In 1989, "Weird Al" Yankovic released a song called "Isle Thing," a parody of Tone Lōc's 1988 hit "Wild Thing." In Yankovic's version, the song's narrator met an attractive woman at the Circle-k and went back to her place, presumably for some active coitus. Instead, however, the woman eschewed sex for a marathon of "Gilligan's Island" reruns. The narrator immediately began to recognize the logical inconsistencies in Sherwood Schwartz's beloved 1963 sitcom, notably that the Professor (Russell Johnson) could build a nuclear reactor using only coconuts, but wasn't able to construct a boat to escape the desert island he and the castaways were stranded on. Yankovic also noted that "those homeboys brought an awful lot for just a three-hour tour."
The premise of "Gilligan's Island" is made clear in the show's opening theme song. Two sailors and five guests were to take a three-hour boat tour around Hawai'i when they hit bad weather,...
The premise of "Gilligan's Island" is made clear in the show's opening theme song. Two sailors and five guests were to take a three-hour boat tour around Hawai'i when they hit bad weather,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Gordy subplot in Jordan Peele's "Nope" is distressing for many reasons, not least of which is that history is filled with incidents of real-life film and TV actors nearly meeting their maker at the hands -- or paws -- of a startled non-human costar. We're not as far removed from such real-world incidents as you might assume, either. During her "Hot Ones" episode in 2022, Leslie Mann recalled having to share a "little tiny space" with an actual lion on the "George of the Jungle" set 25 years earlier and realizing that "if he just jumps at me, I'm dead" and nobody could do a damn thing to save her.
30 years before that, it seems Bob Denver had a similar encounter with one of Simba's cousins on "Gilligan's Island." The show's second season episode "Feed the Kitty" saw a shipwrecked lion wash up on the shores of the titular island,...
30 years before that, it seems Bob Denver had a similar encounter with one of Simba's cousins on "Gilligan's Island." The show's second season episode "Feed the Kitty" saw a shipwrecked lion wash up on the shores of the titular island,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Opening TV theme songs have tragically become a lost art. On one level, it makes sense. As the line between television and film has grown increasingly blurry in the 21st century, opening titles have become more and more cinematic. The mix of simple earworms and dialogue-free visuals in the opening titles of shows like "Mad Men" are eloquent works of art in and of themselves. It just wouldn't have the same effect if, instead of David Carbonara's haunting suite accompanied by minimalistic animation of an ad man's world literally falling apart, you had someone singing about that ol' scoundrel Don Draper and how his dastardly, womanizing ways are coming back to bite him (as amazing as that sounds).
Of course, things were different when Sherwood Schwartz created "Gilligan's Island." The show required a tad more exposition than your run-of-the-mill sitcom at the time. Whereas series like "Bewitched" and "I Dream of Jeannie...
Of course, things were different when Sherwood Schwartz created "Gilligan's Island." The show required a tad more exposition than your run-of-the-mill sitcom at the time. Whereas series like "Bewitched" and "I Dream of Jeannie...
- 3/10/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Like most areas of the entertainment industry outside of acting, casting and costuming, television writing was generally one big boys club until women began making (incremental) inroads during the 1990s. There were trailblazers like "I Love Lucy" scribe Madelyn Pugh, but that trail was walked far too infrequently for far too many years.
Anyone who possessed a conscience knew this was unacceptable, which is why it's disappointing that a politically progressive (particularly for his era) writer like Rod Serling never made a concerted effort to work at least one female writer into "The Twilight Zone" mix during the series' five seasons (which stretched from 1959 to 1964). To be fair, Serling did adapt the work of women for certain episodes; in fact, a tale that many consider the show's finest half-hour, "Time Enough at Last," was based on a short story by sci-fi/fantasy writer Lynn Venable. But he never managed to...
Anyone who possessed a conscience knew this was unacceptable, which is why it's disappointing that a politically progressive (particularly for his era) writer like Rod Serling never made a concerted effort to work at least one female writer into "The Twilight Zone" mix during the series' five seasons (which stretched from 1959 to 1964). To be fair, Serling did adapt the work of women for certain episodes; in fact, a tale that many consider the show's finest half-hour, "Time Enough at Last," was based on a short story by sci-fi/fantasy writer Lynn Venable. But he never managed to...
- 3/9/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The plot of director Dean Parisot's cult-favorite 1999 sci-fi comedy "Galaxy Quest" hinges on a race of extraterrestrials, the Thermians, believing that an '80s space adventure series is a collection of "historical documents" of real-life events. When one of the show's actors, Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver), tries to explain to them that many TV series are purely fictional, she adds (with more than a hint of exasperation), "Surely, you don't think 'Gilligan's Island' is a ..." before trailing off as she watches the Thermians' faces drop in heartfelt despair. "Those poor people," their leader, Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni), somberly replies.
A naive group of other-worldly beings thinking that Sherwood Schwartz's zany '60s sitcom is really an authentic documentary about an eclectic group of humans — including (sing it with me now), "Gilligan, the Skipper too, the millionaire and his wife, the movie star, the Professor and Mary Ann...
A naive group of other-worldly beings thinking that Sherwood Schwartz's zany '60s sitcom is really an authentic documentary about an eclectic group of humans — including (sing it with me now), "Gilligan, the Skipper too, the millionaire and his wife, the movie star, the Professor and Mary Ann...
- 3/9/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Gilligan's Island, one of the most beloved classic sitcoms from the '60s, follows the story of seven shipwrecks from different walks of life, who get caught in a storm and are suddenly stranded on an uncharted island. Running on CBS for ninety-eight episodes, the comical show created American icons out of all of its characters, including the most recognized star, Bob Denver. Denver played Gilligan, the hapless first mate of the S.S. Minnow, and his tireless talent captivated audiences for years on end. While the actors portrayed people who were forced to get along for survival, the safety of the cast and crew did face some dangerous, life-threatening situations during filming. In Season 2, the Gilligan's Island star worked alongside one of the most booked-and-busy animals in showbiz — Zamba, "The Greatest Lion That Ever Lived."...
- 3/2/2024
- by TanChun Watkins
- Collider.com
Watching "Gilligan's Island" reruns as a child always had this author wondering if "Gilligan" was the character's first name or last name. Gilligan, as played hilariously by Bob Denver, was the main character of the series, but also its buffoonish comic relief. He was most countered by his straight man, the Skipper (Alan Hale) or Professor Roy Hinckley (Russell Johnson), but he served as a foil for every character. Denver doesn't get enough credit for his pliability as a comic performer. Denver passed away in 2005 at the age of 70, best known for "Gilligan's Island" and for the 1959 sitcom "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis." He was also a regular on the Sherwood Schwartz series "Dusty's Trail" as well as the 1968 series "The Good Guys."
On "Gilligan's Island," many fans wondered what Gilligan's full name was. It seems that, at the end of the day, he's like Cher or Fabian, sporting only one name.
On "Gilligan's Island," many fans wondered what Gilligan's full name was. It seems that, at the end of the day, he's like Cher or Fabian, sporting only one name.
