Darryl Hickman, who appeared in such films as The Grapes of Wrath and Leave Her to Heaven as a youngster before becoming a CBS executive in charge of daytime drama and an actor once more, has died. He was 92.
Hickman, who lived in Montecito, died Wednesday, his family announced.
He was the older brother (by three years) of the late Dwayne Hickman, who starred on the 1959-63 CBS comedy The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Darryl appeared with his brother in Captain Eddie (1945) — he played famed fighter pilot Eddie Rickenbacker as a boy — and on three first-season episodes of Dobie as older brother Davey, who came home from college.
In 1951, after appearances in more than 40 movies, Hickman — who had been a contract player at Paramount and MGM — became disillusioned with the business and entered a monastery, though he was back in show business before long.
Hickman had made his first...
Hickman, who lived in Montecito, died Wednesday, his family announced.
He was the older brother (by three years) of the late Dwayne Hickman, who starred on the 1959-63 CBS comedy The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Darryl appeared with his brother in Captain Eddie (1945) — he played famed fighter pilot Eddie Rickenbacker as a boy — and on three first-season episodes of Dobie as older brother Davey, who came home from college.
In 1951, after appearances in more than 40 movies, Hickman — who had been a contract player at Paramount and MGM — became disillusioned with the business and entered a monastery, though he was back in show business before long.
Hickman had made his first...
- 5/24/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fred Astaire was an Oscar-nominated song and dance man best remembered for a series of musicals he made alongside many female dancer, but especially Ginger Rogers. Yet his filmography extends well past those titles. Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
As a dancer, Astaire was known for his perfectionism, doing multiple takes to get the most precise movements correct. His immaculate steps were matched only by his outfits, which often consisted of top hats and coats.
After making a name for himself on the stage in London and on Broadway, Astaire came to Hollywood. He first appeared with fellow dancer Rogers in “Flying Down to Rio” (1933), where they played second fiddle to Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond. Their first starring vehicle came just one year later: “The Gay Divorcee” (1934).
Their subsequent films, including “Top Hat” (1935), “Follow the Fleet” (1936), “Swing Time...
As a dancer, Astaire was known for his perfectionism, doing multiple takes to get the most precise movements correct. His immaculate steps were matched only by his outfits, which often consisted of top hats and coats.
After making a name for himself on the stage in London and on Broadway, Astaire came to Hollywood. He first appeared with fellow dancer Rogers in “Flying Down to Rio” (1933), where they played second fiddle to Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond. Their first starring vehicle came just one year later: “The Gay Divorcee” (1934).
Their subsequent films, including “Top Hat” (1935), “Follow the Fleet” (1936), “Swing Time...
- 5/4/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
MGM celebrated its centennial on April 17th. Marcus Lowe established the studio by merging Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Pictures. Boasting it had “more stars than there are in heaven,” MGM may have been the biggest studio during the Golden Age of Hollywood, it has gone through many owners and regimes over the years but seems to on terra firma since Amazon acquired MGM in 2021. In fact, Amazon MGM Studios won best screenplay Oscar for “American Fiction.” And speaking of Academy Awards, MGM has earned numerous statuettes over the years. Here’s a look at five Best Picture winners produced between 1929-1958.
“The Broadway Melody”
The 1929 musical made Oscar history by being the first talkie to win the top prize. Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed wrote the songs which include “The Broadway Melody,” “You Were Meant for Me” and “The Wedding of the Painted Doll” but...
“The Broadway Melody”
The 1929 musical made Oscar history by being the first talkie to win the top prize. Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed wrote the songs which include “The Broadway Melody,” “You Were Meant for Me” and “The Wedding of the Painted Doll” but...
- 4/22/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Steve Lawrence, a king among easy-listening crooners who rocketed to fame in the ’50s and ’60s as half of the duo Steve and Eydie, died Thursday at age 88. Lawrence died at home in Los Angeles, and the cause of death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease, according to a spokesperson for the family, Susan DuBow.
Lawrence’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis had finally put an end to his touring career in 2019, after a run in the public eye that spanned six and a half decades.
Lawrence was preceded in death in 2013 by his wife, Eydie Gormé, with whom he enjoyed nearly unparalleled success as a performing couple during their heyday as touring artists and TV stars in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. The couple had continued to tour together through 2009.
His colleagues began to weigh in Thursday. “Steve was one of my favorite guests on my variety show,” Carol Burnett said,...
Lawrence’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis had finally put an end to his touring career in 2019, after a run in the public eye that spanned six and a half decades.
Lawrence was preceded in death in 2013 by his wife, Eydie Gormé, with whom he enjoyed nearly unparalleled success as a performing couple during their heyday as touring artists and TV stars in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. The couple had continued to tour together through 2009.
His colleagues began to weigh in Thursday. “Steve was one of my favorite guests on my variety show,” Carol Burnett said,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Steve Lawrence, the charismatic Grammy- and Emmy-winning crooner who delighted audiences for decades in nightclubs, on concert stages and in film and television appearances, died Thursday. He was 88.
Lawrence, who partnered in a popular act with his wife of 55 years, the late Eydie Gormé, died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, a publicidst announced.
With his boyish good looks, silky voice and breezy personality, Lawrence broke into show business when he won a talent competition on Arthur Godfrey’s CBS show and signed with King Records as a teenager. The singer chose to stay old school and resist the allure of rock ‘n’ roll.
“It didn’t attract me as much,” Lawrence once said. “I grew up in a time period when music was written by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and Sammy Cahn and Julie Stein.
Lawrence, who partnered in a popular act with his wife of 55 years, the late Eydie Gormé, died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, a publicidst announced.
With his boyish good looks, silky voice and breezy personality, Lawrence broke into show business when he won a talent competition on Arthur Godfrey’s CBS show and signed with King Records as a teenager. The singer chose to stay old school and resist the allure of rock ‘n’ roll.
“It didn’t attract me as much,” Lawrence once said. “I grew up in a time period when music was written by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and Sammy Cahn and Julie Stein.
- 3/7/2024
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
David Libert, a founding member of the ’60s pop group The Happenings as well a tour manager for Alice Cooper and Prince, manager for George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, the Runaways, Living Colour and many more, died February 20, according to a post on his official Instagram page. He was 81.
The title of Libert’s 2022 memoir is Rock and Roll Warrior, and it’s an apt one. Over the course of his decades in the music business, the Paterson, NJ-raised Libert found success as a musician, songwriter, road manager, concert promoter, author and (briefly) drug dealer, for which he spent about a year in prison.
Just out of the Air Force in 1961, Libert started The Happenings with four other kids from Paterson. The group’s major hits were “See You in September” in 1966 and a cover version of George & Ira Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” the following year, both of which peaked at No.
The title of Libert’s 2022 memoir is Rock and Roll Warrior, and it’s an apt one. Over the course of his decades in the music business, the Paterson, NJ-raised Libert found success as a musician, songwriter, road manager, concert promoter, author and (briefly) drug dealer, for which he spent about a year in prison.
Just out of the Air Force in 1961, Libert started The Happenings with four other kids from Paterson. The group’s major hits were “See You in September” in 1966 and a cover version of George & Ira Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” the following year, both of which peaked at No.
