Janis Paige, who racked up more than 100 film, TV and stage credits over six decades including The Pajama Game, Silk Stockings and Santa Barbara, died June 2 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 101.
Her friend Stuart Lambert told The Associated Press about Paige’s death.
During her long career, Paige toured with Bob Hope and danced onscreen with Fred Astaire, along with originating the Babe Williams role in The Pajama Game on Broadway in 1954. That same year she headlined It’s Always Jan, a CBS sitcom about the problems of single-parenthood during which she usually sang a song. It lasted a single season.
Born Donna Mae Tjaden on September 16, 1922, in Tacoma, Wa, she began singing in talent shows at a tender age and moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school.
Paige made her Broadway debut in 1951 opposite Jackie Cooper in the mystery comedy Remains to Be Seen but...
Her friend Stuart Lambert told The Associated Press about Paige’s death.
During her long career, Paige toured with Bob Hope and danced onscreen with Fred Astaire, along with originating the Babe Williams role in The Pajama Game on Broadway in 1954. That same year she headlined It’s Always Jan, a CBS sitcom about the problems of single-parenthood during which she usually sang a song. It lasted a single season.
Born Donna Mae Tjaden on September 16, 1922, in Tacoma, Wa, she began singing in talent shows at a tender age and moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school.
Paige made her Broadway debut in 1951 opposite Jackie Cooper in the mystery comedy Remains to Be Seen but...
- 6/3/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Identical twins mistaken for each other, a desperately obvious crime, the production values of a 70s TV mystery … this is cheap and tedious but not without a certain knowing charm
Given that this intensely schlocky, cheap-as-chardonnay-in-a-box erotic thriller is about identical twins who are often mistaken for each other, it can’t be a mere accident that it’s coming out hot on the heels of similarly titled romcom The Idea of You, an Anne Hathaway-vehicle about a fortysomething woman falling for a 24-year-old pop star. Surely, I will not be the only person to get the two mixed up.
Interestingly, it’s sort of a toss up as to which is more enjoyable. While The Idea of You is indubitably better financed and more lushly upholstered with fancy locations, snazzier costumes and a gazillion extras, it’s air of self-seriousness is irksome. The Image of You, on the other hand,...
Given that this intensely schlocky, cheap-as-chardonnay-in-a-box erotic thriller is about identical twins who are often mistaken for each other, it can’t be a mere accident that it’s coming out hot on the heels of similarly titled romcom The Idea of You, an Anne Hathaway-vehicle about a fortysomething woman falling for a 24-year-old pop star. Surely, I will not be the only person to get the two mixed up.
Interestingly, it’s sort of a toss up as to which is more enjoyable. While The Idea of You is indubitably better financed and more lushly upholstered with fancy locations, snazzier costumes and a gazillion extras, it’s air of self-seriousness is irksome. The Image of You, on the other hand,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
As far as investigators go, Jim Rockford (James Garner) is a bit of a departure from the mostly-polished (Columbo excepted) detectives of television's first decade. A slouchily dressed detective who lived in a trailer and served time in San Quentin, Rockford was cool — if not always collected. "The Rockford Files" ran for six seasons on NBC beginning in 1974 and was later resurrected for a series of '90s TV movies. In that time, audiences were introduced not only to Rockford, but to a cast of supporting characters including his truck driver dad Rocky (Noah Beery Jr.), LAPD pal Becker (Joe Santos), and the con artist Angel (Stuart Margolin).
Garner passed away in 2014, and only a few "Rockford Files" castmates are still with us today. Those who are still around include notable recurring guest stars like famously mustachioed "Blue Bloods" star Tom Selleck, Egot-winning multi-hyphenate Rita Moreno, and "Happy Gilmore" director...
Garner passed away in 2014, and only a few "Rockford Files" castmates are still with us today. Those who are still around include notable recurring guest stars like famously mustachioed "Blue Bloods" star Tom Selleck, Egot-winning multi-hyphenate Rita Moreno, and "Happy Gilmore" director...
- 4/20/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Bruce Kessler, a race car driver who became a TV director as well as a noted yacht designer, died April 4 in Marina Del Rey, Calif. after a brief illness. He was 88.
His brother Stephen confirmed his death.
Kessler started racing at the age of 17 and at 21, he crashed at night during thte 24 Hours of Le Mans, bailing out of the car before it burst into flames. He survived two more crashes before retiring from racing at 26 in 1962.
His first film, the Formula One short “The Sound of Speed,” represented the U.S. at the Cannes Film Festival. The technical expertise he brought to the film led to him being hired as technical advisor on racing and chase sequences for movies, and he served as second unit director for Howard Hawks on “Red Line 7000.”
With the help of Hawks as mentor, Kessler became a director for dozens of TV movies...
His brother Stephen confirmed his death.
Kessler started racing at the age of 17 and at 21, he crashed at night during thte 24 Hours of Le Mans, bailing out of the car before it burst into flames. He survived two more crashes before retiring from racing at 26 in 1962.
His first film, the Formula One short “The Sound of Speed,” represented the U.S. at the Cannes Film Festival. The technical expertise he brought to the film led to him being hired as technical advisor on racing and chase sequences for movies, and he served as second unit director for Howard Hawks on “Red Line 7000.”
With the help of Hawks as mentor, Kessler became a director for dozens of TV movies...
- 4/8/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Bruce Kessler, who directed episodes of shows including The Monkees, It Takes a Thief, The Rockford Files, McCloud and The Commish when he wasn’t driving race cars, designing boats or circling the globe in a yacht, has died. He was 88.
Kessler died Thursday at his home in Marina del Rey after a brief illness, his brother, author and columnist Stephen Kessler, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Survivors also include his wife, actress Joan Freeman, perhaps best known as the love interest of Elvis Presley’s character in Roustabout (1964). She and Kessler were together for 54 years and married for 33.
Kessler served as second-unit director on Howard Hawks’ Red Line 7000 (1965), an action film about stock cars that starred James Caan, before embarking on a three-decade career as a director for television.
His credits included The Flying Nun, Adam-12, Marcus Welby, M.D., Get Christie Love!, Baretta, Switch, CHiPs, The A-Team, The Greatest American Hero,...
Kessler died Thursday at his home in Marina del Rey after a brief illness, his brother, author and columnist Stephen Kessler, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Survivors also include his wife, actress Joan Freeman, perhaps best known as the love interest of Elvis Presley’s character in Roustabout (1964). She and Kessler were together for 54 years and married for 33.
Kessler served as second-unit director on Howard Hawks’ Red Line 7000 (1965), an action film about stock cars that starred James Caan, before embarking on a three-decade career as a director for television.
His credits included The Flying Nun, Adam-12, Marcus Welby, M.D., Get Christie Love!, Baretta, Switch, CHiPs, The A-Team, The Greatest American Hero,...
- 4/7/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Emmy-winning actor James Garner always did things a little differently. In an era where Western shootouts were all the rage, Garner brought a touch of light comedy to “Maverick” and redefined what a TV Western could be. When a successful lawsuit ended his involvement in “Maverick,” Garner turned to films and defied yet another tradition. It was thought for years that TV actors simply did not cross over into films — “Why pay to see an actor in a movie while you can stay home and see him for free?” said the smart money in Hollywood. Yet Garner did just that, going on to co-star in hit after hit — from romantic comedies (“The Thrill of It All”) and action classics (“The Great Escape”) to wide-screen spectacles (“Grand Prix”) and, yes, more Westerns (“Support Your Local Sheriff!”).
