Everyone knows that CBS is America's most watched network, and it's home to many extremely popular long-running shows. The example that we all know for sure is The Big Bang Theory, and of course, how can we live without NCIS, right?
But before they became the most popular shows in the world, there were many other amazingly crafted projects on CBS – the ones that are still considered genre-defining or groundbreaking pieces of television.
Here are 5 old but gold shows you need to watch right now to feel the brilliance of days gone by.
1. Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Missed Tom Selleck's mustache? Well, time to check out the young version of it. In Magnum, P.I., the actor plays Detective Thomas Sullivan, a former Navy lieutenant and Vietnam Special Forces veteran who resigned his commission at the age of thirty-three. The main reason? To move to Hawaii and live the life he never had when he was younger.
But before they became the most popular shows in the world, there were many other amazingly crafted projects on CBS – the ones that are still considered genre-defining or groundbreaking pieces of television.
Here are 5 old but gold shows you need to watch right now to feel the brilliance of days gone by.
1. Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Missed Tom Selleck's mustache? Well, time to check out the young version of it. In Magnum, P.I., the actor plays Detective Thomas Sullivan, a former Navy lieutenant and Vietnam Special Forces veteran who resigned his commission at the age of thirty-three. The main reason? To move to Hawaii and live the life he never had when he was younger.
- 5/22/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Rachel Bailey)
- STartefacts.com
"The City on the Edge of Forever" is often considered the best episode of the series. In it, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) encounter an impossibly ancient stone archway called the Guardian of Forever. The Guardian (Bartell Larue) is so old it has developed consciousness and serves as a time travel conduit for curious historians. Unexpectedly, Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) runs through the portal — he's hopped up on drugs — and travels instantly to Earth in 1930. Kirk and Spock follow him to ensure he doesn't foul with history.
In 1930, Kirk meets an activist named Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), a kindly soul who speaks out against the growing war efforts in Europe. Kirk falls in love. Spock, however, constructs a widget showing him that only two possible futures can come of their time travel interference. It seems that if Edith Keeler dies in a car accident, it will retain...
In 1930, Kirk meets an activist named Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), a kindly soul who speaks out against the growing war efforts in Europe. Kirk falls in love. Spock, however, constructs a widget showing him that only two possible futures can come of their time travel interference. It seems that if Edith Keeler dies in a car accident, it will retain...
- 5/20/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Shields up! This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Discovery."
Everything old will eventually become new again. Of all the various traditions and tropes upheld by "Star Trek" over the decades, perhaps none ring quite as true as that maxim. Don't believe me? Well, in just the last few weeks alone, this final season of "Discovery" has circled back to one of the most famous episodes of "The Original Series" ever made, gone out of its way to pick up a loose plot thread from "The Next Generation," and even drop the biggest reveal of them all: The Breen are back and as deadly as ever. For such a forward-looking enterprise (pun insufferably intended), there's no doubting the fact that the past has always played an integral role in the beloved sci-fi series.
This week's episode of "Discovery" does nothing to contradict that ongoing trend ... but,...
Everything old will eventually become new again. Of all the various traditions and tropes upheld by "Star Trek" over the decades, perhaps none ring quite as true as that maxim. Don't believe me? Well, in just the last few weeks alone, this final season of "Discovery" has circled back to one of the most famous episodes of "The Original Series" ever made, gone out of its way to pick up a loose plot thread from "The Next Generation," and even drop the biggest reveal of them all: The Breen are back and as deadly as ever. For such a forward-looking enterprise (pun insufferably intended), there's no doubting the fact that the past has always played an integral role in the beloved sci-fi series.
This week's episode of "Discovery" does nothing to contradict that ongoing trend ... but,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
"Star Trek" was initially meant to be a portrait of a technological utopia set in a future when humanity had outgrown war, shed religion, and put money behind it. In the best of cases, the franchise revealed a world without want or starvation, having become so well-organized that resources could be freely shunted about the galaxy on miraculous faster-than-light starships. Most notably, starting with "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Federation vessels were equipped with magical food replicators, which rearranged energy into edible matter. One could walk up to a food slot on the wall -- everyone's personal quarters had one -- and order anything from a glass of water to a six-course meal. Famously, Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) would order "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot."
Replicators are such a miraculous technology, that the writers of "Star Trek" had to begin inventing limitations merely for dramatic reasons. It's now been established repeatedly...
Replicators are such a miraculous technology, that the writers of "Star Trek" had to begin inventing limitations merely for dramatic reasons. It's now been established repeatedly...
- 5/9/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The premise of Sherwood Schwartz's '60s sitcom "Gilligan's Island" is laid out clearly in its theme song. Five passengers set sail on the S.S. Minnow with its captain and first mate, hoping to enjoy a three-hour tour of Hawaii. The ship hit rough weather, however, was dragged many miles off course, and washed up on the shores of an uncharted tropical island. The seven characters had to use their wits to survive, along with the contents of the inexplicably massive suitcases they all brought along. "Gilligan's Island" took place in a broad, slapstick universe, so any concerns of actual survival weren't addressed in any kind of meaningful way; Gilligan (Bob Denver) seemed to gain sustenance from energy-producing pratfalls.
One of the castaways was Ginger Grant (Tina Louise), a glamorous professional actor who brought along a lifetime supply of eyeliner. Throughout the series, Ginger would tell stories about...
One of the castaways was Ginger Grant (Tina Louise), a glamorous professional actor who brought along a lifetime supply of eyeliner. Throughout the series, Ginger would tell stories about...
- 5/4/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
If you were around in 1980, you can, sadly, imagine the confusion that might be caused if a woman drove up to the 20th Century Fox gate on Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles and claimed to be the new head of the studio. This simply didn't happen. Women didn't run Hollywood studios.
Someone had to shatter that glass ceiling, and Sherry Lansing was as qualified as anyone to do it. She started out as an actor (appearing opposite John Wayne in Howard Hawks' swan song "Rio Lobo"), but quickly grew dissatisfied with that area of the industry. She was far more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking, and quickly proved she possessed the savvy and good taste to succeed as an executive. At Columbia Pictures, she was one of the driving forces behind such critical/commercial successes as "The China Syndrome" and "Kramer vs. Kramer".
This made Lansing a hot Hollywood commodity,...
Someone had to shatter that glass ceiling, and Sherry Lansing was as qualified as anyone to do it. She started out as an actor (appearing opposite John Wayne in Howard Hawks' swan song "Rio Lobo"), but quickly grew dissatisfied with that area of the industry. She was far more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of filmmaking, and quickly proved she possessed the savvy and good taste to succeed as an executive. At Columbia Pictures, she was one of the driving forces behind such critical/commercial successes as "The China Syndrome" and "Kramer vs. Kramer".
This made Lansing a hot Hollywood commodity,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Few actresses of her era take as many chances as Nicole Kidman. The Oscar- and Emmy Award-winning actress has been one of the industry’s most sought-after performers since the early 1990s, and appeared in everything from splashy musicals like “Moulin Rouge!” (which netted Kidman her first of five Academy Award nominations) to historical fiction like “The Hours” (which won Kidman the Best Actress Oscar for playing Virginia Woolfe) to psychological thrillers like “Eyes Wide Shut” (where she starred opposite her now-ex-husband Tom Cruise) to blockbuster superhero movies like “Aquaman” (Kidman will also return for the sequel in 2022).
