K. Stubbs confirmed to Variety. He was 75.

Born and raised in Seattle, Aylward graduated from the University of Washington’s school of drama in 1970. He got his start as a theater actor, founding Seattle’s Empty Space Theatre in 1973. He served as a regular in Seattle Repertory Theatre for 15 years.

After getting his start in television with small roles on television films — including “The Secret Life of John Chapman,” “Stamp of a Killer,” “Third Degree Burn,” “Child in the Night” and “With a Vengeance” — Aylward began working more frequently on television in the ’90s, starting with a recurring role on “Northern Exposure.” Other television shows he had notable recurring and guest spots on over the course of his career included “Grace Under Fire,...

Actor Mitchell Ryan, who had a career in stage, film and TV lasting more than 50 years, has died at the age of 88.

Ryan was best known for appearing in Lethal Weapon, and for his role in the TV sitcom Dharma & Greg.

Other roles included soap operas Dark Shadows in the 1960s and Santa Barbara in the 1980s.

Ryan was born in Cincinnati and served in the US Navy before pursuing theater work. For over a decade, he worked on stage almost every night, both on and off Broadway.

His distinctive looks with a firm jaw and sleek hair led to screen parts too, his first uncredited role in the 1958 Robert Mitchum film Thunder Road.

His breakout performance came in 1966 with Dark Shadows, a TV soap opera about the lives of the wealthy Collins family. Ryan played ex-convict Burke Devlin for one season but was fired because of his alcoholism,...

‘Dark Shadows’ actor Mitchell Ryan passed away on Friday in Los Angeles. The actor, who was 88 years old, is also known for his work in ‘Dharma & Greg’ and movies including ‘Magnum Force’ and ‘High Plains Drifter’, reports ‘Variety’. His agent confirmed the news of his departure to ‘Variety’. Kathryn Leigh Scott, who portrayed […]...

At 88-years-old, beloved character actor Mitchell Ryan has died. The film, television, and stage performer had a career that spanned over six decades, delivering iconic performances as Burke Devlin on the original run of "Dark Shadows," Thomas Gibson's father Edward Montgomery on "Dharma & Greg," the ranch hand Shorty Austin in "Monte Walsh," and the mega-villain Peter McAllister in "Lethal Weapon." Ryan died of congestive heart failure at his home in Los Angeles as reported by his stepdaughter Denise Freed. Additional survivors include his wife, Barbara, and grandchildren Ashley, Jacqueline, Olivia, Kaila, and Noah.

Ryan was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and raised in...

The post Mitchell Ryan, Lethal Weapon and Grosse Pointe Blank Actor, Dies at 88 appeared first on /Film.

Mitchell Ryan, a veteran film and television actor who captivated daytime television fans in his role as Burke Devlin on the groundbreaking daytime soap Dark Shadows, has died. He was 88 years old and no cause of death was given.

His former costar Kathryn Leigh Scott shared the news on Facebook.

“My sweet, beloved friend Mitch died early this morning,” Scott wrote. “He was a great gift in my life. I cherish my warm memories of his beautiful soul. I’m heartbroken.”

Ryan and Scott played love interests Burke Devlin and Maggie Evans on Dark Shadows. That was before the vampire Barnabas Collins (played by Jonathan Frid) made a victim of Maggie. Ryan left the series in 1967 and was replaced by Anthony George in the role.

Born on January 11, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ryan made his acting debut in the play Thunder Road at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. From there, he moved to Broadway,...

Mitchell Ryan, who played the father of Thomas Gibson’s character on “Dharma & Greg,” died Friday in Los Angeles. He was 88.

Ryan suffered from congestive heart failure, his stepdaughter Denise Freed said.

Kathryn Leigh Scott, his co-star on the 1960s gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows,” remembered him in a private post on Facebook. “My sweet, beloved friend Mitch died early this morning,” she wrote on Friday. “He was a great gift in my life. I cherish my warm memories of his beautiful soul. I’m heartbroken.”

A post by Kathryn Lee Scott.

Mitchell Ryan, an actor known for roles in “Dark Shadows,” “Dharma & Greg” and movies including “Magnum Force” and “High Plains Drifter,” died Friday in Los Angeles, his agent confirmed. He was 88.

Soap opera fans may remember Ryan best for his role of Burke Devlin on “Dark Shadows,” a gothic soap that aired on ABC in the late 60s and early 70s. Ryan played Burke until 1967, when he was replaced by Anthony George.

