I love Star Trek. It’s one of the most unique fandoms since it features multiple different properties in the same universe. Don’t get me wrong, I love Star Wars, but something about Star Trek that raises it to another level. There are so many shows that are unique in their own way. You have Star Trek T.O.S, Star Trek The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Picard.
The point is that there is something for everyone. Fans are a little bit less toxic than other fandoms. My theory is that because there are so many shows there is at least one show that everyone can agree is good. So if someone were to, let’s say, hate Prodigy,...
The point is that there is something for everyone. Fans are a little bit less toxic than other fandoms. My theory is that because there are so many shows there is at least one show that everyone can agree is good. So if someone were to, let’s say, hate Prodigy,...
- 5/6/2024
- by David Arroyo
- JoBlo.com
"The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour" is likely not remembered by many people, except for Billy Crystal himself. The variety/talk show ran from January 30 through February 27 in 1982, lasting a grand total of five episodes. Crystal was already a successful comedian and beloved figure in the industry thanks to the popularity of his 1970s stand-up work and his role in the 1977 sitcom "Soap," so he had connections. He was able to secure guest appearances from many of his famous comedian friends, including Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Robin Williams, and John Candy for the debut episode. Subsequent guests included Morgan Fairchild, the Manhattan Transfer, Nell Carter, Shelley Duvall, Cindy Williams, Al Jarreau, and Smokey Robinson.
"The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour" fell right in between "Soap" and "Saturday Night Live" on Crystal's professional timeline, and it might be considered something of a dip in his career. The show was canceled after only two episodes aired,...
"The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour" fell right in between "Soap" and "Saturday Night Live" on Crystal's professional timeline, and it might be considered something of a dip in his career. The show was canceled after only two episodes aired,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"Cheers" was the third highest-rated show on television when Shelley Long opted to quit the series at the end of its fifth season and pursue movie stardom. Though the show had long since settled into its ensemble groove, the on-again/off-again Sam Malone and Diane Chambers romance was the primary generator of water-cooler chatter. Moreover, the chemistry between Long and Ted Danson was the stuff of a series showrunner's dream. Their banter was worthy of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. You don't just go out and find another Katharine Hepburn. Could "Cheers," brilliant and popular as it was, survive Long's departure, especially when fans had so much invested in Diane?
This was the conundrum faced by casting director Jeff Greenberg, who'd joined "Cheers" during Long's last season. He knew chasing the next Long was courting disaster, so he looked for an actor who could hold her own with Danson and...
This was the conundrum faced by casting director Jeff Greenberg, who'd joined "Cheers" during Long's last season. He knew chasing the next Long was courting disaster, so he looked for an actor who could hold her own with Danson and...
- 4/20/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" isn't quite like any other "Star Trek" show, and when it debuted in 1993, it was quite the departure from both the original series and "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Instead of following intrepid explorers on starships trekking across the galaxy, "Deep Space Nine" followed the stories of the people who lived on board the space station Deep Space Nine (DS9) — civilians, Bajoran militia, and Starfleet officers alike. Showrunner Rick Berman was in charge of taking the "Star Trek" universe in a new direction following the success of "The Next Generation," but he ended up looking to a rather old television series for inspiration.
In an interview with StarTrek.com, Berman explained the inspiration behind "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and revealed that he and writer/producer Michael Piller got their biggest idea from a classic 1950s Western. That's pretty great given the fact that "Star Trek...
In an interview with StarTrek.com, Berman explained the inspiration behind "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and revealed that he and writer/producer Michael Piller got their biggest idea from a classic 1950s Western. That's pretty great given the fact that "Star Trek...
- 3/22/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Chris Carter's 1993 TV series "The X-Files" is an undeniable staple of sci-fi television. However, it's also incredibly dated. It came out in the early years of the Bill Clinton administration, a few years after the end of the Cold War, right when Gen-x was growing up and America was experiencing something of an identity crisis. Without a war or a Great Depression to unite us, the sociological arguments went, America was culturally adrift. Having no enemies abroad to rally against, Americans began to look inward for enemies, sussing out where our violent impulses went. We found our own government to be suspect, and grew increasingly paranoid that a lot of dark information was being hidden from us.
In "The X-Files," '90s freeform paranoia manifested -- perhaps curiously -- as shadowy government conspiracies to cover up the existence of aliens, UFOs, and other unexplained paranormal phenomena. Only oddball FBI...
In "The X-Files," '90s freeform paranoia manifested -- perhaps curiously -- as shadowy government conspiracies to cover up the existence of aliens, UFOs, and other unexplained paranormal phenomena. Only oddball FBI...
- 3/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The 1980s were a junky era for film and television. Once the studios and networks figured out what kinds of formulas American audiences were keen on after Vietnam, Watergate, and the election of Ronald Reagan reshaped the country's psyche, they exploited them relentlessly. One particularly reliable genre of sorts was the gung-ho, men-on-a-mission actioner where outnumbered, yet armed-to-the-teeth heroes resourcefully defeated equally well-armed bad guys.
When these projects were made for the big screen, studios piled on the red meat. Scads of folks got shot, stabbed, and blown up, and the directors didn't skimp on the viscera. These were the hardest of the hard R-rated movies of the decade, and they made heaps of money.
At a network level, television was still cinema's less-appreciated little brother in the 1980s. Sitcoms were king, while hour-long dramas tended toward soapiness or murder-of-the-week mysteries. There were very fine shows that worked within these parameters,...
When these projects were made for the big screen, studios piled on the red meat. Scads of folks got shot, stabbed, and blown up, and the directors didn't skimp on the viscera. These were the hardest of the hard R-rated movies of the decade, and they made heaps of money.
At a network level, television was still cinema's less-appreciated little brother in the 1980s. Sitcoms were king, while hour-long dramas tended toward soapiness or murder-of-the-week mysteries. There were very fine shows that worked within these parameters,...
- 10/15/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The '80s were a different time; shoulder pads were in, Reaganomics was taking over the country, and in 1984, a hyper-stylish show called "Miami Vice" was about to become all the rage. Before the Florida-set cop series ever premiered on NBC, though, it had already inspired another series, one that seemed to have very little in common with the Michael Mann-produced action show.
That series was "The Golden Girls," the popular and gut-bustingly funny sitcom about women of a certain age that has only become more beloved in the decades since it ended. "The Golden Girls" is remembered for its positive and honest conversations about aging and its characters' penchant for savage, hilarious quips. It also bolstered the fame of its already-famous stars, Bea Arthur ("Maude"), Betty White ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show"), Rue McClanahan (also "Maude"), and Estelle Getty ("Mask"). Put together around a kitchen table, the four...
That series was "The Golden Girls," the popular and gut-bustingly funny sitcom about women of a certain age that has only become more beloved in the decades since it ended. "The Golden Girls" is remembered for its positive and honest conversations about aging and its characters' penchant for savage, hilarious quips. It also bolstered the fame of its already-famous stars, Bea Arthur ("Maude"), Betty White ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show"), Rue McClanahan (also "Maude"), and Estelle Getty ("Mask"). Put together around a kitchen table, the four...
