Hollywood stars are reacting to the the news of Paul Reubens’ death. The late actor known for playing Pee-wee Herman on stage, television and film died Monday at age 70. His death was announced on his official Facebook page revealing that the actor had cancer for years, a diagnosis he had not shared publicly.
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” a statement read. “Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
A statement from Reubens was also shared with the announcement, in which the late actor said,...
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” a statement read. “Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
A statement from Reubens was also shared with the announcement, in which the late actor said,...
- 7/31/2023
- by Lexy Perez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Tuesday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best show currently on TV?” can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: What is the best family-friendly show of the past or current TV season? Live-action, animated, talk, documentary, all genres are fair game.
Daniel Fienberg (@TheFienPrint), The Hollywood Reporter
I believe we’ve learned by now that the answer to all questions can be either “The Simpsons” or “Method & Red” and since this question calls for a current show, “The Simpsons” would be a truly valid answer, with its mixture of multi-tiered cultural literacy and a consistently sophisticated approach to family unity, faith and community. And I, as always, reject any snide, “That show hasn’t been good for 15 years” criticisms.
But I don’t think that’s my real answer,...
This week’s question: What is the best family-friendly show of the past or current TV season? Live-action, animated, talk, documentary, all genres are fair game.
Daniel Fienberg (@TheFienPrint), The Hollywood Reporter
I believe we’ve learned by now that the answer to all questions can be either “The Simpsons” or “Method & Red” and since this question calls for a current show, “The Simpsons” would be a truly valid answer, with its mixture of multi-tiered cultural literacy and a consistently sophisticated approach to family unity, faith and community. And I, as always, reject any snide, “That show hasn’t been good for 15 years” criticisms.
But I don’t think that’s my real answer,...
- 7/25/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Thursday is the 45th anniversary of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and nearly a half-century later, a specter is haunting pop culture. Gene Wilder deserved an Oscar for this film. Wilder is one of the greatest comic actors of the 20th century, but his turn as Wonka is one of the most finely-tuned feature-length performances from any actor, ever. Wilder's performance in Chocolate Factory careens wildly in tone, veering from charming-if-slightly-off in his first few scenes to downright unhinged and terrifying in the infamous tunnel scene a few scant minutes later. Wilder's Wonka was by design unpredictable, but meticulously planned out by the actor.
- 6/29/2016
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
Thursday is the 45th anniversary of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and nearly a half-century later, a specter is haunting pop culture. Gene Wilder deserved an Oscar for this film. Wilder is one of the greatest comic actors of the 20th century, but his turn as Wonka is one of the most finely-tuned feature-length performances from any actor, ever. Wilder's performance in Chocolate Factory careens wildly in tone, veering from charming-if-slightly-off in his first few scenes to downright unhinged and terrifying in the infamous tunnel scene a few scant minutes later. Wilder's Wonka was by design unpredictable, but meticulously planned out by the actor.
- 6/29/2016
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
If you were to compile a list of iconic children’s TV characters, who would occupy a slot near the very top, say in the top five (to quote a recent Chris Rock flick)? Oh, we’re not talking about those denizens of “Toon-town”, so no Scooby Doo or Spongebob Squarepants. Well, at the dawn of the tube there was the freckle-faced marionette Howdy Doody and his pal/handler “Buffalo Bob” Smith. Then, as Mr. Doody hung up his strings, Bob Keeshan (a vet of that former show) arrived as Captain Kangaroo along with his real-life buddies (Mr. Green Jeans) and more puppet and costumed cast mates (Bunny Rabbit, Mr. Moose, and Dancing Bear). He was a TV mainstay for decades along with that gentle, soothing-voiced Fred Rogers and his puppet-filled neighborhood. Just a few years after his debut on PBS, a most influential classic educational kids’ program premiered on...
- 5/14/2015
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
A memorial service for longtime TV executive and producer John Litvack has has been set for April 10 in Beverly Hills at Palm Restaurant (267 N. Canon Dr). Organizers describe it as more of an "Irish wake" than memorial service for Litvack, a noted character and one of the top TV current executives of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s who frequently switched from executive to director-producer during his career that began at CBS holding cue cards on Captain Kangaroo. Litvack…...
- 4/1/2015
- Deadline TV
To watch "Pee-wee's Playhouse," which debuted on CBS in 1986, is to find oneself tossed headlong into wonder. An amalgam of allusions, textures, and styles, creator and star Paul Reubens' cracked vision registers as both nostalgic and ahead of its time -- the bridge between the children's television of midcentury ("The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show," "Captain Kangaroo," "Howdy Doody") and the new millennium ("Spongebob Squarepants," "Phineas and Ferb," "Adventure Time"). "This place is a madhouse!" the haughty, snooping Mrs. Steve (Shirley Stoler) proclaims in the series premiere, and she's right. "Pee-wee's Playhouse" asks viewers to hole up in their imaginations and throw away the key. Though I'm old enough to remember sitting on the floor in front of the television each Saturday morning, enveloped by "Playhouse," "Land of the Lost," and candlepin bowling as I sipped my...
