Susan Buckner, the actress and dancer best known for her turn as the bubbly and often-teased Rydell High cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 blockbuster musical Grease, has died. She was 72.
She died Thursday in Miami, family spokesperson Melissa Berthier announced. No cause of death was revealed.
Buckner portrayed Hollywood bad girl Jean Harlow alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the 1977 CBS telefilm The Amazing Howard Hughes and was one of the dancers/synchronized swimmers known as the Kroffettes on The Brady Bunch Hour (the 1976-77 ABC variety show was created by Sid and Marty Krofft). She also starred opposite Sharon Stone in Wes Craven’s Deadly Blessing (1981).
In Grease, directed by Randal Kleiser at Paramount, Buckner’s Patty convinces Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy Olsson, a new student, to try out for the cheerleading squad. She often is the butt of jokes from the Pink Ladies and T-Birds and called the “bad...
She died Thursday in Miami, family spokesperson Melissa Berthier announced. No cause of death was revealed.
Buckner portrayed Hollywood bad girl Jean Harlow alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the 1977 CBS telefilm The Amazing Howard Hughes and was one of the dancers/synchronized swimmers known as the Kroffettes on The Brady Bunch Hour (the 1976-77 ABC variety show was created by Sid and Marty Krofft). She also starred opposite Sharon Stone in Wes Craven’s Deadly Blessing (1981).
In Grease, directed by Randal Kleiser at Paramount, Buckner’s Patty convinces Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy Olsson, a new student, to try out for the cheerleading squad. She often is the butt of jokes from the Pink Ladies and T-Birds and called the “bad...
- 5/7/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Susan Buckner, renowned for her portrayal of cheerleader Patty Simcox in the iconic movie Grease, has died at the age of 72.
Melissa Berthier, a spokesperson for the family, confirmed that Buckner passed away peacefully on May 2, surrounded by loved ones.
The cause of her death has not been disclosed.
Buckner’s daughter, Samantha Mansfield, shared with People magazine, “The light she brought into every room will be missed forever. She was magic, and I was very lucky to call her my best friend.”
Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1952, Buckner initially gained attention as a beauty pageant queen, winning the title of Miss Washington in 1971 and placing in the top ten at the Miss America pageant in 1972.
Her journey into entertainment commenced with appearances on popular variety shows like The Dean Martin Show and The Mac Davis Show.
Susan Buckner starred alongside John Travolta in Grease
In 1977, Buckner landed the role of Patty Simcox in Grease,...
Melissa Berthier, a spokesperson for the family, confirmed that Buckner passed away peacefully on May 2, surrounded by loved ones.
The cause of her death has not been disclosed.
Buckner’s daughter, Samantha Mansfield, shared with People magazine, “The light she brought into every room will be missed forever. She was magic, and I was very lucky to call her my best friend.”
Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1952, Buckner initially gained attention as a beauty pageant queen, winning the title of Miss Washington in 1971 and placing in the top ten at the Miss America pageant in 1972.
Her journey into entertainment commenced with appearances on popular variety shows like The Dean Martin Show and The Mac Davis Show.
Susan Buckner starred alongside John Travolta in Grease
In 1977, Buckner landed the role of Patty Simcox in Grease,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Frank Yemi
- Monsters and Critics
Susan Buckner, best known to moviegoers as Grease‘s bubbly cheerleader Patty Simcox, died peacefully surrounded by loved ones in Miami on May 2.
Her death was announced by family.
Buckner’s Grease character was the Rydell High cheerleading pal of Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy. The 1978 film also starred John Travolta and Stockard Channing.
Born on January 28, 1952, in Seattle, Washington, Buckner was crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and represented the state in the Miss America pageant the following year. Soon after, she became one of The Dean Martin Show’s Golddiggers dancers, and that led her to become part of the all-girl group Fantasy and the musical duo Buckner and Pratt.
She also appeared on such variety shows as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and, as a dancer and synchronized swimmer, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
In 1977, she landed her signature role of perky Patty Simcox, Grease‘s embodiment of pep and school spirit.
Her death was announced by family.
Buckner’s Grease character was the Rydell High cheerleading pal of Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy. The 1978 film also starred John Travolta and Stockard Channing.
Born on January 28, 1952, in Seattle, Washington, Buckner was crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and represented the state in the Miss America pageant the following year. Soon after, she became one of The Dean Martin Show’s Golddiggers dancers, and that led her to become part of the all-girl group Fantasy and the musical duo Buckner and Pratt.
She also appeared on such variety shows as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and, as a dancer and synchronized swimmer, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
In 1977, she landed her signature role of perky Patty Simcox, Grease‘s embodiment of pep and school spirit.
- 5/7/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
April Ferry, the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning costume designer known for her work on Big Trouble in Little China, Maverick, Rome and Game of Thrones, died Thursday, the Costume Designers Guild announced. She was 91.
Ferry, who graduated to costume designer on Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983), collaborated with John Hughes on Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), She’s Having a Baby (1988) and Flubber (1997) and with Jonathan Mostow on U-571 (2000), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Surrogates (2009).
She received her Academy Award nom for Richard Donner’s reimagining of Maverick (1994) — she lost out to Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Oscar night — and won her Emmy in 2006 for HBO’s Rome.