- 9/25/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
"Cheers" went off the air on May 20, 1993, with a series finale that was watched by 93 million people. That was about two and a half months before I was born, so I have gone my entire life knowing what a cultural behemoth the show was. However, it took me a good deal of time to actually sit down and watch "Cheers." Growing up, my sitcom of choice was the one that took over the spot vacated by "Cheers" to become NBC's comedy crown jewel, "Seinfeld."
My relationship with the place where everybody knows your name didn't start until five years ago when I moved to a new city where I didn't know anyone. I had no furniture outside of a couch because there was a delay with the movers who helped me move halfway across the country. So, I had my laptop, an upside down cardboard box, a couch, and...
My relationship with the place where everybody knows your name didn't start until five years ago when I moved to a new city where I didn't know anyone. I had no furniture outside of a couch because there was a delay with the movers who helped me move halfway across the country. So, I had my laptop, an upside down cardboard box, a couch, and...
- 7/31/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
The Emmys have been here before. In 1980, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike for three months. That year’s Emmy telecast happened to fall right in the middle of it.
Actors boycotted the ceremony, but for some reason, the TV Academy went ahead with the Emmy telecast anyway. Famously, only one out of 52 nominees attended: Powers Boothe, who said when accepting his trophy for playing cult leader Jim Jones: “This is either the most courageous moment of my career or the stupidest.”
Steve Allen and Dick Clark (both of whom donated their hosting fees to the SAG emergency fund) hosted that year’s ceremony after original hosts Michael Landon, Bob Newhart and Lee Remick bowed out due to the strike. Variety called that year’s show a “lackluster affair,” and noted that the TV Academy aimed to fill the...
Actors boycotted the ceremony, but for some reason, the TV Academy went ahead with the Emmy telecast anyway. Famously, only one out of 52 nominees attended: Powers Boothe, who said when accepting his trophy for playing cult leader Jim Jones: “This is either the most courageous moment of my career or the stupidest.”
Steve Allen and Dick Clark (both of whom donated their hosting fees to the SAG emergency fund) hosted that year’s ceremony after original hosts Michael Landon, Bob Newhart and Lee Remick bowed out due to the strike. Variety called that year’s show a “lackluster affair,” and noted that the TV Academy aimed to fill the...
- 6/15/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
“Inconvenient Truth” Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim, like many creatives at the top of their game, always worries about staying there. When he read Michael J. Fox’s 2002 “Lucky Man: A Memoir” three years ago, he knew he wanted to produce a movie about the plucky star. But when he met with the actor, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at age 29 and is now 61, Guggenheim began to see what he could do with this moving drama.
“I was like, ‘wow,'” said Guggenheim. “Because I’m 59. Well, he’s a few years older than me. My kids are getting out of the house. I feel older, more fragile. I spent a lot of time going ‘poor me, poor me. The glory days of my family are over. My best films are behind me.’ You get in a rut. You convince yourself that life is shit. And then I’m like,...
“I was like, ‘wow,'” said Guggenheim. “Because I’m 59. Well, he’s a few years older than me. My kids are getting out of the house. I feel older, more fragile. I spent a lot of time going ‘poor me, poor me. The glory days of my family are over. My best films are behind me.’ You get in a rut. You convince yourself that life is shit. And then I’m like,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Far from being just another '90s sitcom, "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" not only dealt with serious themes, it helped take hip-hop culture mainstream. Its enduring appeal also led to the recent Peacock remake "Bel-Air" and an HBO reunion, proving it was much more than your average family show.
"The Fresh Prince" also catapulted Will Smith to heights he never reached as part of his hip-hop duo, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Recent Oscar troubles aside, since starring in the show, Smith has conquered the entertainment industry, becoming one of the biggest leading men in the world and enjoying a successful music career. It seems strange, then, to think of him being completely down and out prior to "The Fresh Prince," but back in the late-'80s that's exactly what happened.
In 1988, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince scored a hit with their single "Parents Just Don't Understand,...
"The Fresh Prince" also catapulted Will Smith to heights he never reached as part of his hip-hop duo, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Recent Oscar troubles aside, since starring in the show, Smith has conquered the entertainment industry, becoming one of the biggest leading men in the world and enjoying a successful music career. It seems strange, then, to think of him being completely down and out prior to "The Fresh Prince," but back in the late-'80s that's exactly what happened.
In 1988, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince scored a hit with their single "Parents Just Don't Understand,...
- 2/19/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
On Nov. 2, 2022, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that she’d secured a $30.5 million settlement from CBS and its former president and CEO Leslie Moonves for misleading the company’s investors about his misconduct, concealing sexual assault allegations against him and related insider trading by another top CBS executive. Her office also released a 37-page report detailing how members of Moonves’ C-suite and others unsuccessfully sought to neutralize the crisis before it knocked off the top boss, tanked the share price and gummed up a then-nascent merger with Viacom. It’s a damning case study in corporate complicity, control and cover-up.
The report centers on a yearlong sequence of events beginning in late 2017. Then-81-year-old Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb, who died in July 2022, filed a confidential police report with the Los Angeles Police Department. Golden-Gottlieb alleged that Moonves had attacked her on multiple occasions in the 1980s, when they were both executives at Lorimar-Telepictures.
The report centers on a yearlong sequence of events beginning in late 2017. Then-81-year-old Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb, who died in July 2022, filed a confidential police report with the Los Angeles Police Department. Golden-Gottlieb alleged that Moonves had attacked her on multiple occasions in the 1980s, when they were both executives at Lorimar-Telepictures.
- 2/16/2023
- by Gary Baum
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The NBC comedy Cheers comes from a bygone era of television, one in which theme songs were integral to the series. The Cheers theme song was memorable with its chorus “where everybody knows your name.” Today, most shows can’t spare 30 seconds for a theme song. The new Night Court throws fans a bone with just 10 seconds of it. NBC had other issues with the opening of Cheers in the ‘80s.
L-r: Nicholas Colasanto, Rhea Perlman, Shelley Long, and Ted Danson | Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Cheers writer Ken Levine revealed the 2 issues the Cheers theme song and opening titles caused the network on his Hollywood & Levine podcast. It wasn’t the lyrics, which the creators of the show changed prior to the pilot.
‘Cheers’ opening titles didn’t show cast photos
As “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” played, Cheers did not show photographs of the actors. Instead,...
L-r: Nicholas Colasanto, Rhea Perlman, Shelley Long, and Ted Danson | Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Cheers writer Ken Levine revealed the 2 issues the Cheers theme song and opening titles caused the network on his Hollywood & Levine podcast. It wasn’t the lyrics, which the creators of the show changed prior to the pilot.
‘Cheers’ opening titles didn’t show cast photos
As “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” played, Cheers did not show photographs of the actors. Instead,...
- 1/25/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
I love the title of Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth documentarian Davis Guggenheim’s wonderful new docu on the life and times of Michael J. Fox. It is called Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. The Sundance website has a colon where you might expect it to be, right after Still, but the press notes leave it out which is how I hope Apple Studios — which has the film for an unspecified future release date and is world premiering it Friday at the Sundance Film Festival — would officially call it. That’s because what Guggenheim, and importantly his editor MIchael Harte, have made is simply that, A Michael J. Fox Movie from start to finish and all that implies.
With the spirit of the kind of 1980s movies that helped make Fox a very big star on both big and small screens, this hybrid uses docu techniques — most notably a talking-head...