- 12/18/2014
- by Matt Brennan
- Thompson on Hollywood
Before Ghostbusters, before Caddyshack, before Animal House, Harold Ramis, who died today at age 69, had a place in the hearts of TV comedy fans from his years on Sctv in the late ’70s. Along with Ramis, its cast included future familiar faces John Candy, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, and Joe Flaherty. In time, the show would get picked up by NBC (when it would introduce U.S. audiences to new cast members Rick Moranis and Martin Short) for a run of classic episodes, but Ramis had moved on by then to a career in movies...
- 2/24/2014
- by Steven Korn
- EW.com - PopWatch
Little Miss Sunshine directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris have been hired to direct a film that centers on PBS' Mister Rogers. It looks like this is going to be a different film project than the one announced a few months ago. That one is called A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and it came from a spec script written by Alexis Jolly. This movie is based on Tim Madigan’s memoir I’m Proud of You, and it was adapted by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. The story follows "a jaded and distracted husband and father whose life changes when he meets Mister Rogers."
LIke many of you I grew up watching Mister Rogers, and he deserves a great movie based on his life. It looks like he'll get more than one which is cool.
He studied music and theology and became an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church...
LIke many of you I grew up watching Mister Rogers, and he deserves a great movie based on his life. It looks like he'll get more than one which is cool.
He studied music and theology and became an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church...
- 9/28/2013
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Every once in a while, a movie will feature a line of dialogue or prop that might make you wonder what it has to do with the story; the answer is that sometimes it doesn’t. Occasionally, filmmakers include subtle in-jokes that audiences aren’t particularly supposed to get—at least not on a first viewing.
Perhaps it’s to keep things lively on the set, or maybe it’s done simply to wink at anal-retentive fans with incredible attention spans. Either way, they’re fun little Easter eggs to spot if you’ve got the time for them. There are literally thousands of examples of this, but here are 10 of my favorites (in no apparent order)…
10. Die Hard: With A Vengeance
In Die Hard: With a Vengeance (better known as Die Hard 3), Bruce Willis casually mentions to Samuel L. Jackson that when the force suspended him, he spent his...
Perhaps it’s to keep things lively on the set, or maybe it’s done simply to wink at anal-retentive fans with incredible attention spans. Either way, they’re fun little Easter eggs to spot if you’ve got the time for them. There are literally thousands of examples of this, but here are 10 of my favorites (in no apparent order)…
10. Die Hard: With A Vengeance
In Die Hard: With a Vengeance (better known as Die Hard 3), Bruce Willis casually mentions to Samuel L. Jackson that when the force suspended him, he spent his...
- 8/28/2013
- by Michael Perone
- Obsessed with Film
Cosmo Allegretti, the man who created Dancing Bear on "Captain Kangaroo" has died at 86.
Allegretti, a set painter who became a puppeteer and voice artist on the classic kid's TV show, passed away from emphysema on July 26 according to Upi, though his death wasn't widely reported until Wednesday (Aug. 7).
In addition to creating Dancing Bear on "Captain Kangroo," Allegretti voiced several other characters including Mr. Moose and Grandfather Clock. He became a performer by accident, after producers voiced their displeasure with a puppet created for the show and he offered to design a substitution.
"Captain Kangaroo" aired on CBS from 1955 to 1984, with Bob Keeshan as the host and title character. Allegretti was briefly married to Carol Lawrence, a Broadway actress who appeared on TV shows as varied as "Saved by the Bell" and "Sex and the City," during the 1950s.
Allegretti, a set painter who became a puppeteer and voice artist on the classic kid's TV show, passed away from emphysema on July 26 according to Upi, though his death wasn't widely reported until Wednesday (Aug. 7).
In addition to creating Dancing Bear on "Captain Kangroo," Allegretti voiced several other characters including Mr. Moose and Grandfather Clock. He became a performer by accident, after producers voiced their displeasure with a puppet created for the show and he offered to design a substitution.
"Captain Kangaroo" aired on CBS from 1955 to 1984, with Bob Keeshan as the host and title character. Allegretti was briefly married to Carol Lawrence, a Broadway actress who appeared on TV shows as varied as "Saved by the Bell" and "Sex and the City," during the 1950s.
- 8/8/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
So many kids grew up loving Captain Kangaroo—and Gus "Cosmo" Allegretti played a big part in that. The actor and puppeteer, responsible for such characters as Mr. Bunny Rabbit, Grandfather Clock and Dancing Bear on the classic children's show, died July 26 in Arizona. He was 86 and had emphysema, friend and attorney John Munzel told reporters Allegretti was working as a set painter on Captain Kangaroo but ultimately became talent after he volunteered to create a replacement for someone else's puppet. Captain Kangaroo was the longest-running nationally broadcast children's show of its day, airing on CBS from 1955 until 1984 with Bob Keeshan in the title...
