It all started when Rob Reiner tried to convince Albert Brooks to let him film his own version of “My Dinner with Andre” titled “My Lunch with Albert Brooks.” His high school chum refused. After someone else came to Brooks wanting to make a documentary about him, the financing fell through. Then the men decided to combine the two things.
“There’s about 4000 documentaries now,” said Brooks at an FYC event with Reiner and moderator Judd Apatow this week at the Academy of Motion Pictures. “It’s the way they’re willing to spend money without spending real money. Everyone has a story and 99 out of 100 are done pretty much the same way. Either the person’s no longer living, or they’re being talked about from an off-stage voice. So to be able to do that this way…that’s what makes it special. Because it’s Rob and...
“There’s about 4000 documentaries now,” said Brooks at an FYC event with Reiner and moderator Judd Apatow this week at the Academy of Motion Pictures. “It’s the way they’re willing to spend money without spending real money. Everyone has a story and 99 out of 100 are done pretty much the same way. Either the person’s no longer living, or they’re being talked about from an off-stage voice. So to be able to do that this way…that’s what makes it special. Because it’s Rob and...
- 5/10/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Bill Hayes, a longtime star of the NBC soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” died Friday at the age of 98.
Hayes played the character of Doug Williams on the daytime serial since 1970, five years after the show’s debut. He met his real-life wife, actress Susan Seaforth, on the series set in the fictional Illinois town of Salem.
Hayes and Seaforth were married in 1974. Two years later, their characters were married on the show. The same year, the pair also appeared on the cover of Time magazine in a cover story on the popularity of daytime soaps.
“I have known Bill for most of my life and he embodied the heart and soul of ‘Days of our Lives,’ ” said executive producer Ken Corday. “Although we are grieving and will miss him, Bill’s indelible legacy will live on in our hearts and the stories we tell, both on and off the screen.
Hayes played the character of Doug Williams on the daytime serial since 1970, five years after the show’s debut. He met his real-life wife, actress Susan Seaforth, on the series set in the fictional Illinois town of Salem.
Hayes and Seaforth were married in 1974. Two years later, their characters were married on the show. The same year, the pair also appeared on the cover of Time magazine in a cover story on the popularity of daytime soaps.
“I have known Bill for most of my life and he embodied the heart and soul of ‘Days of our Lives,’ ” said executive producer Ken Corday. “Although we are grieving and will miss him, Bill’s indelible legacy will live on in our hearts and the stories we tell, both on and off the screen.
- 1/13/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
By the late 1970s, "M*A*S*H" wasn't just a hit television series, it was an institution. This was the pre-cable age, when viewers's entertainment choices were mostly limited to whatever was on network television, so something as seemingly innocuous as a sitcom could drive cultural conversations. "I Love Lucy," "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "All in the Family" achieved such prominence, as did variety shows like "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" and "Saturday Night Live."
So if you were a celebrity eager to become or remain relevant in the public eye, booking an appearance on one of these series was a capital idea. Failing that, just hanging around the set was a way of feeling like you still had juice. While "M*A*S*H" was one of the highest-rated television shows on the air, it was basically the Studio 54 of soundstages.
Read more: The Oppenheimer Supporting Character Guide: Your Guide To All 'Those...
So if you were a celebrity eager to become or remain relevant in the public eye, booking an appearance on one of these series was a capital idea. Failing that, just hanging around the set was a way of feeling like you still had juice. While "M*A*S*H" was one of the highest-rated television shows on the air, it was basically the Studio 54 of soundstages.
Read more: The Oppenheimer Supporting Character Guide: Your Guide To All 'Those...
- 12/30/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Norby Walters, a music agent who worked with Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Kool & the Gang and Public Enemy before gaining renown in Hollywood for his annual “Night of 100 Stars” Oscar party and weekly poker game, has died. He was 91.
Walters died Dec. 10 of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Burbank, his son, producer Gary Michael Walters (Whiplash), told The Hollywood Reporter.
Walters hosted his first Oscar night gala in 1990 and the last in 2017, most often inside the Beverly Hilton’s Crystal Ballroom. Among those who attended were Shirley Jones, Robert Forster, Charles Bronson, Patricia Neal, Richard Dreyfuss, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Landau, Louis Gossett Jr., J.K. Simmons, Cliff Robertson, Red Buttons, Jon Voight and Allison Janney.
Walters for years also presided over a weekly poker game at his West Hollywood high-rise condo. The low-stakes $2 game was, his son said, “designed to be a place where actors could kibbutz,...
Walters died Dec. 10 of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Burbank, his son, producer Gary Michael Walters (Whiplash), told The Hollywood Reporter.
Walters hosted his first Oscar night gala in 1990 and the last in 2017, most often inside the Beverly Hilton’s Crystal Ballroom. Among those who attended were Shirley Jones, Robert Forster, Charles Bronson, Patricia Neal, Richard Dreyfuss, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Landau, Louis Gossett Jr., J.K. Simmons, Cliff Robertson, Red Buttons, Jon Voight and Allison Janney.
Walters for years also presided over a weekly poker game at his West Hollywood high-rise condo. The low-stakes $2 game was, his son said, “designed to be a place where actors could kibbutz,...
- 12/21/2023
- by Mike Barnes and Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
I was about 8 years old when I first met Norman Lear.
My dad, Carl Reiner, was working on Sid Caesar’s Show of Shows and Norman was writing for Colgate Comedy Hour, so they were both in New York. In those days, it was a small world of people who trafficked in sketch comedy. Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Dom DeLuise — all these guys and their families would hang out together. My family and Norman’s family used to have summer houses near each other on Fire Island, and Norman had a daughter, Ellen, who was around my age, so we used to play together.
One day Ellen and I were playing jacks — I was teaching her how, explaining the rules, showing her what to do. Norman came over to watch and he started to laugh. Apparently, I was teaching her in a funny way, which he found hysterical. And he...
My dad, Carl Reiner, was working on Sid Caesar’s Show of Shows and Norman was writing for Colgate Comedy Hour, so they were both in New York. In those days, it was a small world of people who trafficked in sketch comedy. Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Dom DeLuise — all these guys and their families would hang out together. My family and Norman’s family used to have summer houses near each other on Fire Island, and Norman had a daughter, Ellen, who was around my age, so we used to play together.
One day Ellen and I were playing jacks — I was teaching her how, explaining the rules, showing her what to do. Norman came over to watch and he started to laugh. Apparently, I was teaching her in a funny way, which he found hysterical. And he...