- 2/29/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"The Ballad of Gilligan's Island," penned by executive producer and show creator Sherwood Schwartz and songwriter George Wyle holds the distinction of being the best TV theme song of all time. It might only be tied with the theme song to "The Brady Bunch" ... which was also co-written by Schwartz. In both cases, the theme songs cleverly weave earworm-ready melodies into explicit descriptions of the show's premise. In only 55 seconds, audiences learn that they're about to watch a sitcom about seven stranded castaways on a tropical island, how those castaways got there, and who each of the castaways are. "The Ballad of Gilligan's Island" is both hummable and functional. Even the amazing surf guitars of "The Munsters" or the wicked pip organs of "Tales from the Crypt" cannot approach the utilitarian glories of "Gilligan."
The first season theme song famously omitted the names of the Professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary...
The first season theme song famously omitted the names of the Professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary...
- 2/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
In the mid-1960s, television viewers looking for intellectual, dramatic fare knew they wouldn't find it on Gilligan's Island, and that suited creator Sherwood Schwartz just fine. He didn't intend for the show to be anything more than an escape — a preposterous, formulaic sitcom that stood on the strength of its cast, Gilligan (Bob Denver) in particular, to deliver laughs and a simple message of learning to live with one another. The critical scorn never bothered Schwartz, who once said, "I know what the critics love. We write and produce for people, not for critics." Gilligan's Island would become one of television's most beloved shows over the course of three seasons before being canceled in 1967, prior to a planned fourth season. Ironically, while more prestigious shows would come and go, never to be heard from again, Gilligan's Island lived on in a series of follow-up projects that kept the castaways...
- 2/26/2024
- by Lloyd Farley
- Collider.com
When you think about actors who are the epitome of cool, Kurt Russell is around the top of every list. He's been on TV and theater screens since the 1960s, but at age 72 he's still a megastar, whether it be from recent roles in films like F9 or The Christmas Chronicles, or the new Apple TV+ Godzilla series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Kurt Russell has done it all. He was a child Disney actor; he's shown up on Gunsmoke and Gilligan's Island, and he's been a badass action icon in movies like Tango & Cash, Tombstone, and Executive Decision. His best work has always been with director John Carpenter. The duo have worked together many times, creating classics such as Escape from New York and Big Trouble in Little China. No matter what, even if they were to work again, their greatest collaboration will always be The Thing. R.J. MacReady is Russell's best role,...
- 2/17/2024
- by Shawn Van Horn
- Collider.com
Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 3 premiere of “Ghosts,” titled “The Owl,” which aired Feb. 15 on CBS.
Flower, hopefully you’re finally getting to cuddle a few bears up there in the sky. Yes, you read that right: There’s one less ghost on “Ghosts,” as the characters said farewell to Flower on the Season 3 premiere of CBS’ hit comedy.
The series finally returned on Thursday (after a long strikes-induced delay), and we learned which spirit had been finally sent to the afterlife. After a few fakeouts, the ghosts discovered that it was Flower (Sheila Carrasco) who was “sucked off” in the Season 2 finale, as witnessed by Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar).
Flower is the 1960s-era hippie who died trying to hug a bear while high on acid, and remained a bit forgetful and drugged-out while living in the purgatory that is Woodstone Mansion.
Flower, hopefully you’re finally getting to cuddle a few bears up there in the sky. Yes, you read that right: There’s one less ghost on “Ghosts,” as the characters said farewell to Flower on the Season 3 premiere of CBS’ hit comedy.
The series finally returned on Thursday (after a long strikes-induced delay), and we learned which spirit had been finally sent to the afterlife. After a few fakeouts, the ghosts discovered that it was Flower (Sheila Carrasco) who was “sucked off” in the Season 2 finale, as witnessed by Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar).
Flower is the 1960s-era hippie who died trying to hug a bear while high on acid, and remained a bit forgetful and drugged-out while living in the purgatory that is Woodstone Mansion.
- 2/16/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
(Stock image)
In a robotic argument, EU M&a regulators said Amazon can’t buy Roomba maker, iRobot. While we worry about AI robo-calling, the EU worries that self-Hooverers who can’t suck up to shoppers online will unleash an army of humans to sell superficial cyborg suckers door-to-door. As I laughed my ass off, I started thinking about LMAs.
Back when our best media was over-the-air TV, the smart people we elected and entrusted to protect us from harm thought people who can schedule episodic strings of Gilligan’s Island reruns could adle children’s minds with endlessly sequential banality. Worse, they worried that, unfettered, a local TV news programs could produce a segment about a pack of feral dogs that arranged garbage into a living space that looked suspiciously like a nativity scene and get people questioning religion.
So, the FCC took a hardline on hookups. They didn’t...
In a robotic argument, EU M&a regulators said Amazon can’t buy Roomba maker, iRobot. While we worry about AI robo-calling, the EU worries that self-Hooverers who can’t suck up to shoppers online will unleash an army of humans to sell superficial cyborg suckers door-to-door. As I laughed my ass off, I started thinking about LMAs.
Back when our best media was over-the-air TV, the smart people we elected and entrusted to protect us from harm thought people who can schedule episodic strings of Gilligan’s Island reruns could adle children’s minds with endlessly sequential banality. Worse, they worried that, unfettered, a local TV news programs could produce a segment about a pack of feral dogs that arranged garbage into a living space that looked suspiciously like a nativity scene and get people questioning religion.
So, the FCC took a hardline on hookups. They didn’t...
- 2/15/2024
- by Charles Benaiah
- The Desk
Sherwood Schwartz's 1963 sitcom "Gilligan's Island" was a high-concept series that, thanks to the gods of syndication, remained in the public consciousness for decades after it went off the air. The show's impeccable theme song, written by Schwartz and George Wyle, may be the best theme in television history, as it handily explains the premise using a hummable sea shanty: five tourists boarded the S.S. Minnow -- manned by Captain Jonas Grumby (Alan Hale) and his first mate Gilligan (Bob Denver) -- for a three-hour tour off the coast of Honolulu. When the tiny ship hit some bad weather, the seven characters landed on a desert island, stranded. The series followed their merry attempts to survive.
"Gilligan's Island" ran for 98 episodes, ending its initial run in 1967, but reruns continued to air well into the 1990s. Yes, there was a time when "Gilligan's Island" was a reliable TV staple, occupying...
"Gilligan's Island" ran for 98 episodes, ending its initial run in 1967, but reruns continued to air well into the 1990s. Yes, there was a time when "Gilligan's Island" was a reliable TV staple, occupying...
- 2/8/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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
The "Twilight Zone" episode "The Midnight Sun" took place on an Earth that had fallen out of its orbit and was drifting very slowly closer and closer toward the sun. The episode was an exploration of humanity during its waning hours, as seen through the eyes of Norma (Lois Nettleton), a painter who tried desperately to hang on to water and stay cool as temperatures rose and rose. Norma's only recourse is to paint the fires she sees out the window and the burning, growing sun in the sky. Eventually, her neighbor breaks down and implores Norma to paint something cool and refreshing, like a waterfall. The episode ends with Norma being overwhelmed by the heat and her neighbor dying of heat stroke.
There is a twist, of course. Norma wakes up in bed, having dreamed the entire episode. It's revealed that the Earth is, in fact, drifting away from...
