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The 1970s saw an explosion of TV-movies, and a number of these small-screen features were based on novels. The two examples here, which are some of the most memorable of their day, sit on opposite ends of the adaptation spectrum. While Bad Ronald (1974) took liberties with its source material, Are You in the House Alone? (1978) stays somewhat true to the spirit of the novel. Both features also teeter on the edge of horror, a recurring genre in the “golden age” of made-for-television movies.

Jack Vance was not a horror-only author, so Bad Ronald (1973) is an anomaly in his overall body of work. ABC quickly acted on the success of the novel, with the network ultimately airing its adaptation a week before Halloween. However, Andrew Peter Marin’s screenplay is different from what Vance had penned. Anyone who has read the original novel would understand — maybe even appreciate — the changes in director Buzz Kulik’s version.

'The Exorcist: Believer' director David Gordon Green is keen to helm a 'Bad Ronald' musical.The 1974 horror movie - which was directed by Buzz Kulik - tells the story of Ronald Wilby (Scott Jacoby) a disturbed young man who lives in the walls of a house, unbeknownst to the new family that moves in, and the filmmaker would love to present a new twist on the tale as his "grand finale".When SFX magazine asked David what other projects he would want to direct once he had finished with 'The Exorcist' franchise, he replied: "'Bad Ronald The Musical'! I think that could exhaust everything I've got. Maybe that's 10 years from now."That's the icing on the cake. It's my grand finale. It checks a lot of boxes for me, including something that I love: the undiscovered."It's not every day you meet a 'Bad Ronald' fan,...

Laird Koenig, who adapted his novel for the screenplay to the 1976 cult film The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, a controversial horror thriller starring a teenage Jodie Foster, has died. He was 95.

Koenig died June 30 of natural causes in Santa Barbara, Jamie Dixon, the son of Koenig’s frequent writing partner, Peter L. Dixon, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Koenig also received a writing credit on three films directed by Terence Young: Red Sun (1971), starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress; Bloodline (1979), starring Audrey Hepburn, Ben Gazzara and James Mason; and Inchon (1981), starring Gazzara, Laurence Olivier and Jacqueline Bisset.

His 1970 novel The Children Are Watching, co-written with Dixon, was turned into the French film Attention Les Enfants Regardent (1978), starring Delon.

Taken from his 1974 novel — his first as a solo author — The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane starred Foster as a 13-year-old who lives...

In 2021, 15-year-old Mckenna Grace broke new ground as the first child ever nominated for a guest acting Emmy. The notice came for her performance as Esther Keyes on Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which could bring her another Best Drama Guest Actress bid this year. She also currently has a shot at a nomination for Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actress for Peacock’s “A Friend of the Family,” which would make her the all-time youngest performer with mentions in multiple Emmy categories.

Grace, whose 17th birthday will precede the 2023 Emmy nominations announcement by 17 days, appears on “A Friend of the Family” as Jan Broberg, a future actress who was kidnapped at ages 12 and 14 by her neighbor, Robert Berchtold. The true crime series also stars Jake Lacy as Berchtold and Colin Hanks and Anna Paquin as Broberg’s parents. (Watch our exclusive video interview with Grace.)

SEEWill ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ extend...

With a prominent recurring part on “Game of Thrones” and now a starring role on “The Last of Us,” HBO darling Bella Ramsey, age 19, has already built a career that would be the envy of any actor. Having previously clinched a BAFTA Award for Netflix’s “The Worst Witch”, she is now quite a serious contender heading into the 2023 Best Drama Actress Emmy race. If the teen triumphs for “The Last of Us” at the 75th annual ceremony, which is scheduled to precede her 20th birthday by 12 days, she will set new precedents as both the youngest champion in her category’s history and the youngest person to ever win a lead acting Emmy for a continuing series.

“The Last of Us,” which was renewed for a second season almost immediately after the premiere of its first, is based on the 2013 PlayStation game of the same name and stars Ramsey...