With the spirit of the kind of 1980s movies that helped make Fox a very big star on both big and small screens, this hybrid uses docu techniques — most notably a talking-head...
- 1/20/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
There wasn't a hotter author in the early 1990s than Tom Clancy. When the one-time insurance salesman took a crack at writing a Cold War military thriller in 1982, the resulting novel, "The Hunt for Red October," rocketed from niche page-turner to full-blown national bestseller (thanks in part to praise from then President Ronald Reagan). The book's hero, CIA analyst Jack Ryan, quickly became Clancy's James Bond through whom the author explored a shifting balance of global power as the Soviet Union gradually broke apart. By 1996, Clancy had authored seven Ryan adventures, promoting his protagonist nearly every step of the way until he inevitably became President of the United States in "Debt of Honor."
Though the books quickly became hopelessly convoluted and, finally, unreadably nonsensical, the character was immensely franchisable as a big-screen hero. With the box-office success of John McTiernan's "The Hunt for Red October" in 1990, it looked like...
Though the books quickly became hopelessly convoluted and, finally, unreadably nonsensical, the character was immensely franchisable as a big-screen hero. With the box-office success of John McTiernan's "The Hunt for Red October" in 1990, it looked like...
- 12/28/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Dick Ebersol is one of the seminal figures in the past 50 years of broadcast television. He helped create “Saturday Night Live.” He hired Brandon Tartikoff, genius programmer and innovator, to revive NBC’s primetime fortunes. As president of NBC Sports, he oversaw the network’s Olympic strategy for many years. “Sunday Night Football” was his idea.
Ebersol recounts the high (and sometimes low) points of his career in television in a new autobiography, “From Saturday Night to Sunday Night: My Forty Years of Laughter, Tears and Touchdowns in TV,” published this week by Simon & Schuster.
While all of the great moments in his career were at NBC, Ebersol, now 75, started as a researcher at ABC Sports in 1967. Legendary ABC Sports chief Roone Arledge, Ebersol tells Variety, “was the most important figure in my life,” and the executive who eventually took on Ebersol as a trusted associate.
It was also...
Ebersol recounts the high (and sometimes low) points of his career in television in a new autobiography, “From Saturday Night to Sunday Night: My Forty Years of Laughter, Tears and Touchdowns in TV,” published this week by Simon & Schuster.
While all of the great moments in his career were at NBC, Ebersol, now 75, started as a researcher at ABC Sports in 1967. Legendary ABC Sports chief Roone Arledge, Ebersol tells Variety, “was the most important figure in my life,” and the executive who eventually took on Ebersol as a trusted associate.
It was also...
- 9/17/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Warren Littlefield is looking to make more Must-See TV with Disney’s 20th Television and ABC Signature. The network president-turned-producer, whose prolific output in recent years has included “Fargo,” “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Dopesick,” has sealed a multi-year overall deal with 20th and ABC Signature that will keep him exclusive with those studios through 2026.
Littlefield was most recently in a joint deal with 20th Television and Fox 21. His Littlefield Company has been based at the company since 2016 (prior to Disney’s acquisition of Fox production assets), when he first signed a pact with Fox 21.
“Despite the incredible Covid challenges of the past two years we’ve been fortunate to be able to continue to produce high quality and award winning television content,” Littlefield said in a statement. “I’m grateful to [Disney General Entertainment chairman] Dana Walden for her leadership and belief that we’ve only just begun our journey together. Both [20th Television president] Karey Burke...
Littlefield was most recently in a joint deal with 20th Television and Fox 21. His Littlefield Company has been based at the company since 2016 (prior to Disney’s acquisition of Fox production assets), when he first signed a pact with Fox 21.
“Despite the incredible Covid challenges of the past two years we’ve been fortunate to be able to continue to produce high quality and award winning television content,” Littlefield said in a statement. “I’m grateful to [Disney General Entertainment chairman] Dana Walden for her leadership and belief that we’ve only just begun our journey together. Both [20th Television president] Karey Burke...
- 6/10/2022
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
NATPE has revealed the winners of its 18th annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards, which will take place in Los Angeles for the first time, on June 2 at the Beverly Wilshire hotel.
This year’s winners include actress and “The View” host Whoopi Goldberg, star and producer Amy Poehler, retiring talk show personality Maury Povich, writer-director Alex Kurtzman, Warner Bros. Television Group chairman Channing Dungey, producer and former network exec Jeff Sagansky and actor-producer-director William Shatner.
The Tartikoff awards are normally held in January at the NATPE convention in January, but this year’s event was scrapped due to the rising rate of Covid-19 cases at the start of the year. Award recipients are honored for their “extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision through their diverse work in being a part of the creation and distribution of content for the world’s traditional and digital marketplaces,” according to NATPE. The awards...
This year’s winners include actress and “The View” host Whoopi Goldberg, star and producer Amy Poehler, retiring talk show personality Maury Povich, writer-director Alex Kurtzman, Warner Bros. Television Group chairman Channing Dungey, producer and former network exec Jeff Sagansky and actor-producer-director William Shatner.
The Tartikoff awards are normally held in January at the NATPE convention in January, but this year’s event was scrapped due to the rising rate of Covid-19 cases at the start of the year. Award recipients are honored for their “extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision through their diverse work in being a part of the creation and distribution of content for the world’s traditional and digital marketplaces,” according to NATPE. The awards...
- 4/21/2022
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
Whoopi Goldberg, William Shatner, Amy Poehler, Alex Kurtzman, Maury Povich, Warner Bros Television Group chairman Channing Dungey and producer and media investor Jeff Sagansky have been selected as the recipients of NATPE’s 2022 Tartikoff Legacy Awards. The awards, in their 18th year, are given to acknowledge a select group of television professionals who have demonstrated the highest degree of excellence in their field.
The honors will be bestowed June 2 at a gala at the Beverly Wilshire, the first year of the awards ceremony moving from the organization’s NATPE Miami Marketplace and Conference. It is now part of the NATPE Returns series of events taking place this year in New York, L.A. and Budapest.
One of these events, NATPE Hollywood, is taking place the day before the gala at W Hollywood, with the Hungary event to run June 27-30.
“Bringing the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award to Los Angeles for...
The honors will be bestowed June 2 at a gala at the Beverly Wilshire, the first year of the awards ceremony moving from the organization’s NATPE Miami Marketplace and Conference. It is now part of the NATPE Returns series of events taking place this year in New York, L.A. and Budapest.
One of these events, NATPE Hollywood, is taking place the day before the gala at W Hollywood, with the Hungary event to run June 27-30.
“Bringing the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award to Los Angeles for...
- 4/21/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Stardate: 1991. Brandon Tartikoff, the newly-minted head of Paramount Pictures, was eager to capitalize on the runaway success of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." And so, producers Rick Berman and Michael Piller were tasked with developing a sister series with hardly any directives. Though Piller and Berman were "The Next Generation" veterans with a hardline commitment to "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry's vision for the franchise, it was Roddenberry's untimely passing that ultimately opened new doors for the Trek universe.
The result of Berman and Piller's efforts was "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," a seminal work of 20th century sci-fi television. In terms...
The post 13 Reasons Why Deep Space Nine Is the Best Star Trek Show appeared first on /Film.
