Elizabeth MacRae, known for her recurring roles in General Hospital and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., has died. She was 88.
MacRae died on May 27 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she grew up.
After graduating, MacRae pursued a career in acting and auditioned for Otto Preminger’s production of Saint Joan in 1956. Although she didn’t land a role, she continued to pursue acting. She moved to New York City where she studied with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio and gained experience in off-Broadway productions.
MacRae landed her first television role playing a witness in the courtroom series The Verdict Is Yours. Over a career that spanned 25 years, MacRae would be featured in television shows like Route 66, Surfside 6, Rendezvous, The Fugitive, Judd for the Defense, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, I Dream of Jeannie, The Andy Griffith Show, and many more.
One of her most prominent roles was in Gomer Pyle,...
MacRae died on May 27 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she grew up.
After graduating, MacRae pursued a career in acting and auditioned for Otto Preminger’s production of Saint Joan in 1956. Although she didn’t land a role, she continued to pursue acting. She moved to New York City where she studied with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio and gained experience in off-Broadway productions.
MacRae landed her first television role playing a witness in the courtroom series The Verdict Is Yours. Over a career that spanned 25 years, MacRae would be featured in television shows like Route 66, Surfside 6, Rendezvous, The Fugitive, Judd for the Defense, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, I Dream of Jeannie, The Andy Griffith Show, and many more.
One of her most prominent roles was in Gomer Pyle,...
- 5/29/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Dabney Coleman, the American character actor best known as the sexist boss in 1980 comedy 9 To 5, has died. He was 92.
Born in Texas, Coleman served in the US Army in Europe in the 1950s and studied law at university before beginning his screen career in the 1960s with appearances in TV series including The Outer Limits, The Fugitive and Bonanza. His early feature films included Downhill Racer and The Towering Inferno.
He became more widely recognised after appearing alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton in Twentieth Century Fox comedy 9 To 5, a major hit by the...
Born in Texas, Coleman served in the US Army in Europe in the 1950s and studied law at university before beginning his screen career in the 1960s with appearances in TV series including The Outer Limits, The Fugitive and Bonanza. His early feature films included Downhill Racer and The Towering Inferno.
He became more widely recognised after appearing alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton in Twentieth Century Fox comedy 9 To 5, a major hit by the...
- 5/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
On Thursday, May 9 at 3:00 p.m. Et/12:00 p.m. Pt, podcaster Alan Locher will be joined by several friends and former co-stars of Marj Dusay, the beloved actress who portrayed such memorable characters as Alexandra Spaulding on “Guiding Light” and Vanessa Bennett on “All My Children,” among others, for a special tribute episode of “The Locher Room” dedicated in her honor.
Actors Vincent Irizarry, Ron Raines and Nicholas Walker, each of whom played a family member of one of Dusay’s characters throughout her daytime drama career, are set to appear on the live show.
On “All My Children,” Irizarry portrayed David Hayward, the eldest child of Dusay’s scene-stealing character. He played a similar capacity on “Guiding Light,” where he appeared as Alexandra’s twin boys, Brandon “Lujack” Luvonaczek and Nick McHenry-Spaulding. On the CBS soap, Raines portrayed Alan Spaulding, Alexandra’s brother.
Dusay made her foray...
Actors Vincent Irizarry, Ron Raines and Nicholas Walker, each of whom played a family member of one of Dusay’s characters throughout her daytime drama career, are set to appear on the live show.
On “All My Children,” Irizarry portrayed David Hayward, the eldest child of Dusay’s scene-stealing character. He played a similar capacity on “Guiding Light,” where he appeared as Alexandra’s twin boys, Brandon “Lujack” Luvonaczek and Nick McHenry-Spaulding. On the CBS soap, Raines portrayed Alan Spaulding, Alexandra’s brother.
Dusay made her foray...
- 5/9/2024
- by Errol Lewis
- Soap Opera Network
10. Cheyenne (1955–1963)
Oh, Cheyenne! If we were to name every “first-ever” this TV show became back in the day, we’d sit here all day.
But it’s better to spend this time on the road with Cheyenne Bodie — the nomadic gunslinger who’s always on the road, looking for jobs that pay, villains that are asking for it, and women that are oh so charming.
9. The Wild Wild West (1965–1969)
Everyone and their grandmother loves spy shows. But how about espionage in the Wild Wild West? Enter James West and Artemus Gordon, two secret service agents working for the Old West government to foil many a villain’s plans to undermine that part of the US. There’s a lot of West in the previous sentence, but give it a west.
8. Wagon Train (1957–1965)
If your friends don’t believe that Westerns largely influenced sci-fi, show them Wagon Train. Following a notoriously...
Oh, Cheyenne! If we were to name every “first-ever” this TV show became back in the day, we’d sit here all day.
But it’s better to spend this time on the road with Cheyenne Bodie — the nomadic gunslinger who’s always on the road, looking for jobs that pay, villains that are asking for it, and women that are oh so charming.
9. The Wild Wild West (1965–1969)
Everyone and their grandmother loves spy shows. But how about espionage in the Wild Wild West? Enter James West and Artemus Gordon, two secret service agents working for the Old West government to foil many a villain’s plans to undermine that part of the US. There’s a lot of West in the previous sentence, but give it a west.
8. Wagon Train (1957–1965)
If your friends don’t believe that Westerns largely influenced sci-fi, show them Wagon Train. Following a notoriously...
- 5/2/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
Is there any actor who casually oozes coolness like Kurt Russell?
As with anyone in Hollywood, the young Russell had to earn his stripes. Upon signing a contract with the Mouse House, he started out anchoring a collection of zany Disney comedies in the '60s and '70s, including "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes," "The Strongest Man in the World," and "The Barefoot Executive," a movie that paired him opposite a chimpanzee. Beginning with their 1979 made-for-tv "Elvis" biopic, however, Russell and director John Carpenter collaborated on a series of highly efficient yet firmly modest genre films, many of which became cult hits and cemented their too-cool-for-school reputation.
Russell has only continued to evolve his legacy in the 21st century, starring in everything from cult favorites as worlds apart as "Sky High" and "Bone Tomahawk" to Quentin Tarantino joints and blockbuster franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Fast...
As with anyone in Hollywood, the young Russell had to earn his stripes. Upon signing a contract with the Mouse House, he started out anchoring a collection of zany Disney comedies in the '60s and '70s, including "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes," "The Strongest Man in the World," and "The Barefoot Executive," a movie that paired him opposite a chimpanzee. Beginning with their 1979 made-for-tv "Elvis" biopic, however, Russell and director John Carpenter collaborated on a series of highly efficient yet firmly modest genre films, many of which became cult hits and cemented their too-cool-for-school reputation.
Russell has only continued to evolve his legacy in the 21st century, starring in everything from cult favorites as worlds apart as "Sky High" and "Bone Tomahawk" to Quentin Tarantino joints and blockbuster franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Fast...
- 4/28/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
In Norman Taurog's 1963 film "It Happened at the World's Fair," Elvis Presley plays a crop-duster pilot named Mike whose crop-dusting plane was just repossessed by the local sheriff. While hitchhiking home, wondering how he'll get the money to buy back his plane, Mike comes upon the Seattle World's Fair. There, he instantly becomes smitten with a local nurse named Diane Warren (not to be confused with songwriter Diane Warren) played by Joan O'Brien.
To manufacture a reason to see the Fair's nurse, Mike pulls an 11-year-old boy out of the crowd and offers to pay the kid a quarter in exchange for a really, really hard kick to the shin. The kid is thrilled to have the money and dutifully thwacks the stranger. As Mike limps away, the kid mutters to himself "Adults. They're all nuts." The unnamed character was played by an uncredited Kurt Russell making his feature film debut.
