"Gilligan's Island" may be viewed as a classic sitcom now, but when the silly series about a group of island castaways aired from 1964 to 1967, it was far from a sure bet for its home network, CBS. As Laura Morowitz writes in the book "Critiquing the Sitcom," the series was "championed by the public" yet "routinely derided by critics." Anything but a classic in its time, the series ultimately became an enduring part of TV history thanks to its seemingly endless replays in syndication. According to Morowitz, it "would come to be the most repeated series in television history."
During its original airing, "Gilligan's Island" was pushed around the prime-time schedule like brussel sprouts on a picky kid's plate. It switched time slots three times during its relatively short run and was finally canceled in 1967. Except, the cancelation of "Gilligan's Island" wasn't straightforward; by several accounts, it came after the show had already seemingly been renewed,...
During its original airing, "Gilligan's Island" was pushed around the prime-time schedule like brussel sprouts on a picky kid's plate. It switched time slots three times during its relatively short run and was finally canceled in 1967. Except, the cancelation of "Gilligan's Island" wasn't straightforward; by several accounts, it came after the show had already seemingly been renewed,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
It looks like the perennially photogenic staff at Seattle General won't be hanging up their scrubs anytime soon.
ABC announced today that Grey's Anatomy has been renewed for a 21st season.
It's historic news for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that Grey's has once again cemented its place as the longest-running scripted series in ABC history.
It's also the longest-running medical drama in TV history, and only a few other dramas of any category have it beat.
With its 21st season, Grey's will take the number three spot away from Gunsmoke, and only two Law & Order series (the original and Svu) have enjoyed longer tenures.
So yeah, Meredith and company have been with us for a very long time.
And with Grey's Anatomy Season 20 earning positive reviews for new showrunner Meg Marinis, there's no telling how much longer the series may stick around.
“The...
ABC announced today that Grey's Anatomy has been renewed for a 21st season.
It's historic news for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that Grey's has once again cemented its place as the longest-running scripted series in ABC history.
It's also the longest-running medical drama in TV history, and only a few other dramas of any category have it beat.
With its 21st season, Grey's will take the number three spot away from Gunsmoke, and only two Law & Order series (the original and Svu) have enjoyed longer tenures.
So yeah, Meredith and company have been with us for a very long time.
And with Grey's Anatomy Season 20 earning positive reviews for new showrunner Meg Marinis, there's no telling how much longer the series may stick around.
“The...
- 4/2/2024
- by Tyler Johnson
- TVfanatic
Lynn Loring, who appeared as a young actress on Search for Tomorrow, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and The F.B.I. before becoming one of the highest-ranking female executives in Hollywood at the time, has died. She was 80.
Loring died Dec. 23 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center after a series of chronic illnesses, her son, Chris Thinnes, told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family chose not to make public her death until now.
Loring also acted in a few movies, including Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961), Pressure Point (1962) and, alongside then-husband Roy Thinnes, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969).
When she was 7, Loring joined the new CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow in September 1951 for the first of its 35 seasons. She would portray Patti Barron, daughter of Mary Stuart’s Joanne Gardner, for a decade until she graduated from the Calhoun School for Girls and entered Barnard College...
Loring died Dec. 23 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center after a series of chronic illnesses, her son, Chris Thinnes, told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family chose not to make public her death until now.
Loring also acted in a few movies, including Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961), Pressure Point (1962) and, alongside then-husband Roy Thinnes, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969).
When she was 7, Loring joined the new CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow in September 1951 for the first of its 35 seasons. She would portray Patti Barron, daughter of Mary Stuart’s Joanne Gardner, for a decade until she graduated from the Calhoun School for Girls and entered Barnard College...
- 4/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Western is a genre that's mostly gone by the wayside in recent decades, as portraits of straight-shooting American heroes and uncomplicated "bad guys" have become less digestible to the public. While popular neo-Westerns (like "Justified" or the works of Taylor Sheridan) and perspective-changing genre breakdowns have made a splash in recent yers, the genre has mostly died out. Of the relics that remain, few are as prolific and familiar as "Bonanza," a Western series that ran for an impressive 14 seasons on NBC in the '60s and '70s.
As a long-running TV series, "Bonanza" was able to chart the change — or stubborn lack thereof — within the genre and the country, frankly addressing topics like racism and bigotry while also delivering regular laughs and a dash of melodrama to loyal viewers. The series starred Lorne Green as widower Ben Cartwright and Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, and Michael Landon as Ben's three sons.
As a long-running TV series, "Bonanza" was able to chart the change — or stubborn lack thereof — within the genre and the country, frankly addressing topics like racism and bigotry while also delivering regular laughs and a dash of melodrama to loyal viewers. The series starred Lorne Green as widower Ben Cartwright and Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, and Michael Landon as Ben's three sons.
- 3/30/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Character actor Clint Howard, best known as Ron Howard‘s brother, is heading over to CBS as he takes on a new role in the network’s long-running soap, The Bold and the Beautiful. Howard will play a pivotal role as a homeless man named Tom who provides clues to a mystery, according to Deadline. Per the report on March 18, Howard is set to begin filming immediately, with his episodes slated to air April 26th and April 29th on the network. This role is just the latest in a long line of character parts for Howard who has appeared on a slew of classics over the years. (Credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for SiriusXM) Among Howard’s filmography are series such as The Andy Griffith Show, in which he featured alongside his brother Ron before breaking out with his solo role in 1967’s Gentle Ben. Other titles Howard has featured...
- 3/18/2024
- TV Insider
Veteran television actress Jean Allison, best known for roles in shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Perry Mason, has died at 94. Her family’s obituary said she died Feb. 28 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, but no cause was given.
Allison, a character actress, built a long resume in popular TV. She appeared in episodes of Charlie’s Angels, The Detectives, Emergency!, Hawaiian Eye, Starsky & Hutch, The Waltons and many others.
Born on Oct. 24, 1929, she grew up in Tarrytown, New York. She eventually attended Adelphi College on Long Island and later studied acting under Sanford Meisner.
She was spotted while appearing in a stage performance of the drama Teach Me How to Cry, which led to her debut in an episode of the CBS anthology General Electric Theater in 1957.
Allison also appeared in such films as Edge of Fury, (1958) The Devil’s Partner (1960), The Steagle (1971), Bad Company (1972) and Hardcore (1979).
Allison married three times,...
Allison, a character actress, built a long resume in popular TV. She appeared in episodes of Charlie’s Angels, The Detectives, Emergency!, Hawaiian Eye, Starsky & Hutch, The Waltons and many others.
Born on Oct. 24, 1929, she grew up in Tarrytown, New York. She eventually attended Adelphi College on Long Island and later studied acting under Sanford Meisner.
She was spotted while appearing in a stage performance of the drama Teach Me How to Cry, which led to her debut in an episode of the CBS anthology General Electric Theater in 1957.
Allison also appeared in such films as Edge of Fury, (1958) The Devil’s Partner (1960), The Steagle (1971), Bad Company (1972) and Hardcore (1979).
Allison married three times,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Jean Allison, a television star who notched appearances in more than 80 series, has died. She was 94 years old. Allison’s family said that the actor — who lived in Rancho Palos Verdes, California — died on February 28, according to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been announced. Across her 27-year screen career, Allison starred in episodes of Maverick, Bonanza, Perry Mason, 77 Sunset Strip, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gunsmoke, Adam-12, Ironside, and St. Elsewhere, among many others. She also hit the big screen in the 1958 film Edge of Fury, in which she played a woman pursued by Michael Higgins’ psychopathic character. Her other film credits include The Devil’s Partner (as seen above), The Steagle, Bad Company, and Hardcore. Allison was born and raised in New York, attending Harmony High School in Tarrytown and Adelphi College in Garden City. An agent signed Allison after seeing her perform in the...