Her résumé also included Made in Heaven (1987), Child’s Play (1988), The Babe (1992), Donner’s Radio Flyer (1992), Unlawful Entry (1992), Free Willy (1993), Beethoven’s 2nd (1993), Little Giants (1994), Donnie Darko (2001), Elysium (2013), RoboCop (2014) and Jurassic World (2015).
In 2014, she...
Ferry, who graduated to costume designer on Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983), collaborated with John Hughes on Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), She’s Having a Baby (1988) and Flubber (1997) and with Jonathan Mostow on U-571 (2000), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Surrogates (2009).
She received her Academy Award nom for Richard Donner’s reimagining of Maverick (1994) — she lost out to Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Oscar night — and won her Emmy in 2006 for HBO’s Rome.
Her résumé also included Made in Heaven (1987), Child’s Play (1988), The Babe (1992), Donner’s Radio Flyer (1992), Unlawful Entry (1992), Free Willy (1993), Beethoven’s 2nd (1993), Little Giants (1994), Donnie Darko (2001), Elysium (2013), RoboCop (2014) and Jurassic World (2015).
In 2014, she...
- 1/12/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Shecky Greene, the legendary standup comedian known for his long tenure as a Las Vegas headliner and for working with Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, died Dec. 31 at his home in the city. He was 97.
Greene’s wife of 41 years, Marie Musso Greene, confirmed his death to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Greene was a regular on the TV talk show and guest star circuit in his 1960s and ’70s heyday, when he often sported a comb-over haircut and wide-lapel suits. Earlier in his career, he came to represent the epitome of the Rat Pack-adjacent comedian in a tux, delivering lightly risque or edgy anecdotal stories and zingers on stage.
Greene was known for his many appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and for working as the opening act for Sinatra in Miami and Presley in Las Vegas. During the 1962-63 season, he played a recurring character on the...
Greene’s wife of 41 years, Marie Musso Greene, confirmed his death to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Greene was a regular on the TV talk show and guest star circuit in his 1960s and ’70s heyday, when he often sported a comb-over haircut and wide-lapel suits. Earlier in his career, he came to represent the epitome of the Rat Pack-adjacent comedian in a tux, delivering lightly risque or edgy anecdotal stories and zingers on stage.
Greene was known for his many appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and for working as the opening act for Sinatra in Miami and Presley in Las Vegas. During the 1962-63 season, he played a recurring character on the...
- 12/31/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Helen Grayco, the pop singer and actress who appeared on records, tours, radio programs and TV shows as a classy contrast to her zany bandleader husband, Spike Jones, has died. She was 97.
Grayco died Saturday of cancer at her home in Los Angeles, her son, longtime Creative Arts Emmy Awards producer Spike Jones Jr., told The Hollywood Reporter.
Jones Sr. was about to embark on a tour with his City Slickers bandmates when he approached Grayco with a job offer after watching her perform with Stan Kenton’s orchestra at the Hollywood Palladium in 1946.
“I was terribly insulted when Spike first asked to hire me,” Grayco recalled in a 2009 interview. “He had just done ‘Cocktails for Two’ and all that stuff that he was known for. ‘I don’t know where I could possibly fit in in your group. I’m not a comedienne,...
Helen Grayco, the pop singer and actress who appeared on records, tours, radio programs and TV shows as a classy contrast to her zany bandleader husband, Spike Jones, has died. She was 97.
Grayco died Saturday of cancer at her home in Los Angeles, her son, longtime Creative Arts Emmy Awards producer Spike Jones Jr., told The Hollywood Reporter.
Jones Sr. was about to embark on a tour with his City Slickers bandmates when he approached Grayco with a job offer after watching her perform with Stan Kenton’s orchestra at the Hollywood Palladium in 1946.
“I was terribly insulted when Spike first asked to hire me,” Grayco recalled in a 2009 interview. “He had just done ‘Cocktails for Two’ and all that stuff that he was known for. ‘I don’t know where I could possibly fit in in your group. I’m not a comedienne,...
- 8/23/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Robert Fletcher, a costumer designer whose more than six decades of credits on screen and the Broadway stage included the first four Star Trek films, died April 5 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was 98.
A cause of death was not disclosed, but a spokesman for the three-time Tony-nominated Fletcher said the designer died peacefully.
Fletcher’s work on the Star Trek films – Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home – earned him three Saturn Awards nominations including a win in 1987 for the fourth film in the series. He was especially remembered for establishing the look and style of the movie franchise’s Klingon and Vulcan characters.
For the stage, Fletcher designed sets and costumes for Lincoln Kirstein’s ballet and opera projects, worked with Jerome Robbins, designed the costumes for the original Broadway productions of...
A cause of death was not disclosed, but a spokesman for the three-time Tony-nominated Fletcher said the designer died peacefully.
Fletcher’s work on the Star Trek films – Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home – earned him three Saturn Awards nominations including a win in 1987 for the fourth film in the series. He was especially remembered for establishing the look and style of the movie franchise’s Klingon and Vulcan characters.
For the stage, Fletcher designed sets and costumes for Lincoln Kirstein’s ballet and opera projects, worked with Jerome Robbins, designed the costumes for the original Broadway productions of...