There is a twist, of course. Norma wakes up in bed, having dreamed the entire episode. It's revealed that the Earth is, in fact, drifting away from...
- 1/13/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Tina Fey is adapting 1981 comedy “The Four Seasons” for Netflix.
The “Mean Girls” screenwriter is co-creating and starring in a TV version of the film, which reunites her with “30 Rock” collaborators Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield.
The original “The Four Seasons” was written and directed by Alan Alda, produced by Martin Bregman, and starred Alda and Carol Burnett. The film followed a couple (Alda and Burnett) who vacation with their friends and get entangled in a comedy of errors. Alda was a recurring guest star on Fey’s “30 Rock.”
Universal Television is set to produce the Netflix series, which goes into production later this year. Fey previously collaborated with Universal Television and Netflix for “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Girls5Eva,” whose third season will debut on Netflix March 14.
Fey’s “The Four Seasons” co-creator Fisher previously co-created “Never Have I Ever,” which ran for four seasons on Netflix. Wigfield...
The “Mean Girls” screenwriter is co-creating and starring in a TV version of the film, which reunites her with “30 Rock” collaborators Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield.
The original “The Four Seasons” was written and directed by Alan Alda, produced by Martin Bregman, and starred Alda and Carol Burnett. The film followed a couple (Alda and Burnett) who vacation with their friends and get entangled in a comedy of errors. Alda was a recurring guest star on Fey’s “30 Rock.”
Universal Television is set to produce the Netflix series, which goes into production later this year. Fey previously collaborated with Universal Television and Netflix for “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Girls5Eva,” whose third season will debut on Netflix March 14.
Fey’s “The Four Seasons” co-creator Fisher previously co-created “Never Have I Ever,” which ran for four seasons on Netflix. Wigfield...
- 1/9/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Gilligan's Island is such a beloved and iconic show that it feels almost omnipresent in our culture. Sure, it didn't run for multiple seasons or anything like that, but the name has lived on for decades and continued to seep its way into various new movies and TV shows alike. The original series ran in the mid-60s, from 1964 to 1967, and has been revived multiple times over the years in the form of TV movies, spin-offs, and reunions. People love Gilligan's Island, but it seems as though there's a TV show that people love just a bit more. A show that both audiences and executives were willing to give Gilligan's Island up for! What show is that? The multi-decade-spanning Gunsmoke, that's what! Are you surprised? Probably not.
- 12/16/2023
- by Samuel Williamson
- Collider.com
Iggy Pop brought Tom Waits out of hiding on the latest episode of his BBC Radio program, The Confidential Show. Over the course of two hours, the two gravelly-voiced rockers shared stories and took turns spinning records by the likes of Alex Chilton, Captain Beefheart, Jerry Lee Lewis, and C.W. Stoneking.
Other more contemporary song selections included Lil Mama’s “Lip Gloss,” Beastie Boys’ “So What’cha Want” and Frank Ocean’s cover of “Moon River,” all of which were chosen by Waits.
Lil Mama’s 2007 single “Lip Glass” “became a favorite of mine recently,” Waits explained. After the song concluded, Waits and Pop humorously recited the chorus themselves.
In introducing Beastie Boys, Waits remarked, “Every time I hear them, they get me off my perch.” As for Frank Ocean’s cover of “Moon River,” Waits said, “It’s a very usual cover and I love what he did with it.
Other more contemporary song selections included Lil Mama’s “Lip Gloss,” Beastie Boys’ “So What’cha Want” and Frank Ocean’s cover of “Moon River,” all of which were chosen by Waits.
Lil Mama’s 2007 single “Lip Glass” “became a favorite of mine recently,” Waits explained. After the song concluded, Waits and Pop humorously recited the chorus themselves.
In introducing Beastie Boys, Waits remarked, “Every time I hear them, they get me off my perch.” As for Frank Ocean’s cover of “Moon River,” Waits said, “It’s a very usual cover and I love what he did with it.
- 12/4/2023
- by Alex Young
- Consequence - Music
Who wouldn’t want to spend the holidays with some of their favorite TV characters? MeTV is making it easy this year with its “A Very Merry MeTV” programming lineup, which includes a selection of very special Thanksgiving and Christmas-themed episodes of classic shows such as The Waltons, The Beverly Hillbillies, Andy Griffith, and more.
The celebration begins on Sunday, Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 25. Check out some of the highlights below, as well as the full schedule.
‘The Waltons’ Thanksgiving episode airs Nov. 22 and 23 A Verry Merry MeTV | MeTV
Celebrate Thanksgiving with one of TV’s most famous fictional families. In 1973, The Waltons aired its only Thanksgiving special, a two-part episode titled “The Thanksgiving Story.” The season 2 episode focuses on John-Boy Walton (Richard Thomas), who suffers a life-threatening head injury that puts his plans for college at risk. Meanwhile, his sister Mary Ellen (Judy Norton) auditions for the Thanksgiving play,...
The celebration begins on Sunday, Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 25. Check out some of the highlights below, as well as the full schedule.
‘The Waltons’ Thanksgiving episode airs Nov. 22 and 23 A Verry Merry MeTV | MeTV
Celebrate Thanksgiving with one of TV’s most famous fictional families. In 1973, The Waltons aired its only Thanksgiving special, a two-part episode titled “The Thanksgiving Story.” The season 2 episode focuses on John-Boy Walton (Richard Thomas), who suffers a life-threatening head injury that puts his plans for college at risk. Meanwhile, his sister Mary Ellen (Judy Norton) auditions for the Thanksgiving play,...
- 11/19/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Remember "Gilligan's Island?" Yes, the widely-loved American sitcom that earned massive popularity throughout its 98-episode run from 1978 to 1982, and featured an ensemble cast including Bob Denver, Natalie Schafer, Alan Hale Jr., and Russell Johnson. The show took the castaway trope and remolded it as a comedy in which seven castaways attempt to survive on an island after they're shipwrecked, which is further complicated by the shenanigans of the ship's first mate, Gilligan (Denver).
Among this cast of colorful characters is the Professor (Johnson) — the only level-headed person among the castaways, who uses his scientific background to create little devices to make their stay on the island more hospitable. While Johnson perfectly conveyed the subtle comedy inherent in his role (a running gag being his ability to create almost anything using bamboo and coconuts), the actor also embodied serious, dramatic roles in "The Twilight Zone," where he appeared in two separate...
Among this cast of colorful characters is the Professor (Johnson) — the only level-headed person among the castaways, who uses his scientific background to create little devices to make their stay on the island more hospitable. While Johnson perfectly conveyed the subtle comedy inherent in his role (a running gag being his ability to create almost anything using bamboo and coconuts), the actor also embodied serious, dramatic roles in "The Twilight Zone," where he appeared in two separate...
- 11/18/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
TV couples up to the 1980s usually focused on married couples or very straightforward romance. Ross and Rachel made "will they, won't they" relationships into a sport. The popularity of Friends made studios think that all sitcoms would benefit from this emotional manipulation, but it's been to the detriment of storytelling in television.