- 3/9/2024
- TV Insider
Anne Whitfield, who appeared at age 15 in the 1954 Hollywood Christmas chestnut White Christmas and went on to a prolific career in episodic TV throughout the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, died February 15 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington. She was 85.
The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.
“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.
Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...
The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.
“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.
Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...
- 2/29/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Anne Whitfield, who appeared in the beloved holiday classic White Christmas and on dozens of TV shows, from Father Knows Best, 77 Sunset Strip and Perry Mason to That Girl, Ironside and Emergency!, has died. She was 85.
Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.
“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.
Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...
Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.
“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.
Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...
- 2/29/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Veteran actor Charles Dierkop, best known for his roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and the 1970s television series Police Woman, has died. He was 87. According to his daughter, Lynn, Dierkop passed away at Sherman Oaks Hospital on Sunday, February 25, after a recent heart attack and a bout with pneumonia, per The Hollywood Reporter. Born on September 11, 1936, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Dierkop dropped out of high school to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served during the Korean War until September 1955. Following his stint in the military, Diekop studied acting in Philadelphia and at The Actors Studio in New York. His first on-screen acting gig came in the 1960s ABC drama Naked City, where he appeared in several episodes in uncredited roles. From there, he featured in many other hit 1960s TV series, including Lost In Space, The Man from U.N.C.L.
- 2/27/2024
- TV Insider
Charles Dierkop, the busy character actor who played tough guys in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and the 1970s Angie Dickinson series Police Woman, has died. He was 87.
Dierkop died Sunday at Sherman Oaks Hospital after a recent heart attack and bout with pneumonia, his daughter, Lynn, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wisconsin native also appeared alongside Rod Steiger in Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker (1964), played the mobster Salvanti in Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) and was a murderous Santa Claus in the cult horror movie Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984).
After portraying an uncredited pool-hall hood in the Paul Newman-starring The Hustler (1961), Dierkop got to work with Newman again in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) when he was hired to play Hole in the Wall Gang outlaw George “Flat Nose” Curry.
Dierkop had broken his nose in fights several times as a kid,...
Dierkop died Sunday at Sherman Oaks Hospital after a recent heart attack and bout with pneumonia, his daughter, Lynn, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wisconsin native also appeared alongside Rod Steiger in Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker (1964), played the mobster Salvanti in Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) and was a murderous Santa Claus in the cult horror movie Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984).
After portraying an uncredited pool-hall hood in the Paul Newman-starring The Hustler (1961), Dierkop got to work with Newman again in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) when he was hired to play Hole in the Wall Gang outlaw George “Flat Nose” Curry.
Dierkop had broken his nose in fights several times as a kid,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Get ready for an action-packed episode of “Hollywood Weapons” as Season 6 continues with Episode 3 titled “The Harder Terry Falls.” Airing at 7:00 Pm on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, on Outd, viewers are in for a thrilling ride as Terry tackles several challenges inspired by the epic western film “The Harder They Fall” and a canteen buster test from “Gunsmoke.”
In this episode, Terry puts his skills to the test as he recreates iconic scenes and stunts from these classic Westerns. From high-octane shootouts to daring stunts, viewers will be on the edge of their seats as Terry demonstrates the real-life feasibility of Hollywood action sequences.
With expert analysis, behind-the-scenes insights, and explosive experiments, “Hollywood Weapons” offers a fascinating look at the science and physics behind some of cinema’s most memorable moments. Don’t miss the excitement of “The Harder Terry Falls,” exclusively on Outd. It’s a wild ride you won’t want to miss!
In this episode, Terry puts his skills to the test as he recreates iconic scenes and stunts from these classic Westerns. From high-octane shootouts to daring stunts, viewers will be on the edge of their seats as Terry demonstrates the real-life feasibility of Hollywood action sequences.
With expert analysis, behind-the-scenes insights, and explosive experiments, “Hollywood Weapons” offers a fascinating look at the science and physics behind some of cinema’s most memorable moments. Don’t miss the excitement of “The Harder Terry Falls,” exclusively on Outd. It’s a wild ride you won’t want to miss!
- 2/21/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
NCIS isn’t going anywhere. More than 450 episodes into its run, the CBS drama about naval criminal investigators hasn’t lost any steam – or the support of the network. The show, which had its 21st season premiere on Feb. 12, isn’t “slowing down anytime soon,” a CBS executive recently promised.
‘NCIS’ is still going strong after 20 seasons (L-r): Brian Dietzen as Jimmy Palmer, Katrina Law as NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight, Wilmer Valderrama as Nick Torres, Diona Reasonover as Forensic Scientist Kasie Hines, and Gary Cole as FBI Special Agent Alden Parker in ‘NCIS’ Season 21 Episode 2 | Michael Yarish/CBS ©2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
For any show to last 20 seasons is an impressive feat, especially in today’s competitive TV environment. But NCIS has managed to pull it off. The Jag spinoff, which premiered in September 2003 is now one of the longest-running scripted primetime shows in TV history.
‘NCIS’ is still going strong after 20 seasons (L-r): Brian Dietzen as Jimmy Palmer, Katrina Law as NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight, Wilmer Valderrama as Nick Torres, Diona Reasonover as Forensic Scientist Kasie Hines, and Gary Cole as FBI Special Agent Alden Parker in ‘NCIS’ Season 21 Episode 2 | Michael Yarish/CBS ©2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
For any show to last 20 seasons is an impressive feat, especially in today’s competitive TV environment. But NCIS has managed to pull it off. The Jag spinoff, which premiered in September 2003 is now one of the longest-running scripted primetime shows in TV history.
- 2/19/2024
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Procedural drama series have been the backbone of television since the days of “Dragnet” and “Perry Mason.” Even as viewers are inundated with new, edgy and artsy programs, they’re embracing sturdy shows that blend potboiler tales and indelible characters like never before.
Whether on broadcast TV — where procedurals were the first wave of scripted series to return to the air following last year’s writers and actors strikes — or streaming platforms, audiences gravitate to close-ended storytelling about cops, doctors, lawyers, firefighters and other first responders.
Indeed, just four days after the SAG-AFTRA work stoppage ended on Nov. 9, Wolf Entertainment got back to work on the nine scripted procedurals on its slate: three “Law & Orders” and three “One Chicago” shows for NBC and three “FBI” dramas for CBS. The “Chicago” franchise was the first of the strike-delayed series to return with fresh episodes on Jan. 17.
“A good procedural is like comfort food: consistently satisfying,...
Whether on broadcast TV — where procedurals were the first wave of scripted series to return to the air following last year’s writers and actors strikes — or streaming platforms, audiences gravitate to close-ended storytelling about cops, doctors, lawyers, firefighters and other first responders.
Indeed, just four days after the SAG-AFTRA work stoppage ended on Nov. 9, Wolf Entertainment got back to work on the nine scripted procedurals on its slate: three “Law & Orders” and three “One Chicago” shows for NBC and three “FBI” dramas for CBS. The “Chicago” franchise was the first of the strike-delayed series to return with fresh episodes on Jan. 17.