- 8/7/2013
- E! Online
New York — Cosmo Allegretti, who created and voiced puppet characters like Grandfather Clock and Dancing Bear on the children's television show "Captain Kangaroo," has died. He was 86.
Allegretti, who had homes in Hampton Bays, N.Y., and New River, Ariz., died of emphysema on July 26 in Arizona, his attorney and friend John Munzel said Wednesday.
Allegretti had been a puppeteer but was working as a set painter in the early days of "Captain Kangaroo." He volunteered to make a replacement when the show was dissatisfied with a puppet created by a professional. He gave life to characters Bunny Rabbit, Mister Moose, Rollo the Hippopotamus, Miss Worm, Cornelius the Walrus, Dennis the Apprentice and others. The show, starring Bob Keeshan, started on CBS in 1955 and aired for more than 30 years.
As an actor, Allegretti appeared in films including "Prince of the City."...
Allegretti, who had homes in Hampton Bays, N.Y., and New River, Ariz., died of emphysema on July 26 in Arizona, his attorney and friend John Munzel said Wednesday.
Allegretti had been a puppeteer but was working as a set painter in the early days of "Captain Kangaroo." He volunteered to make a replacement when the show was dissatisfied with a puppet created by a professional. He gave life to characters Bunny Rabbit, Mister Moose, Rollo the Hippopotamus, Miss Worm, Cornelius the Walrus, Dennis the Apprentice and others. The show, starring Bob Keeshan, started on CBS in 1955 and aired for more than 30 years.
As an actor, Allegretti appeared in films including "Prince of the City."...
- 8/7/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Cosmo Allegretti, who created and voiced puppet characters like Grandfather Clock and Dancing Bear on the children's television show Captain Kangaroo, has died. He was 86.
Allegretti, who had homes in Hampton Bays, N.Y., and New River, Ariz., died of emphysema on July 26 in Arizona, his attorney and friend John Munzel said Wednesday.
Allegretti had been a puppeteer but was working as a set painter in the early days of Captain Kangaroo. He volunteered to make a replacement when the show was dissatisfied with a puppet created by a professional. He gave life to characters Bunny Rabbit, Mister Moose, Rollo the Hippopotamus,...
Allegretti, who had homes in Hampton Bays, N.Y., and New River, Ariz., died of emphysema on July 26 in Arizona, his attorney and friend John Munzel said Wednesday.
Allegretti had been a puppeteer but was working as a set painter in the early days of Captain Kangaroo. He volunteered to make a replacement when the show was dissatisfied with a puppet created by a professional. He gave life to characters Bunny Rabbit, Mister Moose, Rollo the Hippopotamus,...
- 8/7/2013
- by The Associated Press
- People.com - TV Watch
Cosmo Allegretti, who created and voiced puppet characters like Grandfather Clock and Dancing Bear on the children's television show Captain Kangaroo, has died. He was 86. Allegretti, who had homes in Hampton Bays, N.Y., and New River, Ariz., died of emphysema on July 26 in Arizona, his attorney and friend John Munzel said Wednesday.Allegretti had been a puppeteer but was working as a set painter in the early days of Captain Kangaroo. He volunteered to make a replacement when the show was dissatisfied with a puppet created by a professional. He gave life to characters Bunny Rabbit, Mister Moose, Rollo the Hippopotamus,...
- 8/7/2013
- by The Associated Press
- PEOPLE.com
Since the release of DVDs in the late ‘90s and freeze frame technology becoming highly accessible, movie makers and manufacturers have been hiding secrets for viewers to discover. Every genre and every studio has likely done it by now; we’ve started to compile them all in a series of posts with the help of the Internet. List your own favorites (and how to find them) in the comment sections below and we might post it with a shout out , happy hunting!
The Movie: The Mist (2007)
The Egg: At the beginning of the movie (which I didn’t care for at all Fyi) Thomas Jane is working on a painting of Roland Deschain, the hero of the Stephen King series The Dark Tower. Someday we hope right?
The Movie: Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995)
The Egg: John McClaine is asked what he’s been up to (since the last movie...
The Movie: The Mist (2007)
The Egg: At the beginning of the movie (which I didn’t care for at all Fyi) Thomas Jane is working on a painting of Roland Deschain, the hero of the Stephen King series The Dark Tower. Someday we hope right?
The Movie: Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995)
The Egg: John McClaine is asked what he’s been up to (since the last movie...
- 7/16/2013
- by Graham McMorrow
- City of Films
It's 25 years since Bruce Willis first brought John McClane to the screen in the first of the 'Die Hard' films, kickstarting one of the big screen's most successful franchises.
In the original and four sequels, McClane has been the reluctant hero, invariably caught in the wrong place, and proving the only human obstacle between good and the triumph of evil.