- 4/14/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Fred Willard, best known for his roles in Best in Show, This Is Spinal Tap, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Modern Family, died of natural causes at the age of 86, according to Variety.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news my father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old,” his daughter Hope Willard tweeted on Saturday. “He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever.”
Willard first came into national consciousness as the sidekick to Martin Mull’s host on the nightly Fernwood 2 Night. He is well known as part of the revolving troupe of actors – including Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy – assembled by director Christopher Guest.
“How lucky that we all got to enjoy Fred Willard’s gifts,” Guest’s wife,...
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news my father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old,” his daughter Hope Willard tweeted on Saturday. “He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever.”
Willard first came into national consciousness as the sidekick to Martin Mull’s host on the nightly Fernwood 2 Night. He is well known as part of the revolving troupe of actors – including Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy – assembled by director Christopher Guest.
“How lucky that we all got to enjoy Fred Willard’s gifts,” Guest’s wife,...
- 5/17/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Fred Willard, comedic actor best known for “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Best in Show” and “Waiting for Guffman,” and, most recently as Phil Dunphy’s father on “Modern Family,” died Friday night of natural causes. He was 86.
“My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old. He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end,” his daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement. “We loved him so very much!”
Willard was a master at playing characters who weren’t the brightest of bulbs, a feat he perfected in Rob Reiner’s “This Is Spinal Tap,” along with a number of Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, including “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind” and “For Your Consideration.”
Also Read: Lynn Shelton, Director of 'Mad Men' and 'Glow' Episodes, Dies at 54
Guest’s wife, Jamie Lee Curtis,...
“My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old. He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end,” his daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement. “We loved him so very much!”
Willard was a master at playing characters who weren’t the brightest of bulbs, a feat he perfected in Rob Reiner’s “This Is Spinal Tap,” along with a number of Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, including “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind” and “For Your Consideration.”
Also Read: Lynn Shelton, Director of 'Mad Men' and 'Glow' Episodes, Dies at 54
Guest’s wife, Jamie Lee Curtis,...
- 5/16/2020
- by Rosemary Rossi
- The Wrap
William F. Brown, whose libretto for Broadway’s The Wiz earned him a Tony Award nomination, died yesterday in Westport, Ct, according to his wife and collaborator Tina Tippit. Brown was 91.
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 16, 1928, Brown attended Princeton University, wrote for Look Magazine, served a year in the U.S. Army, and, from 1952-54 was a TV producer for the advertising agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborne (Bbdo), all before launching the freelance writing career that would include contributing comedy sketches and lyrics to nine of cabaret producer Julius Monk’s revues in New York and Chicago through the 1950s and ’60s.
Brown’s Broadway debut came when his play The Girl in the Freudian Slip opened at the Booth Theatre on May 18, 1967. The contemporary comedy about a married psychiatrist who finds himself attracted to a patient ran only four performances but is remembered as the first...
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 16, 1928, Brown attended Princeton University, wrote for Look Magazine, served a year in the U.S. Army, and, from 1952-54 was a TV producer for the advertising agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborne (Bbdo), all before launching the freelance writing career that would include contributing comedy sketches and lyrics to nine of cabaret producer Julius Monk’s revues in New York and Chicago through the 1950s and ’60s.
Brown’s Broadway debut came when his play The Girl in the Freudian Slip opened at the Booth Theatre on May 18, 1967. The contemporary comedy about a married psychiatrist who finds himself attracted to a patient ran only four performances but is remembered as the first...
- 6/24/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Long before she was a teenage actress holding her snarky own in Roseanne, before heading a panel of women sharing their perspectives on The Talk, and before the Roseanne reboot reconfigured into The Conners, Sara Gilbert found her voice as a performer.
Specifically, during an elementary school performance of The Wizard of Oz, the five-year-old Gilbert was cast as Toto, which sparked an improvisational chord. “When we were doing it, I decided to start barking at random times during the play, and every time I would bark, people would laugh,” Gilbert recalls. “That was me figuring out that I could do comedy.”
Showbusiness was the family trade: among other credits, her maternal grandfather Harry Crane developed The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason and brought the celebrity roast concept to The Dean Martin Show. And half-siblings Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert were child stars on Little House on the Prairie, collecting crew gifts...
Specifically, during an elementary school performance of The Wizard of Oz, the five-year-old Gilbert was cast as Toto, which sparked an improvisational chord. “When we were doing it, I decided to start barking at random times during the play, and every time I would bark, people would laugh,” Gilbert recalls. “That was me figuring out that I could do comedy.”
Showbusiness was the family trade: among other credits, her maternal grandfather Harry Crane developed The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason and brought the celebrity roast concept to The Dean Martin Show. And half-siblings Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert were child stars on Little House on the Prairie, collecting crew gifts...
- 6/7/2019
- by Scott Huver
- Deadline Film + TV
Paranoia is a hell of a drug; feeding on your insecurities until you crumble in a mess of shattered nerves and broken reality. Such is the case with The Brotherhood of the Bell (1970), a tautly wound conspiracy thriller that plays like a top-tier satanic cult TV movie.
