Big screen Westerns might've been falling out of favor at the U.S. box office in 1965 (thus paving the way for Spaghetti Westerns to become a surprise sensation when Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy rode into movie theaters throughout the course of 1967), but television Westerns were still swaggering their way to strong ratings thanks to "Bonanza," "Gunsmoke," and the hybrid Western/spy/sci-fi series "The Wild Wild West." And with "Rawhide" finally drawing to a close that year (thereby allowing its star Clint Eastwood to become a modern Western star), there was suddenly room for a new, sudsy, ranch-bound saga about scheming landowners and warring heirs.
"The Big Valley" whooped it up for a solid four-season run, running out of steam in 1969 at around the same moment the television Westerns began going the way of classical big screen oaters. Until then, viewers were hooked on the doings at the Barkley Ranch,...
"The Big Valley" whooped it up for a solid four-season run, running out of steam in 1969 at around the same moment the television Westerns began going the way of classical big screen oaters. Until then, viewers were hooked on the doings at the Barkley Ranch,...
- 10/24/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Jeannie Epper, the peerless, fearless stunt performer who doubled for Lynda Carter on Wonder Woman and swung on a vine across a 350-foot gorge and propelled down an epic mudslide as Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone, has died. She was 83.
Epper died Sunday night of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, her family told The Hollywood Reporter.
Just one member of a dynasty of stunt performers that Steven Spielberg dubbed the “Flying Wallendas of Film” — starting with her father, John Epper, there have been four generations of Eppers in show business since the 1930s — she worked on 150-plus films and TV shows during an astounding 70-year career.
In 2007, Epper received the first lifetime achievement honor given to a woman at the World Taurus Awards and ranks among the greatest stuntwomen of all time.
Known for her agility, horse-riding skills and competitiveness, the 5-foot-9 Epper also stepped in...
Epper died Sunday night of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, her family told The Hollywood Reporter.
Just one member of a dynasty of stunt performers that Steven Spielberg dubbed the “Flying Wallendas of Film” — starting with her father, John Epper, there have been four generations of Eppers in show business since the 1930s — she worked on 150-plus films and TV shows during an astounding 70-year career.
In 2007, Epper received the first lifetime achievement honor given to a woman at the World Taurus Awards and ranks among the greatest stuntwomen of all time.
Known for her agility, horse-riding skills and competitiveness, the 5-foot-9 Epper also stepped in...
- 5/6/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
10. Cheyenne (1955–1963)
Oh, Cheyenne! If we were to name every “first-ever” this TV show became back in the day, we’d sit here all day.
But it’s better to spend this time on the road with Cheyenne Bodie — the nomadic gunslinger who’s always on the road, looking for jobs that pay, villains that are asking for it, and women that are oh so charming.
9. The Wild Wild West (1965–1969)
Everyone and their grandmother loves spy shows. But how about espionage in the Wild Wild West? Enter James West and Artemus Gordon, two secret service agents working for the Old West government to foil many a villain’s plans to undermine that part of the US. There’s a lot of West in the previous sentence, but give it a west.
8. Wagon Train (1957–1965)
If your friends don’t believe that Westerns largely influenced sci-fi, show them Wagon Train. Following a notoriously...
Oh, Cheyenne! If we were to name every “first-ever” this TV show became back in the day, we’d sit here all day.
But it’s better to spend this time on the road with Cheyenne Bodie — the nomadic gunslinger who’s always on the road, looking for jobs that pay, villains that are asking for it, and women that are oh so charming.
9. The Wild Wild West (1965–1969)
Everyone and their grandmother loves spy shows. But how about espionage in the Wild Wild West? Enter James West and Artemus Gordon, two secret service agents working for the Old West government to foil many a villain’s plans to undermine that part of the US. There’s a lot of West in the previous sentence, but give it a west.
8. Wagon Train (1957–1965)
If your friends don’t believe that Westerns largely influenced sci-fi, show them Wagon Train. Following a notoriously...