Bruce Willis has made the reluctant hero all his own in the 'Die Hard' films over 25 years
To mark the 25th anniversary, plus the home entertainment release on DVD of 'A Good Day to Die Hard', Bruce Willis reflects on the changing nature of his die-hard character, through five films. Watch Him In Our Exclusive Clip Above.
Plus here are 25 mind-blowing facts from all five films. Did you know...
1. The line "yippee-ki-yay," translates in Urdu to "Here - eat this" and is used in...
In the original and four sequels, McClane has been the reluctant hero, invariably caught in the wrong place, and proving the only human obstacle between good and the triumph of evil.
Bruce Willis has made the reluctant hero all his own in the 'Die Hard' films over 25 years
To mark the 25th anniversary, plus the home entertainment release on DVD of 'A Good Day to Die Hard', Bruce Willis reflects on the changing nature of his die-hard character, through five films. Watch Him In Our Exclusive Clip Above.
Plus here are 25 mind-blowing facts from all five films. Did you know...
1. The line "yippee-ki-yay," translates in Urdu to "Here - eat this" and is used in...
- 6/7/2013
- by The Huffington Post UK
- Huffington Post
He loomed large to generations of young TV watchers - but turns out he was really only a size 40. Artifacts from the Captain Kangaroo show, a CBS morning fixture from 1955 to 1984, are going on the auction block May 21, the Los Angeles-based Nate D. Sanders Auctions announced Monday. The Captain's trademark navy blue jacket jacket with brass buttons, oversized pockets and gray piping is included in a list of more than 500 items to be sold to the highest bidder. Later, once color TV became popular, the Captain donned a red jacket - also for sale. On the show, the soft-spoken Captain with a familiar mustache,...
- 5/13/2013
- by Stephen M. Silverman
- PEOPLE.com
Welcome to the "Arrested Development" Rewatch. Leading up to the release of Season 4, Zap2it will be taking a look back at the 53 episodes that made "Arrested Development" one of our most beloved TV comedies.Watch the first three seasons of "Arrested Development" on Netflix. We continue with episode 4 of Season 2, "Good Grief," which aired Dec. 5, 2004.
Plot: Bounty hunter Ice informs the family that George Sr. was killed in Mexico -- but in fact he's hiding in a spider hole on a lot adjacent to the model home. George Michael discovers him and hides him in the attic, where he observes his own wake. Maeby starts trying to get emancipated from her parents, and Michael gets Egg Ann and George Michael to break up, only to see them get together again.
Gif-worthy scene:
Notable guest stars: Ben Stiller kinda-sorta makes his first appearance as Tony Wonder, albeit only in a...
Plot: Bounty hunter Ice informs the family that George Sr. was killed in Mexico -- but in fact he's hiding in a spider hole on a lot adjacent to the model home. George Michael discovers him and hides him in the attic, where he observes his own wake. Maeby starts trying to get emancipated from her parents, and Michael gets Egg Ann and George Michael to break up, only to see them get together again.
Gif-worthy scene:
Notable guest stars: Ben Stiller kinda-sorta makes his first appearance as Tony Wonder, albeit only in a...
- 3/26/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Ernie Kovacs, the funniest guy you've never heard of, was just shy of his 43rd birthday when he died in a 1962 car accident in Los Angeles. Over the course of his tragically short career, he logged hundreds of hours of live TV on things like "Take a Good Look" (1959-61) and the various incarnations of "The Ernie Kovacs Show" (1953, 1954-55, 1955-56, 1956, 1957), displaying an undeniable fourth wall-breaking genius and pioneering a unique comedic voice that would go on to influence everyone from David Letterman to Captain Kangaroo -- everyone who was lucky enough to have seen him, that is, as a lot of his work was erased, discarded or never recorded in the first place, surviving only in videotape and kinescopes snippets. A talent ahead of his time, Kovacs, who often worked with his collaborator and wife Edie Adams, has gotten more recognition posthumously, his growing repution meriting a new box...
- 5/2/2012
- by Alison Willmore
- Indiewire
Artist Mike Kelley, one of the most influential of his generation, died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles. His provocative multi-media work mixed irony with sincerity, scatology with sentiment, and influenced not only other artists but filmmakers, musicians and writers. A founding member of the band Destroy All Monsters, he attended CalArts and collaborated with other artists like Tony Oursler, Jim Shaw and Sonic Youth.
From Holland Cotter’s New York Times appreciation:
He began creating multimedia installations that synthesized large-scale drawings and paintings, often incorporating his own writing, along with sculptures, videos (one was based on the television show “Captain Kangaroo”), and performances, often scatological and sadomasochistic in nature. Although he stopped performing in 1986 — he later said that he always had to get drunk to do it — the other formal elements remained constants in his art.
A certain tone or attitude remained constant, too. The shorthand term for it is abjection,...
