समाचार

Jeff Harris and Bernie Kukoff's sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" debuted in 1978 and ran 189 episodes over a whopping eight seasons. The series starred Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, two impoverished kids from Harlem whose mother had recently died. They were adopted by the wealthy Mr. Drummond (Conrad Bain), a Park Avenue millionaire. The series revolved around the relationship Arnold and Willis developed with their adopted father, new sister Kimberly (Dana Plato), and one of three kindly housekeepers. In the 1984 season, Mr. Drummond married a woman named Maggie, and she was played by Dixie Carter for two years before being replaced by Mary Ann Mobley.

"Diff'rent Strokes" wasn't just overwhelmingly popular, but it also served as a template for a decade's worth of booming sitcoms. It was "Diff'rent Strokes" that famously presented "very special episodes" about serious issues like drug addiction, homelessness, eating disorders, and looking out...

Ron Nyswaner will soon be traveling to New York to reunite with his Writers Guild of America East fellows for a grand occasion. The Oscar-nominated screenwriter, producer and showrunner has been selected to receive the Walter Bernstein Award at the 76th Writers Guild Awards at New York’s Edison Ballroom on April 14.

The honor — named after the late screenwriter who was blacklisted for his political views only to persevere and get his career back on track with such credits as Fail-Safe, Semi-Tough and Yanks — is presented to writers “who have demonstrated with creativity, grace and bravery a willingness to confront social injustice in the face of adversity,” per the organization.

Nyswaner has been doing that for pretty much his entire career. A prime example is Jonathan Demme’s 1993 film Philadelphia. Penned by Nyswaner, the Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington-starrer was the first major Hollywood film to dramatize the real-world...

With Super Bowl Lvii upon us, we wanted to know what Football (or Football related) movie was your favorite. We compiled a list of scripted movies, so you won’t see the Oscar Winning Documentary Undefeated on the list, but if that is your favorite, please click the other button and let us know why you loved it so much in the comments section.

Favorite Football Film80 For Brady (2023)American Underdog (2021)Paterno (2018)Woodlawn (2015)My All American (2015)Concussion (2015)Balls Out (2014)When The Game Stands Tall (2014)Draft Day (2014)23 Blast (2013)Touchback (2012)The 5th Quarter (2011)The Blind Side (2009)The Longshots (2008)The Express: The Ernie Davis Story (2008)Leatherheads (2007)The Game Plan (2007)The Comebacks (2007)Gridiron Gang (2006)Facing The Giants (2006)We Are Marshall (2006)Invincible (2006)Two For The Money (2005)The Longest Yard (2005)Friday Night Lights (2004)Radio (2003)Monday Night Mayhem (2002)The Replacements (2000)Remember The Titans (2000)Any Given Sunday (1999)Varsity Blues (1999)Air Bud: Golden Receiver (1998)The Waterboy (1998)The Garbage...

The first of author Gregory McDonald's "Fletch" novels was published in 1974. The title character of the McDonald's nine books was Irwin Maurice Fletcher, an ex-Marine investigative journalist with a penchant for disguises. Fletch is a bit of a slovenly cad, and he is constantly outrunning attorneys who seek alimony payments from various ex-wives. The first novel involves Fletch investigating drug traffic on the Los Angeles beaches as well as the mysterious, well-paid request from a dying millionaire that Fletch euthanize him.

"Fletch" was very loosely adapted to film in 1985 with Chevy Chase in the title role and with Michael Ritchie directing. The film was less a rundown detective story than a light comedy, and a lot of "Fletch" focuses on Chase's disguises and the comedian's ability to improvise. The story -- the investigation of a millionaire asking to be euthanized -- was kept intact. The film was a...

Roger E. Mosley, best known for playing helicopter pilot Theodore “T.C.” Calvin on the CBS crime drama Magnum, P.I., died early Sunday morning. He was 83.

His daughter, Ch-a Mosley, confirmed the news via Facebook writing: “He was surrounded by family as he transcended peacefully. We could never mourn such an amazing man. He would Hate any crying done in his name. It is time to celebrate the legacy he left for us all. I love you daddy. You loved me too. My heart is heavy but I am strong. I will care for mommy, your love of almost 60 years.

Click here to read the full article.

Roger E. Mosley, who portrayed Theodore “T.C.” Calvin, the helicopter pilot and buddy of Tom Selleck’s character on all eight seasons of the original Magnum, P.I., died Sunday. He was 83.

Mosley died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of injuries incurred in a car accident in nearby Lynwood three days earlier, his daughter, Ch-a, told The Hollywood Reporter.

On the big screen, Mosley was at his most memorable as blues and folk singer Huddie Ledbetter (“The Midnight Special”) in the period piece Leadbelly (1976), directed by Gordon Parks. In his review, Roger Ebert wrote that Mosley played the part “with great strength” and called the film “one of the best biographies of a musician I’ve ever seen.”