- 5/2/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
Lynn Loring, who appeared as a young actress on Search for Tomorrow, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and The F.B.I. before becoming one of the highest-ranking female executives in Hollywood at the time, has died. She was 80.
Loring died Dec. 23 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center after a series of chronic illnesses, her son, Chris Thinnes, told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family chose not to make public her death until now.
Loring also acted in a few movies, including Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961), Pressure Point (1962) and, alongside then-husband Roy Thinnes, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969).
When she was 7, Loring joined the new CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow in September 1951 for the first of its 35 seasons. She would portray Patti Barron, daughter of Mary Stuart’s Joanne Gardner, for a decade until she graduated from the Calhoun School for Girls and entered Barnard College...
Loring died Dec. 23 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center after a series of chronic illnesses, her son, Chris Thinnes, told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family chose not to make public her death until now.
Loring also acted in a few movies, including Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961), Pressure Point (1962) and, alongside then-husband Roy Thinnes, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969).
When she was 7, Loring joined the new CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow in September 1951 for the first of its 35 seasons. She would portray Patti Barron, daughter of Mary Stuart’s Joanne Gardner, for a decade until she graduated from the Calhoun School for Girls and entered Barnard College...
- 4/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ron Harper, who starred on Planet of the Apes and four other short-lived primetime series and on the final season of the beloved kids TV show Land of the Lost during a very busy 15 years on television, has died. He was 91.
Harper died Thursday of natural causes at his home in West Hills, his daughter, Nicole Longeuay, told The Hollywood Reporter.
After understudying for Paul Newman on Broadway, Harper portrayed Det. Bert Kling alongside Norman Fell, Robert Lansing, Gregory Walcott and Gena Rowlands on the 1961-62 NBC cop show 87th Precinct, based on the novels of Ed McBain.
He played Jeff Conway, the husband of Connie Stevens’ character, on the 1964-65 ABC sitcom Wendy and Me, also starring George Burns, who produced the show and appeared as the owner of the apartment building in which the young couple lives.
Next up for Harper were turns as the son of Jean Arthur...
Harper died Thursday of natural causes at his home in West Hills, his daughter, Nicole Longeuay, told The Hollywood Reporter.
After understudying for Paul Newman on Broadway, Harper portrayed Det. Bert Kling alongside Norman Fell, Robert Lansing, Gregory Walcott and Gena Rowlands on the 1961-62 NBC cop show 87th Precinct, based on the novels of Ed McBain.
He played Jeff Conway, the husband of Connie Stevens’ character, on the 1964-65 ABC sitcom Wendy and Me, also starring George Burns, who produced the show and appeared as the owner of the apartment building in which the young couple lives.
Next up for Harper were turns as the son of Jean Arthur...
- 3/25/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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It's been nearly 60 years since Julie Andrews first sang about how the hills of Austria were alive with the sound of music, but "The Sound of Music" remains a beloved cinematic treasure. Vividly colorful, unabashedly musical, and anchored by Andrews' performance, the story of Maria the would-be nun, and her small army of new wards — the Von Trapp children — is still rewatched and referenced often across the world.
With more than half a century of retrospect, "The Sound of Music" has also become a bit of a historical document: much of the film's cast and crew has since passed away, with the exception of Andrews herself and five of the seven actors who embodied the Von Trapp kids. Heather Menzies (Louisa) and Charmian Carr (Liesl) have both passed away in recent years, as has Christopher Plummer, who embodied family patriarch...
It's been nearly 60 years since Julie Andrews first sang about how the hills of Austria were alive with the sound of music, but "The Sound of Music" remains a beloved cinematic treasure. Vividly colorful, unabashedly musical, and anchored by Andrews' performance, the story of Maria the would-be nun, and her small army of new wards — the Von Trapp children — is still rewatched and referenced often across the world.