The result of Berman and Piller's efforts was "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," a seminal work of 20th century sci-fi television. In terms...
The post 13 Reasons Why Deep Space Nine Is the Best Star Trek Show appeared first on /Film.
- 4/5/2022
- by Jason Baxter
- Slash Film
David Letterman celebrates his 40th anniversary as a late night talk show host today. His first episode of “Late Night with David Letterman” aired on February 1, 1982, following “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” for the next decade (plus an 11th year after Jay Leno‘s show). Letterman returns to his former NBC home tonight to visit “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”
He departed NBC in 1993 for a 22-year run as host of “Late Show with David Letterman” on CBS. His combined 33+ years on both NBC and CBS make him the longest-running late night talk show host in American history.
That remarkable length of service and his influence on younger hosts like Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and others should make him a lock for induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. But they’ve never asked him to join. Several of his...
He departed NBC in 1993 for a 22-year run as host of “Late Show with David Letterman” on CBS. His combined 33+ years on both NBC and CBS make him the longest-running late night talk show host in American history.
That remarkable length of service and his influence on younger hosts like Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and others should make him a lock for induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. But they’ve never asked him to join. Several of his...
- 2/1/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Carl Kurlander, who went from being director Joel Schumacher’s assistant to writing St. Elmo’s fire with him, wrote a look back on that film for Deadline as well as a tribute when the director passed away., Kurlander today shares memories about Louie Anderson, the comic and actor who died last Friday in Las Vegas at age 68. Kurlander co-authored The F Word: How to Survive Your Family with Louie Anderson and was a consultant on his The Louie Show on CBS. His other credits include St Elmo’s Fire, he has been a senior lecturer at the U of Pittsburgh and producer of Chasing Covid and other titles. Here he discusses the empathy Anderson showed to most everyone around him, and many career breaks he provided, actions informed by the slights and hardships he faced in his own life.
Louie Anderson is being mourned by millions. He’s a widely beloved figure.
Louie Anderson is being mourned by millions. He’s a widely beloved figure.
- 1/23/2022
- by Carl Kurlander
- Deadline Film + TV
Although he’d had a starring role on the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, David Hasselhoff’s prime time value was uncertain in 1982 — his only after-dark appearances had been a guest shot on The Love Boat and a quickly cancelled adaptation of the movie Semi-Tough. But Brandon Tartikoff, then the chief at […]
The post ‘Knight Rider’ Keeps Following David Hasselhoff Wherever He Goes appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post ‘Knight Rider’ Keeps Following David Hasselhoff Wherever He Goes appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 12/3/2021
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Will Smith started the night rapping — then settled in next to Spike Lee as a Hollywood star and now an author. Whatever he did onstage, the multi-talented actor was cheered by adoring fans in the filled-to-capacity 3,000-seat historic Kings Theatre, a grandly restored former 1929 movie palace-turned-performance space in the heart of Brooklyn. This was a book event unlike most to promote his new autobiography Will. Copies piled high on tables were included with a ticket.
Will was written over three years with Mark Manson after Smith said he’d reached a pinnacle of success and was ready to “give back.” The night was a video-music-storytelling voyage through his life as a kid in West Philly to stardom to self-actualization. He read from the opening chapter, called “Fear” (of his former military father mostly) and closed with a story about the two reconciling in the weeks before his dad’s death...
Will was written over three years with Mark Manson after Smith said he’d reached a pinnacle of success and was ready to “give back.” The night was a video-music-storytelling voyage through his life as a kid in West Philly to stardom to self-actualization. He read from the opening chapter, called “Fear” (of his former military father mostly) and closed with a story about the two reconciling in the weeks before his dad’s death...
- 11/10/2021
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Dean Stockwell was a generous actor and a man of many interests, Scott Bakula remembered as he paid tribute to his “Quantum Leap” co-star.
Stockwell, who died Nov. 7 at the age of 85, began his acting career as a child and logged more than 200 film credits. But one of his most recognizable roles came opposite Bakula on the NBC drama that ran from 1989 to 1993.
Bakula noted that Stockwell stuck with the fantasy genre TV series even after he was nominated for an Oscar for his work in 1988’s “Married to the Mob.” He also cited Stockwell’s care and consideration for his fellow thespians as a sign of his character.
“Having been a famous child actor, he had a soft spot for every young actor who came on our set,” Bakula wrote. “He was very protective of their rights and safety and always checked in with them to make sure that they were ok.
Stockwell, who died Nov. 7 at the age of 85, began his acting career as a child and logged more than 200 film credits. But one of his most recognizable roles came opposite Bakula on the NBC drama that ran from 1989 to 1993.
Bakula noted that Stockwell stuck with the fantasy genre TV series even after he was nominated for an Oscar for his work in 1988’s “Married to the Mob.” He also cited Stockwell’s care and consideration for his fellow thespians as a sign of his character.
“Having been a famous child actor, he had a soft spot for every young actor who came on our set,” Bakula wrote. “He was very protective of their rights and safety and always checked in with them to make sure that they were ok.
- 11/9/2021
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Scott Bakula remembers Quantum Leap co-star Dean Stockwell as a “dear friend” and mentor, in a statement issued Tuesday. As reported earlier today, Stockwell died on Nov. 7 of natural causes, at age 85.
Bakula and Stockwell co-starred on Quantum Leap for all of its 97 episodes, respectively playing Dr. Sam Beckett and Admiral Al Calavicci on the NBC sci-fi series. Stockwell’s turn as Al, Sam’s hologram companion, earned him four Emmy nods for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, as well as a Golden Globe win for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television.
Bakula and Stockwell co-starred on Quantum Leap for all of its 97 episodes, respectively playing Dr. Sam Beckett and Admiral Al Calavicci on the NBC sci-fi series. Stockwell’s turn as Al, Sam’s hologram companion, earned him four Emmy nods for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, as well as a Golden Globe win for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television.
- 11/9/2021
- by Rebecca Iannucci
- TVLine.com
Scott Bakula, who co-starred with the late Dean Stockwell in the beloved sci-fi series Quantum Leap, remembers castmate as a dear friend and mentor in this statement provided to Deadline.
Recalling how the two actors met when Stockwell auditioned for the show in 1988, Bakula says their personal connection was immediate, and the two grew close during the “next five, very intense years.”
Bakula also recalls how Stockwell, a former child actor, was very protective of the young performers who appeared as guest stars on the show. “He was very protective of their rights and safety and always checked in with them to make sure that they were ok,” Bakula writes. “His big hearted response to the kids made all of us take notice and be better guardians ourselves.”
Bakula and Stockwell co-starred in the sci-fi series, created by Donald P. Bellisario, throughout its five-season run on NBC from 1989 to 1993. Bakula played Dr.
Recalling how the two actors met when Stockwell auditioned for the show in 1988, Bakula says their personal connection was immediate, and the two grew close during the “next five, very intense years.”
Bakula also recalls how Stockwell, a former child actor, was very protective of the young performers who appeared as guest stars on the show. “He was very protective of their rights and safety and always checked in with them to make sure that they were ok,” Bakula writes. “His big hearted response to the kids made all of us take notice and be better guardians ourselves.”
Bakula and Stockwell co-starred in the sci-fi series, created by Donald P. Bellisario, throughout its five-season run on NBC from 1989 to 1993. Bakula played Dr.