When Garner did return to television, he enjoyed perhaps his biggest hit ever — “The Rockford Files” — as Jim Rockford,...
When Garner did return to television, he enjoyed perhaps his biggest hit ever — “The Rockford Files” — as Jim Rockford,...
- 4/5/2024
- by Tom O'Brien, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
All due respect to "Shasta McNasty," but David Chase's "The Sopranos" is easily the most important television show of the last 25 years. The series about a New Jersey mobster whose worsening anxiety, brought on by the dueling stressors of work and family, forces him into therapy was an instant pop cultural sensation when it debuted January 10, 1999 on HBO (beating Harold Ramis' similarly themed "Analyze This" to release by a mere month). After around 70 years of gangster movies and television shows, we knew these guys operated in high-pressure environments; we just never considered they might see a shrink to deal with it.
Of course, a clever concept only gets you so far, something Chase — a veteran TV writer with Primetime Emmy-nominated credits on "The Rockford Files," "I'll Fly Away" and "Northern Exposure" — clearly understood. Go back and watch the first few episodes of "The Sopranos," and you'll be amazed at...
Of course, a clever concept only gets you so far, something Chase — a veteran TV writer with Primetime Emmy-nominated credits on "The Rockford Files," "I'll Fly Away" and "Northern Exposure" — clearly understood. Go back and watch the first few episodes of "The Sopranos," and you'll be amazed at...
- 4/2/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Very sad news today as it’s been reported that M. Emmet Walsh has died at the age of 88. No matter the size of the role, the prolific character actor always made a unique impression throughout his long career, which spanned six decades.
M. Emmet Walsh is best known for playing Bryant in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, the captain of the Los Angeles Police Department who tasks Deckard with tracking down the replicants at the beginning of the film. He told THR that the cast and crew weren’t quite sure what the make of the movie when they first saw it. “I don’t know if I really understood what in the hell it was all about,” Walsh said. “We all sat there and it ended. And nothing. We didn’t know what to say or to think or do! We didn’t know what in the hell we had done!
M. Emmet Walsh is best known for playing Bryant in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, the captain of the Los Angeles Police Department who tasks Deckard with tracking down the replicants at the beginning of the film. He told THR that the cast and crew weren’t quite sure what the make of the movie when they first saw it. “I don’t know if I really understood what in the hell it was all about,” Walsh said. “We all sat there and it ended. And nothing. We didn’t know what to say or to think or do! We didn’t know what in the hell we had done!
- 3/20/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Can you ever have enough private detective stories?
The TV landscape was once filled with them, but now, they’re few and far between.
Lovers of the genre will be all over Sugar, starring Colin Farrell as the titular character.
Today, Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for the new drama, which will make its global debut with the first two episodes of its eight-episode season on Friday, April 5, 2024, on Apple TV+, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday.
Starring and executive produced by Farrell, Sugar is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story.
Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel.
As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia,...
The TV landscape was once filled with them, but now, they’re few and far between.
Lovers of the genre will be all over Sugar, starring Colin Farrell as the titular character.
Today, Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for the new drama, which will make its global debut with the first two episodes of its eight-episode season on Friday, April 5, 2024, on Apple TV+, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday.
Starring and executive produced by Farrell, Sugar is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture, and television history: the private detective story.
Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel.
As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Two years ago, the hashtag #EmmysSoWhite began trending when the Television Academy failed to award any major acting trophies to people of color. The pendulum has swung, with this year’s ceremony awarding a record-breaking number of people of color across all major categories: drama, comedy, limited, reality and variety series — a first in the TV Academy’s history.
That said, there were some stark reminders of historical shortcomings throughout the evening, such as a “Martin” cast reunion. The beloved show failed to score a single Emmy nod during its five-season run.
One year after making history as the second Black woman to win for comedy writing, Quinta Brunson took the stage again for her performance as the lovable teacher Janine Teagues in “Abbott Elementary.” She became the second Black woman to win the category, following Isabel Sanford for “The Jeffersons” in 1981.
Ayo Edebiri was part of the historic night for FX’s “The Bear,...
That said, there were some stark reminders of historical shortcomings throughout the evening, such as a “Martin” cast reunion. The beloved show failed to score a single Emmy nod during its five-season run.
One year after making history as the second Black woman to win for comedy writing, Quinta Brunson took the stage again for her performance as the lovable teacher Janine Teagues in “Abbott Elementary.” She became the second Black woman to win the category, following Isabel Sanford for “The Jeffersons” in 1981.
Ayo Edebiri was part of the historic night for FX’s “The Bear,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
In the most important scene of the first season of The Sopranos — arguably the most important scene of television of the last 25 years, if not much longer — Mob boss Tony Soprano stalks and murders Febby Petrulio, a former wiseguy who testified against friends of Tony’s and then went into hiding.
What would have happened, I asked Sopranos creator David Chase recently, if he had pitched the same idea 25 years before that, back when he was a young writer on The Rockford Files, a hit NBC drama starring James Garner as a wisecracking private detective?...
What would have happened, I asked Sopranos creator David Chase recently, if he had pitched the same idea 25 years before that, back when he was a young writer on The Rockford Files, a hit NBC drama starring James Garner as a wisecracking private detective?...
- 1/3/2024
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Richard Romanus, who built his character acting career with a tough guy persona in film and television, has died at 80 at a hospital in Volos, Greece. No cause was given by his son, Robert.
Romanus had a string of memorable roles during his long career. He was Harry Canyon, the cab driver from Heavy Metal, and Richard Lapenna, the husband of Dr. Melfi, in “The Sopranos.” He was loanshark Michael Longo in Mean Streets.
His TV résumé includes Mission: Impossible, Starsky and Hutch, Hawaii Five-0, The Rockford Files, Kojak, Strike Force, and more across the ’70s.
In films, Romanus appeared in Sitting Ducks (1980), Protocol (1984), The Couch Trip (1988), Oscar (1991), Point of No Return (1993), Cops and Robbersons (1994), Nailed (2001) and The Young Black Stallion (2003).
In his later years, Romanus and his wife moved to the Greek town of Skiathos, and he wrote about the experience in Act III: A Small Island in the Aegean,...
Romanus had a string of memorable roles during his long career. He was Harry Canyon, the cab driver from Heavy Metal, and Richard Lapenna, the husband of Dr. Melfi, in “The Sopranos.” He was loanshark Michael Longo in Mean Streets.
His TV résumé includes Mission: Impossible, Starsky and Hutch, Hawaii Five-0, The Rockford Files, Kojak, Strike Force, and more across the ’70s.
In films, Romanus appeared in Sitting Ducks (1980), Protocol (1984), The Couch Trip (1988), Oscar (1991), Point of No Return (1993), Cops and Robbersons (1994), Nailed (2001) and The Young Black Stallion (2003).
In his later years, Romanus and his wife moved to the Greek town of Skiathos, and he wrote about the experience in Act III: A Small Island in the Aegean,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Richard Romanus, the tough-guy character actor best known for his turn as Michael Longo, the Little Italy loan shark who gets into it with Robert De Niro’s Johnny Civello in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets, has died. He was 80.
Romanus died Dec. 23 in a private hospital in Volos, Greece, his son, Robert Romanus, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Romanus handled prominent voice roles for Ralph Bakshi in 1977’s Wizards (as the elf warrior Weehawk) and 1982’s Hey Good Lookin’ (as the leader of a 1950s greaser gang), and in between, he played the cab driver Harry Canyon in another animated film, Heavy Metal (1981).