With more than half a century of retrospect, "The Sound of Music" has also become a bit of a historical document: much of the film's cast and crew has since passed away, with the exception of Andrews herself and five of the seven actors who embodied the Von Trapp kids. Heather Menzies (Louisa) and Charmian Carr (Liesl) have both passed away in recent years, as has Christopher Plummer, who embodied family patriarch...
- 1/13/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
When we talk about classic TV shows from the '70s, it's hard not to mention "The Six Million Dollar Man." Airing for five seasons on ABC, the show focuses on astronaut Steve Austin who is gravely injured in a spaceship crash. He then undergoes a government surgery that replaces his body parts with machine parts, making him part man, part cyborg. With the new powers afforded him by these upgrades, Steve goes to work for the Office of Scientific Information, battling evil forces.
The show ran for 99 episodes and inspired six TV movies. Mark Wahlberg has even been attached to star in a big-screen adaptation of the show for years now, with the project stalling out at various points. But Lee Majors was the man responsible for originally bringing the character to life. 50 years removed from the show's premiere on network television, Majors and several other of the show's...
The show ran for 99 episodes and inspired six TV movies. Mark Wahlberg has even been attached to star in a big-screen adaptation of the show for years now, with the project stalling out at various points. But Lee Majors was the man responsible for originally bringing the character to life. 50 years removed from the show's premiere on network television, Majors and several other of the show's...
- 12/11/2023
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
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
While Lee Majors made plenty of movies, he achieved his greatest success as a TV star, starring in a number of long-running series, including The Big Valley, The Virginian, and The Six Million Dollar Man. But while everyone seems to remember the famous lines from The Six Million Dollar Man’s opening, At a fan event a few years ago Majors said it was actually his follow-up series, The Fall Guy, that remains his favorite. (Click on the media bar below to hear Lee Majors) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Lee_Majors_The_Fall_Guy_.mp3
The Fall Guy is currently streaming on Prime Video and available on DVD.
The post Why Lee Majors Really Fell For ‘Fall Guy’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The Fall Guy is currently streaming on Prime Video and available on DVD.
The post Why Lee Majors Really Fell For ‘Fall Guy’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 7/21/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
She was one of the hardest working, most versatile actresses of the Golden Era of Hollywood, lauded by directors, costars and crew members for her professionalism and pleasant demeanor. During a time when most actors were typecasts, her most famous roles included a range of characters from society lady to sassy con artist, working class girl to helpless invalid and from heartbroken mother to one of the most infamous femme fatales of film noir.
Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Catherine Stevens on July 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, NY. Orphaned very young, Ruby dropped out of school at the age of 14, starting a series of odd jobs, eventually working for the telephone company. However, she had big dreams, and was soon a chorus girl in several shows, including the Ziegfeld Follies. In 1926, she had a part in the moderately successful play “The Noose,” and decided to change her name – “Barbara” was the name of her character,...
Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Catherine Stevens on July 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, NY. Orphaned very young, Ruby dropped out of school at the age of 14, starting a series of odd jobs, eventually working for the telephone company. However, she had big dreams, and was soon a chorus girl in several shows, including the Ziegfeld Follies. In 1926, she had a part in the moderately successful play “The Noose,” and decided to change her name – “Barbara” was the name of her character,...
- 7/8/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Misty Holland and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
It’s 7:30 a.m. on a sunny May morning in Rome on a side street outside the studios of Italian state broadcaster Rai. A live audience standing behind metal fencing is watching a lithe group of nuns, one with a mustache, who slowly creep out from a row of white closet doors.
They start dancing, hugging and pirouetting to a ballad belted out by a young Tuscan pop singer. Then the dancers, dressed in Catholic sisters garb, begin playing basketball.
Welcome to “Viva Rai 2!,” Italy’s answer to America’s morning shows. It’s a local ratings phenomenon conceived and conducted by volcanic Sicilian megastar Rosario Fiorello, who is breathing new life into Italian television at a time when doomsayers are sounding the death knell of public TV around the world.