Mosley also was a standout in blaxploitation films, playing the angry brother of the fresh-out-of-prison Goldie (Max Julien) in the classic The Mack...

Roger E. Mosley, best known as the helicopter pilot Theodore “T.C.” Calvin in the CBS television series Magnum P.I., died early Sunday morning. No cause of death was given.

Mosley was on the original Magnum P.I. for its eight-year run, appearing in 158 episodes, then came back to the rebooted CBS series for a cameo as a different character.

Born in Los Angeles, he lived in the Watts neighborhood and attended Jordan High School

In addition to Magnum P.I., he appeared on the television shows Love Boat, Night Gallery, Sanford and Son, Kung Fu, Kojak, McCloud, The Rockford Files, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, Starsky and Hutch, You Take the Kids, Night Court, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper, Walker, Texas Ranger, Rude Awakening, Las Vegas, Fact Checkers Unit and many more.

Mosley’s film credits included several Blaxploitation films, including The Mack, Hit Man, Sweet Jesus, Preacherman, Darktown Strutters and The River Niger.

Time is running out to stream films like “Lincoln,” “The Fisher King” and “He Got Game” on HBO Max. Below is the complete list of everything leaving HBO and HBO Max in January 2022, which includes some classic “Planet of the Apes” films, Ben Affleck’s Oscar-winning “Argo” and 1988’s “Married to the Mob,” among others. Most of these titles leave the streaming service on Jan. 31, but departing HBO and HBO Max on Jan. 20 is a behind-the-scenes look at Guillermo del Toro’s new film “Nightmare Alley,” which is exclusively in theaters now.

If you’re looking for noteworthy titles to add to your watchlist before they depart, “Lincoln” is one of Steven Spielberg’s best, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” is a handsome and nail-biting spy thriller and “The Fisher King” is a great two-hander with Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams.

Check out the full list of what’s leaving HBO Max in January 2022 below.

Although he’d had a starring role on the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, David Hasselhoff’s prime time value was uncertain in 1982 — his only after-dark appearances had been a guest shot on The Love Boat and a quickly cancelled adaptation of the movie Semi-Tough. But Brandon Tartikoff, then the chief at […]

The post ‘Knight Rider’ Keeps Following David Hasselhoff Wherever He Goes appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

Markie Post, who became a star in the 1980s playing a plucky public defender on “Night Court” and had a long run of TV roles, died Saturday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 70.

Post waged a nearly four-year fight with cancer. She kept working until very recently despite her illness.

Post co-starred in the 2019 Lifetime movie “Christmas Reservations” and logged a guest shot that year on the first season of Netflix drama “Soundtrack.” In recent years, Post had recurring roles on NBC’s “Chicago, P.D.,” ABC’s “The Kids are Alright” and Netflix’s “The Santa Clarita Diet.”

Post grew up in Northern California and got her start working behind the scenes on game shows such as “Double Dare” and “Card Sharks” in the 1970s. She moved into working in front of the camera with game show appearances and guest shots on such series as “CHiPs,” “Barnaby Jones,...

Markie Post, an actress known for The Fall Guy and Night Court, has died following a battle with cancer. She was 70.

Post’s manager, Ellen Lubin Sanitsky, confirmed her death to The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday evening.

Post was born in 1950 in Palo Alto, California, and began her career in television by serving as an associate producer on the game series Double Dare, which was hosted by the late Alex Trebek.

She first appeared as an actor on television in the TV movie Frankie and Annette: The Second Time Around. Post appeared in numerous series after that, from comedy show Semi-Tough to crime ...

LeBron James might be out of the NBA playoffs, but he’s still angling to be a big part of the summer entertainment season. That’s because HBO Max’s list of new releases for July 2021 is highlighted by a very special sequel.

Space Jam: A New Legacy premieres on July 16. will find LeBron teaming up with the Looney Tunes in a Warner Bros. IP-extravaganza. Can ‘Bron and the Looney Tunes beat the Goon Squad before Warner Bros.’ server steals LeBron “Bronny” Jr.’s soul (or something)? Let’s hope so. The two other major WB releases this month, No Sudden Move and Tom and Jerry in New York, both come to HBO Max on July 1.

HBO Max is also bringing some fun TV shows to its stream this month. The long-awaited Gossip Girl revival premieres on July 8. That will be followed by Mike White’s satirical limited series The White Lotus...

Summer is officially here and with it comes a surfeit of new movies and television shows available on HBO Max. Next month, the WarnerMedia streaming service will debut the long-awaited sequel to “Space Jam” with Lebron James taking the baton from Michael Jordan and the latest heist movie from Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh. But while those titles arrive, others depart, including “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” and “In the Heights.”

Ahead, highlights of the month ahead on HBO Max, plus the full list of July programming.