And that’s just on the big screen. In recent years, Kidman has acquitted herself exceedingly well in a spate of prestige television series, winning an Emmy for her nuanced work in “Big Little Lies” and scoring a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for “The Undoing.”
But her biggest challenge yet was...
And that’s just on the big screen. In recent years, Kidman has acquitted herself exceedingly well in a spate of prestige television series, winning an Emmy for her nuanced work in “Big Little Lies” and scoring a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for “The Undoing.”
But her biggest challenge yet was...
- 4/26/2024
- by Christopher Rosen, Chris Beachum and Tom O'Brien
- Gold Derby
Aaron Sorkin has revealed he is writing a movie about the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol Building. During a live episode of The Town with Matt Belloni podcast, the film was teased as a potential sequel to The Social Network tracing the rise of online misinformation.
When asked what role Facebook and other social networks should play in “responsibly moderating our news media and thus our democracy,” Sorkin glanced at his publicist before pulling back the curtain on his next project.
“I’ll be writing about this. I blame Facebook for January 6th,” Sorkin said, adding that we’d need “to buy a movie ticket” to find out why he believes the social network played a crucial role in the coup attempt.
Sorkin continued by criticizing the social platform in a more general sense, saying, “Facebook has been, among other things, tuning its algorithm to promote the...
When asked what role Facebook and other social networks should play in “responsibly moderating our news media and thus our democracy,” Sorkin glanced at his publicist before pulling back the curtain on his next project.
“I’ll be writing about this. I blame Facebook for January 6th,” Sorkin said, adding that we’d need “to buy a movie ticket” to find out why he believes the social network played a crucial role in the coup attempt.
Sorkin continued by criticizing the social platform in a more general sense, saying, “Facebook has been, among other things, tuning its algorithm to promote the...
- 4/26/2024
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Film News
Nicole Kidman is the rare actress in the 21st century who, like the stars of Hollywood’s golden years, doesn’t disappear into roles so much as elevate films by her mere presence.
She’s certainly swung big at mainstream blockbusters (think: the “Aquaman” films) that might feel out of her step with her character-driven work elsewhere (like most of the films on the list that follows). But that’s because the Australian icon is unafraid of any role, whether stripping down her post-Oscar, A-lister veneer to film Lars von Trier’s Brechtian “Dogville” in Sweden, slipping into a bathtub with the 10-year-old possible reincarnation of her dead husband in Jonathan Glazer’s “Birth,” or, yes, donning a fake nose to play a suicidal Virginia Woolf for her Oscar-winning turn in “The Hours.”
On April 27 in Los Angeles, Nicole Kidman will receive the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award, joining the ranks of Jane Fonda,...
She’s certainly swung big at mainstream blockbusters (think: the “Aquaman” films) that might feel out of her step with her character-driven work elsewhere (like most of the films on the list that follows). But that’s because the Australian icon is unafraid of any role, whether stripping down her post-Oscar, A-lister veneer to film Lars von Trier’s Brechtian “Dogville” in Sweden, slipping into a bathtub with the 10-year-old possible reincarnation of her dead husband in Jonathan Glazer’s “Birth,” or, yes, donning a fake nose to play a suicidal Virginia Woolf for her Oscar-winning turn in “The Hours.”
On April 27 in Los Angeles, Nicole Kidman will receive the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award, joining the ranks of Jane Fonda,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Los Angeles’ iconic seaside diner Patrick’s Roadhouse at the edge of Pacific Palisades may have slung its last hash brown.
Amid a long-term lease negotiation, and after the financial battering of the pandemic, the half-century-old restaurant just off Pacific Coast Highway, known for its bright green exterior and kitsch décor, is attempting to raise $250,000 for back rent and building improvements as it holds discussions with potential new business partners about the possibility of a return.
While off the radar of industry cognoscenti in recent years, it had long been an unpretentious lure for A-listers like Johnny Carson, Sean Penn and Lucille Ball as well as execs including Jeffrey Katzenberg and onetime Paramount Pictures president Ned Tanen. Its most important Hollywood connection, though, may be its namesake: the seasoned character actor Patrick Fischler, son of the original owner Bill Fischler, who has since died.
Patrick Fischler
Fischler, best known for portraying...
Amid a long-term lease negotiation, and after the financial battering of the pandemic, the half-century-old restaurant just off Pacific Coast Highway, known for its bright green exterior and kitsch décor, is attempting to raise $250,000 for back rent and building improvements as it holds discussions with potential new business partners about the possibility of a return.
While off the radar of industry cognoscenti in recent years, it had long been an unpretentious lure for A-listers like Johnny Carson, Sean Penn and Lucille Ball as well as execs including Jeffrey Katzenberg and onetime Paramount Pictures president Ned Tanen. Its most important Hollywood connection, though, may be its namesake: the seasoned character actor Patrick Fischler, son of the original owner Bill Fischler, who has since died.
Patrick Fischler
Fischler, best known for portraying...
- 4/25/2024
- by Gary Baum
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
We will update this article throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2024 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 13 to June 24, with the official Emmy nominations announced Wednesday, July 17. Afterwards, final voting commences on August 15 and ends the night of August 26. The 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, September 15, and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt.
The State of the Race
If there is one category that will give voters a lot of difficulty in deciding which nominee to choose, it’s Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. “Abbott Elementary” creator/star Quinta Brunson, “Hacks” star Jean Smart, and “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri have all won Emmys for their performances within the past two TV seasons. For...
The State of the Race
If there is one category that will give voters a lot of difficulty in deciding which nominee to choose, it’s Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. “Abbott Elementary” creator/star Quinta Brunson, “Hacks” star Jean Smart, and “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri have all won Emmys for their performances within the past two TV seasons. For...
- 4/25/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
John Trimble, longtime Trekkie and fan advocate, passed away on April 19, 2024. He was 87 years old. The world of "Star Trek" owes the man a debt.
Bjo and John Trimble were Trekkies from the very start. Indeed, the married couple were early adopters of "Star Trek," becoming enamored of the series before the word "Trekkies" had even become a part of the fan lexicon. Trimble met Betty JoAnn Conway through the fan networks first set up by genre-movie ultra-booster Forrest J Ackerman, having first conversed while hiding underneath a grand piano at Ackerman's house during a party. They were married for 64 years.
Back in the 1960s, sci-fi and fantasy fan networks were achieved solely through the mail, and Trekkies would communicate almost exclusively through letters columns printed in the backs of sci-fi magazines (a model first invented by Hugo Guernsback back in 1926). More enterprising fans would author and print their own fanzines,...
Bjo and John Trimble were Trekkies from the very start. Indeed, the married couple were early adopters of "Star Trek," becoming enamored of the series before the word "Trekkies" had even become a part of the fan lexicon. Trimble met Betty JoAnn Conway through the fan networks first set up by genre-movie ultra-booster Forrest J Ackerman, having first conversed while hiding underneath a grand piano at Ackerman's house during a party. They were married for 64 years.