- 3/6/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
When Harry Met Sally (courtesy Columbia Pictures)Graphic: The A.V. Club
Whether it’s the tension of the countdown, the promise of romance, or simply the idea of letting go of the past and moving on into an unknown future, there’s just something about New Year’s Eve that brings on new revelations,...
Whether it’s the tension of the countdown, the promise of romance, or simply the idea of letting go of the past and moving on into an unknown future, there’s just something about New Year’s Eve that brings on new revelations,...
- 12/29/2023
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Nine decades ago this December, moviegoers were witnessing the beginning of one of the most successful movie teams, as well as the demise of one of the most dramatic.
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made box office magic during the Depression-era 1930s in nine Art Deco musical comedy delights from Rko including 1934’s “The Gay Divorcee” and 1936’s “Swing Time.” Their chemistry was unmatched, and they literally made beautiful musical together introducing countless standards including the Oscar-winning “The Continental” and “The Way You Look Tonight.” And their dancing was robust, romantic and heavenly-just check out the “Never Gonna Dance” routine from “Swing Time.”
It was 90 years ago this week, their first pairing “Flying Down to Rio” opened at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. One of the big surprises is that the duo aren’t the stars of the lightweight pre-Code musicals: Dolores Del Rio, Gene Raymond...
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made box office magic during the Depression-era 1930s in nine Art Deco musical comedy delights from Rko including 1934’s “The Gay Divorcee” and 1936’s “Swing Time.” Their chemistry was unmatched, and they literally made beautiful musical together introducing countless standards including the Oscar-winning “The Continental” and “The Way You Look Tonight.” And their dancing was robust, romantic and heavenly-just check out the “Never Gonna Dance” routine from “Swing Time.”
It was 90 years ago this week, their first pairing “Flying Down to Rio” opened at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. One of the big surprises is that the duo aren’t the stars of the lightweight pre-Code musicals: Dolores Del Rio, Gene Raymond...
- 12/28/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
President Barack Obama gave Paul McCartney one of the United States’ most prestigious musical awards. The honor is named after two of the country’s most consequential musicians. Paul revealed what he thought about receiving such a prize — as well as what he thought about Obama.
Barack Obama gave Paul McCartney an award named after jazz icon George Gershwin
The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is a lifetime achievement award given out for musical excellence. It’s named after brothers George and Ira Gershwin, who were known for their classic jazz compositions. According to The Obama White House archive, Obama gave Paul this incredible award in 2010.
The president’s remarks referenced the infamous Bp oil spill. “We’ve gone through a difficult year and a half, and right now our thoughts and our prayers are with friends in another part of the country that is so rich...
Barack Obama gave Paul McCartney an award named after jazz icon George Gershwin
The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is a lifetime achievement award given out for musical excellence. It’s named after brothers George and Ira Gershwin, who were known for their classic jazz compositions. According to The Obama White House archive, Obama gave Paul this incredible award in 2010.
The president’s remarks referenced the infamous Bp oil spill. “We’ve gone through a difficult year and a half, and right now our thoughts and our prayers are with friends in another part of the country that is so rich...
- 11/30/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Los Angeles, August 2 (Ians) ‘Star Wars’ icon Billy Dee Williams, who is known for playing the famous character Lando Calrissian from the movies, will now be releasing a memoir titled ‘What Have We Here?’ which will cover his nearly eight-decade long career in show business.
Earlier, the actor had revealed the cover for his memoir with People magazine which showcased him dressed up as Lando Calrissian from ‘Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back’, twirling around in a cape strikingly reminiscent of the one he wore in the sci-fi franchise as head of the massive cloud city of Bespin.
I saw how many times throughout my life I wanted to go right and some force in the universe caused me to turn left instead, and things worked out,’ he told People in the interview for his cover reveal.
As reported by Daily Mail, the actor said in a new...
Earlier, the actor had revealed the cover for his memoir with People magazine which showcased him dressed up as Lando Calrissian from ‘Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back’, twirling around in a cape strikingly reminiscent of the one he wore in the sci-fi franchise as head of the massive cloud city of Bespin.
I saw how many times throughout my life I wanted to go right and some force in the universe caused me to turn left instead, and things worked out,’ he told People in the interview for his cover reveal.
As reported by Daily Mail, the actor said in a new...
- 8/2/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Tl;Dr:
John Lennon said he changed the name of a song from Double Fantasy. His claim was not exactly true. John and Yoko Ono discussed the possibility of putting negative messages in their songs.
John Lennon was worried a song from Double Fantasy might come true. Subsequently, he said he changed the title of the tune. In the end, the track still became a self-fulfilling prophecy in the worst way.
The story of ‘I’m Losing You’ from John Lennon’s ‘Double Fantasy’
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono includes an interview from 1980. In it, John discussed a song from Double Fantasy. He said the tune was initially titled “Losing You” but he renamed it “(Afraid I’m) Losing You.” He was worried that the original name of the tune could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
John’s comment doesn...
John Lennon said he changed the name of a song from Double Fantasy. His claim was not exactly true. John and Yoko Ono discussed the possibility of putting negative messages in their songs.
John Lennon was worried a song from Double Fantasy might come true. Subsequently, he said he changed the title of the tune. In the end, the track still became a self-fulfilling prophecy in the worst way.
The story of ‘I’m Losing You’ from John Lennon’s ‘Double Fantasy’
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono includes an interview from 1980. In it, John discussed a song from Double Fantasy. He said the tune was initially titled “Losing You” but he renamed it “(Afraid I’m) Losing You.” He was worried that the original name of the tune could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
John’s comment doesn...
- 6/14/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Joni Mitchell will receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Thursday that Mitchell will be honored with an all-star tribute concert on March 1 in Washington, D.C. “Joni Mitchell: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song” will premiere on PBS nationwide on March 31.
“Joni Mitchell’s music and artistry have left a distinct impression on American culture and internationally, crossing from folk music with a distinctive voice whose songs will stay with us for the ages,” Hayden said in a statement. “Joni Mitchell’s music has so many artists and music lovers all singing her tunes. We are honored to present the Gershwin Prize to this musical genius.”
Mitchell, 70, is the third woman to earn the prize following Carole King and Gloria Estefan, who won the honor alongside husband Emilio.
The Canadian icon has received nine Grammys Awards and...
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Thursday that Mitchell will be honored with an all-star tribute concert on March 1 in Washington, D.C. “Joni Mitchell: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song” will premiere on PBS nationwide on March 31.
“Joni Mitchell’s music and artistry have left a distinct impression on American culture and internationally, crossing from folk music with a distinctive voice whose songs will stay with us for the ages,” Hayden said in a statement. “Joni Mitchell’s music has so many artists and music lovers all singing her tunes. We are honored to present the Gershwin Prize to this musical genius.”
Mitchell, 70, is the third woman to earn the prize following Carole King and Gloria Estefan, who won the honor alongside husband Emilio.
The Canadian icon has received nine Grammys Awards and...
- 1/12/2023
- by Mesfin Fekadu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Joni Mitchell will receive the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, with plans for a tribute concert in Washington, D.C. that will air on PBS stations on March 31.
Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, said in a statement that Mitchell’s “music and artistry have left a distinct impression on American culture and internationally, crossing from folk music with a distinctive voice whose songs will stay with us for the ages.”
Mitchell joins past recipients including Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Smokey Robinson, Tony Bennett and Paul McCartney. The award is named for the songwriting team of George and Ira Gershwin, and recipients are selected by the Librarian of Congress in consultation with a board of scholars, songwriters and music specialists.
The Library of Congress also noted that Mitchell redefined the role of women musicians, overseeing all aspects of her albums.
In a statement, Mitchell said,...
Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, said in a statement that Mitchell’s “music and artistry have left a distinct impression on American culture and internationally, crossing from folk music with a distinctive voice whose songs will stay with us for the ages.”
Mitchell joins past recipients including Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Smokey Robinson, Tony Bennett and Paul McCartney. The award is named for the songwriting team of George and Ira Gershwin, and recipients are selected by the Librarian of Congress in consultation with a board of scholars, songwriters and music specialists.
The Library of Congress also noted that Mitchell redefined the role of women musicians, overseeing all aspects of her albums.
In a statement, Mitchell said,...
- 1/12/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Naomi Ackie gives audiences a glimpse into the life of Whitney Houston in director Kasi Lemmons’ new biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” and the new film is packed with a number of Houston’s hits.
Working with movement coach Polly Bennett and vocal coaches Tangela Large, Bridgette Jackson and Denise Woods, Ackie also underwent physical transformation with the help of numerous wigs and false teeth to cover the natural gap in her two front teeth.
Ackie doesn’t sing most songs in the film — she lip syncs to Houston’s perfect tracks instead — but she mimics Houston’s style of singing with great detail. She steps in for performances by Houston that were not recorded, such as “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah” and “Jesus Loves Me” from her choir-singing days. Ackie also portrays a nervous Whitney who is thrust onstage by her mother, who knows Clive Davis is in attendance,...
Working with movement coach Polly Bennett and vocal coaches Tangela Large, Bridgette Jackson and Denise Woods, Ackie also underwent physical transformation with the help of numerous wigs and false teeth to cover the natural gap in her two front teeth.
Ackie doesn’t sing most songs in the film — she lip syncs to Houston’s perfect tracks instead — but she mimics Houston’s style of singing with great detail. She steps in for performances by Houston that were not recorded, such as “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah” and “Jesus Loves Me” from her choir-singing days. Ackie also portrays a nervous Whitney who is thrust onstage by her mother, who knows Clive Davis is in attendance,...
- 12/28/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Susan Stroman, the celebrated Broadway director and choreographer, has revealed that an acclaimed UK revival of musical comedy Crazy for You, which features show-stopping numbers from the George and Ira Gershwin songbook, will transfer from the Chichester Festival Theater into Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Lw Theatres-owned Gillian Lynne Theatre for a strictly limited 30-week West End season from June 24. Opening night is July 3.
The production with British stars Charlie Stemp and Carly Anderson played to packed houses during an eight-week summer run at Chichester.
Related Story ‘The Wiz’ Sets 2024 Broadway Return With New Material By Amber Ruffin Related Story Andrew Lloyd Webber & Producer Michael Harrison Announce New Musical Theater Partnership Related Story Love Changes Everything: Michael Ball Will Revisit 'Aspects Of Love' In A Reimagined Version Of Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical
It’s a coming home of sorts for Stroman, who won the Tony Award for Best Choreography when...
The production with British stars Charlie Stemp and Carly Anderson played to packed houses during an eight-week summer run at Chichester.
Related Story ‘The Wiz’ Sets 2024 Broadway Return With New Material By Amber Ruffin Related Story Andrew Lloyd Webber & Producer Michael Harrison Announce New Musical Theater Partnership Related Story Love Changes Everything: Michael Ball Will Revisit 'Aspects Of Love' In A Reimagined Version Of Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical
It’s a coming home of sorts for Stroman, who won the Tony Award for Best Choreography when...
- 12/1/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Tony Bennett has been part of the pop cultural landscape for over seven decades. The 96-year-old scored his first hit song, “Because of You,” in 1951, the year he made his first TV appearances on a long-forgotten variety series “Star of the Family.” He recorded his signature tune, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco’ in 1962. Other hits included “Rags to Riches,” which Martin Scorsese used brilliantly on the soundtrack of his 1990 masterpiece “Goodfellas” and the Oscar-winning “The Shadow of Your Smile” from 1965’s “The Sandpiper.”
Unlike the crooners Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, movie success eluded Bennett. Just check out his film debut in the overstuff 1966 turkey “The Oscar.” His career waned. Rock was hot and Bennett wasn’t. He stopped recording in the late 1970s and was in lot of debt. He turned to drugs but a near death drowning experience in his bathtub changed his life and lifestyle.
Unlike the crooners Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, movie success eluded Bennett. Just check out his film debut in the overstuff 1966 turkey “The Oscar.” His career waned. Rock was hot and Bennett wasn’t. He stopped recording in the late 1970s and was in lot of debt. He turned to drugs but a near death drowning experience in his bathtub changed his life and lifestyle.
- 9/1/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
“A Strange Loop” won the much-coveted Tony Award for Best Musical at the 2022 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 12. The tuner from Michael R. Jackson claimed a total of two Tonys at the ceremony. In addition to its strong showing at Radio City Music Hall, “A Strange Loop” is now just the 7th Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner to also win the Tony for Best Musical.
The drama prize at the Pulitzers was first handed out back in 1918, but the voters of that American institution tend to prefer plays rather than song and dance. In 104 years of this award, only 10 musicals have been awarded the Pulitzer: “Of Thee I Sing” (1932), “South Pacific” (1950), “Fiorello!” (1960), “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (1962), “A Chorus Line” (1976), “Sunday in the Park With George” (1985), “Rent” (1996), “Next to Normal” (2010), “Hamilton” (2016), and “A Strange Loop” (2020). The Pulitzers also gave a special award to “Oklahoma!” in 1944, but this...
The drama prize at the Pulitzers was first handed out back in 1918, but the voters of that American institution tend to prefer plays rather than song and dance. In 104 years of this award, only 10 musicals have been awarded the Pulitzer: “Of Thee I Sing” (1932), “South Pacific” (1950), “Fiorello!” (1960), “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (1962), “A Chorus Line” (1976), “Sunday in the Park With George” (1985), “Rent” (1996), “Next to Normal” (2010), “Hamilton” (2016), and “A Strange Loop” (2020). The Pulitzers also gave a special award to “Oklahoma!” in 1944, but this...
- 6/13/2022
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
“BEHIND Every MAN…â€.
By Raymond Benson
One of the more popular Hollywood movies of 1954 was The Country Girl, written and directed by George Seaton, adapted from a stage play by Clifford Odets. The Academy liked it well enough to nominate it for Best Picture, Director, Actor (Bing Crosby), Black and White Art Direction, and Black and White Cinematography (John F. Warren). The movie won Oscars for Actress (Grace Kelly) and for the Adapted Screenplay by Seaton.