- 11/9/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Gene Walsh, who rose to head NBC’s Press & Publicity departments on both coasts during a three-decade career at the network, has died. He was 87.
Publicist Charlie Barrett said Walsh died September 1 of natural causes at his Burbank home.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
Walsh joined NBC’s Press & Publicity department in New York in 1961 and worked in the magazine, trade and program publicity units. He was promoted to head the 50-member department in 1973 and was named a VP at the network two years later. In 1977, he was transferred to Burbank and headed the 45-member Press & Publicity department there until his retirement in 1991.
He was the architect of the 1975 publicity campaign credited with being a major contributor to the success and continuation of NBC’s groundbreaking Saturday Night Live. In their 1986 book, Saturday Night, authors Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad credited him for recognizing NBC’s...
Publicist Charlie Barrett said Walsh died September 1 of natural causes at his Burbank home.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
Walsh joined NBC’s Press & Publicity department in New York in 1961 and worked in the magazine, trade and program publicity units. He was promoted to head the 50-member department in 1973 and was named a VP at the network two years later. In 1977, he was transferred to Burbank and headed the 45-member Press & Publicity department there until his retirement in 1991.
He was the architect of the 1975 publicity campaign credited with being a major contributor to the success and continuation of NBC’s groundbreaking Saturday Night Live. In their 1986 book, Saturday Night, authors Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad credited him for recognizing NBC’s...
- 10/28/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Gene Walsh, who spent three decades as a publicity executive for NBC in New York and then Burbank, has died. He was 87.
Walsh died Sept. 1 of natural causes at his home in Burbank, publicist Charles Barrett announced.
The only staffer to head NBC press and publicity departments on both coasts, Walsh worked closely with Johnny Carson and Bob Hope and with top execs including Grant Tinker and Brandon Tartikoff during his career.
Walsh joined NBC in 1961 in its magazine, trade and program publicity units. He was promoted to head the 50-member press & publicity department in 1973 and named ...
Walsh died Sept. 1 of natural causes at his home in Burbank, publicist Charles Barrett announced.
The only staffer to head NBC press and publicity departments on both coasts, Walsh worked closely with Johnny Carson and Bob Hope and with top execs including Grant Tinker and Brandon Tartikoff during his career.
Walsh joined NBC in 1961 in its magazine, trade and program publicity units. He was promoted to head the 50-member press & publicity department in 1973 and named ...
- 10/27/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gene Walsh, who spent three decades as a publicity executive for NBC in New York and then Burbank, has died. He was 87.
Walsh died Sept. 1 of natural causes at his home in Burbank, publicist Charles Barrett announced.
The only staffer to head NBC press and publicity departments on both coasts, Walsh worked closely with Johnny Carson and Bob Hope and with top execs including Grant Tinker and Brandon Tartikoff during his career.
Walsh joined NBC in 1961 in its magazine, trade and program publicity units. He was promoted to head the 50-member press and publicity department in 1973 and named ...
Walsh died Sept. 1 of natural causes at his home in Burbank, publicist Charles Barrett announced.
The only staffer to head NBC press and publicity departments on both coasts, Walsh worked closely with Johnny Carson and Bob Hope and with top execs including Grant Tinker and Brandon Tartikoff during his career.
Walsh joined NBC in 1961 in its magazine, trade and program publicity units. He was promoted to head the 50-member press and publicity department in 1973 and named ...
- 10/27/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to host the May 8 edition of “Saturday Night Live,” with musical guest Miley Cyrus.
Musk is a rare example of a business mogul to be featured as host of the NBC late-night institution. The news comes on the heels of Musk’s SpaceX travel venture launching its second operational flight of its Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station on Friday.
New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner hosted “SNL” in 1990. Then-nbc programming head Brandon Tartikoff fronted the show in 1983 as the network began its storied run of success under his leadership.
Musk has become one of the most talked-about business leaders of the past decade with his bold moves in the electric car arena with Tesla. He has also been a champion of the plan to ultimately develop a market for private space expeditions with his SpaceX venture.
Although Musk’s various business ventures have had ups and downs,...
Musk is a rare example of a business mogul to be featured as host of the NBC late-night institution. The news comes on the heels of Musk’s SpaceX travel venture launching its second operational flight of its Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station on Friday.
New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner hosted “SNL” in 1990. Then-nbc programming head Brandon Tartikoff fronted the show in 1983 as the network began its storied run of success under his leadership.
Musk has become one of the most talked-about business leaders of the past decade with his bold moves in the electric car arena with Tesla. He has also been a champion of the plan to ultimately develop a market for private space expeditions with his SpaceX venture.
Although Musk’s various business ventures have had ups and downs,...
- 4/24/2021
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
For decades, a TV rite of passage took place every September at the Hollywood Radio & TV Society’s entertainment presidents’ luncheon. On the eve of the fall season, the three, then four, then six heads of programming at the broadcast networks would gather on the Hrts dais and set the tone for the year: They’d share insights on the freshman shows they were keen on, which potential hits they wished they could steal from a rival and the latest trends to look out for.
Those were the days when entertainment presidents were practically household names — figures like Fred Silverman, Brandon Tartikoff, Bob Iger, Leslie Moonves and Warren Littlefield. It was the perch that almost everyone in TV aspired to, the job of being one of the most powerful buyers in the biz.
But as the industry began to change, TV’s org charts got more complicated. The networks were...
Those were the days when entertainment presidents were practically household names — figures like Fred Silverman, Brandon Tartikoff, Bob Iger, Leslie Moonves and Warren Littlefield. It was the perch that almost everyone in TV aspired to, the job of being one of the most powerful buyers in the biz.
But as the industry began to change, TV’s org charts got more complicated. The networks were...
- 4/14/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Jamie Tarses, one of the most dynamic television executives of her era who helped build NBC’s Must-See TV lineup and went on to become the first woman to lead a Big Three network programming division, died Monday following complications from a cardiac event last fall, according to Tarses’ family. She was 56.
Tarses was born into the industry as the daughter of famed comedy writer-producer Jay Tarses. As a network executive, she made a big splash at NBC in the early 1990s, developing “Friends” and “Mad About You.” She made headlines when she moved over to ABC Entertainment as president during a turbulent era for the network and then-new parent company, Disney.
By age 32, Tarses was the first woman to head a network entertainment division — and one of the youngest execs ever to lead a Big Three — in her role as ABC Entertainment president from 1996 to 1999. During her tenure, she...
Tarses was born into the industry as the daughter of famed comedy writer-producer Jay Tarses. As a network executive, she made a big splash at NBC in the early 1990s, developing “Friends” and “Mad About You.” She made headlines when she moved over to ABC Entertainment as president during a turbulent era for the network and then-new parent company, Disney.
By age 32, Tarses was the first woman to head a network entertainment division — and one of the youngest execs ever to lead a Big Three — in her role as ABC Entertainment president from 1996 to 1999. During her tenure, she...
- 2/1/2021
- by Elaine Low
- Variety Film + TV
Jamie Tarses, who broke the glass ceiling for female TV executives as the first woman to run a network entertainment division, passed away this morning from complications stemming from a cardiac event she suffered last fall, according to her family. She was 56.
