Warning: This article includes mentions of sexual assault.
For super-producer Aaron Spelling, the man behind such preposterously entertaining television series as "Charlie's Angels," "The Love Boat," and "Dynasty," the best case scenario for the high school drama "Beverly Hills 90210" was that it would be a Thursday night counterprogramming hit. It certainly wasn't going to win its 9 Pm time slot. Though NBC was experimenting with its 9:30 spot (it eventually found a fairly decent fit in "Seinfeld"), "Cheers," the top-rated show on television, had the front end of the slot on lockdown. But, hey, perhaps Spelling and the show's young creator, Darren Star, could siphon off enough young viewers to convince Fox to give it a second season, preferably on a different night.
The show was barely a blip on the pop culture radar, giving Fox an easy excuse to blow millions on another hour-long block of cannon fodder to...
For super-producer Aaron Spelling, the man behind such preposterously entertaining television series as "Charlie's Angels," "The Love Boat," and "Dynasty," the best case scenario for the high school drama "Beverly Hills 90210" was that it would be a Thursday night counterprogramming hit. It certainly wasn't going to win its 9 Pm time slot. Though NBC was experimenting with its 9:30 spot (it eventually found a fairly decent fit in "Seinfeld"), "Cheers," the top-rated show on television, had the front end of the slot on lockdown. But, hey, perhaps Spelling and the show's young creator, Darren Star, could siphon off enough young viewers to convince Fox to give it a second season, preferably on a different night.
The show was barely a blip on the pop culture radar, giving Fox an easy excuse to blow millions on another hour-long block of cannon fodder to...
- 9/11/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The Young and The Restless spoilers and updates reveal Judith Chapman, Y & R’s Gloria Abbott Bardwell is directing two theatrical performances at the same time. Judith, who has played in many soaps over the years is quite the talented lady!
The Young And The Restless Spoilers – From Natalie Bannon To Anjelica Devereaux
Judith was first introduced to soaps lovers as Natalie Bannon Hughes on “As The World Turns” from 1975–1978, and then Charlotte Greer on “Ryan’s Hope” in 1983.
She followed those roles with Ginny Blake Webber on General Hospital from 1984–1986, and Sandra Montaigne on One Life to Live (1987). Judith is well known for playing roles as scheming women, often cheating on their husbands.
She made guest appearances on popular prime time shows such as Kojak, Fantasy Island, Barnaby Jones, The Incredible Hulk, Galactica 1980, The Love Boat, and appeared twice on Magnum, P.I. Additionally, she had recurring roles in...
The Young And The Restless Spoilers – From Natalie Bannon To Anjelica Devereaux
Judith was first introduced to soaps lovers as Natalie Bannon Hughes on “As The World Turns” from 1975–1978, and then Charlotte Greer on “Ryan’s Hope” in 1983.
She followed those roles with Ginny Blake Webber on General Hospital from 1984–1986, and Sandra Montaigne on One Life to Live (1987). Judith is well known for playing roles as scheming women, often cheating on their husbands.
She made guest appearances on popular prime time shows such as Kojak, Fantasy Island, Barnaby Jones, The Incredible Hulk, Galactica 1980, The Love Boat, and appeared twice on Magnum, P.I. Additionally, she had recurring roles in...
- 9/10/2024
- by Rita Ryan
- Celebrating The Soaps
Homicide: Life on the Street is streaming on Peacock, bringing joy to fans of its original ’90s run, fans of Andre Braugher, and those who will become fans after their first viewing.
This popular and critically beloved show has been available on DVD for years but was Mia on any streaming service until now.
Homicide: Life on the Street joins two other classic shows, Moonlighting and Northern Exposure, that were lost to streaming until recently.
(NBC/Youtube screenshot)
Like Homicide: Life on the Street, these two shows had at least been available for purchase on DVD, whereas many other shows from that era weren’t so lucky.
Since streaming is how most people access visual media these days, just how many other forgotten gems of TV history are we missing out on?
A Priority Shift
Streaming services first established themselves by offering as many popular TV shows as they could get,...
This popular and critically beloved show has been available on DVD for years but was Mia on any streaming service until now.
Homicide: Life on the Street joins two other classic shows, Moonlighting and Northern Exposure, that were lost to streaming until recently.
(NBC/Youtube screenshot)
Like Homicide: Life on the Street, these two shows had at least been available for purchase on DVD, whereas many other shows from that era weren’t so lucky.
Since streaming is how most people access visual media these days, just how many other forgotten gems of TV history are we missing out on?
A Priority Shift
Streaming services first established themselves by offering as many popular TV shows as they could get,...
- 9/9/2024
- by Paullette Gaudet
- TVfanatic
Who do you think of when you hear the term "girl next door"? For the millions of people who grew up watching "Gilligan's Island," the answer is no doubt Dawn Wells. Wells played down-to-earth bombshell Mary Ann Summers for all three seasons of the 1960s sitcom, then continued to reprise the role in various projects for years to come.
Unlike some stars of classic TV shows, she never seemed to have a problem with being best-known for one role, and gave interviews about her time on "Gilligan's Island" for the rest of her life. According to series creator Sherwood Schwartz's book "Inside Gilligan's Island," young girls came to Wells for life advice even decades after the show had ended. "I'm still Mary Ann, I guess," he recalled her telling him.
Wells earned her role on "Gilligan's Island" around 1964, after a failed pilot the year before had conceived of a similar character named "Bunny.
Unlike some stars of classic TV shows, she never seemed to have a problem with being best-known for one role, and gave interviews about her time on "Gilligan's Island" for the rest of her life. According to series creator Sherwood Schwartz's book "Inside Gilligan's Island," young girls came to Wells for life advice even decades after the show had ended. "I'm still Mary Ann, I guess," he recalled her telling him.
Wells earned her role on "Gilligan's Island" around 1964, after a failed pilot the year before had conceived of a similar character named "Bunny.
- 9/7/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Actor and singer James Darren, whose long showbiz career included memorable roles on T.J. Hooker and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has died at the age of 88, our sister site Variety reports.
He passed away on Monday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, with his son Jim Moret saying of Darren: “He was a good man. He was very talented. He was forever young.”
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Darren first rose to fame as leading man Moondoggie...
He passed away on Monday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, with his son Jim Moret saying of Darren: “He was a good man. He was very talented. He was forever young.”
More from TVLineObi Ndefo, Dawson's Creek Alum, Dead at 51Nhl Star Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Brother Killed in Bike AccidentWrestling Great Sid Eudy, aka Sid Vicious, Dead at 63
Darren first rose to fame as leading man Moondoggie...
- 9/3/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
James Darren, who went from teen idol status acting in youth-oriented movies like “Gidget” to becoming an actor in TV shows such as “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “T.J. Hooker” and a singer and director, died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 88.
His son Jim Moret said that he had been able to express his love for his family while being treated in the cardiac unit. “He was a good man. He was very talented,” Moret said. “He was forever young.”
Moret said he was grateful that his father had been able to embrace his signature role as the surfer Moondoggie in the “Gidget” movie and that he continued to interact with his fans.
Born in Philadelphia, he studied acting with Stella Adler in New York and was signed to Columbia Pictures, where his first role was in “Rumble on the Docks.” He went on to...
His son Jim Moret said that he had been able to express his love for his family while being treated in the cardiac unit. “He was a good man. He was very talented,” Moret said. “He was forever young.”
Moret said he was grateful that his father had been able to embrace his signature role as the surfer Moondoggie in the “Gidget” movie and that he continued to interact with his fans.
Born in Philadelphia, he studied acting with Stella Adler in New York and was signed to Columbia Pictures, where his first role was in “Rumble on the Docks.” He went on to...