- 12/11/2023
- by Rob Reiner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
An official YouTube channel dedicated to the classic sitcom The Munsters and the franchise it spawned was launched three years ago, and as the years have gone by a whole lot of clips from the 1964 – 1966 show have been added to that channel. But now Universal has decided to go ahead and share a couple full movies on there as well: The Munsters’ Revenge from 1981 and Here Come the Munsters from 1995. Not only can both of those movies be viewed on the The Munsters channel, but they’re both embedded at the bottom of this article as well!
Directed by Don Weis from a script by Arthur Alsberg and Don Nelson, The Munsters’ Revenge reunites original sitcom stars Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, and Al Lewis. The movie shows us what happens when Mad Dr. Diablo sends robot doubles of Herman and Grandpa Munster to steal art.
Gwynne, De Carlo, and Lewis play Herman,...
Directed by Don Weis from a script by Arthur Alsberg and Don Nelson, The Munsters’ Revenge reunites original sitcom stars Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, and Al Lewis. The movie shows us what happens when Mad Dr. Diablo sends robot doubles of Herman and Grandpa Munster to steal art.
Gwynne, De Carlo, and Lewis play Herman,...
- 11/20/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Evening will honour Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton, Michelle Satter.
The Academy is steering clear of the ongoing dual Hollywood strikes and has moved the 14th Governors Awards from November 18 to January 9, 2024.
The rescheduled event will present honorary awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton, with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award going to Michelle Satter of Sundance Institute.
The honorary award is an Oscar statuette recognising “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy”.
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is also...
The Academy is steering clear of the ongoing dual Hollywood strikes and has moved the 14th Governors Awards from November 18 to January 9, 2024.
The rescheduled event will present honorary awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton, with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award going to Michelle Satter of Sundance Institute.
The honorary award is an Oscar statuette recognising “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy”.
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is also...
- 9/6/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Evening will honour Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton, Michelle Satter.
The Academy is steering clear of the ongoing dual Hollywood strikes and has moved the 14th Governors Awards from November 18 to January 9, 2024.
The rescheduled event will present honorary awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton, with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award going to Michelle Satter of Sundance Institute.
The honorary award is an Oscar statuette recognising “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy”.
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is also...
The Academy is steering clear of the ongoing dual Hollywood strikes and has moved the 14th Governors Awards from November 18 to January 9, 2024.
The rescheduled event will present honorary awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton, with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award going to Michelle Satter of Sundance Institute.
The honorary award is an Oscar statuette recognising “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy”.
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is also...
- 9/6/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Bob Barker was a pillar of television’s greatest generation.
Barker, the enduring host of “The Price Is Right” who died Aug. 26 at the age of 99, was a World War II veteran who trained as a Navy fighter pilot. But his destiny was not to fly missions in the Pacific theater. Barker’s service to his country came in the years after the war, when he and an elite corps of seasoned radio announcers laid a large part of the foundation for commercial television as we know it today.
Barker was a born broadcaster. He had a resonant voice, and his 6-foot-1 frame didn’t hurt in making an impression on viewers in the early days of grainy TV pictures. But his biggest asset was the gift of being to speak extemporaneously on live television – and make it look and feel natural while doing so.
Bob Barker, Longtime Host of ‘The Price Is Right,...
Barker, the enduring host of “The Price Is Right” who died Aug. 26 at the age of 99, was a World War II veteran who trained as a Navy fighter pilot. But his destiny was not to fly missions in the Pacific theater. Barker’s service to his country came in the years after the war, when he and an elite corps of seasoned radio announcers laid a large part of the foundation for commercial television as we know it today.
Barker was a born broadcaster. He had a resonant voice, and his 6-foot-1 frame didn’t hurt in making an impression on viewers in the early days of grainy TV pictures. But his biggest asset was the gift of being to speak extemporaneously on live television – and make it look and feel natural while doing so.
Bob Barker, Longtime Host of ‘The Price Is Right,...
- 8/27/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
HBO’s “Succession” was a critical darling, so it’s probably befitting that the show would end its run with two final lauds from the Television Critics Assn. The 39th Annual TCA Awards — which canceled its in-person event this year due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes — released its list of winners on Monday, with “Succession” grabbing the prizes for program of the year, as well as outstanding achievement in drama (an award it also won in 2022 and 2020).
Other major winners included FX’s “The Bear,” which airs on Hulu. The series’ first season was honored as outstanding new program, as well as outstanding achievement in comedy. The TCA spread the wealth when it comes to individual achievements, honoring “Better Call Saul” star Rhea Seehorn in drama, and “Poker Face” star Natasha Lyonne in comedy.
Also, Netflix’s “Beef” and “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson” won top prizes,...
Other major winners included FX’s “The Bear,” which airs on Hulu. The series’ first season was honored as outstanding new program, as well as outstanding achievement in comedy. The TCA spread the wealth when it comes to individual achievements, honoring “Better Call Saul” star Rhea Seehorn in drama, and “Poker Face” star Natasha Lyonne in comedy.
Also, Netflix’s “Beef” and “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson” won top prizes,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Imagine a time before 90 inch TV screens were sold at Walmart for $200 on Black Friday, a time when the family would gather around one rabbit eared black and white television to watch a show on one of the four channels they had available to them. Now imagine a world in the immediate aftermath of World War 2, when everyone needed a good laugh. In that time you may turned on your TV’s after enjoying your mother’s pot roast and carrot dinner to see young men such as Carl Reiner, Sid Caesar and Mel Brooks performing comedic routines that gave you truly guttural laughs. The premises seemed so simple, yet the genius that went into crafting these bits would soon shape the entire direction of comedy. These men would go on to become some of the most iconic figures in the history of entertainment. Sadly, as time does to us all,...
- 7/21/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
When I was a little kid in the 1960s and a teen in the 1970s, there was simply no one cooler than Mel Brooks. He was the guy (along with Buck Henry) who created and wrote the comedy masterpiece “Get Smart,” and even as a child I could recognize the genius behind it. While I was a little too young to appreciate the greatness of his 1967 directorial debut, “The Producers”, once the ’70s rolled around I was in comedy heaven thanks to “Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein.” Those two classics of big screen comedy came out the same year: 1974.
As a result, I spent much of that year as a high school sophomore and junior laughing my proverbial butt off in movie theaters (those things we used to frequent prior to the advent of streaming technology). The campfire farting scene in “Bs” was my generation’s comedic colossus.
I lost...
As a result, I spent much of that year as a high school sophomore and junior laughing my proverbial butt off in movie theaters (those things we used to frequent prior to the advent of streaming technology). The campfire farting scene in “Bs” was my generation’s comedic colossus.
I lost...
- 6/28/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Angela Bassett may have gone home empty handed at the Oscars in March, but the two-time nominee will be getting a golden statuette this year after all – and in very good company too.
In November, Bassett, Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday.
Michelle Satter, the founding senior director of the Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, will also be given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the untelevised event.