A superstar TV executive, Tarses was instrumental in developing such iconic shows as NBC’s Friends and Frasier and reached the pinnacle of the network programming executive ladder by age 32, becoming president of ABC Entertainment. Young and phenomenally successful, Tarses transcended the media business to become a bona fide celebrity who was both admired and scrutinized. The enormous pressure of the job and relentless media attention took a toll on her tenure, which Tarses followed with a successful second career as a TV producer of such popular shows as ABC’s Happy Endings, TBS’ My Boys, TNT’s Franklin & Bash and Amazon Prime Video’s The Wilds.
A superstar TV executive, Tarses was instrumental in developing such iconic shows as NBC’s Friends and Frasier and reached the pinnacle of the network programming executive ladder by age 32, becoming president of ABC Entertainment. Young and phenomenally successful, Tarses transcended the media business to become a bona fide celebrity who was both admired and scrutinized. The enormous pressure of the job and relentless media attention took a toll on her tenure, which Tarses followed with a successful second career as a TV producer of such popular shows as ABC’s Happy Endings, TBS’ My Boys, TNT’s Franklin & Bash and Amazon Prime Video’s The Wilds.
- 2/1/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Positive TV messaging about coronavirus safety protocols and vaccines in both scripted and unscripted series can help save lives by persuading ambivalent and resistant viewers to follow recommended public health guidelines, according to a virtual panel discussion presented by USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Hollywood, Health & Society, in partnership with the Wgae and Wgaw, on Wednesday.
“Depicting behavior that can be modeled and ways to talk about prevention and protection, without getting into fights about masks, can raise awareness and encourage safer practices,” said Kate Folb, director, Hollywood, Health & Society, during a virtual panel discussion on how Hollywood projects can present and promote safe behavior amid the pandemic on Wednesday.
Currently, coronavirus-related deaths are projected to reach more than half million by March, spurring the urgency to engage Hollywood to spread a “Be A Protector” public health message, according to the panelists.
“Our goal is to help content creators address Covid-19 topics accurately,...
“Depicting behavior that can be modeled and ways to talk about prevention and protection, without getting into fights about masks, can raise awareness and encourage safer practices,” said Kate Folb, director, Hollywood, Health & Society, during a virtual panel discussion on how Hollywood projects can present and promote safe behavior amid the pandemic on Wednesday.
Currently, coronavirus-related deaths are projected to reach more than half million by March, spurring the urgency to engage Hollywood to spread a “Be A Protector” public health message, according to the panelists.
“Our goal is to help content creators address Covid-19 topics accurately,...
- 1/14/2021
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- Variety Film + TV
Although Peacock’s “Saved by the Bell” sequel series is set in 2020 and made for a 2020 audience, some things remained too iconic to alter, from sets such as the Bayside High School hallway and the Max diner, to central characters such as Slater (Mario Lopez) and Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley Lauren), and the overall comedic but still family-friendly vibe to the show.
“This show isn’t, nor did it want to be, the ‘Euphoria’ version of ‘Saved by the Bell.’ I don’t think anyone wants to see Slater sending dick pics,” showrunner Tracey Wigfield tells Variety.
The original “Saved by the Bell” launched on NBC’s Saturday morning lineup in 1989, with a primary audience of kids and teens. Because it was broad-reaching in its demographic and created primarily to compete with cartoons, its depiction of high school, especially in its first season, was extremely chaste. With the exception of a...
“This show isn’t, nor did it want to be, the ‘Euphoria’ version of ‘Saved by the Bell.’ I don’t think anyone wants to see Slater sending dick pics,” showrunner Tracey Wigfield tells Variety.
The original “Saved by the Bell” launched on NBC’s Saturday morning lineup in 1989, with a primary audience of kids and teens. Because it was broad-reaching in its demographic and created primarily to compete with cartoons, its depiction of high school, especially in its first season, was extremely chaste. With the exception of a...
- 11/18/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
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
Fred Silverman never stopped pitching.
He never stopped thinking about television and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the networks he once ran, as well as the dozens of outlets that came to prominence after his storied run as a top executive ended in the early 1980s.
Silverman, a seminal figure in TV who died Jan. 30 at 82, knew that the first line of his obituary would identify him as the only person — so far — to have served as head of programming for ABC, CBS and NBC.
But after scaling the heights, he made a successful shift into producing at a time when that path was not as nearly common as it is today for former senior executives. His success in the 1980s and ’90s as a producer of such series as “Matlock” and “In the Heat of the Night,” and later “Diagnosis Murder,” was a testament to his instincts and experience,...
He never stopped thinking about television and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the networks he once ran, as well as the dozens of outlets that came to prominence after his storied run as a top executive ended in the early 1980s.
Silverman, a seminal figure in TV who died Jan. 30 at 82, knew that the first line of his obituary would identify him as the only person — so far — to have served as head of programming for ABC, CBS and NBC.
But after scaling the heights, he made a successful shift into producing at a time when that path was not as nearly common as it is today for former senior executives. His success in the 1980s and ’90s as a producer of such series as “Matlock” and “In the Heat of the Night,” and later “Diagnosis Murder,” was a testament to his instincts and experience,...
- 2/4/2020
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Miami — Jeff Zucker didn’t mince words.
“Nothing is as important than what I’m doing now,” the CNN Worldwide chief said of his long career in media as he was feted Wednesday night as one of five Brandon Tartikoff Award honorees.
Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide and chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports, sounded the alarm for press freedom at a time when President Donald Trump has relentlessly attacked the credibility of the mainstream news media. Zucker’s remarks came on the same day that the impeachment trial of Trump began in the U.S. Senate.
“Journalists in this country are under assault and that is very dangerous,” Zucker said. “If journalists don’t hold those in power accountable, our democracy is done.”
Zucker was joined in the honorees circle by actor Christine Baranski, ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke, “Power” creator/executive producer Courtney Kemp and Telemundo Global Studios president Marcos Santana.
“Nothing is as important than what I’m doing now,” the CNN Worldwide chief said of his long career in media as he was feted Wednesday night as one of five Brandon Tartikoff Award honorees.
Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide and chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports, sounded the alarm for press freedom at a time when President Donald Trump has relentlessly attacked the credibility of the mainstream news media. Zucker’s remarks came on the same day that the impeachment trial of Trump began in the U.S. Senate.
“Journalists in this country are under assault and that is very dangerous,” Zucker said. “If journalists don’t hold those in power accountable, our democracy is done.”
Zucker was joined in the honorees circle by actor Christine Baranski, ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke, “Power” creator/executive producer Courtney Kemp and Telemundo Global Studios president Marcos Santana.
- 1/23/2020
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
A quintet of notable names in television accepted the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award at Natpe on Wednesday.
It was the 17th annual edition of the awards, but this year’s class collectively displayed one of the strongest connections of any group of honorees with the late NBC executive. Actress Christine Baranski, ABC Entertainment chief Karey Burke, Power creator Courtney Kemp, Telemundo Global Studios Marcos Santana and CNN boss Jeff Zucker shared the spotlight. The awards banquet at Miami’s Fontainebleau Hotel provided ample chance for reminiscing.
Zucker managed to mostly avoid politics, though a tribute reel featured a clip of President Donald Trump lambasting the press as “the enemy of the state” and showed the CNN boss articulating a “fight for truth.” He acknowledged the timing of the event was inopportune, as the political world — especially his network — is immersed in impeachment drama. “It’s almost as if Natpe said,...