Originally broadcast as part of The CBS Thursday Night Movies, Bell was beat by NBC’s Ironside/The Dean Martin Show line-up, but for fans of first rate suspense, the Eye saw all that night.
Let’s open up our ear-marked TV Guide to see what secrets lurk therein:
The Brotherhood Of The Bell
The secret society that a college professor belongs to will stop at nothing to silence him before he tells the world the truth about their insidious dealings. Glenn Ford, Dean Jagger star.
The telefilm opens with Professor Andy Patterson (Ford – Happy Birthday to Me) arriving at a secluded estate,...
Originally broadcast as part of The CBS Thursday Night Movies, Bell was beat by NBC’s Ironside/The Dean Martin Show line-up, but for fans of first rate suspense, the Eye saw all that night.
Let’s open up our ear-marked TV Guide to see what secrets lurk therein:
The Brotherhood Of The Bell
The secret society that a college professor belongs to will stop at nothing to silence him before he tells the world the truth about their insidious dealings. Glenn Ford, Dean Jagger star.
The telefilm opens with Professor Andy Patterson (Ford – Happy Birthday to Me) arriving at a secluded estate,...
- 5/26/2019
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Lee Hale, whose love of 20th century music enhanced The Dean Martin Show and its spin-off, The Golddiggers, has died. He was 96 and passed at his home in Beverly Hills on May 10.
Hale was a six-time Emmy nominee who became the musical director for The Dean Martin Show and later helmed the popular celebrity roast specials hosted by Martin. He joined the program in 1965 and remained on board until it ended in 1974. He was recruited by show director Greg Garrison to step up the show’s music, and Hale contributed with original songs, jingles and other works drawn from his knowledge of 20th century popular music. Irving Berlin gave him the rare honor of allowing his songs to be used in the show, something he rarely granted to others.
Hale was born March 25, 1923 in Tacoma, Washington. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he...
Hale was a six-time Emmy nominee who became the musical director for The Dean Martin Show and later helmed the popular celebrity roast specials hosted by Martin. He joined the program in 1965 and remained on board until it ended in 1974. He was recruited by show director Greg Garrison to step up the show’s music, and Hale contributed with original songs, jingles and other works drawn from his knowledge of 20th century popular music. Irving Berlin gave him the rare honor of allowing his songs to be used in the show, something he rarely granted to others.
Hale was born March 25, 1923 in Tacoma, Washington. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he...
- 5/18/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Lee Hale, a five-time Emmy nominee who served as the musical director of The Dean Martin Show and produced the wildly popular celebrity roasts hosted by the entertainer, has died. He was 96.
Hale died May 10 at his home in Beverly Hills, Michael B. Schnitzer, editor and publisher of The Golddiggers Super Site, told The Hollywood Reporter. He had a leg amputated last year during a bout with cancer.
Recruited by director Greg Garrison, Hale joined NBC's The Dean Martin Show shortly after it debuted in September 1965 and remained with the program through its 1974 conclusion. He ...
Hale died May 10 at his home in Beverly Hills, Michael B. Schnitzer, editor and publisher of The Golddiggers Super Site, told The Hollywood Reporter. He had a leg amputated last year during a bout with cancer.
Recruited by director Greg Garrison, Hale joined NBC's The Dean Martin Show shortly after it debuted in September 1965 and remained with the program through its 1974 conclusion. He ...
- 5/17/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Morgana King, who is best known for playing Marlon Brando’s wife in Godfather I & II, died March 22 from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She was 87.
According to the Washington Post, her death was not previously reported. The Riverside County coroner’s office confirmed her death.
Born Maria Grazia Messina on June 4, 1930, in Pleasantville, NY, she grew up with five siblings in New York City. Her parents were from Italy. She was recognized for her singing talents at a young age and continued to hone her skills which led to a scholarship at the Metropolitan School of Music.
For more than 50 years, King was a jazz singer who performed in clubs and recorded nearly 20 albums. Her talent was admired by such greats as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington and opera star Eileen Farrell. In 1964, she received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist.
She performed on The Andy Williams Show...
According to the Washington Post, her death was not previously reported. The Riverside County coroner’s office confirmed her death.
Born Maria Grazia Messina on June 4, 1930, in Pleasantville, NY, she grew up with five siblings in New York City. Her parents were from Italy. She was recognized for her singing talents at a young age and continued to hone her skills which led to a scholarship at the Metropolitan School of Music.
For more than 50 years, King was a jazz singer who performed in clubs and recorded nearly 20 albums. Her talent was admired by such greats as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington and opera star Eileen Farrell. In 1964, she received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist.
She performed on The Andy Williams Show...
- 8/15/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Back in 1964 a lot of people still thought dolphins were fish, but by the time this TV show was finished, we all knew that our happy undersea friend was smarter than the average bear and lives in a world full of wonder. Ivan Tors’ grandly successful Florida-shot family show kept a lot of seagoing movie veterans in green seaweed, including both original ‘Creature’ Gill Men.
Flipper, Season One
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1964-65 / Color / 1:33 flat TV / 780 min. / Street Date August 29, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 39.95
Starring: Brian Kelly, Luke Halpin, Tommy Norden.