“No Sudden Move” (July 1): Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, David Harbour, Kieran Culkin, Jon Hamm, Ray Liotta, and “Uncut Gems” breakout Julia Fox, among others, the heist thriller is set in 1950s Detroit and “enters on a group of small-time criminals who are hired to steal what they think is a simple document. When their plan goes horribly wrong,...

Walter Bernstein, who was blacklisted by Hollywood in the 1950s but returned to writing on many films, including the Oscar-nominated script for The Front, has died at 101.

Bernstein died Friday night, according to former WGA West president Howard Rodman, who reported it on Twitter.

Bernstein’s credits included the films Fail-Safe (1964), Semi-Tough (1977), Yanks (1979) and The Front, (1976), the latter which starring Woody Allen as Howard Prince, who was hired by three blacklisted TV writers to become the face of their work. It was a ruse Bernstein knew well, having employed the tactic himself when he was blacklisted.

The Brooklyn, NY-born Bernstein joined the Communist Party while attending Dartmouth College, then served in the US Army during World War II.

Upon his discharge, he became a television writer, but he was blacklisted in 1950. He was not credited with any work until 1958, but used pseudonyms and hired fronts who passed off the work...

Oscar-nominated screenwriter and producer Walter Bernstein, who survived the blacklist era by writing pseudonymous scripts for television and later wrote films including “Fail-Safe,” “The Front” and “Semi-Tough,” died on Jan. 22. He was 101.

Bernstein’s longtime friend and former WGA West president Howard Rodman shared the news of his death on Twitter Saturday. “Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein – legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans – died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.”

Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein — legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans — died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.

Here's Walter from 10 years ago, when he was a young man of 91. pic.twitter.com/yLGvTb3mJY

— Howard A. Rodman (@howardrodman) January 23, 2021

Bernstein’s promising writing career was...

Walter Bernstein, the resilient screenwriter who drew upon his ignominious experience on the blacklist in 1950s Hollywood to pen the Oscar-nominated script for The Front, has died. He was 101.

Bernstein died Friday night, screenwriter, former WGA West president and longtime family friend Howard Rodman reported on Twitter.

Bernstein also adapted Eugene Burdick’s novel for Sidney Lumet’s nuclear-disaster film Fail-Safe (1964) and Dan Jenkins’ book for the Burt Reynolds football romp Semi-Tough (1977), and he wrote the John Schlesinger war drama Yanks (1979), starring Richard Gere. Another three films he worked on starred Sophia Loren.

Born in Brooklyn, Bernstein formally joined the Communist ...

Walter Bernstein, the resilient screenwriter who drew upon his ignominious experience on the blacklist in 1950s Hollywood to pen the Oscar-nominated script for The Front, has died. He was 101.

Bernstein died Friday night, screenwriter, former WGA West president and longtime family friend Howard Rodman reported on Twitter.

Bernstein also adapted Eugene Burdick’s novel for Sidney Lumet’s nuclear-disaster film Fail-Safe (1964) and Dan Jenkins’ book for the Burt Reynolds football romp Semi-Tough (1977), and he wrote the John Schlesinger war drama Yanks (1979), starring Richard Gere. Another three films he worked on starred Sophia Loren.

Born in Brooklyn, Bernstein formally joined the Communist ...

Paul Hornung, the so-called “Golden Boy” running back who starred for Notre Dame and in the 1960s championship years of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, died today in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. He was 84. No cause of death was given by the Louisville Sports Commission.

Hornung is one of only seven players to win the Heisman Trophy and later be named NFL Mvp. He won the Heisman in 1956 despite Notre Dame’s 2-8 record, becoming the only player to win the award while starring for a losing team. That year, he led the Fighting Irish in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff returns, punt returns and punting. On defense, he led the team in passes broken up and was second in tackles and interceptions.

Green Bay selected Hornung in 1957 with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. It was a monumental draft for the Pack, which also brought aboard Bart Starr,...

Two Classic Hollywood giants celebrated big birthdays today. The legendary two time Oscar winner Olivia de Havilland turned 104 this morning and Gigi herself, Leslie Caron turned 89 years young.  We thought it was time to update our Oldest Living Oscar People list. Pick a few of these giants in 2020 and watch a couple of their movies to appreciate their gift or learn about it for the first time. Our very best wishes of good health and happiness to the following actors, directors and craftsmen who nabbed at least one Oscar honor in their career...

100 Oldest Living Oscar Nominees/Winners

To see a less Oscar-specific list, here's a bigger 'oldest living actors' list 

104 Years Young

Olivia de Havilland (7/1/1916) Oscar stats: 5 nominations | 2 wins

This incredible actress won Oscar's top acting prize twice by the time she was 33 for To Each His Own (1946) and The Heiress (1949). She also received Best Actress nominations for The Snake Pit...

Dennehy in the 2018 screen version of "The Seagull" from Sony Classics.

