Things were going badly on Saturday Night Live‘s 1980-1981 season, even before producer Jean Doumanian realized than the January 10, 1981 episode was headed towards disaster.
The previous season had seen the departure of Lorne Michaels and the entire cast, including founders Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, and Laraine Newman, as well as Bill Murray and Harry Shearer. Doumanian had tried to pitch her incoming group of comedians as the next generation for the hit series, but the performers quickly gained reputations as also-rans. Charlie Rocket was a less funny Chevy Chase, Gail Matthius an off-brand Jane Curtin, and so on.
But on that Jan. 10, 1981 episode, hosted by actor Ray Sharkey, things were going particularly badly. The skits went faster than anticipated and the show had five extra minutes to fill. So in an act of desperation, Doumanian followed the advice of writer Neil Levy and pushed 19-year-old featured player...
The previous season had seen the departure of Lorne Michaels and the entire cast, including founders Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, and Laraine Newman, as well as Bill Murray and Harry Shearer. Doumanian had tried to pitch her incoming group of comedians as the next generation for the hit series, but the performers quickly gained reputations as also-rans. Charlie Rocket was a less funny Chevy Chase, Gail Matthius an off-brand Jane Curtin, and so on.
But on that Jan. 10, 1981 episode, hosted by actor Ray Sharkey, things were going particularly badly. The skits went faster than anticipated and the show had five extra minutes to fill. So in an act of desperation, Doumanian followed the advice of writer Neil Levy and pushed 19-year-old featured player...
- 3/20/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Laurence Andries, a TV writer and producer who has worked on shows including Blue Bloods, How to Get Away with Murder and The Pacific, has been charged with six felony counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles.
The accuser, a John Doe, claims Andries drugged and assaulted him in June 2022 after they met for drinks. The writer-producer was arrested in August 2023 after charges were filed by the Los Angeles District Attorney. He remains free on a $150,000 bond and has not yet had a preliminary hearing, according to the Los Angeles Times.
News of the charges came to light after the John Doe, a military veteran, appeared this week in an ABC-7 interview, calling Andries his mentor in the industry.
“I believe that he drugged one of my drinks, took me to his place and then … I can’t say the word. I’m sorry, I can’t say it,” the...
The accuser, a John Doe, claims Andries drugged and assaulted him in June 2022 after they met for drinks. The writer-producer was arrested in August 2023 after charges were filed by the Los Angeles District Attorney. He remains free on a $150,000 bond and has not yet had a preliminary hearing, according to the Los Angeles Times.
News of the charges came to light after the John Doe, a military veteran, appeared this week in an ABC-7 interview, calling Andries his mentor in the industry.
“I believe that he drugged one of my drinks, took me to his place and then … I can’t say the word. I’m sorry, I can’t say it,” the...
- 3/8/2024
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s sad to say, but death seems to be working overtime as we close out 2023. Following the news that beloved character actor Tom Wilkinson has passed away, come the passing of two more well-loved supporting players in TV and film. Richard Romanus, who played the role of loan shark Michael Longo in Mean Streets, passed away at the age of 80 on December 23rd. Meanwhile, Maurice Hines, the brother of Gregory Hines, has also passed away, also at 80.
Although Richard Romanus had a lengthy career that went back to the early ‘70s, it was his turn in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets that remained his most memorable performance. It was his character who, after a run-in with Robert De Niro’s Johnny Boy (who owed Michael money), manned the car that drove up alongside Johnny Boy and Harvey Keitel’s Charlie, leading to the shooting of the loose cannon.
Richard...
Although Richard Romanus had a lengthy career that went back to the early ‘70s, it was his turn in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets that remained his most memorable performance. It was his character who, after a run-in with Robert De Niro’s Johnny Boy (who owed Michael money), manned the car that drove up alongside Johnny Boy and Harvey Keitel’s Charlie, leading to the shooting of the loose cannon.
Richard...
- 12/30/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Maurice Hines, an actor, dancer and choreographer who starred with his brother Gregory Hines in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Cotton Club,” died Friday. He was 80.
Friends including Debbie Allen and John Manzari reported the news of his death.
Hines began studying tap dancing at 5 years old, making his Broadway debut in “The Girl in Pink Tights” in 1954. With an act modeled after the Nicholas Brothers, Maurice and his older brother Gregory, who died in 2003, began touring with their dancer father as Hines, Hines & Dad, appearing across the country and on several TV shows.
When Maurice Hines decided to go solo, he was cast as Nathan Detroit in a national tour of “Guys and Dolls,” then performed on Broadway in “Eubie!” On “Uptown…It’s Hot!” he worked as choreographer and performer, netting a Tony nomination for best actor in a musical.
Among the other shows he choreographed were “Harlem Suite,...
Friends including Debbie Allen and John Manzari reported the news of his death.
Hines began studying tap dancing at 5 years old, making his Broadway debut in “The Girl in Pink Tights” in 1954. With an act modeled after the Nicholas Brothers, Maurice and his older brother Gregory, who died in 2003, began touring with their dancer father as Hines, Hines & Dad, appearing across the country and on several TV shows.
When Maurice Hines decided to go solo, he was cast as Nathan Detroit in a national tour of “Guys and Dolls,” then performed on Broadway in “Eubie!” On “Uptown…It’s Hot!” he worked as choreographer and performer, netting a Tony nomination for best actor in a musical.
Among the other shows he choreographed were “Harlem Suite,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Maurice Hines, the Broadway dancer, choreographer and actor who famously showcased his skills alongside his late younger brother, Gregory Hines, in a Nicholas Brothers-like act featured in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Cotton Club, has died. He was 80.
Hines died Friday of natural causes at the Actors Fund Home in Englewood, New Jersey, his cousin and rep, Richard Nurse, told The Hollywood Reporter. He lived there for a couple of years.
The elegant, Harlem-born Hines received a Tony Award nomination in 1986 for best actor in a musical for Uptown … It’s Hot and starred again on Broadway in 2006’s Hot Feet. He conceived, directed and choreographed both productions.
In his THR review of the 2019 documentary Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, Frank Scheck wrote that the Hines brothers had a falling out and didn’t talk for 10 years “for reasons that Maurice refuses to discuss to this day. He provides no explanation in the film,...
Hines died Friday of natural causes at the Actors Fund Home in Englewood, New Jersey, his cousin and rep, Richard Nurse, told The Hollywood Reporter. He lived there for a couple of years.
The elegant, Harlem-born Hines received a Tony Award nomination in 1986 for best actor in a musical for Uptown … It’s Hot and starred again on Broadway in 2006’s Hot Feet. He conceived, directed and choreographed both productions.
In his THR review of the 2019 documentary Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, Frank Scheck wrote that the Hines brothers had a falling out and didn’t talk for 10 years “for reasons that Maurice refuses to discuss to this day. He provides no explanation in the film,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
2023 is a milestone year for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (Aaadt) and its artistic director emerita Judith Jamison. On May 10, Jamison celebrated her 80th birthday, and on Nov. 29, the dance company will hold its annual opening night gala celebrating its 65th season; founder Alvin Ailey and a group of Black dancers first performed under the Aaadt name in New York City in March of 1958.
“Numbers and ages really do matter,” says Jamison, a Philadelphia native who began dance training at the age of 6 at the Judimar School of Dance. “I love when people say, ‘The number doesn’t matter.’ Oh, yes it does when you’ve been dancing most of your life. It matters a whole lot because your body is catching up to what craziness you were doing as a dancer. At 80, everything doesn’t work the same way. And that’s the challenge, finding out, what can I do?...