Read More: Angela Bassett Says Whoopi Goldberg ‘Stepped Up’ For Crew On ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back’
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” Janet Yang, the academy’s president, said in a statement.
Most recipients of the academy’s honorary awards have not won competitive Oscars.
In November, Bassett, Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday.
Michelle Satter, the founding senior director of the Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, will also be given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the untelevised event.
Read More: Angela Bassett Says Whoopi Goldberg ‘Stepped Up’ For Crew On ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back’
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” Janet Yang, the academy’s president, said in a statement.
Most recipients of the academy’s honorary awards have not won competitive Oscars.
- 6/27/2023
- by Emerson Pearson
- ET Canada
Angela Bassett (Photo Credit: D’Andre Michael)
Two-time Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett is finally getting her much-deserved Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be honoring Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and editor Carol Littleton with the Academy’s Honorary Awards during the Governors Awards taking place in November 2023.
Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will be recognized with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” stated Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her.
Two-time Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett is finally getting her much-deserved Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be honoring Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and editor Carol Littleton with the Academy’s Honorary Awards during the Governors Awards taking place in November 2023.
Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will be recognized with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” stated Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her.
- 6/26/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Oscar statuettes to be handed out at 14th Governors Awards event on November 18 in Los Angeles.
The Academy will present Academy Honorary Awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter.
Each will receive an Oscar statuette at the Academy’s 14th Governors Awards event on November 18 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
Bassett earned a Oscar nomination last season for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and received a prior nod for playing Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It. Her credits include Boyz N The Hood,...
The Academy will present Academy Honorary Awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter.
Each will receive an Oscar statuette at the Academy’s 14th Governors Awards event on November 18 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
Bassett earned a Oscar nomination last season for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and received a prior nod for playing Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It. Her credits include Boyz N The Hood,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars at this year’s Governors Awards, announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In addition, the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards. The four statuettes will be presented at the 14th annual ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles.
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A pillar of the independent film community,...
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A pillar of the independent film community,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Actor Angela Bassett, writer-director-actor Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars and the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy’s 2023 Governors Awards, the Academy announced on Monday.
The recipients were chosen by the Academy’s Board of Governors, and the awards will be presented at the 14th annual Governors Awards ceremony, which will take place on Nov. 18 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
Bassett has been nominated for Oscars for “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Her other films include “Boyz N the Hood,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “Soul.”
Also Read:
Oscars Toughen Theatrical Requirements to Qualify for Best Picture
Brooks won an Oscar for the screenplay to his first film, “The Producers,” and has also been nominated for his screenplay to “Young Frankenstein...
The recipients were chosen by the Academy’s Board of Governors, and the awards will be presented at the 14th annual Governors Awards ceremony, which will take place on Nov. 18 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
Bassett has been nominated for Oscars for “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Her other films include “Boyz N the Hood,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “Soul.”
Also Read:
Oscars Toughen Theatrical Requirements to Qualify for Best Picture
Brooks won an Oscar for the screenplay to his first film, “The Producers,” and has also been nominated for his screenplay to “Young Frankenstein...
- 6/26/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Academy Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter. They will accept the four Oscars at the Academy’s 14th Governors Awards event on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang in a statement. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A...
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang in a statement. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A...
- 6/26/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The newest Academy Award winners have been announced.
Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and veteran film editor Carol Littleton have been voted Honorary Oscars, and the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. All will be presented on Saturday, November 18, during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 14th annual Governors Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
The three Honorary winners have all danced with Oscar before. Brooks won for his Original Screenplay for The Producers in 1968. Littleton received her sole previous nomination for editing E.T. The Extra Terrestrial in 1982. Bassett, coming off a Best Supporting Actress nomination this year for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, also was a Best Actress nominee 30 years ago for her portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It.
Satter’s Hersholt award represents the second Sundance-related special Academy Award after creator and founder...
Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and veteran film editor Carol Littleton have been voted Honorary Oscars, and the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. All will be presented on Saturday, November 18, during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 14th annual Governors Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
The three Honorary winners have all danced with Oscar before. Brooks won for his Original Screenplay for The Producers in 1968. Littleton received her sole previous nomination for editing E.T. The Extra Terrestrial in 1982. Bassett, coming off a Best Supporting Actress nomination this year for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, also was a Best Actress nominee 30 years ago for her portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It.
Satter’s Hersholt award represents the second Sundance-related special Academy Award after creator and founder...
- 6/26/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Richard Pryor did more than reinvent comedy, he changed culture, and not only in America. The five-time Grammy Award-winner, actor, writer, director, and standup icon underwent a series of self-discoveries which he revealed to audiences from the inside out long before co-writing Blazing Saddles, and conquering every aspect of showbiz. He did it without compromise. Listeners can study the growing genius of his most transformative years, 1968 through 1973, on newly remastered vinyl reissues of Pryor’s early live albums released through Stand Up! Records along with Omnivore Records and Pryor’s production company Indigo. Richard Pryor (1968), ‘Craps’ (After Hours) (1971), and the vinyl debut of Live At The Comedy Store, 1973, along with the bonus material, shows the artist’s evolution into a revolutionary force.
As the recordings will attest, Richard Pryor is his own theater troupe. Even without the visuals, we can visualize him inhabiting each and every character. He plays them with love,...
As the recordings will attest, Richard Pryor is his own theater troupe. Even without the visuals, we can visualize him inhabiting each and every character. He plays them with love,...
- 6/7/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
While I was growing up back in the days when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, there wasn’t a ton of debate over who the funniest women in show business were. It was Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett, usually (but not always) in that order. Lucy was the First Lady of Television, and Carol was the dame who seemingly could do anything on a stage. She could sing, she could dance, she could tell jokes, she could wear crazy outfits with uncommon flair. It didn’t even matter if she sang or danced well, because performing something poorly would simply make her the butt of the joke – and no one could do that better than her.
I attended Hollywood High School and was always proud that it was also Burnett’s alma mater. She took out a full-page ad annually in the yearbook congratulating that year’s senior class. It...
I attended Hollywood High School and was always proud that it was also Burnett’s alma mater. She took out a full-page ad annually in the yearbook congratulating that year’s senior class. It...
- 5/22/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Carol Burnett has always made the audience her priority. Over 11 seasons of her landmark variety show, she indulged fans in countless Tarzan yells, never reshot a sketch when one of her co-stars cracked up and prided herself on getting The Carol Burnett Show‘s weekly crowds (and its staff) out of the studio in time for dinner. Naturally, during the recent taping of the upcoming NBC special Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love, she avoided the trappings of a clip show. And she kept things moving. “It’s a two-hour show, and we were done in about two-and-a-half,” she says of her early birthday party — filmed in front of a live audience. “I want people to feel like they’re seeing a Broadway show, not sitting around waiting for scenery or costume changes.”