Brian Dennehy, the popular and acclaimed actor of stage, screen and television, has passed away from natural causes at age 81. Dennehy was born in Connecticut and continued to reside there until his death. Dennehy had a rather late entry into an acting career. He first appeared on screen in 1977 in "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" in a bit part. Later that year, he made an impression as a hulking football player in the comedy "Semi-Tough". His considerable physical presence often found him playing tough guy roles, though he was equally adept at playing light comedy. He was constantly in demand, mostly as a character actor, but he occasionally found acclaim in leading roles. He won multiple Tony awards for playing Willy Loman in two Broadway runs of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman". He was also nominated for five Emmy awards.

Veteran character actor Brian Dennehy, known for a wide variety of roles in film, TV and on the stage, died Wednesday night (April 15) at the age of 81, according to Variety.

The Golden Globe and Tony-winning star passed away in New Haven, Connecticut from natural causes. A statement posted on Twitter by his daughter, actress Elizabeth Dennehy, said, “It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father, Brian, passed away last night from natural causes, not Covid-related. Larger than life, generous to a fault, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, he will be missed by his wife Jennifer, family and many friends.”

Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut on July 9, 1938. He served in the Marines from 1959 to 1963, and later attended Columbia and Yale, earning a master’s degree in dramatic arts from the latter university. He worked briefly as a stockbroker before making both his film and TV debuts...

Brian Dennehy, a two-time Tony Award winner, has died. He was 81.

The actor’s daughter, Elizabeth Dennehy, announced the news on Twitter Thursday, telling fans that it was due to natural causes and not related to Covid-19.

“It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father, Brian passed away last night from natural causes, not Covid-related,” she shared. “Larger than life, generous to a fault, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, he will be missed by his wife Jennifer, family and many friends.”

It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father, Brian passed away last night from natural causes,...

Brian Dennehy, the prolific character actor who could easily jump between comedy and drama on stage and screen, died Wednesday from natural causes in Connecticut. He was 81.

Dennehy’s daughter, Elizabeth Dennehy, confirmed his death Thursday on Twitter, writing, “It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father, Brian passed away last night from natural causes, not Covid-related. Larger than life, generous to a fault, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, he will be missed by his wife Jennifer, family and many friends.”

It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father,...

Brian Dennehy, the Golden Globe- and Tony Award-winning actor who appeared in big-screen hits like “Cocoon” and “Tommy Boy,” died late Wednesday in New Haven, Connecticut, at the age of 81, his representatives told TheWrap.

He died of natural causes says his family who was by his side. Best known for playing the overzealous Sheriff Will Teasle in “First Blood” (1982) opposite Sylvester Stallone, Dennehy went on to have a prolific acting career that included roles in such films as “Gorky Park” (1983), “Silverado” (1985), “Cocoon” (1985), “F/X”(1986), “Presumed Innocent” (1990), “Romeo + Juliet” (1996), and “Knight of Cups” (2015).

He appeared as the superior officer of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the 2008 cop drama “Righteous Kill” and as the father of Russell Crowe in the 2010 suspense film “The Next Three Days.”

Also Read: 'Bloodbath': The Hollywood Reporter Ends a 10-Year, Heady Run at Reinvention

His earlier films included several comedies, like “Semi-Tough” with Burt Reynolds,...

Brian Dennehy, the winner of two Tonys in a career that also spanned films including “Tommy Boy,” “First Blood” and “Cocoon,” and television roles including “Dynasty” and “Death of a Salesman,” died on Wednesday night in New Haven, Conn. He was 81.

“It is with heavy hearts we announce that our father, Brian, passed away last night from natural causes, not Covid-related. Larger than life, generous to a fault, a proud and devoted father and grandfather, he will be missed by his wife, Jennifer, family and many friends,” his daughter, actress Elizabeth Dennehy, tweeted on Thursday.

His agency ICM also confirmed the news.

In the 1995 comedy “Tommy Boy,” Dennehy was Big Tom, the father of Chris Farley’s character Tom, who takes over the family’s auto parts business with David Spade after his father dies. In Ron Howard’s 1985 hit “Cocoon,” Dennehy played the leader of the alien Antareans who...

In dozens of tributes, Dan Jenkins — who died at 90 on March 7th in his birthplace of Fort Worth, Texas — was cited as the most influential and/or the greatest sportswriter, period, of all time. The author of 23 books and untold hundreds of articles and columns was at the outset most noted for his first novel, Semi-Tough (1971), a groundbreaking, raucous deep-dive into the world of pro football that became a celebrated 1977 film starring Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson and Jill Clayburgh.

Jenkins left indelible imprints in journalism, particularly in his nearly 25 years at Sports Illustrated.

This past week Burt Reynolds, perhaps the most self-deprecating movie star to ever cruise to box-office domination, died during a hospital stay in Jupiter, Florida, at the age of 82. “I’m pretty passionate about my work,” he once said, “even though I sometimes have this realization on the second day of shooting that I’m doing a piece of shit. So, I can do one of two things: I can just take the money, or I can try to be passionate. But the name of the boat is still the Titanic.” Yes, on top of being effortlessly likable and undeniably sexy, Reynolds was naturally funny too. And yes, there are a lot of confirmed pieces of shit floating around out there in which he received top billing. But even if the bad ones in his oeuvre outnumber the good ones (and I would argue that this is indeed the case...