- 9/2/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
50 years after its original run, the Norman Lear-produced sitcom "Good Times" is more than just "Dy-no-mite!" It's a spinoff within a spinoff and a classic Black family sitcom that inspired controversy as well as laughter. Like many beloved shows from the '70s, "Good Times" made headlines for behind-the-scenes drama and cast disagreements, but it also captivated audiences.
Originally formulated as a spinoff of "Maude" (which was itself a spinoff of unlikely hit "All in the Family"), "Good Times" retconned its central characters and setting in favor of a new premise. Henry (John Amos) became James, the family got poorer, and the setting switched from New York to Chicago, where it took inspiration from the Cabrini-Green housing projects. Audiences still dug the new show, though by the time it signed off five years later, it had changed entirely: Amos and original star Esther Rolle had left, and the show's most one-dimensional character,...
Originally formulated as a spinoff of "Maude" (which was itself a spinoff of unlikely hit "All in the Family"), "Good Times" retconned its central characters and setting in favor of a new premise. Henry (John Amos) became James, the family got poorer, and the setting switched from New York to Chicago, where it took inspiration from the Cabrini-Green housing projects. Audiences still dug the new show, though by the time it signed off five years later, it had changed entirely: Amos and original star Esther Rolle had left, and the show's most one-dimensional character,...
- 9/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
In 1977, ABC made waves with The Love Boat, and now, 47 years later, the network is making another run at a high-seas hit set aboard a luxury ocean liner. And since it’s disembarking from the mind of Ryan Murphy, the überproducer behind the action-packed 9-1-1 duo and the over-the-top American Horror Story franchise, y’all are in for something exciting and new. “This is Ryan’s fantasy version of a cruise ship,” agrees star Joshua Jackson during a break from filming in Los Angeles. “The stakes are high, everything’s elevated, but it also plays [at times] like a comedy and is mostly just easy and breezy.” After spending the past several years in such dark turns as The Affair, Dr. Death, and Fatal Attraction, the Dawson’s Creek favorite is clearly thrilled that his first network-tv role since Fox’s Fringe is a much sunnier sort of fella. “Yeah, this is...
- 8/28/2024
- TV Insider
Love it or hate it, "Sanford and Son" is one of the most groundbreaking American sitcoms of all time. The NBC series about a widowed get-rich-quick schemer (Redd Foxx) living in Los Angeles' Watts neighborhood with his adult son (Demond Wilson) was an undeniable hit during its run. It ushered in a Golden Age of Black family sitcoms thanks to dynamic performances, frank dialogue written from a working-class Black perspective, and its often uproarious scripts. It was such a ratings juggernaut that it's often credited for killing off its much more sanitized competition, "The Brady Bunch."
"It was a groundbreaking series," Eric Deggans wrote in a series retrospective for the official Emmys website, noting that "Before 'Good Times' and 'The Jeffersons' would make TV history with powerful stories focused on Black families, 'Sanford and Son' would explore the prickly relationship between a middle-aged Black man and his son.
"It was a groundbreaking series," Eric Deggans wrote in a series retrospective for the official Emmys website, noting that "Before 'Good Times' and 'The Jeffersons' would make TV history with powerful stories focused on Black families, 'Sanford and Son' would explore the prickly relationship between a middle-aged Black man and his son.
- 8/24/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Peter Marshall, Emmy-award winning game show host of “Hollywood Squares,” died of kidney failure Thursday in Encino. He was 98.
His wife Laurie said in a statement that he died at home.
Emmy-nominated 19 times, with five wins, he hosted more than 5,000 episodes of the original version of game show “The Hollywood Squares” and appeared in dozens of movies, stage musicals and TV shows.
Marshall was born Ralph Pierre Lacock in Huntington, W.V. He started his career as an NBC Radio page and usher at Paramount Theater. He served in the Army, working as a d.j. for Armed Forces Radio.
Marshall developed a comedy act with Tommy Noonan, touring the country and appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” As a contract player at 20th Century Fox, he appeared in films including “Ensign Pulver,” “The Rookie” and “Annie.”
He was hired to host NBC’s long-running “The Hollywood Squares” starting in 1966, featuring regulars like Paul Lynde,...
His wife Laurie said in a statement that he died at home.
Emmy-nominated 19 times, with five wins, he hosted more than 5,000 episodes of the original version of game show “The Hollywood Squares” and appeared in dozens of movies, stage musicals and TV shows.
Marshall was born Ralph Pierre Lacock in Huntington, W.V. He started his career as an NBC Radio page and usher at Paramount Theater. He served in the Army, working as a d.j. for Armed Forces Radio.
Marshall developed a comedy act with Tommy Noonan, touring the country and appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” As a contract player at 20th Century Fox, he appeared in films including “Ensign Pulver,” “The Rookie” and “Annie.”
He was hired to host NBC’s long-running “The Hollywood Squares” starting in 1966, featuring regulars like Paul Lynde,...
- 8/15/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Peter Marshall, who won four Emmys hosting the first incarnation of the long-running game show Hollywood Squares, has died at the age of 98, TVLine has confirmed. Marshall died on Thursday of kidney failure at his home in Encino, California “surrounded by loved ones,” his family said in a statement.
After an early career in comedy and on Broadway, Marshall signed on to host what was then titled The Hollywood Squares in 1966, after Bert Parks hosted the initial pilot for NBC. Marshall thought he would only spend 13 weeks as the host, but that turned into 16 years, with Marshall emceeing the show...
After an early career in comedy and on Broadway, Marshall signed on to host what was then titled The Hollywood Squares in 1966, after Bert Parks hosted the initial pilot for NBC. Marshall thought he would only spend 13 weeks as the host, but that turned into 16 years, with Marshall emceeing the show...
- 8/15/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Only a few rare songs ever turn into pop classics. But this one turned into a classic twice. “Killing Me Softly with His Song” has one of the longest, weirdest stories in pop history. In the 1970s, it hit Number One as a lush soft-soul hit for the smoothed-out R&b star Roberta Flack. In the 1990s, it became a hip-hop banger for the Fugees, showcasing Lauryn Hill’s vocals. Some fans prefer the gentle, mellow Flack hit; some prefer the reggae-inflected Fugees remake. But both versions became permanent classics...
- 7/31/2024
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
Below Deck alum Hannah Ferrier shared the details of her medical issues. She had fans concerned when she posted about her intense treatment. Hannah addressed her serious health issues. Keep on reading to learn more.
Complicated Relationship With Below Deck Franchise
Hannah Ferrier has always been candid about her mental health issues. Below Deck Mediterranean fans remember Season 5, when she struggled with anxiety.
Hannah had a difficult work relationship with Captain Sandy Yawn. She had a prescription for Valium, which was unregistered.
Hannah’s prescription and CBD pen were found by bosun Malia White, who turned her into Captain Sandy. The two argued about cabin arrangements just prior.
Below Deck Med fans argued that Malia turned Hannah in out of revenge. Malia and Captain Sandy argued that the decision had everything to do with Maritime Law and nothing to do with revenge.
Fans are still upset with Captain Sandy Yawn...
Complicated Relationship With Below Deck Franchise
Hannah Ferrier has always been candid about her mental health issues. Below Deck Mediterranean fans remember Season 5, when she struggled with anxiety.
Hannah had a difficult work relationship with Captain Sandy Yawn. She had a prescription for Valium, which was unregistered.
Hannah’s prescription and CBD pen were found by bosun Malia White, who turned her into Captain Sandy. The two argued about cabin arrangements just prior.
Below Deck Med fans argued that Malia turned Hannah in out of revenge. Malia and Captain Sandy argued that the decision had everything to do with Maritime Law and nothing to do with revenge.
Fans are still upset with Captain Sandy Yawn...
- 7/30/2024
- by Cheryl Preston
- Celebrating The Soaps
Kevin Brophy, whose credits include the TV series Lucan and films Hell Night and The Long Riders, died on May 11 at the age of 70, according to an online obituary. He had stage 4 cancer for ten years before succumbing at the family home in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, his family relocated to the San Fernando Valley. He then moved to Del Mar, California for high school.