Back in the 1960s, sci-fi and fantasy fan networks were achieved solely through the mail, and Trekkies would communicate almost exclusively through letters columns printed in the backs of sci-fi magazines (a model first invented by Hugo Guernsback back in 1926). More enterprising fans would author and print their own fanzines,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Viacom, the parent company of Paramount, underwent a dramatic split in 2005, causing the TV rights to "Star Trek" and the movie rights to "Star Trek" to be divided among two separate companies. This meant that if the movie-owners wanted to make a new feature film, they would have to license "Star Trek" iconography from the TV-owners. Under the conditions of such a liscense, a movie had to look legally distinct from the old TV show. What a headache.
This situation led to the creation of the Kelvin-verse, a "Star Trek" continuity that took place in a parallel timeline. The 2009 "Star Trek" movie featured the same ships and characters as the 1966 "Star Trek," but altered into something similar-yet-different. New actors played younger versions of the 1966 originals, and the U.S.S. Enterprise was now twice as big. Director J.J. Abrams also made the new movie more dramatic, action-packed, and full of explosions.
This situation led to the creation of the Kelvin-verse, a "Star Trek" continuity that took place in a parallel timeline. The 2009 "Star Trek" movie featured the same ships and characters as the 1966 "Star Trek," but altered into something similar-yet-different. New actors played younger versions of the 1966 originals, and the U.S.S. Enterprise was now twice as big. Director J.J. Abrams also made the new movie more dramatic, action-packed, and full of explosions.
- 4/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Cylons, androids created by man, are the villains of "Battlestar Galactica," but they wear human guises. This reflects how the show's human heroes are all deeply flawed people and humanity's foibles (from arrogance to self-destructive) continue to haunt them even as their technology soars past the modern day.
Indeed, the best villain in "Battlestar Galactica" was a human character: Admiral Helena Cain (Michelle Forbes), commander of the Battlestar Pegasus. In the series' pilot min-series, the Cylons attack humanity's 12 colonies. The only survivors appear to be Galactica herself and a handful of civilian spaceships, who set out to find the mythical world Earth to be their new home.
Midway through season 2 in the episode, "Pegasus," the Galactica and her fleet meet the Pegasus, the other Battlestar which survived the genocide.. It doesn't stay a happy reunion for long. In a great dramatic move, Cain pulls rank on Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos...
Indeed, the best villain in "Battlestar Galactica" was a human character: Admiral Helena Cain (Michelle Forbes), commander of the Battlestar Pegasus. In the series' pilot min-series, the Cylons attack humanity's 12 colonies. The only survivors appear to be Galactica herself and a handful of civilian spaceships, who set out to find the mythical world Earth to be their new home.
Midway through season 2 in the episode, "Pegasus," the Galactica and her fleet meet the Pegasus, the other Battlestar which survived the genocide.. It doesn't stay a happy reunion for long. In a great dramatic move, Cain pulls rank on Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos...
- 4/21/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
John Ford, the iconic director known for such films as Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, The Searchers and much more, will be the subject of the next edition of the TCM podcast The Plot Thickens, it was announced Wednesday.
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
- 4/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The award-winning Turner Classic Movies podcast “The Plot Thickens” is ready to take on the Manifest Destiny of filmmaker John Ford.
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
- 4/18/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The "Star Wars" universe is stuffed with memorable baddies, and since the theatrical films have mostly been shot in London, these villains are typically from the United Kingdom. Everyone's got a favorite: Ian McDiarmid's sinister Emperor Palpatine, Peter Cushing's ruthless Grand Moff Tarkin (who was digitally resurrected for "Rogue One"), Kenneth Colley's stressed out Admiral Piett ... there's really no wrong answer here. But if I absolutely have to place one member of the Galactic Empire over all the others, I might just go with Julian Glover's delectably evil General Maximillian Veers.
Why? Even though he doesn't get much screen time in "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back", Glover is just such a strikingly nasty piece of work during the assault on the Rebels' Hoth base of operations that I find myself wishing Lucas had found more for him to do.
No one should...
Why? Even though he doesn't get much screen time in "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back", Glover is just such a strikingly nasty piece of work during the assault on the Rebels' Hoth base of operations that I find myself wishing Lucas had found more for him to do.
No one should...
- 4/15/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
[This story contains spoilers from season two, episode three of Loot, “Vengeance Falls.”]
In the final minutes of the season one finale of Loot, the show’s protagonist, Molly Novak (played by Maya Rudolph), wakes up with a multi-layered hangover after a night of drinking one too many and welcoming her ex-husband, John Novak (Adam Scott), back into her bed. Yet despite the shocking cliffhanger audiences were left with, the scene in no way foreshadows a future reunion between the couple who divorced after John’s infidelity. Just minutes into the first episode of the second season of the Apple TV+ series, Molly tells John the only thing she wants from him going forward is “space.”
“Listen, there’s no Team Molly-John here, except for John,” Rudolph tells The Hollywood Reporter in the conversation below. “John’s the only one voting for that and he is completely outnumbered, let’s be honest.”
An air of unfinished business does continue to...
In the final minutes of the season one finale of Loot, the show’s protagonist, Molly Novak (played by Maya Rudolph), wakes up with a multi-layered hangover after a night of drinking one too many and welcoming her ex-husband, John Novak (Adam Scott), back into her bed. Yet despite the shocking cliffhanger audiences were left with, the scene in no way foreshadows a future reunion between the couple who divorced after John’s infidelity. Just minutes into the first episode of the second season of the Apple TV+ series, Molly tells John the only thing she wants from him going forward is “space.”
“Listen, there’s no Team Molly-John here, except for John,” Rudolph tells The Hollywood Reporter in the conversation below. “John’s the only one voting for that and he is completely outnumbered, let’s be honest.”
An air of unfinished business does continue to...
- 4/10/2024
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The preview opening of the new exhibit Meet the Stars: 100 Years of MGM Studios and the Golden Age of Hollywood on Thursday night was a crowded, buzzing affair. Held at the Hollywood Heritage Museum in the historic Lasky DeMille Barn across from the Hollywood Bowl, the event showcased the items of over 20 movie collectors. Memorabilia hunters, dressed in fedoras and flirty ’40s dresses, gabbed about their latest finds with others who have a similar passion.
The highlight of the night was when the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to former MGM child star Cora Sue Collins (who played a little Greta Garbo in 1933’s Queen Christina), the last surviving MGM contract player from the 1930s. Sitting at a tableau that recreated a party thrown for her by MGM in 1935, Collins elegantly thanked everyone for their well wishes. Actor George Chakiris was also in attendance, and he posed next to a costume...
The highlight of the night was when the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to former MGM child star Cora Sue Collins (who played a little Greta Garbo in 1933’s Queen Christina), the last surviving MGM contract player from the 1930s. Sitting at a tableau that recreated a party thrown for her by MGM in 1935, Collins elegantly thanked everyone for their well wishes. Actor George Chakiris was also in attendance, and he posed next to a costume...
- 4/5/2024
- by Hadley Meares
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After the release of "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" in 1991, a consensus began to form among Trekkies as to which Trek movie was the best. Most fans agreed that the even-numbered films -- "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," and "Country" -- were the good ones, while the odd-numbered film -- "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," and "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" -- were the bad ones. This is arguably an unfair assessment, although "Final Frontier" is still often considered the worst in the series, and "Voyage Home" remains one of the most popular.
Indeed, "Voyage Home," even when not adjusted for inflation, remains the most financially successful "Star Trek" movie released before 2009. This might seem unusual to a 21st-century eye, as "Voyage Home" was a fish-out-of-water time travel comedy and not a revenge-motivated action flick.