Cinematography: Clifford H. Poland Jr., Lamar Boren
Original Music: Henry Vars, song by
Written by: Jack Cowden, Ricou Browning, Peter L. Dixon, Laird Koenig, Stanley H. Silverman, Orville H. Hampton, Lee Erwin, Art Arthur, Jess Carneol, Key Lenard, Ivan Tors, Alan Caillou, Arthur Richards, Robert Sabaroff.
Produced by Ivan Tors, Ricou Browning, Leon Benson, Andrew Marton
Directed by: Ricou Browning,...
Flipper, Season One
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1964-65 / Color / 1:33 flat TV / 780 min. / Street Date August 29, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 39.95
Starring: Brian Kelly, Luke Halpin, Tommy Norden.
Cinematography: Clifford H. Poland Jr., Lamar Boren
Original Music: Henry Vars, song by
Written by: Jack Cowden, Ricou Browning, Peter L. Dixon, Laird Koenig, Stanley H. Silverman, Orville H. Hampton, Lee Erwin, Art Arthur, Jess Carneol, Key Lenard, Ivan Tors, Alan Caillou, Arthur Richards, Robert Sabaroff.
Produced by Ivan Tors, Ricou Browning, Leon Benson, Andrew Marton
Directed by: Ricou Browning,...
- 9/4/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The 21st Annual Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Awards ceremony was billed as a “Return to Hollywood.” Backdrops from classic films dotted the interior of the Ray Dolby Ballroom lobby. Johnny Crawford and his Orchestra kicked off the evening’s festivities with “Hooray for Hollywood.” Even a handful of the evening’s big winners were films that fit the theme perfectly.
As expected, “La La Land” continued its storybook run through awards season, with David Wasco’s team winning for Contemporary Film. In an upset, Wynn Thomas and the team from “Hidden Figures” took home honors in Period Film, despite “Hail, Caesar!” being the only of the category’s nominees to also pick up a nom for Oscars night. “It’s been a long journey to this moment,” said Thomas, who described being nominated at the very first Art Directors Guild award for “Mars Attacks!” “I’m so...
As expected, “La La Land” continued its storybook run through awards season, with David Wasco’s team winning for Contemporary Film. In an upset, Wynn Thomas and the team from “Hidden Figures” took home honors in Period Film, despite “Hail, Caesar!” being the only of the category’s nominees to also pick up a nom for Oscars night. “It’s been a long journey to this moment,” said Thomas, who described being nominated at the very first Art Directors Guild award for “Mars Attacks!” “I’m so...
- 2/12/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
[Brightcove "4804745844001" "" "" "auto"] Frank Sinatra Jr., who not only carried his father's name but his musical legacy as well, has died, his family announced Wednesday. He was 72. In a statement to the Associated Press, the family said that the musician died unexpectedly on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack while touring in Daytona Beach, Florida. The statement said that the family was in mourning over the passing of their son, brother, father and uncle. The family has not released any further details. Sinatra released seven albums during his life, and appeared on multiple TV shows, including The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Dean Martin Show.
- 3/17/2016
- by Naja Rayne, @najarayne
- PEOPLE.com
There are the 1960s, and then there is "the Sixties," and they only overlap to a degree. Popular culture and popular history have turned the Sixties in America into a dreamscape of mop-topped British invaders, painted hippies, an escalating war in Vietnam, a moon landing, and massive social unrest. But before the rise of the flower children, there were men in suits and short haircuts, women in conservative dresses, and chaste movie musicals dominating at the box office. And it's not like the counterculture obliterated the culture that had already existed. The psychedelic-inflected comedy of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" was the highest rated show of the 1968-69 season, but the top 10 also included "Gomer Pyle," "Bonanza," "Mayberry Rfd," "Family Affair," "Gunsmoke," "The Dean Martin Show," "Here's Lucy" and "The Beverly Hillbillies." In 1969, the same year that The Beatles released "Abbey Road" and The Rolling Stones presented "Let It Bleed," aging Rat Pack...
- 4/2/2015
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Chip Zien on December 5 and 11. Broadway favorite Chip Zien is much beloved on the Great White Way for creating the roles of the Baker in Into the Woods and Mendel in Falsettos. Now, 54 Below proudly presents his swinging cabaret debut Expect some wild jazz standards as well as tunes that trace his brilliant stage career, including special personal favorites from shows that include Grand Hotel, Merrily, Sweeney Todd, The Big Knife, In Trousers and The Dean Martin Show, among many others. Join Chip and his oversized band for two very special performances only - no more riddles, no more jests...
- 12/2/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
There's great news for Dean Martin fans and lovers of classic comedy. Star Vista Entertainment/Time Life have released the entire broadcast collection of Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. These shows were "must-sees" in their original telecasts in the 1970s, as an astonishing array of Hollywood and political legends came together on stage to roast the man or woman being "honored". Taking on the format of a Friar's Roast (without the obscenities), the shows became extraordinarily popular as off-shoots of Dean Martin's long-running variety hour on NBC. Each roast was held before a large live audience in Las Vegas and no "honoree" emerged unscathed. The packaging warns that in today's politically correct society, much of the racially-charged humor might seem shocking but keep in mind, this was the norm in the day with comedians, both black and white, taking good-natured pot-shots at each other. Additionally, people who were arch political...