Celebrated cartoonist and screenwriter Daniel Clowes discusses his favorite formative films with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Baxter (1989)

Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1966) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

Ghost World (2001) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Art School Confidential (2006)

Help! (1965) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s review

The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (1966) – John Landis’s trailer commentary,

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

Gone With The Wind (1939)

Mudhoney (1965) – John Badham’s trailer commentary

Finders Keepers, Lovers Weepers! (1968)

Common Law Cabin (1967)

Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls (1970) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The Seven Minutes (1971)

Black Snake (1973)

An American Werewolf In London (1981) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray reviews

Lady In A Cage (1964) – Darren Bousman’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

The Wild One (1953)

Hush…...

The “made for television movie” began in the 1960s. In fact, one of the most famous TV movies Don Siegel’s 1964 version of “The Killers” featuring Ronald Reagan in his last film role as a ruthless villain, ended up being released theatrically because it was considered too violent for television.

But the genre came of age in the 1970s.

Some of these movies that aired on the three broadcast networks were sheer shlock and others were pilots for prospective TV series. But it was also an embarrassment of riches. Who could forget the beloved 1971 ABC biopic “Brian’s Song,” starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams, which was nominated for 11 Emmys and won five including outstanding single program (drama or comedy). The four-hankie weepie was so popular it was released theatrically.

Also briefly released theatrically was Steven Spielberg’s pulsating 1971 classic “Duel” starring Dennis Weaver which aired on ABC. Considered one...

LGBT TV movies, series and specials are part of our cultural landscape. They are frequently awarded with Emmys, Golden Globes, Critics Choice and SAG Awards. But this acceptance was a long time coming. Here’s a look back at the landmark telefilms that paved the way.

Do you know the first TV movie that featured a gay character? No, it wasn’t 1972’s “That Certain Summer.”

It was a drama called “South” that was produced by England’s ITV and aired on that network on Nov. 24, 1959. Set in the Antebellum South, the drama revolved around a handsome Polish army lieutenant living in the South who is torn between his love for a plantation owner’s niece or a hunky blond officer. “South” was incredibly daring for its time, especially since it would be eight years before homosexuality was legalized in England and Wales with the passing of the Sexual Offences...

Hulu has removed an episode of The Golden Girls containing a scene of characters in blackface after a request from the series’ distributor, Disney-abc Domestic Television, sources tell Deadline.

The episode, titled “Mixed Blessings” and which aired in 1988, is the 23rd episode in the third season of the sitcom. In the episode, Michael, played by Scott Jacoby, plans to marry an older Black woman, Lorraine, played by Rosalind Cash. Dorothy, Michael’s mother, disapproves of their age difference with Lorraine’s family also opposing the interracial union. The two families join forces to stop the wedding.

Lorraine’s family arrives as Rose, played by Betty White, and Blanche, played by Rue McClanahan, are applying mud face treatment. The two greet the family with their dark mud facial treatment retorting “This is mud on our faces, we’re not really Black.” A Gif of the scene that was posted on Reddit is posted below.

Hulu has removed an episode of “The Golden Girls” containing a scene with characters in blackface.

“Mixed Blessings,” episode 23 in season 3 of the sitcom, aired in 1988. In the episode, Michael (Scott Jacoby), the son of Dorothy (Beatrice Author), plans to wed a much older Black woman, Lorraine (Rosalind Cash). Dorothy is critical of their age difference and Lorraine’s family disapproves of their daughter marrying a white man, so the two families attempt to stop the marriage.

Lorraine’s family arrives as Rose (Betty White) and Blanche (Rue McClanahan) are testing out a new mud face treatment. The two greet the family with their masks still on, saying to them “This is mud on our faces, we’re not really Black.” A gif of the scene that was posted on Reddit can be viewed here.

Hulu’s removal of the episode of “The Golden Girls” is the latest in a...

Hulu has removed an episode of The Golden Girls that contains a scene in which Betty White and Rue McClanahan are mistaken for wearing blackface.

"Mixed Feelings", episode 23 in season 3 of the sitcom, aired in 1988 and shows Michael (Scott Jacoby), the son of Dorothy (Bea Arthur), planning to wed a much older Black woman, Lorraine (Rosalind Cash).

Dororthy is concerned over the age difference while Lorraine’s family disapproves of their daughter marrying a white man, and thus the two families attempt to end the marriage. In the episode, Lorraine’s family finds Rose (Betty ...

1976: Another World's Mac told Iris to leave Clarice alone.

1978: Dallas' Ray fell for country singer Garnet McGee.

1984: Days' Bo found Roman dead but the body disappeared.