After graduating from the California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) in Valencia, Brophy played the title character in the television series Lucan (1977-1978).
He was also featured in the films The Long Riders (1980) and the horror classic Hell Night (1981).
Brophy had numerous guest roles in motion pictures and television series, appearing on The Love Boat, M*A*S*H, Growing Pains, The Hardy Boys Mysteries and Hart to Hart.
He later worked at the Hotel Bel Air and the Luxe Hotel,...
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, his family relocated to the San Fernando Valley. He then moved to Del Mar, California for high school.
After graduating from the California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) in Valencia, Brophy played the title character in the television series Lucan (1977-1978).
He was also featured in the films The Long Riders (1980) and the horror classic Hell Night (1981).
Brophy had numerous guest roles in motion pictures and television series, appearing on The Love Boat, M*A*S*H, Growing Pains, The Hardy Boys Mysteries and Hart to Hart.
He later worked at the Hotel Bel Air and the Luxe Hotel,...
- 6/16/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Kevin Brophy, who starred as a young man raised by wolves on the short-lived ABC series Lucan and as the doomed leader of a college fraternity in the cult horror film Hell Night, has died. He was 70.
Brophy died May 11 at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, his family announced. He was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer 10 years ago, they said.
On 1977-78’s Lucan, his first professional acting job, Brophy portrayed a 20-year-old man who spent the first 10 years of his life with wolves in the forests of Minnesota before he’s brought into society.
His character possessed wolf-like superpowers like strength, agility and heightened senses of smell and hearing, and when angry, his eyes glowed amber.
When he got the part, Brophy asked himself, “What does a boy raised by wolves do?” he recalled in December in an interview for the Happy Horror Time podcast. “I came to...
Brophy died May 11 at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, his family announced. He was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer 10 years ago, they said.
On 1977-78’s Lucan, his first professional acting job, Brophy portrayed a 20-year-old man who spent the first 10 years of his life with wolves in the forests of Minnesota before he’s brought into society.
His character possessed wolf-like superpowers like strength, agility and heightened senses of smell and hearing, and when angry, his eyes glowed amber.
When he got the part, Brophy asked himself, “What does a boy raised by wolves do?” he recalled in December in an interview for the Happy Horror Time podcast. “I came to...
- 6/16/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
General Hospital (Gh) fans mourn the loss of another star. Actress Janis Paige passed away in her L.A. home at the age of 101. Gh’s Kin Shriner (Scott Baldwin) posted on X/Twitter about it, stating, “Rip to Janis Paige. Had the pleasure of working with her on a couple of soaps. She always had a story or two and I relished them!” He added a lovely photo of Paige in her younger years, to the tweet.
General Hospital Alum Janis Paige’s Acting Legacy
A veteran actress, who had an amazing career in Hollywood, Paige began in the 1940s with minor movie roles, and hit Broadway in 1954, starring in The Pajama Game. She did other Broadway shows after that, including Alone Together, Mame, and Here’s Love.
Her impact on primetime television was tremendous with a hit sitcom on CBS, called It’s Always Jan. which had a nice run with two seasons.
General Hospital Alum Janis Paige’s Acting Legacy
A veteran actress, who had an amazing career in Hollywood, Paige began in the 1940s with minor movie roles, and hit Broadway in 1954, starring in The Pajama Game. She did other Broadway shows after that, including Alone Together, Mame, and Here’s Love.
Her impact on primetime television was tremendous with a hit sitcom on CBS, called It’s Always Jan. which had a nice run with two seasons.
- 6/6/2024
- by Dorathy Gass
- Celebrating The Soaps
Janis Paige, who racked up more than 100 film, TV and stage credits over six decades including The Pajama Game, Silk Stockings and Santa Barbara, died June 2 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 101.
Her friend Stuart Lambert told The Associated Press about Paige’s death.
During her long career, Paige toured with Bob Hope and danced onscreen with Fred Astaire, along with originating the Babe Williams role in The Pajama Game on Broadway in 1954. That same year she headlined It’s Always Jan, a CBS sitcom about the problems of single-parenthood during which she usually sang a song. It lasted a single season.
Born Donna Mae Tjaden on September 16, 1922, in Tacoma, Wa, she began singing in talent shows at a tender age and moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school.
Paige made her Broadway debut in 1951 opposite Jackie Cooper in the mystery comedy Remains to Be Seen but...
Her friend Stuart Lambert told The Associated Press about Paige’s death.
During her long career, Paige toured with Bob Hope and danced onscreen with Fred Astaire, along with originating the Babe Williams role in The Pajama Game on Broadway in 1954. That same year she headlined It’s Always Jan, a CBS sitcom about the problems of single-parenthood during which she usually sang a song. It lasted a single season.
Born Donna Mae Tjaden on September 16, 1922, in Tacoma, Wa, she began singing in talent shows at a tender age and moved to Los Angeles after graduating high school.
Paige made her Broadway debut in 1951 opposite Jackie Cooper in the mystery comedy Remains to Be Seen but...
- 6/3/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Legendary producer and director Roger Corman, who died recently at age 98, had an immeasurable impact on American cinema as we know it. The number of actors, writers, and directors who learned their craft on a Corman production is staggering, and he was known for giving people chances to prove themselves on the low-budget pictures he either produced or directed himself. Tons of notable names went through the so-called "Corman school," including James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich, Jonathan Demme, Ron Howard, and Joe Dante, just to name a few.
Three-time Oscar-winning actor Jack Nicholson is another significant alumnus of the Corman school of filmmaking — in fact, his very first movie, "The Cry Baby Killer," was a Corman production, and it provided Nicholson the first of many starring roles across his incredible career. The film follows a young man who thinks he's committed murder outside of a local hang-out restaurant,...
Three-time Oscar-winning actor Jack Nicholson is another significant alumnus of the Corman school of filmmaking — in fact, his very first movie, "The Cry Baby Killer," was a Corman production, and it provided Nicholson the first of many starring roles across his incredible career. The film follows a young man who thinks he's committed murder outside of a local hang-out restaurant,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Susan Buckner, renowned for her portrayal of cheerleader Patty Simcox in the iconic movie Grease, has died at the age of 72.
Melissa Berthier, a spokesperson for the family, confirmed that Buckner passed away peacefully on May 2, surrounded by loved ones.
The cause of her death has not been disclosed.
Buckner’s daughter, Samantha Mansfield, shared with People magazine, “The light she brought into every room will be missed forever. She was magic, and I was very lucky to call her my best friend.”
Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1952, Buckner initially gained attention as a beauty pageant queen, winning the title of Miss Washington in 1971 and placing in the top ten at the Miss America pageant in 1972.
Her journey into entertainment commenced with appearances on popular variety shows like The Dean Martin Show and The Mac Davis Show.
Susan Buckner starred alongside John Travolta in Grease
In 1977, Buckner landed the role of Patty Simcox in Grease,...
Melissa Berthier, a spokesperson for the family, confirmed that Buckner passed away peacefully on May 2, surrounded by loved ones.
The cause of her death has not been disclosed.
Buckner’s daughter, Samantha Mansfield, shared with People magazine, “The light she brought into every room will be missed forever. She was magic, and I was very lucky to call her my best friend.”
Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1952, Buckner initially gained attention as a beauty pageant queen, winning the title of Miss Washington in 1971 and placing in the top ten at the Miss America pageant in 1972.
Her journey into entertainment commenced with appearances on popular variety shows like The Dean Martin Show and The Mac Davis Show.
Susan Buckner starred alongside John Travolta in Grease
In 1977, Buckner landed the role of Patty Simcox in Grease,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Frank Yemi
- Monsters and Critics
Susan Buckner, an American actor best known for her role as Patty Simcox in the 1978 musical “Grease,” died May 2. She was 72. Her death was confirmed by her publicist.