Burt Reynolds was a guy’s guy, a ladies’ man, the ruggedly handsome alpha male of the entertainment world, who always seemed to be having a good time – whether cracking jokes on TV talk shows with pals like Dom DeLuise or saucily posing nude as a centerfold in “Cosmopolitan” magazine — except maybe when he broke his leg during that ill-fated canoe outing in 1972’s “Deliverance,” his breakout film role. According to his reps on Thursday, the actor is dead at age 82 in his adopted home of Jupiter, Florida.

With a thicket of hair, a dapper mustache and a twinkle in his eye, he often came across as a good ol’ Southern boy in such films as “Smokey and the Bandit,” “W,W. and the Dixie Dancekings” and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” while claiming to be from Georgia. But he was born in Lansing, Michigan, although he would eventually end up in Riviera Beach,...

Burt Reynolds in Deliverance Photo: Warner Bros Seventies screen heartthrob Burt Reynolds has died at the age of 82.

The star - whose career included hits Smokey And The Bandit and its sequel, Deliverance, Boogie Nights and The Longest Yard, died in Florida, from a heart attack, according to Us outlets.

The Georgia-born star worked on Broadway before making his way to the big screen via smaller then bigger roles on TV, including Perry Mason and the Twilight Zone, before featuring in three series of Gun Smoke.

Most of his big-screen hits came in the Seventies, including the controversial Deliverance, as well as Semi-Tough and Hustle. It wasn't until 1998, however, that he would get an Oscar nod, nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights, losing out to Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting.

Arnold Schwarzenegger led the tributes on Twitter. He wrote: "Burt Reynolds was one of my.

Burt Reynolds, a staple of machismo-fueled, good ol’ boy movies from the 1970s and 1980s and an Emmy winner for his role on TV’s Evening Shade, died of a heart attack on Thursday. He was 82.

Reynolds’ long film resume includes free-wheeling larks such as Smokey and the Bandit and Stroker Ace, the comedies Semi-Tough and Cannonball Run, and more serious fare such as Deliverance (which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture), Starting Over, Hustle and The Longest Yard.

In 1998, Reynolds received his first Academy Award nod, for a supporting role in Boogie Nights that also earned him a Golden Globe.

Burt Reynolds, a top Hollywood star of the 1970s whose hits ranged from such classic, easy-going drive-in fare as Smokey and the Bandit to the intense, hunted-men drama Deliverance, died today at the Jupiter Medical Center in Florida. He was 82.

“It is with a broken heart that I said goodbye to my uncle today,” Reynolds’ niece Nancy Lee Hess said in a statement (read it in full below).

With a sly, knowing grin, signature moustache and a unique blend of charm and machismo, Reynolds was a bona fide cultural phenomenon. He became a frequent guest of Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, was the first major celebrity nude male centerfold and off-screen romantic partner of such stars as frequent co-star Sally Field and Dinah Shore. Reyrolds would achieve a newfound respect among critics and fans alike for the late-career peak in 1997’s Boogie Nights, for which he earned his only Oscar nomination.

Burt Reynolds, one of Hollywood’s most popular leading men during the ’70s and early ’80s in such films as “Deliverance,” “Smokey and the Bandit, “The Longest Yard” and “Semi-Tough,” has died. His rep confirmed that he died Thursday in Jupiter, Fla. He was 82.

He later earned an Oscar nomination as best supporting actor in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ode to skin flicks, “Boogie Nights.” He had been set to appear in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Hollywood.”

Reynolds’ appeal lay in his post-modern macho posture undercut by a wry self-awareness, which he used to good effect in comedies as well as action films. For a period during the ’70s he was the nation’s top box office draw. But after one too many bad movies, his popularity waned. He returned to television, where he’d gotten his start, mostly in Westerns, and produced his own sitcom, “Evening Shade,” which brought him an Emmy.

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, and Tom Stockman

Lee Marvin rose through the ranks of movie stardom as a character actor, delivering mostly villainous supporting turns in many films before finally graduating to leading roles. Regardless of which side of the law he was on however, he projected a tough-as-nails intensity and a two-fisted integrity which elevated even the slightest material. Born February 19, 1924, in New York City, Marvin quit high school to enter the Marine Corps and while serving in the South Pacific was badly wounded in battle when a machine gun nest shot off part of his buttocks and severed his sciatic nerve. He spent a year in recovery before returning to the U.S. where he began working as a plumber. The acting bug bit after filling in for an ailing summer-stock actor and he studied the art at the New York-based American Theater Wing. Upon making his debut in summer stock,...

