Dabney Coleman, an Emmy winner whose six-decade career included a sterling run of hit movies in the ’80s such as 9 to 5, On Golden Pond and Tootsie and whose TV work included ranges from Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman to Yellowstone, has died, according to TMZ. He was 92.
Coleman’s career began with appearances on such early-’60s TV staples as Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare and The Outer Limits. Through the decade and into the ’70s he continued to be cast on episodes of some of TV’s most popular shows, with longer arcs on The Fugitive and That Girl.
His big break came with Norman Lear’s Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman in 1976, in which he recurred as Fernwood Mayor Merle Jeeter in dozens of episodes, also appearing on spinoffs Fernwood Tonight and Forever Fernwood. But it was in the early ’80s that Coleman Broke through with a series of film roles,...
Coleman’s career began with appearances on such early-’60s TV staples as Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare and The Outer Limits. Through the decade and into the ’70s he continued to be cast on episodes of some of TV’s most popular shows, with longer arcs on The Fugitive and That Girl.
His big break came with Norman Lear’s Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman in 1976, in which he recurred as Fernwood Mayor Merle Jeeter in dozens of episodes, also appearing on spinoffs Fernwood Tonight and Forever Fernwood. But it was in the early ’80s that Coleman Broke through with a series of film roles,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Dan Wilcox, an Emmy-winning writer, producer and longtime union man who penned dozens of M*A*S*H episodes including co-writing its record-setting series finale and had many other TV credits including Sesame Street and Fernwood/America 2-Nite, has died. He was 82.
His niece, Julie Merson Rothenberg, told the WGA that he died February 14 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. No cause was given.
A six-decade WGA member and longtime former board member who was active in the 2007-08 strike, Wilcox was a fierce champion of unions and equal rights. In 2017, he received the Morgan Cox Award in recognition of his exemplary service to the Guild. Wgaw President Howard A. Rodman said at the time: “Dan Wilcox has been, in a sustained and deeply moving way, a voice for the voiceless. His work, at once passionate and effective, has been on behalf of those who might otherwise lack the...
His niece, Julie Merson Rothenberg, told the WGA that he died February 14 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. No cause was given.
A six-decade WGA member and longtime former board member who was active in the 2007-08 strike, Wilcox was a fierce champion of unions and equal rights. In 2017, he received the Morgan Cox Award in recognition of his exemplary service to the Guild. Wgaw President Howard A. Rodman said at the time: “Dan Wilcox has been, in a sustained and deeply moving way, a voice for the voiceless. His work, at once passionate and effective, has been on behalf of those who might otherwise lack the...
- 2/26/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Norman Lear, the creator, writer and producer of such iconic TV classics as All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, and The Jeffersons, died of cardiac arrest, according to a Los Angeles County death certificate filed today.
Lear died in Los Angeles at 101 on Dec. 5. At the time, a spokesperson for the family said only that he died of natural causes.
The death certificate lists the immediate cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest, with congestive heart failure an underlying cause.
Lear’s other series included Sanford & Son, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, and Fernwood 2 Night/America 2 Night, among others. He remained active even as he approached his 100th birthday, winning Emmy Awards in 2019 and 2020 for installments of Live in Front of a Studio Audience, in which episodes of All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times were re-enacted with new performers.
“Norman lived a life of creativity, tenacity and empathy,...
Lear died in Los Angeles at 101 on Dec. 5. At the time, a spokesperson for the family said only that he died of natural causes.
The death certificate lists the immediate cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest, with congestive heart failure an underlying cause.
Lear’s other series included Sanford & Son, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, and Fernwood 2 Night/America 2 Night, among others. He remained active even as he approached his 100th birthday, winning Emmy Awards in 2019 and 2020 for installments of Live in Front of a Studio Audience, in which episodes of All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times were re-enacted with new performers.
“Norman lived a life of creativity, tenacity and empathy,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the highlights in the final chapter of Norman Lear’s legendary career were the Live In Front Of a Studio Audience specials recreating episodes from his classic sitcoms. He executive produced them with Jimmy Kimmel, winning an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) together while also developing a close friendship.
On Wednesday night, hours after news broke that Lear had died Tuesday night at the age of 101, Kimmel opened his ABC late-night show Jimmy Kimmel Live with a moving tribute to his idol and friend.
“Norman was the genius who brought us some of the greatest television shows and characters of all time,” a visibly emotional Kimmel said, listing some of Lear’s most famous series, including All in the Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Maude, The Facts of Life; Diff’Rent Strokes; Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time; Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and Fernwood Tonight.
“He...
On Wednesday night, hours after news broke that Lear had died Tuesday night at the age of 101, Kimmel opened his ABC late-night show Jimmy Kimmel Live with a moving tribute to his idol and friend.
“Norman was the genius who brought us some of the greatest television shows and characters of all time,” a visibly emotional Kimmel said, listing some of Lear’s most famous series, including All in the Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Maude, The Facts of Life; Diff’Rent Strokes; Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time; Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and Fernwood Tonight.
“He...
- 12/7/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated: NBC and Fox posted online the in memoriam card they broadcast tonight in tribute to TV icon Norman Lear. The CW aired the tribute during the Republican Debate. CBS and ABC also committed to airing the tribute. See it below.
Thanks for making us all family. pic.twitter.com/ZUjRhCNZ0U
— NBC Entertainment (@nbc) December 7, 2023
Previously at 1 p.m.: Broadcast owes a debt of gratitude to Norman Lear, so they’re going to show it tonight.
In recognition of Lear’s accomplishments and influence across television, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and The CW will simulcast an on-air in memoriam card tonight at 8:00 Pm, Et/Pt to honor the late legendary TV writer and producer.
Lear died Tuesday of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles. He was 101.
The Uber-producer’s series were icons on broadcast TV. All in the Family aired on CBS for nine seasons,...
Thanks for making us all family. pic.twitter.com/ZUjRhCNZ0U
— NBC Entertainment (@nbc) December 7, 2023
Previously at 1 p.m.: Broadcast owes a debt of gratitude to Norman Lear, so they’re going to show it tonight.