He also appeared on four episodes of The Sopranos as Richard Lapenna, the on-again, off-again husband of Lorraine Bracco’s Jennifer Melfi, from 1999-2002.
In Mean Streets (1973), Romanus’ character is famously disrespected by Johnny when he leans on him for his money.
“You know, Michael, you make me laugh,...
Romanus died Dec. 23 in a private hospital in Volos, Greece, his son, Robert Romanus, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Romanus handled prominent voice roles for Ralph Bakshi in 1977’s Wizards (as the elf warrior Weehawk) and 1982’s Hey Good Lookin’ (as the leader of a 1950s greaser gang), and in between, he played the cab driver Harry Canyon in another animated film, Heavy Metal (1981).
He also appeared on four episodes of The Sopranos as Richard Lapenna, the on-again, off-again husband of Lorraine Bracco’s Jennifer Melfi, from 1999-2002.
In Mean Streets (1973), Romanus’ character is famously disrespected by Johnny when he leans on him for his money.
“You know, Michael, you make me laugh,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Marisa Pavan, the Italian actress and twin sister of Pier Angeli who received an Oscar nomination for her performance as the daughter of Anna Magnani’s seamstress in the 1955 drama The Rose Tattoo, has died. She was 91.
Pavan died Wednesday in her sleep at her home in Gassin, France, near Saint-Tropez, Margaux Soumoy, who wrote Pavan’s 2021 biography, Drop the Baby; Put a Veil on the Broad!, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Pavan also portrayed the French queen Catherine de’ Medici in Diane (1956), starring Lana Turner; an Italian girl who had an affair years ago with a corporate exec (Gregory Peck) in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956); and the love interest of a former cop (Tony Curtis) investigating the murder of a priest in the film noir The Midnight Story (1957).
In Paramount’s The Rose Tattoo (1955), an adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play that won four Tony Awards, including best play,...
Pavan died Wednesday in her sleep at her home in Gassin, France, near Saint-Tropez, Margaux Soumoy, who wrote Pavan’s 2021 biography, Drop the Baby; Put a Veil on the Broad!, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Pavan also portrayed the French queen Catherine de’ Medici in Diane (1956), starring Lana Turner; an Italian girl who had an affair years ago with a corporate exec (Gregory Peck) in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956); and the love interest of a former cop (Tony Curtis) investigating the murder of a priest in the film noir The Midnight Story (1957).
In Paramount’s The Rose Tattoo (1955), an adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play that won four Tony Awards, including best play,...
- 12/6/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
America had just crawled out from under its Vietnam hangover when Stephen J. Cannell's "The A-Team" blasted its way into the country's living rooms on January 23, 1983. NBC did not have high expectations for the show, but when the second episode -- which aired after Super Bowl Xvii (the one where Washington's John Riggins rushed with shocking impunity against Miami's defense) -- scored sky-high ratings, the network realized it had a hit on its hands.
It was the right show for a weird moment in American history. The country had gone gung-ho. We were at the advent of the '80s action hero era, and everyone was flocking to bloody, high-caliber entertainments starring the likes of Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris, and Sylvester Stallone. Meanwhile, the pulpy adventures of Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan were flying off drug store bookshelves. There was an acute interest in vigilante justice, but people were...
It was the right show for a weird moment in American history. The country had gone gung-ho. We were at the advent of the '80s action hero era, and everyone was flocking to bloody, high-caliber entertainments starring the likes of Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris, and Sylvester Stallone. Meanwhile, the pulpy adventures of Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan were flying off drug store bookshelves. There was an acute interest in vigilante justice, but people were...
- 11/11/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
A prolific TV character actor, voiceover artist, and one of the tallest performers in Hollywood has passed away. As confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, Richard Moll, known by most as the tall, bald bailiff Aristotle Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon on "Night Court" and the voice of Harvey Dent/Two-Face on "Batman: The Animated Series," died at his home in Big Bear Lake, California. He was 80.
At a towering 6-foot-8-inches tall, Moll often played intimidating figures, like his first television role of "Big Thug" on "Welcome Back, Kotter," Harold the Monster on "Here's Boomer," the abominable snowman in the film "Caveman," the gigantic zombie soldier in "House," Hoagie in "The Flintstones," Mestema in "The Dungeon Master," Hugh Kane in "Scary Movie 2," and even one of the Dementors in "Jingle All the Way."
Born in Pasadena, California as Charles Richard Moll, he attended the University of California at Berkeley where he...
At a towering 6-foot-8-inches tall, Moll often played intimidating figures, like his first television role of "Big Thug" on "Welcome Back, Kotter," Harold the Monster on "Here's Boomer," the abominable snowman in the film "Caveman," the gigantic zombie soldier in "House," Hoagie in "The Flintstones," Mestema in "The Dungeon Master," Hugh Kane in "Scary Movie 2," and even one of the Dementors in "Jingle All the Way."
Born in Pasadena, California as Charles Richard Moll, he attended the University of California at Berkeley where he...
- 10/27/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Richard Moll, the fun-loving actor who portrayed the towering and tenderhearted bailiff Aristotle Nostradamus “Bull” Shannon on all nine seasons of the popular NBC sitcom Night Court during its original run, has died. He was 80.
Moll died peacefully Thursday at his home in Big Bear Lake, California, his publicist announced.
Suitable for his 6-foot-8 frame, Moll played an abominable snowman alongside Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach in the comedy feature Caveman (1981), and he was a scary, decomposing Vietnam veteran in the horror film House (1986).
Moll also did lots of voiceover work, with a regular gig as the immortal bodyguard Norman on the syndicated series Mighty Max and turns as Harvey Dent/Two-Face for three Batman cartoons.
Moll had a shaved head — he did that to play the warrior Hurok in the sci-fi film Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) — when he auditioned for the role of Shannon on Night Court, created by Reinhold Weege.
Moll died peacefully Thursday at his home in Big Bear Lake, California, his publicist announced.
Suitable for his 6-foot-8 frame, Moll played an abominable snowman alongside Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach in the comedy feature Caveman (1981), and he was a scary, decomposing Vietnam veteran in the horror film House (1986).
Moll also did lots of voiceover work, with a regular gig as the immortal bodyguard Norman on the syndicated series Mighty Max and turns as Harvey Dent/Two-Face for three Batman cartoons.
Moll had a shaved head — he did that to play the warrior Hurok in the sci-fi film Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983) — when he auditioned for the role of Shannon on Night Court, created by Reinhold Weege.
- 10/27/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Previously we’ve covered the iconic Six Million Dollar Man on Gone But Not Forgotten. It’s only right that we also showcase Steve Austin’s equally amazing bionic co-hart. The Bionic Woman, who was as popular as The Six Million Dollar Man and was an important piece of TV history for a number of reasons. It would give women, girls, and guys a new perspective on just how powerful a woman could be, not only in a robotically enhanced strength but also in their character. Jamie Sommers was something special, and not even a TV death could keep her down. On this episode of Gone But Not Forgotten, listen close as we tell the story of The Bionic Woman.
The Bionic Woman herself was introduced in Season 2 of The Six Million Dollar Man already an important part of Steve Austin’s life. Jaime Sommers and Steve had a relationship...
The Bionic Woman herself was introduced in Season 2 of The Six Million Dollar Man already an important part of Steve Austin’s life. Jaime Sommers and Steve had a relationship...