“A good procedural is like comfort food: consistently satisfying,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Emily Longeretta
- Variety Film + TV
Dashing, magnetic superstar Ricardo Montalbán got his start in the 1940s, appearing in numerous notable hit films in his native Mexico, playing a variety of roles in romantic dramas, historical comedies, and other swashbuckling adventures. His natural dazzle and ineffable "it" qualities caught the eye of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1947, and he shot the English-language film "Fiesta" with Esther Williams, Cyd Charisse, and Mary Astor. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Montalbán became incredibly busy, starring in romances, dramas, and an enormous amount of American TV, including one-shot TV movies and multiple notable hit shows. He was in "Dr. Kildare," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "Gunsmoke," "Hawaii Five-o," and, of course, "Star Trek," playing the charismatic tyrant Khan Noonien Singh.
A new generation of Montalbán fans was born with the debut of "Fantasy Island" in 1978. On "Fantasy Island," Montalbán played the mysterious Mr. Roarke, the manager of Devil's Island, a remote, hard-to-get-to tropical paradise...
A new generation of Montalbán fans was born with the debut of "Fantasy Island" in 1978. On "Fantasy Island," Montalbán played the mysterious Mr. Roarke, the manager of Devil's Island, a remote, hard-to-get-to tropical paradise...
- 1/23/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Lynne Marta, an actor who maintained a steady and prolific TV and film career for nearly 40 years best known for roles on Love, American Style and the 1984 film Footloose, died of cancer in Los Angeles January 11. She was 78.
Calling Marta “a beautiful light,” the actor’s friend Joan Sobel wrote on Facebook, “My friend, Lynne Marta lost her good fight. A wonderfully talented actress and a beautiful singer whose voice was of the angels. A dear heart who adored her friends both human and furry. I will miss her terribly.”
Born on October 30, 1945, in Somerville, NJ, Marta began her TV career in 1966 with appearances on Gidget and The Monkees, and relatively few years went by without a film or TV credit through her 2004 role in an episode of the NBC drama series American Dreams. She appeared in 24 episodes of the soap Days of Our Lives between 1983 and 2003.
A steady presence...
Calling Marta “a beautiful light,” the actor’s friend Joan Sobel wrote on Facebook, “My friend, Lynne Marta lost her good fight. A wonderfully talented actress and a beautiful singer whose voice was of the angels. A dear heart who adored her friends both human and furry. I will miss her terribly.”
Born on October 30, 1945, in Somerville, NJ, Marta began her TV career in 1966 with appearances on Gidget and The Monkees, and relatively few years went by without a film or TV credit through her 2004 role in an episode of the NBC drama series American Dreams. She appeared in 24 episodes of the soap Days of Our Lives between 1983 and 2003.
A steady presence...
- 1/17/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
You may have heard that the 75th edition of the Emmy Awards is finally happening on Monday, capping a nearly four-month delay resulting from the twin WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. I think “Gunsmoke” and “The Andy Griffith Show” were still all the rage when this process began, JFK was President and a loaf of bread was a quarter. Alas, I exaggerate (though just a bit). But for this and no doubt other reasons, the TV Academy is clearly in a nostalgic mood, slating mini-reunions and tributes to and/or visual recreations of a dozen shows to mark the occasion.
The idea, according to the Emmy producers, is to honor television throughout the decades of its existence, from the 1950s (“I Love Lucy”), to the 1960s (“The Carol Burnett Show”), the 1970s (“All in the Family”), the 1980s (“Cheers”) and the 1990s (“Ally McBeal” and “Martin”) through the early 2000s.
SEE...
The idea, according to the Emmy producers, is to honor television throughout the decades of its existence, from the 1950s (“I Love Lucy”), to the 1960s (“The Carol Burnett Show”), the 1970s (“All in the Family”), the 1980s (“Cheers”) and the 1990s (“Ally McBeal” and “Martin”) through the early 2000s.
SEE...
- 1/13/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Heading into the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, a total of 30 supporting actors and actresses are nominated for their work on 11 different continuing series, all of which consist of between one and six seasons. When it comes to predicting the four winners, it helps to analyze their predecessors with emphasis on how long their shows had been running. Over the course of seven decades, TV academy voters have shown significant preference toward newer (but not too new) featured performances, and that is largely reflected in their current slate of nominations.
Whereas the luckiest lead actors typically win for brand new comedy or drama programs, supporting players usually fare a bit better immediately following their shows’ sophomore seasons. This type of victory accounts for 21.7% of all of those that have occurred within the four featured categories, with recent examples including Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Julia Garner (“Ozark”), and Brett Goldstein...
Whereas the luckiest lead actors typically win for brand new comedy or drama programs, supporting players usually fare a bit better immediately following their shows’ sophomore seasons. This type of victory accounts for 21.7% of all of those that have occurred within the four featured categories, with recent examples including Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Julia Garner (“Ozark”), and Brett Goldstein...
- 1/12/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: NCIS: LA may be over but star Daniela Ruah is keeping a toe in the NCIS universe.
The actress who played Kensi Blye on the spinoff that wrapped its 14-season run last May is directing two episodes in the NCIS universe. She’s helming an episode of NCIS this month that’ll air in March, followed by an episode of NCIS: Hawai’i in February that’ll run in April.
“Kensi was born as a character on NCIS, 15 years ago, so now to be able to step onto that set again, as a director, with that incredible cast and crew, is an absolute honor,” she tells Deadline. “So many familiar faces and people I love and they’ve welcomed me with open arms. It’s like coming home.”
Ruah made her directorial debut on NCIS: Los Angeles during season 12.
NCIS: LA ended on May 21, 2023 with Ruah’s character discovering that...
The actress who played Kensi Blye on the spinoff that wrapped its 14-season run last May is directing two episodes in the NCIS universe. She’s helming an episode of NCIS this month that’ll air in March, followed by an episode of NCIS: Hawai’i in February that’ll run in April.
“Kensi was born as a character on NCIS, 15 years ago, so now to be able to step onto that set again, as a director, with that incredible cast and crew, is an absolute honor,” she tells Deadline. “So many familiar faces and people I love and they’ve welcomed me with open arms. It’s like coming home.”
Ruah made her directorial debut on NCIS: Los Angeles during season 12.
NCIS: LA ended on May 21, 2023 with Ruah’s character discovering that...
- 1/5/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Roku released its list of the top-searched movies, TV series, actors and actresses in 2023 on its devices — compiled from more than 1.2 billion total searches in the U.S.
Boinging into the top spot: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which beat out every other movie and TV series as the No. 1 most-searched title on Roku in America for the year. (See full top 10 lists below.) The Universal movie, featuring Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, banked $1.36 billion worldwide at the box office to become the second-biggest animated movie of all time (after “Frozen II”).
Following “Super Mario Bros.” on Roku’s list of top-searched movies in 2023 were “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “M3GAN” and “The Little Mermaid.” Note that two of the biggest theatrical releases of the year — “Barbie” ($1.44 billion in worldwide box office) and “Oppenheimer” ($952 million) — are...
Boinging into the top spot: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which beat out every other movie and TV series as the No. 1 most-searched title on Roku in America for the year. (See full top 10 lists below.) The Universal movie, featuring Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, banked $1.36 billion worldwide at the box office to become the second-biggest animated movie of all time (after “Frozen II”).
Following “Super Mario Bros.” on Roku’s list of top-searched movies in 2023 were “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “M3GAN” and “The Little Mermaid.” Note that two of the biggest theatrical releases of the year — “Barbie” ($1.44 billion in worldwide box office) and “Oppenheimer” ($952 million) — are...
- 12/20/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
A new era of the B-movie was born in the 1950s. While the term originally referred to the second film in a double feature that defined much of the moviegoing experience during the Golden Age of Hollywood, a 1948 landmark Supreme Court antitrust ruling against major studios’ monopolistic practices upended the way films were distributed. While the traditional double feature waned, the demands of the burgeoning drive-in theater market gave way to the rise in independent genre films.