In recognition of Lear’s accomplishments and influence across television, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and The CW will simulcast an on-air in memoriam card tonight at 8:00 Pm, Et/Pt to honor the late legendary TV writer and producer.
Lear died Tuesday of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles. He was 101.
The Uber-producer’s series were icons on broadcast TV. All in the Family aired on CBS for nine seasons,...
- 12/7/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Norman Lear was a man of modest physical stature, standing a trim 5’7″ on a good day. In terms of his impact on television — comedy primarily, but the medium as a whole — he was a giant, who belongs on any Mt. Rushmore of showrunners. He dominated an entire decade of TV like no one before or since, with hit after hit that expanded the boundaries of what could be done with the old-fashioned multi-camera sitcom format (shot on a stage in front of a studio audience), and what kinds of stories and characters audiences would accept.
- 12/6/2023
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Norman Lear, who died today at 101, had been in the TV business for more than 70 years. Along the way, he’d written and created some of the most iconic and groundbreaking shows in television history and worked with some of the biggest of Hollywood’s stars.
After World War II, where he was decorated for his service in a B-52 bomber, Lear broke into show biz in 1950 as a writer on All Star Revue, where he worked with such legendary comedians as Jimmy Durante, Danny Thomas, Martha Raye and George Jessel. He followed that by working on the Colgate Comedy Hour with the likes of Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Abbott and Costello and Eddie Cantor.
Those gigs led to Lear working on The Martha Raye Show, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, Henry Fonda and Family and the film The Night They Raided Minsky’s.
But it was the ’70s...
After World War II, where he was decorated for his service in a B-52 bomber, Lear broke into show biz in 1950 as a writer on All Star Revue, where he worked with such legendary comedians as Jimmy Durante, Danny Thomas, Martha Raye and George Jessel. He followed that by working on the Colgate Comedy Hour with the likes of Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Abbott and Costello and Eddie Cantor.
Those gigs led to Lear working on The Martha Raye Show, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, Henry Fonda and Family and the film The Night They Raided Minsky’s.
But it was the ’70s...
- 12/6/2023
- by David Morgan
- Deadline Film + TV
Writer-producer-developer Norman Lear, who revolutionized American comedy with such daring, immensely popular early-‘70s sitcoms as “All in the Family” and “Sanford and Son,” died on Tuesday. He was 101.
Lear’s publicist confirmed to Variety that he died at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A private service for immediate family will be held in the coming days.
“Thank you for the moving outpouring of love and support in honor of our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather,” Lear’s family said in a statement. “Norman lived a life of creativity, tenacity, and empathy. He deeply loved our country and spent a lifetime helping to preserve its founding ideals of justice and equality for all. Knowing and loving him has been the greatest of gifts. We ask for your understanding as we mourn privately in celebration of this remarkable human being.”
Lear had already established himself as a top...
Lear’s publicist confirmed to Variety that he died at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A private service for immediate family will be held in the coming days.
“Thank you for the moving outpouring of love and support in honor of our wonderful husband, father, and grandfather,” Lear’s family said in a statement. “Norman lived a life of creativity, tenacity, and empathy. He deeply loved our country and spent a lifetime helping to preserve its founding ideals of justice and equality for all. Knowing and loving him has been the greatest of gifts. We ask for your understanding as we mourn privately in celebration of this remarkable human being.”
Lear had already established himself as a top...
- 12/6/2023
- by Chris Morris
- Variety Film + TV
Bill Saluga, whose trademark lines that began with “You can call me Ray” cracked up a generation of comedy fans, has died, according to his friend, Eric Brenner. He was 85.
Saluga’s March 28 death in Los Angeles was attributed to complications of heart failure and arthritis, according to his friend, Bill Minkin, who joined with him, Fred Willard, Patti Deutsch, Michael Mislove and George Memmoli in the improv troupe Ace Trucking Company.
Related: Fred Willard Dies: Actor On ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ And ‘Fernwood 2Night’ Was 86
“He was an icon,” said Minkin, who characterized his friend as quiet and polite when he wasn’t on stage, a stark contrast to the brash characters he portrayed.
Saluga was best known for his cigar-smoking, zoot suited character Raymond J. Johnson Jr.
A frequent talk-show guest, Saluga would be triggered by someone calling him “Mr. Johnson.” Feigning outrage, he then would launch into a soliloquy for his catchphrase,...
Saluga’s March 28 death in Los Angeles was attributed to complications of heart failure and arthritis, according to his friend, Bill Minkin, who joined with him, Fred Willard, Patti Deutsch, Michael Mislove and George Memmoli in the improv troupe Ace Trucking Company.
Related: Fred Willard Dies: Actor On ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ And ‘Fernwood 2Night’ Was 86
“He was an icon,” said Minkin, who characterized his friend as quiet and polite when he wasn’t on stage, a stark contrast to the brash characters he portrayed.
Saluga was best known for his cigar-smoking, zoot suited character Raymond J. Johnson Jr.
A frequent talk-show guest, Saluga would be triggered by someone calling him “Mr. Johnson.” Feigning outrage, he then would launch into a soliloquy for his catchphrase,...
- 5/7/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Few works of pop culture have a higher barrier to entry than “On Cinema at the Cinema,” but even fewer are as rewarding to new viewers willing to invest countless hours of their lives. Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington’s longtime Adult Swim series is ostensibly a parody of syndicated movie review shows like “Siskel & Ebert & the Movies,” with the entirety of each episode taking place on a chintzy talk show set. But over the course of 12 seasons and countless spinoffs, it has evolved into something much, much weirder.
Each episode features Heidecker and Turkington hosting their own public access show about movies, with the two men reviewing films they clearly haven’t seen (a running gag is that every single film receives a perfect “five bags of popcorn” rating). But the real action begins when the reviews end, as they frequently devote a majority of their airtime...
Each episode features Heidecker and Turkington hosting their own public access show about movies, with the two men reviewing films they clearly haven’t seen (a running gag is that every single film receives a perfect “five bags of popcorn” rating). But the real action begins when the reviews end, as they frequently devote a majority of their airtime...
