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Veteran actor Jim Broadbent has been acting in movies since the 70s and his presence alone is enough to inspire confidence in whatever film he appears in. Lincolnshire-born, Broadbent began his career on the stage as many English actors tend to do, before making their way to Hollywood or, more often, the British television industry. After some years on the stage, Broadbent got his first credited screen roles in 1978 with The Life Story of Baal and The Shout. After those small performances, the offers kept coming for Broadbent.

There have only been a handful of years without a Jim Broadbent movie and many with multiple performances. Broadbent specializes in kind characters but can go dark when he wants. The smile wrinkles on his face can darken, and his softly skeptical voice can become accusatory. He has a wide range for a man who seemingly plays similar characters. Broadbent has won...

Simon Carlyle, the co-creator of hit BBC sitcom Two Doors Down, has died aged 48.

Carlyle’s manager Amanda Davis confirmed the news in a statement to Pa Media.

“I am immensely sorry to confirm that Simon Carlyle has died at the age of 48,” Davis said.

“Simon was a wonderful person and a major comedic talent. He was much respected across the industry both for the quality of his writing and for being a kind, funny, supportive and nurturing collaborator. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go to his family, friends and colleagues.”

With Gregor Sharp, Carlyle was the co-creator of Scottish BBC sitcom Two Doors Down, which stars the likes of Arabella Weir and Alex Norton as neighbours in a suburban street in Scotland, who are “all a bit nuts,” according to an interview with Carlyle several years ago.

The show has been hugely popular, running for six seasons on BBC Two...

Prime Video has released the official trailer for the second season of the comedy ‘Good Omens.’

Michael Sheen and David Tennant are back as Aziraphale and Crowley. Here the pair may have helped stop the Apocalypse, but that doesn’t appear to have done them any favours with Heaven or Hell.

Now they must re-team to solve a mystery that takes in all of heaven and hell – seems the archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) has gone missing.

Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith, Niamh Walsh and Derek Jacobi are all back for the new run. They’re joined this time by Nina Sosanya, Miranda Richardson, Dame Sian Phillips, Tim Downie, Pete Firman, Andi Osho and Alex Norton. Maggie Service, Quelin Sepulveda and Shelley Conn also star.

Neil Gaiman continues as executive producer and co-showruns, along with executive producer Douglas Mackinnon who also returned to direct.

Also in trailers – “I’m your family emergency,...

The wait for the trailer of Good Omens season 2 is explained by creator Neil Gaiman. The fantasy-comedy series, which is based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and which follows the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley, was positioned as a limited series. But, bolstered by a positive response and awards recognition, Prime Video confirmed Good Omens season 2 in June 2021. Michael Sheen, who plays Aziraphale, and David Tennant, who portrays Crowley, are set to return.

In a Tumblr post, Gaiman discussed the delay around promotional updates on Good Omens season 2. The creator and author confirmed that new episodes would arrive in the summer of 2023, also explaining that a trailer hasn't been made yet. In his remarks, which are included below, Gaiman talks about the promotional cycle for a television show, how that sometimes can differ from a movie, and notes he suggested a trailer...

Robbie Coltrane, who has died aged 72, arrived on television in the 1980s as one of the new breed of “alternative” comedy performers. A decade later, he was making an even greater impact as the flawed criminal psychologist in Cracker. Then, moving into a new century, he was a favourite with younger audiences as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.

He came to the fore in The Comic Strip Presents satirical films for television alongside other new faces such as Peter Richardson, Adrian Edmondson, Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French.

From the first story, Five Go Mad in Dorset, the spoofs gave Channel 4, newly launched in 1982, the subversive edge it sought in being different from the TV establishment.

Coltrane was very much part of that establishment, but at its gritty, hard-hitting centre, when he was cast as Dr Eddie Fitzgerald – “Fitz” – in Cracker (1993-96), former Brookside writer Jimmy McGovern’s creation...

Derek Jacobi will reprise his role as Metatron in “Good Omens” season 2.

The “Gladiator” star plays the voice of God in the Amazon Prime Video original series, which is based on the book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

Also returning to the series are Mark Gatiss (“Sherlock”), Steve Pemberton (“The League of Gentlemen”), Reece Shearsmith (“Inside No. 9”) and Niamh Walsh (“The English Game”).

The show, which is directed by Douglas Mackinnon (Mackinnon and Gaiman act as co-showrunners), has also added “Dune’s” Siân Phillips, Tim Downie (“Outlander”), Pete Firman (“The Magicians”), Andi Osho (“I May Destroy You”), and Alex Norton (“Taggart”).

“We are so thrilled that we were able to get so many fabulous actors to return to the ‘Good Omens’ family,” Gaiman said in a statement. “Some of them are reprising roles, some of them are playing completely new characters. And we are just as thrilled by...

Exclusive: Cast has been set for season two of Amazon and BBC’s Neil Gaiman fantasy series Good Omens, which remains in production in Scotland.