- 11/5/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Los Angeles – Jonathan Winters, one of the most influential comedians of the past two generations, has died of natural causes on April 11th at his home in Montecito, California. His characteristic schizophrenic comic style inspired modern funnymen like Robin Williams, George Carlin and Jim Carrey. He was 87 years old.
The career of Jonathan Winters spanned from 1948 to the present, during which his freaky, energetic expression of humor had its own unique form. A fixture on such legendary television shows such as “The Tonight Show” (with both Jack Paar and Johnny Carson), “The Dean Martin Show” and “Hollywood Squares,” Winters would often appear as his alter ego Maude Frickert, a sharp tongued old lady character. It wasn’t just an act, as during his early career he spent time in mental institutions, and was diagnosed with manic depression.
Jonathan Winters as Lennie Pike in ‘It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad...
The career of Jonathan Winters spanned from 1948 to the present, during which his freaky, energetic expression of humor had its own unique form. A fixture on such legendary television shows such as “The Tonight Show” (with both Jack Paar and Johnny Carson), “The Dean Martin Show” and “Hollywood Squares,” Winters would often appear as his alter ego Maude Frickert, a sharp tongued old lady character. It wasn’t just an act, as during his early career he spent time in mental institutions, and was diagnosed with manic depression.
Jonathan Winters as Lennie Pike in ‘It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad...
- 4/12/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Legendary comedian Jonathan Winters died of natural causes in Montecito, California on Friday. He was 87 years old.Winters' career started in radio, and he was one of the first big television stars. One of his most beloved characters was Maude Frickert, a seemingly sweet old lady with a sharp tongue. He also played Mork and Mindy's son Mearth in the final season of the eponymous show.His humor and improv skills made him a popular guest on many shows, from "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," "The Dean Martin Show," "Hee Haw," and "The Hollywood Squares."Winters' also voiced Papa Smurf in "The Smurfs" cartoon, and reprised the role in the recent movies.Stars took to twitter to pay their respects:Dick Van Dyke @iammrvandyThe first time I saw Jonathan Winters perform, I thought I might as well quit the business. Because, I could never be as brilliant.Dick Van Dyke...
- 4/12/2013
- by tooFab Staff
- TooFab
Mickey Rose, a childhood friend and former writing partner of Woody Allen, died Sunday (April 7), the La Times reports. He was 77 years old. As children, Rose and Allen bonded over their loves of baseball, jazz and movies.
As an adult, Rose is credited as a writer on three of Allen's movies: 1966's "What's Up, Tiger Lily?," 1969's "Take the Money and Run," and 1971's "Bananas." After his work with Allen, Rose moved on to write for television. He penned episodes of several classic shows, including "All in the Family," "The Dean Martin Comedy Hour," and "The Odd Couple."
His last writing credit came in the late 1980s, with two episodes of "227." Though Rose stepped back from comedy writing, he stayed in touch with Allen through the years, his family says. In a statement from Allen, the writer-director speaks highly of his friend, saying, "Mickey was one of the funniest humans I know,...
As an adult, Rose is credited as a writer on three of Allen's movies: 1966's "What's Up, Tiger Lily?," 1969's "Take the Money and Run," and 1971's "Bananas." After his work with Allen, Rose moved on to write for television. He penned episodes of several classic shows, including "All in the Family," "The Dean Martin Comedy Hour," and "The Odd Couple."
His last writing credit came in the late 1980s, with two episodes of "227." Though Rose stepped back from comedy writing, he stayed in touch with Allen through the years, his family says. In a statement from Allen, the writer-director speaks highly of his friend, saying, "Mickey was one of the funniest humans I know,...
- 4/12/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Community, Season 3, Episode 17, “Basic Lupine Urology”
Written by Megan Ganz
Directed by Rob Schrab
Airs Thursdays at 8pm Et on NBC
“Basic Lupine Urology” (an odd title at first until you remember the creator of Law & Order is named Dick Wolf) is light on the character development Community has been trading in of late, but in terms of sheer hilarity it’s easily the funniest episode since “Remedial Chaos Theory.” It’s also one of the strongest direct parodies the show has done, so steeped in the language of Law & Order that only its naivete keeps it from feeling like a product of the franchise. The classic “clang Clang” sound and title cards naturally accompany scene changes but there are subtler touches; Troy’s pained expression when he learns the murdered yam was just about to bloom, the twist ending as our detectives learn of Starburns’ fate.
Just when you...
Written by Megan Ganz
Directed by Rob Schrab
Airs Thursdays at 8pm Et on NBC
“Basic Lupine Urology” (an odd title at first until you remember the creator of Law & Order is named Dick Wolf) is light on the character development Community has been trading in of late, but in terms of sheer hilarity it’s easily the funniest episode since “Remedial Chaos Theory.” It’s also one of the strongest direct parodies the show has done, so steeped in the language of Law & Order that only its naivete keeps it from feeling like a product of the franchise. The classic “clang Clang” sound and title cards naturally accompany scene changes but there are subtler touches; Troy’s pained expression when he learns the murdered yam was just about to bloom, the twist ending as our detectives learn of Starburns’ fate.