- 9/1/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
The word that seems to crop up most often in descriptions of both Dana H., the play written by Lucas Hnath, and Dana H., the characterization by Deirdre O’Connell, is “harrowing,” – few reviewers could resist, for the simple reason that no other word seems to come close to capturing the real-life experience that the work chronicled and the effect the telling had on audiences.
Dana H., which ran on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre last fall and is nominated for three Tony Awards, tells the unlikely but all too true story of Dana Higginbotham, the mother of the playwright, a chaplain in a Florida psychiatric hospital who, in 1997, was abducted by a violent psychopath who’d been under her care. Terrorized, gaslighted, threatened and subjected to horrific physical and sexual abuse, the abduction lasted for five months,...
Dana H., which ran on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre last fall and is nominated for three Tony Awards, tells the unlikely but all too true story of Dana Higginbotham, the mother of the playwright, a chaplain in a Florida psychiatric hospital who, in 1997, was abducted by a violent psychopath who’d been under her care. Terrorized, gaslighted, threatened and subjected to horrific physical and sexual abuse, the abduction lasted for five months,...
- 6/6/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Barrie Youngfellow, star of ’80s sitcom It’s a Living, died Monday night. She was 75, and her cause of death was not revealed.
The news was confirmed by her family who wrote: “[Barrie] was the best of friends and had many loyal ones. Loved a good story and a nice bottle. Had a great laugh that confirmed her sense of life. Even during her decline, she could shoot off a good one liner.”
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The news was confirmed by her family who wrote: “[Barrie] was the best of friends and had many loyal ones. Loved a good story and a nice bottle. Had a great laugh that confirmed her sense of life. Even during her decline, she could shoot off a good one liner.”
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- 4/2/2022
- by Nick Caruso
- TVLine.com
Barrie Youngfellow, who starred in the ’80s sitcom It’s a Living, died on Monday night, according to her family. She was 75. A cause of death was not disclosed.
“[Barrie] was the best of friends and had many loyal ones. Loved a good story and a nice bottle,” the family wrote. “Had a great laugh that confirmed her sense of life. Even during her decline, she could shoot off a good one liner.”
Youngfellow appeared in 120 episodes of It’s a Living between 1980 and 1989, with the series running on ABC for two seasons before airing in first-run syndication. The show followed a group of waitresses working at Above the Top, a fancy restaurant at the top of a skyscraper, with Youngfellow portraying waitress Jan Hoffmeyer Gray.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio on October 22, 1946, Youngfellow last appeared in an episode of Law & Order in 1998. She was also seen over the course of her career on such series as Blossom,...
“[Barrie] was the best of friends and had many loyal ones. Loved a good story and a nice bottle,” the family wrote. “Had a great laugh that confirmed her sense of life. Even during her decline, she could shoot off a good one liner.”
Youngfellow appeared in 120 episodes of It’s a Living between 1980 and 1989, with the series running on ABC for two seasons before airing in first-run syndication. The show followed a group of waitresses working at Above the Top, a fancy restaurant at the top of a skyscraper, with Youngfellow portraying waitress Jan Hoffmeyer Gray.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio on October 22, 1946, Youngfellow last appeared in an episode of Law & Order in 1998. She was also seen over the course of her career on such series as Blossom,...
- 4/2/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Robin French, a talent agent who worked with legends including Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor and later headed production at Paramount Pictures in the late 1970s, has died. His family said he had been in declining health for the past few months and died September 6 in Palm Desert, CA.
“Dad left knowing that we love him so much, and that we are all safe and secure thanks in large part to his fierce devotion to us,” his children said in a statement. “He was so smart, funny, loyal, friendly, grumpy, opinionated and just a one-of-a-kind guy. We will all miss him forever, but feel so lucky that he was our Dad.”
French began his career as an agent at Chartwell, working with his father, Hugh French — a former actor who become an agent whose clients in the 1950s and ’60s included Brando, Taylor and Richard Burton — and Jerry Perenchio.
During his agenting days,...
“Dad left knowing that we love him so much, and that we are all safe and secure thanks in large part to his fierce devotion to us,” his children said in a statement. “He was so smart, funny, loyal, friendly, grumpy, opinionated and just a one-of-a-kind guy. We will all miss him forever, but feel so lucky that he was our Dad.”
French began his career as an agent at Chartwell, working with his father, Hugh French — a former actor who become an agent whose clients in the 1950s and ’60s included Brando, Taylor and Richard Burton — and Jerry Perenchio.
During his agenting days,...
- 9/14/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s a very happy birthday for TV legend Norman Lear, who gets to celebrate with a bonus present: The new take on Lear’s syndicated 1970s series “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” has landed in script development at TBS.
As reported in February, “Schitt’s Creek” star Emily Hampshire is developing a fresh version of “Mary Hartman,” along with Jacob Tierney (“Letterkenny”). After being shopped by Sony Pictures TV to buyers this spring, the project has landed at TBS. The news comes as Lear, who was born in 1922, celebrates his 99th birthday.
“The kick of kicks as I turn 99 today is learning that TBS is developing ‘Mhmh’ and will allow us to make a new version of it starring Emily Hampshire,” Lear said in a statement. “As someone who believes his 99 years on this planet is owed to the amount of laughter he enjoyed through the years, here’s to the next 99. Bless you all!
As reported in February, “Schitt’s Creek” star Emily Hampshire is developing a fresh version of “Mary Hartman,” along with Jacob Tierney (“Letterkenny”). After being shopped by Sony Pictures TV to buyers this spring, the project has landed at TBS. The news comes as Lear, who was born in 1922, celebrates his 99th birthday.
“The kick of kicks as I turn 99 today is learning that TBS is developing ‘Mhmh’ and will allow us to make a new version of it starring Emily Hampshire,” Lear said in a statement. “As someone who believes his 99 years on this planet is owed to the amount of laughter he enjoyed through the years, here’s to the next 99. Bless you all!