“Numbers and ages really do matter,” says Jamison, a Philadelphia native who began dance training at the age of 6 at the Judimar School of Dance. “I love when people say, ‘The number doesn’t matter.’ Oh, yes it does when you’ve been dancing most of your life. It matters a whole lot because your body is catching up to what craziness you were doing as a dancer. At 80, everything doesn’t work the same way. And that’s the challenge, finding out, what can I do?...
- 11/27/2023
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Wolfen episode of The Black Sheep was Written and Narrated by Andrew Hatfield, Edited by Brandon Nally, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
A black sheep doesn’t have to be considered bad to have that loving title and distinction. I mean, some of them are considered quite bad and need the layers peeled down to show off the good inside. There are other cases though. A movie can also be a black sheep if it was buried by a more popular outing like The Last Broadcast being utterly forgotten after the behemoth The Blair Witch Project made its appearance. Sometimes, like Last Broadcast, it can just be buried withing its own genre, decade, year, or as in today’s title, all 3. I’ve seen more than a few comments for this one so let’s take a look at werewolves in 1981. No,...
A black sheep doesn’t have to be considered bad to have that loving title and distinction. I mean, some of them are considered quite bad and need the layers peeled down to show off the good inside. There are other cases though. A movie can also be a black sheep if it was buried by a more popular outing like The Last Broadcast being utterly forgotten after the behemoth The Blair Witch Project made its appearance. Sometimes, like Last Broadcast, it can just be buried withing its own genre, decade, year, or as in today’s title, all 3. I’ve seen more than a few comments for this one so let’s take a look at werewolves in 1981. No,...
- 9/20/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Synopsis
Broadway bound, the Muppets take Manhattan by storm in this magical musical about breaking into show business! Fresh out of college, Kermit, Fozzie, and the entire cast of Kermit’s musical “Manhattan Melodies” head for the Big Apple with plans to turn their small play into a big hit! All they need now is someone to produce their show! But when no one in town will even meet with them, it’s up to Kermit to believe hard enough for all of his friends that the show Will go on! Family entertainment has never been more fun than this comedy marking Frank Oz’s solo directorial debut.
Disc Details & Bonus Materials
4K Ultra HD Disc
Feature remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision, plus all-new Dolby Atmos immersive audio 4K picture and Atmos sound mix approved by director Frank Oz Also includes English 5.1 + mono...
Broadway bound, the Muppets take Manhattan by storm in this magical musical about breaking into show business! Fresh out of college, Kermit, Fozzie, and the entire cast of Kermit’s musical “Manhattan Melodies” head for the Big Apple with plans to turn their small play into a big hit! All they need now is someone to produce their show! But when no one in town will even meet with them, it’s up to Kermit to believe hard enough for all of his friends that the show Will go on! Family entertainment has never been more fun than this comedy marking Frank Oz’s solo directorial debut.
Disc Details & Bonus Materials
4K Ultra HD Disc
Feature remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision, plus all-new Dolby Atmos immersive audio 4K picture and Atmos sound mix approved by director Frank Oz Also includes English 5.1 + mono...
- 8/29/2023
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Following a season that saw its Broadway transfers Into the Woods and Parade score a slew of Tony Award nominations, the New York City Center has announced what’s coming next for its celebrated Encores! series: Once Upon a Mattress, Jelly’s Last Jam and Titanic.
The 30th annual Encores! season of concert stagings will kick off in January with Sutton Foster playing Princess Winnifred the Woebegone in Once Upon a Mattress (January 24-28) – the role made famous in 1959 by then-up-and-comer Carol Burnett. Directed by Encores! Artistic Director Lear deBessonet with a new concert adaptation by The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, the comical update of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea features such musical numbers as “Shy” and “In a Little While” with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer.
Next up is Jelly’s Last Jam,...
The 30th annual Encores! season of concert stagings will kick off in January with Sutton Foster playing Princess Winnifred the Woebegone in Once Upon a Mattress (January 24-28) – the role made famous in 1959 by then-up-and-comer Carol Burnett. Directed by Encores! Artistic Director Lear deBessonet with a new concert adaptation by The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, the comical update of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea features such musical numbers as “Shy” and “In a Little While” with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer.
Next up is Jelly’s Last Jam,...
- 5/31/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
In the words of the late great Madeline Kahn‘s Empress Nympho, “Yessssss!” After 40 years, the classic satire that is Mel Brooks‘ History of the World: Part 1 has finally birthed a follow-up befitting its legendary status. Not only in laughs but in sheer casting magic. Like the feature film, which starred icons of comedy like the aforementioned Kahn, Gregory Hines, Cloris Leachman, Dom Deluise, and Sid Caesar, Hulu’s sequel series History of the World: Part II is running over with famous faces from, well, modern times. Literally, everyone is in this thing. Tyler Golden/Hulu In addition to Josh Gad, Zazie Beetz, and Jay Ellis, who sat down with us to talk about the project, there’s a cast list of historic proportions. Jake Johnson, Richard Kind, Johnny Knoxville, Lauren Lapkus, Jenifer Lewis, Poppy Liu, Joe Lo Truglio, Jason Mantzoukas, Ken Marino, Jack McBrayer, Jack Black, Jason Alexander, Ayo Edebiri,...
- 3/6/2023
- TV Insider
As the American treasure himself says in the opening credits, Mel Brooks is a hero to some, and merely a legend to others. He broke ground in irreverent social commentary with Blazing Saddles, and rewired the knobs in the monster’s brain for Young Frankenstein. Brooks’ Hulu TV-sketch-series-masquerading-as-a-film-sequel throws more jokes at the viewer than almost any comedy in the History of The World, Part II. Not all of them land squarely, though the ricochets inflict sufficient comic collateral damage.
There is a lot we can learn from an anthology sketch series. All of which is graded on a curveball. Like History of the World, Part I, the series is made up of short gags, like Marco Polo’s (Jake Johnson) impromptu gift-exchange on his first trip to China, longer one-off sequences, and a few continuing stories. The eight-episode series is Brooks’ first creative project since composing the score to...
There is a lot we can learn from an anthology sketch series. All of which is graded on a curveball. Like History of the World, Part I, the series is made up of short gags, like Marco Polo’s (Jake Johnson) impromptu gift-exchange on his first trip to China, longer one-off sequences, and a few continuing stories. The eight-episode series is Brooks’ first creative project since composing the score to...
- 3/6/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Angela Bassett is now one of the most revered and respected actresses in Hollywood after multiple decades in the business. There were only two years between her breakthrough role in "Boyz n the Hood," to her Oscar-nominated role as Tina Turner in "What's Love Got to Do with It." Bassett not winning that year has long been considered one of the worst snubs in Oscar history. Despite Bassett's deserved stature in the industry, being tasked with finding substantial roles in 12 good movies was harder than anticipated. This goes to show that however talented and skilled a Black actress is, she will not necessarily get the opportunities for leading roles that she should rightfully have.
Despite this, Bassett has still worked with a wide range of filmmakers, including John Sayles, Wes Craven, John Singleton, Forest Whitaker, and Spike Lee, and has taken on a wide range of roles. She has worked with Laurence Fishburne three times,...
Despite this, Bassett has still worked with a wide range of filmmakers, including John Sayles, Wes Craven, John Singleton, Forest Whitaker, and Spike Lee, and has taken on a wide range of roles. She has worked with Laurence Fishburne three times,...