To manufacture a reason to see the Fair's nurse, Mike pulls an 11-year-old boy out of the crowd and offers to pay the kid a quarter in exchange for a really, really hard kick to the shin. The kid is thrilled to have the money and dutifully thwacks the stranger. As Mike limps away, the kid mutters to himself "Adults. They're all nuts." The unnamed character was played by an uncredited Kurt Russell making his feature film debut.
- 4/21/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Oscar-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. died of a lung condition, according to his death certificate obtained by TMZ. The actor died in Santa Monica on March 29 at the age of 87.
According to the report, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Copd), was the main cause of death, TMZ says, with heart failure and atrial fibrillation contributing factors.
A cause of death was not known at the time of Gossett’s passing last month.
His family announced the death in a statement on March 29: “It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning.” It continued, “We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
The first Black actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar, Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, in Brooklyn. He made his stage debut at 17 in a school production of You Can’t Take It with You...
According to the report, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Copd), was the main cause of death, TMZ says, with heart failure and atrial fibrillation contributing factors.
A cause of death was not known at the time of Gossett’s passing last month.
His family announced the death in a statement on March 29: “It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning.” It continued, “We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
The first Black actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar, Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, in Brooklyn. He made his stage debut at 17 in a school production of You Can’t Take It with You...
- 4/19/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Lynn Loring, who appeared as a young actress on Search for Tomorrow, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and The F.B.I. before becoming one of the highest-ranking female executives in Hollywood at the time, has died. She was 80.
Loring died Dec. 23 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center after a series of chronic illnesses, her son, Chris Thinnes, told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family chose not to make public her death until now.
Loring also acted in a few movies, including Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961), Pressure Point (1962) and, alongside then-husband Roy Thinnes, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969).
When she was 7, Loring joined the new CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow in September 1951 for the first of its 35 seasons. She would portray Patti Barron, daughter of Mary Stuart’s Joanne Gardner, for a decade until she graduated from the Calhoun School for Girls and entered Barnard College...
Loring died Dec. 23 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center after a series of chronic illnesses, her son, Chris Thinnes, told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family chose not to make public her death until now.
Loring also acted in a few movies, including Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961), Pressure Point (1962) and, alongside then-husband Roy Thinnes, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969).
When she was 7, Loring joined the new CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow in September 1951 for the first of its 35 seasons. She would portray Patti Barron, daughter of Mary Stuart’s Joanne Gardner, for a decade until she graduated from the Calhoun School for Girls and entered Barnard College...
- 4/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
The 1962 sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies" was the first in show creator Paul Henning's unofficial Hooterville Trilogy, a triune that also included 1963's "Petticoat Junction," and 1965's "Green Acres." These three shows were among the most popular of their time and reflected a cultural clash between a growing class of cosmopolitan urbanites and "down home" rural Americans. Working thematically backward, "Green Acres" was about a pair of New Yorkers who move onto a farm, "Petticoat Junction" was about rural hotel owners who often butted heads with a rich railroad executive, and "The Beverly Hillbillies" was about rural characters moving to Beverly Hills. The Hooterville Trilogy was as sure a sign as any that schisms were forming in American society, and Henning was eager to address the injustice of the class divides, often sympathizing with his hillbillies and lambasting the wealthy.
The 1962 sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies" was the first in show creator Paul Henning's unofficial Hooterville Trilogy, a triune that also included 1963's "Petticoat Junction," and 1965's "Green Acres." These three shows were among the most popular of their time and reflected a cultural clash between a growing class of cosmopolitan urbanites and "down home" rural Americans. Working thematically backward, "Green Acres" was about a pair of New Yorkers who move onto a farm, "Petticoat Junction" was about rural hotel owners who often butted heads with a rich railroad executive, and "The Beverly Hillbillies" was about rural characters moving to Beverly Hills. The Hooterville Trilogy was as sure a sign as any that schisms were forming in American society, and Henning was eager to address the injustice of the class divides, often sympathizing with his hillbillies and lambasting the wealthy.
- 4/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Western is a genre that's mostly gone by the wayside in recent decades, as portraits of straight-shooting American heroes and uncomplicated "bad guys" have become less digestible to the public. While popular neo-Westerns (like "Justified" or the works of Taylor Sheridan) and perspective-changing genre breakdowns have made a splash in recent yers, the genre has mostly died out. Of the relics that remain, few are as prolific and familiar as "Bonanza," a Western series that ran for an impressive 14 seasons on NBC in the '60s and '70s.
As a long-running TV series, "Bonanza" was able to chart the change — or stubborn lack thereof — within the genre and the country, frankly addressing topics like racism and bigotry while also delivering regular laughs and a dash of melodrama to loyal viewers. The series starred Lorne Green as widower Ben Cartwright and Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, and Michael Landon as Ben's three sons.
As a long-running TV series, "Bonanza" was able to chart the change — or stubborn lack thereof — within the genre and the country, frankly addressing topics like racism and bigotry while also delivering regular laughs and a dash of melodrama to loyal viewers. The series starred Lorne Green as widower Ben Cartwright and Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, and Michael Landon as Ben's three sons.
- 3/30/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
We are sad to report that legendary African-American actor Louis Gossett Jr. passed away on March 28, 2024 in Santa Monica, CA. He was 87 years old at the time of death, and was on his way to celebrate his 88th birthday in May this year. No official cause of death has been given, but Gosset has had health issues in the recent decade, being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010 and being hospitalized for Covid-19 during the pandemic. The news was confirmed by Gossett’s first cousin Neal L. Gossett.
A true acting legend, Louis Gossett Jr. was born in New York on May 27, 1936. His mother was a nurse, and his father was a porter. Although he was proficient in sports as well, after his stage debut at the age of 17, his teacher encouraged him to pursue an acting career. Although he obtained a sports scholarship at the NYU and was offered to play basketball,...
A true acting legend, Louis Gossett Jr. was born in New York on May 27, 1936. His mother was a nurse, and his father was a porter. Although he was proficient in sports as well, after his stage debut at the age of 17, his teacher encouraged him to pursue an acting career. Although he obtained a sports scholarship at the NYU and was offered to play basketball,...
- 3/29/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
Louis Gossett Jr., who with his iconic role in An Officer and a Gentleman became the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, died on Thursday at age 87, his nephew told the Associated Press.
No cause of death was disclosed. (In February 2010, Gossett revealed a prostate cancer diagnosis, but it was promptly treated.)
More from TVLineRon Harper, Land of the Lost and Daytime-tv Vet, Dead at 91Robyn Bernard, General Hospital's Terry Brock, Dead at 64Steve Lawrence, Grammy and Emmy-Winning Entertainer, Dead at 88
Gossett’s other accolades include an Emmy (for his role as Fiddler in...
No cause of death was disclosed. (In February 2010, Gossett revealed a prostate cancer diagnosis, but it was promptly treated.)
More from TVLineRon Harper, Land of the Lost and Daytime-tv Vet, Dead at 91Robyn Bernard, General Hospital's Terry Brock, Dead at 64Steve Lawrence, Grammy and Emmy-Winning Entertainer, Dead at 88
Gossett’s other accolades include an Emmy (for his role as Fiddler in...
- 3/29/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Louis Gossett Jr., who won an Emmy for his role in the groundbreaking TV miniseries Roots and an Oscar for An Officer and a Gentleman, died Thursday night in Santa Monica. He was 87.
His death was first reported by his nephew to the Associated Press. No cause of death was given.