Two such low-budget B-movies made a mark in 1959: The Giant Gila Monster and The Killer Shrews. Produced by radio broadcasting magnate Gordon McLendon and future Gunsmoke actor Ken Curtis, the sci-fi horror movies were shot back-to-back in under three months with much of the same crew before being distributed together.
Both films are directed by Ray Kellogg, who had no prior directing experience, but his visual effects work on the likes of...
Two such low-budget B-movies made a mark in 1959: The Giant Gila Monster and The Killer Shrews. Produced by radio broadcasting magnate Gordon McLendon and future Gunsmoke actor Ken Curtis, the sci-fi horror movies were shot back-to-back in under three months with much of the same crew before being distributed together.
Both films are directed by Ray Kellogg, who had no prior directing experience, but his visual effects work on the likes of...
- 12/12/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
What made the original television run of "The Twilight Zone" (from 1959-1964) so special was the way individual episodes could function on multiple levels. Since the show was an anthology, and every episode had its own premise, it was free to explore whatever it wanted to. The first level of a given episode was the superficially exciting one that put you in the shoes of a protagonist faced with an unnerving science-fiction premise. But the other level went deeper, studying human nature at extremes. Host and show creator Rod Serling would show up to deliver the moral, but the twists, unhappy endings, and central ironies continue to be surprising and disturbing.
The series typically explored prejudice in the form of racism or anti-intellectualism, or in one of its most famous episodes, the idea of beauty standards. But it also explored nostalgia, whether for a bygone way of life or for the one that got away.
The series typically explored prejudice in the form of racism or anti-intellectualism, or in one of its most famous episodes, the idea of beauty standards. But it also explored nostalgia, whether for a bygone way of life or for the one that got away.
- 12/3/2023
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
If you’re an AARP member, you can get 10% off Paramount+ Essential or Paramount+ with Showtime for as long as you’re a member.
The deals just keep on coming from Paramount+! Hot off the heels of its latest discount that allows new subscribers to grab three months of Paramount+ Essential for $1.99 each, or Paramount+ with Showtime for $3.99, the company has a new deal exclusively for AARP members.
Starting today, Paramount has announced that AARP members are eligible for a continuing 10% discount on either Paramount+ Essential or Paramount+ with Showtime, whether they’re new or returning subscribers to the streamer. The discount is valid on both monthly and annual plans, so you could find yourself paying as little as $53.99 per year for Paramount+ after the discount is applied. The 10% off lasts as long as you’re an AARP and Paramount+ member, so don’t wait to access this deal!
How...
The deals just keep on coming from Paramount+! Hot off the heels of its latest discount that allows new subscribers to grab three months of Paramount+ Essential for $1.99 each, or Paramount+ with Showtime for $3.99, the company has a new deal exclusively for AARP members.
Starting today, Paramount has announced that AARP members are eligible for a continuing 10% discount on either Paramount+ Essential or Paramount+ with Showtime, whether they’re new or returning subscribers to the streamer. The discount is valid on both monthly and annual plans, so you could find yourself paying as little as $53.99 per year for Paramount+ after the discount is applied. The 10% off lasts as long as you’re an AARP and Paramount+ member, so don’t wait to access this deal!
How...
- 11/29/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
There's a reason why "Yellowstone" feels as authentic as it does. For all the backstabbing, fistfights, and unchecked greed on display that make the show seem so outlandish at times, the countless scenes showing everyday life on a fully functioning Montana cattle ranch are meticulously researched and crafted. There is some true cowboying on display and all of the actors have had to endure an outdoor boot camp before the start of each season. There are even a few real-life cowboys featured throughout the series, including actor and "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan who plays the recurring role of rodeo rider and horse trader Travis Wheatley. Actor Forrie J. Smith, who plays the handlebar mustache-sporting old-timer Lloyd Pierce, also grew up competing in rodeos before trying his hand at stunt work and horse wrangling for the movies.
There are also actors like Buck Taylor who effortlessly make the cowboy way of...
There are also actors like Buck Taylor who effortlessly make the cowboy way of...
- 11/19/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
Who wouldn’t want to spend the holidays with some of their favorite TV characters? MeTV is making it easy this year with its “A Very Merry MeTV” programming lineup, which includes a selection of very special Thanksgiving and Christmas-themed episodes of classic shows such as The Waltons, The Beverly Hillbillies, Andy Griffith, and more.
The celebration begins on Sunday, Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 25. Check out some of the highlights below, as well as the full schedule.
‘The Waltons’ Thanksgiving episode airs Nov. 22 and 23 A Verry Merry MeTV | MeTV
Celebrate Thanksgiving with one of TV’s most famous fictional families. In 1973, The Waltons aired its only Thanksgiving special, a two-part episode titled “The Thanksgiving Story.” The season 2 episode focuses on John-Boy Walton (Richard Thomas), who suffers a life-threatening head injury that puts his plans for college at risk. Meanwhile, his sister Mary Ellen (Judy Norton) auditions for the Thanksgiving play,...
The celebration begins on Sunday, Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 25. Check out some of the highlights below, as well as the full schedule.
‘The Waltons’ Thanksgiving episode airs Nov. 22 and 23 A Verry Merry MeTV | MeTV
Celebrate Thanksgiving with one of TV’s most famous fictional families. In 1973, The Waltons aired its only Thanksgiving special, a two-part episode titled “The Thanksgiving Story.” The season 2 episode focuses on John-Boy Walton (Richard Thomas), who suffers a life-threatening head injury that puts his plans for college at risk. Meanwhile, his sister Mary Ellen (Judy Norton) auditions for the Thanksgiving play,...
- 11/19/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Throughout the five years in which Lyndon B. Johnson was the President of the United States, his First Lady––Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson––took note of everything. The Lady Bird Diaries, directed by Dawn Porter, is built on archival photo and video as well as audio from Lady Bird herself. For the duration of the Johnson Administration, Mrs. Johnson recorded 123 hours of audible diary entries. From these revealing documents, Porter forms a sympathetic yet clear-eyed portrait of a compassionate woman in an extraordinary position.
Based on Julia E. Sweig’s biography Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight and the podcast In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson, The Lady Bird Diaries opens on November 22nd, 1963 in Dallas. “It all began so beautifully…,” Lady Bird recalls. The immediate aftermath of the JFK Assassination is described in great detail by the new First Lady, thrust into a role she was never eager to play.
Based on Julia E. Sweig’s biography Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight and the podcast In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson, The Lady Bird Diaries opens on November 22nd, 1963 in Dallas. “It all began so beautifully…,” Lady Bird recalls. The immediate aftermath of the JFK Assassination is described in great detail by the new First Lady, thrust into a role she was never eager to play.
- 11/13/2023
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
Robert Butler, a television director for the pilot shows for Star Trek, Batman, Hill Street Blues, and Moonlighting, has died. He was 95.
Butler’s family announced that the Emmy award-winning director died on Nov. 3 in Los Angeles.
Graduating from UCLA where he majored in English, Butler started his career in entertainment as an usher at CBS. His first credit as a director would come in 1959 when he directed an episode for the military comedy-drama Hennesey which starred Jackie Cooper and Abby Dalton.
Over the years, Butler was sought out to direct pilots for shows like Hogan’s Heroes (1965), the original Star Trek (1966), Batman (1966), the first mini-series on television The Blue Knight (1973), Hill Street Blues (1978), Moonlighting (1985), Sisters (1991) and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993).