- 1/28/2023
- by Fiona Underhill
- Slash Film
If you've never watched the 1981 Mel Brooks film "The History of the World, Part I," now is the time to do it. All these years later, a sequel series, "The History of the World, Part II," is hitting Hulu in March. Even if you haven't seen it, you've definitely heard people quote it, from the Torquemada musical number in The Spanish Inquisition segment to lines like, "It's good to be the king," and the "No, no, yes" song from Madeline Kahn. I feel pretty confident when I say that it's one of the funniest movies of all time, and I'm hardly alone in that sentiment.
"History of the World, Part I" is irreverent and absolutely stupid in the most wonderful way, and even after dozens of viewings, I still giggle to myself about parts of it whenever they cross my mind. Not only did Brooks write, direct, and star as Moses,...
"History of the World, Part I" is irreverent and absolutely stupid in the most wonderful way, and even after dozens of viewings, I still giggle to myself about parts of it whenever they cross my mind. Not only did Brooks write, direct, and star as Moses,...
- 1/18/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
In my eyes, one of the most singularly talented people of the second half of the 20th Century was Gregory Hines. The man was a true triple threat that harkened back to Golden Age of Hollywood musical stars. He was overflowing with movie star charisma and also had impeccable comedic chops. Hines was the consummate entertainer and sadly died far too soon from liver cancer in 2003.
The first time I ever saw Hines was in Mel Books' 1981 comedy "History of the World, Part I," which is finally getting a "Part II" this year. As it turns out, this also happened to be his very first movie, discounting his appearance in "Finian's Rainbow" as an extra when he was a kid. Brooks lets Hines show off every single thing that made him such a talent, most obviously his ability to play an absolute lown. It seems like it was a role specifically written for Hines,...
The first time I ever saw Hines was in Mel Books' 1981 comedy "History of the World, Part I," which is finally getting a "Part II" this year. As it turns out, this also happened to be his very first movie, discounting his appearance in "Finian's Rainbow" as an extra when he was a kid. Brooks lets Hines show off every single thing that made him such a talent, most obviously his ability to play an absolute lown. It seems like it was a role specifically written for Hines,...
- 1/18/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
It’s good to be a Hulu subscriber because Mel Brooks‘ History of the World, Part II series is finally ready to rewrite the past for laughs and scrutiny. Hulu shared a gallery of images from the original comedy series on Wednesday, featuring images of Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, and Ike Barinholtz occupying various historical points for the sketch-style presentation.
According to Hulu’s official description, “After waiting over 40 years, there is finally a sequel to the seminal Mel Brooks film, History of the World, Part I, with each episode featuring a variety of sketches that take us through different periods of human history.”
The series stars Mel Brooks, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, and Ike Barinholtz. Gary Nguyen, David Stassen, Dove Cameron, Pamela Adlon, and Johnny Knoxville also appear throughout the series.
Last year, The Ankler reported that Brooks’ History of the World, Part II series could feature a who’s who of Hollywood royalty,...
According to Hulu’s official description, “After waiting over 40 years, there is finally a sequel to the seminal Mel Brooks film, History of the World, Part I, with each episode featuring a variety of sketches that take us through different periods of human history.”
The series stars Mel Brooks, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, and Ike Barinholtz. Gary Nguyen, David Stassen, Dove Cameron, Pamela Adlon, and Johnny Knoxville also appear throughout the series.
Last year, The Ankler reported that Brooks’ History of the World, Part II series could feature a who’s who of Hollywood royalty,...
- 1/4/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Character actor Mary Mara, known for her work on ER, Law & Order: Svu, and Nip/Tuck, and dozens of other TV shows and films, drowned Sunday in the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent, NY, according to New York State Police. She was 61.
A State Police press release says Mara was found in the river Sunday morning by troopers and Cape Vincent Fire and Ambulance following a report of a possible drowning. A preliminary investigation indicates she drowned while swimming in the river. Police said there was no indication of foul play and an autopsy will be conducted to determine an official cause of death. The investigation is continuing.
A family spokesperson said Mara was staying at the summer home of her sister, Martha Mara, of Syracuse, N.Y. The property fronts the river outside the Village of Cape Vincent, in the Thousand Islands region, where the St. Lawrence separates Canada and the U.
A State Police press release says Mara was found in the river Sunday morning by troopers and Cape Vincent Fire and Ambulance following a report of a possible drowning. A preliminary investigation indicates she drowned while swimming in the river. Police said there was no indication of foul play and an autopsy will be conducted to determine an official cause of death. The investigation is continuing.
A family spokesperson said Mara was staying at the summer home of her sister, Martha Mara, of Syracuse, N.Y. The property fronts the river outside the Village of Cape Vincent, in the Thousand Islands region, where the St. Lawrence separates Canada and the U.
- 6/27/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Mary Mara, the actor best known for her recurring roles in “ER” and “Law & Order,” died in Cape Vincent, N.Y. Sunday from an apparent drowning. She was 61.
In a report published Monday, the New York State Police confirmed that Mara was discovered in the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent around 8:10 p.m. on Sunday by various officers. According to a statement from a representative, Mara was staying at the summer home of her sister Martha. A preliminary investigation suggested Mara died by drowning while swimming. Her body has been transported to Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy will be performed to determine an official cause of death.
In a statement to Variety, Mara’s manager Craig Dorfman confirmed her death.
“Mary was one of the finest actresses I ever met,” Dorfman wrote. “I still remember seeing her onstage in 1992 in ‘Mad Forest’ off Broadway.
In a report published Monday, the New York State Police confirmed that Mara was discovered in the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent around 8:10 p.m. on Sunday by various officers. According to a statement from a representative, Mara was staying at the summer home of her sister Martha. A preliminary investigation suggested Mara died by drowning while swimming. Her body has been transported to Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy will be performed to determine an official cause of death.
In a statement to Variety, Mara’s manager Craig Dorfman confirmed her death.
“Mary was one of the finest actresses I ever met,” Dorfman wrote. “I still remember seeing her onstage in 1992 in ‘Mad Forest’ off Broadway.
- 6/27/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
“It tied it all together,” declares actor Dule Hill about singing the original “The Wonder Years” theme song in an episode of the new series. For our recent webchat he adds, “It was a great initial nod to the original series. It was very daunting for me, but once I got into it, I really loved the process.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
The reimagining of the Emmy-winning ABC series from the late 1980s is still set in the late 1960s. This incarnation tells the story of a middle class African-American family in Alabama. It is told from the perspective of 12-year-old Dean (Elisha Williams). Hill plays Dean’s dad, Bill Williams, a musician and university teacher. Oscar and Emmy nominee Don Cheadle serves as the narrator.
SEESaladin K. Patterson interview: ‘The Wonder Years’ showrunner
Playing a musician tapped into familiar territory for Hill. As a 10-year-old, he was...
The reimagining of the Emmy-winning ABC series from the late 1980s is still set in the late 1960s. This incarnation tells the story of a middle class African-American family in Alabama. It is told from the perspective of 12-year-old Dean (Elisha Williams). Hill plays Dean’s dad, Bill Williams, a musician and university teacher. Oscar and Emmy nominee Don Cheadle serves as the narrator.
SEESaladin K. Patterson interview: ‘The Wonder Years’ showrunner
Playing a musician tapped into familiar territory for Hill. As a 10-year-old, he was...
- 5/13/2022
- by Matt Noble
- Gold Derby
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While it’s much easier to gather with family this year, that doesn’t mean we can’t uphold some well-worn holiday traditions, like settling in on the couch with some hot cocoa to watch Christmas movies. Even if you’re not physically in the room with them, watch parties using integrated apps or Zooms or other virtual meetups means you can still have a collective, shared experience — just over the internet.