1985: Ryan's Hope's Jillian couldn't remember Frank."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Billy (Pud Flanagan) asked Mary (Anne Sargent) and Roger (Allan Nourse) Harper to legally adopt him.

1963: General Hospital introduced a new opening sequence.

1969: On The Doctors, Dr. Nick Bellini (Gerald Gordon) clashed with Dr. Steve Aldrich (David O'Brien) after Nick's wife, Althea, walked out on him. Meanwhile, the staff...

Hammer Horror fans already have a new Blu-ray release of Dracula: Prince of Darkness to look forward to from Scream Factory, and now Warner Archive is bringing more Christopher Lee Hammer Horror movies to life in high definition with new remastered Blu-ray releases of The Satanic Rites of Dracula and Dracula A.D. 1972.

Announced on Warner Archive's official Facebook page, the new Blu-rays of The Satanic Rites of Dracula and Dracula A.D. 1972 do not have release dates yet, but they are expected to come out this year, along with 1974's Bad Ronald.

We'll keep Daily Dead readers updated on the exact release dates for these Blu-rays when they're revealed, and in the meantime, we have a look at the cover art, technical specs, and synopses below (via Warner Archive):

"The Satanic Rites of Dracula

Satanic Rites Of Dracula (1974)

New 2018 1080p HD remaster!

Run Time 88:00

Subtitles English Sdh...

Imagine the following sentence in the “'80s horror trailer guy” voice. In 1982, a killer haunted the halls of Crippen High School, giving it the moniker “Horror High.” Now, in 1987, a movie crew returns to Horror High and may or may not survive retelling the story of these heinous crimes. There will be blood! Lots and lots of blood!

It's been a very long time since I've seen Bill Froehlich's Return to Horror High, starring Brendan Hughes, Scott Jacoby, George Clooney, Maureen McCormick, Lori Lethin, Alex Rocco, Vince Edwards, Al Fann, and Panchito Gómez. So, I was absolutely delighted to get the chance to re-watch this glorious horror comedy and discuss it with our readers as part of our celebration of the Class of 1987.

After decades of horror films that were wonderfully serious, a tonal shift started happening in the 1980s, and by the mid-'80s, horror comedies had really gained momentum,...

Stars: George Clooney, Maureen McCormick, Vince Edwards, Brendan Hughes, Scott Jacoby, Lori Lethin, Alex Rocco | Written by Bill Froehlich, Mark Lisson | Directed by Bill Froehlich

In 1982 Crippen High School was the scene of a series of brutal murders and yet the killer was never caught. Now a low budget film crew that includes an ill-fated leading man (Clooney), the pretentious director (Jacoby), a lecherous producer (Rocco) and numerous disposable cast and crew have all returned to Crippen High to film the story of the ’82 murders. But when members of the production staff are stalked and slaughtered one by one it appears the killer has returned… Who will survive? And what will be left of their careers?

So, did anyone see the first film? Actually I’m joking, much like the movie itself. Yes, Return to Horror High is that strange beast – part traditional slasher movie, part comedy, part parody. The...

(This review pertains to the UK Region 2 DVD release).

By Tim Greaves

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I first encountered Lionel Jeffries’ 1973 melodrama Baxter! during the summer of 1978 on what I believe to be its one and only British television airing by the BBC. Its conspicuous absence on video in the UK – and, until 2014, DVD – meant that, for me, some 36 years elapsed between viewings. A small, and in many respects not particularly memorable film, it nevertheless stayed with me over the intervening years for, I think, two reasons. The first was its unexpectedly dark nature, which completely caught me off guard given the family friendly nature of the director’s previous films, The Railway Children and The Amazing Mr Blunden; best remembered for his myriad of on-screen performances, Baxter! was in fact the third of only five projects which positioned Jeffries on the other side of the camera.

Stars: Jodie Foster, Martin Sheen, Alexis Smith, Mort Shuman, Scott Jacoby | Written by Laird Koenig | Directed by Nicolas Gessner

Based on a novel by Laird Koenig and directed by Nicolas Gessner, The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane is a strange film, and one that I’ve been meaning to watch for quite some time. Released in 1976 and starring a 14 year old Jodie Foster, the film is macabre, dark, unsettling and even more importantly, underrated. I rarely hear people talk about this film. Now maybe I’m just looking in the wrong places for discussions about it, but I haven’t heard anyone really mention their feelings about it in the past.