As she turns 90 on April 26, the day her special drops, Burnett’s love of comedy...
As she turns 90 on April 26, the day her special drops, Burnett’s love of comedy...
- 4/13/2023
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When John Farrar turned up to a movie set at dawn clutching a demo of his hastily written “emergency song”, he didn’t have high hopes. The call had only come in the previous day, crying out for a last-minute number to plug a hole in the musical score for when the greaser with heart gets the good girl turned bad. Farrar hadn’t exactly been inspired in scratching it together – “desperate is probably the word”, he says. The director took one listen and hated it, but the last-day-of-school shot was already set up and they were all out of options. A choreographer threw together a dance routine on the spot. The scene went in the can inside seven hours, and so wrapped this hokey teen musical presumably bound for oblivion.
Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...
Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...
- 4/13/2023
- by Mark Beaumont
- The Independent - Film
When John Farrar turned up to a movie set at dawn clutching a demo of his hastily written “emergency song”, he didn’t have high hopes. The call had only come in the previous day, crying out for a last-minute number to plug a hole in the musical score for when the greaser with heart gets the good girl turned bad. Farrar hadn’t exactly been inspired in scratching it together – “desperate is probably the word”, he says. The director took one listen and hated it, but the last-day-of-school shot was already set up and they were all out of options. A choreographer threw together a dance routine on the spot. The scene went in the can inside seven hours, and so wrapped this hokey teen musical presumably bound for oblivion.
Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...
Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...
- 4/13/2023
- by Mark Beaumont
- The Independent - Music
NBC’s landmark “Your Show of Shows” won its second consecutive best variety program statuette at the primetime Emmy Awards held Feb. 5, 1953 at the old Hotel Statler hosted by Art Linkletter. The 90-minute live program had strong competition- “Arthur Godfrey and His Friends” (CBS); “The Colgate Comedy Hour” (NBC); “The Jackie Gleason Show” (CBS) and “The Toast of the Town” (CBS).
Other winners that evening included another landmark series, CBS’ “I Love Lucy” which was named best situation comedy with NBC’s “Robert Montgomery Presents” receiving best dramatic program honors. CBS’ “What’s My Line? claimed the title of best audience participation, quiz or panel show. NBC’s “Dragnet” was the recipient of the best mystery, action or adventure program. Ktla’s “Time for Beany” won best children’s program, while Edward R. Murrow’s “See It Now” (CBS) received the Emmy for public affairs program.
On the acting front, Oscar-winners...
Other winners that evening included another landmark series, CBS’ “I Love Lucy” which was named best situation comedy with NBC’s “Robert Montgomery Presents” receiving best dramatic program honors. CBS’ “What’s My Line? claimed the title of best audience participation, quiz or panel show. NBC’s “Dragnet” was the recipient of the best mystery, action or adventure program. Ktla’s “Time for Beany” won best children’s program, while Edward R. Murrow’s “See It Now” (CBS) received the Emmy for public affairs program.
On the acting front, Oscar-winners...
- 3/21/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
In the words of the late great Madeline Kahn‘s Empress Nympho, “Yessssss!” After 40 years, the classic satire that is Mel Brooks‘ History of the World: Part 1 has finally birthed a follow-up befitting its legendary status. Not only in laughs but in sheer casting magic. Like the feature film, which starred icons of comedy like the aforementioned Kahn, Gregory Hines, Cloris Leachman, Dom Deluise, and Sid Caesar, Hulu’s sequel series History of the World: Part II is running over with famous faces from, well, modern times. Literally, everyone is in this thing. Tyler Golden/Hulu In addition to Josh Gad, Zazie Beetz, and Jay Ellis, who sat down with us to talk about the project, there’s a cast list of historic proportions. Jake Johnson, Richard Kind, Johnny Knoxville, Lauren Lapkus, Jenifer Lewis, Poppy Liu, Joe Lo Truglio, Jason Mantzoukas, Ken Marino, Jack McBrayer, Jack Black, Jason Alexander, Ayo Edebiri,...
- 3/6/2023
- TV Insider
As the American treasure himself says in the opening credits, Mel Brooks is a hero to some, and merely a legend to others. He broke ground in irreverent social commentary with Blazing Saddles, and rewired the knobs in the monster’s brain for Young Frankenstein. Brooks’ Hulu TV-sketch-series-masquerading-as-a-film-sequel throws more jokes at the viewer than almost any comedy in the History of The World, Part II. Not all of them land squarely, though the ricochets inflict sufficient comic collateral damage.
There is a lot we can learn from an anthology sketch series. All of which is graded on a curveball. Like History of the World, Part I, the series is made up of short gags, like Marco Polo’s (Jake Johnson) impromptu gift-exchange on his first trip to China, longer one-off sequences, and a few continuing stories. The eight-episode series is Brooks’ first creative project since composing the score to...
There is a lot we can learn from an anthology sketch series. All of which is graded on a curveball. Like History of the World, Part I, the series is made up of short gags, like Marco Polo’s (Jake Johnson) impromptu gift-exchange on his first trip to China, longer one-off sequences, and a few continuing stories. The eight-episode series is Brooks’ first creative project since composing the score to...
- 3/6/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
If you've never watched the 1981 Mel Brooks film "The History of the World, Part I," now is the time to do it. All these years later, a sequel series, "The History of the World, Part II," is hitting Hulu in March. Even if you haven't seen it, you've definitely heard people quote it, from the Torquemada musical number in The Spanish Inquisition segment to lines like, "It's good to be the king," and the "No, no, yes" song from Madeline Kahn. I feel pretty confident when I say that it's one of the funniest movies of all time, and I'm hardly alone in that sentiment.
"History of the World, Part I" is irreverent and absolutely stupid in the most wonderful way, and even after dozens of viewings, I still giggle to myself about parts of it whenever they cross my mind. Not only did Brooks write, direct, and star as Moses,...
"History of the World, Part I" is irreverent and absolutely stupid in the most wonderful way, and even after dozens of viewings, I still giggle to myself about parts of it whenever they cross my mind. Not only did Brooks write, direct, and star as Moses,...
- 1/18/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
For four seasons between 1950 and 1954, a collection of trailblazing performers and writers shaped the future of television comedy on NBC's 90-minute variety series "Your Show of Shows." The wildly versatile trio of Sid Caesar, Imogen Coco, and Howard Morris, abetted by straight-man supreme Carl Reiner, had America's living rooms roaring with laughter once a week, and they couldn't have done it without the brilliant contributions of an all-time writers room that included Mel Tolkin, brothers Neil and Danny Simon, Selma Diamond, and Mel Brooks.