At the age of 25, Buckner was cast in the role of the Rydell High cheerleader, joining a cast that included John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. As Simcox, Buckner played a solider of school spirit, with an iconic cheer cemented into fans’ minds: “Do the splits, give a yell! Show a little spirit for old Rydell! Way to go, red and white! Go Rydell, fight, fight, fight!”
Buckner continued working as an actor with guest credits across several television shows, including “The Love Boat,” “B.J and the Bear” and “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.” She co-starred in the ABC series “When the Whistle Blows.” Among other notable feature credits, Buckner appeared in Wes Craven’s 1981 horror film “Deadly Blessing” opposite Sharon Stone, as...
At the age of 25, Buckner was cast in the role of the Rydell High cheerleader, joining a cast that included John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. As Simcox, Buckner played a solider of school spirit, with an iconic cheer cemented into fans’ minds: “Do the splits, give a yell! Show a little spirit for old Rydell! Way to go, red and white! Go Rydell, fight, fight, fight!”
Buckner continued working as an actor with guest credits across several television shows, including “The Love Boat,” “B.J and the Bear” and “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.” She co-starred in the ABC series “When the Whistle Blows.” Among other notable feature credits, Buckner appeared in Wes Craven’s 1981 horror film “Deadly Blessing” opposite Sharon Stone, as...
- 5/7/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Susan Buckner, best known to moviegoers as Grease‘s bubbly cheerleader Patty Simcox, died peacefully surrounded by loved ones in Miami on May 2.
Her death was announced by family.
Buckner’s Grease character was the Rydell High cheerleading pal of Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy. The 1978 film also starred John Travolta and Stockard Channing.
Born on January 28, 1952, in Seattle, Washington, Buckner was crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and represented the state in the Miss America pageant the following year. Soon after, she became one of The Dean Martin Show’s Golddiggers dancers, and that led her to become part of the all-girl group Fantasy and the musical duo Buckner and Pratt.
She also appeared on such variety shows as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and, as a dancer and synchronized swimmer, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
In 1977, she landed her signature role of perky Patty Simcox, Grease‘s embodiment of pep and school spirit.
Her death was announced by family.
Buckner’s Grease character was the Rydell High cheerleading pal of Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy. The 1978 film also starred John Travolta and Stockard Channing.
Born on January 28, 1952, in Seattle, Washington, Buckner was crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and represented the state in the Miss America pageant the following year. Soon after, she became one of The Dean Martin Show’s Golddiggers dancers, and that led her to become part of the all-girl group Fantasy and the musical duo Buckner and Pratt.
She also appeared on such variety shows as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and, as a dancer and synchronized swimmer, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
In 1977, she landed her signature role of perky Patty Simcox, Grease‘s embodiment of pep and school spirit.
- 5/7/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Following his 2015 Emmy win for the final season of “Mad Men,” Jon Hamm took a large step back from TV stardom in order to beef up his film resume with titles such as “Baby Driver,” “Richard Jewell,” and “Top Gun: Maverick.” Now that he has made a splashy return to the small screen by playing new roles on “Fargo” and “The Morning Show” and reprising one on “Good Omens,” his Emmy nominations total could instantly rise from 16 to 19. If all of his possible 2024 bids come to fruition, he will be only the fourth person and second man to ever compete for three acting Emmys at once.
Hamm’s string of recent TV acting gigs began last July when he returned for season two Prime Video’s “Good Omens” as supporting character Gabriel – a humanoid version of the biblical archangel. He then fulfilled the new role of ambitious tech billionaire Paul Marks...
Hamm’s string of recent TV acting gigs began last July when he returned for season two Prime Video’s “Good Omens” as supporting character Gabriel – a humanoid version of the biblical archangel. He then fulfilled the new role of ambitious tech billionaire Paul Marks...
- 5/6/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
The Young and the Restless family is mourning the loss of Marla Adams, who died at 85.
Marla played Dina Abbott Mergeron on and off on Y&r for over 37 years.
Josh Griffith, Y&r’s executive producer, shared a statement with People magazine to honor Marla after news of her death broke.
“On behalf of the entire company of The Young and the Restless, we send our deepest sympathies to Marla’s family. We’re so grateful and in awe of Marla’s incredible performance as Dina Mergeron as both Marla and Dina made an unforgettable mark on Y&r,” read the statement.
The actress had an incredible career before she joined the soap opera world, though.
Today, those who knew and loved Marla are mourning the loss – as are the fans who adored her.
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The Young and the Restless...
Marla played Dina Abbott Mergeron on and off on Y&r for over 37 years.
Josh Griffith, Y&r’s executive producer, shared a statement with People magazine to honor Marla after news of her death broke.
“On behalf of the entire company of The Young and the Restless, we send our deepest sympathies to Marla’s family. We’re so grateful and in awe of Marla’s incredible performance as Dina Mergeron as both Marla and Dina made an unforgettable mark on Y&r,” read the statement.
The actress had an incredible career before she joined the soap opera world, though.
Today, those who knew and loved Marla are mourning the loss – as are the fans who adored her.
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- 4/27/2024
- by Rachelle Lewis
- Monsters and Critics
Marla Adams, who played Dina Abbott Mergeron on CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” for 37 years, died Thursday in Los Angeles, Matt Kane, director of media and talent for “The Young and the Restless” announced. She was 85.
Adams began her career in the daytime drama genre in 1968 on “The Secret Storm.” She played Belle Clemens on the show until 1974, and would go on to join “The Young and the Restless” in 1982. She would be cast as the Abbott family matriarch Dina Abbott Mergeron, who came to Genoa City to reconnect with her estranged family. She was the onscreen mother to the Abbott siblings, Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson), Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland) and Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman).
She would appear in “Y&r” on and off throughout the following years, returning full time in 2017. It would be revealed that her character was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and in 2021, Adams won a...
Adams began her career in the daytime drama genre in 1968 on “The Secret Storm.” She played Belle Clemens on the show until 1974, and would go on to join “The Young and the Restless” in 1982. She would be cast as the Abbott family matriarch Dina Abbott Mergeron, who came to Genoa City to reconnect with her estranged family. She was the onscreen mother to the Abbott siblings, Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson), Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland) and Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman).
She would appear in “Y&r” on and off throughout the following years, returning full time in 2017. It would be revealed that her character was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and in 2021, Adams won a...
- 4/26/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Emmy-winning actress Marla Adams, who played Dina on The Young and the Restless for more than three decades, has died at the age of 85, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Beginning her career on Broadway and in films like Splendor in the Grass, Adams played villain Belle Clemens on the CBS daytime soap The Secret Storm before joining the cast of The Young and the Restless in 1983. She originated the role of Dina Abbott Mergeron, a cosmetics mogul whose arrival in Genoa City upended the lives of her ex-husband John Abbott and their children.
More from TVLineSurvivor: Jeff Probst Announces Season...
Beginning her career on Broadway and in films like Splendor in the Grass, Adams played villain Belle Clemens on the CBS daytime soap The Secret Storm before joining the cast of The Young and the Restless in 1983. She originated the role of Dina Abbott Mergeron, a cosmetics mogul whose arrival in Genoa City upended the lives of her ex-husband John Abbott and their children.
More from TVLineSurvivor: Jeff Probst Announces Season...
- 4/26/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
The Young and the Restless (Y&r) news reveals that there is sad information to share about a legendary show alum. Marla Adams (Dina Abbott Mergeron) has passed away at the age of 85. Adams debuted on the number one rated daytime drama in 1982.
Adams returned to Y&r in 2017 and she won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2020, the same year that her character succumbed to the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Adams’ prime-time credits include Sisters, Time of Your Life, The Golden Girls, Hart to Hart, and The Love Boat.