The sitcom is a classic of American television culture, and there's really no more modern classic than the television show Friends. While the show had many iconic aspects, from Chandler Bing, played by the late Matthew Perry, to Central Perk, perhaps the most lasting effect that Friends has had on American television is the relationship between Ross and Rachel. This romance is over the top in a way that many sitcom relationships before it never were. For better or for worse, the now classic relationship reshaped television in some lasting ways.
From the 1940s to the 1960s,...
The sitcom is a classic of American television culture, and there's really no more modern classic than the television show Friends. While the show had many iconic aspects, from Chandler Bing, played by the late Matthew Perry, to Central Perk, perhaps the most lasting effect that Friends has had on American television is the relationship between Ross and Rachel. This romance is over the top in a way that many sitcom relationships before it never were. For better or for worse, the now classic relationship reshaped television in some lasting ways.
From the 1940s to the 1960s,...
- 11/7/2023
- by Danielle Gallotte
- Comic Book Resources
If you love the classics and holiday programming, you won’t want to miss this year’s “A Very Merry MeTV” celebration, and TV Insider can exclusively reveal the schedule. The classic television network embraces the warmth of holiday nostalgia with its annual event, featuring Thanksgiving and holiday-themed episodes from beloved yesteryear TV shows, TV movies, animated treasures, holiday specials, and more. The lineup of over 100 programs begins on Sunday, November 19 at 12/11c and runs through Christmas Day. Check out the full 2023 MeTV holiday season schedule below for “A Very Merry MeTV.” (All times Et/Pt) Sunday, November 19 12:00 p.m. The Brady Bunch, “The Un-Underground Movie” 2:00 p.m. The Beverly Hillbillies, “Turkey Day” 2:30 p.m. The Beverly Hillbillies, “The Thanksgiving Spirit” 3:30 p.m. Gilligan’s Island, “Little Island, Big Gun” 4:00 p.m. Mama’s Family, “An Ill Wind” 5:00 p.m. The ...
- 10/16/2023
- TV Insider
The MeTV+ channel is now available for Frndly TV users, after first being announced as a new addition to the platform last month.
The slimmed-down live TV streaming service Frndly TV got a little bulkier this week. The service announced on social media that it was launching the new MeTV+ channel for all subscribers on Tuesday, Oct. 3, which is a day earlier than originally scheduled.
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Surprise! We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and we’re launching MeTV+ a day early for you! You can already find it live in the Frndly TV guide.
We’re the first streaming service to carry MeTV+, MeTV’s sister channel with even more TV classics you love. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/ZQtnai9BpX
— Frndly TV (@FrndlyTV) October 3, 2023
The addition makes Frndly TV the first live TV platform to carry the MeTV+ network. The streamer already carries its sister channel MeTV,...
The slimmed-down live TV streaming service Frndly TV got a little bulkier this week. The service announced on social media that it was launching the new MeTV+ channel for all subscribers on Tuesday, Oct. 3, which is a day earlier than originally scheduled.
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Surprise! We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and we’re launching MeTV+ a day early for you! You can already find it live in the Frndly TV guide.
We’re the first streaming service to carry MeTV+, MeTV’s sister channel with even more TV classics you love. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/ZQtnai9BpX
— Frndly TV (@FrndlyTV) October 3, 2023
The addition makes Frndly TV the first live TV platform to carry the MeTV+ network. The streamer already carries its sister channel MeTV,...
- 10/3/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Believe it or not, Charlie Kaufman has been in the business for 40 years, so the guy has seen a lot. As it turns out, he is far from pleased with how the industry has developed since the 1980s.
In a new installment of the Zoom workshop Word by Word, which is presented by The Black List, writer/director/Nicolas Cage Charlie Kaufman said (via The Hollywood Reporter), “I think that the business is in a very, very bad place, and it needs to change into something where people who have idiosyncratic voices can make movies because I think we need that, as a society and as a culture. And I think it is a very difficult road for people who are trying to do that.” Still, he added that his words aren’t mean to limit outsiders from coming into the industry but rather pull them in to change the tide.
In a new installment of the Zoom workshop Word by Word, which is presented by The Black List, writer/director/Nicolas Cage Charlie Kaufman said (via The Hollywood Reporter), “I think that the business is in a very, very bad place, and it needs to change into something where people who have idiosyncratic voices can make movies because I think we need that, as a society and as a culture. And I think it is a very difficult road for people who are trying to do that.” Still, he added that his words aren’t mean to limit outsiders from coming into the industry but rather pull them in to change the tide.
- 9/7/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Fans of classic TV sitcoms, sci-fi, and dramas are about to have even friendlier live TV streaming options as the skinny-bundle streaming service Frndly TV announced on Tuesday that it had entered into an agreement that will bring the Weigel Broadcasting Co.’s MeTV+ network to all of the company’s subscribers next month.
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Beginning in October, Frndly will become the first national TV provider to offer this channel, which is currently only available in select local markets. The live streamer already carries the channel’s sibling MeTV network. The spinoff channel will serve as a companion to MeTV, which is one of the country’s most popular networks focusing specifically on classic television from decades gone by. Both the original channel and the new MeTV+ serve as homes for beloved westerns, iconic sitcoms, groundbreaking sci-fi series, and timeless dramas. Every week, MeTV airs...
7-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month frndlytv.com
Beginning in October, Frndly will become the first national TV provider to offer this channel, which is currently only available in select local markets. The live streamer already carries the channel’s sibling MeTV network. The spinoff channel will serve as a companion to MeTV, which is one of the country’s most popular networks focusing specifically on classic television from decades gone by. Both the original channel and the new MeTV+ serve as homes for beloved westerns, iconic sitcoms, groundbreaking sci-fi series, and timeless dramas. Every week, MeTV airs...
- 9/5/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
August isn't especially famous for its great movies. As months go, the eighth one on the calendar has often been a bit of a wasteland for Hollywood, as blockbusters peter off, kids have a lot less free time and money, and studio executives need to find somewhere to dump their proverbial dead bodies.
If you want a good example, you can pretty much throw a dart at any year after "Jaws" popularized the concept of summer blockbuster season. For example, let's take a look at 1993. 30 years ago, August was a month for dreck comedies like "Son of the Pink Panther," family film misfires like "Father Hood" and "Surf Ninjas," and the weird-ass "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday."
But then again, there are exceptions to every rule. There were also a few excellent motion pictures in August 1993. The increasingly timeless classic "The Fugitive" came out that month, along with...
If you want a good example, you can pretty much throw a dart at any year after "Jaws" popularized the concept of summer blockbuster season. For example, let's take a look at 1993. 30 years ago, August was a month for dreck comedies like "Son of the Pink Panther," family film misfires like "Father Hood" and "Surf Ninjas," and the weird-ass "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday."
But then again, there are exceptions to every rule. There were also a few excellent motion pictures in August 1993. The increasingly timeless classic "The Fugitive" came out that month, along with...
- 8/20/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
When thinking about romance, specifically romance in film or TV, most people think of the romantic comedy genre. These "Chick-Flicks" and other traditional depictions of relationships often dominate the idea of romance. However, one of pop culture’s best couples actually came out of the horror genre.