Butler won two Emmy Awards, the first one for The Blue Knight pilot in 1973 and the second one in 1981 for Hill Street Blues. In 2015 he was...
Butler’s family announced that the Emmy award-winning director died on Nov. 3 in Los Angeles.
Graduating from UCLA where he majored in English, Butler started his career in entertainment as an usher at CBS. His first credit as a director would come in 1959 when he directed an episode for the military comedy-drama Hennesey which starred Jackie Cooper and Abby Dalton.
Over the years, Butler was sought out to direct pilots for shows like Hogan’s Heroes (1965), the original Star Trek (1966), Batman (1966), the first mini-series on television The Blue Knight (1973), Hill Street Blues (1978), Moonlighting (1985), Sisters (1991) and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993).
Butler won two Emmy Awards, the first one for The Blue Knight pilot in 1973 and the second one in 1981 for Hill Street Blues. In 2015 he was...
- 11/11/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Robert Butler, the co-creator of “Remington Steele” and a veteran television director who worked on such series as “Hill Street Blues,” “Star Trek” and “Batman,” died Nov. 3 in Los Angeles. He was 95.
Butler’s career spanned nearly five decades, during which he directed many notable series, including “Hennesey,” “Star Trek,” “Batman,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Bonanza,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Gunsmoke,” “Hawaii Five-o” and more. He won three Primetime Emmy Awards: two for “The Blue Knight” in 1974 and the other for “Hill Street Blues” in 1981. He also received Emmy nominations for episodes of “Moonlighting,” “Sirens” and “Lois & Clark The Adventures of Superman.”
Butler and Michael Gleason co-created “Remington Steele,” starring Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist, which ran from 1982 to 1987 on NBC. Butler directed five episodes of the detective procedural series between 1982 and 1983, including the pilot.
He also directed several feature films and TV movies, including “Now You See Him, Now You Don’t,...
Butler’s career spanned nearly five decades, during which he directed many notable series, including “Hennesey,” “Star Trek,” “Batman,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Bonanza,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Gunsmoke,” “Hawaii Five-o” and more. He won three Primetime Emmy Awards: two for “The Blue Knight” in 1974 and the other for “Hill Street Blues” in 1981. He also received Emmy nominations for episodes of “Moonlighting,” “Sirens” and “Lois & Clark The Adventures of Superman.”
Butler and Michael Gleason co-created “Remington Steele,” starring Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist, which ran from 1982 to 1987 on NBC. Butler directed five episodes of the detective procedural series between 1982 and 1983, including the pilot.
He also directed several feature films and TV movies, including “Now You See Him, Now You Don’t,...
- 11/11/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
Robert Butler, the Emmy-winning, go-to pilot director who helmed the first episodes of such acclaimed shows as Batman, Star Trek, Hill Street Blues and Moonlighting, died Nov. 3 in Los Angeles, his family announced. He was 95.
Butler also co-created the Pierce Brosnan-starring Remington Steele (and helmed its pilot, of course), directed the first episode of Hogan’s Heroes in 1965, and called the first shots and set the tone for, Glenn Gordon Caron’s Moonlighting, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Sisters and The Division.
In 1973, he directed the William Holden-starring The Blue Knight — the first four-hour television miniseries — at NBC and then got the CBS series adaptation of the Joseph Wambaugh novel that starred George Kennedy off on the right foot.
Butler also helmed two episodes of The Twilight Zone (the fifth-season installments “Caesar and Me,” starring his old friend, Jackie Cooper, and “The Encounter”) and worked on The Dick Van Dyke Show,...
Butler also co-created the Pierce Brosnan-starring Remington Steele (and helmed its pilot, of course), directed the first episode of Hogan’s Heroes in 1965, and called the first shots and set the tone for, Glenn Gordon Caron’s Moonlighting, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Sisters and The Division.
In 1973, he directed the William Holden-starring The Blue Knight — the first four-hour television miniseries — at NBC and then got the CBS series adaptation of the Joseph Wambaugh novel that starred George Kennedy off on the right foot.
Butler also helmed two episodes of The Twilight Zone (the fifth-season installments “Caesar and Me,” starring his old friend, Jackie Cooper, and “The Encounter”) and worked on The Dick Van Dyke Show,...
- 11/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Robert De Niro and the late Burt Reynolds had a pretty humorous interaction that almost took a wrong turn. Although De Niro was secretly known for his surprising humor, he wasn’t too receptive at first to a joke the actor told him.
Robert De Niro didn’t appreciate this joke Burt Reynolds made about himself and Joe Pesci Burt Reynolds | Martin Mills/Getty Images
De Niro and Reynolds never really crossed paths in movies despite their long and diverse film careers. But they were very much aware and fans of each other. In an interview with Observer, Reynolds shared how grateful he was that De Niro went to one of his movies for support. And how the Oscar-winner would always end up with the roles that he wanted.
“It’s hard to get the films that Bobby De Niro was offered because I don’t have enough New York...
Robert De Niro didn’t appreciate this joke Burt Reynolds made about himself and Joe Pesci Burt Reynolds | Martin Mills/Getty Images
De Niro and Reynolds never really crossed paths in movies despite their long and diverse film careers. But they were very much aware and fans of each other. In an interview with Observer, Reynolds shared how grateful he was that De Niro went to one of his movies for support. And how the Oscar-winner would always end up with the roles that he wanted.
“It’s hard to get the films that Bobby De Niro was offered because I don’t have enough New York...
- 11/7/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Judy Nugent, the former ’50s child actor who co-starred with Jane Wyman in Magnificent Obsession, Annette Funicello in the popular Annette serial on ABC’s The Mickey Mouse Club and flew in the arms of George Reeves’ Superman in a 1954 episode of The Adventures of Superman, died of October 26 cancer, surrounded by family at her ranch in Montana. She was 83.
Her death was announced in a family statement released by daughter-in-law Anne Lockhart, the Chicago Fire actor and daughter of Lost in Space star June Lockhart.
A Los Angeles native – she was the daughter of MGM prop man Carl Nugent – Nugent had already appeared in a handful of uncredited roles, including in the 1951 film Angels in the Outfield, when she landed her breakthrough role as Donna Ruggles in the 1949-52 TV series The Ruggles, an early family sitcom starring comic actor Charles Ruggles (Bringing Up Baby). Nugent played the twin...
Her death was announced in a family statement released by daughter-in-law Anne Lockhart, the Chicago Fire actor and daughter of Lost in Space star June Lockhart.
A Los Angeles native – she was the daughter of MGM prop man Carl Nugent – Nugent had already appeared in a handful of uncredited roles, including in the 1951 film Angels in the Outfield, when she landed her breakthrough role as Donna Ruggles in the 1949-52 TV series The Ruggles, an early family sitcom starring comic actor Charles Ruggles (Bringing Up Baby). Nugent played the twin...
- 10/31/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Judy Nugent, who portrayed one of the twins on the early TV sitcom The Ruggles and a girl who flies around the world in the arms of the Man of Steel on a heartwarming Adventures of Superman episode, has died. She was 83.
Nugent died on Oct. 26 “surrounded by family at her Montana ranch after a short battle with cancer,” according to a family statement shared by her daughter-in-law and Battlestar Galactica and Chicago Fire actress Anne Lockhart (the older daughter of Lassie and Lost in Space star June Lockhart).
The younger daughter of a prop man at MGM, Nugent also appeared in two films directed by Douglas Sirk: as a wise-cracking tomboy who tries to get a blinded widow (Jane Wyman) to snap out of it in Magnificent Obsession (1954), and as one of the daughters of Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett’s characters in There’s Always Tomorrow (1956).