From Holland Cotter’s New York Times appreciation:
He began creating multimedia installations that synthesized large-scale drawings and paintings, often incorporating his own writing, along with sculptures, videos (one was based on the television show “Captain Kangaroo”), and performances, often scatological and sadomasochistic in nature. Although he stopped performing in 1986 — he later said that he always had to get drunk to do it — the other formal elements remained constants in his art.
A certain tone or attitude remained constant, too. The shorthand term for it is abjection,...
- 2/3/2012
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Diane Haithman is contributing to Deadline’s TCA coverage. Change in the weather at CBS: At today’s CBS This Morning TCA panel, executive producer Chris Licht talked about why the new morning competitor has eliminated that longtime staple of morning TV: national weather reports. While the show builds four local weather segments into each program, Licht, also VP of news programming, said local audiences identify with their local news personalities. He said the show does not want to introduce a “cliché weather guy.” However, “when weather is news on a national level, we will absolutely cover it,” the executive said, Appearing via satellite with the program’s co-hosts — Charlie Rose, Erica Hill and Gayle King — Licht also fielded questions about why CBS continues to try to compete in the morning talk program arena when the network has found little success against NBC’s behemoth Today and ABC’s Good Morning America.
- 1/11/2012
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Countless movies over the years have dealt with the exploits of fictional characters that have brought things to life-from Doctors Frankenstein to Herbert West ( the Re-Animator flicks ). With the new documentary Being Elmo we learn about a real-life re-animator named Kevin Clashwho,instead of body parts or mechanical men, gives life to stitched together bits of foam and felt. More importantly, he’s the guy behind the pre-k superstar of Sesame Street, Elmo.
Clash’s journey to that TV street began on a real, urban street in Baltimore in the early 1970′s. He was fascinated by puppets and marionettes and was encouraged by his family ( his father was not upset that he used the lining of his trench coat for one of his first puppet creations ). Entertaining the children in his mother’s day-care service in the back yard ( a blanket tossed over the clothes line was his stage ) to...
Clash’s journey to that TV street began on a real, urban street in Baltimore in the early 1970′s. He was fascinated by puppets and marionettes and was encouraged by his family ( his father was not upset that he used the lining of his trench coat for one of his first puppet creations ). Entertaining the children in his mother’s day-care service in the back yard ( a blanket tossed over the clothes line was his stage ) to...
- 12/2/2011
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
There is a new rumor swirling on the internet about glowing green cats having been created -- and guess what, animal lovers? The rumor is true! Scientists in the United States spliced monkey and jellyfish genes in with feline eggs and developed a unique trait in the eerie kitties. Three cats that glow have already been born and are living happily in a research facility. One glowing green cat was affectionately named "Mr. Green Genes" as a reference to the Mr. Green Jeans character from the Captain Kangaroo TV series. Want to know more about the curious cats? Keep reading...
- 9/11/2011
- by GCN
- Green Celebrity
As a spooftastic blaxploitation flick, the 2009 movie Black Dynamite hit us in all the right places. Thankfully, we'll be getting more of the eponymous hero via a new animated series.
We attended the Black Dynamite panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2011 to get a sneak peek at the new show and hear from the stars of the 2009 film: Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Kym Whitley and Byron Minns, all of whom will be contributing voices to the animated version. Here's what we learned:
The panel included executive producer Carl Jones, director Scott Sanders, and stars Michael Jai White, Byron Minns and Kim Whitley. White said he had the idea for the character while filming Undisputed 2 in Bulgaria and listening to James Brown's "Superbad." He came home, did a photo shoot and showed it to Sanders, who was instantly hooked. While Black Dynamite is a meta-movie, about making the movie Black Dynamite,...
We attended the Black Dynamite panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2011 to get a sneak peek at the new show and hear from the stars of the 2009 film: Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Kym Whitley and Byron Minns, all of whom will be contributing voices to the animated version. Here's what we learned:
The panel included executive producer Carl Jones, director Scott Sanders, and stars Michael Jai White, Byron Minns and Kim Whitley. White said he had the idea for the character while filming Undisputed 2 in Bulgaria and listening to James Brown's "Superbad." He came home, did a photo shoot and showed it to Sanders, who was instantly hooked. While Black Dynamite is a meta-movie, about making the movie Black Dynamite,...
- 7/22/2011
- UGO TV
Character actor Frank Alesia died of natural causes in Carlsbad, California on February 27th. He was 65 years old. Alesia was born Born in Chicago, Illinois and came to Hollywood in 1964 and first appeared in Bikini Beach from Frankie Avalon-Annette Funicello films and Beach Blanket Bingo as well as the 1966 comedic horror The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini. Other appearances include That Girl, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Room 222, The Flying Nun and The Odd Couple. Frank Alesia also served as a director on Captain Kangaroo as well as an executive consultant on Laverne and Shirley. He is survived by his wife Sharon, two children and his sister Lucille.