The Academy sure loves it when a beautiful actress dispenses with any hint of glamour and presents herself in a dowdy, plain, or even “uglyâ€. appearance. And while Grace Kelly could never not be beautiful, her role as Georgie Elgin is not known to emphasize her timeless attractiveness and sensuality. Furthermore, she delivers an outstanding performance that was good enough to surpass the likes...
“BEHIND Every MAN…â€.
By Raymond Benson
One of the more popular Hollywood movies of 1954 was The Country Girl, written and directed by George Seaton, adapted from a stage play by Clifford Odets. The Academy liked it well enough to nominate it for Best Picture, Director, Actor (Bing Crosby), Black and White Art Direction, and Black and White Cinematography (John F. Warren). The movie won Oscars for Actress (Grace Kelly) and for the Adapted Screenplay by Seaton.
The Academy sure loves it when a beautiful actress dispenses with any hint of glamour and presents herself in a dowdy, plain, or even “uglyâ€. appearance. And while Grace Kelly could never not be beautiful, her role as Georgie Elgin is not known to emphasize her timeless attractiveness and sensuality. Furthermore, she delivers an outstanding performance that was good enough to surpass the likes...
- 2/7/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Lionel Richie has been named as the recipient of this year’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the Library of Congress announced Thursday, with an all-star tribute concert set to be filmed in March and aired on PBS in May.
“In so many ways, this national honor was made for Lionel Richie, whose music has entertained and inspired us— and helped strengthen our global connections,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in a statement. “Lionel Richie’s unforgettable work has shown us that music can bring us together. Even when we face problems and disagree on issues, songs can show us what we have in common.”
The tribute concert will take place in Washington, D.C., on March 9 and broadcast on PBS stations May 17 at 9 p.m. Et.
The Gershwin Prize was not given out in 2021. The last musician to receive it, in 2020, was Garth Brooks, who at then-57 became...
“In so many ways, this national honor was made for Lionel Richie, whose music has entertained and inspired us— and helped strengthen our global connections,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in a statement. “Lionel Richie’s unforgettable work has shown us that music can bring us together. Even when we face problems and disagree on issues, songs can show us what we have in common.”
The tribute concert will take place in Washington, D.C., on March 9 and broadcast on PBS stations May 17 at 9 p.m. Et.
The Gershwin Prize was not given out in 2021. The last musician to receive it, in 2020, was Garth Brooks, who at then-57 became...
- 1/13/2022
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Not many movie buffs have the chance to meet, let alone interview or become friendly with, their favorite moviemakers.
Peter Bogdanovich, who died January 6 at the age of 82, managed the trick many times over. First as a film scholar and magazine features writer, then as a filmmaker in his own right, Bogdanovich cozied up to the likes of directors like Ford, Hawks, and Welles, and actors like John Wayne, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart, among countless others.
By some combination of luck and persistence, Bogdanovich saw to it that these men, whose movies he had seen, inhaled, and studied as a youth in New York, became his teachers, mentors, and friends.
He accomplished what had been the dream of every movie buff since before the movies talked: to get to know, in flesh and blood, those icons of the silver screen.
It was with that model in the back of...
Peter Bogdanovich, who died January 6 at the age of 82, managed the trick many times over. First as a film scholar and magazine features writer, then as a filmmaker in his own right, Bogdanovich cozied up to the likes of directors like Ford, Hawks, and Welles, and actors like John Wayne, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart, among countless others.
By some combination of luck and persistence, Bogdanovich saw to it that these men, whose movies he had seen, inhaled, and studied as a youth in New York, became his teachers, mentors, and friends.
He accomplished what had been the dream of every movie buff since before the movies talked: to get to know, in flesh and blood, those icons of the silver screen.
It was with that model in the back of...
- 1/8/2022
- by Peter Tonguette
- Indiewire
The movie awards’ season is in full flower with such films as Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog”; Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story”; Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” Guillermo Del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” and Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” among the favorites for top prizes. But one thing we know for certain is that there is no sure thing when it comes to the Oscars. Consider the case of seventy years ago. Not only were there surprises among the nominees, but there were also some shocks when it came to the winners of the 1952 Oscars.
Let’s revisit the 24th Academy Awards, which took place March 20, 1952 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and were hosted by Danny Kaye. This was the last time the ceremony was presented on radio. The show moved to television the following year. Among the presenters that evening were Lucille Ball,...
Let’s revisit the 24th Academy Awards, which took place March 20, 1952 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and were hosted by Danny Kaye. This was the last time the ceremony was presented on radio. The show moved to television the following year. Among the presenters that evening were Lucille Ball,...
- 12/6/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
A line-up of nearly 30 stars – from Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, Darren Criss, Kelsey Grammar and David Alan Grier to Jake Gyllenhaal, Joshua Henry and Phillipa Soo – will perform title songs from more than 20 musicals for a special livestreamed musical event next month benefiting The Actors Fund.
The event, called Show of Titles, will feature title songs of Broadway musicals spanning nine decades, from “Lady Be Good” to “The Light in the Piazza.” In addition to the above-mentioned performers, the line-up includes Annaleigh Ashford, Len Cariou, Santino Fontana, Isabelle Huppert, Norm Lewis, Rob McClure, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Melba Moore, Jessie Mueller, Eva Noblezada, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Osnes, Steven Pasquale, Michael Rupert, Ernie Sabella, Lea Salonga, Will Swenson, Aaron Tveit, Leslie Uggams, Vanessa Williams and Patrick Wilson.
Making special appearances will be Broadway Inspirational Voices, Candice Bergen, Danny Burstein, Bryan Cranston, Sheldon Harnick, John Kander, Angela Lansbury, John Lithgow, Lindsay Mendez, Phylicia Rashad,...
The event, called Show of Titles, will feature title songs of Broadway musicals spanning nine decades, from “Lady Be Good” to “The Light in the Piazza.” In addition to the above-mentioned performers, the line-up includes Annaleigh Ashford, Len Cariou, Santino Fontana, Isabelle Huppert, Norm Lewis, Rob McClure, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Melba Moore, Jessie Mueller, Eva Noblezada, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Osnes, Steven Pasquale, Michael Rupert, Ernie Sabella, Lea Salonga, Will Swenson, Aaron Tveit, Leslie Uggams, Vanessa Williams and Patrick Wilson.
Making special appearances will be Broadway Inspirational Voices, Candice Bergen, Danny Burstein, Bryan Cranston, Sheldon Harnick, John Kander, Angela Lansbury, John Lithgow, Lindsay Mendez, Phylicia Rashad,...
- 5/17/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Today in 1992, Crazy for You opened at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 1622 performances. Crazy for You is a musical with a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Billed as 'The New Gershwin Musical Comedy', it is largely based on the songwriting team's 1930 musical, Girl Crazy, but interpolates songs from several other productions as well. Crazy for You won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. The Broadway production was directed by Mike Ockrent and choreographed by Susan Stroman.The cast included Jodi Benson as Polly, Harry Groener as Bobby Child, Bruce Adler as Bela Zangler, John Hillner as Lank Hawkins, Michele Pawk as Irene Roth, Jane Connell as Mother, and Beth Leavel as Tess.