Indeed, "Voyage Home," even when not adjusted for inflation, remains the most financially successful "Star Trek" movie released before 2009. This might seem unusual to a 21st-century eye, as "Voyage Home" was a fish-out-of-water time travel comedy and not a revenge-motivated action flick.
- 3/31/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Western is a genre that's mostly gone by the wayside in recent decades, as portraits of straight-shooting American heroes and uncomplicated "bad guys" have become less digestible to the public. While popular neo-Westerns (like "Justified" or the works of Taylor Sheridan) and perspective-changing genre breakdowns have made a splash in recent yers, the genre has mostly died out. Of the relics that remain, few are as prolific and familiar as "Bonanza," a Western series that ran for an impressive 14 seasons on NBC in the '60s and '70s.
As a long-running TV series, "Bonanza" was able to chart the change — or stubborn lack thereof — within the genre and the country, frankly addressing topics like racism and bigotry while also delivering regular laughs and a dash of melodrama to loyal viewers. The series starred Lorne Green as widower Ben Cartwright and Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, and Michael Landon as Ben's three sons.
As a long-running TV series, "Bonanza" was able to chart the change — or stubborn lack thereof — within the genre and the country, frankly addressing topics like racism and bigotry while also delivering regular laughs and a dash of melodrama to loyal viewers. The series starred Lorne Green as widower Ben Cartwright and Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, and Michael Landon as Ben's three sons.
- 3/30/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Sad news for Young and the Restless (Y&R) fans as it has been announced that former alum and actress Jennifer Leak D’Auria passed away recently, after a seven-year fight with a rare neurological condition known as supranuclear palsy. She died on Monday, March 18 in her Jupiter, Florida home at the age of 76.
Young and the Restless Star Jennifer Leak D’Auria’s Acting Legacy
While Jennifer is best known for her Y&r role as Gwen Sherman, she had quite the acting career. She began working at the age of 17 when she shot a Canadian television pilot for a series called Wojeck.
According to Jennifer’s husband, James D’Auria, the film director Mike Nichols was so impressed with her natural talent that he cast her in The Graduate; however, immigration issues kept her from participating in the movie.
She would move to L.A. later on, living at the Hollywood Studio Club,...
Young and the Restless Star Jennifer Leak D’Auria’s Acting Legacy
While Jennifer is best known for her Y&r role as Gwen Sherman, she had quite the acting career. She began working at the age of 17 when she shot a Canadian television pilot for a series called Wojeck.
According to Jennifer’s husband, James D’Auria, the film director Mike Nichols was so impressed with her natural talent that he cast her in The Graduate; however, immigration issues kept her from participating in the movie.
She would move to L.A. later on, living at the Hollywood Studio Club,...
- 3/30/2024
- by Melinda Marsh
- Celebrating The Soaps
After Lucille Ball's spunky housewife Lucy signed off on the last episode of "I Love Lucy" but before Mary Tyler Moore did away with the nuclear family sitcom model with her own self-titled show, another actress was one of the faces of womanhood in comedy. Oscar-winning actress Donna Reed headlined "The Donna Reed Show" from 1958 to 1966, playing middle-class mother and housewife Donna Stone in the popular black-and-white series. Reed starred opposite Carl Betz, who played Donna's husband, pediatrician Dr. Alex Stone. In season 5, family friends Midge and Dave joined the fun, but for the most part, the show was all about the lighthearted hijinks of the Stone family.
Though "The Donna Reed Show" was popular upon release, it's now perhaps most often referenced as a pop cultural window into a time before second-wave feminism, when women were expected to spend their time cooking, cleaning, and child-rearing while men went to work.
Though "The Donna Reed Show" was popular upon release, it's now perhaps most often referenced as a pop cultural window into a time before second-wave feminism, when women were expected to spend their time cooking, cleaning, and child-rearing while men went to work.
- 3/29/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Jennifer Leak, the first wife of Tim Matheson who met when they played step-siblings in the 1968 film Yours, Mine and Ours, has died at 76. She died March 18 at her home in Jupiter, Fl.
Leak was dealing with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological disease, in her final years.
Matheson posted a tribute on Facebook to her.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of Jennifer Leak’s passing. She wasn’t just my screen sister in ‘Yours, Mine and Ours,’ but also my beloved first wife. Jennifer was a remarkable woman, strong, lovely, and incredibly talented. My deepest condolences go out to her husband of 47 years, James D’Auria, and their multitude of friends.”
Yours, Mine and Ours featured Matheson as Mike, the son of Henry Fonda’s Frank Beardsley, while Leak portrayed Colleen, the daughter of Lucille Ball’s Helen North. The movie was about a blended family of 18 children.
Leak was dealing with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological disease, in her final years.
Matheson posted a tribute on Facebook to her.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of Jennifer Leak’s passing. She wasn’t just my screen sister in ‘Yours, Mine and Ours,’ but also my beloved first wife. Jennifer was a remarkable woman, strong, lovely, and incredibly talented. My deepest condolences go out to her husband of 47 years, James D’Auria, and their multitude of friends.”
Yours, Mine and Ours featured Matheson as Mike, the son of Henry Fonda’s Frank Beardsley, while Leak portrayed Colleen, the daughter of Lucille Ball’s Helen North. The movie was about a blended family of 18 children.
- 3/29/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Kenan Thompson opened up about his relationship with Amanda Bynes.
As child stars, the actors appeared on All That together, and they both had successful careers working with Nickelodeon throughout their youth.
He wrote about Amanda in his memoir When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice From a Professional Clown. During a recent interview, Kenan, 45, revealed the last time that he and Amanda, 37, had been in touch and where they stand in 2024.
Read more for the latest about Amanda Bynes and Kenan Thompson…
While on the Tamron Hall Show, Kenan explained that he and Amanda hadn’t spoken in years.
“I unfortunately haven’t spoken to Amanda since she was really, really young,” he explained. “Like when she was doing her first movies. I think the soccer movie [She's the Man] was around that time, was the last time I actually saw her. I’m...
As child stars, the actors appeared on All That together, and they both had successful careers working with Nickelodeon throughout their youth.
He wrote about Amanda in his memoir When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice From a Professional Clown. During a recent interview, Kenan, 45, revealed the last time that he and Amanda, 37, had been in touch and where they stand in 2024.
Read more for the latest about Amanda Bynes and Kenan Thompson…
While on the Tamron Hall Show, Kenan explained that he and Amanda hadn’t spoken in years.
“I unfortunately haven’t spoken to Amanda since she was really, really young,” he explained. “Like when she was doing her first movies. I think the soccer movie [She's the Man] was around that time, was the last time I actually saw her. I’m...
- 3/28/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Exclusive: Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons (The Accountant 2) is among the final additions to the cast of Sony Pictures’ film SNL 1975 (working title), based on real-life behind-the-scenes accounts of the opening night of Saturday Night Live. Other new cast members for the Jason Reitman pic include Billy Bryk (Friendship), Joe Chrest (Stranger Things), Taylor Gray (Star Wars: Rebels) and Mcabe Gregg (Teenage Badass).
Simmons plays comedian Milton Berle, with Chrest as Weekend Update co-creator Herb Sargent. Gray and Gregg portray Al Franken and Tom Davis, the SNL writer-performers of duo Franken & Davis. Details as to Bryk’s role haven’t been disclosed.