That last fella was 24 years old when he joined the staff and quickly struck up a dazzling creative rapport with the thirty-year-old Reiner. The two reteamed for "Caesar's Hour" for a few years before hitting upon an improvisatory premise that would launch their careers into the comedic stratosphere. In "The 2,000-Year-Old Man," Reiner deadpans as an interviewer asking after the exploits of a guy who...
That last fella was 24 years old when he joined the staff and quickly struck up a dazzling creative rapport with the thirty-year-old Reiner. The two reteamed for "Caesar's Hour" for a few years before hitting upon an improvisatory premise that would launch their careers into the comedic stratosphere. In "The 2,000-Year-Old Man," Reiner deadpans as an interviewer asking after the exploits of a guy who...
- 12/3/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Famous pornographic actor Harry Reems nearly starred in Grease, alongside John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
The late porn star – real name Herbert Streicher and best known for his role in the 1972 adult film Deep Throat – was initially hired for the role of Coach Calhoun, who aids Travolta’s Danny Zuko in his quest to join a sports team to impress Sandy (Newton-John).
“Allan [Carr, the producer] wanted to have the porn star Harry Reems play that part,” director Randal Kleiser revealed on a recent episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s It Happened in Hollywood podcast.
“He actually hired him, and then the studio said, ‘No, no, no. You can’t do that.’ And so they had to fire him,” he added.
After pressure from the studio forced them to drop Reems, comedian Sid Caesar ended up assuming the role as the fan-favourite Rydell High faculty member.
Kleiser further explained that Reems was “devastated...
The late porn star – real name Herbert Streicher and best known for his role in the 1972 adult film Deep Throat – was initially hired for the role of Coach Calhoun, who aids Travolta’s Danny Zuko in his quest to join a sports team to impress Sandy (Newton-John).
“Allan [Carr, the producer] wanted to have the porn star Harry Reems play that part,” director Randal Kleiser revealed on a recent episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s It Happened in Hollywood podcast.
“He actually hired him, and then the studio said, ‘No, no, no. You can’t do that.’ And so they had to fire him,” he added.
After pressure from the studio forced them to drop Reems, comedian Sid Caesar ended up assuming the role as the fan-favourite Rydell High faculty member.
Kleiser further explained that Reems was “devastated...
- 10/25/2022
- by Inga Parkel
- The Independent - Film
Click here to read the full article.
Deep Throat star Harry Reems was hired to play Coach Calhoun in the 1978 Paramount blockbuster Grease. It all unraveled, however, when studio executives caught wind of the plan and forced producer Alan Carr to fire the adult film star from the production.
That surprising detail came out on the latest episode of It Happened in Hollywood, the Hollywood Reporter podcast that revisits the making of classic films, told by the people who made them.
Joining the podcast this week is Grease director Randal Kleiser, who was 31 when he was tapped to helm the splashy Broadway musical adaptation at the urging of star John Travolta, then 23, whom Kleiser had directed in the ABC TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble.
“[Alan] actually hired him,” recalls Kleiser of Reems. “And the studio said, ‘No no no. You can’t do that.’ And so they had to fire him.
Deep Throat star Harry Reems was hired to play Coach Calhoun in the 1978 Paramount blockbuster Grease. It all unraveled, however, when studio executives caught wind of the plan and forced producer Alan Carr to fire the adult film star from the production.
That surprising detail came out on the latest episode of It Happened in Hollywood, the Hollywood Reporter podcast that revisits the making of classic films, told by the people who made them.
Joining the podcast this week is Grease director Randal Kleiser, who was 31 when he was tapped to helm the splashy Broadway musical adaptation at the urging of star John Travolta, then 23, whom Kleiser had directed in the ABC TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble.
“[Alan] actually hired him,” recalls Kleiser of Reems. “And the studio said, ‘No no no. You can’t do that.’ And so they had to fire him.
- 10/25/2022
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Marsha Hunt, a veteran actress of the Golden Age of film, radio and Broadway who later saw her career wither over her protests against the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee (Huac), died of natural causes on Sept. 7 in Los Angeles.
Her caregivers, nephew, actor/director Allan Hunt and Elizabeth Lauritsen, confirmed her death.
Hunt starred in more than 60 films for Paramount, MGM and Republic, starting her career in 1935. She also appeared in more than 30 staged productions, including six on Broadway.
In television’s early days, Hunt appeared as Viola in Twelfth Night, the first Shakespeare play to be aired coast to coast. She hosted and guest starred twice on Your Show Of Shows, featuring Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, and Carl Reiner. Numerable live and recorded guest appearances followed through the decades.
But her name appeared in Red Channels, an anti-communist pamphlet that was said to wield considerable influence over TV and film studios.
Her caregivers, nephew, actor/director Allan Hunt and Elizabeth Lauritsen, confirmed her death.
Hunt starred in more than 60 films for Paramount, MGM and Republic, starting her career in 1935. She also appeared in more than 30 staged productions, including six on Broadway.
In television’s early days, Hunt appeared as Viola in Twelfth Night, the first Shakespeare play to be aired coast to coast. She hosted and guest starred twice on Your Show Of Shows, featuring Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, and Carl Reiner. Numerable live and recorded guest appearances followed through the decades.
But her name appeared in Red Channels, an anti-communist pamphlet that was said to wield considerable influence over TV and film studios.
- 9/10/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
So, what do the 4th Primetime Emmy Awards, which took place Feb. 18, 1952, have in common with the 2022 edition?
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
The stars of the No. 1 TV series, CBS’ “I Love Lucy,” were the hosts of the Emmy ceremony, which was telecast in Los Angeles on Kcea, now known as Kabc. And it was the first time that the Emmys embraced national television networks. Previously, nominations and awards were bestowed on projects that were produced or aired in Los Angeles.
This year, Amy Poehler’s valentine of a film, “Lucy and Desi,” not only received strong reviews but six Emmy nominations including Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special and directing for Poehler. The Amazon Prime doc won two: writer Mark Monroe and composer David Schwartz.
Traveling back to the 1952, the ceremony took places at venerable nightclub, the Cocoanut Grove. It must have been a short show because only seven awards were handed out.
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
The stars of the No. 1 TV series, CBS’ “I Love Lucy,” were the hosts of the Emmy ceremony, which was telecast in Los Angeles on Kcea, now known as Kabc. And it was the first time that the Emmys embraced national television networks. Previously, nominations and awards were bestowed on projects that were produced or aired in Los Angeles.
This year, Amy Poehler’s valentine of a film, “Lucy and Desi,” not only received strong reviews but six Emmy nominations including Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special and directing for Poehler. The Amazon Prime doc won two: writer Mark Monroe and composer David Schwartz.