“It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning,” his family said in a statement obtained by Deadline. “We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
The first Black actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar, Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, in Brooklyn. He made his stage debut at 17 in a school production of You Can’t Take It with You and soon would successfully audition for the Broadway production Take a Giant Step, then perform in a star-making supporting...
His death was first reported by his nephew to the Associated Press. No cause of death was given.
“It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning,” his family said in a statement obtained by Deadline. “We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
The first Black actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar, Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, in Brooklyn. He made his stage debut at 17 in a school production of You Can’t Take It with You and soon would successfully audition for the Broadway production Take a Giant Step, then perform in a star-making supporting...
- 3/29/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
By the time the curtain rang down on CBS’ “The Judy Garland Show” on March 29, 1964, the musical variety show had, in just one season, three producers and three different formats. Despite good reviews from critics and Judy Garland’s devoted fan base, the series wasn’t felled by the mercurial Garland being difficult but by the Cartwrights — Ben, Little Joe, Adam, and Hoss — of NBC’s ratings powerhouse “Bonanza.”
Though “The Judy Garland Show” was cancelled after one season, it certainly has lived on over the past six decades. The show was included in TV Guide’s 2013 list of 60 series that were “Cancelled Too Soon.” It certainly was the series that got away. Not only was the mercurial Garland in top (and emotional) voice, but the show also featured a powerhouse of guest stars from her frequent leading man Mickey Rooney, Ray Bolger from “The Wizard of Oz” and newcomers such as Barbra Streisand.
Though “The Judy Garland Show” was cancelled after one season, it certainly has lived on over the past six decades. The show was included in TV Guide’s 2013 list of 60 series that were “Cancelled Too Soon.” It certainly was the series that got away. Not only was the mercurial Garland in top (and emotional) voice, but the show also featured a powerhouse of guest stars from her frequent leading man Mickey Rooney, Ray Bolger from “The Wizard of Oz” and newcomers such as Barbra Streisand.
- 3/26/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Very sad news today as it’s been reported that M. Emmet Walsh has died at the age of 88. No matter the size of the role, the prolific character actor always made a unique impression throughout his long career, which spanned six decades.
M. Emmet Walsh is best known for playing Bryant in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, the captain of the Los Angeles Police Department who tasks Deckard with tracking down the replicants at the beginning of the film. He told THR that the cast and crew weren’t quite sure what the make of the movie when they first saw it. “I don’t know if I really understood what in the hell it was all about,” Walsh said. “We all sat there and it ended. And nothing. We didn’t know what to say or to think or do! We didn’t know what in the hell we had done!
M. Emmet Walsh is best known for playing Bryant in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, the captain of the Los Angeles Police Department who tasks Deckard with tracking down the replicants at the beginning of the film. He told THR that the cast and crew weren’t quite sure what the make of the movie when they first saw it. “I don’t know if I really understood what in the hell it was all about,” Walsh said. “We all sat there and it ended. And nothing. We didn’t know what to say or to think or do! We didn’t know what in the hell we had done!
- 3/20/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Jean Allison, a television star who notched appearances in more than 80 series, has died. She was 94 years old. Allison’s family said that the actor — who lived in Rancho Palos Verdes, California — died on February 28, according to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been announced. Across her 27-year screen career, Allison starred in episodes of Maverick, Bonanza, Perry Mason, 77 Sunset Strip, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gunsmoke, Adam-12, Ironside, and St. Elsewhere, among many others. She also hit the big screen in the 1958 film Edge of Fury, in which she played a woman pursued by Michael Higgins’ psychopathic character. Her other film credits include The Devil’s Partner (as seen above), The Steagle, Bad Company, and Hardcore. Allison was born and raised in New York, attending Harmony High School in Tarrytown and Adelphi College in Garden City. An agent signed Allison after seeing her perform in the...
- 3/9/2024
- TV Insider
Anne Whitfield, who appeared at age 15 in the 1954 Hollywood Christmas chestnut White Christmas and went on to a prolific career in episodic TV throughout the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, died February 15 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington. She was 85.
The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.
“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.
Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...
The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.
“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.
Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...
- 2/29/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Charles Dierkop, the busy character actor who played tough guys in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and the 1970s Angie Dickinson series Police Woman, has died. He was 87.
Dierkop died Sunday at Sherman Oaks Hospital after a recent heart attack and bout with pneumonia, his daughter, Lynn, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wisconsin native also appeared alongside Rod Steiger in Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker (1964), played the mobster Salvanti in Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) and was a murderous Santa Claus in the cult horror movie Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984).
After portraying an uncredited pool-hall hood in the Paul Newman-starring The Hustler (1961), Dierkop got to work with Newman again in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) when he was hired to play Hole in the Wall Gang outlaw George “Flat Nose” Curry.
Dierkop had broken his nose in fights several times as a kid,...
Dierkop died Sunday at Sherman Oaks Hospital after a recent heart attack and bout with pneumonia, his daughter, Lynn, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wisconsin native also appeared alongside Rod Steiger in Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker (1964), played the mobster Salvanti in Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) and was a murderous Santa Claus in the cult horror movie Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984).
After portraying an uncredited pool-hall hood in the Paul Newman-starring The Hustler (1961), Dierkop got to work with Newman again in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) when he was hired to play Hole in the Wall Gang outlaw George “Flat Nose” Curry.
Dierkop had broken his nose in fights several times as a kid,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jackie Loughery, who parlayed a victory in the first Miss USA pageant into an acting career that included a prominent role opposite future husband Jack Webb in the 1957 military drama The D.I., has died. She was 93.
Loughery died Friday in Los Angeles, Webb biographer Dan Moyer told The Hollywood Reporter. “She was like a mother to me and called me her kid,” he said.
The Brooklyn native also served as Johnny Carson’s assistant on a game show and appeared in the Western comedy Pardners (1956), starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis; the melodrama Eighteen and Anxious (1957), starring William Campbell; and the political drama A Public Affair (1962), starring Edward Binns.
And for television, Loughery portrayed the niece of the title character (Edgar Buchanan) on the 1955-56 syndicated Western series Judge Roy Bean.
Loughery played a cautious shop owner named Annie who is romanced by a tough U.S. Marine drill sergeant...
Loughery died Friday in Los Angeles, Webb biographer Dan Moyer told The Hollywood Reporter. “She was like a mother to me and called me her kid,” he said.
The Brooklyn native also served as Johnny Carson’s assistant on a game show and appeared in the Western comedy Pardners (1956), starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis; the melodrama Eighteen and Anxious (1957), starring William Campbell; and the political drama A Public Affair (1962), starring Edward Binns.
And for television, Loughery portrayed the niece of the title character (Edgar Buchanan) on the 1955-56 syndicated Western series Judge Roy Bean.
Loughery played a cautious shop owner named Annie who is romanced by a tough U.S. Marine drill sergeant...
- 2/26/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, it's always refreshing to hear about an actress having a non-traumatizing on-set experience filming a sensitive scene -- even if that experience comes via the most unlikely of projects. Mia Farrow's time on "Rosemary's Baby" certainly wasn't all sunshine and roses, but in a 2014 Vice interview, the actress and activist described an oddly cordial and borderline silly experience she had shooting one of the film's most horrifying scenes.
In the retrospective, Farrow went into detail about shooting the movie's devilish conception scene, a harrowing horror sequence in which Rosemary is drugged and raped by a demonic presence. Even if we were to set aside the fact that the movie's director, Roman Polanski, remains a fugitive from the law for his own assault and drugging charges (which we shouldn't!), the inciting incident in "Rosemary's Baby" simply looks like it would be a terrifying ordeal to film.