And if you are lucky enough to be in the same place as your family, you can spend time with your loved ones and cherish the fact that you’re able to be close to them Irl when so many people cannot be with theirs.
While it’s much easier to gather with family this year, that doesn’t mean we can’t uphold some well-worn holiday traditions, like settling in on the couch with some hot cocoa to watch Christmas movies. Even if you’re not physically in the room with them, watch parties using integrated apps or Zooms or other virtual meetups means you can still have a collective, shared experience — just over the internet.
And if you are lucky enough to be in the same place as your family, you can spend time with your loved ones and cherish the fact that you’re able to be close to them Irl when so many people cannot be with theirs.
- 12/6/2021
- by Jean Bentley and Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
Mel Brooks’ History of the World, Part I is getting another chapter: Hulu has ordered a follow-up series to the 1981 comedy, with Brooks returning as writer and executive producer.
The sequel, titled (of course) History of the World, Part II, will be a variety series consisting of comedy sketches and musical numbers. The original film was set during different periods of world history like the Old Testament, the Roman Empire and the French Revolution. There’s no word yet on which historical periods the new series will tackle, though.
More from TVLineY: The Last Man Cancelled at FX on HuluJessica...
The sequel, titled (of course) History of the World, Part II, will be a variety series consisting of comedy sketches and musical numbers. The original film was set during different periods of world history like the Old Testament, the Roman Empire and the French Revolution. There’s no word yet on which historical periods the new series will tackle, though.
More from TVLineY: The Last Man Cancelled at FX on HuluJessica...
- 10/18/2021
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
The 1981 Mel Brooks film History of the World, Part I was never meant to have a sequel, but Deadline has confirmed Brooks’ high jinks across history will continue as part of an eight-episode variety series at Hulu. The writers room for History of the World, Part II will begin this month, and production will commence in spring 2022.
“I can’t wait to once more tell the real truth about all the phony baloney stories the world has been conned into believing are History!” Brooks, who will write and executive produce, said in a statement.
The big-screen original parodies various moments in history from the Roman Empire and Stone Age to the Old Testament and the French Revolution, among other periods. It starred Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, Gregory Hines, Cloris Leachman, Mary-Margaret Humes and Sid Ceasar.
Part II will also be executive produced by Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes,...
“I can’t wait to once more tell the real truth about all the phony baloney stories the world has been conned into believing are History!” Brooks, who will write and executive produce, said in a statement.
The big-screen original parodies various moments in history from the Roman Empire and Stone Age to the Old Testament and the French Revolution, among other periods. It starred Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, Gregory Hines, Cloris Leachman, Mary-Margaret Humes and Sid Ceasar.
Part II will also be executive produced by Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes,...
- 10/18/2021
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
“History of the World, Part I” is finally getting a Part II, with Hulu ordering a variety series followup to the classic Mel Brooks comedy film, Variety has learned exclusively.
“History of the World, Part II” is described as a sequel to the 1981 film. The film was made up of segments set during different periods of world history. Among those was the Stone Age, Ancient Rome, and the French Revolution. Like most of Brooks’ work, it also featured musical numbers, including one about the Spanish Inquisition and, of course, “Jews in Space.”
Brooks is a writer and executive producer on the series along with Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen and Kevin Salter. There is no word yet on which world events the series will cover. Hulu has ordered eight episodes of the show. The writers room is beginning in October with production slated to begin in Spring...
“History of the World, Part II” is described as a sequel to the 1981 film. The film was made up of segments set during different periods of world history. Among those was the Stone Age, Ancient Rome, and the French Revolution. Like most of Brooks’ work, it also featured musical numbers, including one about the Spanish Inquisition and, of course, “Jews in Space.”
Brooks is a writer and executive producer on the series along with Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen and Kevin Salter. There is no word yet on which world events the series will cover. Hulu has ordered eight episodes of the show. The writers room is beginning in October with production slated to begin in Spring...
- 10/18/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
By Susan King
Audra McDonald is the most lauded Broadway performer winning a whopping six Tony Awards in both musical and dramatic categories. And she may be receiving her seventh for the revival of “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair du Lune” when the 74th annual Tonys take place Sept. 26th at the venerable Winter Garden Theatre.
Despite that record, it took a long time for Black artists to be acknowledged by the Tonys, which were first handed out in 1947. It wasn’t until 2004 that a Black actress won for a lead performance in a play: Phylicia Rashad broke this barrier with her win for a revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun.” Hansberry was the first Black artist to be nominated for Best Play in 1960 for the original production of “A Raisin in the Sun” as were its director Lloyd Richards and stars, Sidney Poitier and Claudia McNeil.
Audra McDonald is the most lauded Broadway performer winning a whopping six Tony Awards in both musical and dramatic categories. And she may be receiving her seventh for the revival of “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair du Lune” when the 74th annual Tonys take place Sept. 26th at the venerable Winter Garden Theatre.
Despite that record, it took a long time for Black artists to be acknowledged by the Tonys, which were first handed out in 1947. It wasn’t until 2004 that a Black actress won for a lead performance in a play: Phylicia Rashad broke this barrier with her win for a revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun.” Hansberry was the first Black artist to be nominated for Best Play in 1960 for the original production of “A Raisin in the Sun” as were its director Lloyd Richards and stars, Sidney Poitier and Claudia McNeil.
- 9/3/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Suzzanne Douglas has died at the age of 64. On July 6, The Parent 'Hood star's cousin, Angie Tee, confirmed the news in a statement on Facebook. "Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today. She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin," she said. "I can remember growing up, there weren't very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in Tap starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in How Stella Got Her Groove Back. The Inkwell, Jason's Lyric and so much more the list goes on."
While Suzzanne got her start in the 1981 TV film Purlie, it was her NAACP Image Award-winning role as Amy Simms in 1989's Tap that served as a breakout in her career.
While Suzzanne got her start in the 1981 TV film Purlie, it was her NAACP Image Award-winning role as Amy Simms in 1989's Tap that served as a breakout in her career.
- 7/7/2021
- by Grayson Gilcrease
- Popsugar.com
Sad news out of the TV world today.
Suzzanne Douglas, best known for playing Jerri Peterson on the hit sitcom The Parent 'Hood, has reportedly died at the age of 64.
Suzzanne's cousin, Angie Tee, shared the sad news on Tuesday.
"A beautiful and talented actress made her transition today," Tee wrote, tagging her cousin.
"She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin."
Her post continued, "I can remember growing up, there weren't very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in Tap starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr."
"She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in How Stella Got Her Groove Back," the post reads.
"The Inkwell, Jason's Lyric and so much more the list goes on."
"The world will miss...
Suzzanne Douglas, best known for playing Jerri Peterson on the hit sitcom The Parent 'Hood, has reportedly died at the age of 64.
Suzzanne's cousin, Angie Tee, shared the sad news on Tuesday.
"A beautiful and talented actress made her transition today," Tee wrote, tagging her cousin.
"She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin."
Her post continued, "I can remember growing up, there weren't very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in Tap starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr."
"She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in How Stella Got Her Groove Back," the post reads.
"The Inkwell, Jason's Lyric and so much more the list goes on."
"The world will miss...
- 7/7/2021
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Suzzanne Douglas, who starred in Robert Townsend’s WB ’90s sitcom The Parent ‘Hood and most recently appeared in Ava DuVernay’s 2019 Netflix miniseries When They See Us, died yesterday at the age of 64. A cause of death has not been disclosed.
Douglas’ death was announced on Facebook by her cousin Angie Tee.
“Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today,” Tee wrote. “She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world…The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever.”
DuVernay remembered Douglas as “a quiet, elegant force.”