- 2/19/2021
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Renee Zellweger won the Best Actress Oscar for playing Judy Garland in “Judy,” and she just made history by earning a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Album for the soundtrack. That made her the first person since Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” to receive a Grammy nomination for a film they won an acting Oscar for. But can she win? If she does, she should thank Tony Bennett for not being nominated.
SEEHow to win Grammys in 4 easy steps: This year’s nominations showed us which campaigns worked, and which didn’t
Zellweger could be helped by the fact that the recording academy already loves Judy Garland. In 1962 the legendary entertainer claimed Album of the Year and Best Female Solo Vocal Recording for her comeback concert “Judy at Carnegie Hall.” That was only seven years before her death in 1969 when she was just 47. Then in 1998 she was honored with a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award.
SEEHow to win Grammys in 4 easy steps: This year’s nominations showed us which campaigns worked, and which didn’t
Zellweger could be helped by the fact that the recording academy already loves Judy Garland. In 1962 the legendary entertainer claimed Album of the Year and Best Female Solo Vocal Recording for her comeback concert “Judy at Carnegie Hall.” That was only seven years before her death in 1969 when she was just 47. Then in 1998 she was honored with a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award.
- 1/2/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Earlier this year Renee Zellweger won her second Oscar: Best Actress for playing troubled singer and actress Judy Garland in the biopic “Judy.” But soon she may win another industry award that’s just as meaningful, if not more: a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Album. As Billboard’s Paul Grein points out, Zellweger would be the first since Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” to receive a Grammy nomination for the film they won an acting Oscar for.
Seea new wave of Grammy campaigns: 3 ways the Covid-19 pandemic could affect the race
It’s all the more special given Garland’s own awards history. The legendary entertainer never won a competitive Oscar, though she did receive an honorary Juvenile Award for her work in film the year she appeared in “The Wizard of Oz.” So Zellweger’s victory at the Oscars was also a way for the academy to symbolically give Garland an overdue hug.
Seea new wave of Grammy campaigns: 3 ways the Covid-19 pandemic could affect the race
It’s all the more special given Garland’s own awards history. The legendary entertainer never won a competitive Oscar, though she did receive an honorary Juvenile Award for her work in film the year she appeared in “The Wizard of Oz.” So Zellweger’s victory at the Oscars was also a way for the academy to symbolically give Garland an overdue hug.
- 10/21/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
As Disney quietly disappears huge swathes of film history into its vaults, I'm going to spend 2020 celebrating Twentieth Century Fox and the Fox Film Corporation's films, what one might call their output if only someone were putting it out.And now they've quietly disappeared William Fox's name from the company: guilty by association with Rupert Murdoch, even though he never associated with him.***"We offer for your mental scrutiny / The reasons for the mutiny."I believe Where Do We Go From Here? (1945) qualifies as a rarity, having never been released on any home video or streaming format. This is a shame, but you can see why. The whole concept of whimsy has a tendency to lumpenness, even though the very word seems to imply a lighter-than-air approach. Which is heavier, a ton of scrap metal or a ton of feathers?So what we have here is a fantasy in...
- 6/4/2020
- MUBI
“Mudbound” director Dee Rees is set to write and direct a new movie adaptation of George Gershwin’s American opera “Porgy and Bess” that’s set up at MGM, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Irwin Winkler and Charles Winkler of Winkler Films will produce the adaptation, and Winkler Films worked closely with MGM to secure the rights to the story from the Gershwin estate.
“Porgy and Bess” was first adapted into a feature film in 1959 by director Otto Preminger starring Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Brock Peters and Sammy Davis Jr.
Also Read: Alex Ross Perry to Direct Adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Dark Half' for MGM
It was originally based on a novel of the same name by DuBose Heyward from 1925 and in the same year was adapted into a play called “Porgy” by Heyward and Dorothy Heyward. Composer George Gershwin and lyricist...
Irwin Winkler and Charles Winkler of Winkler Films will produce the adaptation, and Winkler Films worked closely with MGM to secure the rights to the story from the Gershwin estate.
“Porgy and Bess” was first adapted into a feature film in 1959 by director Otto Preminger starring Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Brock Peters and Sammy Davis Jr.
Also Read: Alex Ross Perry to Direct Adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Dark Half' for MGM
It was originally based on a novel of the same name by DuBose Heyward from 1925 and in the same year was adapted into a play called “Porgy” by Heyward and Dorothy Heyward. Composer George Gershwin and lyricist...
- 2/11/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: MGM has set Dee Rees to write and direct a feature film adaptation of George Gershwin’s acclaimed Porgy and Bess. Irwin Winkler and Charles Winkler will produce. The film rights were granted to MGM by the Gershwin Estate, which worked closely with Winkler and Rees to secure them.
Originally written as an opera and adapted from the 1925 DuBose Heyward novel by composer George Gershwin with libretto by Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin, Porgy and Bess is a tale set in the slums of Charleston, Sc. There in Catfish Row, a disabled beggar named Porgy tries to rescue Bess from her violent lover Crown, and drug dealer Sportin’ Life. It first reached Broadway in 1935, and was turned into a 1959 film that Otto Preminger directed with Sidney Poitier playing Porgy, Dorothy Dandridge as Bess, Brock Peters as Crown, Sammy Davis Jr as Sportin’ Life, and a cast that included Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll.
Originally written as an opera and adapted from the 1925 DuBose Heyward novel by composer George Gershwin with libretto by Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin, Porgy and Bess is a tale set in the slums of Charleston, Sc. There in Catfish Row, a disabled beggar named Porgy tries to rescue Bess from her violent lover Crown, and drug dealer Sportin’ Life. It first reached Broadway in 1935, and was turned into a 1959 film that Otto Preminger directed with Sidney Poitier playing Porgy, Dorothy Dandridge as Bess, Brock Peters as Crown, Sammy Davis Jr as Sportin’ Life, and a cast that included Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll.
- 2/11/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Tony Sokol Oct 4, 2019
Richard Rodgers wrote a musical for Diahann Carroll to star in after hearing her sing on The Tonight Show.
Pioneering TV, film and stage actor Diahann Carroll, who broke barriers as the star of the 60s series Julia, died of Friday in Los Angeles at 84 due to cancer, according to the Associated Press.
Carroll performed on stages in Las Vegas nightclubs, Broadway theaters, and feature film adaptations like Carmen Jones and Porgy & Bess before she was cast in the title role on the comedy Julia. Her character was the first time an African-American was cast as the star of a show in a non-servant role. Julia Baker was a nurse raising a young son as a single mother following the death of her husband in the Vietnam War. The series ran for 86 episodes on NBC between 1968 and 1971.
Carol Diahann Johnson was born in the Bronx, but grew up in Harlem,...
Richard Rodgers wrote a musical for Diahann Carroll to star in after hearing her sing on The Tonight Show.
Pioneering TV, film and stage actor Diahann Carroll, who broke barriers as the star of the 60s series Julia, died of Friday in Los Angeles at 84 due to cancer, according to the Associated Press.