The Addams Family is the satirical inversion of the American Dream version of the ideal nuclear family. From the 1964 sitcom to the '90s film duo to Netflix's Wednesday series, the story follows a family that's a bit odd. It's made up of Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Lurch, Grandmama, Uncle Fester, and Thing, the sentient hand. They're all extraordinarily unique, though many consider them to be strange. Their macabre aesthetics and quirky way of life made The Addams Family a still relevant staple in pop culture.
Related: Wednesday's Christina Ricci Among 2024's Hollywood Walk of Fame Honorees
Morticia and Gomez Addams Revolutionized...
The Addams Family is the satirical inversion of the American Dream version of the ideal nuclear family. From the 1964 sitcom to the '90s film duo to Netflix's Wednesday series, the story follows a family that's a bit odd. It's made up of Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Lurch, Grandmama, Uncle Fester, and Thing, the sentient hand. They're all extraordinarily unique, though many consider them to be strange. Their macabre aesthetics and quirky way of life made The Addams Family a still relevant staple in pop culture.
Related: Wednesday's Christina Ricci Among 2024's Hollywood Walk of Fame Honorees
Morticia and Gomez Addams Revolutionized...
- 8/20/2023
- by Maddie Davis
- Comic Book Resources
Science fiction on film has been around almost as long as cinema itself. Starting in 1895 when the first public showings of motion pictures commenced in France and the United States, and as filmmakers began to realize that they could string scenes together to tell a complete, coherent story, the genres of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy were part of the equation.
Celluloid offered ambitious storytellers the chance to put images on the screen—crude at the time, but still groundbreaking—that had only been glimpsed in the pages of novels, short stories, and later, comic books and pulp magazines. And as filmmaking techniques themselves progressed, and the motion picture industry began to take shape in the early 20th century, visionaries came along with audacious ideas that moved the art form, the technology, and the genres forward well into the new millennium.
Below are 16 such visionaries; men and women who either grew...
Celluloid offered ambitious storytellers the chance to put images on the screen—crude at the time, but still groundbreaking—that had only been glimpsed in the pages of novels, short stories, and later, comic books and pulp magazines. And as filmmaking techniques themselves progressed, and the motion picture industry began to take shape in the early 20th century, visionaries came along with audacious ideas that moved the art form, the technology, and the genres forward well into the new millennium.
Below are 16 such visionaries; men and women who either grew...
- 8/18/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
The Elvira’s Haunted Hills episode of The Black Sheep was Written and Narrated by Andrew Hatfield, Edited by Juan Jimenez, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
It’s always fun to see some of our horror heroes appear outside of their given role as it were. We’ve seen Stephen King appear in tons of his story’s adaptations, but he also showed up in things not associated with him like Sons of Anarchy. Sure, you get athletes that try acting, some that are even successful, but how about our beloved horror hosts? Many of them only stayed on the critique end of the movie spectrum but a couple have made the jump. Joe Bob Briggs appeared in a segment of the recent Scare Package as well as a deleted scene from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 but never got the spotlight in his own feature length film.
It’s always fun to see some of our horror heroes appear outside of their given role as it were. We’ve seen Stephen King appear in tons of his story’s adaptations, but he also showed up in things not associated with him like Sons of Anarchy. Sure, you get athletes that try acting, some that are even successful, but how about our beloved horror hosts? Many of them only stayed on the critique end of the movie spectrum but a couple have made the jump. Joe Bob Briggs appeared in a segment of the recent Scare Package as well as a deleted scene from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 but never got the spotlight in his own feature length film.
- 8/9/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
In the fifth season episode of "The Twilight Zone," called "The Masks", an elderly millionaire named Jason Foster (Robert Keith) has gathered his daughter, her husband, and their two adult children for a Mardi Gras gathering. Jason, attended by his doctor (Willis Bouchey), is dying. He expects he'll be dead by morning. Jason also hates his daughter and her family. He sees Emily (Virginia Gregg) as spineless, her husband Wilfred (Milton Seltzer) as greedy, her son Wilfred, Jr. (Alan Sues) as dumb and oafish, and her daughter Paula (Brooke Hayward) as vain and shallow.
At dinner, the family members all feign politeness, but the audience trusts Jason when he says they are all terrible people who are only interested in inheriting his fortune. After dinner, Jason calls the quartet into the drawing room for a Mardi Gras game. The patriarch has commissioned five expressive, full-face masks that he and his family are to wear.
At dinner, the family members all feign politeness, but the audience trusts Jason when he says they are all terrible people who are only interested in inheriting his fortune. After dinner, Jason calls the quartet into the drawing room for a Mardi Gras game. The patriarch has commissioned five expressive, full-face masks that he and his family are to wear.
- 8/1/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
I have never been a huge fan of Charlotte York Goldenblatt, the Upper East Side princess played by Kristin Davis in Sex and the City. As a New York Jew, I didn’t relate to her Wasp-y country club optimism, nor was I particularly charmed by her wide-eyed pearl-clutching at her friends’ sexual exploits. (Dude, you copped to rimming your first husband over eggs Benedict. We didn’t forget!) I found her grating and prissy and the most unforgivably callous of the four; in the final season, when she exploded...
- 7/20/2023
- by Ej Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
The premise of The Beverly Hillbillies was pretty simple. Jed Clampett and his family left their monetary struggles behind in Missouri and moved to California after Jed shot a hole in the ground and discovered oil. The fish-out-of-water tale delighted fans for years before the series was canceled. It was a well-known fact that the Clampetts were extremely wealthy, but just how rich were they back in the 1960s when the series ran, and what would they be worth today?
How much money did the Clampetts get for Jed’s discovery?
When season 1 of The Beverly Hillbillies opened, Jed Clampett’s fortune was worth $25 million. The series premiered in 1962. When the show ended in 1971, the Clampetts’ wealth had grown exponentially. The family was reportedly worth $100 million when the screen went black.
$25 million in 1962 is equal to over $200 million in today’s money. The $100 million the family closed the series with...
How much money did the Clampetts get for Jed’s discovery?
When season 1 of The Beverly Hillbillies opened, Jed Clampett’s fortune was worth $25 million. The series premiered in 1962. When the show ended in 1971, the Clampetts’ wealth had grown exponentially. The family was reportedly worth $100 million when the screen went black.
$25 million in 1962 is equal to over $200 million in today’s money. The $100 million the family closed the series with...
- 7/19/2023
- by Andrea Francese
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Gilligan’s Island fans likely can’t imagine a scenario in which Mary Ann wasn’t part of the group stranded on a deserted island. Mary Ann, played by Dawn Wells, stole the hearts of fans for all three seasons of the original series and in multiple T.V. movies. Mary Ann, however, was not originally part of the plan and neither was Wells. The character did not appear in the original pilot. Instead, a character named Bunny, rounded out the cast.
Mary Ann was not part of the original ‘Gilligan’s Island’ plot
Dawn Wells was not originally part of the Gilligan’s Island cast but appeared in the second episode. That second episode, “Two on a Raft,” is the episode most people consider the series’s pilot. Still, there was one test pilot filmed before that. In the original pilot, the cast looked a bit different. Namely, Wells was not Mary Ann.