Every morning on weekdays, when “Viva Rai 2!” airs on the pubcaster’s Rai 2 station, ratings soar...
They start dancing, hugging and pirouetting to a ballad belted out by a young Tuscan pop singer. Then the dancers, dressed in Catholic sisters garb, begin playing basketball.
Welcome to “Viva Rai 2!,” Italy’s answer to America’s morning shows. It’s a local ratings phenomenon conceived and conducted by volcanic Sicilian megastar Rosario Fiorello, who is breathing new life into Italian television at a time when doomsayers are sounding the death knell of public TV around the world.
Every morning on weekdays, when “Viva Rai 2!” airs on the pubcaster’s Rai 2 station, ratings soar...
- 5/11/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood has seen success with reviving popular films and TV shows rather than inventing new ideas. One 1960s TV Western ripe for a reboot, The Big Valley, was set to be remade as a feature-length film. Some parts had already been cast, including A-list actors. However, the director landed in hot water over previous indiscretions, and the movie never began shooting. Here’s what happened to the failed Big Valley reboot.
‘The Big Valley’ reboot had big names lined up ‘The Big Valley’ TV show cast portrait | Bettmann via Getty Images
A theatrical reboot of The Big Valley was proposed in 2010. Susan Sarandon was first considered for the lead role. Jessica Lange was also considered for the part. Other actors slated for the cast were Ryan Phillippe, Richard Dreyfuss, and Bruce Dern. It was to be remade as an indie feature by filmmakers Daniel Adams and Kate Edelman Johnson, MeTV reported.
‘The Big Valley’ reboot had big names lined up ‘The Big Valley’ TV show cast portrait | Bettmann via Getty Images
A theatrical reboot of The Big Valley was proposed in 2010. Susan Sarandon was first considered for the lead role. Jessica Lange was also considered for the part. Other actors slated for the cast were Ryan Phillippe, Richard Dreyfuss, and Bruce Dern. It was to be remade as an indie feature by filmmakers Daniel Adams and Kate Edelman Johnson, MeTV reported.
- 4/18/2023
- by Angela Ward
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It’s not uncommon for co-stars to have crushes on each other or even enter relationships. Actors spend long hours on set and tend to get pretty close to those they work with. This happened to Lee Majors and Linda Evans, who both starred in The Big Valley. Their characters may have had a brother-sister bond, but Majors and Evans briefly dated in real life.
What was the plot of ‘The Big Valley’?
Running from 1965-1969, The Big Valley was a popular Western. According to IMDb, the series followed the lives of the Barkley family, who resided in Stockton, California, on the Barkley Ranch. Victoria Barkley is the family matriarch, and she has two sons, Jarrod and Nick, and her daughter Audra.
Victoria’s husband, Thomas, died six years before the show’s beginning but is often mentioned, and the family is one of the wealthiest in town. They are...
What was the plot of ‘The Big Valley’?
Running from 1965-1969, The Big Valley was a popular Western. According to IMDb, the series followed the lives of the Barkley family, who resided in Stockton, California, on the Barkley Ranch. Victoria Barkley is the family matriarch, and she has two sons, Jarrod and Nick, and her daughter Audra.
Victoria’s husband, Thomas, died six years before the show’s beginning but is often mentioned, and the family is one of the wealthiest in town. They are...
- 4/17/2023
- by Lisa Geiger
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
For as long as American media has existed, so too has the allure of a Western. Stories set in the Wild West play an outsized role in the country’s self-mythology, and one of the genre’s favorite tropes is the duel between two opposing gunfighters. These duels often came down to one simple question: who was the fastest in the West? It turns out that few had the reflexes or mental sharpness of Nick Barkley, a character on the show The Big Valley played by Peter Breck.
Breck was one of many actors who learned to fire their weapons accurately in no time. But who was the quickest? It’s a question without a definitive answer.
Peter Breck played the young hothead in ‘The Big Valley’
The Big Valley took place in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The show followed the lives of the Barkley family. They were wealthy owners...