In the retrospective, Farrow went into detail about shooting the movie's devilish conception scene, a harrowing horror sequence in which Rosemary is drugged and raped by a demonic presence. Even if we were to set aside the fact that the movie's director, Roman Polanski, remains a fugitive from the law for his own assault and drugging charges (which we shouldn't!), the inciting incident in "Rosemary's Baby" simply looks like it would be a terrifying ordeal to film.
- 2/13/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Veteran actor William O’Connell, who played memorable villain Thelev on the original series of Star Trek and was a frequent foil in Clint Eastwood movies, has died. He was 94. According to Deadline, O’Connell passed away on Monday, January 15, at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, as confirmed by a family friend. A cause of death was not given. Born on May 12, 1929, in Los Angeles, O’Connell was a prolific actor throughout the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in bit parts in several popular television series of the time. One of his first on-screen roles came in 1959 in the crime drama Highway Patrol. His other television credits include Peter Gunn, The Twilight Zone, Going My Way, My Three Sons, The Lieutenant, The Outer Limits, Valentine’s Day, Rawhide, Bonanza, The Munsters, Batman, The Lucy Show, and many more. #RIPWilliamOConnell William O’Connell was an American film and television actor. pic.twitter.com...
- 2/2/2024
- TV Insider
William O’Connell, whose extensive TV and film acting credits in the 1960s and ’70s included a memorably villainous role on Star Trek and a string of adversaries in the films of his frequent collaborator Clint Eastwood, died January 15 at his home in Sherman Oaks, CA. He was 94.
His death was announced to Deadline by a family friend. A cause was not disclosed.
O’Connell scored a lengthy roster of TV episodic credits in the 1960s, becoming a busy character actor of the day. He had small roles, often nameless characters distinguished only by their job titles — Flagman, Cabbie, Field Rep. #1 — in Highway Patrol, Peter Gunn and The Twilight Zone, also popping up on Dennis the Menace, My Three Sons, The Outer Limits, Bonanza, The Munsters, Batman and The Lucy Show.
His most memorable TV role from the era came in 1967, when he was cast in the Season 2 “Journey to Babel” episode of Star Trek as Thelev,...
His death was announced to Deadline by a family friend. A cause was not disclosed.
O’Connell scored a lengthy roster of TV episodic credits in the 1960s, becoming a busy character actor of the day. He had small roles, often nameless characters distinguished only by their job titles — Flagman, Cabbie, Field Rep. #1 — in Highway Patrol, Peter Gunn and The Twilight Zone, also popping up on Dennis the Menace, My Three Sons, The Outer Limits, Bonanza, The Munsters, Batman and The Lucy Show.
His most memorable TV role from the era came in 1967, when he was cast in the Season 2 “Journey to Babel” episode of Star Trek as Thelev,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Herbert “Cowboy” Coward, who as the sadistic toothless man in John Boorman’s Deliverance terrorized canoeists and audiences alike with the chilling line, “He got a real pretty mouth, ain’t he?,” has been killed in a car accident. He was 85.
Coward died Wednesday when the Nissan he was driving was struck by a pickup truck driven by a 16-year-old in Haywood County, North Carolina, North Carolina State Highway Patrol officials told Wlos-tv.
Coward; his girlfriend, Bertha Brooks; and two pets, a chihuahua and a squirrel, died at the scene, they said. The other driver was taken to a hospital. No charges have been filed.
In the early 1960s, Burt Reynolds was making $100 a week falling off rooftops as a stuntman at the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, when he first met Coward, who was there playing an outlaw character named Pa Clanton.
Coward died Wednesday when the Nissan he was driving was struck by a pickup truck driven by a 16-year-old in Haywood County, North Carolina, North Carolina State Highway Patrol officials told Wlos-tv.
Coward; his girlfriend, Bertha Brooks; and two pets, a chihuahua and a squirrel, died at the scene, they said. The other driver was taken to a hospital. No charges have been filed.
In the early 1960s, Burt Reynolds was making $100 a week falling off rooftops as a stuntman at the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, when he first met Coward, who was there playing an outlaw character named Pa Clanton.
- 1/25/2024
- by Rhett Bartlett
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tom Smothers, the countercultural comedy icon admired for the 1960s variety program he created and hosted with his younger brother, Dick, and for the tenacity he displayed in frequent clashes with CBS censors, has died. He was 86.
Smothers died Tuesday at his home in Santa Rosa, California, after a battle with cancer, his brother announced in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter by the National Comedy Center.
“Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner,” Dick, 84, said. “I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years. Our relationship was like a good marriage — the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.”
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ran from February 1967 until April 1969, when the pair were fired after...
Smothers died Tuesday at his home in Santa Rosa, California, after a battle with cancer, his brother announced in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter by the National Comedy Center.
“Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner,” Dick, 84, said. “I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years. Our relationship was like a good marriage — the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.”
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ran from February 1967 until April 1969, when the pair were fired after...
- 12/27/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Who wouldn’t want to spend the holidays with some of their favorite TV characters? MeTV is making it easy this year with its “A Very Merry MeTV” programming lineup, which includes a selection of very special Thanksgiving and Christmas-themed episodes of classic shows such as The Waltons, The Beverly Hillbillies, Andy Griffith, and more.
The celebration begins on Sunday, Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 25. Check out some of the highlights below, as well as the full schedule.
‘The Waltons’ Thanksgiving episode airs Nov. 22 and 23 A Verry Merry MeTV | MeTV
Celebrate Thanksgiving with one of TV’s most famous fictional families. In 1973, The Waltons aired its only Thanksgiving special, a two-part episode titled “The Thanksgiving Story.” The season 2 episode focuses on John-Boy Walton (Richard Thomas), who suffers a life-threatening head injury that puts his plans for college at risk. Meanwhile, his sister Mary Ellen (Judy Norton) auditions for the Thanksgiving play,...
The celebration begins on Sunday, Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 25. Check out some of the highlights below, as well as the full schedule.
‘The Waltons’ Thanksgiving episode airs Nov. 22 and 23 A Verry Merry MeTV | MeTV
Celebrate Thanksgiving with one of TV’s most famous fictional families. In 1973, The Waltons aired its only Thanksgiving special, a two-part episode titled “The Thanksgiving Story.” The season 2 episode focuses on John-Boy Walton (Richard Thomas), who suffers a life-threatening head injury that puts his plans for college at risk. Meanwhile, his sister Mary Ellen (Judy Norton) auditions for the Thanksgiving play,...
- 11/19/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Robert Butler, the co-creator of “Remington Steele” and a veteran television director who worked on such series as “Hill Street Blues,” “Star Trek” and “Batman,” died Nov. 3 in Los Angeles. He was 95.
Butler’s career spanned nearly five decades, during which he directed many notable series, including “Hennesey,” “Star Trek,” “Batman,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Bonanza,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Gunsmoke,” “Hawaii Five-o” and more. He won three Primetime Emmy Awards: two for “The Blue Knight” in 1974 and the other for “Hill Street Blues” in 1981. He also received Emmy nominations for episodes of “Moonlighting,” “Sirens” and “Lois & Clark The Adventures of Superman.”
Butler and Michael Gleason co-created “Remington Steele,” starring Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist, which ran from 1982 to 1987 on NBC. Butler directed five episodes of the detective procedural series between 1982 and 1983, including the pilot.
He also directed several feature films and TV movies, including “Now You See Him, Now You Don’t,...
Butler’s career spanned nearly five decades, during which he directed many notable series, including “Hennesey,” “Star Trek,” “Batman,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Bonanza,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Gunsmoke,” “Hawaii Five-o” and more. He won three Primetime Emmy Awards: two for “The Blue Knight” in 1974 and the other for “Hill Street Blues” in 1981. He also received Emmy nominations for episodes of “Moonlighting,” “Sirens” and “Lois & Clark The Adventures of Superman.”