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Travis Keune, and Tom Stockman

Burt Reynolds, one of We Are Movie Geeks favorite actors, turns 80 today. Happy Birthday Burt!

On February 11th, 1936, Reynolds was born in Waycross, Georgia, before his family moved to Jupiter Florida, where his father served as Chief of Police. Young Burt excelled at sports and played football at Florida State University. He became an All Star Southern Conference halfback (and was earmarked by the Baltimore Colts) before injuries sidelined his football career. He dropped out of college and headed to New York with dreams of becoming an actor. There he worked in restaurants and clubs while pulling the odd TV job or theater role. Burt was spotted in a New York City stage production of Mister Roberts and signed to a TV contract and eventually had recurring roles in such shows as Gunsmoke (1955), Riverboat (1959) and his own series, Hawk...

Lovers of odd and neglected vintage cinema can rejoice in the repackaging of Michael Ritchie’s weird sophomore title, Prime Cut. With all the menace of a Dick Francis novel and a perverse comedic streak akin to the tastes of John Waters, this misbegotten feature hasn’t received the notable following it deserves for one glaring reason—it’s increasingly warped treatment of women, which may have seemed enlightened for the period, but eventually only adds to the problematic misogyny that never abates. As far as its handling of more sensational, exploitational elements, Ritchie and screenwriter Robert Dillon manage to smooth its edges with breakneck pacing, sarcastic repartee, and a handful of impressively orchestrated face-offs.

The head of the Irish mob in Chicago hires Nick Devlin (Lee Marvin), an enforcer, to travel to Kansas City and collect money he’s owed by Mary Ann (Gene Hackman), the man who runs...

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

The Hollywood Blacklist, with Screenwriter Walter Bernstein\

When: Thursday, March 6, 6:30 pm

Where: The New School, The Auditorium at 66 West 12th St (between 5th and 6th Aves.)

Register: visit www.cencom.org, e-mail info@cencom.org or call (212) 686-5005

In the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s, Sen. Joseph McCarthy carried out a witch hunt for Communists that led to the creation of the infamous Hollywood blacklist, resulting in 150 directors, actors, writers, and others in the entertainment business, being banned from making a living for over a decade.

Don't miss our screening of The Front, written by Walter Bernstein, who received an Oscar nomination for best screenplay in 1976, and directed by Martin Ritt. Both were victims of the blacklist themselves. The movie takes a comedic look at what happened during this dark period in American History. Screening to be followed by a conversation and Q&A.

Blu-ray Release Date: Feb. 25, 2014

Price: Blu-ray $29.95

Studio: Twilight Time

Woody Allen stars in The Front.

Woody Allen (To Rome with Love) stars in his first dramatic role (well, let’s call it laugh-tinged dramatic) in the 1976 comedy drama The Front, making its Blu-ray premiere courtesy of Twilight Time.

Allen is Howard Prince, a nebbishy cashier/part-time bookie who, during the McCarthy-era communist witch-hunt, does a favor for an old school friend, a blacklisted TV writer (Michael Murphy, Nashville). As his pal’s “front”—representing the scribe’s work as his own and collecting ten percent of the profits—the apolitical schlemiel is soon enjoying not just the money but the perks, including the love of a sophisticated young producer (Andrea Marcovicci, Irene in Time). But in an atmosphere of fear, nobody’s above suspicion, and Howard’s growing friendship with unfairly accused blacklisted performer Hecky Brown (Zero Mostel, The Producers...

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Travis Keune, and Tom Stockman

We like to celebrate the movie tough guys of the ’70s here at We Are Movie Geeks and at Super-8 Movie Madness. We’ve posted Top Ten lists to tie into Super-8 shows featuring Charles Bronson (Here), Clint Eastwood (Here), and Lee Marvin (Here). This month we’re going to honor the #1 top money-making star for five consecutive years – 1978 – 1982 – Burt Reynolds. On February 11th, 1936, Reynolds was born in Waycross, Georgia, before his family moved to Jupiter Florida, where his father served as Chief of Police. Young Burt excelled at sports and played football at Florida State University. He became an All Star Southern Conference halfback (and was earmarked by the Baltimore Colts) before injuries sidelined his football career. He dropped out of college and headed to New York with dreams of becoming an actor. There he worked in restaurants...

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, and Tom Stockman

We’re celebrating one of Hollywood’s great tough guys and one of our favorite actors September 6th at The Way Out Club in St. Louis with Super-8 Lee Marvin Movie Madness.

Lee Marvin rose through the ranks of movie stardom as a character actor, delivering mostly villainous supporting turns in many films before finally graduating to leading roles. Regardless of which side of the law he was on however, he projected a tough-as-nails intensity and a two-fisted integrity which elevated even the slightest material. Born February 19, 1924, in New York City, Marvin quit high school to enter the Marine Corps and while serving in the South Pacific was badly wounded in battle when a machine gun nest shot off part of his buttocks and severed his sciatic nerve. He spent a year in recovery before returning to the U.S. where...