- 3/6/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Character actor Frank Alesia died of natural causes in Carlsbad, California on February 27th. He was 65 years old. Alesia was born Born in Chicago, Illinois and came to Hollywood in 1964 and first appeared in Bikini Beach from Frankie Avalon-Annette Funicello films and Beach Blanket Bingo as well as the 1966 comedic horror The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini. Other appearances include That Girl, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Room 222, The Flying Nun and The Odd Couple. Frank Alesia also served as a director on Captain Kangaroo as well as an executive consultant on Laverne and Shirley. He is survived by his wife Sharon, two children and his sister Lucille.
- 3/6/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Veteran actor Frank Alesia has died at the age of 65.
The star passed away on 27 February at his home in Carlsbad, California. His death has been attributed to natural causes, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Alesia rose to fame in the 1960s with roles in movies including Riot on the Sunset Strip (1967), Bikini Beach (1964), Pajama Party (1964) and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965).
He also enjoyed appearances on TV shows such as Laverne & Shirley, Bewitched, The Odd Couple and The Flying Nun. Alesia stepped behind the camera in the 1970s to direct kids show Captain Kangaroo, which was nominated for a daytime Emmy award in 1979.
In later years he quit showbusiness and concentrated on breeding horses. He is survived by his wife Sharon and children Dore and Eden Alpert.
The star passed away on 27 February at his home in Carlsbad, California. His death has been attributed to natural causes, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Alesia rose to fame in the 1960s with roles in movies including Riot on the Sunset Strip (1967), Bikini Beach (1964), Pajama Party (1964) and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965).
He also enjoyed appearances on TV shows such as Laverne & Shirley, Bewitched, The Odd Couple and The Flying Nun. Alesia stepped behind the camera in the 1970s to direct kids show Captain Kangaroo, which was nominated for a daytime Emmy award in 1979.
In later years he quit showbusiness and concentrated on breeding horses. He is survived by his wife Sharon and children Dore and Eden Alpert.
- 3/5/2011
- WENN
If I told you that there was a documentary about a Jim Henson Studios muppeteer who has been responsible, for the last many years, for breathing life into one of your childrens' favorite characters, and I also told you it was quite excellent, you would likely expect one of two things. You would either expect it to show the kind of man the parent in you hopes he is -- a charming, humble lovely man who just wants to make kids happy -- or to show the kind of man the cynic in you expects he is -- a drunk vulgarian who loves strippers and hates children in a way that would put Shel Silverstein to shame.
Being Elmo introduces us to Kevin Clash, the man responsible for Elmo. Growing up as a kid outside of Baltimore, Clash fell in love with puppets on "Captain Kangaroo" and "Sesame Street" and,...
Being Elmo introduces us to Kevin Clash, the man responsible for Elmo. Growing up as a kid outside of Baltimore, Clash fell in love with puppets on "Captain Kangaroo" and "Sesame Street" and,...
- 1/27/2011
- by Seth Freilich
James Wall, best known as Mr. Baxter on the iconic children's series Captain Kangaroo, died Wednesday following a short illness at the age of 92. The revolutionary vaudevillian, who delighted audiences as Captain Kangaroo's friendly neighbor, appeared as the show's first African-American character from 1968-1978, a part he lobbied for after joining the production team in 1962. In subsequent years Wall began a lengthy career as a stage manager for various CBS and CBS Sports broadcasts. Wall is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dolly.
- 10/29/2010
- by Michelle Ward
- PEOPLE.com
James Wall, "Captain Kangaroo's" neighbor Mr. Baxter on the popular children's television show, has died at the age of 92 after a short illness, reports CBS News.
Wall joined "Captain Kangaroo" in 1962 as a stage manager before convincing the show's producers to create its first black character. Mr. Baxter took to the airwaves in 1968.
After his time on "Kangaroo," Wall was a stage manager for many other CBS broadcasts over the years, including "60 Minutes," "Face the Nation" and the Us Open Tennis Championships. He was honored with an achievement award from the Director's Guild of America in 1994.
Watch this video below of Wall talking about his experience as an African-American actor/stage manager in Hollywood.
Follow Zap2it and Zap2it Andrea on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
Photo credit: CBS...
Wall joined "Captain Kangaroo" in 1962 as a stage manager before convincing the show's producers to create its first black character. Mr. Baxter took to the airwaves in 1968.
After his time on "Kangaroo," Wall was a stage manager for many other CBS broadcasts over the years, including "60 Minutes," "Face the Nation" and the Us Open Tennis Championships. He was honored with an achievement award from the Director's Guild of America in 1994.
Watch this video below of Wall talking about his experience as an African-American actor/stage manager in Hollywood.
Follow Zap2it and Zap2it Andrea on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
Photo credit: CBS...