The Young and the Restless News: A Daytime Veteran Has Passed
Adams was born on August 28, 1938, in Ocean City, New Jersey. As a young woman she won the Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May beauty pageants and was the runner-up in the Miss New Jersey pageant.
Adams has the honor of being Miss...
Adams returned to Y&r in 2017 and she won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2020, the same year that her character succumbed to the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Adams’ prime-time credits include Sisters, Time of Your Life, The Golden Girls, Hart to Hart, and The Love Boat.
The Young and the Restless News: A Daytime Veteran Has Passed
Adams was born on August 28, 1938, in Ocean City, New Jersey. As a young woman she won the Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May beauty pageants and was the runner-up in the Miss New Jersey pageant.
Adams has the honor of being Miss...
- 4/26/2024
- by Tanya Clark
- Celebrating The Soaps
Marla Adams, best known for her 37 years in the role of Dina Abbott Mergeron on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless, died Thursday in Los Angeles. She was 85 and the cause of death was not disclosed.
Born in Ocean City, NJ, on August 28, 1938, Adams’ love for the stage was ignited after winning the Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May pageants. She also finished as a runner-up in the Miss New Jersey pageant and was the Miss Diamond Jubilee Queen during the 1954 celebration of the 75th anniversary of Ocean City’s founding.
A student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Adams appeared on Broadway in the 1958 production of The Visit at the Morosco Theatre with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. She also starred as June in the 1961 feature film Splendor in the Grass.
Adams starred as Belle Clemens on The Secret Storm from 1968-74 and joined...
Born in Ocean City, NJ, on August 28, 1938, Adams’ love for the stage was ignited after winning the Miss Ocean City and Miss Cape May pageants. She also finished as a runner-up in the Miss New Jersey pageant and was the Miss Diamond Jubilee Queen during the 1954 celebration of the 75th anniversary of Ocean City’s founding.
A student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Adams appeared on Broadway in the 1958 production of The Visit at the Morosco Theatre with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. She also starred as June in the 1961 feature film Splendor in the Grass.
Adams starred as Belle Clemens on The Secret Storm from 1968-74 and joined...
- 4/26/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Marla Adams, the Emmy-winning soap opera veteran who starred as the scheming Dina Abbott Mergeron during parts of five decades on The Young and the Restless, has died. She was 85.
Adams died Thursday in Los Angeles, Matt Kane, director of media and talent for Y&r, announced.
When she was just starting out, Adams appeared in 1958 alongside Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne on Broadway in The Visit and portrayed June, the high school best friend of Natalie Wood’s Deanie, in Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961).
Her first prominent role on a daytime drama came on CBS’ The Secret Storm, where she played bad girl Belle Clemens from 1968 until the show’s 1974 demise. “I was the bitch of daytime,” she said in a 2016 interview. “I played a good bitch.”
Adams joined Y&r in 1982 but left when her three-year contract was up. She returned to Genoa City for brief...
Adams died Thursday in Los Angeles, Matt Kane, director of media and talent for Y&r, announced.
When she was just starting out, Adams appeared in 1958 alongside Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne on Broadway in The Visit and portrayed June, the high school best friend of Natalie Wood’s Deanie, in Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961).
Her first prominent role on a daytime drama came on CBS’ The Secret Storm, where she played bad girl Belle Clemens from 1968 until the show’s 1974 demise. “I was the bitch of daytime,” she said in a 2016 interview. “I played a good bitch.”
Adams joined Y&r in 1982 but left when her three-year contract was up. She returned to Genoa City for brief...
- 4/26/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
What is Tori Spelling’s shocking 2024 net worth amid her divorce and financial issues? She recently commented on her finances being the reason she was not a Real Housewife on Bravo. So, how much money does she have and is she underestimating herself? Keep reading for more details.
Tori Spelling’s Shocking 2024 Net Worth
Growing up, Tori Spelling lived a lavish life. Her father was famed writer and producer Aaron Spelling. He was known for shows such as The Mod Squad, Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Melrose Place. Luckily, Tori was cast in some of her father’s shows, most notably 90210 but after she used a fake name so there would be no nepotism. She still had to prove herself as more than Aaron Spelling’s daughter. Sadly, he passed away in 2006 but left the majority of his estate to his wife, Candy Spelling.
Tori Spelling-YouTube
His two children,...
Tori Spelling’s Shocking 2024 Net Worth
Growing up, Tori Spelling lived a lavish life. Her father was famed writer and producer Aaron Spelling. He was known for shows such as The Mod Squad, Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Melrose Place. Luckily, Tori was cast in some of her father’s shows, most notably 90210 but after she used a fake name so there would be no nepotism. She still had to prove herself as more than Aaron Spelling’s daughter. Sadly, he passed away in 2006 but left the majority of his estate to his wife, Candy Spelling.
Tori Spelling-YouTube
His two children,...
- 4/21/2024
- by Amanda Lauren
- TV Shows Ace
"The Love Boat" holds a fascinating place in pop culture history. While most of the shows with reruns playing in heavy rotation today were in some way groundbreaking upon their initial release, "The Love Boat" is a novelty the likes of which modern TV rarely – if ever – tries to emulate. An anthology-like rom-com set aboard a cruise ship, "The Love Boat" featured a revolving door of guest stars and little connective tissue to speak of aside from the cast playing the crew aboard the ship.
The deeply '70s series earned high ratings for much of its run, yet was considered pretty silly even at the time of its release. John J. O'Connor called it a "dreadful porridge of a conception" in The New York Times, while the Orlando Sentinel's Noel Holston said it needed "sharper writing, better casting, more original situations, an end to the indefatigable laugh track or,...
The deeply '70s series earned high ratings for much of its run, yet was considered pretty silly even at the time of its release. John J. O'Connor called it a "dreadful porridge of a conception" in The New York Times, while the Orlando Sentinel's Noel Holston said it needed "sharper writing, better casting, more original situations, an end to the indefatigable laugh track or,...
- 4/14/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Musical episodes of TV shows weren’t invented by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, nor by Xena: Warrior Princess either. But it was Xena that came up with a way of doing musical episodes that was incredibly effective, and Buffy that perfected it, producing a musical that has been a touchstone for TV ever since.
Some TV shows are designed to be a musical every week, of course, from Glee to Schmigadoon! to Flight of the Conchords. But there is also a fairly long-standing tradition of non-musical shows including musical episodes from time to time.
It might seem like having characters who do not normally sing randomly burst into song would be restricted to science fiction and fantasy, in which an invented reason can be provided for the singing, but plenty of non-sci fi and fantasy shows have done musicals either by making the whole thing take place inside someone’s...
Some TV shows are designed to be a musical every week, of course, from Glee to Schmigadoon! to Flight of the Conchords. But there is also a fairly long-standing tradition of non-musical shows including musical episodes from time to time.
It might seem like having characters who do not normally sing randomly burst into song would be restricted to science fiction and fantasy, in which an invented reason can be provided for the singing, but plenty of non-sci fi and fantasy shows have done musicals either by making the whole thing take place inside someone’s...
- 4/8/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Reader, you have been lied to! Film history is littered with unfairly maligned classics, whether critics were too eager to review the making of rather than the finished product, or they suffered from underwhelming ad campaigns or general disinterest. Let’s revise our takes on some of these films from the wrongheaded to the correct opinion.
Earlier this year, the Criterion Channel launched a series devoted to films that have won Golden Raspberry Awards, or “Razzies,” prizes ostensibly created to recognize the worst that cinema has to offer. The idea of streaming’s most respected curator of film art showcasing a selection of Razzie winners was one whose time was long overdue, given the Razzies’ astonishingly reliable tendency to be on the wrong side of history; the list of nominations from any given year is typically more useful as a guide for suggested viewing than as an indication of what to avoid.