Witty and sophisticated American film star known for her role in An Unmarried Woman

The actor Jill Clayburgh, who has died of leukaemia aged 66, was one of the brightest female stars of the 1970s, yet was somewhat forgotten in the decade that followed. "If they don't give me good parts in movies, I'm just not going to do them. And there's a time when they just move on to the next person," Clayburgh said prophetically at the height of her fame in 1978. Perhaps conservative Hollywood did not really know how to cope with an independent-minded, intelligent performer who refused to be pigeonholed.

Born in Manhattan, New York, Clayburgh was the daughter of wealthy parents. Her father was the vice-president of two large companies and her mother was a secretary to the Broadway producer David Merrick. As a child, Clayburgh was inspired to become an actor when she saw Jean Arthur...

Jill Clayburgh, an Academy Award-nominated actress best remembered for her roles in An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over, died after a long battle with lymphatic cancer today at the age of 66 in her home in Connecticut. A veteran of stage, film and television, she could be seen in a variety of work, including Portnoy's Complaint, Semi-Tough, Running With Scissors, Ally McBeal and Nip/Tuck. Her last film role, playing Jake Gyllenhaal's mother in Love and Other Drugs, will be released in two weeks. [Deadline]...

Actress Jill Clayburgh has died at age 66 after losing a 21 year battle with leukemia. Clayburgh was credited with being one of the important actresses to usher in a new era of quality roles for women in the 1970s. She received two Oscar nominations: for the 1978 film An Unmarried Woman and the 1979 comedy Starting Over. Clayburgh was married to Tony winning playwright David Rabe. Her connections to the theater extended back to her childhood - her mother was secretary to legendary Broadway showman David Merrick. Clayburgh's elite upbringing (her father was vice-president of two major corporations) did not spare her from a troubled youth. Her rebelious ways led her to psychiatric care at the tender age of 9. Once immersed in the acting profession, however, she thrived on screen, stage and TV. Among her major feature films: Semi-Tough, Silver Streak, Gable and Lombard and Bertolucci's Luna. She also appeared in many major TV series over the decades.

Jill Clayburgh, the Oscar-nominated actress whose portrayal of suddenly single women in the 1970s helped define feminism in movies and reshape the role of leading lady, died today at her home in Lakeville, Connecticut; she was 66.

A stage actress who started appearing onscreen in the 70s, she suddenly became the "It Girl" -- or rather, "It Woman" -- with her acclaimed performance as an upper-class Manhattan wife suddenly left by her husband in the comedy-drama An Unmarried Woman. For a brief time one of Hollywood's most recognizable actresses in both comedy and drama, her career took a rapid decline in the 80s before she resuscitated her career with a number of television and film roles. Still, despite her career ups and downs, she remained one of the most important actresses of the 70s, alongside Jane Fonda, Glenda Jackson, Diane Keaton, and the young Meryl Streep (with whom she was friends) -- women whose films were marked by their portrayals of strong, independent women who didn't need a man to complete their lives and were prepared to take a stand by doing so.

Born in New York City to a manufacturing executive father and a mother who was the production secretary for theatrical producer David Merrick, Clayburgh had a privileged Upper East Side upbringing, attending the noted Brearley Academy and then Sarah Lawrence College. After joining the Charles Street Repertory Theater in Boston, she worked primarily onstage, moving to Broadway for such shows as Pippin and The Rothschilds.

After sporadic film and TV appearances (including a stint on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow), Clayburgh nabbed her first big role in 1972's Portnoy's Complaint. Roles in TV shows such as Medical Center, Maude, and The Rockford Files followed (she received an Emmy nomination for the 1975 TV movie Hustling), before she essayed the role of Carole Lombard opposite James Brolin's Clark Gable in the critically lambasted Gable and Lombard (1976). The lavish biopic was soundly drubbed and might have marked the end of her career had it not been for a number of acclaimed performances and box office hits in rapid succession. Clayburgh earned acclaimed opposite Peter Falk in the TV cancer drama Griffin and Phoenix: A Love Story (1976) and that same year co-starred opposite Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in the blockbuster hit comedy Silver Streak. She held her own against two other high-profile, wildly popular leading men--Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson--in the football comedy Semi-Tough (1977) before landing the role that would make her a superstar of the decade: Erica in Paul Mazursky's An Unmarried Woman.

The story of a well-to-do wife and mother who is left by her husband for a younger woman, and attempts to reclaim her identity as a single woman in a world marked by the rise of feminism, the film was a lightning rod for many of the issues of the late 70s, from divorce to sexual liberation. With its message that it was okay not to be married, the film was a box office and critical hit, winning Clayburgh the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. An Unmarried Woman would receive three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Actress, but lost both awards to Vietnam-themed dramas The Deer Hunter and Coming Home (Jane Fonda was the Best Actress winner).