- 10/23/2023
- by Jessica Dwyer
- JoBlo.com
One of the curious things about "The Twilight Zone's" enduring popularity is that Rod Serling's classic anthology series has been rebooted three separate times, and even spun off into movies, and yet the original series is still considered the gold standard. You'll hear "Star Trek" fans sing the praises of "The Original Series," sure, but you'll also find lots of them who think the franchise peaked with "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," or "Enterprise." But the reboots of the "Twilight Zone" aren't nearly as well remembered or celebrated as the original series, no matter how many great filmmakers or actors appeared in them.
Take the first TV reboot, for example. That version of "The Twilight Zone" aired for three seasons between 1985 and 1989 — peak, influential pop culture years — and featured episodes directed by cinematic luminaries like Wes Craven, Joe Dante, John Milius, Curtis Harrington, Bill Duke, Martha Coolidge,...
Take the first TV reboot, for example. That version of "The Twilight Zone" aired for three seasons between 1985 and 1989 — peak, influential pop culture years — and featured episodes directed by cinematic luminaries like Wes Craven, Joe Dante, John Milius, Curtis Harrington, Bill Duke, Martha Coolidge,...
- 10/21/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Ex-Marine, former boxer, consummate ruffian, beloved character actor, and Academy Award nominee Burt Young has passed away, confirmed The New York Times. He was 83 years old. With a career spanning over five decades, Young's acting resume included over 160 roles, with memorable performances in films like "Chinatown," "Once Upon a Time in America," and "Back to School." Trained by the legendary Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York City, Young made a career playing Hollywood tough guys, street-smart cops, relatable working men, and as an Italian-American — of course — a mob boss.
However, it's his role as Rocky Balboa's brother-in-law and best friend Paulie Pennino in the "Rocky" film series that made him a household name and earned him the coveted Oscar nomination. The role allowed Young to not only shine as a complex, gifted performer but also bring his real-life experience as a professional boxer to the screen.
However, it's his role as Rocky Balboa's brother-in-law and best friend Paulie Pennino in the "Rocky" film series that made him a household name and earned him the coveted Oscar nomination. The role allowed Young to not only shine as a complex, gifted performer but also bring his real-life experience as a professional boxer to the screen.
- 10/19/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
This month has been full of sad reports of celebrity passings… and unfortunately, today is no different. It has been brought to our attention that Lara Parker, best known for starring in the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows and the 1975 horror classic Race with the Devil, has passed away at the age of 84. Her daughter confirmed to Variety that she died in her sleep at her home in the Topanga Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles on October 12th.
If you’re not familiar with Parker’s work on Dark Shadows, Variety has the information: “From 1967 to 1971, the Memphis native starred in Dark Shadows as the central antagonist Angelique Bouchard. Set in the fictional setting of Collinsport, Maine, the series follows the town’s founding family, the Collins family. In the show, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) spurns the besotted Angelique after a brief dalliance with her, unaware that she is a witch.
If you’re not familiar with Parker’s work on Dark Shadows, Variety has the information: “From 1967 to 1971, the Memphis native starred in Dark Shadows as the central antagonist Angelique Bouchard. Set in the fictional setting of Collinsport, Maine, the series follows the town’s founding family, the Collins family. In the show, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) spurns the besotted Angelique after a brief dalliance with her, unaware that she is a witch.
- 10/17/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Lara Parker, who played fan-favorite witch Angelique Bouchard on “Dark Shadows,” has died at 84.
Kathryn Leigh Scott, her co-star on the 1960s gothic soap opera, posted the news to Facebook on Monday.
“I have sad news . . . my beautiful, beloved friend Lara Parker passed away Thursday, October 12. I’m heartbroken, as all of us are who knew and loved her,” Scott wrote.
“She graced our lives with her beauty and talent, and we are all richer for having had her in our lives. Family meant more than anything to Lara, and they have wanted these few days since her passing to themselves. Rest in peace, my cherished friend,” Scott concluded.
The actress died in her sleep at her home in Topanga Canyon, her daughter said.
The series ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971 and spawned several follow-up movies from creator Dan Curtis.
Parker, along with other surviving “Dark Shadows” stars, made cameos...
Kathryn Leigh Scott, her co-star on the 1960s gothic soap opera, posted the news to Facebook on Monday.
“I have sad news . . . my beautiful, beloved friend Lara Parker passed away Thursday, October 12. I’m heartbroken, as all of us are who knew and loved her,” Scott wrote.
“She graced our lives with her beauty and talent, and we are all richer for having had her in our lives. Family meant more than anything to Lara, and they have wanted these few days since her passing to themselves. Rest in peace, my cherished friend,” Scott concluded.
The actress died in her sleep at her home in Topanga Canyon, her daughter said.
The series ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971 and spawned several follow-up movies from creator Dan Curtis.
Parker, along with other surviving “Dark Shadows” stars, made cameos...
- 10/16/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Lara Parker, who found the role of a lifetime at just 28 years old when she was cast by Dark Shadows producer Dan Curtis as the beautiful, vengeful and altogether evil witch Angelique Bouchard Collins, died October 12 in her sleep in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer. She was 84.
Her death was announced by producer Jim Pierson of Dan Curtis Productions, on behalf of Parker’s family.
“I’m heartbroken, as all of us are who knew and loved her,” said her Dark Shadows co-star and longtime friend Kathryn Leigh Scott in a statement. “She graced our lives with her beauty, talent and friendship, and we are all richer for having had her in our lives.”
Parker, who also authored four popular Dark Shadows-related novels from 1998-2016, arrived on the supernatural soap opera in 1967, not long after Canadian actor Jonathan Frid had been cast as vampire Barnabas Collins. Frid...
Her death was announced by producer Jim Pierson of Dan Curtis Productions, on behalf of Parker’s family.
“I’m heartbroken, as all of us are who knew and loved her,” said her Dark Shadows co-star and longtime friend Kathryn Leigh Scott in a statement. “She graced our lives with her beauty, talent and friendship, and we are all richer for having had her in our lives.”
Parker, who also authored four popular Dark Shadows-related novels from 1998-2016, arrived on the supernatural soap opera in 1967, not long after Canadian actor Jonathan Frid had been cast as vampire Barnabas Collins. Frid...
- 10/16/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Patrick Duffy is paying tribute to his former Step By Step costar Suzanne Somers following the news of her death on Sunday.
“As with everyone who knew her, I was stunned yesterday by the news that my dear and deep friend Suzanne had passed,” began Duffy in a statement to People. “For that brief moment it was unbelievable. But indeed she has passed. She beautifully passed through my life on this leg of her endless journey. My task now is to remain on the roadside as she continues on.”
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“As with everyone who knew her, I was stunned yesterday by the news that my dear and deep friend Suzanne had passed,” began Duffy in a statement to People. “For that brief moment it was unbelievable. But indeed she has passed. She beautifully passed through my life on this leg of her endless journey. My task now is to remain on the roadside as she continues on.”
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- 10/16/2023
- by Claire Franken
- TVLine.com
Suzanne Somers, best known for her TV work in Three’s Company and Step by Step, died Sunday following a lengthy battle with breast cancer. She was 76.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Oct. 15,” Somers’ publicist confirmed Sunday. “She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years.
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“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan,...
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Oct. 15,” Somers’ publicist confirmed Sunday. “She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years.
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“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan,...
- 10/15/2023
- by Michael Ausiello
- TVLine.com
Suzanne Somers, best known for her ditsy comedy turn in the hit television series Three’s Company, has died. She was 76.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement to People shared on behalf of the actress’ family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
Somers first cultural impression was as the blonde beauty in a white Thunderbird in George Lucas’ ‘60s hit comedy-drama, American Graffiti (1973).
Her big break came in 1977, when she was cast as one of the...