It was the 17th annual edition of the awards, but this year’s class collectively displayed one of the strongest connections of any group of honorees with the late NBC executive. Actress Christine Baranski, ABC Entertainment chief Karey Burke, Power creator Courtney Kemp, Telemundo Global Studios Marcos Santana and CNN boss Jeff Zucker shared the spotlight. The awards banquet at Miami’s Fontainebleau Hotel provided ample chance for reminiscing.
Zucker managed to mostly avoid politics, though a tribute reel featured a clip of President Donald Trump lambasting the press as “the enemy of the state” and showed the CNN boss articulating a “fight for truth.” He acknowledged the timing of the event was inopportune, as the political world — especially his network — is immersed in impeachment drama. “It’s almost as if Natpe said,...
- 1/23/2020
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Joe Bures, who spent two decades as a business executive at NBC, died Friday in Fayetteville, Georgia, his daughter Diana announced. He was 83.
Bures started out in the contracts department at NBC in New York, took a position in Burbank and remained with the company until his retirement in 1997.
He worked on deals for such shows as Wheel of Fortune, Unsolved Mysteries, Riptide, Frasier, The Wonderful World of Disney, Law & Order, ER and Knight Rider. Late NBC president Brandon Tartikoff established the Joe Bures Negotiating Award to recognize his achievements, and it was handed out to other employees in ...
Bures started out in the contracts department at NBC in New York, took a position in Burbank and remained with the company until his retirement in 1997.
He worked on deals for such shows as Wheel of Fortune, Unsolved Mysteries, Riptide, Frasier, The Wonderful World of Disney, Law & Order, ER and Knight Rider. Late NBC president Brandon Tartikoff established the Joe Bures Negotiating Award to recognize his achievements, and it was handed out to other employees in ...
- 1/20/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
When Eddie Murphy makes his long-awaited “SNL” return on Saturday, fans of the venerable late-night staple can thank the comedian’s tenure during the early 1980s for keeping the show alive.
Aside from a brief appearance during the show’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2015, this will be the first time Murphy has returned to “SNL” since he left the show in 1984. But if it wasn’t for Murphy, “SNL” probably would have never made it alive out of that decade.
For a brief period in the early 1980s, Lorne Michaels left “SNL” following disputes with network executives. Although he eventually returned in 1985, Lorne’s absence from the halls of Studio 8H were some of the most turbulent years for the long-running show. Following the short-lived run under Jean Doumanian — who lasted just 10 months, ending after Charlie Rocket said “F—” during the live broadcast — Dick Ebersol was brought in to steer the ship.
Aside from a brief appearance during the show’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2015, this will be the first time Murphy has returned to “SNL” since he left the show in 1984. But if it wasn’t for Murphy, “SNL” probably would have never made it alive out of that decade.
For a brief period in the early 1980s, Lorne Michaels left “SNL” following disputes with network executives. Although he eventually returned in 1985, Lorne’s absence from the halls of Studio 8H were some of the most turbulent years for the long-running show. Following the short-lived run under Jean Doumanian — who lasted just 10 months, ending after Charlie Rocket said “F—” during the live broadcast — Dick Ebersol was brought in to steer the ship.
- 12/19/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Rick Ludwin was the unsung hero of “Seinfeld.” That’s how Alan Horn, Walt Disney Studios chairman and former head of “Seinfeld” producer Castle Rock Entertainment, remembered the longtime NBC executive who died Nov. 10 at the age of 71.
Ludwin was instrumental in getting the beloved “show about nothing” on to NBC as a regular series. Castle Rock had produced an offbeat pilot starring Jerry Seinfeld as a standup comedian in New York. NBC decided to burn off “The Seinfeld Chronicles” pilot with an airing in the dog days of summer — on July 5, 1989.
Horn told Variety that Castle Rock figured the show had no future at NBC. But Ludwin, who ran NBC’s late-night and variety specials division, thought “Seinfeld” concept had potential. He went out on a limb with his boss, then-nbc chief Brandon Tartikoff, to prove it.
Ludwin “went to Brandon Tartikoff after he saw that the pilot was being burned off.
Ludwin was instrumental in getting the beloved “show about nothing” on to NBC as a regular series. Castle Rock had produced an offbeat pilot starring Jerry Seinfeld as a standup comedian in New York. NBC decided to burn off “The Seinfeld Chronicles” pilot with an airing in the dog days of summer — on July 5, 1989.
Horn told Variety that Castle Rock figured the show had no future at NBC. But Ludwin, who ran NBC’s late-night and variety specials division, thought “Seinfeld” concept had potential. He went out on a limb with his boss, then-nbc chief Brandon Tartikoff, to prove it.
Ludwin “went to Brandon Tartikoff after he saw that the pilot was being burned off.
- 11/12/2019
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Rick Ludwin, an NBC stalwart of three decades who proved his value to the network both as a trusted liaison to Johnny Carson and an early champion of Jerry Seinfeld, died Sunday in Los Angeles, according to the network. He was 71.
Ludwin launched his show-biz odyssey with one legendary funnyman — the future executive did some joke-writing for Bob Hope — and later cemented his legacy with another comedy icon by supporting the game-changing Seinfeld when other executives at NBC were skeptical of airing a show that was infamously “about nothing.”
Seinfled (1989-1998) became one of the most lucrative primetime ventures in television history but Ludwin’s primary focus at NBC was guiding the network’s specials and late-night programming. Taking over the speciality in 1989, Ludwin held the high-profile post through 2011. That 22-year tenure made him a linchpin figure for Saturday Night Live — it also put him in the crossfire of the...
Ludwin launched his show-biz odyssey with one legendary funnyman — the future executive did some joke-writing for Bob Hope — and later cemented his legacy with another comedy icon by supporting the game-changing Seinfeld when other executives at NBC were skeptical of airing a show that was infamously “about nothing.”
Seinfled (1989-1998) became one of the most lucrative primetime ventures in television history but Ludwin’s primary focus at NBC was guiding the network’s specials and late-night programming. Taking over the speciality in 1989, Ludwin held the high-profile post through 2011. That 22-year tenure made him a linchpin figure for Saturday Night Live — it also put him in the crossfire of the...
- 11/11/2019
- by Geoff Boucher
- Deadline Film + TV
Rick Ludwin, the longtime NBC executive who championed “Seinfeld” and worked in late-night from the Johnny Carson era through Jimmy Fallon, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 71.
Ludwin was well-liked throughout the TV industry and was highly regarded as a student of the medium. He retired from NBC after 31 years in 2011. He was hired at NBC in 1980 by the legendary Brandon Tartikoff, who had worked with Ludwin at Wls-tv Chicago.
Ludwin died Sunday after a brief illness, NBC confirmed. In his retirement, Ludwin remained an active TV biz commentator on TV via his Twitter account, @riclud. His last tweet on Oct. 13 offered praise for a “Saturday Night Live” skit: “#SNL airing right now. Very funny movie trailer parody — From director Todd Phillips, “Grouch,” origin story of Oscar the Grouch. Great!!”
“Seinfeld” star Jerry Seinfeld said he felt it was a “privilege” to have known Ludwin. The...