The film follows the character of Rynn (Foster), a 13 year old girl who lives in a large secluded house in a small American seaside town. She keeps to herself, doesn’t venture to town for groceries and doesn’t go to school.

Back when I manned the horror section of the video store I worked at, anytime I’d find a customer skimming through all the “S” titles with mild frustration, 99 percent of the time, I knew exactly what it was they were looking for. And when I would finally ask, my suspicions were confirmed. “Do you have ‘The Silence Of The Lamb’”? To which I’d always reply, “Ah, the Hannibal Lector movies are all in the ‘mystery/thriller’ section.” And usually this would spur a conversation with that customer that would begin with, “Really? I always thought the Hannibal Lector movies were horror!” And it got me thinking about a handful of other titles that horror fans might not even think to hunt for in the “mystery/thriller” section. There are the obvious choices like Se7en or Misery. Then, there’s also stuff like The Sixth Sense, which yes,...

Mod, or manufacturing on demand, means studios and DVD labels don’t press the DVD until you order it. MGM’s Limited Edition Collection and the Warner Archive Collection are the two big names in the Mod game right now, and each month they make dozens of titles available on DVD for the very first time. And The Mod Quad will take a look at as many of them as we can handle on a semi-irregular basis. Which will probably average out to some number divisible by four. This Halloween-themed installment includes eight horror films from the Warner Archive including one of the best made-for-tv horror films ever made (Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark), a freaky and timely movie about a madman who owns exotic animals (Black Zoo), one of the scariest TV mini-series (Salem’s Lot), the best killer pig movie to ever grace the screen (Razorback) and more. * The...

On August 7, the New York installment of Grammy Camp will culminated with a launch party at Best Buy Theater in Times Square featuring original performances and video presentations created by students during Grammy Camp, as well as a networking session with several industry professionals and artists.

Guest professionals and artists who attended the launch party included Grammy winners Scott Jacoby, engineer/mixer; Angela Hunte-Wisner, songwriter; and Andres Levin, producer; Grammy-nominated artists Marsha Ambrosius and Vanessa Carlton; Dan Cherry, chief marketing officer, New York Cosmos; Phylicia Fant, vice president of publicity, Warner Bros. Records; Jeff Franzel, songwriter/composer; Jeanne Meyer, executive vice president of corporate communications, Current Media; Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation; and Rusty Rueff, Vice Chair, Grammy Foundation Board.

This year the Grammy Foundation selected 111 talented high school students from 93 cities across the United States to participate in the seventh annual Grammy Camp.

Put on your black leather jacket, kidnap a young girl and seal yourself up in your bathroom because episode #61 of Junk Food Dinner is here, kids!

This week we see what happens when aliens invade Earth, turning everyone into zombies and the only ones who can save us are eardrum-shattering Japanese punk rockers Guitar Wolf, when we take a look at the off-the-wall Asian splatterfest Wild Zero from 2000.

Then, an awkward teenager must hide between the walls of a sealed-off bathroom in his house after accidentally murdering a young girl, only to have a new family move in shortly after, in the 1974 made-for-tv drama Bad Ronald, starring Scott Jacoby, Kim Hunter and Dabney Coleman.

And finally, a trio of creeps kidnap a young heiress and hold her for ransom, only to have things go south quickly, in the gritty exploitation flick The Candy Snatchers from 1973 directed by Guerdon Trueblood and...

Michael York dashes onto the cinematic scene as the blundering but very enthusiastic D'Artagnan in Richard Lester's hugely enjoyable period comic romp. The late great Roy Kinnear is the long-suffering vassal of aristocratic swordsmen Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain and Frank Finlay, whilst Raquel Welch and Faye Dunaway shine as heroine and villainess, respectively. Producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind filmed the following year's sequel back-to-back with this more successful first part, which approach they would revisit shortly for Superman and Superman II. Dumas with wit, energy and integrity.

Notable Quotable: "That man in his time has insulted me, broken my father's sword, had me clubbed to the ground, laid violent hands on the woman I love! He is inconvenient. "

Martin Anderson

Mike Nichols and Buck Henry achieve what seemed impossible, at least on the evidence of an earlier attempt: to transliterate the pitch-dark war humour of Joseph Heller into a cohesive,...