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement to People shared on behalf of the actress’ family.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
Somers first cultural impression was as the blonde beauty in a white Thunderbird in George Lucas’ ‘60s hit comedy-drama, American Graffiti (1973).
Her big break came in 1977, when she was cast as one of the...
- 10/15/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Suzanne Somers, the star of sitcoms “Three’s Company” and “Step by Step” and author of several self-help, health and wellness books, died Sunday morning at the age of 76.
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Oct. 15. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” her publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement to People.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on Oct. 16. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
A cause of death was not given.
After several small roles on TV shows like “The Rockford Files” and “The Six Million Dollar Man,” Somers landed the role of Chrissy Snow on ABC’s sitcom “Three’s Company...
“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Oct. 15. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” her publicist R. Couri Hay wrote in a statement to People.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on Oct. 16. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
A cause of death was not given.
After several small roles on TV shows like “The Rockford Files” and “The Six Million Dollar Man,” Somers landed the role of Chrissy Snow on ABC’s sitcom “Three’s Company...
- 10/15/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Suzanne Somers, the Emmy nominee and star of hit shows like Three’s Company and Step by Step, died Sunday. She was 76.
Somers died peacefully of breast cancer at her home in Palm Springs, her longtime publicist, R. Couri Hay, announced.
“She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years. Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband, Alan, her son, Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement read. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on Oct. 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and they want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
The actress also was known for her roles on She’s the Sheriff and Serial Mom.
Born in San Bruno, California, on Oct. 16, 1946, Suzanne Marie Mahoney was the third of four children in an Irish-American Catholic family. Her father, Frank, was a laborer, and her mother, Marion, a medical secretary.
Somers died peacefully of breast cancer at her home in Palm Springs, her longtime publicist, R. Couri Hay, announced.
“She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years. Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband, Alan, her son, Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement read. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on Oct. 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and they want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.”
The actress also was known for her roles on She’s the Sheriff and Serial Mom.
Born in San Bruno, California, on Oct. 16, 1946, Suzanne Marie Mahoney was the third of four children in an Irish-American Catholic family. Her father, Frank, was a laborer, and her mother, Marion, a medical secretary.
- 10/15/2023
- by Christy Piña and Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Former Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus, who also appeared in countless films, TV shows and commercials, died Thursday at the age of 80.
TV Stars We Lost in 2023 View Gallery64 Images
Though an official cause of death was not released, Butkus’ family tells the Chicago Tribune that he died “peacefully in his sleep overnight at home” in Malibu, Calif.
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Along with his legendary career with the Bears, which spanned from 1965 to 1973, Butkus also cultivated an impressive acting resume,...
TV Stars We Lost in 2023 View Gallery64 Images
Though an official cause of death was not released, Butkus’ family tells the Chicago Tribune that he died “peacefully in his sleep overnight at home” in Malibu, Calif.
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Along with his legendary career with the Bears, which spanned from 1965 to 1973, Butkus also cultivated an impressive acting resume,...
- 10/5/2023
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Dick Butkus, a Hall of Famer who was among the greatest, most respected and most feared players in NFL history and also had a long acting career in TV, film and commercials, died overnight in his sleep at his Malibu home. He was 80.
His family confirmed the news on social media.
After back-to-back All-America seasons at the University of Illinois, Butkus was picked No. 3 overall by his hometown Chicago Bears in 1965. A fearsome force on the field and rather gentle giant off of it, he spent his entire injury-shortened nine-season career with the club, redefining the linebacker position in the process.
Dick Butkus circa 1965
Active from 1965-73, Butkus was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for both the 1960s and ’70s and was selected for the All-Time NFL Team in 2000. A six-time All-nfl selection and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, he played in eight consecutive Pro Bowls and...
His family confirmed the news on social media.
After back-to-back All-America seasons at the University of Illinois, Butkus was picked No. 3 overall by his hometown Chicago Bears in 1965. A fearsome force on the field and rather gentle giant off of it, he spent his entire injury-shortened nine-season career with the club, redefining the linebacker position in the process.
Dick Butkus circa 1965
Active from 1965-73, Butkus was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for both the 1960s and ’70s and was selected for the All-Time NFL Team in 2000. A six-time All-nfl selection and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, he played in eight consecutive Pro Bowls and...
- 10/5/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Dick Butkus, one of the most celebrated linebackers in NFL history who played eight seasons for the Chicago Bears before turning to a career as an actor and sports commentator, died Thursday in Malibu. He was 80 years old.
The Butkus family released a statement through the Chicago Bears organization, confirming his death.
“The Butkus family confirms that football and entertainment legend Dick Butkus died peacefully in his sleep overnight at home in Malibu, California. The Butkus family is gathering with Dick’s wife Helen. They appreciate your prayers and support,” the statement reads.
A Chicago native, Butkus was drafted by his hometown team in 1965 after a breakthrough college football career that saw him lead the University of Illinois to a Rose Bowl victory in 1963. During his time with the Bears, Butkus twice won defensive player of the year, appeared in eight Pro Bowls and was named to first-team All-Pro five times.
The Butkus family released a statement through the Chicago Bears organization, confirming his death.
“The Butkus family confirms that football and entertainment legend Dick Butkus died peacefully in his sleep overnight at home in Malibu, California. The Butkus family is gathering with Dick’s wife Helen. They appreciate your prayers and support,” the statement reads.
A Chicago native, Butkus was drafted by his hometown team in 1965 after a breakthrough college football career that saw him lead the University of Illinois to a Rose Bowl victory in 1963. During his time with the Bears, Butkus twice won defensive player of the year, appeared in eight Pro Bowls and was named to first-team All-Pro five times.
- 10/5/2023
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Judging by its trailer, "Barber" is the story of a private investigator out to find a missing girl. A down-and-out protagonist, in over his head, stumbles onto a larger conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. If you've seen it once, you've seen it a thousand times, right? Not necessarily.
That may be the spine of "Barber," but half of the story is a family drama. The titular Pi has a loving relationship with his teenage daughter, and is trying to navigate how to raise her with his ex-wife. And instead of being set in the seedy streets of Los Angeles, the neo-noir capital of the world, this one's set in Ireland, a locale that's far from typical for this subgenre. Those two elements are enough to make this movie stand out from its contemporaries.
Add to that the fact that Aidan Gillen, the wonderful character actor from "Game of Thrones,...
That may be the spine of "Barber," but half of the story is a family drama. The titular Pi has a loving relationship with his teenage daughter, and is trying to navigate how to raise her with his ex-wife. And instead of being set in the seedy streets of Los Angeles, the neo-noir capital of the world, this one's set in Ireland, a locale that's far from typical for this subgenre. Those two elements are enough to make this movie stand out from its contemporaries.
Add to that the fact that Aidan Gillen, the wonderful character actor from "Game of Thrones,...
- 9/21/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Rose Gregorio, who received a Tony nomination for her performance as the browbeaten daughter of Geraldine Fitzgerald’s declining old woman in the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama The Shadow Box, has died. She was 97.
Gregorio died Aug. 17 of natural causes in her Greenwich Village home, her nephew Robert Grosbard told The Hollywood Reporter.
Gregorio was married to Belgium-born stage and film director Ulu Grosbard from 1965 until his death in 2012, and she appeared for him as the ex-wife of Dustin Hoffman’s character in Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971); as a local madam in True Confessions (1981); and as the mother of Treat Williams’ character in The Deep End of the Ocean (1999).
On television, she had a recurring role on NBC’s ER as Nurse Carol Hathaway’s (Julianna Margulies) mom from 1996-99.