Ludwin was well-liked throughout the TV industry and was highly regarded as a student of the medium. He retired from NBC after 31 years in 2011. He was hired at NBC in 1980 by the legendary Brandon Tartikoff, who had worked with Ludwin at Wls-tv Chicago.
Ludwin died Sunday after a brief illness, NBC confirmed. In his retirement, Ludwin remained an active TV biz commentator on TV via his Twitter account, @riclud. His last tweet on Oct. 13 offered praise for a “Saturday Night Live” skit: “#SNL airing right now. Very funny movie trailer parody — From director Todd Phillips, “Grouch,” origin story of Oscar the Grouch. Great!!”
“Seinfeld” star Jerry Seinfeld said he felt it was a “privilege” to have known Ludwin. The...
- 11/11/2019
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Walk the hallways of Fox Entertainment’s headquarters at its Century City lot, and you’ll find posters touting the company’s new mission statements. One hypes Fox’s “brand pillars,” which include “big swings,” “mass appeal” and “visceral reactions.” Another reminds employees, “We don’t play by the rules, we change the game.”
Then there’s the slogan that perhaps best describes Fox’s recent transition into an independent entity: “We break things to make new things.”
Welcome to the new Fox, same as the old Fox — except when it’s not. As he marks his first-year anniversary next month as the CEO of Fox Entertainment, Charlie Collier has leaned on the network’s legacy as an aggressive underdog that disrupted the broadcast business. But he’s using that as the foundation to reposition Fox as a nimble, independent programmer, one that’s no longer part of a huge media conglomerate.
Then there’s the slogan that perhaps best describes Fox’s recent transition into an independent entity: “We break things to make new things.”
Welcome to the new Fox, same as the old Fox — except when it’s not. As he marks his first-year anniversary next month as the CEO of Fox Entertainment, Charlie Collier has leaned on the network’s legacy as an aggressive underdog that disrupted the broadcast business. But he’s using that as the foundation to reposition Fox as a nimble, independent programmer, one that’s no longer part of a huge media conglomerate.
- 10/30/2019
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Howard Lapides, a longtime manager and CEO of Lapides Entertainment who produced Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew and The Man Show, died Thursday. He was 68.
Clients of Lapides over the years included Dr. Drew Pinsky, Tom Green, Adam Carolla, Carson Daly, Jimmy Kimmel, Tom Chapin, Kennedy, Mark Dicarlo, Christopher Darden and many others.
Lapides started out in radio at age 16 at Wysl-fm in Buffalo, NY. While attending Emerson College in Boston, he got his start producing and working on air at area stations. After graduation, Lapides worked for five years with Baton Broadcasting of Canada, doing both programming and on-air work for Cklw in Windsor and Cfgo in Ottawa.
After his radio stint, Lapides went on to become one of Canada’s most successful concert promoters. Together with promoters Michael Cohl and Donald Tarlton (Donald K. Donald), he promoted every major act in Canada for 10 years.
In television, Lapides became...
Clients of Lapides over the years included Dr. Drew Pinsky, Tom Green, Adam Carolla, Carson Daly, Jimmy Kimmel, Tom Chapin, Kennedy, Mark Dicarlo, Christopher Darden and many others.
Lapides started out in radio at age 16 at Wysl-fm in Buffalo, NY. While attending Emerson College in Boston, he got his start producing and working on air at area stations. After graduation, Lapides worked for five years with Baton Broadcasting of Canada, doing both programming and on-air work for Cklw in Windsor and Cfgo in Ottawa.
After his radio stint, Lapides went on to become one of Canada’s most successful concert promoters. Together with promoters Michael Cohl and Donald Tarlton (Donald K. Donald), he promoted every major act in Canada for 10 years.
In television, Lapides became...
- 8/2/2019
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Hollywood Radio and Television Society has revealed the lineup for The Network Chiefs, part of its upcoming Newsmaker Luncheon Series.
Karey Burke, President ABC Entertainment; Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment; Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment, Fox Entertainment; and Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Co-Presidents of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment will be featured at the event, which will be held June 3 at 11:30 am at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The event, which will be held shortly after the networks’ Upfronts in New York City, brings together the network heads for a wide-ranging conversation on the state industry and broadcast TV’s enduring importance amid the proliferation of entertainment options for consumers.
The Network Chiefs panel was first hosted by Hrts in 1980 and has played an important role in gathering contemporary leadership to discuss important issues facing television and media. Over the years, luminaries who have participated in this series included Brandon Tartikoff,...
Karey Burke, President ABC Entertainment; Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment; Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment, Fox Entertainment; and Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Co-Presidents of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment will be featured at the event, which will be held June 3 at 11:30 am at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The event, which will be held shortly after the networks’ Upfronts in New York City, brings together the network heads for a wide-ranging conversation on the state industry and broadcast TV’s enduring importance amid the proliferation of entertainment options for consumers.
The Network Chiefs panel was first hosted by Hrts in 1980 and has played an important role in gathering contemporary leadership to discuss important issues facing television and media. Over the years, luminaries who have participated in this series included Brandon Tartikoff,...
- 4/18/2019
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Miami — Rita Moreno sang. Byron Allen spoke for 20 minutes. Mara Brock Akil urged the crowd to thank their mentors. Betty White warbled “The Golden Girls” theme song via video. And Bob Greenblatt and Henry Winkler shared Brandon Tartikoff stories during the 16th annual Tartikoff Legacy Awards ceremony held Wednesday night at Natpe.
“My dreams are being honored tonight,” Moreno told the crowd in the Fontainebleau Hotel ballroom. Moreno’s status as an Egot grand slam winner of the industry’s highest honors was mentioned more than once — to which Moreno added “don’t forget the Kennedy Center Honor.” Moreno was feted by Gloria Estefan, her co-star on the Netflix comedy “One Day at a Time.” In closing, Moreno sang a few lines from “Dream,” the song popularized by Frank Sinatra.
Allen gave what is likely the longest acceptance speech in Tartikoff Awards history to date, full of enthusiasm and calls...
“My dreams are being honored tonight,” Moreno told the crowd in the Fontainebleau Hotel ballroom. Moreno’s status as an Egot grand slam winner of the industry’s highest honors was mentioned more than once — to which Moreno added “don’t forget the Kennedy Center Honor.” Moreno was feted by Gloria Estefan, her co-star on the Netflix comedy “One Day at a Time.” In closing, Moreno sang a few lines from “Dream,” the song popularized by Frank Sinatra.
Allen gave what is likely the longest acceptance speech in Tartikoff Awards history to date, full of enthusiasm and calls...
- 1/24/2019
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Just four months after signing off as entertainment chairman of NBC, Bob Greenblatt on Wednesday will collect an honor named after one of his most famous predecessors at the network — Brandon Tartikoff. Greenblatt will accept the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award at the 16th annual Natpe (National Association of Television Program Executives) Conference in Miami Beach, set to run Tuesday through Thursday, with other honorees including Byron Allen, Mara Brock Akil, Rita Moreno, Betty White and Henry Winkler.
Even though Greenblatt, 58, has moved on, his work at NBC isn't done. He's still got a live staging ...
Even though Greenblatt, 58, has moved on, his work at NBC isn't done. He's still got a live staging ...
- 1/21/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
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