- 7/27/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Schitt’s Creek vet Emily Hampshire has booked herself a trip to Fernwood, Ohio, to star in a remake of Norman Lear’s Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
The original syndicated series, which ran weeknights from January 1976 to July 1977, was a soap opera sendup that starred Louise Lasser as a housewife who attempted to cope with various bizarre and violent incidents occurring around her. Lasser earned an Emmy nod for the role in ’76, in a Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement. (In July 1977, the offshoot Fernwood 2 Night, a talk show spoof starring Martin Mull and Fred Willard, premiered and ran through September.
The original syndicated series, which ran weeknights from January 1976 to July 1977, was a soap opera sendup that starred Louise Lasser as a housewife who attempted to cope with various bizarre and violent incidents occurring around her. Lasser earned an Emmy nod for the role in ’76, in a Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement. (In July 1977, the offshoot Fernwood 2 Night, a talk show spoof starring Martin Mull and Fred Willard, premiered and ran through September.
- 2/4/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
“Schitt’s Creek” star Emily Hampshire has signed on to star as the title character in a new, updated version of Norman Lear’s 1970s syndicated hit “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.”
Hampshire will also be an executive producer on the project, and co-write the script with Jacob Tierney (“Letterkenny”), who will serve as showrunner. Sony Pictures TV is planning to shop the show to buyers in the coming weeks.
It’s the latest series remake to come out of the Lear cannon, following the recent critically acclaimed reimagining of “One Day at a Time,” and an animated take on “Good Times” that is currently in the works. Lear and Brent Miller’s Act III Prods. is developing the new “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” with Sony, with Lear and Miller as executive producers alongside Hampshire and Tierney.
“Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” reunites Hampshire with Tierney, as Hampshire previously starred in Tierney’s film “The Trotsky.
Hampshire will also be an executive producer on the project, and co-write the script with Jacob Tierney (“Letterkenny”), who will serve as showrunner. Sony Pictures TV is planning to shop the show to buyers in the coming weeks.
It’s the latest series remake to come out of the Lear cannon, following the recent critically acclaimed reimagining of “One Day at a Time,” and an animated take on “Good Times” that is currently in the works. Lear and Brent Miller’s Act III Prods. is developing the new “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” with Sony, with Lear and Miller as executive producers alongside Hampshire and Tierney.
“Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” reunites Hampshire with Tierney, as Hampshire previously starred in Tierney’s film “The Trotsky.
- 2/4/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Jeremy Stevens, a three-time Emmy Award winner – including two as a writer and executive producer on Everybody Loves Raymond – died of renal failure on October 27 at his home in Northridge, California, surrounded by his family. He was 83,
A Brooklyn native, Stevens earned a degree in theater at Brooklyn College before studying at New York’s Hb Studio under Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof. Roles Off Brodway led to his hiring in the replacement cast of the original Broadway production of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys.
While working at the Fourth Wall Improvisational Theatre Group, Stevens was offered his first opportunity to write for television, penning sketches for Valerie Harper and Richard Schaal on The Skitch Henderson Show. This led to more jobs, including a stint as headwriter for the talk and variety show, Playboy After Dark.
His next job led to his first Emmy Award in 1972, when he was...
A Brooklyn native, Stevens earned a degree in theater at Brooklyn College before studying at New York’s Hb Studio under Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof. Roles Off Brodway led to his hiring in the replacement cast of the original Broadway production of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys.
While working at the Fourth Wall Improvisational Theatre Group, Stevens was offered his first opportunity to write for television, penning sketches for Valerie Harper and Richard Schaal on The Skitch Henderson Show. This led to more jobs, including a stint as headwriter for the talk and variety show, Playboy After Dark.
His next job led to his first Emmy Award in 1972, when he was...
- 11/2/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Emmys are pretty stingy when it comes to giving out posthumous awards. A 2017 Goldderby piece proclaimed that the reason the Emmys haven’t honored the dead is because the voters are not sentimental. I think that’s part of the reason, but I also think it’s just so sad when they do win. To clarify, it’s not that they shouldn’t have won, it’s just so emotional to see spouses, friends, children and co-workers go up on stage and accept the award in their honor.
Remember John Travolta’s impassioned acceptance speech for his late girlfriend Diana Hyland, and “Boy in the Plastic Bubble” co-star who won the Emmy for outstanding performance by a supporting actress in a comedy or dramatic special? She had died in his arms of breast cancer in March 1977 at the age of 41. The audience was crying as hard as Travolta. “Wherever you are,...
Remember John Travolta’s impassioned acceptance speech for his late girlfriend Diana Hyland, and “Boy in the Plastic Bubble” co-star who won the Emmy for outstanding performance by a supporting actress in a comedy or dramatic special? She had died in his arms of breast cancer in March 1977 at the age of 41. The audience was crying as hard as Travolta. “Wherever you are,...
- 8/3/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Fred Willard was an actor, a comedian, an improv genius and a gentle soul. The performer, who died May 15 of natural causes at the age of 86, was beloved in the creative community because he offered the rarest commodity in showbiz.
“He was a guarantee,” says Phil Rosenthal, creator and showrunner of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which featured Willard in a recurring role in its later seasons.
“With Fred Willard, when his face popped up in a show or a movie, you suddenly got a little jolt of ‘This is going to be funny,’” Rosenthal says. “There are way more famous comedians who can carry movies, but you can’t always guarantee that they’re going to be funny. Fred was a guarantee.”
Willard was known for playing dimwitted characters and straitlaced, average guys who would say and do unexpectedly outrageous things.
A graduate of Virginia Military Institute and an Army veteran,...
“He was a guarantee,” says Phil Rosenthal, creator and showrunner of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which featured Willard in a recurring role in its later seasons.
“With Fred Willard, when his face popped up in a show or a movie, you suddenly got a little jolt of ‘This is going to be funny,’” Rosenthal says. “There are way more famous comedians who can carry movies, but you can’t always guarantee that they’re going to be funny. Fred was a guarantee.”
Willard was known for playing dimwitted characters and straitlaced, average guys who would say and do unexpectedly outrageous things.