“A gentlewoman,” DuVernay wrote on Twitter early this morning. “A gem of a lady. A confident, caring actor who breathed life into the words and made them shimmer. I’m grateful that our paths in this life crossed. May she journey on in peace and love.”
A Chicago native...
Douglas’ death was announced on Facebook by her cousin Angie Tee.
“Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today,” Tee wrote. “She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world…The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever.”
DuVernay remembered Douglas as “a quiet, elegant force.”
“A gentlewoman,” DuVernay wrote on Twitter early this morning. “A gem of a lady. A confident, caring actor who breathed life into the words and made them shimmer. I’m grateful that our paths in this life crossed. May she journey on in peace and love.”
A Chicago native...
- 7/7/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Suzzanne Douglas, best known to TV audiences for her starring role as Jerri Peterson on the 1990s sitcom The Parent ‘Hood, has died at the age of 64, TVLine has confirmed.
Douglas’ death was first announced Tuesday in a Facebook post by her cousin, Angie Tee. “A beautiful and talented actress made her transition today,” she said. “She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world… The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever.”
More from TVLineNAACP Image Awards 2020: black-ish, When They See Us, Greenleaf and Power Are Among TV WinnersCritics' Choice 2020: Fleabag,...
Douglas’ death was first announced Tuesday in a Facebook post by her cousin, Angie Tee. “A beautiful and talented actress made her transition today,” she said. “She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world… The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever.”
More from TVLineNAACP Image Awards 2020: black-ish, When They See Us, Greenleaf and Power Are Among TV WinnersCritics' Choice 2020: Fleabag,...
- 7/7/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Suzzanne Douglas, best known for starring in the WB sitcom “The Parent ‘Hood” and in the 1989 dance drama “Tap,” died on Tuesday. She was 64.
“Suzzanne Douglas, a beautiful and talented actress, made her transition today,” her cousin Angie Tee wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. “She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin. I can remember growing up, there weren’t very many Black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in ‘Tap’ starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back.’ ‘The Inkwell,’ ‘Jason’s Lyric’ and so much more, the list goes on. The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever. Rest in Paradise, my beautiful cousin Suzzane,...
“Suzzanne Douglas, a beautiful and talented actress, made her transition today,” her cousin Angie Tee wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. “She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin. I can remember growing up, there weren’t very many Black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in ‘Tap’ starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back.’ ‘The Inkwell,’ ‘Jason’s Lyric’ and so much more, the list goes on. The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever. Rest in Paradise, my beautiful cousin Suzzane,...
- 7/7/2021
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Actress Suzzanne Douglas died Tuesday, according to multiple reports. She was 64 years old.
Angie Tee, a woman identified by Essence as Douglas’ cousin, wrote on Facebook Tuesday, “Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today. She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin.”
She went on, “I can remember growing up, there weren’t very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in ‘Tap’ starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back.’ The Inkwell, Jason’s Lyric and so much more the list goes on. The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever.”
Douglas is best known for her starring role in the show,...
Angie Tee, a woman identified by Essence as Douglas’ cousin, wrote on Facebook Tuesday, “Suzzanne Douglas a beautiful and talented actress made her transition today. She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world. This beautiful soul was my cousin.”
She went on, “I can remember growing up, there weren’t very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in ‘Tap’ starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr. She also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back.’ The Inkwell, Jason’s Lyric and so much more the list goes on. The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever.”
Douglas is best known for her starring role in the show,...
- 7/7/2021
- by Lindsey Ellefson
- The Wrap
Twyla Tharp on Zoom with Herman Cornejo and Misty Copeland in Steven Cantor’s Twyla Moves Photo: Zoom Stick Figure Films
Steven Cantor’s intimate and fierce Twyla Moves showcases the legendary Twyla Tharp working on a Zoom dance from New York during the height of the pandemic with Misty Copeland, Benjamin Buza, Herman Cornejo, Maria Khoreva, Kaitlyn Gilliland, and Charlie Neshyba-Hodges in other locations. She invites the great production designer Santo Loquasto to have a look. Twyla has collaborated with composers Philip Glass, David Byrne, David Van Tieghem, and Glenn Branca, won the Tony Award for Best Choreography for Movin’ Out, featuring the songs of Billy Joel, staged dances for Miloš Forman’s Hair, Ragtime, and Amadeus, and Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines in Taylor Hackford’s White Nights.
Dancer, featuring Sergei Polunin, and Tyler Peck’s Ballet Now round out Steven’s trilogy of dance films.
From New York,...
Steven Cantor’s intimate and fierce Twyla Moves showcases the legendary Twyla Tharp working on a Zoom dance from New York during the height of the pandemic with Misty Copeland, Benjamin Buza, Herman Cornejo, Maria Khoreva, Kaitlyn Gilliland, and Charlie Neshyba-Hodges in other locations. She invites the great production designer Santo Loquasto to have a look. Twyla has collaborated with composers Philip Glass, David Byrne, David Van Tieghem, and Glenn Branca, won the Tony Award for Best Choreography for Movin’ Out, featuring the songs of Billy Joel, staged dances for Miloš Forman’s Hair, Ragtime, and Amadeus, and Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines in Taylor Hackford’s White Nights.
Dancer, featuring Sergei Polunin, and Tyler Peck’s Ballet Now round out Steven’s trilogy of dance films.
From New York,...
- 6/1/2021
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The eighties were the heyday of the buddy cop movie. The year before Lethal Weapon came out and make the genre even more popular, Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines were Chicago cops on the trail of a drug lord (played by Jimmy Smits) in Running Scared (1986) by director Peter Hyams. While a solid box office hit (there was even talk of a sequel), in the decades that followed Running Scared would become somewhat obscure. That's too bad as it's a really…...
- 4/20/2021
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Leslie Odom Jr. is up for a pair of Oscars this year: Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Song (“Speak Now”) for his work in the Amazon drama “One Night in Miami,” which makes him only the fourth person to receive nominations for acting and songwriting in the same year. “It means a lot,” Odom explains, and it also “speaks to some positive changes in the industry over the years.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Odom above.
Mary J. Blige (“Mudbound”), Lady Gaga (“A Star is Born”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”) also earned dual nominations for acting and songwriting in recent years. For Odom, that reflects an industry more open to artists crossing boundaries. An actor doesn’t just have to be an actor, and a musician doesn’t just have to be a musician, so “we’re allowed to bring all that we are to the table more...
Mary J. Blige (“Mudbound”), Lady Gaga (“A Star is Born”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”) also earned dual nominations for acting and songwriting in recent years. For Odom, that reflects an industry more open to artists crossing boundaries. An actor doesn’t just have to be an actor, and a musician doesn’t just have to be a musician, so “we’re allowed to bring all that we are to the table more...
- 4/13/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
“Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,” produced by Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland, shines the spotlight on the next generation of Black and brown dancers at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, where Allen first met Rhimes as a dance parent before partnering on “Grey’s Anatomy.” “When we put this footage together and shared with Shonda, she called and said, ‘Debbie, I have to have this,’ and that was it,” Allen tells Variety. “I can’t say enough about Shonda, who took director Oliver Bokelberg’s work, shaped it at Netflix and has been so supportive in promoting it, loving it and giving it to the world. It’s been like a Christmas present.” Allen reflects on her dance journey throughout the film, and Variety asked the legendary entertainer to share her three favorite dance docs.
1 “Queen of Swing” (2006)
“Norma Miller — who at 15 years old was the queen of the Savoy Ballroom — came to Dada for years,...
1 “Queen of Swing” (2006)
“Norma Miller — who at 15 years old was the queen of the Savoy Ballroom — came to Dada for years,...