Butler and Michael Gleason co-created “Remington Steele,” starring Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist, which ran from 1982 to 1987 on NBC. Butler directed five episodes of the detective procedural series between 1982 and 1983, including the pilot.
He also directed several feature films and TV movies, including “Now You See Him, Now You Don’t,...
- 11/11/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
Elaine Devry, who appeared in such films as “The Atomic Kid” and “A Guide for the Married Man” and dozens of television series, died Sept. 20 at her home in Grants Pass, Oregon, according to a notice on a local funeral home website. She was 93.
Devry married actor Mickey Rooney in Las Vegas in November 1952, becoming the fourth of Rooney’s eight wives. She made her first onscreen appearances the following year in the comedy film “A Slight Case of Larceny” starring Rooney, as well as an episode of the Ronald Reagan-hosted CBS anthology series “General Electric Theater.”
In the 1954 sci-fi comedy “The Atomic Kid,” directed by Leslie H. Martinson, she played nurse Audrey Nelson opposite Rooney’s Barnaby “Blix” Waterberry; she was billed as “Elaine Davis (Mrs. Mickey Rooney)” in the credits.
Devry portrayed divorée Jocelyn Montgomery in the 1967 Gene Kelly-directed film “A Guide for the Married Man.
Devry married actor Mickey Rooney in Las Vegas in November 1952, becoming the fourth of Rooney’s eight wives. She made her first onscreen appearances the following year in the comedy film “A Slight Case of Larceny” starring Rooney, as well as an episode of the Ronald Reagan-hosted CBS anthology series “General Electric Theater.”
In the 1954 sci-fi comedy “The Atomic Kid,” directed by Leslie H. Martinson, she played nurse Audrey Nelson opposite Rooney’s Barnaby “Blix” Waterberry; she was billed as “Elaine Davis (Mrs. Mickey Rooney)” in the credits.
Devry portrayed divorée Jocelyn Montgomery in the 1967 Gene Kelly-directed film “A Guide for the Married Man.
- 10/22/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
In a carriage battle about pay TV’s future, one of the original cable channels became an unexpected flashpoint.
Freeform, the Disney-owned cable channel that caters to younger women, was dropped from Spectrum channel lineups as part of Disney’s landmark deal with Charter Communications. It was no small decision, with Freeform in some 74 million homes at the end of last year, and with Charter’s nearly 15 million cable TV households no longer having access.
“When we looked across the portfolio to try to identify where the greatest value in this deal was to us, we definitely made some trade-offs,” Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden told The Hollywood Reporter after the Spectrum deal was announced. She noted that channels like Freeform already served as a pipeline of programming for streaming services like Hulu.
And while the deal saw a number of other channels were dropped in the deal, the dropping of Freeform suggests that,...
Freeform, the Disney-owned cable channel that caters to younger women, was dropped from Spectrum channel lineups as part of Disney’s landmark deal with Charter Communications. It was no small decision, with Freeform in some 74 million homes at the end of last year, and with Charter’s nearly 15 million cable TV households no longer having access.
“When we looked across the portfolio to try to identify where the greatest value in this deal was to us, we definitely made some trade-offs,” Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden told The Hollywood Reporter after the Spectrum deal was announced. She noted that channels like Freeform already served as a pipeline of programming for streaming services like Hulu.
And while the deal saw a number of other channels were dropped in the deal, the dropping of Freeform suggests that,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Alex Weprin and Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fans of classic TV sitcoms, sci-fi, and dramas are about to have even friendlier live TV streaming options as the skinny-bundle streaming service Frndly TV announced on Tuesday that it had entered into an agreement that will bring the Weigel Broadcasting Co.’s MeTV+ network to all of the company’s subscribers next month.
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Beginning in October, Frndly will become the first national TV provider to offer this channel, which is currently only available in select local markets. The live streamer already carries the channel’s sibling MeTV network. The spinoff channel will serve as a companion to MeTV, which is one of the country’s most popular networks focusing specifically on classic television from decades gone by. Both the original channel and the new MeTV+ serve as homes for beloved westerns, iconic sitcoms, groundbreaking sci-fi series, and timeless dramas. Every week, MeTV airs...
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Beginning in October, Frndly will become the first national TV provider to offer this channel, which is currently only available in select local markets. The live streamer already carries the channel’s sibling MeTV network. The spinoff channel will serve as a companion to MeTV, which is one of the country’s most popular networks focusing specifically on classic television from decades gone by. Both the original channel and the new MeTV+ serve as homes for beloved westerns, iconic sitcoms, groundbreaking sci-fi series, and timeless dramas. Every week, MeTV airs...
- 9/5/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
August isn't especially famous for its great movies. As months go, the eighth one on the calendar has often been a bit of a wasteland for Hollywood, as blockbusters peter off, kids have a lot less free time and money, and studio executives need to find somewhere to dump their proverbial dead bodies.
If you want a good example, you can pretty much throw a dart at any year after "Jaws" popularized the concept of summer blockbuster season. For example, let's take a look at 1993. 30 years ago, August was a month for dreck comedies like "Son of the Pink Panther," family film misfires like "Father Hood" and "Surf Ninjas," and the weird-ass "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday."
But then again, there are exceptions to every rule. There were also a few excellent motion pictures in August 1993. The increasingly timeless classic "The Fugitive" came out that month, along with...
If you want a good example, you can pretty much throw a dart at any year after "Jaws" popularized the concept of summer blockbuster season. For example, let's take a look at 1993. 30 years ago, August was a month for dreck comedies like "Son of the Pink Panther," family film misfires like "Father Hood" and "Surf Ninjas," and the weird-ass "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday."
But then again, there are exceptions to every rule. There were also a few excellent motion pictures in August 1993. The increasingly timeless classic "The Fugitive" came out that month, along with...
- 8/20/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Inga Swenson, the versatile actress best known for memorable portrayals of combative women on the TV hits Soap and Benson, has died. Her son confirmed the news to TMZ. Swenson was 90.
Swenson’s involvement on the shows began with a multi-episode arc on Soap in 1978 as the conniving revenge-seeking Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova). That led to a new role on the show’s spinoff, Benson, as Gretchen Kraus, an autocratic and combative German cook.
Over the course of the latter Swenson’s character was frequently at odds with Benson (Robert Guillaume) himself, often trading insults with him as he sought to run household affairs for Governor Eugene X. Gatling (James Noble). Despite their rivalry, Benson and Kraus later became close friends on the show. Swenson was Emmy nominated three times for the role, in 1980, 1982 and 1985.
A year before her first TV credit – an...
Swenson’s involvement on the shows began with a multi-episode arc on Soap in 1978 as the conniving revenge-seeking Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova). That led to a new role on the show’s spinoff, Benson, as Gretchen Kraus, an autocratic and combative German cook.
Over the course of the latter Swenson’s character was frequently at odds with Benson (Robert Guillaume) himself, often trading insults with him as he sought to run household affairs for Governor Eugene X. Gatling (James Noble). Despite their rivalry, Benson and Kraus later became close friends on the show. Swenson was Emmy nominated three times for the role, in 1980, 1982 and 1985.
A year before her first TV credit – an...
- 7/28/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Inga Swenson, best known for playing German cook Gretchen Kraus on 1980s TV sitcom “Benson”, has died at the age of 90.
Swenson’s son confirmed the news to TMZ, revealing that she died of natural causes on Sunday, July 23; he noted that her health had been declining for the past few months, and that her death was not unexpected.