Earlier this year, the Criterion Channel launched a series devoted to films that have won Golden Raspberry Awards, or “Razzies,” prizes ostensibly created to recognize the worst that cinema has to offer. The idea of streaming’s most respected curator of film art showcasing a selection of Razzie winners was one whose time was long overdue, given the Razzies’ astonishingly reliable tendency to be on the wrong side of history; the list of nominations from any given year is typically more useful as a guide for suggested viewing than as an indication of what to avoid.
- 4/4/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Barbara Rush has sadly passed away at the age of 97.
The Golden Globe award-winning actress died on Sunday evening (March 31), her daughter, Fox News correspondent Claudia Cowan confirmed in a statement.
“My wonderful mother passed away peacefully at 5:28 this evening. I was with her this morning and know she was waiting for me to return home safely to transition,” Claudia shared with Fox News. “It’s fitting she chose to leave on Easter as it was one of her favorite holidays and now, of course, Easter will have a deeper significance for me and my family.”
Barbara won the Golden Globe award for most promising newcomer in 1954 for her role in the sci-fi movie It Came From Outer Space. Throughout her career, she has starred alongside leading men like Dean Martin, Rock Hudson, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and more.
She has been a star of stage, film and television,...
The Golden Globe award-winning actress died on Sunday evening (March 31), her daughter, Fox News correspondent Claudia Cowan confirmed in a statement.
“My wonderful mother passed away peacefully at 5:28 this evening. I was with her this morning and know she was waiting for me to return home safely to transition,” Claudia shared with Fox News. “It’s fitting she chose to leave on Easter as it was one of her favorite holidays and now, of course, Easter will have a deeper significance for me and my family.”
Barbara won the Golden Globe award for most promising newcomer in 1954 for her role in the sci-fi movie It Came From Outer Space. Throughout her career, she has starred alongside leading men like Dean Martin, Rock Hudson, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and more.
She has been a star of stage, film and television,...
- 4/1/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Barbra Rush, the prolific actress best known for roles in 1953’s It Came From Outer Space and long runs on Peyton Place and All My Children, has died. Her daughter confirmed Rush’s passing to Fox News on Sunday. She was 97.
Rush had a near 60-year career. In the ’50s and ’60s, she worked on the big screen with Paul Newman (three times), Kirk Douglas, Rock Hudson, Dean Martin, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Richard Burton. In addition to pulpier fare like Prince of Pirates and Taza, Son of Cochise, Rush did a trio of films with Douglas Sirk — The First Legion, Magnificent Obsession and Captain Lightfoot — and Bigger Than Life with Nicholas Ray.
By the late 1960s, Rush had segued mostly to TV, appearing in mainstays of the period such as Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, The Fugitive, Marcus Welby, M.D., McCloud, Maude, Ironside and Mannix.
Rush appeared in...
Rush had a near 60-year career. In the ’50s and ’60s, she worked on the big screen with Paul Newman (three times), Kirk Douglas, Rock Hudson, Dean Martin, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Richard Burton. In addition to pulpier fare like Prince of Pirates and Taza, Son of Cochise, Rush did a trio of films with Douglas Sirk — The First Legion, Magnificent Obsession and Captain Lightfoot — and Bigger Than Life with Nicholas Ray.
By the late 1960s, Rush had segued mostly to TV, appearing in mainstays of the period such as Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, The Fugitive, Marcus Welby, M.D., McCloud, Maude, Ironside and Mannix.
Rush appeared in...
- 4/1/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 11, Episode 4 of “The Masked Singer,” “TV Theme Night,” which aired March 27 on Fox.
“Extra” host Billy Bush won’t get an extra shot at “The Masked Singer.” The entertainment newsmagazine anchor and one-time morning drive radio host was the next celebrity to be unmasked on Wednesday’s “TV Theme Night” edition of “The Masked Singer.”
“I’m not a great singer,” Bush said. “If you can’t make it with the lips, make it with the hips. If you’ve never done something that’s a little on the scary side — and this is scary — say yes!”
For Bush, none of the panelists got it right. Robin Thicke guessed Anderson Cooper. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg picked Seth Meyers. Ken Jeong picked Ryan Seacrest. New panelist Rita Ora said it was Andy Cohen.
Lizard (for the second week in a row...
“Extra” host Billy Bush won’t get an extra shot at “The Masked Singer.” The entertainment newsmagazine anchor and one-time morning drive radio host was the next celebrity to be unmasked on Wednesday’s “TV Theme Night” edition of “The Masked Singer.”
“I’m not a great singer,” Bush said. “If you can’t make it with the lips, make it with the hips. If you’ve never done something that’s a little on the scary side — and this is scary — say yes!”
For Bush, none of the panelists got it right. Robin Thicke guessed Anderson Cooper. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg picked Seth Meyers. Ken Jeong picked Ryan Seacrest. New panelist Rita Ora said it was Andy Cohen.
Lizard (for the second week in a row...
- 3/28/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Ryan Murphy is quickly expanding his footprint on ABC. The network has given a straight-to-series order to his Doctor Odyssey, with Joshua Jackson set to play the lead and executive produce. The drama, targeted for a fall launch, hails from 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television.
As is the case with any Ryan Murphy series, no details about the premise are being revealed. As the title suggests, Doctor Odyssey is believed to be a medical procedural. According to sources, it is set on a cruise ship. That was the setting for this season’s disaster-themed opener of Murphy’s procedural 9-1-1 in its debut on ABC, and it also harkens back to TV classic The Love Boat.
Related: 2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming
Jackson is said to be playing the title character whose charms help him get what he wants.
As is the case with any Ryan Murphy series, no details about the premise are being revealed. As the title suggests, Doctor Odyssey is believed to be a medical procedural. According to sources, it is set on a cruise ship. That was the setting for this season’s disaster-themed opener of Murphy’s procedural 9-1-1 in its debut on ABC, and it also harkens back to TV classic The Love Boat.
Related: 2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming
Jackson is said to be playing the title character whose charms help him get what he wants.
- 3/20/2024
- by Rosy Cordero and Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
The premise of the 1977 sitcom "Three's Company" -- adapted from the 1973 British series "Man About the House" -- would likely never fly in 2024. Roommates Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy (Suzanne Somers) require a third roommate to pay rent in their expensive Santa Monica apartment. They stumble across Jack Tripper (John Ritter), an aspiring culinary student whom they get along with. It so happens, though, that the building's landlord, Mr. Roper (Normal Fell), is ultra-conservative and refuses to let unmarried men and women share his apartments. To get around this contrived contingency, Janet and Chrissy tell Mr. Roper that Jack is gay. This satisfies the landlord but opens Jack up to homophobic jibes.
Fell eventually left the series and was replaced by the high-strung Mr. Furley, played by Don Knotts. Mr. Furley, it seems, required the charade to continue. Somers also left the show in its last two seasons and was...
Fell eventually left the series and was replaced by the high-strung Mr. Furley, played by Don Knotts. Mr. Furley, it seems, required the charade to continue. Somers also left the show in its last two seasons and was...
- 3/16/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Ben Lanzarone, the composer, arranger, musical director and pianist who wrote music for such shows as Dynasty, Happy Days, Mr. Belvedere and The Tracey Ullman Show, has died. He was 85.
Lanzarone died Friday in his Los Angeles home of lung cancer, his family announced.
The Brooklyn native toured with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Art Garfunkel, Mary Travers, Anthony Newley, Petula Clark, Lainie Kazan and Mason Williams and for Broadway served as the musical director on the original 1972-1980 production of Grease and arranger on 1972’s Via Galactica and 1975’s Truckload.
His long association with TV producers Aaron Spelling and Douglas S. Cramer resulted in scores for Dynasty, The Colbys, The Love Boat, Vega$, Matt Houston and Hotel.
And for production companies led by Thomas Miller, Edward Milkis and/or Bob Boyett, he came up with music for episodes of Happy Days (including the one in 1977 when Henry Winkler’s...
Lanzarone died Friday in his Los Angeles home of lung cancer, his family announced.