A graduate of Virginia Military Institute and an Army veteran,...
- 5/20/2020
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Three days after Fred Willard’s death, Jimmy Kimmel honored the comedy legend on Monday with a Live episode entirely dedicated to Willard’s life and career.
“Tonight’s show will be a special show, it will be a sad show,” Kimmel began. “But we will also laugh a lot as we pay tribute to a lovely and genuinely funny man named Fred Willard.” (The actor died of natural causes on May 15; he was 86 years old.)
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“Tonight’s show will be a special show, it will be a sad show,” Kimmel began. “But we will also laugh a lot as we pay tribute to a lovely and genuinely funny man named Fred Willard.” (The actor died of natural causes on May 15; he was 86 years old.)
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- 5/19/2020
- TVLine.com
Monday night’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” was devoted to comedian Fred Willard, who died Friday at age 86. And appropriately, Kimmel began with an opening monologue that recounted some of his favorite moments when Willard appeared on the show.
Willard, best known for his long collaboration with director Christopher Guest, was also a friend of Kimmel’s as well as a frequent guest on “Live.” He not only appeared several times to promote other projects, but also performed as part of the show, appearing in many sketches over the years.
Kimmel talked about that and more in his monologue, which began with a discussion of the influence Willard had on Kimmel when he was growing up. “When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time sitting in front of a TV I had on my desk in my room – and one of the shows I would watch...
Willard, best known for his long collaboration with director Christopher Guest, was also a friend of Kimmel’s as well as a frequent guest on “Live.” He not only appeared several times to promote other projects, but also performed as part of the show, appearing in many sketches over the years.
Kimmel talked about that and more in his monologue, which began with a discussion of the influence Willard had on Kimmel when he was growing up. “When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time sitting in front of a TV I had on my desk in my room – and one of the shows I would watch...
- 5/19/2020
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
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, the man who brought the art of dimwitted, out-of-touch comedy gold to each of his television and movie performances, is dead at age 86. The actor and comedian died on Friday in Los Angeles.
He won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2015 for his guest role on “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Willard received a Primetime Emmy nomination for the first season of “Modern Family” in 2010 to go along with three others he has in his career for his guest work on “Everybody Loves Raymond”.
SEECelebrity Deaths 2020: In Memoriam Gallery
He first became well known to audiences in the fictional talk show “Fernwood Tonight” starring Martin Mull. In addition to many appearances on such TV shows as “The Bob Newhart Show,” “The Golden Girls,” “Murphy Brown,” and “Roseanne” (also opposite Mull), he has worked with Christopher Guest on all of his movies, including “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,...
He won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2015 for his guest role on “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Willard received a Primetime Emmy nomination for the first season of “Modern Family” in 2010 to go along with three others he has in his career for his guest work on “Everybody Loves Raymond”.
SEECelebrity Deaths 2020: In Memoriam Gallery
He first became well known to audiences in the fictional talk show “Fernwood Tonight” starring Martin Mull. In addition to many appearances on such TV shows as “The Bob Newhart Show,” “The Golden Girls,” “Murphy Brown,” and “Roseanne” (also opposite Mull), he has worked with Christopher Guest on all of his movies, including “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,...
- 5/16/2020
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Fred Willard has died.
The beloved comedy actor has died of natural causes.
He was 86.
“My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old,” his daughter, Hope, said in a statement.
“He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever.”
The actor was probably best known for his many roles in Christopher Guest’s films, alongside Michael McKean, Catherine O’Hara, Harry Shearer, and Eugene Levy.
He played an Air Force colonel in This Is Spinal Tap, travel agent/amateur actor Ron Albertson in Waiting for Guffman, announcer Buck Laughlin in Best in Show, and the music manager Mike Lafontaine in A Mighty Wind.
"A fond farewell to Mr. Fred Willard," actress Jamie Lee Curtis, whose husband, Christopher Guest, has worked with Willard over the years, wrote in an Instagram tribute.
The beloved comedy actor has died of natural causes.
He was 86.
“My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old,” his daughter, Hope, said in a statement.
“He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever.”
The actor was probably best known for his many roles in Christopher Guest’s films, alongside Michael McKean, Catherine O’Hara, Harry Shearer, and Eugene Levy.
He played an Air Force colonel in This Is Spinal Tap, travel agent/amateur actor Ron Albertson in Waiting for Guffman, announcer Buck Laughlin in Best in Show, and the music manager Mike Lafontaine in A Mighty Wind.
"A fond farewell to Mr. Fred Willard," actress Jamie Lee Curtis, whose husband, Christopher Guest, has worked with Willard over the years, wrote in an Instagram tribute.
- 5/16/2020
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Fred Willard, who parlayed a knack for naive characters into costarring roles on the television series Fernwood 2 Night and Everybody Loves Raymond and in several memorable films, has died. He was 86 and his death was confirmed by his agent, Michael Eisenstadt.
“Fred was one of the busiest comedic actors in a career which lasted over 50 years,” Eisenstadt said in a note. “He had recently completed his Emmy nominated recurring role on Modern Family and can be seen later this month in his recurring role as Steve Carrell’s dad in the Netflix series Space Force. Jimmy Kimmel had Fred recur on his show on an average of every two weeks doing comedic sketches until the stay-at-home order began. Fred truly enjoyed every role and gave each performance his own special spin. He was truly a comedic genius.”
Emmy-nominated for three consecutive years for his role as father-in-law Hank MacDougall...
“Fred was one of the busiest comedic actors in a career which lasted over 50 years,” Eisenstadt said in a note. “He had recently completed his Emmy nominated recurring role on Modern Family and can be seen later this month in his recurring role as Steve Carrell’s dad in the Netflix series Space Force. Jimmy Kimmel had Fred recur on his show on an average of every two weeks doing comedic sketches until the stay-at-home order began. Fred truly enjoyed every role and gave each performance his own special spin. He was truly a comedic genius.”
Emmy-nominated for three consecutive years for his role as father-in-law Hank MacDougall...