- 10/29/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
James Wall, the pioneering vaudevillian actor famed for playing Captain Kangaroo's pal Mr. Baxter, died Wednesday at the age of 92. Wall passed away after a short illness, according to CBS News, for whom he worked for more than 50 years as stage manager on programs such as 60 Minutes, Face the Nation, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships and the classic kids series Captain Kangaroo. But Wall is best remembered as the Captain's kindly neighbor, Mr. Baxter. After joining the production crew in 1962, the entertainer successfully lobbied his bosses to bring him aboard in a recurring role as the show's first African-American character. He appeared in the show from 1968 to 1978, including costarring with the...
- 10/29/2010
- E! Online
According to a show insider, stars of the MTV hit "Teen Mom" earn $60,000 to $65,000 per season. -- Huffington Post
Get more "Extra" scoop headlines for October 29!
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"Captain Kangaroo" Star James Wall Dies at 92 -- PopEater...
Get more "Extra" scoop headlines for October 29!
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"Captain Kangaroo" Star James Wall Dies at 92 -- PopEater...
- 10/29/2010
- Extra
James Wall, a longtime CBS stage manager and actor best known as Captain Kangaroo's neighbor, Mr. Baxter, on the network's children's show, has died. He was 92.
Wall died in his sleep Wednesday in New York City after a short illness, CBS News reports.
A former vaudevillian, Wall — who was credited as Larry Wall — joined Captain Kangaroo as a ...
Read More >...
Wall died in his sleep Wednesday in New York City after a short illness, CBS News reports.
A former vaudevillian, Wall — who was credited as Larry Wall — joined Captain Kangaroo as a ...
Read More >...
- 10/29/2010
- by Joyce Eng
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Filed under: TV News
James Wall, who played neighbor Mr. Baxter on the children's show 'Captain Kangaroo,' died at the age of 92.
CBS News reported that Wall, a longtime stage manager for the service, died Wednesday in New York City after a short illness.
The former vaudevillian joined the popular children's show in 1962 as a stage manager before persuading the show's producers to create its first black character in 1968.
He played Baxter and another recurring roll on the show until 1978.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments...
James Wall, who played neighbor Mr. Baxter on the children's show 'Captain Kangaroo,' died at the age of 92.
CBS News reported that Wall, a longtime stage manager for the service, died Wednesday in New York City after a short illness.
The former vaudevillian joined the popular children's show in 1962 as a stage manager before persuading the show's producers to create its first black character in 1968.
He played Baxter and another recurring roll on the show until 1978.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments...
- 10/29/2010
- by PopEater Staff
- Aol TV.
Captain Kangaroo star James Wall has died. He was 92.
The actor passed away on Wednesday in New York City after battling a short illness.
He is best known for playing Captain Kangaroo's kindly neighbour Mr. Baxter on the long-running children's show, which he joined in 1962 as a stage manager.
Wall made his debut on the show in 1968 after convincing producers to write in their first black character.
He also served as the stage manager for CBS News and worked on several broadcasts for the U.S. network including 60 Minutes.
He received an achievement award by the Director's Guild of America in 1994.
The actor passed away on Wednesday in New York City after battling a short illness.
He is best known for playing Captain Kangaroo's kindly neighbour Mr. Baxter on the long-running children's show, which he joined in 1962 as a stage manager.
Wall made his debut on the show in 1968 after convincing producers to write in their first black character.
He also served as the stage manager for CBS News and worked on several broadcasts for the U.S. network including 60 Minutes.
He received an achievement award by the Director's Guild of America in 1994.
- 10/29/2010
- WENN
Piers Morgan is making good on his promise to Deadline that he was "about to" lock down his new CNN show's Executive Producer. I've confirmed that hard news veteran Jonathan Wald, the former CNBC topper who left last year after taking the business channel to new ratings highs, is in negotiations with Morgan and the new CNN head Ken Jautz to lead the news channel's replacement show for Larry King Live. (Broadcasting & Cable reported this first today.) Trust me, he won't come cheap. But it's hard for me to imagine that, given all his experience, Wald would be content running just one show when he's been in charge of entire programming schedules. I can't help but wonder if this is a way in for Wald at CNN which certainly could use his proven ability to get cable news ratings and keep them. Prior to CNBC, Wald held multiple Ep gigs...
- 10/9/2010
- by Nikki Finke
- Deadline Hollywood
In each episode of the Emmy-winning Saturday morning CBS series "Pee-wee's Playhouse" (1986–91), there was a "secret word of the day." When someone uttered it, everyone else would scream. If there's a secret word for the show's star, Paul Reubens, right now, it would be "comeback."The actor has spent the past year prepping his brand-new stage show, "The Pee-wee Herman Show," running through Feb. 7 at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. The ambitious production features 11 actors and 20 puppets—a first for Reubens, who on his series relied on the magic of editing to bring puppets like Pterri, Chairry, Conky, Globey, and Magic Screen to life. Reubens says the tension and anxiety of creating the live show are palpable, and he has one question on his mind: Are the puppets going to perform?"This show is in many ways like the series, except we never did that live," says Reubens. "A...