Mary Ann was not part of the original ‘Gilligan’s Island’ plot
Dawn Wells was not originally part of the Gilligan’s Island cast but appeared in the second episode. That second episode, “Two on a Raft,” is the episode most people consider the series’s pilot. Still, there was one test pilot filmed before that. In the original pilot, the cast looked a bit different. Namely, Wells was not Mary Ann.
- 7/12/2023
- by Andrea Francese
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Sometimes inspiration comes from the unlikeliest places. That was the case for Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of Gilligan’s Island. The famed writer and producer pitched the idea for Gilligan’s Island years after he finished his bachelor’s degree at New York University. A prompt given to the renowned producer during his undergraduate journey led to the creation of Gilligan’s Island. Schwartz wasn’t even planning on entering the entertainment business then.
The cast of ‘Gilligan’s Island’ | CBS via Getty Images Related
‘Gilligan’s Island’: The Skipper Filmed Several Season 1 Episodes With a Broken Arm No One Knew About
A public speaking prompt inspired Sherwood Schwartz to develop ‘Gilligan’s Island’
Schwartz pitched the idea for Gilligan’s Island to CBS executives in the 1960s. They were instantly interested in it. The idea was certainly a unique one. In the show, seven people live together on a deserted island after their boat capsizes.
The cast of ‘Gilligan’s Island’ | CBS via Getty Images Related
‘Gilligan’s Island’: The Skipper Filmed Several Season 1 Episodes With a Broken Arm No One Knew About
A public speaking prompt inspired Sherwood Schwartz to develop ‘Gilligan’s Island’
Schwartz pitched the idea for Gilligan’s Island to CBS executives in the 1960s. They were instantly interested in it. The idea was certainly a unique one. In the show, seven people live together on a deserted island after their boat capsizes.
- 5/27/2023
- by Andrea Francese
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the 1960s, TV audiences were engrossed by the tale of a three-hour boat tour that left seven men and women stranded on a deserted island. Gilligan’s Island ran for just three seasons but has remained a fixture in pop culture. Getting the show filmed and to audiences was a challenging task, and injuries happened. In fact, the actor who played the famed Skipper that Gilligan’s Island fans loved worked through a broken arm. Alan Hale Jr., the actor who played Jonas ‘The Skipper’ Grumby, was just as tough as the character he played. During the final weeks of filming season 1 of the show, Hale reportedly broke his arm but didn’t bother to tell anyone. He just kept on filming.
Alan Hale Jr as Jonas ‘The Skipper’ Grumby | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images Related
Why Did Jerry Van Dyke Pass Up The Chance To Be on ‘Gilligan’s Island’?
Alan Hale Jr.
Alan Hale Jr as Jonas ‘The Skipper’ Grumby | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images Related
Why Did Jerry Van Dyke Pass Up The Chance To Be on ‘Gilligan’s Island’?
Alan Hale Jr.
- 5/21/2023
- by Andrea Francese
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Gilligan’s Island cast rose to fame thanks to the CBS comedy. Every week, viewers tuned in to watch their favorite seven castaways adjust to island life. While all the cast members were famous, one star received more fan mail than their co-stars.
Gilligan’s Island cast I CBS via Getty Images Who was the ‘Gilligan’s Island’ cast?
In September 1964, Sherwood Schwartz’s TV comedy Gilligan’s Island premiered on CBS. The series about a group of seven different castaways became an instant hit. Each week fans tuned in to see if the group would ever be rescued.
The show’s success can be attributed to the cast, which featured a mix of TV, film, and theater stars. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis star Bon Denver portrayed the clumsy first mate Gilligan. Alan Hale Jr., a former child and theater star, took on the lovable but gruff Skipper role.
Jim Backus...
Gilligan’s Island cast I CBS via Getty Images Who was the ‘Gilligan’s Island’ cast?
In September 1964, Sherwood Schwartz’s TV comedy Gilligan’s Island premiered on CBS. The series about a group of seven different castaways became an instant hit. Each week fans tuned in to see if the group would ever be rescued.
The show’s success can be attributed to the cast, which featured a mix of TV, film, and theater stars. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis star Bon Denver portrayed the clumsy first mate Gilligan. Alan Hale Jr., a former child and theater star, took on the lovable but gruff Skipper role.
Jim Backus...
- 3/25/2023
- by Carol Cassada
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After playing some of the most entertaining characters, some have been wondering where the cast of Gilligan's Island have gone. First airing from 1964 to 1967, the sitcom followed the passengers and crew of the SS Minnow after they were shipwrecked on a tropical island. Although the show was incredibly formulaic with most episodes pertaining to the castaways' attempt to escape the island, the series never failed to warm hearts and make audiences chuckle. Gilligan's Island's cast was a diverse mix of established actors and young stars, and all the main actors were forever known for their roles in the beloved show.
Across its 98-episode run, the lovable castaways usually found their escape attempts accidentally ruined by the bumbling Gilligan, and there were a host of unexpected TV crossover episodes as well. Even after it was canceled following season 3, Gilligan's Island only grew in reputation, and it became a syndication powerhouse...
Across its 98-episode run, the lovable castaways usually found their escape attempts accidentally ruined by the bumbling Gilligan, and there were a host of unexpected TV crossover episodes as well. Even after it was canceled following season 3, Gilligan's Island only grew in reputation, and it became a syndication powerhouse...
- 3/18/2023
- by Dalton Norman
- ScreenRant.com
Ed Fury, a 1951 Mr. Muscle Beach winner who became one of the most successful male physique models of the era before launching a swords & sandal film career that rivaled the genre’s leading man Steve Reeves, has died at his California home. He was 94.
His death on February 24 was announced this week by his wife and family friends. A cause of death has not been specified.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story David Lindley Dies: Session Star And Multi-Instrumentalist With Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan Was 78 Related Story Jay Weston Dies: 'Lady Sings The Blues' Producer Who Gave Al Pacino Broadway Break Was 93
Born Edmund Holovchik in New York on June 6, 1928, Fury began lifting weights as a high school wrestler before moving to Southern California in the late 1940s, where he soon found his place among the Santa Monica Muscle Beach bodybuilding set. He began...
His death on February 24 was announced this week by his wife and family friends. A cause of death has not been specified.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story David Lindley Dies: Session Star And Multi-Instrumentalist With Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan Was 78 Related Story Jay Weston Dies: 'Lady Sings The Blues' Producer Who Gave Al Pacino Broadway Break Was 93
Born Edmund Holovchik in New York on June 6, 1928, Fury began lifting weights as a high school wrestler before moving to Southern California in the late 1940s, where he soon found his place among the Santa Monica Muscle Beach bodybuilding set. He began...
- 3/7/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Ed Fury, the Muscle Beach bodybuilder who starred as the mighty warrior Ursus in three Italian “sword and sandal” epics, has died. He was 94.
Fury died Feb. 24 at his home in Woodland Hills, his wife, Shelly, told The Hollywood Reporter.
In 1953 alone, Fury appeared uncredited in seven films, including Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, Dangerous When Wet, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Island in the Sky and The Eddie Cantor Story.