Reprising his role as Metatron is Derek Jacobi (Gladiator) and joining the cast for season two is his I, Claudius co-star Dame Siân Phillips (Dune).

Also returning this season in roles that span heaven, hell, and earth are the trio from The League of Gentlemen Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), Steve Pemberton (Killing Eve), and Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9).

Niamh Walsh (The English Game) returns, while joining in new roles are Tim Downie (Outlander), Pete Firman (The Magicians), Andi Osho (I May Destroy You), and Alex Norton (Pirates of the Caribbean).

There are still a few names to be added but we can reveal that big-hitters Benedict Cumberbatch and Frances McDormand won’t be back for season two.

Originally based on Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s novel,...

You never heard of the Great Glasgow Ice Cream Wars? They weren’t exactly Armageddon, and the gentle director Bill Forsyth makes a radio personality’s involvement with two competing ice cream companies more of a plunge into amiable drollery. If you like Gregory’s Girl and Local Hero you’ll understand the odd, unhurried attitude of this oddball show from 1984.

Comfort and Joy

Region B Blu-ray

Studiocanal

1984 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 100 min. / Street Date February 29, 2016 / At Amazon UK / £ 9.99

Starring: Bill Patterson, C.P. Grogan, Eleanor David, Alex Norton, Patrick Malahide.

Cinematography: Chris Menges

Film Editor: Michael Ellis

Original Music: Mark Knopfler

Produced by Davina Belling, Clive Parsons

Written and Directed by Bill Forsyth

Quick, name some great filmmakers before the 1990s that hail from Scotland. Actually, there are plenty, it’s just that most made their careers and reputations in London, and some later in Hollywood. The home-grown talent Bill Forsyth...

Timothy Spall and Olivier award-winner Kenneth Cranham are set to star in Hatton Garden, a four-part drama from ITV about the audacious 2015 burglary in London's diamond district. Spall, Cranham and Brian F. O'Byrne will play leading roles while David Hayman, Alex Norton, Ian Puleston-Davies, Geoff Bell and Nasser Memarzia will also star. The 4×60 drama tells the inside story of how an elderly gang of career criminals pulled off the heist which was considered in a class…...

[caption id="attachment_48722" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Image via BBC./caption]

BBC Two has renewed the Two Doors Down TV show for a second season. Set in Scotland, this sitcom features a couple and their insufferable neighbors. The cast of Two Doors Down includes: Arabella Weir, Alex Norton, Elaine C. Smith, Doon Mackichan, Sharon Rooney, Jonathan Watson, Jamie Quinn, and Harki Bhambra.

Filming is set for mid-August, on location in Glasgow and at BBC Scotland's Dumbarton Studios. Two Doors Down is written by Gregor Sharp and Simon Carlyle. The season two recommissioning is for six 30-minute episodes.

Read More…...

Shetland season two

ITV Studios BBC Scotland drama Shetland returns to BBC1 next month with six all new episodes. The season is split into three, two-part stories: Raven Black, Dead Water and Blue Lightning. Douglas Henshall returns to play Detective Jimmy Perez in the drama that’s based around novels by Vera creator Ann Cleeves. Guest stars in the new series include Brian Cox, Alex Norton, Nina Sosanya, David Hayman, John Lynch and Bill Paterson. Meanwhile Vera season 4 is set to air this Spring on ITV.

N Conrad

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Taggart star Alex Norton has been cast in the new series of Waterloo Road. The actor will play the headmaster of a rival private school who clashes with Waterloo Road head Michael Byrne (Alec Newman) when the school drama moves to Scotland. Gaynor Holmes, acting head of drama for BBC Scotland and executive producer of Waterloo Road, told the Sunday Mail: "Alex will be joining as the character Gerard Findlay, the headmaster of rival school Havelock High. "He has a very different philosophy to ­teaching from Michael and they are going to clash and butt heads. A lot of the local pupils will be attracted to Waterloo Road at the expense of the roll call at Havelock and that's going to get right up his nose. "So, you have two strong headmasters with very different approaches to teaching on (more)...

DVD Playhouse—August 2010

By

Allen Gardner

Black Orpheus (Criterion) Winner of the 1959 Best Foreign Film Oscar and that same year’s Palme d’Or at Cannes, Black Orpheus is a modern-day update of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice reset in 20th century Brazil during Carnival in Rio. Director Marcel Camus offers up a visual feast with some of the decade’s most ravishing color cinematography. A classic. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Archival interviews with Camus and actress Marpessa Dawn; Interviews with Brazilian cinema scholar Robert Stam, jazz historian Gary Giddins, and Brazilian author Ruy Castro; Documentary on the film; Trailer. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.

The Last Song (Touchstone) Sentimental adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ (by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie) sentimental novel about a father and daughter attempting to repair their damaged relationship. Greg Kinnear, as the dad in question, comes off best, while tween sensation Miley Cyrus...