Carroll performed on stages in Las Vegas nightclubs, Broadway theaters, and feature film adaptations like Carmen Jones and Porgy & Bess before she was cast in the title role on the comedy Julia. Her character was the first time an African-American was cast as the star of a show in a non-servant role. Julia Baker was a nurse raising a young son as a single mother following the death of her husband in the Vietnam War. The series ran for 86 episodes on NBC between 1968 and 1971.
Carol Diahann Johnson was born in the Bronx, but grew up in Harlem,...
- 10/4/2019
- Den of Geek
Garth Brooks will become the latest recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The 57-year-old is the youngest person to receive the honor, which will be presented alongside an all-star tribute concert in Washington, D.C., next March. The concert is set to air sometime in the spring on PBS stations nationwide and will broadcast via the American Forces Network to U.S. Department of Defense locations around the world.
The Gershwin Prize, so named for the songwriting contributions of iconic tunesmiths George and Ira Gershwin, recognizes...
The Gershwin Prize, so named for the songwriting contributions of iconic tunesmiths George and Ira Gershwin, recognizes...
- 10/2/2019
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
The centerpiece of Scott Ora’s cluttered San Fernando Valley apartment is the 1939 Oscar his step-grandfather, the late lyricist Leo Robin, was presented for co-writing “Thanks for the Memory.” Sung by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross in the film “The Big Broadcast of 1938,” the trophy sits proudly on the piano where Robin worked on some of his biggest hits. The movie marked the comedian’s breakout role and Leo’s tune, co-written with frequent collaborator Ralph Rainger, soon became Hope’s theme song. It was Robin’s only Academy Award win out of a total of 10 nominations.
Over the course of 20 years, from 1934 (when the best original song category was introduced and he was nominated for “Love in Bloom”) through 1954, Robin, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame who died in 1984 at the age of 84, earned 10 Oscar nominations (two in 1949 alone). His impressive catalog includes signature tunes for Maurice Chevalier...
Over the course of 20 years, from 1934 (when the best original song category was introduced and he was nominated for “Love in Bloom”) through 1954, Robin, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame who died in 1984 at the age of 84, earned 10 Oscar nominations (two in 1949 alone). His impressive catalog includes signature tunes for Maurice Chevalier...
- 10/1/2019
- by Roy Trakin
- Variety Film + TV
Singer-songwriter Don McLean has publicly criticized UCLA after a lifetime achievement award was rescinded because of his 2016 arrest for domestic abuse. The 73-year-old “American Pie” star was to be presented with the George and Ira Gershwin Award by the UCLA Student Alumni Association. But it withdrew the honor “upon learning that Mr. McLean had […]
The post Don McLean Calls UCLA Administrators ‘Morons’ After Rescinding His Achievement Award appeared first on uInterview.
The post Don McLean Calls UCLA Administrators ‘Morons’ After Rescinding His Achievement Award appeared first on uInterview.
- 5/23/2019
- by Kaitlynn Keller
- Uinterview
Doris Day may have died with a reputation of being Hollywood’s most scrubbed-clean and wholesome girl-next-door type. But she made it to the big screen courtesy her warmly simmering and easily quavering vocal tones. Before films beckoned, she was a featured vocalist with big band-era kings such as Bob Crosby (Bing’s brother) and Les Brown and His Band of Renown, the latter of which recorded Day sunnily crooning “Sentimental Journey” and “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time.”
While both ballads made her the toast of radio fans and World War II vets coming home from the battlefront in 1945, Day had so much more to offer during her sadly abbreviated singing career — which included one album released in the 21st century, “My Heart,” and a host of previously unreleased songs she recorded with her composer-producer son, the late Terry Melcher.
Here are some signature smashes and cool surprises from Doris Day.
While both ballads made her the toast of radio fans and World War II vets coming home from the battlefront in 1945, Day had so much more to offer during her sadly abbreviated singing career — which included one album released in the 21st century, “My Heart,” and a host of previously unreleased songs she recorded with her composer-producer son, the late Terry Melcher.
Here are some signature smashes and cool surprises from Doris Day.
- 5/13/2019
- by A.D. Amorosi
- Variety Film + TV
Fred Astaire would’ve celebrated his 120th birthday on May 10, 2019. The Oscar-nominated song and dance man is best remembered for a series of musicals he made alongside Ginger Rogers. Yet his filmography extends well past those titles. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
As a dancer, Astaire was known for his perfectionism, doing multiple takes to get the most precise movements correct. His immaculate steps were matched only by his outfits, which often consisted of top hats and coats.
SEEOscars flashback: Gold Derby celebrates 84 years of Best Original Song at the Academy Awards
After making a name for himself on the stage in London and on Broadway, Astaire came to Hollywood. He first appeared with fellow dancer Rogers in “Flying Down to Rio” (1933), where they played second fiddle to Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond. Their...
As a dancer, Astaire was known for his perfectionism, doing multiple takes to get the most precise movements correct. His immaculate steps were matched only by his outfits, which often consisted of top hats and coats.
SEEOscars flashback: Gold Derby celebrates 84 years of Best Original Song at the Academy Awards
After making a name for himself on the stage in London and on Broadway, Astaire came to Hollywood. He first appeared with fellow dancer Rogers in “Flying Down to Rio” (1933), where they played second fiddle to Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond. Their...
- 5/10/2019
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Don McLean will no longer receive a lifetime achievement award from a UCLA student group after it learned that the singer-songwriter had pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges in 2016, the Portland Press Herald reports.
Last Friday, the Student Alumni Association of UCLA announced they were presenting McLean with the George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement, while a publicist working for McLean released a statement about the award on Monday. Several hours later, however, the Press Herald reportedly contacted the Student Alumni Association to ask about the award being given to McLean,...
Last Friday, the Student Alumni Association of UCLA announced they were presenting McLean with the George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement, while a publicist working for McLean released a statement about the award on Monday. Several hours later, however, the Press Herald reportedly contacted the Student Alumni Association to ask about the award being given to McLean,...
- 5/7/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
This month, Kate Bush will release The Other Sides, a stand-alone four-cd set of B sides and rarities, previously available only as part of larger vinyl and CD box sets released last year. One of the highlights is an elegant, sultry cover of the Billie Holiday signature “The Man I Love.”
The arrangement has some echoes of Lady Day’s 1939 Vocalion recording, but Bush makes it her own both vocally and in a classy video, previously unreleased, where she wanders a soundstage among musicians in a cinch-waisted, trench-cut leather jacket,...
The arrangement has some echoes of Lady Day’s 1939 Vocalion recording, but Bush makes it her own both vocally and in a classy video, previously unreleased, where she wanders a soundstage among musicians in a cinch-waisted, trench-cut leather jacket,...
- 3/5/2019
- by Will Hermes
- Rollingstone.com
It is interesting this Oscar weekend to reflect on the life and career of the great Stanley Donen who died today at the age of 94. For those nominated tomorrow night who end up losing, don’t despair and just think of Stanley Donen , the director behind the camera on Singin’ In The Rain, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, On The Town, Damn Yankees, The Pajama Game, It’s Always Fair Weather, Royal Wedding, Indiscreet, Charade , Arabesque, Two For The Road, Funny Face, and so many more. He never got a single Academy Award nomination in his career, not one, yet he made so many movies that are the epitome of style , and virtually (with mentors like Gene Kelly in particular) helped to reinvent the movie musical before passing the baton to Bob Fosse ,Rob Marshall, and Damien Chazelle among others all clearly influenced by him in one way or another.