Swenson portrayed the character for more than 150 episodes of the series, throughout its entire seven-season run from 1979-1986; she earned three Emmy nominations for her “Benson” role.
The “Benson” cast (L-r): Caroline McWilliams, Rene Auberjonois, James Noble, Inga Swenson, Ethan Phillips, Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume. Photo: The Everett Collection
Swenson also appeared in numerous TV series, including “The Golden Girls”, “Newhart” and “Hotel; in fact, her TV credits span back to the 1950s, and she appeared in such classic shows as “Bonanza”, “Dr. Kildare” and “The Defenders”.
Read More: Bill Cunningham,...
Swenson’s son confirmed the news to TMZ, revealing that she died of natural causes on Sunday, July 23; he noted that her health had been declining for the past few months, and that her death was not unexpected.
Swenson portrayed the character for more than 150 episodes of the series, throughout its entire seven-season run from 1979-1986; she earned three Emmy nominations for her “Benson” role.
The “Benson” cast (L-r): Caroline McWilliams, Rene Auberjonois, James Noble, Inga Swenson, Ethan Phillips, Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume. Photo: The Everett Collection
Swenson also appeared in numerous TV series, including “The Golden Girls”, “Newhart” and “Hotel; in fact, her TV credits span back to the 1950s, and she appeared in such classic shows as “Bonanza”, “Dr. Kildare” and “The Defenders”.
Read More: Bill Cunningham,...
- 7/28/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
A perfect match between two true geniuses in the game: Restricted and Topic release their first collaboration together. With ‘Sleepless’, the artists bring their audience a track that promises to become a true summer anthem.
No sleep until the sun rises again! At least that’s the mindset of Restricted and Topic, who define the state-of-the-art of modern dance music with their first collaborative feature track. On ‘Sleepless (feat. GoldFord)’, the two A-Listers have come together to merge the boundaries between day and night in one track.
Beyond the mesmerizing rhythm of the track, the lyrics encapsulate the experience of being consumed by thoughts of someone special in the midst of the night. With vocals from Californian singer and songwriter GoldFord, known for his features with Sam Feldt and Lost Frequencies, ‘Sleepless’ truly gets a melancholic late-night vibe.
Australian DJ and producer Restricted has rapidly established himself as one of...
No sleep until the sun rises again! At least that’s the mindset of Restricted and Topic, who define the state-of-the-art of modern dance music with their first collaborative feature track. On ‘Sleepless (feat. GoldFord)’, the two A-Listers have come together to merge the boundaries between day and night in one track.
Beyond the mesmerizing rhythm of the track, the lyrics encapsulate the experience of being consumed by thoughts of someone special in the midst of the night. With vocals from Californian singer and songwriter GoldFord, known for his features with Sam Feldt and Lost Frequencies, ‘Sleepless’ truly gets a melancholic late-night vibe.
Australian DJ and producer Restricted has rapidly established himself as one of...
- 7/21/2023
- by Music Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends With Us, is navigating the waters of her upcoming book-to-screen adaptation. Her chart-topping novel is set to be adapted into a film, with the choice of casting Blake Lively in the lead role stirring controversy among fans.
As filming commenced, Hoover confronted the numerous controversies enveloping the project. While a segment of fans expressed disappointment regarding the alterations, including the revised costume design, Hoover defended the moves and explained her reasoning for switching things up.
Colleen Hoover | Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Author Colleen Hoover opens up about the controversial Blake Lively Casting
During Book Bonanza in Grapevine, Texas, Hoover openly discussed the highly anticipated adaptation of her novel. The It Ends With Us author divulged captivating insights about the upcoming transformation from page to screen, captivating the live audience.
Among Hoover’s numerous best-selling books, It Ends With Us stands out.
As filming commenced, Hoover confronted the numerous controversies enveloping the project. While a segment of fans expressed disappointment regarding the alterations, including the revised costume design, Hoover defended the moves and explained her reasoning for switching things up.
Colleen Hoover | Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Author Colleen Hoover opens up about the controversial Blake Lively Casting
During Book Bonanza in Grapevine, Texas, Hoover openly discussed the highly anticipated adaptation of her novel. The It Ends With Us author divulged captivating insights about the upcoming transformation from page to screen, captivating the live audience.
Among Hoover’s numerous best-selling books, It Ends With Us stands out.
- 6/29/2023
- by Perry Carpenter
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Thomas W. Sarnoff, a longtime NBC executive who went on to hold leadership roles at the Television Academy, died on June 4. He was 96.
From 1965 to 1977, Sarnoff served as staff executive vice president, West Coast, and president of NBC Entertainment Corporation. During his time there, Sarnoff negotiated production deals with all-star talent such as Bob Hope and Colonel Tom Parker for many of Elvis Presley’s television specials, as well as spearheaded the contracts for NBC’s Burbank Studios. He was also credited with the production of worldwide touring family acts in partnership with Walt Disney such as “Peter Pan” and “Disney on Parade.”
Sarnoff then founded his own company, Sarnoff International Enterprises Inc., where he produced the “Yabba Dabba Doo” live arena tour centered around beloved Hanna-Barbera characters. Sarnoff also revived the iconic Gumby character for a 1987 half-hour series and executive produced three “Bonanza” movies.
Beyond his day job, Sarnoff...
From 1965 to 1977, Sarnoff served as staff executive vice president, West Coast, and president of NBC Entertainment Corporation. During his time there, Sarnoff negotiated production deals with all-star talent such as Bob Hope and Colonel Tom Parker for many of Elvis Presley’s television specials, as well as spearheaded the contracts for NBC’s Burbank Studios. He was also credited with the production of worldwide touring family acts in partnership with Walt Disney such as “Peter Pan” and “Disney on Parade.”
Sarnoff then founded his own company, Sarnoff International Enterprises Inc., where he produced the “Yabba Dabba Doo” live arena tour centered around beloved Hanna-Barbera characters. Sarnoff also revived the iconic Gumby character for a 1987 half-hour series and executive produced three “Bonanza” movies.
Beyond his day job, Sarnoff...
- 6/9/2023
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
The good times just keep on rolling at Plex. The service started the week by offering 20% off a lifetime subscription to its Plex Pass, and is finishing it by adding an impressive array of new, free streaming channels to its platform.
Plex is adding a total of 25 free ad-supported TV (Fast) channels this week. There’s something for everyone on this channel list, from fans of classic TV shows to anime to horror films, and everything in between. These new additions boost Plex’s channel count to well over 300, and the service is supplementing that lineup seemingly every month.
The new channels available to stream now on Plex include:
21 Jump Street: To combat a rise in school crimes, LAPD sends four young-looking officers to high school to pose as students. Starring Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson, Peter DeLuise and Dustin Nguyen.
Unsolved Mysteries: Hosted by Robert Stack, this series...
Plex is adding a total of 25 free ad-supported TV (Fast) channels this week. There’s something for everyone on this channel list, from fans of classic TV shows to anime to horror films, and everything in between. These new additions boost Plex’s channel count to well over 300, and the service is supplementing that lineup seemingly every month.
The new channels available to stream now on Plex include:
21 Jump Street: To combat a rise in school crimes, LAPD sends four young-looking officers to high school to pose as students. Starring Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson, Peter DeLuise and Dustin Nguyen.
Unsolved Mysteries: Hosted by Robert Stack, this series...
- 5/26/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Gunsmoke was the longest-running prime-time TV western in history, running for 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975. It was highly rated and beloved by fans both during and long after the show stopped airing. Part of what made Gunsmoke so special was the characters that made up Dodge City. Characters like Caleb the farmer. Here’s a look back at Caleb and the actor who played him, John Dehner.