Breck was one of many actors who learned to fire their weapons accurately in no time. But who was the quickest? It’s a question without a definitive answer.
Peter Breck played the young hothead in ‘The Big Valley’
The Big Valley took place in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The show followed the lives of the Barkley family. They were wealthy owners...
- 4/16/2023
- by Sam Hines
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Westerns hold a nostalgic place in television history. Dominating the primetime airwaves, more than 100 original TV Western series aired between 1949 and 1969. Shows such as The Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, and The Rifleman had a faithful following, tuning in each week to witness the fast-paced, gun-slinging, horse-riding action. The Big Valley, starring prominent actors Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Majors, and Linda Evans, ran for four seasons in the mid-’60s. Despite its immense popularity, the TV series ended abruptly. Why was The Big Valley canceled?
‘The Big Valley’ was a big deal ‘The Big Valley’ cast | ABC Photo Archives/Contributor
In 1964, The Big Valley premiered on ABC, becoming one of the first Westerns to showcase a woman as the lead. The controversial move proved popular among viewers, and the series reignited the career of Stanwyck, an iconic big-screen actor. She portrayed the formidable matriarch of the wealthy Barkley family, tasked with running her late husband’s California ranch.
‘The Big Valley’ was a big deal ‘The Big Valley’ cast | ABC Photo Archives/Contributor
In 1964, The Big Valley premiered on ABC, becoming one of the first Westerns to showcase a woman as the lead. The controversial move proved popular among viewers, and the series reignited the career of Stanwyck, an iconic big-screen actor. She portrayed the formidable matriarch of the wealthy Barkley family, tasked with running her late husband’s California ranch.
- 4/16/2023
- by Rita DeMichiel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A beloved Western drama series that ran on TV for five years, The Big Valley is still fondly remembered by many fans of a certain age. With a star-studded cast, including the iconic actor Barbara Stanwyck in a leading role, The Big Valley is often considered a precursor to shows such as Yellowstone.
Even though the show was only on TV for a few years, which isn’t terribly long compared to other Western dramas like Bonanza, the series made an impact. These days, many fans are discovering The Big Valley for the first time and diving deep into the life stories of some of the show’s cast members. That includes Charles Briles, whose tenure on The Big Valley was short but impactful.
What is ‘The Big Valley’ about?
Go outside in the cold? Nahh…we'd rather watch #TheBigValley today at 10a Et. pic.twitter.com/tTWRnCxhi2
— Insp (@insp...
Even though the show was only on TV for a few years, which isn’t terribly long compared to other Western dramas like Bonanza, the series made an impact. These days, many fans are discovering The Big Valley for the first time and diving deep into the life stories of some of the show’s cast members. That includes Charles Briles, whose tenure on The Big Valley was short but impactful.
What is ‘The Big Valley’ about?
Go outside in the cold? Nahh…we'd rather watch #TheBigValley today at 10a Et. pic.twitter.com/tTWRnCxhi2
— Insp (@insp...
- 4/8/2023
- by Christina Nunn
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Big Valley was one of the last prominent TV shows of the Western craze that swept Hollywood for decades. Waning viewer interest in the genre cut the four-season drama short. Yet even with a truncated run, the show launched several Big Valley cast members to stardom and embedded itself in the public consciousness via syndication.
Without The Big Valley, audiences might never have gotten iconic shows like The Six Million Dollar Man. There are actors still working today whose careers benefitted from appearances in the Western series. But are any main cast members from The Big Valley still alive?
The Western series was a big hit in syndication ‘The Big Valley’ cast portrait | Bettmann via Getty Images
The Big Valley was a primetime drama that aired on ABC from Sept. 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969. While each episode wore the traditional Western genre trappings, the plot’s core was the multi-generational family drama of the wealthy Barkleys.
Without The Big Valley, audiences might never have gotten iconic shows like The Six Million Dollar Man. There are actors still working today whose careers benefitted from appearances in the Western series. But are any main cast members from The Big Valley still alive?