Later, he showed up in The Country Girl (1954), Athena (1954), Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954), Hell and High Water (1954), Female on the Beach (1955), I Died a Thousand Times (1955), Raw Edge (1956), Bus Stop (1956), South Pacific (1958) and The Wild Women of Wongo (1958).
After he auditioned for Joshua Logan and landed a role on Broadway in the 1954-56 musical Fanny, Italian film producers in the audience visited him backstage and signed him to a contract.
Fury appeared opposite Rod Taylor in the Italian comedy Colossus...
Fury died Feb. 24 at his home in Woodland Hills, his wife, Shelly, told The Hollywood Reporter.
In 1953 alone, Fury appeared uncredited in seven films, including Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, Dangerous When Wet, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Island in the Sky and The Eddie Cantor Story.
Later, he showed up in The Country Girl (1954), Athena (1954), Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954), Hell and High Water (1954), Female on the Beach (1955), I Died a Thousand Times (1955), Raw Edge (1956), Bus Stop (1956), South Pacific (1958) and The Wild Women of Wongo (1958).
After he auditioned for Joshua Logan and landed a role on Broadway in the 1954-56 musical Fanny, Italian film producers in the audience visited him backstage and signed him to a contract.
Fury appeared opposite Rod Taylor in the Italian comedy Colossus...
- 3/7/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Owners of the nearly century-old Radford Studio Center, also known as the CBS Studio Center, have unveiled revamp plans for the storied facility — an estimated $1 billion for modern soundstages, production and support offices, sustainability measures, historic preservation and a transportation infrastructure.
ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global) sold the facility to Hackman Capital Partners and Square Mile Capital Management for $1.85 billion in 2021. Hackman has submitted its upgrade proposal, and if and when approved, the work will run in phases through 2028. The 1.2 million-square-foot site sits on 55 acres and hosts dozens of film and television productions a year as well as being home to CBS News’ Los Angeles bureau, Kcal News and Entertainment Tonight.
The plan proposes adding up to 1 million net square feet.
Los Angeles and other production hubs still face a shortage of studio space. L.A. locations are operating at close to 100% capacity,...
ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global) sold the facility to Hackman Capital Partners and Square Mile Capital Management for $1.85 billion in 2021. Hackman has submitted its upgrade proposal, and if and when approved, the work will run in phases through 2028. The 1.2 million-square-foot site sits on 55 acres and hosts dozens of film and television productions a year as well as being home to CBS News’ Los Angeles bureau, Kcal News and Entertainment Tonight.
The plan proposes adding up to 1 million net square feet.
Los Angeles and other production hubs still face a shortage of studio space. L.A. locations are operating at close to 100% capacity,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Leiji Matsumoto, the Japanese manga and anime creator known for science fiction sagas, TV series like Space Pirate Captain Harlock and music videos for Daft Punk, died of acute heart failure on February 13. He was 85.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story George T. Miller Dies: Director Of 'The Man From Snowy River' And 'The NeverEnding Story II' Was 79 Related Story Gerald Fried Dies: Emmy Winning Composer For 'Roots', 'Star Trek', 'Gilligan's Island' Was 95
His death was announced by his studio, Studio Leijisha.
Among his best-known science fiction sagas were Galaxy Express 999, Queen Emeraldas and Space Battleship Yamato.
In a statement to the BBC, Matsumoto’s daughter and head of the studio, Makiko Matsumoto, said her father “set out on a journey to the sea of stars. I think he lived a happy life, thinking about continuing to...
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story George T. Miller Dies: Director Of 'The Man From Snowy River' And 'The NeverEnding Story II' Was 79 Related Story Gerald Fried Dies: Emmy Winning Composer For 'Roots', 'Star Trek', 'Gilligan's Island' Was 95
His death was announced by his studio, Studio Leijisha.
Among his best-known science fiction sagas were Galaxy Express 999, Queen Emeraldas and Space Battleship Yamato.
In a statement to the BBC, Matsumoto’s daughter and head of the studio, Makiko Matsumoto, said her father “set out on a journey to the sea of stars. I think he lived a happy life, thinking about continuing to...
- 2/20/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Gerald Fried, the Oscar-nominated composer known for scoring the original Star Trek series and Roots, has died at the age of 95.
Fried died on Friday, February 17th, of pneumonia, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The New York City native scored a number of early Star Trek episodes beginning in 1966. Most notably, he composed the music for the season two episode “Amok Time,” which soundtracked the battle between William Shatner’s Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock. The music from “Amok Time” was featured on several subsequent episodes of Star Trek, as well as on The Simpsons and Futurama and in the movie The Cable Guy.
In 1977, after original composer Quincy Jones suffered from writers block, Fried was brought on to compose music for the ABC miniseries Roots. He ended up composing the theme song, as well as the underscores for several episodes. For his efforts, Fried was awarded a Primetime Emmy Award.
Fried died on Friday, February 17th, of pneumonia, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The New York City native scored a number of early Star Trek episodes beginning in 1966. Most notably, he composed the music for the season two episode “Amok Time,” which soundtracked the battle between William Shatner’s Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock. The music from “Amok Time” was featured on several subsequent episodes of Star Trek, as well as on The Simpsons and Futurama and in the movie The Cable Guy.
In 1977, after original composer Quincy Jones suffered from writers block, Fried was brought on to compose music for the ABC miniseries Roots. He ended up composing the theme song, as well as the underscores for several episodes. For his efforts, Fried was awarded a Primetime Emmy Award.
- 2/19/2023
- by Alex Young
- Consequence - Music
Gerald Fried, the Oscar-nominated, oboe-playing composer who created iconic gladiatorial fight music for the original Star Trek series and collaborated with Quincy Jones to win an Emmy for their theme to the landmark miniseries Roots, has died. He was 95.
Fried died Friday of pneumonia at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut, his wife, Anita Hall, told The Hollywood Reporter.
After meeting Stanley Kubrick on a baseball field in the Bronx in the early 1950s, Fried wound up scoring the filmmaker’s first four features: Fear and Desire (1953), Killer’s Kiss (1955), The Killing (1956) and Paths of Glory (1957).
Fried also supplied the music for such cult Roger Corman classics as Machine-Gun Kelly (1958), The Cry Baby Killer (1958) and I Mobster (1959). He also worked with directors Larry Peerce on One Potato Two Potato (1964) and The Bell Jar (1979), as well as with Robert Aldrich on The Killing of Sister George (1968), What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?...
Fried died Friday of pneumonia at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut, his wife, Anita Hall, told The Hollywood Reporter.
After meeting Stanley Kubrick on a baseball field in the Bronx in the early 1950s, Fried wound up scoring the filmmaker’s first four features: Fear and Desire (1953), Killer’s Kiss (1955), The Killing (1956) and Paths of Glory (1957).
Fried also supplied the music for such cult Roger Corman classics as Machine-Gun Kelly (1958), The Cry Baby Killer (1958) and I Mobster (1959). He also worked with directors Larry Peerce on One Potato Two Potato (1964) and The Bell Jar (1979), as well as with Robert Aldrich on The Killing of Sister George (1968), What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?...