As previously announced, The Fabelmans breakout Gabriel Labelle leads the ensemble as Lorne Michaels, with Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Ella Hunt, Lamorne Morris, Dylan O’Brien, Nicholas Braun, Finn Wolfhard and Kaia Gerber also to star.
It was on October 11th, 1975 that a ferocious troupe of young...
Simmons plays comedian Milton Berle, with Chrest as Weekend Update co-creator Herb Sargent. Gray and Gregg portray Al Franken and Tom Davis, the SNL writer-performers of duo Franken & Davis. Details as to Bryk’s role haven’t been disclosed.
As previously announced, The Fabelmans breakout Gabriel Labelle leads the ensemble as Lorne Michaels, with Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Ella Hunt, Lamorne Morris, Dylan O’Brien, Nicholas Braun, Finn Wolfhard and Kaia Gerber also to star.
It was on October 11th, 1975 that a ferocious troupe of young...
- 3/25/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The South by Southwest debut of “Stormy” was not your typical Imagine Documentaries premiere.
About adult film star Stormy Daniels’ alleged affair with former President Donald Trump, the film drew an eclectic crowd that included porn stars and “Muppet” director-producer Frank Oz, who sat in the same row as Daniels and her entourage made up mainly of buff bodyguards. Dogs sniffed Austin’s Stateside Theater prior to the screening. After it unspooled, Daniels spoke to the SXSW audience, revealing that she first met “Stormy” exec producer Judd Apatow when he hired her for a small part in his 2005 film “40 Year-Old Virgin.” When she was a no-show due to a death in the family, Apatow sent her flowers and rescheduled her shoot date.
“I thought he would replace me,” Daniels, who would go on to appear in “Knocked Up” for the filmmaker, told the crowd, with director Sarah Gibson standing nearby.
About adult film star Stormy Daniels’ alleged affair with former President Donald Trump, the film drew an eclectic crowd that included porn stars and “Muppet” director-producer Frank Oz, who sat in the same row as Daniels and her entourage made up mainly of buff bodyguards. Dogs sniffed Austin’s Stateside Theater prior to the screening. After it unspooled, Daniels spoke to the SXSW audience, revealing that she first met “Stormy” exec producer Judd Apatow when he hired her for a small part in his 2005 film “40 Year-Old Virgin.” When she was a no-show due to a death in the family, Apatow sent her flowers and rescheduled her shoot date.
“I thought he would replace me,” Daniels, who would go on to appear in “Knocked Up” for the filmmaker, told the crowd, with director Sarah Gibson standing nearby.
- 3/21/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, TCM on April 14 will present a 24-hour marathon of films with historical introductions from Robert Osborne and throughout the month feature programming with other staffers who started with the channel, it was announced Thursday.
For more than 22 years until his death in March 2017, the revered Osborne served as TCM’s primetime host, bringing millions of viewers into the world of classic cinema he knew as an actor mentored by Lucille Ball, as an Oscar historian and as a longtime The Hollywood Reporter reviewer and columnist.
“How many other channels on television celebrate their anniversary? How many other channels’ fans know where they were the day a network launched?” Ben Mankiewicz, who took over for Osborne, said in a statement. “I’m not sure either of those things are true without Robert Osborne.
“He’s the Walter Cronkite of TCM. The Johnny Carson. The Alex Trebek.
For more than 22 years until his death in March 2017, the revered Osborne served as TCM’s primetime host, bringing millions of viewers into the world of classic cinema he knew as an actor mentored by Lucille Ball, as an Oscar historian and as a longtime The Hollywood Reporter reviewer and columnist.
“How many other channels on television celebrate their anniversary? How many other channels’ fans know where they were the day a network launched?” Ben Mankiewicz, who took over for Osborne, said in a statement. “I’m not sure either of those things are true without Robert Osborne.
“He’s the Walter Cronkite of TCM. The Johnny Carson. The Alex Trebek.
- 3/14/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When "The Dick Van Dyke Show" kicked off its third season on September 25, 1963, the United States was in the midst of a societal transformation. The Civil Rights Movement's Birmingham campaign, which sought to desegregate the Alabama city's downtown businesses, was in full swing, and the images being transmitted to Americans' living rooms were ugly as hell. Birmingham's Commissioner of Public Safety Eugene "Bull" Connor countered peaceful protests with disgusting brutality. He ordered law enforcement to blast marching students with fire hoses; these children were also attacked by police dogs and the equally savage white locals, who, when they felt Connor's violent tactics weren't going far enough, bombed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's headquarters.
And then, one week prior to the show's season debut, a pack of racists killed four little girls when they blew up the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.
These events would play a significant role in driving...
And then, one week prior to the show's season debut, a pack of racists killed four little girls when they blew up the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.
These events would play a significant role in driving...
- 3/12/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When a sitcom reaches a certain level of longevity, it can be easy for writers to take their audience for granted. Storylines get lightly reworked, if not recycled wholesale. Cheap ratings are scored by having a significant character get married (call it the "Rhoda boost"). And there's no better way to guarantee the maximum amount of eyeballs than to have a major celebrity play themselves within the world of our favorite characters.
This typically works. Who can forget the time Bobby Brady faked a serious illness to earn a bedside visit from Joe Namath on "The Brady Bunch," or the time that pint-sized prankster Arnold Jackson pulled the same trick to get Muhammad Ali up to the Drummond's penthouse on "Diff'rent Strokes?" These are memorable episodes to be sure, but there's nothing more to them than the cameo.
It's far more satisfying when you can drop the celeb into...
This typically works. Who can forget the time Bobby Brady faked a serious illness to earn a bedside visit from Joe Namath on "The Brady Bunch," or the time that pint-sized prankster Arnold Jackson pulled the same trick to get Muhammad Ali up to the Drummond's penthouse on "Diff'rent Strokes?" These are memorable episodes to be sure, but there's nothing more to them than the cameo.
It's far more satisfying when you can drop the celeb into...
- 2/17/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
"I Love Lucy" began more than 70 years ago, yet, in some ways, the show still feels modern. Sitcoms today still lift some of their best comedic bits straight from plots of the classic, plus the series was shaped by a woman and a Latino man who were both groundbreaking leaders in their industry. Unfortunately, though, one distressing story from the show's production -- in which a male director made the woman the show was named after break down in tears -- also sounds like it could've happened yesterday.
The anecdote comes from a 2003 piece in DGA Quarterly documenting filmmaker William Asher's takeover as director in the show's second season. "Asher's first day on the set though nearly ended his association with the show," Ted Elrick wrote, explaining that when the filmmaker stepped away to deal with a technical problem, he came back to find Lucy herself, Lucille Ball, "giving directions backstage.
The anecdote comes from a 2003 piece in DGA Quarterly documenting filmmaker William Asher's takeover as director in the show's second season. "Asher's first day on the set though nearly ended his association with the show," Ted Elrick wrote, explaining that when the filmmaker stepped away to deal with a technical problem, he came back to find Lucy herself, Lucille Ball, "giving directions backstage.