Gregorio also landed a Drama Desk nom and a Clarence Derwent...
Gregorio died Aug. 17 of natural causes in her Greenwich Village home, her nephew Robert Grosbard told The Hollywood Reporter.
Gregorio was married to Belgium-born stage and film director Ulu Grosbard from 1965 until his death in 2012, and she appeared for him as the ex-wife of Dustin Hoffman’s character in Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971); as a local madam in True Confessions (1981); and as the mother of Treat Williams’ character in The Deep End of the Ocean (1999).
On television, she had a recurring role on NBC’s ER as Nurse Carol Hathaway’s (Julianna Margulies) mom from 1996-99.
Gregorio also landed a Drama Desk nom and a Clarence Derwent...
- 9/21/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hollywood icon Lauren Bacall made her feature debut with Howard Hawks‘ adventure yarn “To Have and Have Not” (1945). The film was a landmark for the actress in both her career and her life, since it was how she met her future husband Humphrey Bogart. The two would become a legendary couple off-screen and on, making three subsequent features together: “The Big Sleep” (1946), “Dark Passage” (1947) and “Key Largo” (1948).
Despite her hefty filmography, Bacall received just one Oscar nomination in her career: Best Supporting Actress for “The Mirror Has Two Faces” (1996), in which she played Barbra Streisand‘s domineering mother. After victories at the Golden Globes and SAG, Bacall looked like a shoo-in to finally clinch an Academy Award, yet lost to Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient”).
Bacall also had a successful stage career, winning two Tonys as Best Actress in a Musical (“Applause” in 1970 and “Woman of the Year” in 1981″). Her...
Despite her hefty filmography, Bacall received just one Oscar nomination in her career: Best Supporting Actress for “The Mirror Has Two Faces” (1996), in which she played Barbra Streisand‘s domineering mother. After victories at the Golden Globes and SAG, Bacall looked like a shoo-in to finally clinch an Academy Award, yet lost to Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient”).
Bacall also had a successful stage career, winning two Tonys as Best Actress in a Musical (“Applause” in 1970 and “Woman of the Year” in 1981″). Her...
- 9/8/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
It seems you can’t throw a rock without hitting a free ad-supported TV (Fast) channel from NBCUniversal these days. The company has done an excellent job distributing its streaming channels across the Fast landscape, and this week Google TV and Android TV are getting in on the party.
A total of four new NBCU Fast channels are now available on Android TV and Google TV devices. Users will see the channels in the Live tab on Google TV as soon as they pull their device out of the box, with no downloads required. The additions have helped to bring the integrated Fast channel count on Google TV devices to over 100.
The new channels available now on Google TV and Android TV devices are:
“Murder, She Wrote”: The classic detective series starring Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher, a mystery writer who is called upon to solve actual crimes in her small town.
A total of four new NBCU Fast channels are now available on Android TV and Google TV devices. Users will see the channels in the Live tab on Google TV as soon as they pull their device out of the box, with no downloads required. The additions have helped to bring the integrated Fast channel count on Google TV devices to over 100.
The new channels available now on Google TV and Android TV devices are:
“Murder, She Wrote”: The classic detective series starring Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher, a mystery writer who is called upon to solve actual crimes in her small town.
- 8/24/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Some of your favorite shows are now available to watch thanks to Fast (free ad-supporting streaming TV) channels. NBCUniversal and Roku have announced new Fast linear content offerings with shows from across the NBC Global Distribution library are now available on The Roku Channel. (More will be available later this year.) The channels include: Murder, She Wrote; Little House on the Prairie; and Universal Crime, including notable library series of mystery, suspense, and drama like Columbo, Kojak, The Rockford Files, and more. Other Fast channels now available on The Roku Channel include Saved By the Bell; Tnbc (Teen NBC), with series about the highs and lowers of growing up like Punky Brewster, Major Dad, and Hang Time; and Bad Girls Club. Also coming later this year are: Universal Action, which will include action-packed series like The A-Team; Magnum P.I., starring Tom Selleck; and Knight Rider, as well as Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
- 8/15/2023
- TV Insider
Since the dawn of free ad-supported streaming TV (Fast), classic television has been the backbone of many services offering these types of channels, and now one of the largest ad-supported platforms is bringing more iconic series to its service. On Tuesday, The Roku Channel announced that it was launching channels centered on some of NBCUniversal’s most beloved shows.
Watch Now $0 / month roku.com
Available on the platform now are channels dedicated to “Murder, She Wrote” and “Little House on the Prairie,” with a new channel called Universal Crime which features episodes from series including “Columbo,” “Kojak,” “The Rockford Files,” and more. Other Fast channels hitting the streamer include “Saved by the Bell” and “Bad Girls Club,” and Tnbc (Teen NBC) which features episodes of beloved family series “Punky Brewster,” “Major Dad,” “Hang Time” amongst others. There will be more channels launching later this year.
Today, NBCUniversal (NBCU) and Roku...
Watch Now $0 / month roku.com
Available on the platform now are channels dedicated to “Murder, She Wrote” and “Little House on the Prairie,” with a new channel called Universal Crime which features episodes from series including “Columbo,” “Kojak,” “The Rockford Files,” and more. Other Fast channels hitting the streamer include “Saved by the Bell” and “Bad Girls Club,” and Tnbc (Teen NBC) which features episodes of beloved family series “Punky Brewster,” “Major Dad,” “Hang Time” amongst others. There will be more channels launching later this year.
Today, NBCUniversal (NBCU) and Roku...
- 8/15/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
NBCUniversal and Roku are expanding their streaming relationship, adding to the roster of classic and nostalgia TV titles available on the Roku Channel.
The NBCU Global Distribution Studio library is backing a number of new channels launching today, including dedicated ones for Murder, She Wrote, Little House on the Prairie, Saved By The Bell and Bad Girls Club. The Universal Crime channel offers a rotation including Columbo, Kojak and The Rockford Files, while Teen NBC packages the likes of Punky Brewster, Major Dad and Hang Time.
Additional offerings launching down the road include the Universal Action channel, featuring The A-Team, Magnum P.I. and Knight Rider; as well as Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
NBCU has already had Roku Channel distribution for NBC News Now, Dateline 24/7, Today All Day, Lx, NBC local channels, Telemundo regional news channels, Sky News International, and The Rotten Tomatoes Channel. NBCU Global Distribution has also licensed select films,...
The NBCU Global Distribution Studio library is backing a number of new channels launching today, including dedicated ones for Murder, She Wrote, Little House on the Prairie, Saved By The Bell and Bad Girls Club. The Universal Crime channel offers a rotation including Columbo, Kojak and The Rockford Files, while Teen NBC packages the likes of Punky Brewster, Major Dad and Hang Time.
Additional offerings launching down the road include the Universal Action channel, featuring The A-Team, Magnum P.I. and Knight Rider; as well as Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
NBCU has already had Roku Channel distribution for NBC News Now, Dateline 24/7, Today All Day, Lx, NBC local channels, Telemundo regional news channels, Sky News International, and The Rotten Tomatoes Channel. NBCU Global Distribution has also licensed select films,...
- 8/15/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
NBCUniversal has launched new free ad-supported streaming TV (Fast) channels on The Roku Channel for the series “Saved By The Bell,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Little House on the Prairie,” and “Bad Girls Club.”
The Roku Channel will also now offer a “Universal Crime” Fast channel, comprised of notable library series such as “Columbo, “Kojak” and “The Rockford Files,” as well as a “Teen NBC” (Tnbc) channel, which will feature “Punky Brewster,” “Major Dad” and “Hang Time.”