The Western series was a big hit in syndication ‘The Big Valley’ cast portrait | Bettmann via Getty Images
The Big Valley was a primetime drama that aired on ABC from Sept. 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969. While each episode wore the traditional Western genre trappings, the plot’s core was the multi-generational family drama of the wealthy Barkleys.
- 3/9/2023
- by Agustin Mojica
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Barbara Stanwyck is an early-Hollywood icon. The actor overcame a challenging childhood to become a performer of remarkable range, equally praised for her work in screwball comedies, Westerns, and film noirs. Unfortunately, the Big Valley star’s personal life was as fraught as some of her more complicated characters, but her artistic legacy made her a wealthy woman and a timeless on-screen presence.
Barbara Stanwyck grew up an orphan and began working as a pre-teen Barbara Stanwyck in ‘The Big Valley’ | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
The youngest of five children, Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Catherine Stevens on Jul. 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York. Tragedy struck early in her life. Her mother, Catherine, died after a drunk passenger pushed her off a moving streetcar in 1911. Two weeks after the funeral, Stanwyck’s father, Byron, left to join a work crew digging the Panama Canal and...
Barbara Stanwyck grew up an orphan and began working as a pre-teen Barbara Stanwyck in ‘The Big Valley’ | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
The youngest of five children, Barbara Stanwyck was born Ruby Catherine Stevens on Jul. 16, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York. Tragedy struck early in her life. Her mother, Catherine, died after a drunk passenger pushed her off a moving streetcar in 1911. Two weeks after the funeral, Stanwyck’s father, Byron, left to join a work crew digging the Panama Canal and...
- 3/8/2023
- by Sam Hines
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Gabrielle Upton, who wrote the screenplay for the classic California surfing movie Gidget, starring Sandra Dee, Cliff Robertson and James Darren, has died. She was 101.
Upton died Sept. 13 in Santa Rosa, California, her daughter, Greer Upton, told The Hollywood Reporter. News of her death had not been reported until now.
A three-time WGA Award nominee, Upton wrote for such network shows as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour/Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ben Casey, Convoy, One Step Beyond, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, The Virginian, The Big Valley and The High Chaparral.
She also worked on several daytime soap operas during her career, including Guiding Light, As the World Turns, Edge of Night, Search for Tomorrow, The Secret Storm and Love of Life.
After Frederick Kohner took a crack at adapting his best-selling 1957 novel Gidget, the Little Girl With Big Ideas for Columbia Pictures’ Gidget (1959), Upton came on and received sole screenplay credit.
Upton died Sept. 13 in Santa Rosa, California, her daughter, Greer Upton, told The Hollywood Reporter. News of her death had not been reported until now.
A three-time WGA Award nominee, Upton wrote for such network shows as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour/Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ben Casey, Convoy, One Step Beyond, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, The Virginian, The Big Valley and The High Chaparral.
She also worked on several daytime soap operas during her career, including Guiding Light, As the World Turns, Edge of Night, Search for Tomorrow, The Secret Storm and Love of Life.
After Frederick Kohner took a crack at adapting his best-selling 1957 novel Gidget, the Little Girl With Big Ideas for Columbia Pictures’ Gidget (1959), Upton came on and received sole screenplay credit.
- 2/24/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dynasty was the quintessential ’80s primetime soap opera. Millions tuned in weekly to see the glitz, the glamour, the backstabbing, and the shoulder pads. ABC aired the series from 1981 to 1989. It was so popular that music icon Prince mentioned it in his song “Kiss.” The lyrics, “You don’t have to watch Dynasty to have an attitude,” were a sign of the times. The nighttime soap earned a Golden Globe nomination yearly from 1981 to 1986, winning in 1983. And in 2017, The CW revived the series with a new cast. So, which original Dynasty cast members are still alive?