- 1/31/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
The "Star Trek" episode "The Apple" contained one of show creator Gene Roddenberry's favorite tropes: a remote, agrarian species living in harmony with nature, overseen by an ineffable technological marvel. In "The Apple," the Edenic planet of Gamma Trianguli VI is the home of a sexually innocent, childlike species that is granted their every wish by an all-powerful computer called Vaal. Vaal appears to be a giant snake-like head carved into the rock, but the Enterprise discovers that it is a machine intelligence that has kept the locals in a perpetual childlike state. They are immortal, but also have never had to work, nor are they allowed to "touch" (that is: have sex). Naturally, it will be up to Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the Enterprise to destroy Vaal and teach the aliens that growing up is necessary, and that having sex is okay and super-fun.
The...
The...
- 1/26/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When they first learned that Succession would be coming to an end after just four seasons, fans of the show might have let out spittle-flecked strings of profanity worthy of Waystar Royco potentate Logan Roy.
In the end, of course, the truncated run worked out brilliantly.
Jesse Armstrong's acclaimed series about a foul-mouthed family of media bajillionaires concluded on an astonishing high note with a twist that raised the dramatic stakes, created new power dynamics, and mined the show's signature brand of dark humor for new mother lodes of comedic gold.
Few series go out on top these days, opting instead to shamble on in zombified states for several years after they've peaked.
For its risks, its eccentricity, and, of course, its brilliantly naturalistic performances -- the likes of which are seldom seen on television or anywhere else -- Succession was rewarded with almost unprecedented acclaim.
The show took...
In the end, of course, the truncated run worked out brilliantly.
Jesse Armstrong's acclaimed series about a foul-mouthed family of media bajillionaires concluded on an astonishing high note with a twist that raised the dramatic stakes, created new power dynamics, and mined the show's signature brand of dark humor for new mother lodes of comedic gold.
Few series go out on top these days, opting instead to shamble on in zombified states for several years after they've peaked.
For its risks, its eccentricity, and, of course, its brilliantly naturalistic performances -- the likes of which are seldom seen on television or anywhere else -- Succession was rewarded with almost unprecedented acclaim.
The show took...
- 1/16/2024
- by Tyler Johnson
- TVfanatic
Natasha Lyonne and Tracee Ellis Ross channeled I Love Lucy while presenting at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards!
The pair of actresses announced the award for Outstanding Comedy Series on Monday (January 15) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. They were joined by host Anthony Anderson as they recreated a scene from the ever-popular 190s TV show.
“We’ve seen the episode, let us have our moment,” Tracee began. “Thank you, Anthony! Let it roll!”
Keep reading to find out more…
Natasha and Tracee‘s bit recreated the iconic I Love Lucy scene in which Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance‘s characters work at a chocolate factory. The conveyor belt speeds up to an absurd pace, prompting them to start eating the candies and stuff some down their dresses.
In the reenactment, Anthony played the part of the chocolate factory’s manager.
Fyi: Natasha is wearing Schiaparelli and David Webb.
The pair of actresses announced the award for Outstanding Comedy Series on Monday (January 15) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. They were joined by host Anthony Anderson as they recreated a scene from the ever-popular 190s TV show.
“We’ve seen the episode, let us have our moment,” Tracee began. “Thank you, Anthony! Let it roll!”
Keep reading to find out more…
Natasha and Tracee‘s bit recreated the iconic I Love Lucy scene in which Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance‘s characters work at a chocolate factory. The conveyor belt speeds up to an absurd pace, prompting them to start eating the candies and stuff some down their dresses.
In the reenactment, Anthony played the part of the chocolate factory’s manager.
Fyi: Natasha is wearing Schiaparelli and David Webb.
- 1/16/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
It’s getting to be that time for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The time in their journey as parents to send their oldest child, 4-year-old Prince Archie, to kindergarten. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to be gearing up for Archie to transition from taking preschool classes to kindergarten. According to a royal author, he’ll likely follow in his mom and dad’s footsteps.
Harry and Meghan are expected to enroll Archie in an exclusive kindergarten class
It’s off to kindergarten for Archie. While Harry and Meghan haven’t revealed where their son will attend school, royal author Tom Quinn has an idea.
Quinn, whose most recent book, Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family, examines the lives of royal children, thinks Archie’s set to go to a private school, like his parents before him.
But not just any private school.
Harry and Meghan are expected to enroll Archie in an exclusive kindergarten class
It’s off to kindergarten for Archie. While Harry and Meghan haven’t revealed where their son will attend school, royal author Tom Quinn has an idea.
Quinn, whose most recent book, Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family, examines the lives of royal children, thinks Archie’s set to go to a private school, like his parents before him.
But not just any private school.
- 1/13/2024
- by Mandi Kerr
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Grey’s Anatomy fans, if you’ve been dying to see Izzie Stevens and Alex Karev together again… well, prepare to settle for the next best thing: Katherine Heigl and Justin Chambers are among a special group of Grey’s vets reuniting on stage Monday at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards (Fox, 8/7c), hosted by Anthony Anderson.
The duo will be joined by Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey), James Pickens Jr. (Richard Webber) and Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) to jointly announce one of the night’s big winners.
More from TVLine2023 Emmys: How to Watch the Ceremony Online Without CableOusted Jeopardy! Host...
The duo will be joined by Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey), James Pickens Jr. (Richard Webber) and Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) to jointly announce one of the night’s big winners.
More from TVLine2023 Emmys: How to Watch the Ceremony Online Without CableOusted Jeopardy! Host...
- 1/12/2024
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Funny Woman, the comedy drama based on a character created by Nick Hornby, is back for a second series. Here are the details...
Production is underway on the second series of Funny Woman, the Sky comedy drama based on the 2014 novel by Nick Hornby.
Gemma Arterton stars as a budding comedian inspired by Lucille Ball, who attempts to make a name for herself in the oppressive, male dominated culture of 1960s London. Production is now underway on the second series, which will comprise four hour-long episodes.
The synopsis for the new series reads as follows:
Series 2 finds Sophie on a high. She is the nation’s favourite TV comedy star; she’s got a group of good friends and her romance with Dennis is full of promise. But trouble is just round the corner: Dennis’s divorce will take three years; Sophie’s new sitcom flops and she uncovers a devastating family secret.
Production is underway on the second series of Funny Woman, the Sky comedy drama based on the 2014 novel by Nick Hornby.
Gemma Arterton stars as a budding comedian inspired by Lucille Ball, who attempts to make a name for herself in the oppressive, male dominated culture of 1960s London. Production is now underway on the second series, which will comprise four hour-long episodes.
The synopsis for the new series reads as follows:
Series 2 finds Sophie on a high. She is the nation’s favourite TV comedy star; she’s got a group of good friends and her romance with Dennis is full of promise. But trouble is just round the corner: Dennis’s divorce will take three years; Sophie’s new sitcom flops and she uncovers a devastating family secret.
- 1/12/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Welcome to 2024! This, our first column of the new year, follows Oppenheimer, and Lots of Late Gift Ideas”>our December 2023 piece by offering more 2023 releases that deserve your time and attention.
Spielberg: The First Ten Years by Laurent Bouzereau (Insight Editions) and Steven Spielberg: All the Films by Olivier Bousquet, Arnaud Devillard, and Nicolas Schaller (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
I am not sure what Steven Spielberg obsessives like myself did to earn two lengthy, photo-backed, hardcover career appreciations, but I’m not complaining. Steven Spielberg: All the Films runs for nearly 500 pages and covers literally everything, from the director’s contributions to Rod Serling’s Night Gallery to The Fabelmans. Along the way are some unique insights, surprising facts (Leonardo DiCaprio was approached to play Tintin?), and the inclusion of some of his 1980s television work. And Spielberg: The First Ten Years is just as engaging, and even more in-depth.