- 5/16/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Fred Willard, the Second City alum who delivered Emmy-nominated performances in Modern Family and Everybody Loves Raymond, has died of natural causes, reports THR. The actor was 86.
“My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old,” his daughter, Hope, said in a statement. “He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever.”
More from TVLineModern Family Kills Off [Spoiler] Ahead of Series Finale -- Watch Final SceneTVLine Items: The L Word: Generation Q Trailer, Xl Daytime Emmys and MoreABC Family's...
“My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old,” his daughter, Hope, said in a statement. “He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever.”
More from TVLineModern Family Kills Off [Spoiler] Ahead of Series Finale -- Watch Final SceneTVLine Items: The L Word: Generation Q Trailer, Xl Daytime Emmys and MoreABC Family's...
- 5/16/2020
- TVLine.com
Fred Willard, the comic actor known for his genial but dunderheaded characters, has died. He was 86.
Willard died Friday night at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. Willard’s daughter, Hope Mulbarger, said the actor died “very peacefully.”
“He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much,” Mulbarger said. Willard has a role in the upcoming Netflix comedy series “Space Force” opposite Steve Carell.
Willard was married for 50 years to Mary Willard, a playwright and collaborator with her husband. She died in 2018 at the age of 71.
After getting his start in improv comedy with Second City, Fred Willard was an astonishingly ubiquitous presence especially on TV but also in movies for decades, almost always in small but memorable roles.
The New York Times said in 2008: “He has become the king of the deadpan cameo, the guy who makes...
Willard died Friday night at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes. Willard’s daughter, Hope Mulbarger, said the actor died “very peacefully.”
“He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much,” Mulbarger said. Willard has a role in the upcoming Netflix comedy series “Space Force” opposite Steve Carell.
Willard was married for 50 years to Mary Willard, a playwright and collaborator with her husband. She died in 2018 at the age of 71.
After getting his start in improv comedy with Second City, Fred Willard was an astonishingly ubiquitous presence especially on TV but also in movies for decades, almost always in small but memorable roles.
The New York Times said in 2008: “He has become the king of the deadpan cameo, the guy who makes...
- 5/16/2020
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
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
Fred Willard, the prolific and beloved comic actor and master of the mockumentary genre who stood out in ensemble comedies like Best in Show, For Your Consideration and This Is Spinal Tap, died Friday at the age of 86.
Willard’s rep Glenn Schwartz confirmed his death to Rolling Stone, adding that the cause of death was natural causes. Willard’s daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement, “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.
Willard’s rep Glenn Schwartz confirmed his death to Rolling Stone, adding that the cause of death was natural causes. Willard’s daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement, “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.
- 5/16/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Looking back at some of the strangest cameos in film and TV history, we were struck by how many of them were by musicians. It makes sense. After all, musicians are already out of place among actors on a TV or film set. What they bring to the table is different from what actors bring, in terms of star quality, charisma, self-expression and established personae. If you’re familiar with both the musician’s work and the characters in a movie or TV show (and the actors who play them...
- 5/16/2020
- by Gary Susman
- Rollingstone.com
Fred Willard, the Emmy-nominated actor who played clueless characters to perfection on Fernwood 2 Night and Everybody Loves Raymond, died Friday. He was 86.
Hollywood figures have taken to social media to pay tribute to the actor, who was known for such roles as Ed Harken in the two Anchorman films and received Emmy nominations for portraying Hank MacDougall, the conservative father-in-law of Brad Garrett's Robert, on Everybody Loves Raymond and for playing Frank Dunphy, father of Ty Burrell's Phil, on Modern Family.
On Twitter, Jamie Lee Curtis shared a clip from Willard's 2000 comedy Best in Show while writing: "How lucky that ...
Hollywood figures have taken to social media to pay tribute to the actor, who was known for such roles as Ed Harken in the two Anchorman films and received Emmy nominations for portraying Hank MacDougall, the conservative father-in-law of Brad Garrett's Robert, on Everybody Loves Raymond and for playing Frank Dunphy, father of Ty Burrell's Phil, on Modern Family.
On Twitter, Jamie Lee Curtis shared a clip from Willard's 2000 comedy Best in Show while writing: "How lucky that ...
- 5/16/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fred Willard, the Emmy-nominated actor who played clueless characters to perfection on Fernwood 2 Night and Everybody Loves Raymond, died Friday. He was 86.
Hollywood figures have taken to social media to pay tribute to the actor, who was known for such roles as Ed Harken in the two Anchorman films and received Emmy nominations for portraying Hank MacDougall, the conservative father-in-law of Brad Garrett's Robert, on Everybody Loves Raymond and for playing Frank Dunphy, father of Ty Burrell's Phil, on Modern Family.
On Twitter, Jamie Lee Curtis shared a clip from Willard's 2000 comedy Best in Show while writing: "How lucky that ...
Hollywood figures have taken to social media to pay tribute to the actor, who was known for such roles as Ed Harken in the two Anchorman films and received Emmy nominations for portraying Hank MacDougall, the conservative father-in-law of Brad Garrett's Robert, on Everybody Loves Raymond and for playing Frank Dunphy, father of Ty Burrell's Phil, on Modern Family.
On Twitter, Jamie Lee Curtis shared a clip from Willard's 2000 comedy Best in Show while writing: "How lucky that ...
- 5/16/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Fred Willard, the clever comic actor who played clueless characters to perfection on Fernwood 2 Night, Everybody Loves Raymond and as a member of a great ensemble in several Christopher Guest mockumentaries, has died. He was 86.
Willard died Friday night in Los Angeles of natural causes, his agent Michael Eisenstadt told The Hollywood Reporter.
His daughter, Hope, said he passed "very peacefully … He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever."
Always amusing, Willard also elicited grins as station director Ed ...
Willard died Friday night in Los Angeles of natural causes, his agent Michael Eisenstadt told The Hollywood Reporter.
His daughter, Hope, said he passed "very peacefully … He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever."
Always amusing, Willard also elicited grins as station director Ed ...