- 12/16/2020
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Waiting to Exhale fans, your wait is over: A series adaptation of the 1995 film is in development at ABC, with Lee Daniels onboard as an executive producer, our sister site Deadline reports.
The series, which has earned a script commitment with penalty from the Alphabet network, is billed as a follow-up to the original film and “looks at the next generation of our women through the lens of the tangled friendships and complicated lives of their daughters.” Attica Locke (When They See Us) and Tembi Locke (Never Have I Ever) will co-write the project, with Emmy winner Anthony Hemingway (The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story...
The series, which has earned a script commitment with penalty from the Alphabet network, is billed as a follow-up to the original film and “looks at the next generation of our women through the lens of the tangled friendships and complicated lives of their daughters.” Attica Locke (When They See Us) and Tembi Locke (Never Have I Ever) will co-write the project, with Emmy winner Anthony Hemingway (The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story...
- 11/18/2020
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Here comes a new big-data approach trying to crack the age-old problem of understanding what a TV show or movie is really about.
Entertainment-analytics startup Vody is coming out of stealth after more than two years of development and testing. Co-founders and co-CEOs Stephanie Horbaczewski and Jeremy Houghton, who both were previously top execs at YouTube network StyleHaul, claim they’ve built a better mousetrap. The company’s proprietary system, they say, uses machine-learning tech to trawl the internet and compile a comprehensive database of entertainment titles — designed to plug into streaming services for more accurate content recommendations.
The L.A.-based company was formed by Horbaczewski, previously founder/CEO of StyleHaul, and Houghton, who was StyleHaul Cto. They both left the Rtl Group-owned fashion and beauty digital network before Rtl shuttered StyleHaul last year.
“We want to give platforms the understanding of content that human beings have,” Horbaczewski told Variety.
Entertainment-analytics startup Vody is coming out of stealth after more than two years of development and testing. Co-founders and co-CEOs Stephanie Horbaczewski and Jeremy Houghton, who both were previously top execs at YouTube network StyleHaul, claim they’ve built a better mousetrap. The company’s proprietary system, they say, uses machine-learning tech to trawl the internet and compile a comprehensive database of entertainment titles — designed to plug into streaming services for more accurate content recommendations.
The L.A.-based company was formed by Horbaczewski, previously founder/CEO of StyleHaul, and Houghton, who was StyleHaul Cto. They both left the Rtl Group-owned fashion and beauty digital network before Rtl shuttered StyleHaul last year.
“We want to give platforms the understanding of content that human beings have,” Horbaczewski told Variety.
- 10/23/2020
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Timothy Graphenreed, a longtime musical and dance arranger who composed two numbers for the beloved Broadway musical The Wiz, died March 1 at New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital. He was 68.
Graphenreed’s death was first reported today by Broadway World. A cause of death was not announced.
Last year Graphenreed completed work on an upcoming album by Broadway star and singer Lillias White. The album, titled Get Happy!, features White’s interpretations of standards, Motown hits, jazz and rock songs, and is described by Vermont’s Old Mill Recording Studio label as the “culmination of a 30-year friendship and professional collaboration between Lillias White and her musical director/accompanist, Timothy Graphenreed.” The album is dedicated to his memory.
Graphenreed provided dance arrangements for Broadway’s Leader of the Pack (1985) and Comin’ Uptown (1979), the latter a short-lived retelling of A Christmas Carol with a Black cast headed by Gregory Hines as Scrooge.
Graphenreed’s death was first reported today by Broadway World. A cause of death was not announced.
Last year Graphenreed completed work on an upcoming album by Broadway star and singer Lillias White. The album, titled Get Happy!, features White’s interpretations of standards, Motown hits, jazz and rock songs, and is described by Vermont’s Old Mill Recording Studio label as the “culmination of a 30-year friendship and professional collaboration between Lillias White and her musical director/accompanist, Timothy Graphenreed.” The album is dedicated to his memory.
Graphenreed provided dance arrangements for Broadway’s Leader of the Pack (1985) and Comin’ Uptown (1979), the latter a short-lived retelling of A Christmas Carol with a Black cast headed by Gregory Hines as Scrooge.
- 9/2/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” took a trip to the Apollo Theater in its Season 3 finale. In a new Amazon Prime Video panel honoring the legacy of the Apollo, co-star Sterling K. Brown, who plays Reggie in the third season, discusses how the show finds a way to merge the Black and Jewish experiences on the Apollo stage. “We have a shared history of struggle and performance and I think that legacy of performance comes out of struggle and oppression, the desire and the need to entertain, to put people at ease so that we can be safe,” says the Emmy-winning actor. Watch the exclusive full 36-minute video above.
Wanda Sykes, who plays stand-up comedian Moms Mabley, recalls how playing the legendary comic was just as nerve-wracking as when she herself performed at the Apollo. As she recalls thinking in her first time doing the Apollo, “If you bomb, everyone’s...
Wanda Sykes, who plays stand-up comedian Moms Mabley, recalls how playing the legendary comic was just as nerve-wracking as when she herself performed at the Apollo. As she recalls thinking in her first time doing the Apollo, “If you bomb, everyone’s...
- 8/26/2020
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
Wanda Sykes got to play comedy icon Moms Mabley on the third season of Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” The actress is an Emmy winner who has received nominations every year since 2017.
Sykes recently spoke with Gold Derby senior editor Susan Wloszczyna about her history with Mabley as a comedian, what it meant to play her and what she’s working on next. Watch the exclusive video interview above and read the complete transcript below.
SEEAmy Sherman-Palladino Interview: ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’
Gold Derby: I would guess this was a great honor for you to portray her because she was one of a kind. She’s basically the mother of Black comedians and set the standard. But I just wonder, I’m old enough to have seen her on “Ed Sullivan” and “The Smothers Brothers” but did you see her while you were a kid?
Wanda Sykes: Yes, I...
Sykes recently spoke with Gold Derby senior editor Susan Wloszczyna about her history with Mabley as a comedian, what it meant to play her and what she’s working on next. Watch the exclusive video interview above and read the complete transcript below.
SEEAmy Sherman-Palladino Interview: ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’
Gold Derby: I would guess this was a great honor for you to portray her because she was one of a kind. She’s basically the mother of Black comedians and set the standard. But I just wonder, I’m old enough to have seen her on “Ed Sullivan” and “The Smothers Brothers” but did you see her while you were a kid?
Wanda Sykes: Yes, I...