Kathryn Leigh Scott, who portrayed several roles on “Dark Shadows,” shared thoughts on her costar’s death in a Friday Facebook post.

“My sweet, beloved friend Mitch died early this morning,” Scott wrote. “He was a great gift in my life. I cherish my warm memories of his beautiful soul. I’m heartbroken.”

In addition to his work as Burke Devlin on “Dark Shadows” and Edward Montgomery “Dharma and Greg,” Ryan’s career included dozens of other...

Not since tech billionaire Walden Schmidt descended upon Two and a Half Men‘s Malibu beach house 10 years ago has a Chuck Lorre sitcom suddenly been infused with so much wealth.

During B Positive‘s Season 2 premiere, Gina discovers that one of her favorite residents at Valley Hills retirement home — Mr. Knudsen, played in Season 1 by The Love Boat‘s Bernie Kopell — has died, and he’s left her a generous nest egg: $48 million. (It’ll be $24 million after taxes, an attorney tells her, which is still enough to induce a sudden orgasm.)

More from TVLine'b Positive' Boss Chuck Lorre...

Amanda Bearse (Married…with Children) has found one of the first roles of a newly rebooted screen career in Universal Pictures’ history-making rom-com Bros—the first studio film to feature an entirely LGBTQ+ principal cast, with queer actors taking on queer roles, as well as all heterosexual characters.

She joins an all-star ensemble led by Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane, which also includes Ts Madison, Miss Lawrence, Symone, Guillermo Diaz and Guy Branum.

Bros is billed as a smart, swoony and heartfelt comedy about two gay men—played by Eichner and Macfarlane—maybe, possibly, probably, stumbling towards love…Maybe. They’re both very busy.

Bearse will portray the mother of Macfarlane’s character.

Nicholas Stoller is directing from a script he co-wrote with Eichner. Judd Apatow is producing alongside Stoller and Josh Church, with Eichner exec producing. Universal’s Senior EVP of Production Erik Baiers will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.

Jamie Tarses, the TV executive and producer who was the first woman to head a Big Three network entertainment division, was remembered Monday by former colleagues and television executives as a gifted, whip-smart “force of nature” who forged a path for others in a male-dominated industry.

Tarses died Monday at the age of 56. Her passing shocked the industry as she came up the ranks and remained a respected figure among the generation of industry executives who came up in the 1990s.

Tarses is credited with helping to pave the way for other women at the top of TV. Walt Disney Television chairman Dana Walden and 20th Television president Karey Burke both hailed Tarses as a mentor. Tarses “shattered stereotypes and ideas about what a female executive could achieve, and paved the way for others, at a cost to herself,” said Burke.

She leaves a strong legacy of spotting talent ranging...

It’s hard to believe now, but it took until 1996 for the broadcast networks to finally hire their first-ever female entertainment president, when ABC recruited Jamie Tarses away from NBC to take the job. There had been a handful of other women in powerful slots, including Lucie Salhany, who was briefly chair of the Fox Broadcasting Co. before launching Upn. But until streaming upended the business, “entertainment president” was the most visible, and arguably the most important, leadership job at a network. And until Tarses, it had been all men.

Tarses’ rise at ABC coincided with the start of my career as a cub reporter, covering the network TV business in Los Angeles, and one of my first duties was to chronicle the tenure of the young trailblazer. But from the start, Tarses was faced with many in Hollywood looking to tear her down — be it rivals jealous of her age,...

Jamie Tarses, one of the most dynamic television executives of her era who helped build NBC’s Must-See TV lineup and went on to become the first woman to lead a Big Three network programming division, died Monday following complications from a cardiac event last fall, according to Tarses’ family. She was 56.

Tarses was born into the industry as the daughter of famed comedy writer-producer Jay Tarses. As a network executive, she made a big splash at NBC in the early 1990s, developing “Friends” and “Mad About You.” She made headlines when she moved over to ABC Entertainment as president during a turbulent era for the network and then-new parent company, Disney.

By age 32, Tarses was the first woman to head a network entertainment division — and one of the youngest execs ever to lead a Big Three — in her role as ABC Entertainment president from 1996 to 1999. During her tenure, she...

Jamie Tarses, the pioneering former ABC Entertainment president, died at 56 after suffering complications from a cardiac event last fall, according to her family. She was 56.

Tarses, who led ABC Entertainment from 1996 to 1999, made history as the first woman to run a broadcast network division. She was a prolific producer as well, leaving a mark at NBC, where she helped develop shows like “Friends” and “Mad About You.”