- 2/24/2019
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Like a lot of great filmmakers, Stanley Donen never won a competitive Academy Award — or even got nominated for one. But the “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Charade” director, who died this morning at 94, did receive an honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1998. Presented by Martin Scorsese, it was emblematic of Donen’s vibrant spirit — and, apropos of his career, featured a musical interlude.
“Marty, it’s backwards, I should be giving this to you, believe me. And I want to thank the Board of Governors for this cute little fella which to me looks titanic,” he said before launching into song (the Titanic reference was a nod to how this was the night James Cameron’s film would win 11 Oscars). “Tonight, words seem inadequate. In musicals that’s when we do a song, so…”
Then he sang:
“Heaven, I’m in heaven,
and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak,...
“Marty, it’s backwards, I should be giving this to you, believe me. And I want to thank the Board of Governors for this cute little fella which to me looks titanic,” he said before launching into song (the Titanic reference was a nod to how this was the night James Cameron’s film would win 11 Oscars). “Tonight, words seem inadequate. In musicals that’s when we do a song, so…”
Then he sang:
“Heaven, I’m in heaven,
and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak,...
- 2/23/2019
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
“A Star Is Born” has always been a great talent vehicle, including the new Bradley Cooper-Lady Gaga version, which Warner Bros. opened Oct. 5. Previous versions showcased big-name talent, but there’s also a stellar lineup of people who almost made the film but didn’t, including Cary Grant, Cher, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, Beyoncé Knowles and, behind the cameras, Mike Nichols, Quincy Jones and Clint Eastwood.
The new film is officially the fourth version, but it’s sort of the fifth. In 1932, Rko made “What Price Hollywood?” about an L.A. waitress who becomes a movie star while her alcoholic mentor declines. In the July 19, 1932, review, Variety shrugged, “It’s a fan magazine interpretation of Hollywood.” Five years later, Selznick Intl. Pictures’ “A Star Is Born” had so many similarities that Rko considered suing.
Each version added an innovation: Technicolor in 1937, musical numbers for the 1954 Judy Garland film,...
The new film is officially the fourth version, but it’s sort of the fifth. In 1932, Rko made “What Price Hollywood?” about an L.A. waitress who becomes a movie star while her alcoholic mentor declines. In the July 19, 1932, review, Variety shrugged, “It’s a fan magazine interpretation of Hollywood.” Five years later, Selznick Intl. Pictures’ “A Star Is Born” had so many similarities that Rko considered suing.
Each version added an innovation: Technicolor in 1937, musical numbers for the 1954 Judy Garland film,...
- 1/18/2019
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Concord Music has acquired 188-year-old theater publisher and licensing mainstay Samuel French, combining it with other assets in its burgeoning Concord Theatricals unit.
The deal, whose terms were not disclosed, “fulfills a significant and ongoing commitment to theater,” the company said.
Concord Theatricals represents a list of top-shelf musicals from the catalogs of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Kurt Weill and Irving Berlin. Its roster also includes younger musical theater talent such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Adam Guettel, Jason Robert Brown, Shaina Taub and Michael John Lachiusa, as well as classics like A Chorus Line, Hello Dolly!, Bye Bye Birdie and Dreamgirls.
Through a joint venture called The Music Company, Concord Theatricals also works with Andrew Lloyd Webber and the Really Useful Group to license the composer and his collaborators’ shows including Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.
In announcing the deal, Concord Theatricals...
The deal, whose terms were not disclosed, “fulfills a significant and ongoing commitment to theater,” the company said.
Concord Theatricals represents a list of top-shelf musicals from the catalogs of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Kurt Weill and Irving Berlin. Its roster also includes younger musical theater talent such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Adam Guettel, Jason Robert Brown, Shaina Taub and Michael John Lachiusa, as well as classics like A Chorus Line, Hello Dolly!, Bye Bye Birdie and Dreamgirls.
Through a joint venture called The Music Company, Concord Theatricals also works with Andrew Lloyd Webber and the Really Useful Group to license the composer and his collaborators’ shows including Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.
In announcing the deal, Concord Theatricals...
- 12/17/2018
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Photo Coverage: Sutton Foster, Gavin Creel & More Take Bows in Roundabout's My One And Only Benefit!
Just last night,Roundabout Theatre Companypresented a special one-night-only Benefit Musical Performance of My One and Only, the award-winning musical comedy by Peter Stone and Timothy S. Mayer with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin.The event was led bySutton Foster 'Edythe Herbert' and Gavin Creel 'Captain Billy Buck Chandler', withHeidi Blickenstaff 'Mickey', Ted Louis Levy 'Mr. Magix', Michael Park 'Prince Nicolai' and Lance Roberts 'Rev. J.D. Montgomery'.
- 11/13/2018
- by Jennifer Broski
- BroadwayWorld.com
Roundabout Theatre Company Todd Haimes, Artistic DirectorCEO has just announcedthat Heidi Blickenstaff 'Mickey', Ted Louis Levy 'Mr. Magix', Michael Park 'Prince Nicolai' and Lance Roberts 'Rev. J.D. Montgomery' have joined Sutton Foster 'Edythe Herbert' and Gavin Creel 'Captain Billy Buck Chandler' in a special one-night-only Benefit Musical Performance of My One and Only, the award-winning musical comedy by Peter Stone and Timothy S. Mayer with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin.
- 11/7/2018
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
The film-loving Library of Congress has unveiled its latest movie-centric initiative: the National Screening Room, a free collection of over a century of video assets that capture “a broad range of American life.” The New York Times reports that the new online screening room includes “digitized historical films, commercials, newsreels and other clips. … Most of the movies are in the public domain and are available for downloading; others are only available to stream.”
The available videos cover over a century of time, spanning 1890 through 1999, with new content set to be added every month. The current, quite wide-ranging selection includes almost 300 videos, with such highlights as “home movies by the songwriters George and Ira Gershwin; issues of the ‘“All-American News,’ a newsreel intended for black audiences in the mid-20th century; and a selection of instructional films about mental health from the 1950s.”
Other highlights include footage of Theodore Roosevelt visiting the Jamestown Exposition,...
The available videos cover over a century of time, spanning 1890 through 1999, with new content set to be added every month. The current, quite wide-ranging selection includes almost 300 videos, with such highlights as “home movies by the songwriters George and Ira Gershwin; issues of the ‘“All-American News,’ a newsreel intended for black audiences in the mid-20th century; and a selection of instructional films about mental health from the 1950s.”
Other highlights include footage of Theodore Roosevelt visiting the Jamestown Exposition,...
- 10/24/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Roundabout Theatre Company Todd Haimes, Artistic DirectorCEO just announced Tony Award winner Gavin Creel Hello, Dolly, She Loves Me will join two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster Anything Goes, Thoroughly Modern Millie in a special one-night-only Benefit Musical Performance of My One and Only, the award-winning musical comedy by Peter Stone and Timothy S. Mayer with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin.