- 7/20/2020
- by Kevin Jacobsen and Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Our 75th guest! The legendary filmmaker John Sayles joins Josh and Joe to explore some of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Ulzana’s Raid (1972)
Django (1966)
The Birth Of A Nation (1915)
City Of Hope (1991)
Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980)
The Challenge (1982)
Avalanche (1978)
Eight Men Out (1988)
Piranha (1978)
The Howling (1981)
The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
The Killers (1964)
The King And I (1956)
Time Without Pity (1957)
The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)
Ben-Hur (1957)
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Two Women (1960)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Spartacus (1960)
Fixed Bayonets! (1951)
The Steel Helmet (1951)
Merrill’s Marauders (1962)
Targets (1968)
Touch Of Evil (1958)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Woodstock (1970)
Crime In The Streets (1956)
The Bad Seed (1956)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Fedora (1978)
Dune (1984)
The Cotton Club (1984)
Choose Me (1984)
Raising Arizona (1987)
El Norte (1983)
Yellow Sky (1948)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
The Irishman (2019)
A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (2019)
The Thing (1982)
Chinatown (1974)
Manhattan (1979)
Duck Amuck (1953)
Goodfellas (1990)
Humanoids Of The Deep (1980)
Cockfighter (1974)
Dynamite Women a.k.a. The Great Texas Dynamite Chase...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Ulzana’s Raid (1972)
Django (1966)
The Birth Of A Nation (1915)
City Of Hope (1991)
Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980)
The Challenge (1982)
Avalanche (1978)
Eight Men Out (1988)
Piranha (1978)
The Howling (1981)
The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
The Killers (1964)
The King And I (1956)
Time Without Pity (1957)
The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)
Ben-Hur (1957)
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Two Women (1960)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Spartacus (1960)
Fixed Bayonets! (1951)
The Steel Helmet (1951)
Merrill’s Marauders (1962)
Targets (1968)
Touch Of Evil (1958)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Woodstock (1970)
Crime In The Streets (1956)
The Bad Seed (1956)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Fedora (1978)
Dune (1984)
The Cotton Club (1984)
Choose Me (1984)
Raising Arizona (1987)
El Norte (1983)
Yellow Sky (1948)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
The Irishman (2019)
A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (2019)
The Thing (1982)
Chinatown (1974)
Manhattan (1979)
Duck Amuck (1953)
Goodfellas (1990)
Humanoids Of The Deep (1980)
Cockfighter (1974)
Dynamite Women a.k.a. The Great Texas Dynamite Chase...
- 4/7/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Paula Kelly, an actress who earned Emmy nominations for roles on NBC’s 1980s sitcom Night Court and 1989 ABC miniseries The Women of Brewster Place, died February 8 in Whittier, CA, from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She was 77.
Her death was announced by her family and Los Angeles’ Ebony Repertory Theatre.
Kelly, who was also a dancer, choreographer and singer, had her breakthrough role of Helene in Bob Fosse’s 1969 film Sweet Charity, sharing the screen with star Shirley MacLaine and Chita Rivera in such musical numbers as “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This” and the showstopper “Hey, Big Spender.” She’d already played the role in a West End stage production.
Other film credits include The Andromeda Strain (1971), Uptown Saturday Night (1974) and Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored (1995).
Kelly appeared in numerous TV series from the 1970s through the ’90s, including Sanford & Son, Medical Center, The Streets of San Francisco,...
Her death was announced by her family and Los Angeles’ Ebony Repertory Theatre.
Kelly, who was also a dancer, choreographer and singer, had her breakthrough role of Helene in Bob Fosse’s 1969 film Sweet Charity, sharing the screen with star Shirley MacLaine and Chita Rivera in such musical numbers as “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This” and the showstopper “Hey, Big Spender.” She’d already played the role in a West End stage production.
Other film credits include The Andromeda Strain (1971), Uptown Saturday Night (1974) and Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored (1995).
Kelly appeared in numerous TV series from the 1970s through the ’90s, including Sanford & Son, Medical Center, The Streets of San Francisco,...
- 2/11/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
They say you Can’t Go Home Again, but Francis Coppola has pulled a real magic trick — his 1984 gangland musical ended up heavily compromised by outright racism producers that didn’t like the half of the story that favored a black show-biz drama. All the gangster action has been retained in this impressive Encore recut, but with twenty new minutes of performances and backstage intrigues. Gregory and Maurice Hines’ tap dances are extended, and musical numbers have been restored, with the terrific Lonette McKee getting special emphasis. The show was always good, and now it’s much better.
The Cotton Club Encore
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital
Lionsgate
1984-2019 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 139 min. (originally 119) / Street Date December 10, 2019 / 14.99
Starring: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Gregory Hines, Lonette McKee, Bob Hoskins, Maurice Hines, James Remar, Nicolas Cage, Allen Garfield, Fred Gwynne, Gwen Verdon, Julian Beck, John P. Ryan.
Cinematography: Stephen Goldblatt
Production Designer: Richard Sylbert
Film Editors: Robert Q. Lovett,...
The Cotton Club Encore
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital
Lionsgate
1984-2019 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 139 min. (originally 119) / Street Date December 10, 2019 / 14.99
Starring: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Gregory Hines, Lonette McKee, Bob Hoskins, Maurice Hines, James Remar, Nicolas Cage, Allen Garfield, Fred Gwynne, Gwen Verdon, Julian Beck, John P. Ryan.
Cinematography: Stephen Goldblatt
Production Designer: Richard Sylbert
Film Editors: Robert Q. Lovett,...
- 12/24/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
In support of The Cotton Club Encore: 35th Anniversary Edition has arrived to Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD & Digital), DVD and Digital 4K Ultra HD from Lionsgate,
Here’s a new special features introduction from Francis Ford Coppola:
Francis Ford Coppola’s Academy Award®-nominated epic gets its definitive cut when The Cotton Club Encore: 35th Anniversary Edition arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD & Digital), DVD and Digital 4K Ultra HD December 10 from Lionsgate. Boasting an all-star cast, The Cotton Club Encore: 35th Anniversary Edition stars Golden Globe® winner Richard Gere (2003, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Chicago), Tony Award® winner Gregory Hines (1992, Best Actor in a Musical, Jelly’s Last Jam), Academy Award® nominee Diane Lane (2002, Best Actress, Unfaithful), NAACP Image Award® nominee Lonette McKee (1999, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, “As the World Turns”), Golden Globe® nominee Bob Hoskins...
Here’s a new special features introduction from Francis Ford Coppola:
Francis Ford Coppola’s Academy Award®-nominated epic gets its definitive cut when The Cotton Club Encore: 35th Anniversary Edition arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD & Digital), DVD and Digital 4K Ultra HD December 10 from Lionsgate. Boasting an all-star cast, The Cotton Club Encore: 35th Anniversary Edition stars Golden Globe® winner Richard Gere (2003, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Chicago), Tony Award® winner Gregory Hines (1992, Best Actor in a Musical, Jelly’s Last Jam), Academy Award® nominee Diane Lane (2002, Best Actress, Unfaithful), NAACP Image Award® nominee Lonette McKee (1999, Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, “As the World Turns”), Golden Globe® nominee Bob Hoskins...
- 12/19/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Francis Ford Coppola did not want to make another gangster film. He’d already made two of the most commercially successful, critically lauded organized-crime movies of all time, and though people kept saying he could have a lucrative career by simply churning out Godfather clones if he wanted to, the writer-director had no interest in repeating himself. In fact, when Coppola’s phone rang in the spring of 1983, the legendary filmmaker wasn’t sure he wanted to do anything close to a big blockbuster-style movie ever again. After gambling everything...
- 12/16/2019
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
The Cotton Club Encore is showing December 13, 2019 – January 11, 2020 on Mubi in the United States as part of the series Francis Ford Coppola: Reignite Cinema.Albany, New York is far from a cinephile hub but there exists a stronger network to the arts than what one would suspect. The city is synonymous with politics by being the state’s capital city and, especially if you live outside of the state, mostly associated with the setting of William Kennedy’s “Albany Cycle” novels that include his Pulitzer Prize-winning Great Depression-era masterwork, Ironweed. Kennedy, a former local newspaper journalist turned novelist, still remains a titan in the Albany area where he founded and developed, through MacArthur Foundation grant money, The Writer’s Institute with the University at Albany, State University of New York (Suny Albany) to foster local artists and help expose the area to the best of literature, non-fiction writing, journalism, theater,...
- 12/10/2019
- MUBI
Updated with Doc NYC winners, 6:30 Pm: CNN Films has acquired the documentary feature Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice and set its television premiere for New Year’s Day on CNN.