Nugent also...
Nugent died on Oct. 26 “surrounded by family at her Montana ranch after a short battle with cancer,” according to a family statement shared by her daughter-in-law and Battlestar Galactica and Chicago Fire actress Anne Lockhart (the older daughter of Lassie and Lost in Space star June Lockhart).
The younger daughter of a prop man at MGM, Nugent also appeared in two films directed by Douglas Sirk: as a wise-cracking tomboy who tries to get a blinded widow (Jane Wyman) to snap out of it in Magnificent Obsession (1954), and as one of the daughters of Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett’s characters in There’s Always Tomorrow (1956).
Nugent also...
- 10/31/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
No production designer has created more iconic, gorgeous outdoor imagery than Jack Fisk, whose 50-year filmography is filled with classics — “Days of Heaven,” “The Tree of Life,” “Mulholland Drive,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “The Revenant” represent just a fraction of his output. Yet according to Fisk, a “well-designed” film is not his goal. “I always lean more toward a documentary style,” he told IndieWire. “I love the idea of telling a story that will not only sell popcorn, but give you information.”
Fisk’s latest project, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” provided just that kind of opportunity, with director Martin Scorsese telling the true story behind a series of murders committed in the Osage Nation in the 1920s after oil was discovered on tribal land. “Marty really wanted to tell it from the Osage point of view,” Fisk said. “He wanted it to be truthful and fair, and that...
Fisk’s latest project, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” provided just that kind of opportunity, with director Martin Scorsese telling the true story behind a series of murders committed in the Osage Nation in the 1920s after oil was discovered on tribal land. “Marty really wanted to tell it from the Osage point of view,” Fisk said. “He wanted it to be truthful and fair, and that...
- 10/20/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Phyllis Coates, the first actor to portray Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane on television, died on Oct. 11 in Woodland Hills, Calif., her daughter Laura Press confirmed to the New York Times. She was 96.
Coates starred as Lois Lane in the “Adventures of Superman” when the series first aired in 1952, only to leave after one season. She initially played Lois opposite George Reeves as Clark Kent/the Man of Steel in “Superman and the Mole Men.” The 1951 black-and-white superhero film follows Clark and Lois as they arrive in the small town of Silsby, where a race of small, balding humanoids emerge from their underground home deep in an oil well.
The “Adventures of Superman” series debuted the following year, with Reeves and Coates reprising their respective roles as Clark and Lois from “Mole Men.”
Noel Neill, who had played Lois in two 15-part film serials starring Kirk Alyn — “Superman” (1948) and “Atom Man vs. Superman...
Coates starred as Lois Lane in the “Adventures of Superman” when the series first aired in 1952, only to leave after one season. She initially played Lois opposite George Reeves as Clark Kent/the Man of Steel in “Superman and the Mole Men.” The 1951 black-and-white superhero film follows Clark and Lois as they arrive in the small town of Silsby, where a race of small, balding humanoids emerge from their underground home deep in an oil well.
The “Adventures of Superman” series debuted the following year, with Reeves and Coates reprising their respective roles as Clark and Lois from “Mole Men.”
Noel Neill, who had played Lois in two 15-part film serials starring Kirk Alyn — “Superman” (1948) and “Atom Man vs. Superman...
- 10/18/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
"Lost in Space" star and early television mainstay Mark Goddard has passed away, The Hollywood Reporter confirms. The actor who was best known for his role as pilot Major Don West in the seminal sci-fi series was 87 years old and is survived by his wife Evelyn Pezzulich, and his children, including producer Melissa Goddard.
Pezzulich announced Goddard's passing in a Facebook post (via Deadline), writing that the actor ultimately succumbed to lung disease that was not diagnosed until shortly before his death. "I'm so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10," Pezzulich shared. She continued: "Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure."
"Lost in Space" castmate Bill Mumy also memorialized Goddard on Facebook,...
Pezzulich announced Goddard's passing in a Facebook post (via Deadline), writing that the actor ultimately succumbed to lung disease that was not diagnosed until shortly before his death. "I'm so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10," Pezzulich shared. She continued: "Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure."
"Lost in Space" castmate Bill Mumy also memorialized Goddard on Facebook,...
- 10/13/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Mark Goddard, best known for playing Major Don West on Lost in Space, has died at the age of 87.
Goddard’s death was announced by his wife Evelyn Pezzulich on Facebook. “I’m so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10th,” Pezzulich wrote. “Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure.“
When Goddard’s agent first pitched Lost in Space to him, he wasn’t too sure he wanted to be involved. “I said, ‘Gee, I don’t know, I’m not sure, because of the subject matter.’” Goddard said in Tom Weaver’s book They Fought in Creature Features. “And [Goddard’s agent] said, ‘Well, listen, you just do it and don’t worry about it.
Goddard’s death was announced by his wife Evelyn Pezzulich on Facebook. “I’m so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10th,” Pezzulich wrote. “Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure.“
When Goddard’s agent first pitched Lost in Space to him, he wasn’t too sure he wanted to be involved. “I said, ‘Gee, I don’t know, I’m not sure, because of the subject matter.’” Goddard said in Tom Weaver’s book They Fought in Creature Features. “And [Goddard’s agent] said, ‘Well, listen, you just do it and don’t worry about it.
- 10/13/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
We have sad news to report on this Friday evening.
Mark Goddard, best known for his work on Lost in Space, has died.
He was 87.
Goddard died Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts, his wife Evelyn Pezzulich told The Hollywood Reporter.
The actor's impressive TV career kicked off in 1959 on Johnny Ringo, appearing in 38 episodes over a year.
He followed that up with The Detectives, where he starred as Detective Sergeant Chris Ballard.
He appeared in 64 episodes between 1960-62.
Additional TV credits include The Rifleman, The Bill Dana Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, The Fugitive, and Many Happy Returns over the next three years.
His big break came in Lost in Space, where he played Major Don West, the pilot of Jupiter 2.
He appeared in all three seasons of the CBS comedy.
Lost in Space followed the adventures of the Robinsons, a pioneering family of space colonists who struggle to...
Mark Goddard, best known for his work on Lost in Space, has died.
He was 87.
Goddard died Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts, his wife Evelyn Pezzulich told The Hollywood Reporter.
The actor's impressive TV career kicked off in 1959 on Johnny Ringo, appearing in 38 episodes over a year.
He followed that up with The Detectives, where he starred as Detective Sergeant Chris Ballard.
He appeared in 64 episodes between 1960-62.
Additional TV credits include The Rifleman, The Bill Dana Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, The Fugitive, and Many Happy Returns over the next three years.
His big break came in Lost in Space, where he played Major Don West, the pilot of Jupiter 2.
He appeared in all three seasons of the CBS comedy.
Lost in Space followed the adventures of the Robinsons, a pioneering family of space colonists who struggle to...
- 10/13/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Mark Goddard, the actor who made a lasting impression on young sci-fi fans as the daring, forever impatient Major Don West on CBS’ 1965-68 series Lost In Space, died of pulmonary fibrosis Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts. He was 87.
His death was announced by his wife Evelyn Pezzulich in a Facebook post.
“I’m so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10th,” Pezzulich wrote. “Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure.”
By the time he was cast in his breakthrough role as the headstrong Major West, Goddard had built a reputation as a rising young actor through supporting appearances in late-’50s fare such as Johnny Ringo and The Rebel.
His death was announced by his wife Evelyn Pezzulich in a Facebook post.
“I’m so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10th,” Pezzulich wrote. “Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure.”