- 5/16/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fred Willard, the clever comic actor who played clueless characters to perfection on Fernwood 2 Night, Everybody Loves Raymond and as a member of a great ensemble in several Christopher Guest mockumentaries, has died. He was 86.
Willard died Friday night in Los Angeles of natural causes, his agent Michael Eisenstadt told The Hollywood Reporter.
His daughter, Hope, said he passed "very peacefully … He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever."
Always amusing, Willard also elicited grins as station director Ed ...
Willard died Friday night in Los Angeles of natural causes, his agent Michael Eisenstadt told The Hollywood Reporter.
His daughter, Hope, said he passed "very peacefully … He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever."
Always amusing, Willard also elicited grins as station director Ed ...
- 5/16/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Mary Willard, playwright, TV writer and wife of four-time Emmy nominee Fred Willard, has died at the age of 71.
Willard died on July 13, but news of her death was recently made public.
Champion is the one word that comes to mind when remembering Mary Willard and she wasn’t just Fred Willard’s best cheerleader, but she also mentored and nurtured a number of creative comedic writers and actors through the Willards’ Los Angeles-based comedy sketch group The Mohos over the last two-plus decades (which anecdotally I was a part of some years ago).
‘Let’s put on a show’ was an unofficial mantra, and within less than two-weeks time, the troupe would pull wigs out of the closet and brush up pages for performances at the Io West and The Bang Theater and even as far as the Inland Empire. Those trying out sketches at Mohos had the opportunity...
Willard died on July 13, but news of her death was recently made public.
Champion is the one word that comes to mind when remembering Mary Willard and she wasn’t just Fred Willard’s best cheerleader, but she also mentored and nurtured a number of creative comedic writers and actors through the Willards’ Los Angeles-based comedy sketch group The Mohos over the last two-plus decades (which anecdotally I was a part of some years ago).
‘Let’s put on a show’ was an unofficial mantra, and within less than two-weeks time, the troupe would pull wigs out of the closet and brush up pages for performances at the Io West and The Bang Theater and even as far as the Inland Empire. Those trying out sketches at Mohos had the opportunity...
- 9/6/2018
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Last night, actor Alan Thicke, best known as patriarch Dr. Jason Seaver on the ABC family sitcom “Growing Pains,” died of a heart attack. He was 69 years old.
Read More: Gene Wilder, Star of ‘Willy Wonka’ and ‘Young Frankenstein,’ Dies at 83
Besides playing one of America’s most beloved TV dads, Thicke was a presence on many alt-comedy shows on Adult Swim, often making self-deprecating, strange cameo appearances. In one episode of “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” Thicke advertised “The Cinco Napple,” an apple with a sleeping aid.
He made an appearance on “The Eric Andre Show” where he and David Alan Grier closed out the show with a goofy, upbeat song.
Thicke also appeared in the final episode of the short-lived series “The Jack and Triumph Show,” starring Jack Brayer (“30 Rock”) and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
Finally, Thicke even made a guest appearance on a first season episode of “Scream Queens,...
Read More: Gene Wilder, Star of ‘Willy Wonka’ and ‘Young Frankenstein,’ Dies at 83
Besides playing one of America’s most beloved TV dads, Thicke was a presence on many alt-comedy shows on Adult Swim, often making self-deprecating, strange cameo appearances. In one episode of “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” Thicke advertised “The Cinco Napple,” an apple with a sleeping aid.
He made an appearance on “The Eric Andre Show” where he and David Alan Grier closed out the show with a goofy, upbeat song.
Thicke also appeared in the final episode of the short-lived series “The Jack and Triumph Show,” starring Jack Brayer (“30 Rock”) and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
Finally, Thicke even made a guest appearance on a first season episode of “Scream Queens,...
- 12/14/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Alan Thicke, the actor, talk show host and composer known for his turn as the Seaver family patriarch on the sitcom Growing Pains, died of a heart attack Tuesday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 69.
Thicke reportedly suffered a heart attack while playing hockey with one of his sons. He was taken to a Los Angeles area hospital where he was pronounced dead. He is survived by his wife Tanya and sons Brennan, Carter and the pop star Robin Thicke.
Growing Pains ran for seven seasons on ABC between...
Thicke reportedly suffered a heart attack while playing hockey with one of his sons. He was taken to a Los Angeles area hospital where he was pronounced dead. He is survived by his wife Tanya and sons Brennan, Carter and the pop star Robin Thicke.
Growing Pains ran for seven seasons on ABC between...
- 12/14/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Norman Lear- Just Another Version of You
By Eddy Friedeld
The first two people in my life who taught me to think deeply about social and political issues and argue cogently and passionately for what I believed in were my late father David and Norman Lear.
Lear, the 94-year-old entertainment icon is the subject of a terrific American Masters documentary: Norman Lear- Just Another Version of You, which premieres nationwide Tuesday, October 25, 9-10:30 p.m. on PBS.
Speaking from his home in Los Angeles about both the documentary and his masterful 2014 autobiography, Even This I Get to Experience, he still has an energy level that would put people a quarter of his age to shame.
“People think when you’re over 90 you’ve changed. It’s everyone else who’s changed. Suddenly I’m extremely wise,” Lear says. Charming and reflective, he explains why he wears the...
By Eddy Friedeld
The first two people in my life who taught me to think deeply about social and political issues and argue cogently and passionately for what I believed in were my late father David and Norman Lear.
Lear, the 94-year-old entertainment icon is the subject of a terrific American Masters documentary: Norman Lear- Just Another Version of You, which premieres nationwide Tuesday, October 25, 9-10:30 p.m. on PBS.
Speaking from his home in Los Angeles about both the documentary and his masterful 2014 autobiography, Even This I Get to Experience, he still has an energy level that would put people a quarter of his age to shame.
“People think when you’re over 90 you’ve changed. It’s everyone else who’s changed. Suddenly I’m extremely wise,” Lear says. Charming and reflective, he explains why he wears the...