- 1/13/2010
- backstage.com
Detroit – Soupy Sales, the rubber-faced comedian whose anything-for-a-chuckle career was built on 20,000 pies to the face and 5,000 live TV appearances across a half-century of laughs, has died. He was 83.Sales died Thursday night at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx, New York, said his former manager and longtime friend, Dave Usher. Sales had many health problems and entered the hospice last week, Usher said.At the peak of his fame in the 1950s and '60s, Sales was one of the best-known faces in the nation, Usher said."If President Eisenhower would have walked down the street, no one would have recognized him as much as Soupy," Usher said.At the same time, Sales retained an openness to fans that turned every restaurant meal into an endless autograph-signing session, Usher said."He was just good to people," said Usher, a former jazz music producer who managed Sales in the 1950s and...
- 10/23/2009
- backstage.com
He may have been born Milton Supman, but he became Soupy Sales to an entire generation that grew up with his morning kids television show during the 1950s and 60s. He might not have been Captain Kangaroo or Mr. Rogers, but his show was different and it left a mark on those who remember him from those days. Soupy Sales died yesterday in the Bronx at the age of 83.
The best way to describe his show was slapstick goofy and 1960s hip. He had guests like Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine visit his set and he got A Lot of pies thrown in his face. He talked to puppets sometimes, but they were cool and hip puppets. Short of one small incident he avoided controversy and lived his life as a very joyful and happy person according to those that knew him best, as well as those who only watched him on TV.
The best way to describe his show was slapstick goofy and 1960s hip. He had guests like Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine visit his set and he got A Lot of pies thrown in his face. He talked to puppets sometimes, but they were cool and hip puppets. Short of one small incident he avoided controversy and lived his life as a very joyful and happy person according to those that knew him best, as well as those who only watched him on TV.
- 10/23/2009
- by Bryan Jones
- TVovermind.com
Those lucky ducks at Fantastic Fest got to peep many weird and fabulous films, not the least of which is Gentlemen Broncos. The movie, which is directed by Jared Hess of Napoleon Dynamite fame, stars the always-dreamy Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Concords as an utterly ludicrous author who steals a book manuscript from a dorky teen, played by Michael Angarano. Sam Rockwell has two parts in Broncos -- one as a super-hairy superhero with a bald ladylove and one as a sort of, uh, tranny Captain Kangaroo. In this exclusive clip, Sam, in all his hairy glory, tries to explain why you can't look tough while drinking a smoothie. It's also really hard to drink a smoothie with a giant beard, as you'll see after the jump.
As Peter Hall wrote in his Fantastic Fest review of Broncos, "there is no denying, though, that seeing Sam Rockwell ride...
As Peter Hall wrote in his Fantastic Fest review of Broncos, "there is no denying, though, that seeing Sam Rockwell ride...
- 9/30/2009
- by Jenni Miller
- Cinematical
Jay Leno is the comedy equivalent of those running backs who plough straight into the defense. He goes straight up the middle for a gain of three or four yards each carry. The thing he does is not pretty to watch or particularly thrilling, but it's effective. It wins. NBC executives were probably wise to hand him their prime-time ball. In years to come we'll look back on this period and say it was a great time for the comedy talk-show format. David Letterman can suck the laughs out of a room some nights, when the self-loathing rises in his throat and expresses itself in crazy tics and Jerry Lewis-like outbursts, but he remains an interesting character. Conan O'Brien hasn't had the most wonderful start as host of The Tonight Show, it's true; but, despite the stiffness that has crept into his performances these past few months, he's still...
- 9/15/2009
- Vanity Fair
Born in Tehran Iran, director Reza Badiyi came to America in 1955, a very good year for American culture and iconic film and television. It was the year Gunsmoke, The Lawrence Welk Show, The Honeymooners and Captain Kangaroo all had their smallscreen debuts. Little did Mr, Badiyi know at that time, as he was mastering English and absorbing a vibrant young Western culture, in Kansas of all places, that someday he would be the Godfather of American television, logging in more hours as a TV director than anyone in history. Reza Badiyi eventually made it Syracuse University to complete his filmmaking studies. But it was a fortunate crossing of paths with filmmaker Robert Altman that propelled Mr. Badiyi...
- 4/28/2009
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Bob Keeshan, the man known to generations of children as Captain Kangaroo and one of the early pioneers of television entertainment, died Friday at his Vermont home after a long illness; he was 76. Getting his start in television as the voiceless Clarabell the Clown on the Howdy Doody Show in 1948, Keeshan started the Captain Kangaroo show in 1955 on CBS, entertaining children at his Treasure House alongside pal Mr. Green Jeans and a host of puppet friends. The show ran for 30 years on network television before moving to public television for six more years; during its run, the show won six Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards. After his retirement, Keeshan remained a fervent childrens. advocate, writing books and lecturing across the country on the importance of educating children during their first six years. Keeshan, whose wife Jean died in 1990, is survived by three children. --Prepared by IMDb staff...
- 1/23/2004
- WENN
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