Spielberg: The First Ten Years by Laurent Bouzereau (Insight Editions) and Steven Spielberg: All the Films by Olivier Bousquet, Arnaud Devillard, and Nicolas Schaller (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
I am not sure what Steven Spielberg obsessives like myself did to earn two lengthy, photo-backed, hardcover career appreciations, but I’m not complaining. Steven Spielberg: All the Films runs for nearly 500 pages and covers literally everything, from the director’s contributions to Rod Serling’s Night Gallery to The Fabelmans. Along the way are some unique insights, surprising facts (Leonardo DiCaprio was approached to play Tintin?), and the inclusion of some of his 1980s television work. And Spielberg: The First Ten Years is just as engaging, and even more in-depth.
- 1/2/2024
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Actors beloved for a long-running television role carry a funny kind of baggage with them. It didn't matter where Andy Griffth showed up in TV or film, the shadow of amiable Sheriff Andrew Jackson "Andy" Taylor and, during the actor's twilight years, the irascible defense attorney Ben Matlock always hung heavily over his head. Likewise, for all of Angela Lansbury's many, many accomplishments performing on the stage and screen, certain people could only ever look at her and see their favorite cardigan-loving author-sleuth, Jessica Fletcher.
Lucille Désirée Ball was firmly cognizant of just how strongly the masses identified her with her incorrigible onscreen counterpart, Lucille Esmeralda "Lucy" McGillicuddy Ricardo, from "I Love Lucy," having played the iconic trouble-maker across the series' 180 episodes in the 1950s. This was also the main factor that led to her passing on another classic sitcom, "Cheers," decades later.
Despite the show garnering near-catastrophic ratings...
Lucille Désirée Ball was firmly cognizant of just how strongly the masses identified her with her incorrigible onscreen counterpart, Lucille Esmeralda "Lucy" McGillicuddy Ricardo, from "I Love Lucy," having played the iconic trouble-maker across the series' 180 episodes in the 1950s. This was also the main factor that led to her passing on another classic sitcom, "Cheers," decades later.
Despite the show garnering near-catastrophic ratings...
- 12/28/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
The character of Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) first appeared as a background player in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" pilot "Encounter at Farpoint" in 1987. Chief O'Brien was initially just an ancillary character who operated the transporters on the Enterprise-d, and who only passingly interacted with the show's main cast. As the series progressed, however, O'Brien's role became larger and larger, and he came to have his own backstories and relationship. O'Brien would eventually marry Keiko (Rosalind Chao) and have a daughter, and eventually reveal that he's suffering from some long-held war trauma. Ultimately, O'Brien appeared in 52 episodes of "Next Generation" before exiting in the show's sixth season.
The reason O'Brien left was because he had accepted a promotion. He was to become the chief engineer on a rundown Cardassian space station now designated Deep Space Nine by the Federation. Meaney, then, had signed on to be one of...
The reason O'Brien left was because he had accepted a promotion. He was to become the chief engineer on a rundown Cardassian space station now designated Deep Space Nine by the Federation. Meaney, then, had signed on to be one of...
- 12/27/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Iron Claw is hitting theaters and tells the tragic story of the Von Erich family, who dominated the wrestling world for two decades. We learn about the triumphs and the tragedy of one of the most significant families in professional wrestling. They are not the only interesting characters in the often time wacky world of tights and arm bars. A lot of wrestlers led exciting lives outside of the ring. Their stories are just ready for the big screen treatment. Wrestler biopics could be an interesting subgenre we didn’t know we needed.
Gorgeous George
The name Gorgeous George is known by hardcore wrestling fans, but many casual fans may have no idea how big of an impact he had on the wrestling industry and pop culture in general. He wrestled for 30 years, from the 30s into the 60s. George is perhaps known as one of the greatest heel performers of all time.
Gorgeous George
The name Gorgeous George is known by hardcore wrestling fans, but many casual fans may have no idea how big of an impact he had on the wrestling industry and pop culture in general. He wrestled for 30 years, from the 30s into the 60s. George is perhaps known as one of the greatest heel performers of all time.
- 12/26/2023
- by Bryan Wolford
- JoBlo.com
Throughout the seven seasons of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," the android Data (Brent Spiner) often struggled with his inability to connect with his crewmates. Unlike Data, his organic peers were all emotional beings who could laugh, get angry, and intuit friendly interactions via their feelings and social acumen. Data had no emotions, at least not demonstrably, and had to rely on analysis and study to understand humans. Data longed to be human and often asked his friends to explain their baffling idiosyncrasies. Data's emotionlessness was not a flaw, but a design choice by his creator.
Later in the series, Data secured an emotion chip built specially for him by his presumed-dead creator. At first, he was afraid to install it, but after a prank gone awry in the 1994 film "Star Trek: Generations," Data finally decided to give himself the emotions he had been longing for. It's a pity that...
Later in the series, Data secured an emotion chip built specially for him by his presumed-dead creator. At first, he was afraid to install it, but after a prank gone awry in the 1994 film "Star Trek: Generations," Data finally decided to give himself the emotions he had been longing for. It's a pity that...
- 12/25/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the world of classic television, I Love Lucy stands alone as groundbreaking for many reasons. It was the first series to use multiple, simultaneously filming cameras and a live studio audience. It was also one of the first TV shows to be shot on 35mm film rather than broadcast live. However, its Christmas episode was revolutionary and introduced a television first.
Before the ‘I Love Lucy’ Christmas show, this now-standard TV practice didn’t exist
The I Love Lucy Christmas show aired on December 24th, 1956, midway through the sitcom’s sixth and final season. The installment was not included alongside the 179 regular episodes in the syndication package for the CBS series.
Deadline reported that “The Christmas Episode” finds Lucy and Ricky Ricardo (Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz) and Ethel and Fred Mertz (Vivian Vance and William Frawley) decorating Lucy and Ricky’s Christmas tree. Together, the couples reminisce about...
Before the ‘I Love Lucy’ Christmas show, this now-standard TV practice didn’t exist
The I Love Lucy Christmas show aired on December 24th, 1956, midway through the sitcom’s sixth and final season. The installment was not included alongside the 179 regular episodes in the syndication package for the CBS series.
Deadline reported that “The Christmas Episode” finds Lucy and Ricky Ricardo (Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz) and Ethel and Fred Mertz (Vivian Vance and William Frawley) decorating Lucy and Ricky’s Christmas tree. Together, the couples reminisce about...
- 12/25/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Steven Spielberg's alien abduction thriller "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" was released in November of 1977, only six months after the world of blockbusters had been rattled by the release of George Lucas' "Star Wars." Lucas and Spielberg were friends and collaborators, and deep-cut "Star Wars" fans might be able to tell you about several times that Spielberg has included "Star Wars" references in a few of his films. Notably, in Speilberg's 1982 film "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," a kid is seen wearing a Yoda costume on Halloween, and the titular alien seems to have recognized him. This reference was famously handed back to Spielberg when Lucas included E.T. aliens in his 1999 film "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace." Starwoids might also know about the C-3Po and R2-D2 hieroglyphics in Speilberg's "Raiders of the Lost Ark." In Close Encounters," if one looks closely at the alien mother ship,...