- 10/21/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
"Community" is back for an improbable sixth season, now on Yahoo Screen, and I have a review of the season's first two episodes(*) coming up just as soon as the score in my head changes from Trent Reznor to Johnny Cash doing Trent Reznor... (*) Note: the rough cut versions that critics saw of both episodes were deliberately missing the end credits tag on the first episode, so if Donald Glover or Chevy Chase or someone else made a surprise appearance in it, I won't know until I wake up on Tuesday and check it out on Yahoo. "Community" at the start of season 6 has lost its original network, three of its original castmembers, plus several notable recurring players. (John Oliver and Jonathan Banks are otherwise occupied at the moment, and even the actor who plays Fat Neil is off scaring your parents about the internet on "CSI: Cyber.") It's certainly...
- 3/17/2015
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
With nearly 40 years of TV experience behind him, you might wonder if Martin Mull would still get excited about a new project. For every successful run he’s had — your Fernwood Tonight, Roseanne — he’s had other here-and-gone experiences (Domestic Life, His & Hers), enough that he could be forgiven for being ambivalent about the whole scene. But in talking with the 70-year-old actor about Dads, his new sitcom that debuts tonight on Fox, he sounds as upbeat and enthusiastic as a fresh-faced actor getting his first big break of pilot season. Dads centers around Warner and Eli (Giovanni [...]
The post Martin Mull is back on TV with Fox’s controversial “Dads” appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
The post Martin Mull is back on TV with Fox’s controversial “Dads” appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
- 9/17/2013
- by Stacey Harrison
- ChannelGuideMag
On TV this weekend: The Fall Classic continues, Good Wife brings back a bad guy, Dexter has a crisis of faith, and… did someone order Robot Chicken? Here are 19 programs to keep on your radar.
Saturday, October 22
5 pm House of Bones (Syfy) | In case this week’s Supernatural got you jonesing for more Charisma Carpenter, here she is in a 2009 TV-movie about two “ghost hunter” types (her and Corin Nemec) who get more than they bargained for.
7:30 College Football (NBC) | Notre Dame hosts USC. Ausiello, you’ll be watching this, right?
8 pm World Series Game 3 (Fox) | With the series...
Saturday, October 22
5 pm House of Bones (Syfy) | In case this week’s Supernatural got you jonesing for more Charisma Carpenter, here she is in a 2009 TV-movie about two “ghost hunter” types (her and Corin Nemec) who get more than they bargained for.
7:30 College Football (NBC) | Notre Dame hosts USC. Ausiello, you’ll be watching this, right?
8 pm World Series Game 3 (Fox) | With the series...
- 10/22/2011
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
One of the greatest character actors, Kenneth Mars, has sadly passed away according to the Associated Press.
Kenneth Mars, a Mel Brooks collaborator who played a Hitler-worshipping playwright in “The Producers” and an earnest police inspector with a malfunctioning artificial arm in “Young Frankenstein,” has died. He was 75. In a statement Monday, Mars family said the actor died Saturday of pancreatic cancer at his home in Grenada Hills.
In Brooks’ 1968 romp “The Producers,” Mars co-starred as Franz Liebkind, a Nazi enthusiast whose play, “Springtime for Hitler,” is the basis for a scheme by two conniving showmen (Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder) to bilk investors by putting on a surefire Broadway flop.
Brooks cast Mars again in 1974′s “Young Frankenstein” as the constable poking around the castle grounds on the trail of mad scientist Wilder’s monster.
In both films, the Chicago-born Mars demonstrated his talent for vocal farce, lending over-the-top German accents to the characters.
Kenneth Mars, a Mel Brooks collaborator who played a Hitler-worshipping playwright in “The Producers” and an earnest police inspector with a malfunctioning artificial arm in “Young Frankenstein,” has died. He was 75. In a statement Monday, Mars family said the actor died Saturday of pancreatic cancer at his home in Grenada Hills.
In Brooks’ 1968 romp “The Producers,” Mars co-starred as Franz Liebkind, a Nazi enthusiast whose play, “Springtime for Hitler,” is the basis for a scheme by two conniving showmen (Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder) to bilk investors by putting on a surefire Broadway flop.
Brooks cast Mars again in 1974′s “Young Frankenstein” as the constable poking around the castle grounds on the trail of mad scientist Wilder’s monster.
In both films, the Chicago-born Mars demonstrated his talent for vocal farce, lending over-the-top German accents to the characters.
- 2/15/2011
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
After a few days of speculation, the news is now official: NBC confirmed that Jay Leno will be leaving his 10 o'clock time slot and returning to late-night. The last prime-time episode of "The Jay Leno Show" will air on February 12. There is currently no word on how the shake-up will effect Conan O'Brien (the host of "The Tonight Show," which airs in the 11:30 slot that Leno will be once-again assuming) or Jimmy Fallon (whose show airs after Conan's).
Though Leno ruled late night for years as the host of "The Tonight Show," he did not enjoy the same dominance when his new show launched back in September 2009. Though the show started strong, the ratings quickly bottomed out. The low numbers upset local affiliates, whose 11 p.m. newscasts were tanking because the lead-in audience was so low.
"The Jay Leno Show" joins an elite club of spectacular talk show disasters.
Though Leno ruled late night for years as the host of "The Tonight Show," he did not enjoy the same dominance when his new show launched back in September 2009. Though the show started strong, the ratings quickly bottomed out. The low numbers upset local affiliates, whose 11 p.m. newscasts were tanking because the lead-in audience was so low.
"The Jay Leno Show" joins an elite club of spectacular talk show disasters.
- 1/11/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
Fred Willard radiates a unique charm that has established him as one of the industry’s most gifted comic actors, first coming to prominence as ambitious but dimwitted sidekick Jerry Hubbard to Martin Mull’s smarmy talk-show host Barth Gimble in the devastating satirical series “Fernwood 2 Night” (1977). A master of sketch comedy, he is most heralded for his quick wit and improvisational expertise. His over 70 appearances in sketches on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” are indicative of his ability to transform any character into a unique comic portrayal. Fred recently completed a sold-out run of his one-man show, “Fred Willard: Alone At Last!” (with a cast of [...]...
- 6/13/2009
- by dave
- ShockYa
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