John Dehner | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Caleb on ‘Gunsmoke’
Caleb is a 43 year-old-farmer whose wife loves to remind him that he’s a failure. In a seemingly loveless marriage, Caleb and his wife wed after they learned she was pregnant. But the child died early on, setting the tone for Caleb’s sad life.
At a crossroads, yearning for a better life, Caleb ventures into Dodge to visit Marshal Dillon. But when Caleb gets into town, he learns...
John Dehner | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Caleb on ‘Gunsmoke’
Caleb is a 43 year-old-farmer whose wife loves to remind him that he’s a failure. In a seemingly loveless marriage, Caleb and his wife wed after they learned she was pregnant. But the child died early on, setting the tone for Caleb’s sad life.
At a crossroads, yearning for a better life, Caleb ventures into Dodge to visit Marshal Dillon. But when Caleb gets into town, he learns...
- 5/21/2023
- by Kelsey Goeres
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
For many decades, the “Big Three” networks dominated American television, bringing laughter, drama, breaking news and real-life events into our homes. NBC, CBS and ABC have broadcast thousands of fictional programs, sporting events, talk shows and news programs for nearly a century, with roots in radio. Television programming began in the 1940s, with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) leading the way, establishing several firsts for the medium, and becoming home to some of the longest-running programs in the history of the small screen.
But which 30 primetime and late night scripted series are the absolute best? We rank our favorites in the photo gallery above based on quality, quantity (number of seasons/episodes), impact on society and other shows, plus Emmy Awards nominations/wins. Each show on our list has some combo of at least a few of those traits (some have all four!).
In 1948, Milton Berle began hosting “Texaco Star Theatre,...
But which 30 primetime and late night scripted series are the absolute best? We rank our favorites in the photo gallery above based on quality, quantity (number of seasons/episodes), impact on society and other shows, plus Emmy Awards nominations/wins. Each show on our list has some combo of at least a few of those traits (some have all four!).
In 1948, Milton Berle began hosting “Texaco Star Theatre,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
For many decades, the “Big Three” networks dominated American television, bringing laughter, drama, breaking news and real-life events into our homes. NBC, CBS and ABC have broadcast thousands of fictional programs, sporting events, talk shows and news programs for nearly a century, with roots in radio. Television programming began in the 1940s, with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) leading the way, establishing several firsts for the medium, and becoming home to some of the longest-running programs in the history of the small screen.
But which 30 primetime and late night scripted series are the absolute best? We rank our favorites based on quality, quantity (number of seasons/episodes), impact on society and other shows, plus Emmy Awards nominations/wins. Each show on our list has some combo of at least a few of those traits (some have all four!).
In 1948, Milton Berle began hosting “Texaco Star Theatre,” and ruled Tuesday night television for several years,...
But which 30 primetime and late night scripted series are the absolute best? We rank our favorites based on quality, quantity (number of seasons/episodes), impact on society and other shows, plus Emmy Awards nominations/wins. Each show on our list has some combo of at least a few of those traits (some have all four!).
In 1948, Milton Berle began hosting “Texaco Star Theatre,” and ruled Tuesday night television for several years,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
With cowboys, gunfights, outlaws, horse riding, railways, and an open wilderness, there’s much to love about Western movies. Most of the genre’s popularity grew as a result of the simplicity of its storyline and less use of sophisticated ammunition. The Old West or Wild West saw its movies gain popularity in the 1900s. Western TV shows like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Wagon Train, and The Rifleman dominated the 50s & 60. However, with a wider range of new and multi-genre shows being introduced in the early 21st century, fewer Western TV shows were made. With Westerns making a comeback, here are the...
- 4/18/2023
- by Onyinye Izundu
- TVovermind.com
Carol Locatell, who had a memorable turn as the foulmouthed mother Ethel Hubbard in Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning and worked alongside Burt Reynolds in three films, has died. She was 82.
Locatell died April 11 at her home in Sherman Oaks after a long battle with cancer, her husband, songwriter and record producer Gregory Prestopino, told The Hollywood Reporter. They were together for 50 years.
Locatell moved from Los Angeles to New York in the mid-1980s to shake up her career, and from her first audition there she landed a part on Broadway in Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound, which premiered in 1986. She then appeared in The Shadow Box in 1994 and in The Rose Tattoo a year later.
She first met Reynolds when she auditioned for him for a role in Simon’s Chapter Two at his dinner theater in Jupiter, Florida. She worked with him in Paternity...
Locatell died April 11 at her home in Sherman Oaks after a long battle with cancer, her husband, songwriter and record producer Gregory Prestopino, told The Hollywood Reporter. They were together for 50 years.
Locatell moved from Los Angeles to New York in the mid-1980s to shake up her career, and from her first audition there she landed a part on Broadway in Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound, which premiered in 1986. She then appeared in The Shadow Box in 1994 and in The Rose Tattoo a year later.
She first met Reynolds when she auditioned for him for a role in Simon’s Chapter Two at his dinner theater in Jupiter, Florida. She worked with him in Paternity...
- 4/18/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Carol Locatell was born on December 13, 1940 – a date that happens to have been a Friday the 13th. So it seems very fitting that when she embarked on an acting career, her role in the 1985 slasher Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (watch it Here) would turn out to become the role she was best known for. Locatell delivered a hilarious performance in that film, making the foul-mouthed Ethel Hubbard someone fans have been having fun watching for nearly forty years now. Sadly, Locatell is no longer with us. She passed away recently at the age of 82. Ron Sloan, who played Ethel’s dimwitted son Junior in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, broke the news of her passing on social media last night.
Sloan wrote,
Dearest friends, fans, and Horror family,
With great sadness, it breaks my heart to announce that my Friday the 13th Part 5 Mom, (Ethel Hubbard) Carol Locatell has passed away.
Sloan wrote,
Dearest friends, fans, and Horror family,
With great sadness, it breaks my heart to announce that my Friday the 13th Part 5 Mom, (Ethel Hubbard) Carol Locatell has passed away.
- 4/18/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Known to horror fans for her role in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, Bloody Disgusting has learned the sad news this week that Carol Locatell has passed away at the age of 82.
Alongside Ron Sloan’s character Junior, Carol Locatell played Ethel (aka Ma) in the Friday the 13th franchise’s fifth installment back in 1985, delivering a scene-stealing performance that helped make her a fan favorite star on the horror convention circuit in recent years.
Sean Clark writes on Instagram, “Just got a call from Ron Sloan letting me know that our friend Carol Locatell who most of the fans know as Ethel aka Ma in Friday the 13th Part 5 A New Beginning has lost her battle with cancer. My heart goes out to her husband Greg and their entire family.
Clark’s tribute continues, “I had the great fortune of working with her for 15+ years and she was an amazing person.
Alongside Ron Sloan’s character Junior, Carol Locatell played Ethel (aka Ma) in the Friday the 13th franchise’s fifth installment back in 1985, delivering a scene-stealing performance that helped make her a fan favorite star on the horror convention circuit in recent years.
Sean Clark writes on Instagram, “Just got a call from Ron Sloan letting me know that our friend Carol Locatell who most of the fans know as Ethel aka Ma in Friday the 13th Part 5 A New Beginning has lost her battle with cancer. My heart goes out to her husband Greg and their entire family.
Clark’s tribute continues, “I had the great fortune of working with her for 15+ years and she was an amazing person.