- 2/18/2023
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After a decades-long career in television — and nearly a century on this planet — composer Gerald Fried has died at age 95. Fried died of pneumonia on Friday, February 17, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut, according to Variety. After getting his start in the early 1950s, Fried scored some 40 films, episodes of 40 TV shows, and three dozen TV movies and miniseries. Fried earned an Emmy Award in 1977 for his music composition for the landmark TV miniseries Roots, 10 hours of which he scored after Quincy Jones provided music for the first two hours. His other TV work includes music for Gilligan’s Island, Mission: Impossible, Lost in Space, Gunsmoke, and Dynasty. Fried also scored five episodes of the original Star Trek TV series, and his music for the episode “Amok Time” has turned up everywhere from The Simpsons to The Cable Guy. In a 2013 interview with StarTrek.com, Fried said he was “shocked,...
- 2/18/2023
- TV Insider
After a decades-long career in television — and nearly a century on this planet — composer Gerald Fried has died at age 95. Fried died of pneumonia on Friday, February 17, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut, according to Variety. After getting his start in the early 1950s, Fried scored some 40 films, episodes of 40 TV shows, and three dozen TV movies and miniseries, the publication adds. Fried earned an Emmy Award in 1977 for his music composition for the landmark TV miniseries Roots, 10 hours of which he scored after Quincy Jones provided music for the first two hours. His other TV work includes music for Gilligan’s Island, Mission: Impossible, Lost in Space, Gunsmoke, and Dynasty. Fried also scored five episodes of the original Star Trek TV series, and his music for the episode “Amok Time” has turned up everywhere from The Simpsons to The Cable Guy. In a 2013 interview with StarTrek.com, Fried said he was “shocked,...
- 2/18/2023
- TV Insider
Gerald Fried, a composer for some of television’s biggest moments in the 1960s, died Friday at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Ct of pneumonia at age 95.
Fried won an Emmy for the miniseries Roots, rescuing the project when Quincy Jones missed several deadlines.
His career included scoring five early Stanley Kubrick films, including “Paths of Glory” and “The Killing” and received the only Oscar nomination ever given for a documentary score, 1975’s “Birds Do It, Bees Do It.” Fried earned five other Emmy nominations during his long career.
Fried was a go-to composer in his time. His resume includes providing music for episodes of Star Trek, Gilligan’s Island, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ben Casey, Mission: Impossible, Lost in Space, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Mannix, Police Woman and “Dynasty.
He also composed the themes to the 1950s western Shotgun Slade, the sitcom It’s About Time, and the nighttime soap,...
Fried won an Emmy for the miniseries Roots, rescuing the project when Quincy Jones missed several deadlines.
His career included scoring five early Stanley Kubrick films, including “Paths of Glory” and “The Killing” and received the only Oscar nomination ever given for a documentary score, 1975’s “Birds Do It, Bees Do It.” Fried earned five other Emmy nominations during his long career.
Fried was a go-to composer in his time. His resume includes providing music for episodes of Star Trek, Gilligan’s Island, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ben Casey, Mission: Impossible, Lost in Space, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Mannix, Police Woman and “Dynasty.
He also composed the themes to the 1950s western Shotgun Slade, the sitcom It’s About Time, and the nighttime soap,...
- 2/18/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Composer Gerald Fried, who won an Emmy for the landmark miniseries “Roots” and whose 1960s scores, from “Star Trek” to “Gilligan’s Island,” left an indelible impression on a generation of TV watchers, died of pneumonia Friday at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Ct. He was 95.
His wide-ranging career included scoring five early Stanley Kubrick films, including “Paths of Glory” and “The Killing”; receiving the only Oscar nomination ever given for a documentary score, 1975’s “Birds Do It, Bees Do It”; and earning five other Emmy nominations for music in specials, TV movies and miniseries.
The prolific Fried scored approximately 40 films, some three dozen TV-movies and miniseries, and episodes of another 40 TV series during a career that spanned more than six decades.
Among his most famous TV series music was from the original “Star Trek.” He scored five episodes of the series, most famously the Spock-in-heat episode “Amok Time,” which...
His wide-ranging career included scoring five early Stanley Kubrick films, including “Paths of Glory” and “The Killing”; receiving the only Oscar nomination ever given for a documentary score, 1975’s “Birds Do It, Bees Do It”; and earning five other Emmy nominations for music in specials, TV movies and miniseries.
The prolific Fried scored approximately 40 films, some three dozen TV-movies and miniseries, and episodes of another 40 TV series during a career that spanned more than six decades.
Among his most famous TV series music was from the original “Star Trek.” He scored five episodes of the series, most famously the Spock-in-heat episode “Amok Time,” which...
- 2/18/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
The classic TV series Gilligan’s Island featured an all-star cast. Actors from different backgrounds portrayed the seven castaways. However, if things had worked out differently, one actor would’ve pursued a medical career instead of acting.
Gilligan’s Island cast members Dawn Wells, Alan Hale Jr, and Bob Denver I CBS via Getty Images ‘Gilligan’s Island’ cast member Dawn Wells almost became a doctor
Dawn Wells’ big break came when she was cast as Mary Ann Summers on Gilligan’s Island. Wells’ rose to fame began on the beauty pageant circuit. She was crowned Miss Nevada in 1959 and competed in the Miss America 1960 pageant.
Like many beauty pageant queens, Wells decided to pursue a career in acting. In 1960, she made her acting debut in the drama series The Roaring 20s. Her other credits included minor roles on the TV shows Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip, and Bonanza.
Dawn Wells! #MeTVInvaders! pic.twitter.com...
Gilligan’s Island cast members Dawn Wells, Alan Hale Jr, and Bob Denver I CBS via Getty Images ‘Gilligan’s Island’ cast member Dawn Wells almost became a doctor
Dawn Wells’ big break came when she was cast as Mary Ann Summers on Gilligan’s Island. Wells’ rose to fame began on the beauty pageant circuit. She was crowned Miss Nevada in 1959 and competed in the Miss America 1960 pageant.
Like many beauty pageant queens, Wells decided to pursue a career in acting. In 1960, she made her acting debut in the drama series The Roaring 20s. Her other credits included minor roles on the TV shows Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip, and Bonanza.
Dawn Wells! #MeTVInvaders! pic.twitter.com...
- 2/18/2023
- by Carol Cassada
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It sometimes feels like "Cast Away" doesn't get as much love as it deserves. It's certainly well-regarded by both critics and audiences, but it almost seems a bit forgotten. Yes, it still airs on cable pretty regularly, but it's not a film that comes up in day-to-day cinema conversation often. After all, when people talk about the best Tom Hanks movies and performances, they tend to go right to films like "Philadelphia," "Saving Private Ryan," and "Forrest Gump," when the best performance of his career may very well have been as Chuck Noland in "Cast Away." Considering the fact he spends most of the movie completely isolated, and his primary scene partner is a volleyball, the movie is a testament to his star power and acting talent.
And as great as Hanks was in the film, and as satisfying (and wildly successful) a film as "Cast Away" wound up being,...
And as great as Hanks was in the film, and as satisfying (and wildly successful) a film as "Cast Away" wound up being,...
- 2/18/2023
- by Jeff Kelly
- Slash Film
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