The Brooklyn native toured with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Art Garfunkel, Mary Travers, Anthony Newley, Petula Clark, Lainie Kazan and Mason Williams and for Broadway served as the musical director on the original 1972-1980 production of Grease and arranger on 1972’s Via Galactica and 1975’s Truckload.
His long association with TV producers Aaron Spelling and Douglas S. Cramer resulted in scores for Dynasty, The Colbys, The Love Boat, Vega$, Matt Houston and Hotel.
And for production companies led by Thomas Miller, Edward Milkis and/or Bob Boyett, he came up with music for episodes of Happy Days (including the one in 1977 when Henry Winkler’s...
- 2/19/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Composer Ben Lanzarone, whose work was featured in television shows such as “Happy Days,” “The Love Boat” and “Dynasty,” died of lung cancer in Los Angeles on Feb. 16. He was 85.
Lanzarone received ASCAP’s “Most Performed Composer Award” for his work composing television scores. He wrote for episodes of “The Tracy Ullman Show,” “The Jay Leno Comedy Hour” and” Mr. Belvedere.” In association with Aaron Spelling and Doug Cramer, he composed many scores for “Dynasty,” “The Love Boat,” “Vegas,” “Matt Houston,” “The Colbys” and “Hotel.” In addition, he wrote the music for numerous episodes of “Happy Days,” “Laverne and Shirley” and “Mork and Mindy.”
Also an arranger, musical director and pianist, Lanzarone became a force in popular music when he began associating with Bob Crewe and Charles Fox. Lanzarone’s album “In Classic Form” came as a result of their collaboration, showing off his talent as a classical and jazz pianist.
Lanzarone received ASCAP’s “Most Performed Composer Award” for his work composing television scores. He wrote for episodes of “The Tracy Ullman Show,” “The Jay Leno Comedy Hour” and” Mr. Belvedere.” In association with Aaron Spelling and Doug Cramer, he composed many scores for “Dynasty,” “The Love Boat,” “Vegas,” “Matt Houston,” “The Colbys” and “Hotel.” In addition, he wrote the music for numerous episodes of “Happy Days,” “Laverne and Shirley” and “Mork and Mindy.”
Also an arranger, musical director and pianist, Lanzarone became a force in popular music when he began associating with Bob Crewe and Charles Fox. Lanzarone’s album “In Classic Form” came as a result of their collaboration, showing off his talent as a classical and jazz pianist.
- 2/19/2024
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Ben Lanzarone, whose music graced many hit television shows, died Friday in his sleep while battling lung cancer. He was 85 and his death was confirmed by his wife of more than 45 years, actress Ilene Graff.
Lanzarone was honored with the ASCAP’s Most-Performed Underscore Award in 1986. His compositions were used in many iconic TV shows from the ’70s,’80s & ’90s, including The Love Boat, Happy Days, Dynasty, Mork and Mindy, and Laverne and Shirley, among others.
Lanzarone and Graff met on the set of Grease, where he worked on the music video for Summer Nights. They later worked together on Mr. Belvedere, where Ilene played Marsha Cameron Owens for 118 episodes.
He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Nikka. No information on memorial plans was available.
Lanzarone was honored with the ASCAP’s Most-Performed Underscore Award in 1986. His compositions were used in many iconic TV shows from the ’70s,’80s & ’90s, including The Love Boat, Happy Days, Dynasty, Mork and Mindy, and Laverne and Shirley, among others.
Lanzarone and Graff met on the set of Grease, where he worked on the music video for Summer Nights. They later worked together on Mr. Belvedere, where Ilene played Marsha Cameron Owens for 118 episodes.
He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Nikka. No information on memorial plans was available.
- 2/18/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Has any entertainment scripted project ever featured more Oscar winners? Tour our special Valentine’s Day photo gallery to see which 33 Academy Awards champs made appearances on the very popular Aaron Spelling show “The Love Boat.”
For one full decade of 1977 to 1987, ABC could count on its comedy/drama series “The Love Boat” to bring in millions of audience members on Saturday nights. The show would have multiple story arcs (often three for a one-hour episode) with five to 10 celebrity guest stars each time. Some arcs were playing out for laughs, others for romance and the remainder could take on tough issues. The show airs daily on the Decades network and on Sunday afternoons for Me-tv. You can also stream every episode on Paramount+.
Regular cast members would either take command of some segments or be in the backseat on others. The charming actors throughout the decade were Gavin MacLeod...
For one full decade of 1977 to 1987, ABC could count on its comedy/drama series “The Love Boat” to bring in millions of audience members on Saturday nights. The show would have multiple story arcs (often three for a one-hour episode) with five to 10 celebrity guest stars each time. Some arcs were playing out for laughs, others for romance and the remainder could take on tough issues. The show airs daily on the Decades network and on Sunday afternoons for Me-tv. You can also stream every episode on Paramount+.
Regular cast members would either take command of some segments or be in the backseat on others. The charming actors throughout the decade were Gavin MacLeod...
- 2/13/2024
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
“Love, exciting and new. . . Love, life’s sweetest reward. . .” From 1977 to 1987, “The Love Boat” offered a new adventure each week, with couples finding romance aboard the cruise ship. The decade-long success of this series indicates the thirst audiences have for love stories. It was during this time that “will-they-or-won’t they” couples became a popular concept, leading to some of the most popular onscreen pairings of all time. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we look back at some of the couples who have heated up our screens over the last few decades.
In the 1980s, a detective series called “Remington Steele” introduced us to the mysterious “Mr. Steele” and his partner Laura Holt. With its blend of humor, mystery and drama, as well as witty banter between the two leads, this series not only made a star out of Pierce Brosnan, but also popularized the mixing of genres and...
In the 1980s, a detective series called “Remington Steele” introduced us to the mysterious “Mr. Steele” and his partner Laura Holt. With its blend of humor, mystery and drama, as well as witty banter between the two leads, this series not only made a star out of Pierce Brosnan, but also popularized the mixing of genres and...
- 2/13/2024
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.
A new cruise inspired by the iconic 1970s sitcom “The Love Boat” will hit water this summer.
This will be the second “Love Boat”-themed cruise from Princess Cruises, the same company featured in the original show, following the success of their inaugural themed cruise in 2022. During the seven-day trip — taking place from Aug. 31 – Sept. 7 2024 — fans of the popular show can sail along with Doc, Gopher, Isaac and Vicki Stubing as they cruise roundtrip from New York to Canada and New England aboard Enchanted Princess.
“Love Boat” cast members confirmed to be in attendance include Bernie Kopell (Doc), Fred Grandy (Gopher), and Ted Lange (Isaac). Ezra Freeman, the bartender from the recent CBS reality series “The Real Love Boat” will also join the cast, along with other surprise guests to be announced.
A new cruise inspired by the iconic 1970s sitcom “The Love Boat” will hit water this summer.
This will be the second “Love Boat”-themed cruise from Princess Cruises, the same company featured in the original show, following the success of their inaugural themed cruise in 2022. During the seven-day trip — taking place from Aug. 31 – Sept. 7 2024 — fans of the popular show can sail along with Doc, Gopher, Isaac and Vicki Stubing as they cruise roundtrip from New York to Canada and New England aboard Enchanted Princess.
“Love Boat” cast members confirmed to be in attendance include Bernie Kopell (Doc), Fred Grandy (Gopher), and Ted Lange (Isaac). Ezra Freeman, the bartender from the recent CBS reality series “The Real Love Boat” will also join the cast, along with other surprise guests to be announced.