Other channels set to launch later this year include “Universal Action,” which will include “The A-Team,” the original “Magnum P.I.” and “Knight Rider” with David Hasselhoff. There will also be an “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” channel focused on the Emmy-winning anthology series that showcased iconic mysteries, hosted by the legendary filmmaker.
“As Fast continues to gain incredible popularity in the marketplace, we’re excited to bring such terrific content options – including a strong roster of very well-known,...
The Roku Channel will also now offer a “Universal Crime” Fast channel, comprised of notable library series such as “Columbo, “Kojak” and “The Rockford Files,” as well as a “Teen NBC” (Tnbc) channel, which will feature “Punky Brewster,” “Major Dad” and “Hang Time.”
Other channels set to launch later this year include “Universal Action,” which will include “The A-Team,” the original “Magnum P.I.” and “Knight Rider” with David Hasselhoff. There will also be an “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” channel focused on the Emmy-winning anthology series that showcased iconic mysteries, hosted by the legendary filmmaker.
“As Fast continues to gain incredible popularity in the marketplace, we’re excited to bring such terrific content options – including a strong roster of very well-known,...
- 8/15/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
Matthew Macfadyen is Gold Derby’s odds-on favorite to win his second consecutive Best Drama Supporting Actor Emmy this year for playing the very tired Tom Wambsgans on HBO’s “Succession.” Fun fact: if he were to prevail against co-nominees Alexander Skarsgard, Alan Ruck and Nicholas Braun from “Succession” and F. Murray Abraham, Will Sharpe, Michael Imperioli and Theo James from “The White Lotus,” that would tie him with four other dramatic supporting actors on Emmy’s all-time list.
Stuart Margolin (“The Rockford Files” in 1979-80), Michael Conrad (“Hill Street Blues” in 1981-82), Larry Drake (“L.A. Law” in 1988-89) and Ray Walston (“Picket Fences” in 1995-96) all took home back-to-back Emmy Awards in the Best Drama Supporting Actor category during their shows’ tenures.
SEEHow far ahead is ‘Succession’ in the Emmy race for Best Drama Series?
However, two other stars have even more Best Drama Supporting Actor trophies on their...
Stuart Margolin (“The Rockford Files” in 1979-80), Michael Conrad (“Hill Street Blues” in 1981-82), Larry Drake (“L.A. Law” in 1988-89) and Ray Walston (“Picket Fences” in 1995-96) all took home back-to-back Emmy Awards in the Best Drama Supporting Actor category during their shows’ tenures.
SEEHow far ahead is ‘Succession’ in the Emmy race for Best Drama Series?
However, two other stars have even more Best Drama Supporting Actor trophies on their...
- 7/18/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Jimmy Weldon, a 1940s-era disc jockey and later kids TV host and voice actor whose ability to mimic a Donald Duck-like quacking voice led to his signature portrayal of a classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon duckling named Yakky Doodle, died July 6 in Paso Robles, California. He was 99.
Weldon, a Texas native born Ivy Laverne Shinn, was a World War II vet who had participated in the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp when, after his military service, he sought work in radio, landing a job at a Chickasha, Oklahoma, station. It was there he began using the Donal Duck impression he’d been honing for years, turning the routine into a character named Webster Webfoot.
The character caught on with listeners and within a few years led to Dallas kids TV show called The Webster Webfoot Show, featuring Weldon operating a baseball-capped duck puppet.
After a move to Hollywood in the early 1950s,...
Weldon, a Texas native born Ivy Laverne Shinn, was a World War II vet who had participated in the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp when, after his military service, he sought work in radio, landing a job at a Chickasha, Oklahoma, station. It was there he began using the Donal Duck impression he’d been honing for years, turning the routine into a character named Webster Webfoot.
The character caught on with listeners and within a few years led to Dallas kids TV show called The Webster Webfoot Show, featuring Weldon operating a baseball-capped duck puppet.
After a move to Hollywood in the early 1950s,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Jimmy Weldon, the cheery ventriloquist, kids TV host and actor who provided the voice for the endangered duck Yakky Doodle on Hanna-Barbera cartoons starting in the early 1960s, has died. He was 99.
Weldon’s death on Thursday in Paso Robles, California, was reported by American Legion Post 43 in Hollywood, where he was chaplain emeritus.
With the puppet Webster Webfoot, a duck he created in the 1940s, Weldon hosted TV shows for youngsters in New York, Los Angeles and cities in the San Joaquin Valley. The Texan also appeared on episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dragnet, The Waltons, S.W.A.T., B.J. and the Bear, Dallas, The Rockford Files, Diff’rent Strokes and It’s a Living.
Weldon voiced Yakky Doodle, a yellow duckling with green wings who is constantly being bailed out of trouble by his best friend, a protective bulldog named Chopper, on recurring segments of The Yogi Bear Show in 1961-62.
From left: Yogi Bear,...
Weldon’s death on Thursday in Paso Robles, California, was reported by American Legion Post 43 in Hollywood, where he was chaplain emeritus.
With the puppet Webster Webfoot, a duck he created in the 1940s, Weldon hosted TV shows for youngsters in New York, Los Angeles and cities in the San Joaquin Valley. The Texan also appeared on episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dragnet, The Waltons, S.W.A.T., B.J. and the Bear, Dallas, The Rockford Files, Diff’rent Strokes and It’s a Living.
Weldon voiced Yakky Doodle, a yellow duckling with green wings who is constantly being bailed out of trouble by his best friend, a protective bulldog named Chopper, on recurring segments of The Yogi Bear Show in 1961-62.
From left: Yogi Bear,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBCUniversal is diving back into the free TV realm. Months after the company discontinued its free streaming tier of Peacock, Variety reports that NBCU is launching a bundle of free ad-supported streaming TV (Fast) channels in July, spanning multiple genres and with content from most of NBCU’s channels.
The new Fast channels will initially be available on Amazon’s free streaming platform Freevee, as well as Xumo Play, the joint venture that NBCU’s parent company Comcast is building with fellow cable provider Charter Communications. No specific date was provided for the launch of the channels, but they are slated to be available sometime next month.
Watch Now $0 / month amazonfreevee.com
It’s not yet clear if the new channels will be added to other NBCU streaming platforms, such as Peacock or its new live TV service Now TV. It would certainly make sense, as Now TV already carries...
The new Fast channels will initially be available on Amazon’s free streaming platform Freevee, as well as Xumo Play, the joint venture that NBCU’s parent company Comcast is building with fellow cable provider Charter Communications. No specific date was provided for the launch of the channels, but they are slated to be available sometime next month.
Watch Now $0 / month amazonfreevee.com
It’s not yet clear if the new channels will be added to other NBCU streaming platforms, such as Peacock or its new live TV service Now TV. It would certainly make sense, as Now TV already carries...
- 6/29/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
NBCUniversal is cracking open its TV and movie archives to launch around four dozen free, ad-supported streaming TV (Fast) channels — significantly expanding its footprint in the free streaming space.
In July, the company said, it will launch the new portfolio of Fast linear channels, with content from across the NBCU Television & Streaming and the NBCUniversal Global Distribution library, on Amazon Freevee and Xumo Play (the streaming platform operated as a joint venture between Comcast and Charter).
The lineup includes dedicated free streaming channels for “Saturday Night Live,” “The Real Housewives” franchises, “Top Chef” and “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” along with Spanish-language entertainment and news from Telemundo including “Historias de Amor,” “Lo Mejor de Telemundo” and “Telemundo al Día.” NBCU’s Fast channels also include those for older TV series “Little House on the Prairie,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Saved by the Bell” and “The Lone Ranger,” plus genre-based channels for sitcoms,...