Ronstadt was 21 when she first hit the national charts with the Stone Poneys’ “Different Drum,” and her plaintive vocal leapt off the radio from the opening line. By the mid-’70s, she was cranking out smash singles and multiplatinum albums as fast as the public could consume them. Three of her LPs hit No. 1 en route to her becoming the most successful female singer of the decade.
Two-time Oscar winner Rob Epstein and Oscar nominee Jeffrey Friedman directed the docu from Greenwich Entertainment, 1091 and CNN Films and also produce alongside James Keach and Michele Farinola. Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice premieres at 9 p.m. Wednesday, January 1.
‘Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice...
Ronstadt was 21 when she first hit the national charts with the Stone Poneys’ “Different Drum,” and her plaintive vocal leapt off the radio from the opening line. By the mid-’70s, she was cranking out smash singles and multiplatinum albums as fast as the public could consume them. Three of her LPs hit No. 1 en route to her becoming the most successful female singer of the decade.
Two-time Oscar winner Rob Epstein and Oscar nominee Jeffrey Friedman directed the docu from Greenwich Entertainment, 1091 and CNN Films and also produce alongside James Keach and Michele Farinola. Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice premieres at 9 p.m. Wednesday, January 1.
‘Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice...
- 11/13/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
It feels unnatural to think of New York City without the Apollo Theater, yet more than once during the production of HBO’s “The Apollo,” Roger Ross Williams’ documentary about the Harlem landmark, the doors were in danger of closing for good.
That’s just one of many stories you’ll discover watching this exhaustive compendium of archival riches and fond first-person memories by many of the audience regulars, the star-studded acts who graced its stage, and some of the hopefuls still looking to be a part of the Apollo’s history.
Throughout “The Apollo,” Williams vacillates between the theater’s past and present, thematically connecting how some things have changed while others have stayed the same. Through the testimonies of historians and academics, as well as first-hand accounts, the director traces the history of the Apollo as one of the few venues that allowed Black performers not only on...
That’s just one of many stories you’ll discover watching this exhaustive compendium of archival riches and fond first-person memories by many of the audience regulars, the star-studded acts who graced its stage, and some of the hopefuls still looking to be a part of the Apollo’s history.
Throughout “The Apollo,” Williams vacillates between the theater’s past and present, thematically connecting how some things have changed while others have stayed the same. Through the testimonies of historians and academics, as well as first-hand accounts, the director traces the history of the Apollo as one of the few venues that allowed Black performers not only on...
- 11/5/2019
- by Monica Castillo
- The Wrap
Francis Ford Coppola, Brett Morgen, actress Ali MacGraw and many more are mourning the Monday death of Robert Evans, the legendary film producer and Paramount Pictures chief in the ’60s and ’70s.
Coppola honored Evans for his contributions to “The Godfather” films when he was at Paramount and for his help as an independent producer on Coppola’s “The Cotton Club” from 1984.
“I remember Bob Evans’ charm, good looks, enthusiasm, style, and sense of humor. He had strong instincts as evidenced by the long list of great films in his career,” Coppola said in a statement to TheWrap. “When I worked with Bob, some of his helpful ideas included suggesting John Marley as Woltz and Sterling Hayden as the Police Captain, and his ultimate realization that ‘The Godfather’ could be 2 hours and 45 minutes in length; also, making a movie out of ‘The Cotton Club’ — casting Richard Gere and Gregory Hines,...
Coppola honored Evans for his contributions to “The Godfather” films when he was at Paramount and for his help as an independent producer on Coppola’s “The Cotton Club” from 1984.
“I remember Bob Evans’ charm, good looks, enthusiasm, style, and sense of humor. He had strong instincts as evidenced by the long list of great films in his career,” Coppola said in a statement to TheWrap. “When I worked with Bob, some of his helpful ideas included suggesting John Marley as Woltz and Sterling Hayden as the Police Captain, and his ultimate realization that ‘The Godfather’ could be 2 hours and 45 minutes in length; also, making a movie out of ‘The Cotton Club’ — casting Richard Gere and Gregory Hines,...
- 10/28/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Francis Ford Coppola remembered his sometime-patron, collaborator and frenemy Robert Evans as a producer with “strong instincts” in an emotional tribute. Evans, the legendary producer and former head of Paramount Pictures, died on Saturday night at the age of 89. He played a crucial role in the creation of such film classics as “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Chinatown” and “Marathon Man.”
At Paramount, he plucked Coppola, then a rising young filmmaker, from semi-obscurity and tasked him with bringing Mario Puzo’s bestseller “The Godfather” to the screen. The two clashed frequently, but they created a beloved film that was also a box office success and Oscar winner. When they collaborated again on 1984’s “The Cotton Club,” it was not as star-crossed. That film was mired in lawsuits, budget over-runs, and competing creative visions. It became an infamous bomb that hurt both men’s careers. On Monday, however, Coppola chose to accentuate the positive aspects of their alliances.
At Paramount, he plucked Coppola, then a rising young filmmaker, from semi-obscurity and tasked him with bringing Mario Puzo’s bestseller “The Godfather” to the screen. The two clashed frequently, but they created a beloved film that was also a box office success and Oscar winner. When they collaborated again on 1984’s “The Cotton Club,” it was not as star-crossed. That film was mired in lawsuits, budget over-runs, and competing creative visions. It became an infamous bomb that hurt both men’s careers. On Monday, however, Coppola chose to accentuate the positive aspects of their alliances.
- 10/28/2019
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
In the early 1980s, Francis Ford Coppola was one of the biggest names in filmmaking. After box office and awards success with two “Godfather” films, he had also gone to hell and back making “Apocalypse Now,” betting his vineyard and personal fortune on the biggest arthouse war movie ever made, and somehow ended up winning big. He would never make another film, “Cotton Club” included, without having final cut.
And yet the story of making the original “Cotton Club” was one of the director under tremendous pressure and losing sight of his movie by making edits that compromised his original vision.
“It was a long production of a lot of warfare going on on the set, you’ve gone through a cut, a director is pretty exhausted by the time the movie is coming out,” said Coppola when he was guest on IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “And very well...
And yet the story of making the original “Cotton Club” was one of the director under tremendous pressure and losing sight of his movie by making edits that compromised his original vision.
“It was a long production of a lot of warfare going on on the set, you’ve gone through a cut, a director is pretty exhausted by the time the movie is coming out,” said Coppola when he was guest on IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “And very well...
- 10/12/2019
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Francis Ford Coppola had already cemented his Hollywood legacy after a string of critical and commercial successes in the 1970s, but discussion of his filmography seems reluctant to consider the vast body of work that proceeded. Whereas films such as The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and The Conversation heralded his expertise in transforming more conventional narrative structures and filmmaking practices, it is in his later work where one finds more revealing signs of his visionary talent.
The Cotton Club, Coppola’s sprawling tapestry of the Harlem Prohibition-era jazz scene, titled after the legendary club at its center, is simultaneously a prime example of both the filmmaker’s prowess with visual and narrative experimentation later on in his career, and of the tragic circumstances that brought about his fall from mainstream celebration. Perhaps unfairly maligned as a result of both its chaotic production and box office failings (and in spite of its...
The Cotton Club, Coppola’s sprawling tapestry of the Harlem Prohibition-era jazz scene, titled after the legendary club at its center, is simultaneously a prime example of both the filmmaker’s prowess with visual and narrative experimentation later on in his career, and of the tragic circumstances that brought about his fall from mainstream celebration. Perhaps unfairly maligned as a result of both its chaotic production and box office failings (and in spite of its...
- 10/8/2019
- by Jason Ooi
- The Film Stage
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