Traveling back to the 1952, the ceremony took places at venerable nightclub, the Cocoanut Grove. It must have been a short show because only seven awards were handed out.
- 9/7/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Click here to read the full article.
Pat Carroll, the gregarious Emmy-winning comedienne who was a television mainstay for decades before segueing to a voiceover career that included portraying the villainous sea witch Ursula in The Little Mermaid, has died. She was 95.
Carroll died Saturday of pneumonia at her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, her daughter Kerry Karsian told The Hollywood Reporter.
Carroll’s perky personality, screwball wit and impeccable timing made her a great second banana, and Red Buttons, Jimmy Durante, Mickey Rooney, Steve Allen and Charley Weaver were among those who called upon her to make their programs funnier. Her antics on Caesar’s Hour earned her an Emmy in 1957, and she was nominated for her work on the classic variety show the following year.
In a 2013 interview with Kliph Nesteroff, Carroll compared Howard Morris, Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar on Caesar’s Hour to the Chicago Cubs’ legendary double-play...
Pat Carroll, the gregarious Emmy-winning comedienne who was a television mainstay for decades before segueing to a voiceover career that included portraying the villainous sea witch Ursula in The Little Mermaid, has died. She was 95.
Carroll died Saturday of pneumonia at her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, her daughter Kerry Karsian told The Hollywood Reporter.
Carroll’s perky personality, screwball wit and impeccable timing made her a great second banana, and Red Buttons, Jimmy Durante, Mickey Rooney, Steve Allen and Charley Weaver were among those who called upon her to make their programs funnier. Her antics on Caesar’s Hour earned her an Emmy in 1957, and she was nominated for her work on the classic variety show the following year.
In a 2013 interview with Kliph Nesteroff, Carroll compared Howard Morris, Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar on Caesar’s Hour to the Chicago Cubs’ legendary double-play...
- 7/31/2022
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
You might feel like you’ve already seen Mr. Saturday Night the musical even if you’ve never seen Mr. Saturday Night the movie, and whether you find that comforting – Billy Crystal certainly is one of the most likable presences in all of show business – or disappointing might depend entirely on your taste for well-delivered Borsht Belt comedy.
That’s not damning with faint praise: Mr. Saturday Night, the Broadway musical opening tonight at the Nederlander Theatre based on the 1992 comedy, is, at its best, a charming showcase for the undeniable talents of both Crystal and the showbiz icons he adores. There are shout-outs galore here to the likes of Milton Berle, Harry Ritz, Jack Carter, Phil Silvers, Myron Cohen, Moms Mabley, Shecky Green and more, and a lovely visual tribute (Scott Pask designed the attractive sets) to comedy and TV pioneers from Betty White and Phyllis Diller to Richard Pryor and George Carlin.
That’s not damning with faint praise: Mr. Saturday Night, the Broadway musical opening tonight at the Nederlander Theatre based on the 1992 comedy, is, at its best, a charming showcase for the undeniable talents of both Crystal and the showbiz icons he adores. There are shout-outs galore here to the likes of Milton Berle, Harry Ritz, Jack Carter, Phil Silvers, Myron Cohen, Moms Mabley, Shecky Green and more, and a lovely visual tribute (Scott Pask designed the attractive sets) to comedy and TV pioneers from Betty White and Phyllis Diller to Richard Pryor and George Carlin.
- 4/28/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Who is the best male TV star of all time? Our photo gallery above takes on the tough task of ranking the 50 greatest actors and performers. Agree or disagree with our choices?
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
- 4/17/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Who is the best male TV star of all time? Our photo gallery above takes on the tough task of ranking the 50 greatest actors and performers. Agree or disagree with our choices?
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
- 4/14/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
AUTOMAT_film_Mel Brooks drinking coffee photographed by Carl Reiner while the two were writers for Your Show of Shows, c. 1950-1954 in The Automat. Photo courtesy of A Slice of Pie Productions
Mel Brooks, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Colin Powell, Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould were all fans of the Automat, the iconic automated cafeterias that dominated New York and Philadelphia in the first half of the 20th century. The Automat, Lisa Hurwitz’s delightful, enlightening documentary, serves up pure charm, and Mel Brooks, in this look back at the Horn and Hardart Automat, a now-vanished beloved, and unique, American institution.
The Automat is available to stream as part of the virtual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival through Mar. 13. For tickets and more information, visit their website https://jccstl.com/arts-ideas/st-louis-jewish-film-festival.
The Automat delivers a dazzling array of memories from those who ate there, alongside the history of the...
Mel Brooks, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Colin Powell, Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould were all fans of the Automat, the iconic automated cafeterias that dominated New York and Philadelphia in the first half of the 20th century. The Automat, Lisa Hurwitz’s delightful, enlightening documentary, serves up pure charm, and Mel Brooks, in this look back at the Horn and Hardart Automat, a now-vanished beloved, and unique, American institution.
The Automat is available to stream as part of the virtual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival through Mar. 13. For tickets and more information, visit their website https://jccstl.com/arts-ideas/st-louis-jewish-film-festival.
The Automat delivers a dazzling array of memories from those who ate there, alongside the history of the...
- 3/13/2022
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
One of Mel Brooks’ comedic masterworks is 1974’s “Young Frankenstein” starring Gene Wilder as Dr. F and Peter Boyle as the Monster. So, it seems apropos that the first movie the 95-year-old Egot ever saw was James Whale’s 1931 “Frankenstein” starring Boris Karloff as the Monster. During a recent Zoom conversation with Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning writer/producer Larry Karaszewski for his autobiography “All About Me: My Remarkable Life in Show Business,” Brooks admitted the film terrified him.
“My brother Bernie took me… I was too young to see a scary picture like that, but my mother was doing the floors. She said [to Bernie] ‘Get him out. Take him to the movies.”’ When five-year-old Mel came home from the window, he closed the window next to his bed. “It was July and my mother rushed in and opened the window. It was before air conditioning. I said, ‘No, keep it...
“My brother Bernie took me… I was too young to see a scary picture like that, but my mother was doing the floors. She said [to Bernie] ‘Get him out. Take him to the movies.”’ When five-year-old Mel came home from the window, he closed the window next to his bed. “It was July and my mother rushed in and opened the window. It was before air conditioning. I said, ‘No, keep it...
- 1/3/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Mel Brooks Awarded With the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Career Achievement Award
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (Lafca) has announced that legendary filmmaker Mel Brooks will receive the Lafca Career Achievement Award.
Brooks began as a comic and writer on Sid Caesar’s variety show, “Your Show of Shows” and went on to create the comic character The 2000 Year Old Man with Carl Reiner. Brooks also wrote TV comedy series “Get Smart” with Buck Henry.