By the time he was cast in his breakthrough role as the headstrong Major West, Goddard had built a reputation as a rising young actor through supporting appearances in late-’50s fare such as Johnny Ringo and The Rebel.
- 10/13/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Mark Goddard, best known for playing Major Don West on CBS’ Lost in Space, died Tuesday at the age of 87. He passed away in Hingham, Mass., his wife Evelyn Pezzulich confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
TV Stars We Lost in 2023 View Gallery65 Images
Goddard made his TV debut in 1959 on Johnny Ringo, in which he appeared for 38 episodes through 1960. His next major small-screen role followed immediately thereafter, playing Detective Sergeant Chris Ballard on The Detectives for 64 episodes (1960–1962). Prior to landing Lost in Space in 1965, Goddard kept plenty busy, making guest appearances on shows like The Rifleman, The Bill Dana Show,...
TV Stars We Lost in 2023 View Gallery65 Images
Goddard made his TV debut in 1959 on Johnny Ringo, in which he appeared for 38 episodes through 1960. His next major small-screen role followed immediately thereafter, playing Detective Sergeant Chris Ballard on The Detectives for 64 episodes (1960–1962). Prior to landing Lost in Space in 1965, Goddard kept plenty busy, making guest appearances on shows like The Rifleman, The Bill Dana Show,...
- 10/13/2023
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Phyllis Coates, the actress who first played the iconic Daily Planet Reporter Lois Lane on the small screen, has died.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the beloved actress died Wednesday of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills.
She was 96.
Coates first appeared in the superhero universe opposite George Reeves in the 1951 movie Superman and the Mole Men.
The movie was a roaring success and paved the way for the syndicated TV series The Adventures of Superman.
While the series lasted six seasons and had a devoted following, Coates stepped away following the first.
Noel Neill took over the role for the next five seasons, keeping Lois Lane a part of the franchise.
Neill had previously played the role on two occasions.
Coates' decision to leave was reportedly driven by her desire to work on a pilot for a series that would find...
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the beloved actress died Wednesday of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills.
She was 96.
Coates first appeared in the superhero universe opposite George Reeves in the 1951 movie Superman and the Mole Men.
The movie was a roaring success and paved the way for the syndicated TV series The Adventures of Superman.
While the series lasted six seasons and had a devoted following, Coates stepped away following the first.
Noel Neill took over the role for the next five seasons, keeping Lois Lane a part of the franchise.
Neill had previously played the role on two occasions.
Coates' decision to leave was reportedly driven by her desire to work on a pilot for a series that would find...
- 10/12/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Phyllis Coates, the first actress to play Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane on television, only to leave the Adventures of Superman after just one season, has died. She was 96.
Coates, who also appeared in Republic Pictures serials and in such films as I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, died Wednesday of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, her daughter Laura Press told The Hollywood Reporter.
A native of Wichita Falls, Texas, Coates first portrayed the headstrong Lois opposite George Reeves as the Man of Steel in the dark sci-fi movie Superman and the Mole Men (1951).
The success of that Lippert Pictures film — the first full-length theatrical feature starring the comic-book hero — led to the quick decision to start production on a syndicated show for television.
Coates segued to the series and got into jams as Lois in all 26 episodes of the first season...
Coates, who also appeared in Republic Pictures serials and in such films as I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, died Wednesday of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, her daughter Laura Press told The Hollywood Reporter.
A native of Wichita Falls, Texas, Coates first portrayed the headstrong Lois opposite George Reeves as the Man of Steel in the dark sci-fi movie Superman and the Mole Men (1951).
The success of that Lippert Pictures film — the first full-length theatrical feature starring the comic-book hero — led to the quick decision to start production on a syndicated show for television.
Coates segued to the series and got into jams as Lois in all 26 episodes of the first season...
- 10/12/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Gunsmoke" ran for a very, very long time. Beginning as a half-hour adaptation of a similarly long-running radio show in 1955, it transitioned to an hour-long show in its 7th season, which gave its stock Western storylines a greater sense of place, and more opportunities for great, up-and-coming actors to star in them. Over the course of 20 seasons, the show told every story under the sun (often multiple times over) about the frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas.
The show's protagonist was ostensibly Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness), whose casting has been attributed to no less a Western star than John Wayne. But the world of "Gunsmoke" went far beyond him, especially as the show went on. While Arness appeared in every one of the show's 635 episodes, he often looked more like a guest star the further along it went, showing up for scenes here and there while the supporting cast...
The show's protagonist was ostensibly Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness), whose casting has been attributed to no less a Western star than John Wayne. But the world of "Gunsmoke" went far beyond him, especially as the show went on. While Arness appeared in every one of the show's 635 episodes, he often looked more like a guest star the further along it went, showing up for scenes here and there while the supporting cast...
- 10/9/2023
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
The MeTV+ channel is now available for Frndly TV users, after first being announced as a new addition to the platform last month.
The slimmed-down live TV streaming service Frndly TV got a little bulkier this week. The service announced on social media that it was launching the new MeTV+ channel for all subscribers on Tuesday, Oct. 3, which is a day earlier than originally scheduled.
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Surprise! We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and we’re launching MeTV+ a day early for you! You can already find it live in the Frndly TV guide.
We’re the first streaming service to carry MeTV+, MeTV’s sister channel with even more TV classics you love. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/ZQtnai9BpX
— Frndly TV (@FrndlyTV) October 3, 2023
The addition makes Frndly TV the first live TV platform to carry the MeTV+ network. The streamer already carries its sister channel MeTV,...
The slimmed-down live TV streaming service Frndly TV got a little bulkier this week. The service announced on social media that it was launching the new MeTV+ channel for all subscribers on Tuesday, Oct. 3, which is a day earlier than originally scheduled.
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Surprise! We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and we’re launching MeTV+ a day early for you! You can already find it live in the Frndly TV guide.
We’re the first streaming service to carry MeTV+, MeTV’s sister channel with even more TV classics you love. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/ZQtnai9BpX
— Frndly TV (@FrndlyTV) October 3, 2023
The addition makes Frndly TV the first live TV platform to carry the MeTV+ network. The streamer already carries its sister channel MeTV,...
- 10/3/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Virgin River fans will have to wait until November to find out what’s next for Mel, Jack, Charmaine, and the rest of the residents of Virgin River. But in the meantime, there’s a new series that just might fill the void. Sullivan’s Crossing is based on a series of books by Robyn Carr, who also wrote the novels that inspired Virgin River. It premies this October on The CW.
‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ premieres Oct. 4
Sullivan’s Crossing aired earlier this year on Canada’s CTV. It’s making its U.S. debut on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. Et on The CW. Season 1 has 10 episodes.
The show follows a neurosurgeon named Maggie Sullivan who returns to her childhood home in Nova Scotia when her life in Boston is turned upside down. But picking up where she left off won’t be easy. Her father Sully Sullivan owns the picturesque Sullivan’s Crossing campground,...
‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ premieres Oct. 4
Sullivan’s Crossing aired earlier this year on Canada’s CTV. It’s making its U.S. debut on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. Et on The CW. Season 1 has 10 episodes.
The show follows a neurosurgeon named Maggie Sullivan who returns to her childhood home in Nova Scotia when her life in Boston is turned upside down. But picking up where she left off won’t be easy. Her father Sully Sullivan owns the picturesque Sullivan’s Crossing campground,...
- 9/23/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In a carriage battle about pay TV’s future, one of the original cable channels became an unexpected flashpoint.
Freeform, the Disney-owned cable channel that caters to younger women, was dropped from Spectrum channel lineups as part of Disney’s landmark deal with Charter Communications. It was no small decision, with Freeform in some 74 million homes at the end of last year, and with Charter’s nearly 15 million cable TV households no longer having access.