Just when you...
- 4/27/2012
- by Justin Wier
- SoundOnSight
Regis Philbin says he never expects to return to "Live!," the show he recently departed from after 28 years on the air.
"I don't think so, I gotta move on, moving on to another show," Regis told Access Hollywood Live's Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Wednesday, as he promoted his new memoir, "How I Got This Way."
As for that next project, the television legend said he has a fondness for variety shows, most especially one he was once a part of -- "The Dean Martin Show."
"Something you guys (NBC) had big success with years ...
Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"I don't think so, I gotta move on, moving on to another show," Regis told Access Hollywood Live's Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Wednesday, as he promoted his new memoir, "How I Got This Way."
As for that next project, the television legend said he has a fondness for variety shows, most especially one he was once a part of -- "The Dean Martin Show."
"Something you guys (NBC) had big success with years ...
Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
- 11/30/2011
- by nobody@accesshollywood.com (AccessHollywood.com Editorial Staff)
- Access Hollywood
With the new television season upon us, and with this sensational season of Mad Men so top of mind, we were struck by the following thought: Would Mad Men’s Sally Draper, noted TV afficianado, be interested in previewing the new Fall TV season that’s about to start in her world of 1965? “Sure!” said the cute little couch potato.”But we gotta make it fast, because I got therapy in an hour, and The Witch only lets me have five minutes of phone time a day, and my boyfriend Glen hasn’t called yet to breathe heavily into my ear.
- 9/17/2010
- by Jeff Jensen
- EW.com - PopWatch
Robert Culp may have portrayed a secret government agent on TV, but there's one thing he never spied on his mantle at home: an Emmy or Golden Globe. Before his death today at age 79, Robert Culp was nominated by both of those awards, but he had bad luck. Actually, he had really bad luck at the Emmys considering that he lost best drama actor three years in a row (1966-68) to his "I Spy" costar Bill Cosby. Culp was also nominated once for writing (1967), losing to Bruce Geller ("Mission: Impossible"). That other hit espionage TV series, "Mission:Impossible," out-gunned "I Spy" twice in the battle over best drama series (1967, 1968). In 1966, "I Spy" lost to "The Fugitive."
Both Bill Cosby and Robert Culp lost best TV actor at the Golden Globes in 1967 to Dean Martin ("The Dean Martin Show"), but "I Spy" won best TV show that same year. Culp isn't listed...
Both Bill Cosby and Robert Culp lost best TV actor at the Golden Globes in 1967 to Dean Martin ("The Dean Martin Show"), but "I Spy" won best TV show that same year. Culp isn't listed...
- 3/25/2010
- by tomoneil
- Gold Derby
Peter Graves who starred as Jim Phelps on the hit TV series "Mission Impossible," and more recently served as alternating host of the A&E series "Biography," has died.
The actor died Sunday of an apparent heart attack outside his Los Angeles home, a week away from his 84th birthday.
Graves was the younger brother of "Gunsmoke" star James Arness, a TV icon from the '50s. Graves is perhaps also best remembered by Baby Boomers as the ranch owner on the popular Saturday morning TV series, "Fury," the adventures of a boy and his horse. More recently, Graves was featured in the opening scene of "Men in Black II."
Playing against his image as a tall, silver-haired authority figure, Graves co-starred as Captain Oveur in the zany comedies "Airplane!" (1980) and "Airplane II: The Sequel" (1982). Along with such serious acting figures as Robert Stack and, at the time, Leslie Nielsen,...
The actor died Sunday of an apparent heart attack outside his Los Angeles home, a week away from his 84th birthday.
Graves was the younger brother of "Gunsmoke" star James Arness, a TV icon from the '50s. Graves is perhaps also best remembered by Baby Boomers as the ranch owner on the popular Saturday morning TV series, "Fury," the adventures of a boy and his horse. More recently, Graves was featured in the opening scene of "Men in Black II."
Playing against his image as a tall, silver-haired authority figure, Graves co-starred as Captain Oveur in the zany comedies "Airplane!" (1980) and "Airplane II: The Sequel" (1982). Along with such serious acting figures as Robert Stack and, at the time, Leslie Nielsen,...
- 3/14/2010
- by By Duane Byrge
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kathryn Grayson, the lilting soprano who starred in the classic MGM musicals "Show Boat," "Kiss Me Kate" and "Anchors Aweigh," died Wednesday at her Los Angeles home. She turned 88 last week.Grayson's longtime companion and secretary, Sally Sherman, said Thursday that the actress died of natural causes.Grayson also was professionally linked with Howard Keel, with whom she co-starred in three movies. With him, Grayson sang and acted as the riverboat belle Magnolia in "Show Boat" (1951); as a Parisian dress shop owner in "Lovely to Look At" (1952) -- in which she sang Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" -- and as a high-strung actress in "Kiss Me Kate" (1953). Later in their careers, Grayson and Keel performed together in nightclubs -- she was a coloratura soprano, he was a baritone -- and toured in summer stock.Born as Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick on Feb. 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, N.C., she...