“Mel Brooks is a national treasure and a comedy filmmaking legend,” said Lafca president Claudia Puig. “Most of our members could probably quote whole swathes of his screenplays.” She added, “He not only has made us laugh uproariously, he has broken comic barriers and paved the way for and influenced generations of filmmakers after him.”
Brooks’ filmography includes “The Producers,” “Twelve Chairs,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Silent Movie” and “High Anxiety.” Brooks is also an Egot winner,...
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (Lafca) has announced that legendary filmmaker Mel Brooks will receive the Lafca Career Achievement Award.
Brooks began as a comic and writer on Sid Caesar’s variety show, “Your Show of Shows” and went on to create the comic character The 2000 Year Old Man with Carl Reiner. Brooks also wrote TV comedy series “Get Smart” with Buck Henry.
“Mel Brooks is a national treasure and a comedy filmmaking legend,” said Lafca president Claudia Puig. “Most of our members could probably quote whole swathes of his screenplays.” She added, “He not only has made us laugh uproariously, he has broken comic barriers and paved the way for and influenced generations of filmmakers after him.”
Brooks’ filmography includes “The Producers,” “Twelve Chairs,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Silent Movie” and “High Anxiety.” Brooks is also an Egot winner,...
- 11/17/2021
- by Jennifer Yuma
- Variety Film + TV
Mel Brooks has been set as the 2021 recipient of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s Career Achievement Award.
He’s the latest in a distinguished line of artists to receive the honor, joining the likes of John Huston, Orson Welles, Billy Wilder, Robert Mitchum, Barbara Stanwyck, Myrna Loy, Robert Preston, Roger Corman, cinematographer Conrad L. Hall and composer Ennio Morricone.
Lafca’s members will decide on other honorees December 12. They will be honored alongside Brooks early next year.
Brooks is a prolific writer, director, producer and actor with a career spanning more than seven decades, whose iconic films include The Producers (1967), The Twelve Chairs (1970), Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), Silent Movie (1976), High Anxiety (1977), History of the World, Part I (1981), Spaceballs (1987) and Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).
Brooks began his career as a comic and writer on Sid Caesar’s variety series Your Show of Shows. Later, with Carl Reiner, he...
He’s the latest in a distinguished line of artists to receive the honor, joining the likes of John Huston, Orson Welles, Billy Wilder, Robert Mitchum, Barbara Stanwyck, Myrna Loy, Robert Preston, Roger Corman, cinematographer Conrad L. Hall and composer Ennio Morricone.
Lafca’s members will decide on other honorees December 12. They will be honored alongside Brooks early next year.
Brooks is a prolific writer, director, producer and actor with a career spanning more than seven decades, whose iconic films include The Producers (1967), The Twelve Chairs (1970), Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), Silent Movie (1976), High Anxiety (1977), History of the World, Part I (1981), Spaceballs (1987) and Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).
Brooks began his career as a comic and writer on Sid Caesar’s variety series Your Show of Shows. Later, with Carl Reiner, he...
- 11/16/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The former head of the ACLU discusses some of the movies – and sports legends – that made him.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Mighty Ira (2020)
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950)
42 (2013)
Shane (1953)
Panic In The Streets (1950)
Last Year At Marienbad (1962)
The Seventh Seal (1957)
La Strada (1954)
Wild Strawberries (1957) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
The Virgin Spring (1960) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Last House On The Left (1972) – Darren Bousman’s trailer commentary
A Walk In The Sun (1945) – Glenn Erickson’s review
Paths Of Glory (1957) – George Hickenlooper’s trailer commentary, John Landis’s trailer commentary
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
Lonely Are The Brave (1962)
Casablanca (1942) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
On The Waterfront (1954) – John Badham’s trailer commentary
12 Angry Men (1957)
Inherit The Wind (1960)
Judgment At Nuremberg (1961)
Witness For The Prosecution (1957)
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
The Verdict (1982)
Twelve Angry Men teleplay (1954)
The Front (1976)
Judgment At Nuremberg teleplay...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Mighty Ira (2020)
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950)
42 (2013)
Shane (1953)
Panic In The Streets (1950)
Last Year At Marienbad (1962)
The Seventh Seal (1957)
La Strada (1954)
Wild Strawberries (1957) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
The Virgin Spring (1960) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Last House On The Left (1972) – Darren Bousman’s trailer commentary
A Walk In The Sun (1945) – Glenn Erickson’s review
Paths Of Glory (1957) – George Hickenlooper’s trailer commentary, John Landis’s trailer commentary
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
Lonely Are The Brave (1962)
Casablanca (1942) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
On The Waterfront (1954) – John Badham’s trailer commentary
12 Angry Men (1957)
Inherit The Wind (1960)
Judgment At Nuremberg (1961)
Witness For The Prosecution (1957)
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
The Verdict (1982)
Twelve Angry Men teleplay (1954)
The Front (1976)
Judgment At Nuremberg teleplay...
- 10/19/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Mel Brooks’ History of the World, Part I is getting another chapter: Hulu has ordered a follow-up series to the 1981 comedy, with Brooks returning as writer and executive producer.
The sequel, titled (of course) History of the World, Part II, will be a variety series consisting of comedy sketches and musical numbers. The original film was set during different periods of world history like the Old Testament, the Roman Empire and the French Revolution. There’s no word yet on which historical periods the new series will tackle, though.
More from TVLineY: The Last Man Cancelled at FX on HuluJessica...
The sequel, titled (of course) History of the World, Part II, will be a variety series consisting of comedy sketches and musical numbers. The original film was set during different periods of world history like the Old Testament, the Roman Empire and the French Revolution. There’s no word yet on which historical periods the new series will tackle, though.
More from TVLineY: The Last Man Cancelled at FX on HuluJessica...
- 10/18/2021
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
History was made in a monumental way with the announcement of the 2021 Primetime Emmy nominations as Mj Rodriguez (“Pose”) became the first trans lead acting nominee. This year also marks the first instance of three Black women being included in the same Best Drama Actress lineup, as Rodriguez is up against Uzo Aduba (“In Treatment”) and Jurnee Smollett (“Lovecraft Country”). Any of them would be only the third Black winner of this award, and a victory by Rodriguez or Smollett would be even more distinctive in that either of them would be the first actress in a quarter century to snag this award for a final season.
“Pose” wrapped its three-season run in June with a proper two-part finale, while “Lovecraft Country” was unexpectedly cancelled in July after having aired its inaugural season’s last episode nine months earlier. While female stars of drama series have been nominated for final...
“Pose” wrapped its three-season run in June with a proper two-part finale, while “Lovecraft Country” was unexpectedly cancelled in July after having aired its inaugural season’s last episode nine months earlier. While female stars of drama series have been nominated for final...