- 10/9/2018
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Hollywood’s allure, insatiable ambition, and the price of fame are at the center of one of the most oft-told stories in show-biz history: “A Star Is Born.” The latest edition, with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, is the fourth to be made, and the third to be music-centric. Variety has already written many articles about that one, which is released today — read Owen Gleiberman’s review here — but how do the previous renditions stack up?
1937
Producer David O. Selznick’s original rendering won Oscars for its cinematography and its original story. While the story was written by director William A. Wellman and novelist Robert Carson, many of its sharpest and most cutting lines are believed to have been penned by famed writer Dorothy Parker and husband Alan Campbell (who were nominated in a separate Oscar category but didn’t win).
Janet Gaynor played Esther Blodgett-turned-Vicki Lester, a starry-eyed...
1937
Producer David O. Selznick’s original rendering won Oscars for its cinematography and its original story. While the story was written by director William A. Wellman and novelist Robert Carson, many of its sharpest and most cutting lines are believed to have been penned by famed writer Dorothy Parker and husband Alan Campbell (who were nominated in a separate Oscar category but didn’t win).
Janet Gaynor played Esther Blodgett-turned-Vicki Lester, a starry-eyed...
- 10/5/2018
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Prepare to lose an afternoon or three: The Library of Congress announced today that it has digitized hundreds of hours of film and is making them available for viewing, free of charge, on its new “National Screening Room” website.
Care to check out home movies of Liza Minnelli’s second birthday party, hosted by Ira Gershwin? Thomas Edison footage of Coney Island at night, circa 1905? Lbj’s “Daisy” political spot with the little girl and the nuke (pictured above)? Have at them.
“The National Screening Room is designed to open up the Library’s collections,” said curator Mike Mashon, head of the Library’s Moving Image Section, “making otherwise unavailable movies freely accessible to viewers nationwide and around the world.”
With more than 1.6 million items in its collection, the Library of Congress calls itself “the largest and most comprehensive archive of moving images in the world.” Today’s announcement initiates...
Care to check out home movies of Liza Minnelli’s second birthday party, hosted by Ira Gershwin? Thomas Edison footage of Coney Island at night, circa 1905? Lbj’s “Daisy” political spot with the little girl and the nuke (pictured above)? Have at them.
“The National Screening Room is designed to open up the Library’s collections,” said curator Mike Mashon, head of the Library’s Moving Image Section, “making otherwise unavailable movies freely accessible to viewers nationwide and around the world.”
With more than 1.6 million items in its collection, the Library of Congress calls itself “the largest and most comprehensive archive of moving images in the world.” Today’s announcement initiates...
- 9/26/2018
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Tony Bennett and Diana Krall Release Album 'Love is Here to Stay' Celebrating the Music of Gershwins
Two legendary performers teamed up to release an album ahead of their individual shows this fall at The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts. Tony Bennett and Diana Krall celebrate their shared love of the music of George and Ira Gershwin on their new collaborative album, Love is Here to Stay, set for wide release on September 14. Audiences can see them each perform live on The Hanover Theatre stage. Tony Bennett 10th Anniversary Performance and Gala is on Friday, September 28 at 730 pm and Diana Krall Turn Up The Quiet World Tour 2018 comes to the theatre on Saturday, October 6 at 8 pm.
- 9/7/2018
- by TV News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
This article marks Part 6 of the Gold Derby series analyzing 84 years of Best Original Song at the Oscars. Join us as we look back at the timeless tunes recognized in this category, the results of each race and the overall rankings of the Academy Awards winners.
The 1954 Oscar nominees in Best Original Song were:
“The High and the Mighty” from “The High and the Mighty”
“The Man That Got Away” from “A Star Is Born”
“Hold My Hand” from “Susan Slept Here”
“Three Coins in the Fountain” from “Three Coins in the Fountain”
“Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)” from “White Christmas”
Won: “Three Coins in the Fountain” from “Three Coins in the Fountain”
Should’ve won: “The Man That Got Away” from “A Star Is Born”
Sure, the 1954 Oscar ceremony could have gone a lot worse. “On the Waterfront” and leading man Marlon Brando could have, for instance, fallen...
The 1954 Oscar nominees in Best Original Song were:
“The High and the Mighty” from “The High and the Mighty”
“The Man That Got Away” from “A Star Is Born”
“Hold My Hand” from “Susan Slept Here”
“Three Coins in the Fountain” from “Three Coins in the Fountain”
“Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)” from “White Christmas”
Won: “Three Coins in the Fountain” from “Three Coins in the Fountain”
Should’ve won: “The Man That Got Away” from “A Star Is Born”
Sure, the 1954 Oscar ceremony could have gone a lot worse. “On the Waterfront” and leading man Marlon Brando could have, for instance, fallen...
- 8/27/2018
- by Andrew Carden
- Gold Derby
Washington — A group of lawmakers introduced legislation on Tuesday to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Aretha Franklin, who died last week.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) are among the co-sponsors of the legislation in the Senate, while Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.) and Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) are co-sponsors in the House.
In a statement, Harris said Franklin “was simply a legend. Her work and impact will be felt for generations to come, and it’s long past time Congress honor her with the Congressional Gold Medal.”
She said, “from listening to ‘Mary Don’t You Weep,’ to standing in the living room dancing to ‘Rock Steady’ over and over again, to hearing from the Queen herself how lucky I was to be young, gifted, and black — Aretha’s songs were the soundtrack of my childhood.”
Hatch said Franklin “brought light, laughter, and love to all who would hear.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) are among the co-sponsors of the legislation in the Senate, while Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.) and Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) are co-sponsors in the House.
In a statement, Harris said Franklin “was simply a legend. Her work and impact will be felt for generations to come, and it’s long past time Congress honor her with the Congressional Gold Medal.”
She said, “from listening to ‘Mary Don’t You Weep,’ to standing in the living room dancing to ‘Rock Steady’ over and over again, to hearing from the Queen herself how lucky I was to be young, gifted, and black — Aretha’s songs were the soundtrack of my childhood.”
Hatch said Franklin “brought light, laughter, and love to all who would hear.
- 8/21/2018
- by Ted Johnson
- Variety Film + TV
Tony Bennett and Diana Krall unite for a classy, revamped version of George and Ira Gershwin’s 1924 song “Fascinating Rhythm.” The track previews their upcoming collaborative LP of Gershwin reworks, Love Is Here to Stay, out September 14th via Verve Records/Columbia Records.
On the single, the singers exchange vocals over snappy piano, brushed drums and walking double-bass. “Fascinating rhythm, you’ve got me on the go/ Fascinating rhythm, I’m all a-quiver,” Krall sings. The track ends with a slowed-down, swaggering blues progression.
Dozens of artists have covered “Fascinating...
On the single, the singers exchange vocals over snappy piano, brushed drums and walking double-bass. “Fascinating rhythm, you’ve got me on the go/ Fascinating rhythm, I’m all a-quiver,” Krall sings. The track ends with a slowed-down, swaggering blues progression.
Dozens of artists have covered “Fascinating...
- 8/3/2018
- by Ryan Reed
- Rollingstone.com
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