- 2/18/2010
- backstage.com
Kathryn Grayson, the lilting soprano who starred in the classic MGM musicals "Show Boat," "Kiss Me Kate" and "Anchors Aweigh," died Wednesday at her Los Angeles home. She turned 88 last week.
Grayson's longtime companion and secretary, Sally Sherman, said Thursday that the actress died of natural causes.
Grayson also was professionally linked with Howard Keel, with whom she co-starred in three movies. With him, Grayson sang and acted as the riverboat belle Magnolia in "Show Boat" (1951); as a Parisian dress shop owner in "Lovely to Look At" (1952) -- in which she sang Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" -- and as a high-strung actress in "Kiss Me Kate" (1953).
Later in their careers, Grayson and Keel performed together in nightclubs -- she was a coloratura soprano, he was a baritone -- and toured in summer stock.
Born as Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick on Feb. 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, N.C., she...
Grayson's longtime companion and secretary, Sally Sherman, said Thursday that the actress died of natural causes.
Grayson also was professionally linked with Howard Keel, with whom she co-starred in three movies. With him, Grayson sang and acted as the riverboat belle Magnolia in "Show Boat" (1951); as a Parisian dress shop owner in "Lovely to Look At" (1952) -- in which she sang Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" -- and as a high-strung actress in "Kiss Me Kate" (1953).
Later in their careers, Grayson and Keel performed together in nightclubs -- she was a coloratura soprano, he was a baritone -- and toured in summer stock.
Born as Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick on Feb. 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, N.C., she...
- 2/18/2010
- by By Duane Byrge
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
By Wrap Staff
Character actor Lou Jacobi, who worked extensively in television and appeared in several key films, has died at the age of 95.
The Canadian-born actor's long list of TV appearances included "St. Elsewhere," "Cagney & Lacy," ''The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," "Love, American Style," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" and "Playhouse 90." He was a regular on "The Dean Martin Show."
His film credits included "Avalon," "Arthur," "My Favorite Year" and "I.Q." He appeared in both the film...
Character actor Lou Jacobi, who worked extensively in television and appeared in several key films, has died at the age of 95.
The Canadian-born actor's long list of TV appearances included "St. Elsewhere," "Cagney & Lacy," ''The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," "Love, American Style," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" and "Playhouse 90." He was a regular on "The Dean Martin Show."
His film credits included "Avalon," "Arthur," "My Favorite Year" and "I.Q." He appeared in both the film...
- 10/25/2009
- by Glenn Abel
- The Wrap
Comedian and actor Dom DeLuise died Monday night, passing away in his sleep after a long illness. He was 75. With a stage, film and television career spanning 50 years, Dom is remembered for his comedic film roles starring opposite his best friend Burt Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) and the Cannonball Run films from 1981 and 1984. Dom also starred in such hilarious Mel Brooks' films as Blazing Saddles (1974), History of the World Part I, Spaceballs (1987) and Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993). On television, Dom appeared on The Dean Martin Show for eight years and did unforgettable stints on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Flip Wilson Show. He also was an occasional substitute stand-in for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show and in 1991 was the host of The New Candid Camera. In addition to his prolific entertainment career, Dom was an accomplished chef,...
- 5/6/2009
- by noreply@blogger.com (The Humor Mill Magazine)
- Humor Mill Magazine
American actor Dom DeLuise has died at the age of 75.
The veteran comedian passed away in his sleep at a hospital in Los Angeles on Monday night, reports TMZ.com.
DeLuise rose to fame in the 1970s and '80s, appearing alongside pal Burt Reynolds in movies like The Cannonball Run, Smokey and the Bandit II, The End, and All Dogs Go to Heaven.
He became known on the small screen for his magic act as 'Dominick the Great' on the popular Dean Martin show between 1972 and 1973, and went on to further establish himself in Hollywood with appearances in Mel Brooks' films such as 1974's Blazing Saddles, 1976's Silent Movie, and 1993 comedy Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
The star was also nominated for a Golden Globe in 1974 for his work on TV comedy Lotsa Luck, while he received a nod at the Daytime Emmys in 1999 for his efforts on animation All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series.
DeLuise spent his latter years writing children's books and cookbooks.
He is survived by his actress wife Carol Arthur, who he married in 1965, and their three actor sons Peter, David and Michael DeLuise.
The veteran comedian passed away in his sleep at a hospital in Los Angeles on Monday night, reports TMZ.com.
DeLuise rose to fame in the 1970s and '80s, appearing alongside pal Burt Reynolds in movies like The Cannonball Run, Smokey and the Bandit II, The End, and All Dogs Go to Heaven.
He became known on the small screen for his magic act as 'Dominick the Great' on the popular Dean Martin show between 1972 and 1973, and went on to further establish himself in Hollywood with appearances in Mel Brooks' films such as 1974's Blazing Saddles, 1976's Silent Movie, and 1993 comedy Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
The star was also nominated for a Golden Globe in 1974 for his work on TV comedy Lotsa Luck, while he received a nod at the Daytime Emmys in 1999 for his efforts on animation All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series.
DeLuise spent his latter years writing children's books and cookbooks.
He is survived by his actress wife Carol Arthur, who he married in 1965, and their three actor sons Peter, David and Michael DeLuise.
- 5/5/2009
- WENN
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