At ABC, Tarses was responsible for shows like “Dharma & Greg,” Aaron Sorkin’s “Sports Night,” David E. Kelley’s “The Practice” and Ryan Reynolds’ debut, “Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place.” After she left there in 1999, she produced works like “My Boys,” “Happy Endings” and “Marry Me.”

The longtime television producer adapted to the world of streaming, too. Most recently, she produced “The Wilds” for Amazon in 2020 and “The Mysterious Benedict Society” for Disney+. It will debut in 2021.

Her brother...

Jamie Tarses, who broke the glass ceiling for female TV executives as the first woman to run a network entertainment division, passed away this morning from complications stemming from a cardiac event she suffered last fall, according to her family. She was 56.

A superstar TV executive, Tarses was instrumental in developing such iconic shows as NBC’s Friends and Frasier and reached the pinnacle of the network programming executive ladder by age 32, becoming president of ABC Entertainment. Young and phenomenally successful, Tarses transcended the media business to become a bona fide celebrity who was both admired and scrutinized. The enormous pressure of the job and relentless media attention took a toll on her tenure, which Tarses followed with a successful second career as a TV producer of such popular shows as ABC’s Happy Endings, TBS’ My Boys, TNT’s Franklin & Bash and Amazon Prime Video’s The Wilds.

Sunday’s episode of The Simpsons (Fox, 8/7c) includes one of the series’ most meta moments yet, bringing Yeardley Smith (aka the voice of Lisa Simpson) to Springfield… as herself!

Before your head explodes, allow us to explain: The episode, titled “Podcast News,” finds Grampa Simpson accused of a scandalous crime, which attracts the attention of Smith, who happens to produce and co-host a true crime podcast called “Small Town Dicks” in real life. (Deep breath. We’re done.)

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The Twilight Zone is back… and it’s throwing some unexplained phenomena at Chris Meloni and Jenna Elfman.

The Law & Order: Svu alum and Dharma & Greg star play grieving parents in the Season 2 installment “A Human Face” — debuting Thursday on CBS All Access — and in the exclusive sneak peek above, Meloni’s character Robert tries to calm down his wife Barbara, played by Elfman, after they’ve seen something that’s clearly shaken both of them to the core. He theorizes that it must be the result of a “cosmic flare,” but she thinks it’s something closer to home…...

In case you need an escape from the real-life Twilight Zone that is 2020, CBS All Access will gladly take you to another dimension this summer.

The streaming service’s Twilight Zone reboot will return on Thursday, June 25, TVLine has learned. All 10 episodes of Season 2 will be made available at that time, which differs from the first season’s weekly rollout.

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Hosted by horror auteur Jordan Peele,...

Fourteen more stars have been added to the cast of Season 2 of Jordan Peele’s “Twilight Zone” reboot at CBS All Access, including Kylie Bunbury, Sky Ferreira, Topher Grace, David Krumholtz, Greta Lee, Thomas Lennon, Natalie Martinez, Brandon Jay McLaren, Gretchen Mol, Paula Newsome, Tawny Newsome, Jurnee Smollett, Paul F. Tompkins and Damon Wayans Jr.

These new additions to the upcoming 10-episode season, which is set to premiere this summer on the streaming service, join a lineup that includes Billy Porter, Joel McHale, Tony Hale, Morena Baccarin, Colman Domingo, Ethan Embry, Jenna Elfman, Tavi Gevinson, Abbie Hern, Gillian Jacobs, Sophia Macy, Chris Meloni, Jimmi Simpson and Daniel Sunjata.

Peele, who narrates the series, will also write the episode, “Downtime,” which features Baccarin, Domingo and Hale.

Also Read: Billy Porter, Joel McHale and Tony Hale Among 14 Cast in 'Twilight Zone' Season 2

CBS All Access’ “The Twilight Zone” is executive...

The second season of the CBS All Access anthology reboot of The Twilight Zone has added a robust list of cast members that will travel through another dimension…a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A dimension called The Twilight Zone.

Added to the 10-episode sophomore season of Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg’s reimagining of the classic sci-fi series is Kylie Bunbury, Sky Ferreira, Topher Grace, David Krumholtz, Thomas Lennon, Natalie Martinez, Gretchen Mol, Paula Newsome, Jurnee Smollett, Damon Wayans Jr., among others.

Some highlights for the newly announced slate of actors include the episode titled “Ovation” which is directed by Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) and written by Emily C. Chang and Sara Amini. The episode is stacked with Ferreira, Smollett-Bell as well as Tawny Newsome, Paul F. Tompkins and Thomas Lennon.