Return To Horror High

Stars: George Clooney, Maureen McCormick, Vince Edwards, Brendan Hughes, Scott Jacoby, Lori Lethin, Alex Rocco | Written by Bill Froehlich, Mark Lisson | Directed by Bill Froehlich

In 1982 Crippen High School was the scene of a series of brutal murders and yet the killer was never caught. Now a low budget film crew that includes an ill-fated leading man (Clooney), the pretentious director (Jacoby), a lecherous producer (Rocco) and numerous disposable cast and crew have all returned to Crippen High to film the story of the ‘82 murders. But when members of the production staff are stalked and slaughtered one by one it appears the killer has returned… Who will survive? And what will be left of their careers?

So, did anyone see the first film? Actually I’m joking, much like the movie itself. Yes, Return to Horror High is that strange beast – part traditional slasher movie, part comedy,...

Ah, the Seventies. Horror was alive and well not just in theatres, but especially on television thanks to made-for-tv movies that ran weekly on ABC like 1974's Bad Ronald, directed by Buzz Kulik and starring Scott Jacoby, who pretty much personifies the era.

Read on for Trembles' take on the film, whose synopsis follows:

A shy teenager accidentally kills a mocking peer, and his mother helps him hide in a spare room in their house. Problems arise when the mother goes for an operation and dies, and the house is sold to a new family, with the teen still living inside.

Ronald McWalled-In!

Discuss Motion Picture Purgatory in the comments section below!

Mother knows best. Especially if you’re gawky Ronald Wilby (Scott Jacoby)—who, on his 16th birthday, accidentally crushes a little girl’s skull on a cinderblock and hastily buries her body in the shallowest of graves. Mom’s solution? Wall Ronald off in the spare bathroom of their house, sealing him in with plaster and gaudy floral-print wallpaper so that the police will never find him.

When "Kick-Ass" premieres this evening as the opening night feature of this year's SXSW Film Festival, it'll be under the scrutiny of comic book fans who've been lusting after the film since director Matthew Vaughn showed clips at Comic-Con. But paying almost as much attention will be moviegoers who might take issue with the character of Hit Girl, the purple-haired heroine with a world-weary rasp, a predilection towards switchblades and an age of 12, as played by the prepubescent Chloë Grace Moretz.

Although she'll be appearing soon in the more age-appropriate "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," Moretz is no stranger to doing things well beyond her years, having already poured a glass of vodka for Joseph Gordon-Levitt in "(500) Days of Summer." As Hit Girl, she becomes part of a long movie tradition of killer kids (not to be confused with the creepy kids of horror films) that have been on the big screen since the 1950s,...

Warner Brothers continues with their popular Archive Collection in releasing some cult .movie of the week. television films. Ronald may not be as bad as he thinks, but he gets worse when he.s walled up in the house and retreats into his self produced fantasy world. Ronald Wilby (Scott Jacoby) is a creative but geeky kid who lives with his overprotective mother Elaine (Kim Hunter). Ronald wants to be a doctor to help his ailing mother. He also wants to ask Laurie (Shelly Spurlock) on a date but is roundly rejected. On the way back home he.s made fun of by Laurie.s sister Carole (Angela Hoffman). He pushes her and she falls and strikes her head on a...

Have a question about gay male entertainment? Ask the Monkey!

Q: I'm a huge fan of The Biggest Loser and I'd heard somewhere that Bob is gay. True? -- Daniel, Auckland, Nz

A: Rumors have swirled around Harper, who is the oldest of The Biggest Loser’s three personal trainers, for years. Harper declined to comment, but he’s never come out, nor does he list a sexual orientation on his MySpace profile.

Biggest Loser personal trainer Bob Harper

Still, two of The Biggest Loser 6 contestants recently seemed to out him while appearing on a radio show:

According to Realityblurred.com:

Phillip and Amy Parham called in to the Monsters in the Morning show on Real Radio 104.1 two weeks ago (listen on iTunes, around 2:45:00), and when asked “Is Bob married?” there was a pause, and Amy said, “no,” and Phil said, “Uh, no.” He then added, “Bob likes his clothes and all that.