Anointed as the screen's quintessential liberated woman, Clayburgh followed that film in 1979 with two wildly disparate roles, as an opera singer who seduces her 15 year old son in Bernardo Bertolucci's Luna, and as a slightly ditzy kindergarten teacher who falls in love with a recently divorced Burt Reynolds in the comedy Starting Over. The former film was reviled by critics, while the latter earner her a second Academy Award nomination (surprisingly, she received Golden Globe nominations for both films).

The early 80s saw Clayburgh play two more independent women in the comedies It's My Turn and First Monday in October, as well as a Valium addict in the adaptation of the bestselling memoir I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can. But as the 80s came under the influence of the Reagan administration and lost interest in the burgeoning feminist movement, roles for Clayburgh became less easy to attain, and a string of film flops followed throughout the decade. Roles in low-budget movies and telefilms followed, though it was through a number of television appearances in the late 90s and early 2000s that Clayburgh revitalized her career on the small screen: there were acclaimed but failed sitcoms Everything's Relative and Leap of Faith, and a well-received turn as the mother of Calista Flockhart's titular character in the hit show Ally McBeal.

After appearances on The Practice and Nip/Tuck (the latter earning her a second Emmy nomination), she co-starred in the TV series Dirty Sexy Money opposite Donald Sutherland as the matriarch of a wealthy New York family. In the mid-2000s Clayburgh also starred on Broadway in Richard Greenberg's A Naked Girl on the Appian Way and in the 2006 revival of Barefoot in the Park. Her most recent roles include the upcoming comedy-drama Love and Other Drugs, as well as next year's Bridesmaids.

Clayburgh married acclaimed playwright David Rabe (Hurlyburly, Streamers) in 1979; she is survived by Rabe and their daughter, actress Lily Rabe, who will be appearing opposite Al Pacino, with whom Clayburgh was involved in the early 70s, in the new Broadway production of The Merchant of Venice, which has currently been delayed.

DVD Playhouse—November 2010

By Allen Gardner

Paths Of Glory (Criterion) Stanley Kubrick’s 1957 antiwar classic put him on the map as a major filmmaker. Kirk Douglas stars in a true story about a French officer in Ww I who locks horns with the military’s top brass after his men are court-martialed for failing to carry out an obvious suicide mission. A perfect film, across the board, with fine support from George Macready as one of the most despicable martinet’s ever captured on film, Ralph Meeker, and Adolphe Menjou, all oily charm as a conniving General. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Audio commentary by critic Gary Giddins; Excerpt from 1966 audio interview with Kubrick; 1979 interview with Douglas; New interviews with Jan Harlan, Christiane Kubrick, and producer James B. Harris; French television documentary on real-life case which inspired the film; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.

Winter’S Bone (Lionsgate) After her deadbeat father disappears,...

Oscar-nominated Jill Clayburgh passed away on Friday at her home in Lakeville, Connecticut at the age of 66, reports The New York Times . The cause was chronic leukemia, with which she had lived for 21 years, her husband, the playwright David Rabe, said. Clayburgh received an Oscar nomination for starring in 1978's An Unmarried Woman , directed by Paul Mazursky. She also received an Oscar nomination for Starting Over (1979), directed by Alan J. Pakula. Her other credits include Semi-Tough (1977), It's My Turn (1980), First Monday in October (1981) and I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982). Her many television credits include guest appearances on "Law & Order," "The Practice" and "Nip/Tuck," and a recurring role on "Ally...

Variety reports that actor Ron Silver died Sunday at the age of 62 following a two-year battle with esophageal cancer. Silver is an Emmy nominee for his recurring role on “The West Wing” and has a long history of balancing acting with left-leaning social and political causes. He also won a Tony Award as a take-no-prisoners Hollywood producer in David Mamet’s original production of “Speed-the-Plow” in 1988. Silver’s big-screen credits include Ali, Reversal of Fortune, Enemies: A Love Story, Silkwood, Semi-Tough and most recently The Ten and Find Me Guilty. He also narrated 2004’s Fahrenhype 9/11, which deconstructed Michael Moore’s anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. Besides “The West Wing,” Silver was a regular or had [...]...

Actor Ron Silver, who won a Tony Award as a take-no-prisoners Hollywood producer in David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow" and did a political about-face from loyal Democrat to Republican activist after the Sept. 11 attacks, died Sunday at age 62.

"Ron Silver died peacefully in his sleep with his family around him early Sunday morning" in New York, said Robin Bronk, executive director of the Creative Coalition, which Silver helped found. "He had been fighting esophageal cancer for two years."

Silver, an Emmy nominee for a recurring role as a slick strategist for liberal President Jed Bartlet on "The West Wing," had a long history of balancing acting with left-leaning social and political causes.

But after the 2001 terrorist attacks, longtime Democrat Silver turned heads in Hollywood with outspoken support of President George W. Bush over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Silver spoke at the 2004 Republican National Convention, began referring to himself as...