“When we looked across the portfolio to try to identify where the greatest value in this deal was to us, we definitely made some trade-offs,” Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden told The Hollywood Reporter after the Spectrum deal was announced. She noted that channels like Freeform already served as a pipeline of programming for streaming services like Hulu.
And while the deal saw a number of other channels were dropped in the deal, the dropping of Freeform suggests that,...
Freeform, the Disney-owned cable channel that caters to younger women, was dropped from Spectrum channel lineups as part of Disney’s landmark deal with Charter Communications. It was no small decision, with Freeform in some 74 million homes at the end of last year, and with Charter’s nearly 15 million cable TV households no longer having access.
“When we looked across the portfolio to try to identify where the greatest value in this deal was to us, we definitely made some trade-offs,” Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden told The Hollywood Reporter after the Spectrum deal was announced. She noted that channels like Freeform already served as a pipeline of programming for streaming services like Hulu.
And while the deal saw a number of other channels were dropped in the deal, the dropping of Freeform suggests that,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Alex Weprin and Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Virgin River fans know Annette O’Toole as Hope, the gossipy but good-hearted town mayor. Her part in the popular Netflix series is just the latest in a long string of memorable roles for the Texas-born actor, who has been performing since she was a child. One of her first real jobs was on the iconic TV western Gunsmoke.
One of Annette O’Toole’s first acting jobs was on ‘Gunsmoke’ ‘Gunsmoke’ | CBS Photo Archive. Frame Grab
O’Toole, who was born in 1952 in Houston, started taking dance classes as a toddler at her mother’s school. When she was a teen, her family moved to Los Angeles so that she could pursue a career in Hollywood. At 16, she landed a role as a dancer on The Danny Kaye Show. She also appeared in episodes of My Three Sons and the anthology series This Is the Life. But O’Toole’s...
One of Annette O’Toole’s first acting jobs was on ‘Gunsmoke’ ‘Gunsmoke’ | CBS Photo Archive. Frame Grab
O’Toole, who was born in 1952 in Houston, started taking dance classes as a toddler at her mother’s school. When she was a teen, her family moved to Los Angeles so that she could pursue a career in Hollywood. At 16, she landed a role as a dancer on The Danny Kaye Show. She also appeared in episodes of My Three Sons and the anthology series This Is the Life. But O’Toole’s...
- 9/9/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Harrison Ford has been acting for over 50 years, rising to fame in 1977 for his iconic performance as Han Solo in the Star Wars franchise. Throughout his career, he has taken on legendary characters such as Indiana Jones and has had his fair share of injuries during filming.
Despite intense safety protocols on movie sets, injuries sometimes occur and can result in significant production delays. However, depending on the severity of the injury and the actor’s willingness to proceed, sometimes “the show must go on!”
That was the case in the 1993 film The Fugitive, where Ford tore several ligaments in his knee, resulting in his character having an onscreen limp.
The premise of ‘The Fugitive’
Nominated for the 1994 Best Picture of the Year by the Academy Awards, The Fugitive follows the story of Chicago surgeon Dr. Richard Kimble, played by the Indiana Jones alum. Kimble is unjustly accused of killing...
Despite intense safety protocols on movie sets, injuries sometimes occur and can result in significant production delays. However, depending on the severity of the injury and the actor’s willingness to proceed, sometimes “the show must go on!”
That was the case in the 1993 film The Fugitive, where Ford tore several ligaments in his knee, resulting in his character having an onscreen limp.
The premise of ‘The Fugitive’
Nominated for the 1994 Best Picture of the Year by the Academy Awards, The Fugitive follows the story of Chicago surgeon Dr. Richard Kimble, played by the Indiana Jones alum. Kimble is unjustly accused of killing...
- 9/9/2023
- by Suse Forrest
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Fans of classic TV sitcoms, sci-fi, and dramas are about to have even friendlier live TV streaming options as the skinny-bundle streaming service Frndly TV announced on Tuesday that it had entered into an agreement that will bring the Weigel Broadcasting Co.’s MeTV+ network to all of the company’s subscribers next month.
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Beginning in October, Frndly will become the first national TV provider to offer this channel, which is currently only available in select local markets. The live streamer already carries the channel’s sibling MeTV network. The spinoff channel will serve as a companion to MeTV, which is one of the country’s most popular networks focusing specifically on classic television from decades gone by. Both the original channel and the new MeTV+ serve as homes for beloved westerns, iconic sitcoms, groundbreaking sci-fi series, and timeless dramas. Every week, MeTV airs...
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Beginning in October, Frndly will become the first national TV provider to offer this channel, which is currently only available in select local markets. The live streamer already carries the channel’s sibling MeTV network. The spinoff channel will serve as a companion to MeTV, which is one of the country’s most popular networks focusing specifically on classic television from decades gone by. Both the original channel and the new MeTV+ serve as homes for beloved westerns, iconic sitcoms, groundbreaking sci-fi series, and timeless dramas. Every week, MeTV airs...
- 9/5/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
Prior to creating "Star Trek," Gene Roddenberry had spent a decade as a TV journeyman, writing for multiple hit shows of the day including "Highway Patrol," "I Led 3 Lives," "Dr. Kildare," and 24 episodes of "Have Gun – Will Travel." He became adept at multiple genres and had a very good sense of how TV trends flowed by the time he went to pitch "Star Trek." Famously, Roddenberry pitched his sci-fi show as "Wagon Train to the Stars," referring to the massive hit Western that debuted in 1957 and ran until 1965. That notorious pitch has worked its way into known Trek lore and can be heard quoted by good Trekkies everywhere. These days, "Star Trek" is far more popular than "Wagon Train" ever was.
Looking over "Star Trek," one finds a lot of Western-inflected language, notably how space is referred to as the Final Frontier. While Roddenberry wanted to pointedly avoid any...
Looking over "Star Trek," one finds a lot of Western-inflected language, notably how space is referred to as the Final Frontier. While Roddenberry wanted to pointedly avoid any...
- 8/27/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Hersha Parady, who played schoolteacher Alice Garvey on the beloved show “Little House on the Prairie,” has died after a long struggle with a brain tumor. She was 78.
The actress’ death was first confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by her son, Jonathan Peverall, who did not immediately respond to messages sent Thursday. Peverall had started a GoFundMe page to help with her medical expenses.
“Hersha, who has always been an active and outgoing woman, is battling a tough medical condition – a brain tumor known as meningioma,” he wrote in July.”This illness has robbed her of her strength, her memory, and sadly, her vibrant personality. She has become largely bedridden, and it is very difficult to see my Mom, who was once full of life and energy, now struggling with basic daily activities.”
Parady played Walnut Grove schoolteacher Mrs. Garvey from 1977-1980, and the Garveys (Merlin Olsen played Jonathan Garvey...
The actress’ death was first confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by her son, Jonathan Peverall, who did not immediately respond to messages sent Thursday. Peverall had started a GoFundMe page to help with her medical expenses.
“Hersha, who has always been an active and outgoing woman, is battling a tough medical condition – a brain tumor known as meningioma,” he wrote in July.”This illness has robbed her of her strength, her memory, and sadly, her vibrant personality. She has become largely bedridden, and it is very difficult to see my Mom, who was once full of life and energy, now struggling with basic daily activities.”
Parady played Walnut Grove schoolteacher Mrs. Garvey from 1977-1980, and the Garveys (Merlin Olsen played Jonathan Garvey...
- 8/24/2023
- by Josh Dickey
- The Wrap
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