In July, the company said, it will launch the new portfolio of Fast linear channels, with content from across the NBCU Television & Streaming and the NBCUniversal Global Distribution library, on Amazon Freevee and Xumo Play (the streaming platform operated as a joint venture between Comcast and Charter).
The lineup includes dedicated free streaming channels for “Saturday Night Live,” “The Real Housewives” franchises, “Top Chef” and “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” along with Spanish-language entertainment and news from Telemundo including “Historias de Amor,” “Lo Mejor de Telemundo” and “Telemundo al Día.” NBCU’s Fast channels also include those for older TV series “Little House on the Prairie,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Saved by the Bell” and “The Lone Ranger,” plus genre-based channels for sitcoms,...
- 6/29/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Nicolas Coster, the British-American actor who played an evasive lawyer in All the President’s Men, a fiendish kidnapper in All My Children, zany businessman Lionel Lockridge on Santa Barbara, and the father of Lisa Whelchel’s Blair Warner in The Facts of Life, died Monday at a hospital in Florida. He was 89.
His death was announced by his daughter Dinneen Coster on social media. “There is great sadness in my heart this evening, my father actor Nicolas Coster has passed on in Florida at 9:01 pm in the hospital,” Dinneen Coster wrote on Facebook. “Please be inspired by his artistic achievements and know he was a real actor’s actor!”
A cause of death was not given.
A prolific actor whose career spanned decades on television and encompassed both leading and character roles,...
His death was announced by his daughter Dinneen Coster on social media. “There is great sadness in my heart this evening, my father actor Nicolas Coster has passed on in Florida at 9:01 pm in the hospital,” Dinneen Coster wrote on Facebook. “Please be inspired by his artistic achievements and know he was a real actor’s actor!”
A cause of death was not given.
A prolific actor whose career spanned decades on television and encompassed both leading and character roles,...
- 6/27/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Brett Hadley, soap actor who starred as Carl Williams for two decades on “The Young and the Restless,” has died. He was 92.
Hadley died on Wednesday at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, according to his friend Darcy Lee.
“We talked about movies and art.. and we laughed a lot! He even made me laugh on his death bed,” wrote Lee in a post. “He waited to pass tonight until my show was over and I walked out of the theatre. He took his last bow as I got into the car to come home. I will miss you terribly Brett Hadley – and thank you for being in my life.”
Throughout his career, Hadley appeared in films like “Next of Kin” and “The Mad Bomber” as well as television programs like “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “The Waltons,” “The Rockford Files,” “Highway to Heaven” and CBS...
Hadley died on Wednesday at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, according to his friend Darcy Lee.
“We talked about movies and art.. and we laughed a lot! He even made me laugh on his death bed,” wrote Lee in a post. “He waited to pass tonight until my show was over and I walked out of the theatre. He took his last bow as I got into the car to come home. I will miss you terribly Brett Hadley – and thank you for being in my life.”
Throughout his career, Hadley appeared in films like “Next of Kin” and “The Mad Bomber” as well as television programs like “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “The Waltons,” “The Rockford Files,” “Highway to Heaven” and CBS...
- 6/16/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
Brett Hadley, who starred as Genoa City police detective Carl Williams for more than a decade on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, has died. He was 92.
Hadley died Wednesday of sepsis at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, his friend of 30 years, Darcy Lee, told The Hollywood Reporter. “He was a wonderful, sweet and kind man,” she said.
Hadley joined the daytime serial as the father of Doug Davidson’s Paul Williams in 1980 and remained with the show through 1990, when his character mysteriously disappeared.
Wouldn’t you know it, just as his onscreen wife, Mary (Carolyn Conwell), was about to remarry, Hadley returned in 1998 as a man named Jim Bradley. It seems a savage beating had left Carl with amnesia, and he would never remember who he was. He left the show for good in 1999.
“He was a delight to work...
Hadley died Wednesday of sepsis at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, his friend of 30 years, Darcy Lee, told The Hollywood Reporter. “He was a wonderful, sweet and kind man,” she said.
Hadley joined the daytime serial as the father of Doug Davidson’s Paul Williams in 1980 and remained with the show through 1990, when his character mysteriously disappeared.
Wouldn’t you know it, just as his onscreen wife, Mary (Carolyn Conwell), was about to remarry, Hadley returned in 1998 as a man named Jim Bradley. It seems a savage beating had left Carl with amnesia, and he would never remember who he was. He left the show for good in 1999.
“He was a delight to work...
- 6/16/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Brett Hadley, best known for playing Genoa City police detective Carl Williams in The Young and the Restless, has died, as reported by Soap Opera Digest. He was 92. A cause of death has not yet been revealed. Hadley first joined the daytime soap in 1980, where he played the no-nonsense detective until 1990. He left the show for several years before reprising the role from 1998 to 1999. When his character returned, it was revealed he had been viciously beaten and suffered from amnesia, leading to his new life as Jim Bradley. Born on September 25, 1930, in Louisville, Kentucky, Hadley studied drama at the University of New Mexico before starting his acting career on the stage. He would go on to have numerous guest-star roles on television, including on shows such as The Waltons, Kojak, Ironside, The Rockford Files, The Incredible Hulk, Highway to Heaven, and many more. Hadley joined The Young and the Restless...
- 6/16/2023
- TV Insider
The Young and the Restless‘ Brett Hadley, who played Genoa City detective Carl Williams, has died at the age of 92, Soap Opera Digest reports.
A cause of death was not disclosed.
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Hadley made his debut as the Williams family patriarch in 1980. Upon his initial departure in 1991, Carl became an unseen character who was kept alive off screen, always said to be “in the other room.
A cause of death was not disclosed.
More from TVLineAnother World's Nancy Frangione Dead at 70Frasier Revival Gets Streaming Release Date, CBS Broadcast - Watch 'Tossed Salads & Scrambled Eggs' Announcement VideoBig Brother Eviction Recap: Did the House Pull Off a Major Blindside?
Hadley made his debut as the Williams family patriarch in 1980. Upon his initial departure in 1991, Carl became an unseen character who was kept alive off screen, always said to be “in the other room.
- 6/16/2023
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
For months fans have speculated who would succeed the late Logan Roy (Brian Cox) as the head of Waystar Royco on HBO’s critically acclaimed drama “Succession.” In the end, after the GoJo deal was approved by the board — and with Shiv (Sarah Snook) acting as the deciding vote — the servile Tom Wambsgans came out on top. And now it seems like his portrayer, Matthew Macfadyen, might as well.
The British actor, who beat out co-stars Kieran Culkin and Nicholas Braun to take home the Emmy for Best Drama Supporting Actor last year after revealing emotional new depths to Tom as he prepared to go to prison, is in a good position to repeat and become the latest performer to go back to back in the category, which loves consecutive winners. With Culkin — who was arguably the Mvp of the show’s fourth and final season — competing against Cox and...
The British actor, who beat out co-stars Kieran Culkin and Nicholas Braun to take home the Emmy for Best Drama Supporting Actor last year after revealing emotional new depths to Tom as he prepared to go to prison, is in a good position to repeat and become the latest performer to go back to back in the category, which loves consecutive winners. With Culkin — who was arguably the Mvp of the show’s fourth and final season — competing against Cox and...
- 5/31/2023
- by Kaitlin Thomas
- Gold Derby
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