- 8/30/2021
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Comedy legend Mel Brooks will publish a new memoir, All About Me! My Remarkable Life in Show Business, November 30th via Random House imprint Ballantine Books.
All About Me will find the 95-year-old Brooks offering an overview of his entire life and career, starting with his childhood in Depression-era Brooklyn, a stint in the U.S. Army during World War II, and his years as a teenage comedian in the Catskills. He’ll also chronicle, and offer insight into the creation of, his huge portfolio of celebrated works, including Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows,...
All About Me will find the 95-year-old Brooks offering an overview of his entire life and career, starting with his childhood in Depression-era Brooklyn, a stint in the U.S. Army during World War II, and his years as a teenage comedian in the Catskills. He’ll also chronicle, and offer insight into the creation of, his huge portfolio of celebrated works, including Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows,...
- 8/4/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: The Random House imprint Ballantine Books has acquired and set a November 30 publication date in the U.S. for the Mel Brooks memoir All About Me! My Remarkable Life in Show Business. The iconic director, producer, writer, and actor has also recorded an audiobook version that will be released simultaneously by Penguin Random House Audio. Century, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK, will publish in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. The world publishing rights for the book were acquired by Ballantine Books Executive Editor Pamela Cannon from Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown.
This is a long awaited memoir from a comic genius whose career includes the trailblazing irreverent films Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, History of the World Part I and Spaceballs, TV shows like Get Smart and Your Show of Shows, and bringing The Producers to screen and stage, winning an Oscar for Best Screenplay and the Tony Award for the effort.
This is a long awaited memoir from a comic genius whose career includes the trailblazing irreverent films Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, History of the World Part I and Spaceballs, TV shows like Get Smart and Your Show of Shows, and bringing The Producers to screen and stage, winning an Oscar for Best Screenplay and the Tony Award for the effort.
- 8/4/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
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The Flop That Wasn't
By Raymond Benson
Most folks today may be familiar with The Producers, the Broadway musical comedy that ran for years, toured around the globe, and elicited laughter and joy for audiences of all ages. There are likely less people today who have experienced the original 1967 film upon which the successful musical is based. For decades, though, the movie was all we had.
In the mid-sixties, Mel Brooks was a successful television writer, having worked on hilarious comedies with Sid Caesar, among other works, and later the co-creator of Get Smart. Brooks then came up with what was first intended to be a novel, then a play, and finally a screenplay called Springtime for Hitler—an outrageous satire lampooning the Nazis. The Hollywood producers to whom Brooks pitched the piece were appalled. No audience would accept a “comedyâ€. about Hitler.
The Flop That Wasn't
By Raymond Benson
Most folks today may be familiar with The Producers, the Broadway musical comedy that ran for years, toured around the globe, and elicited laughter and joy for audiences of all ages. There are likely less people today who have experienced the original 1967 film upon which the successful musical is based. For decades, though, the movie was all we had.
In the mid-sixties, Mel Brooks was a successful television writer, having worked on hilarious comedies with Sid Caesar, among other works, and later the co-creator of Get Smart. Brooks then came up with what was first intended to be a novel, then a play, and finally a screenplay called Springtime for Hitler—an outrageous satire lampooning the Nazis. The Hollywood producers to whom Brooks pitched the piece were appalled. No audience would accept a “comedyâ€. about Hitler.
- 3/10/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
8 random things that happened on this day, February 25th, in showbiz history...
Feb 25th, 1964 in history (left) and reenacted in 2020 for One Night in Miami... (right)
1950 Your Show of Shows premieres on NBC. The live variety show starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca, was a stepping stone for legendary comedy writers like Mel Brooks and Neil Simon. The show helped create the variety genre and inspired both the TV classic The Dick Van Dyke Show and the movie My Favorite Year.
1956 Poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes meet at a party. Their doomed romance is dramatized in the 2003 film Sylvia starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig...
Feb 25th, 1964 in history (left) and reenacted in 2020 for One Night in Miami... (right)
1950 Your Show of Shows premieres on NBC. The live variety show starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca, was a stepping stone for legendary comedy writers like Mel Brooks and Neil Simon. The show helped create the variety genre and inspired both the TV classic The Dick Van Dyke Show and the movie My Favorite Year.
1956 Poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes meet at a party. Their doomed romance is dramatized in the 2003 film Sylvia starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig...
- 2/25/2021
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Following Alex Trebek‘s death on Sunday, the Television Critics Association has released the Jeopardy! host’s acceptance speech from earlier this year, when he received the group’s Career Achievement Award for 2020.
According to a new post on the TCA website, the association “voted overwhelmingly” to honor Trebek with this year’s award, citing “his unparalleled legacy as one of television’s most enduring and best-loved personalities.”
More from TVLineJeopardy! Host Alex Trebek Dead at 80Alex Trebek, R.I.P.: Ryan Seacrest, Jimmy Kimmel, Ken Jennings and More Pay Tribute to the Veteran HostJeopardy! Opens With Alex Trebek...
According to a new post on the TCA website, the association “voted overwhelmingly” to honor Trebek with this year’s award, citing “his unparalleled legacy as one of television’s most enduring and best-loved personalities.”
More from TVLineJeopardy! Host Alex Trebek Dead at 80Alex Trebek, R.I.P.: Ryan Seacrest, Jimmy Kimmel, Ken Jennings and More Pay Tribute to the Veteran HostJeopardy! Opens With Alex Trebek...
- 11/9/2020
- by Rebecca Iannucci
- TVLine.com
Marge Champion, a dancer who achieved nationwide television fame in the 1950s with her husband and dance partner Gower Champion and even then had already contributed to cinema history as a movement model for three classic Walt Disney animated films, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. She was 101.
Her death was announced by her son Gregg Champion. A cause was not specified.
The daughter of a Hollywood dance coach, Champion was already performing in public when she was recruited by Disney to serve as the movement model for the lead character in 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the same year she entered a three-year marriage to Disney animator Arthur Babbitt. Champion would also provide the movements for the Blue Fairy in 1940’s Pinocchio and the ballet-dancing hippos in 1940’s Fantasia.
But if her work had already been seen by millions, Champion didn’t become recognizably famous until the late 1940s,...
Her death was announced by her son Gregg Champion. A cause was not specified.
The daughter of a Hollywood dance coach, Champion was already performing in public when she was recruited by Disney to serve as the movement model for the lead character in 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the same year she entered a three-year marriage to Disney animator Arthur Babbitt. Champion would also provide the movements for the Blue Fairy in 1940’s Pinocchio and the ballet-dancing hippos in 1940’s Fantasia.
But if her work had already been seen by millions, Champion didn’t become recognizably famous until the late 1940s,...
- 10/22/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
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