- 4/18/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Westerns hold a nostalgic place in television history. Dominating the primetime airwaves, more than 100 original TV Western series aired between 1949 and 1969. Shows such as The Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, and The Rifleman had a faithful following, tuning in each week to witness the fast-paced, gun-slinging, horse-riding action. The Big Valley, starring prominent actors Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Majors, and Linda Evans, ran for four seasons in the mid-’60s. Despite its immense popularity, the TV series ended abruptly. Why was The Big Valley canceled?
‘The Big Valley’ was a big deal ‘The Big Valley’ cast | ABC Photo Archives/Contributor
In 1964, The Big Valley premiered on ABC, becoming one of the first Westerns to showcase a woman as the lead. The controversial move proved popular among viewers, and the series reignited the career of Stanwyck, an iconic big-screen actor. She portrayed the formidable matriarch of the wealthy Barkley family, tasked with running her late husband’s California ranch.
‘The Big Valley’ was a big deal ‘The Big Valley’ cast | ABC Photo Archives/Contributor
In 1964, The Big Valley premiered on ABC, becoming one of the first Westerns to showcase a woman as the lead. The controversial move proved popular among viewers, and the series reignited the career of Stanwyck, an iconic big-screen actor. She portrayed the formidable matriarch of the wealthy Barkley family, tasked with running her late husband’s California ranch.
- 4/16/2023
- by Rita DeMichiel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A beloved Western drama series that ran on TV for five years, The Big Valley is still fondly remembered by many fans of a certain age. With a star-studded cast, including the iconic actor Barbara Stanwyck in a leading role, The Big Valley is often considered a precursor to shows such as Yellowstone.
Even though the show was only on TV for a few years, which isn’t terribly long compared to other Western dramas like Bonanza, the series made an impact. These days, many fans are discovering The Big Valley for the first time and diving deep into the life stories of some of the show’s cast members. That includes Charles Briles, whose tenure on The Big Valley was short but impactful.
What is ‘The Big Valley’ about?
Go outside in the cold? Nahh…we'd rather watch #TheBigValley today at 10a Et. pic.twitter.com/tTWRnCxhi2
— Insp (@insp...
Even though the show was only on TV for a few years, which isn’t terribly long compared to other Western dramas like Bonanza, the series made an impact. These days, many fans are discovering The Big Valley for the first time and diving deep into the life stories of some of the show’s cast members. That includes Charles Briles, whose tenure on The Big Valley was short but impactful.
What is ‘The Big Valley’ about?
Go outside in the cold? Nahh…we'd rather watch #TheBigValley today at 10a Et. pic.twitter.com/tTWRnCxhi2
— Insp (@insp...
- 4/8/2023
- by Christina Nunn
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Movie star John Wayne was familiar with the type of work that went into being a stuntman. He had a deep appreciation for the folks who made the dangerous stunts come to life on the silver screen. However, Wayne had a favorite stuntman whom he deeply respected and enjoyed working with. In fact, they made a total of 32 movies together, making it clear that they had a long history together.
Who was John Wayne’s favorite stuntman? John Wayne | John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
Wayne had one stuntman that he valued working with above all the rest – Chuck Roberson. He went from working as a police officer to serving in World War II to stuntwork. It all started thanks to a well-known stuntman named Guy Teague, he got his first job in the field at Republic Pictures.
Roberson starred in small roles as an actor, but he also went on...
Who was John Wayne’s favorite stuntman? John Wayne | John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
Wayne had one stuntman that he valued working with above all the rest – Chuck Roberson. He went from working as a police officer to serving in World War II to stuntwork. It all started thanks to a well-known stuntman named Guy Teague, he got his first job in the field at Republic Pictures.
Roberson starred in small roles as an actor, but he also went on...
- 4/7/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Back in the day, Michael Landon was a well-known television and film actor. In fact, his role as Little Joe became the beating heart of the top-rated 1960s series Bonanza, making him a national icon. In the following years, he established himself as the king of feel-good television. He even went on to star in Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven. Unfortunately, the world lost one of its most adored artists on July 1, 1991. He passed away after battling pancreatic cancer at age 54, after decades of popularity on tv screens. Let’s take a look at a...
- 4/4/2023
- by nikolak
- TVovermind.com
The Lone Ranger is an American Western drama that aired on television from 1949 until 1957. It starred Clayton Moore in the starring role, who was temporarily replaced by John Hart, as well as Jay Silverheels starring in the supporting role of Tonto. Here’s a list of five other television shows to watch if The Lone Ranger had you hooked to your screen.
L-r: Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto | Getty Images ‘The Rifleman’ (1958-1963) L-r: Chuck Connors as Lucas and Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
The Rifleman follows the various adventures of a Wild West rancher Lucas McCain played by Chuck Connors, who travels with his son, Mark McCain, and a rapid-fire Winchester file in hand. Johnny Crawford starred as his son in what became one of the first primetime television shows to display a single parent raising a child.
L-r: Clayton Moore as The Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto | Getty Images ‘The Rifleman’ (1958-1963) L-r: Chuck Connors as Lucas and Johnny Crawford as Mark McCain | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
The Rifleman follows the various adventures of a Wild West rancher Lucas McCain played by Chuck Connors, who travels with his son, Mark McCain, and a rapid-fire Winchester file in hand. Johnny Crawford starred as his son in what became one of the first primetime television shows to display a single parent raising a child.
- 3/28/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Gordon T. Dawson, who parlayed a stint as a costumer for Sam Peckinpah into a career as a writer and producer with credits including The Ballad of Cable Hogue, The Rockford Files, Bret Maverick and Walker, Texas Ranger, has died. He was 84.
Dawson died March 6 in West Hills Hospital of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, his family announced.
A former firefighter, Dawson spent three months in a Columbia Pictures basement using a blowtorch, paraffin and glue to age the principal soldier uniforms for the Peckinpah-directed Major Dundee (1965). When the extras’ costumes did not match the ones Dawson had prepared, Peckinpah shut down production on the first day of shooting.
Dawson was summoned to the set in Mexico to age the other costumes, noting in the 1993 documentary Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron that he was “terrified” to meet the intimidating director. He needn’t have worried, though; Dawson fixed the other costumes,...
Dawson died March 6 in West Hills Hospital of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, his family announced.
A former firefighter, Dawson spent three months in a Columbia Pictures basement using a blowtorch, paraffin and glue to age the principal soldier uniforms for the Peckinpah-directed Major Dundee (1965). When the extras’ costumes did not match the ones Dawson had prepared, Peckinpah shut down production on the first day of shooting.
Dawson was summoned to the set in Mexico to age the other costumes, noting in the 1993 documentary Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron that he was “terrified” to meet the intimidating director. He needn’t have worried, though; Dawson fixed the other costumes,...
- 3/22/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For nearly a century, the Western genre has been captivating movie-goers with gun-slinging cowboys who traverse the Wild West. As time progressed and societal norms shifted, so too did the western films of each era. They began to act as windows into contemporary culture rather than reflections of past eras. Western movies have become beloved staples in cinema and continue to thrill viewers today with their daring adventures set against grandiose landscapes.
Related: 10 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
Since its birth, the western genre has retained its liveliness and novelty through many decades of existence. Creative filmmakers have continued to deliver their renditions of this classic Western style, keeping it relevant even today.
10 ‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins
In ‘The Hateful Eight’, Tarantino presents a revisionist-film-meets-spaghetti-western that honors westerns of the 1960s. Think about all those stories of violence,...
Related: 10 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
Since its birth, the western genre has retained its liveliness and novelty through many decades of existence. Creative filmmakers have continued to deliver their renditions of this classic Western style, keeping it relevant even today.
10 ‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins
In ‘The Hateful Eight’, Tarantino presents a revisionist-film-meets-spaghetti-western that honors westerns of the 1960s. Think about all those stories of violence,...
- 3/12/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.