- 12/11/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Jimmy Kimmel, George Clooney and Quinta Brunson, among others, are mourning the death of Norman Lear, who died on Tuesday at 101.
Meanwhile, in a rare recognition of what Lear meant to the entire television industry, all five broadcast networks — CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and The CW — will simulcast an on-air in memoriam card tonight at 8 p.m. Et to honor the late legendary TV writer and producer.
In addition to being confirmed by Variety, Lear’s death was announced Wednesday morning on his social media accounts.
“It is obviously silly to want more time with a person who outlived a whole century but losing Norman Lear, even at 101 years old, feels unfair. His bravery, integrity and unmatched moral compass were equaled by his kindness, empathy, and wit,” Kimmel said in a statement to Variety. “Even at 101, Norman cared as much about the future, our children, and planet or as anyone I have ever known.
Meanwhile, in a rare recognition of what Lear meant to the entire television industry, all five broadcast networks — CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and The CW — will simulcast an on-air in memoriam card tonight at 8 p.m. Et to honor the late legendary TV writer and producer.
In addition to being confirmed by Variety, Lear’s death was announced Wednesday morning on his social media accounts.
“It is obviously silly to want more time with a person who outlived a whole century but losing Norman Lear, even at 101 years old, feels unfair. His bravery, integrity and unmatched moral compass were equaled by his kindness, empathy, and wit,” Kimmel said in a statement to Variety. “Even at 101, Norman cared as much about the future, our children, and planet or as anyone I have ever known.
- 12/6/2023
- by Valerie Wu and Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Norman Lear, the writer, producer and citizen activist who coalesced topical conflict and outrageous comedy in such wildly popular sitcoms as All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and The Jeffersons, has died. He was 101.
Lear died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by his family who, according to a statement on his official Instagram account, sang songs until the very end.
“Norman lived a life in awe of the world around him. He marveled at his cup of coffee every morning, the shape of the tree outside his window, and the sounds of beautiful music,” read the post. “But it was people — those he just met and those he knew for decades — who kept his mind and heart forever young. As we celebrate his legacy and reflect on the next chapter of life without him, we would like to thank everyone for all the love and support.
Lear died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by his family who, according to a statement on his official Instagram account, sang songs until the very end.
“Norman lived a life in awe of the world around him. He marveled at his cup of coffee every morning, the shape of the tree outside his window, and the sounds of beautiful music,” read the post. “But it was people — those he just met and those he knew for decades — who kept his mind and heart forever young. As we celebrate his legacy and reflect on the next chapter of life without him, we would like to thank everyone for all the love and support.
- 12/6/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bender Bending Rodrigeuz (John Dimaggio) is the most irreverent "Futurama" character by far, which makes the 2002 episode "Godfellas" such a compelling character piece.
At the episode's beginning, Bender is taking a nap in the Planet Express Ship's torpedo tube; during a battle with Space Pirates, he's shot into the void at light speed. Drifting through the cosmos alone, he's eventually hit by an asteroid home to diminutive "Shrimpkins." The aliens settle on his body and worship him as a god — he tries both an interventionist and abstaining approach to helping his subjects, but neither works. Soon, the faithful and atheistic Shrimpkins wipe each other out in a nuclear war.
Bender, alone again, comes across an omnipotent spiral nebula that communicates in binary code — Bender speculates this eternal entity may be God himself. They exchange notes on Godhood ("You [Bender] were doing well until everyone died") before "God" sends Bender back to...
At the episode's beginning, Bender is taking a nap in the Planet Express Ship's torpedo tube; during a battle with Space Pirates, he's shot into the void at light speed. Drifting through the cosmos alone, he's eventually hit by an asteroid home to diminutive "Shrimpkins." The aliens settle on his body and worship him as a god — he tries both an interventionist and abstaining approach to helping his subjects, but neither works. Soon, the faithful and atheistic Shrimpkins wipe each other out in a nuclear war.
Bender, alone again, comes across an omnipotent spiral nebula that communicates in binary code — Bender speculates this eternal entity may be God himself. They exchange notes on Godhood ("You [Bender] were doing well until everyone died") before "God" sends Bender back to...
- 12/4/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Palm Springs is where one goes to be seen; neighboring Rancho Mirage, well, not so much. That’s why many A-List Hollywood stars pulled up sticks in the mid-20th century, moving from Palm Springs — and L.A. — to the more discreet Rancho Mirage, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a city this year.
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Red Skelton, at least one Marx brother, Bing Crosby, and even the guy who played the wizard in The Wizard of Oz, MGM contracted character actor Frank Morgan, lived there. All were seeking the country club lifestyle away from the party scene and camera flashbulbs.
Lawrence Welk, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore and Barbara Sinatra at the 1972 Dinah Shore Colgate Winner’s Circle in 1972 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.
Rancho Mirage also has long been known as the “Playground of the Presidents,” especially...
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Red Skelton, at least one Marx brother, Bing Crosby, and even the guy who played the wizard in The Wizard of Oz, MGM contracted character actor Frank Morgan, lived there. All were seeking the country club lifestyle away from the party scene and camera flashbulbs.
Lawrence Welk, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore and Barbara Sinatra at the 1972 Dinah Shore Colgate Winner’s Circle in 1972 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.
Rancho Mirage also has long been known as the “Playground of the Presidents,” especially...
- 12/1/2023
- by Linda Laban
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With the launch of Pepsi Max’s “Uncle Drew” campaign in 2012, there was a touch of Eddie Murphy in Coming to America and a dash of Jackass, with a covert Kyrie Irving under piles of Hollywood makeup, pairing surprising improv comedy chops with his incredible hoop skills. What there wasn’t, however, was any overt sense that this irresistible short film happened to be, in fact, a soda commercial.
After scoring nine-figure views on YouTube, the beloved prank series made the ultimate evolutionary leap, becoming a legit Hollywood comedy release...
After scoring nine-figure views on YouTube, the beloved prank series made the ultimate evolutionary leap, becoming a legit Hollywood comedy release...
- 11/30/2023
- by Jamie Bryan
- Rollingstone.com
Natalie Portman is making something of a comeback with her lead role in Todd Haynes‘ “May December,” which was released in US theaters on November 17. The Netflix movie will drop on the streaming service on December 1 but head to the big screen now to catch Portman’s best role in some time. She is Elizabeth, an actress heads to the home of a couple played by Julianne Moore (Gracie) and Charles Melton (Joe) to do research about them for a movie based on their past. Their dark past?
The older Gracie had an affair with Joe when he was just 13 and eventually had his baby when she was in prison. Portman delivers a multi-faceted performance here as an actress who acts like a star, a journalist, a seducer, and, most impressively, as Gracie herself. Portman’s transformation into Moore’s Gracie is special. Critics have described Portman’s performance as one of her very best.
The older Gracie had an affair with Joe when he was just 13 and eventually had his baby when she was in prison. Portman delivers a multi-faceted performance here as an actress who acts like a star, a journalist, a seducer, and, most impressively, as Gracie herself. Portman’s transformation into Moore’s Gracie is special. Critics have described Portman’s performance as one of her very best.
- 11/27/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
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