London -- Universal Music Publishing has struck a deal with the husband-and-wife creative team of Sascha and Tessa Hartmann -- who have spent five years in production on the CGI-animated movie "Sir Billi" -- to publish five original songs for the movie.

In postproduction, the movie features the singing of Shirley Bassey and the voice of Sean Connery; the pair is together on a feature for the first time since they were both involved in "Goldfinger."

Universal will publish Bassey's version of the title song, "Guardian of the Highlands," with lyrics by Tessa Hartmann, who penned them with Bassey in mind.

Sascha Hartmann composed the music, and Tessa Hartmann wrote the lyrics for the five featured original songs.

Universal and Glasgow-based Billi Prods. remain tight-lipped about the four other artists being lined up for the songs, written by the Hartmanns.

Alan Cumming, Miriam Margolyes, Ruby Wax, Alex Norton, Ford Kiernan,...

Taggart star Alex Norton has revealed that he thought the show was "lucky to last a year". The actor plays Dci Matt Burke in the 25-year-old crime series, which celebrated its 100th episode on Christmas Eve. The 59-year-old told The Sun: "Taggart's amazing - 100 not out. It's utterly incredible. What a milestone. To be in the 100th episode of Taggart was a real buzz. I've been in it now for eight years and loved every minute of it, so long may it continue. "My greatest hope when I was asked to do Taggart was that I'd get a good three years out of it. To be honest, I thought I'd be lucky to last a year. But it just went on and on. Its success is extraordinary." The drama, which Stv have produced since it began in 1983, was rumoured to be on a cancellation list after ITV axed a...

London -- The voices of Shirley Bassey and Sean Connery have been drawn together on a feature for the first time since they were both involved in "Goldfinger" back in the day.

Bassey has signed up to sing the title song named "Guardian of the Highlands" for the CGI animated movie "Sir Billi," which stars Connery's voice.

After five years in production, the feature created by husband-and-wife team Sascha and Tessa Hartmann is in postproduction and due for completion in 2010.

Alan Cumming, Miriam Margolyes, Ruby Wax, Alex Norton, Ford Kiernan, Greg Hempill, Barbara Rafferty, John Amabile, Larry Sullivan and U.S.-based newcomer Chris Jai Alex also lend voices to the movie.

Sascha Hartmann said the title track was penned with Bassey in mind and after her management was approached to do it, the singer agreed.

"There was no persuading needed here, I liked the song from the moment I heard it,...

Sean Connery will lend his voice as the star of "Sir BIlli," a CGI animated movie and Shirley Bassey will sing the title song "Guardian of the Highlands." This brings the two together again since the last time they worked on "Goldfinger" in 1964. This has been in production for some five years now. Created by husband-and-wife team Sascha and Tessa Hartmann, the film is now in post-production and set for completion at the end of next year. Also lending their voices are Alan Cumming, Miriam Margolyes, Ruby Wax, Alex Norton, Ford Kiernan, Greg Hempill, Barbara Rafferty, John Amabile, Larry Sullivan and newcomer Chris Jai Alex. The movie focuses on a retired, skateboarding veterinarian who resides in a remote Scottish village. He heads the rescue of an illegal beaver fugitive.

Every once in a while in the world of cinema, the imagery and the music blend so harmoniously and magnificently that they attain legendary status; it's hard to imagine any other combination working quite so well. And one of the best examples of this can be found in the opening titles of the 1964 James Bond film, Goldfinger. Sean Connery's visage combined with the powerhouse voice of Shirley Bassey singing the title track (not to mention Maurice Binder's title sequence) created an indelible cinematic image that resonates as much today as it did back in the '60s.

And now comes word that the singular voice of Shirley Bassey and the thespian talents of Sean Connery will be combined once again — for the first time since 1964 — for the CGI animated movie Sir Billi. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bassey has signed up to sing the title song, "Guardian of...

Paris -- International stars including Jude Law, Jane Seymour and Neve Campbell are scheduled to light up MIPCOM's 24th edition, set to kick off in Cannes on Oct. 13, organizers Reed Midem said Thursday.

Law will promote Jeremy Gilley's Afghanistan-based documentary "The Day After Peace," while Campbell will join international cast members Sebastian Koch, Stephen Campbell Moore and director Mike Barker to present TV miniseries "Sea Wolf," based on the Jack London novel.

Seymour will introduce the global film industry to her latest small-screen leading role in ITV Global Entertainment's "Dear Prudence" series.

Adrian Grenier, who filmed scenes in Cannes for HBO's "Entourage," will be back on the Croisette to promote Grb Entertainment's environmental documentary "Alter Eco."

Mipcom's Focus on Spain will zoom in on visiting talent Monica Cruz and Miguel Angel Munoz.

Popular Gallic TV host and producer Benjamin Castaldi will present France's version of "Beat Your Host," a...