- 2/7/2024
- by Anna Tingley
- Variety Film + TV
Classic TV lovers yearning romantic programming this Valentine’s Day should check out MeTV! TV Insider is exclusively unveiling the network’s plans for “Love Me,” a marathon of love-themed classic TV show episodes to celebrate the holiday, airing on Sunday, February 11. The lineup includes episodes of The Brady Bunch, Leave It to Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, Gilligan’s Island, The Love Boat, Mama’s Family, and The Beverly Hillbillies, for a six-and-a-half-hour event. Check out the full “Love Me” marathon schedule for Sunday, February 11 on MeTV below. Plus, check out the promo above. 12:00 pm: The Brady Bunch “The Undergraduate” — Greg makes an “F” on a math test, and Mike and Carol discover it’s because he has a crush on somebody named “Linda.” They set out to find out who she is, completely unaware that “Linda” is his math teacher. 12:30 pm: The Brady Bunch “Love and the Older...
- 1/25/2024
- TV Insider
Action-paced, international intrigue ensues when a Swiss bank president hires an American investigator to ferret out a group of blackmailers who have been terrorizing his clients in The Swiss Conspiracy, available 20th February 2024 in a special collector’s edition on Blu-ray and DVD from Film Masters.
Scanned in 4K from original 35mm archival elements, The Swiss Conspiracy has never seen a high-quality release to date. Film Masters has enlisted colorist and restoration expert Marc Wielage to painstakingly bring back vibrant and original colors that have not been seen since this film made its original debut in 1976.
Shot entirely in and around Zurich, The Swiss Conspiracy, based on the hit novel by Michael Stanley, was directed by Jack Arnold, best known for B horror/cult movie classics such as The Incredible Shrinking Man, Tarantula, Creature from the Black Lagoon, It Came from Outer Space and The Tattered Dress. One of the...
Scanned in 4K from original 35mm archival elements, The Swiss Conspiracy has never seen a high-quality release to date. Film Masters has enlisted colorist and restoration expert Marc Wielage to painstakingly bring back vibrant and original colors that have not been seen since this film made its original debut in 1976.
Shot entirely in and around Zurich, The Swiss Conspiracy, based on the hit novel by Michael Stanley, was directed by Jack Arnold, best known for B horror/cult movie classics such as The Incredible Shrinking Man, Tarantula, Creature from the Black Lagoon, It Came from Outer Space and The Tattered Dress. One of the...
- 1/19/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Cindy Morgan, best known for her roles in the 80s films Caddyshack and Tron, died on Dec. 30. She was 69.
The actress died of natural causes at her home in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office told The Hollywood Reporter Saturday.
Born Cynthia Ann Cichorski on Sept. 29, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois, Morgan was the first in her family to attend college, attending Northern Illinois University to study communications. After working in local news and radio for some time, she eventually moved to Los Angeles in 1978.
The following year, she appeared in commercials for Irish Spring, becoming known as the Irish Spring girl. During that time, she was also attending acting classes and workshops.
She scored her first film role in the 1979 movie Up Yours. The following year, she took on the role of Lacey Underall in the sports-comedy Caddyshack, starring alongside Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray,...
The actress died of natural causes at her home in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office told The Hollywood Reporter Saturday.
Born Cynthia Ann Cichorski on Sept. 29, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois, Morgan was the first in her family to attend college, attending Northern Illinois University to study communications. After working in local news and radio for some time, she eventually moved to Los Angeles in 1978.
The following year, she appeared in commercials for Irish Spring, becoming known as the Irish Spring girl. During that time, she was also attending acting classes and workshops.
She scored her first film role in the 1979 movie Up Yours. The following year, she took on the role of Lacey Underall in the sports-comedy Caddyshack, starring alongside Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray,...
- 1/7/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cindy Morgan, the actress best known for her roles in Tron and Caddyshack, has sadly passed away.
TMZ confirmed the news of her passing with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and shared additional details about the sad news.
Keep reading to find out more…
The outlet reported that Cindy was found by authorities in her home after her roommate called the police on December 30. She reached out after knocking on the actress’ bedroom door and getting no answer.
Cindy was last seen alive on December 19, and it is not immediately clear when she died.
Reps for the sheriff’s office confirmed that her death was related to “natural causes.” It does not appear that any foul play was involved.
The actress has additional credits over the years, appearing on shows such as The Love Boat and Falcon Crest. She will be missed.
Our thoughts go out to everyone...
TMZ confirmed the news of her passing with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and shared additional details about the sad news.
Keep reading to find out more…
The outlet reported that Cindy was found by authorities in her home after her roommate called the police on December 30. She reached out after knocking on the actress’ bedroom door and getting no answer.
Cindy was last seen alive on December 19, and it is not immediately clear when she died.
Reps for the sheriff’s office confirmed that her death was related to “natural causes.” It does not appear that any foul play was involved.
The actress has additional credits over the years, appearing on shows such as The Love Boat and Falcon Crest. She will be missed.
Our thoughts go out to everyone...
- 1/7/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Cindy Morgan, the actor best known for playing Lacey Underall in “Caddyshack” and Lora/Yori in Disney’s original “Tron” film, has died. She was 69.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office in Florida confirmed the news to the Los Angeles Times, saying Morgan died of natural causes. Officials were not able to specify when she died.
Morgan gained notoriety for her performance as blonde bombshell Lacey in the 1980 sports comedy “Caddyshack,” starring Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield.
“‘Caddyshack’ was my first film and I’ll say that the end product was so completely different, it was originally about the caddies,” Morgan said in a 2012 interview. “So at first, I had nothing to lose to audition. It was fun. All I did was focus on making the person sweat. Look ’em in the eye, do that thing many women know how to do.”
After guesting on such series as “The Love Boat,...
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office in Florida confirmed the news to the Los Angeles Times, saying Morgan died of natural causes. Officials were not able to specify when she died.
Morgan gained notoriety for her performance as blonde bombshell Lacey in the 1980 sports comedy “Caddyshack,” starring Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield.
“‘Caddyshack’ was my first film and I’ll say that the end product was so completely different, it was originally about the caddies,” Morgan said in a 2012 interview. “So at first, I had nothing to lose to audition. It was fun. All I did was focus on making the person sweat. Look ’em in the eye, do that thing many women know how to do.”
After guesting on such series as “The Love Boat,...
- 1/7/2024
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
Actress Cindy Morgan, who memorably played a temptress in the 1980 film Caddyshack, has died in Florida, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. No cause or location was given.
Morgan playws Lacey Underall in Caddyshack opposite Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and Rodney Dangerfield. She was the county club owner’s niece whose electric allure captured every male’s attention.
Her film resume includes Tron and Galaxis, Silent Fury, and Up Yours, among other movies.
Her TV appearances included The Love Boat, Chips, The Fall Guy, Falcon Crest, Matlock and more.
In total, she had 37 acting credits.
No details on survivors or memorials was immediately available.
Morgan playws Lacey Underall in Caddyshack opposite Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and Rodney Dangerfield. She was the county club owner’s niece whose electric allure captured every male’s attention.
Her film resume includes Tron and Galaxis, Silent Fury, and Up Yours, among other movies.
Her TV appearances included The Love Boat, Chips, The Fall Guy, Falcon Crest, Matlock and more.
In total, she had 37 acting credits.
No details on survivors or memorials was immediately available.
- 1/6/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Shecky Greene, the legendary stand-up comedian who spent decades as one of the biggest acts in Las Vegas, has died at the age of 97.
Greene’s widow Marie Musso Greene, his wife of 41 years, confirmed the comic’s death Sunday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, noting that he died at natural causes early December 31 at his home in Las Vegas.
Born Fred Greenfield in Chicago in 1926, Greene was already an established comedian from the Borscht Belt and beyond when he was recruited to become one of the first comics to...
Greene’s widow Marie Musso Greene, his wife of 41 years, confirmed the comic’s death Sunday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, noting that he died at natural causes early December 31 at his home in Las Vegas.
Born Fred Greenfield in Chicago in 1926, Greene was already an established comedian from the Borscht Belt and beyond when he was recruited to become one of the first comics to...
- 12/31/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
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