‘Dynasty’ delivered nighttime drama to ABC A ‘Dynasty’ cast portrait in 1981 | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Dynasty was ABC’s answer to the CBS megahit Dallas. It revolved around the oil-rich Carrington family and the rival Colbys, IMDb reports.
Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) was the head of the family.
‘Dynasty’ delivered nighttime drama to ABC A ‘Dynasty’ cast portrait in 1981 | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Dynasty was ABC’s answer to the CBS megahit Dallas. It revolved around the oil-rich Carrington family and the rival Colbys, IMDb reports.
Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) was the head of the family.
- 2/14/2023
- by Stacy Feintuch
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
If one were to remove Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film "Seven Samurai" from cinema history, the entire medium would look different. "Seven Samurai" is one of the linchpins in action cinema, codifying the language of an entire genre. Additionally, its premise -- a helpless village is beset by bandits, requiring the starving citizens to hire a small, affordable, and ill-equipped gang of scrappy defenders -- is universally applicable to any genre. A keen observer might see the "Seven Samurai" story repeated frequently across film history; "Galaxy Quest," "A Bug's Life," "Battle Beyond the Stars," "The Invincible Six," and the fourth episode of "The Mandalorian" all repeat Kurosawa's film openly.
The most famous "Seven Samurai" retelling, however, is probably John Sturges' 1960 Western remake "The Magnificent Seven." The story between the "Sevens" is identical, with the samurai replaced by horse-riding cowboy archetypes, played by a cadre of internationally recognized movie stars. Charles Bronson,...
The most famous "Seven Samurai" retelling, however, is probably John Sturges' 1960 Western remake "The Magnificent Seven." The story between the "Sevens" is identical, with the samurai replaced by horse-riding cowboy archetypes, played by a cadre of internationally recognized movie stars. Charles Bronson,...
- 10/13/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
After starring in over 80 features and racking up four Best Actress Oscar nominations, Barbara Stanwyck ended her 35-year film career in 1964. The 57-year-old, who had first ventured into TV acting eight years earlier, only accepted small screen roles from then on and quickly found success on the ABC western “The Big Valley.” In 1983, she appeared on the first installment of the four-part limited series “The Thorn Birds” and was ultimately rewarded with her fifth Emmy nomination and third win.
“The Thorn Birds,” an adaptation of the novel by Colleen McCullough, starred Stanwyck in the role of Mary Carson, a wealthy widow who sets out to ruin the romantic conquests of a much younger man after he scorns her advances. At 76, she was originally the second oldest winner and fourth oldest nominee in the Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress category. Nearly four decades later, she ranks as the 10th oldest contender,...
“The Thorn Birds,” an adaptation of the novel by Colleen McCullough, starred Stanwyck in the role of Mary Carson, a wealthy widow who sets out to ruin the romantic conquests of a much younger man after he scorns her advances. At 76, she was originally the second oldest winner and fourth oldest nominee in the Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress category. Nearly four decades later, she ranks as the 10th oldest contender,...
- 8/25/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
After starring in over 80 features and racking up four Best Actress Oscar nominations, Barbara Stanwyck ended her 35-year film career in 1964. The 57-year-old, who had first ventured into TV acting eight years earlier, only accepted small screen roles from then on and quickly found success on the ABC western “The Big Valley.” In 1983, she appeared on the first installment of the four-part limited series “The Thorn Birds” and was ultimately rewarded with her fifth Emmy nomination and third win.
“The Thorn Birds,” an adaptation of the novel by Colleen McCullough, starred Stanwyck in the role of Mary Carson, a wealthy widow who sets out to ruin the romantic conquests of a much younger man after he scorns her advances. At 76, she was originally the second oldest winner and fourth oldest nominee in the Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress category. Nearly four decades later, she ranks as the 10th oldest contender,...
“The Thorn Birds,” an adaptation of the novel by Colleen McCullough, starred Stanwyck in the role of Mary Carson, a wealthy widow who sets out to ruin the romantic conquests of a much younger man after he scorns her advances. At 76, she was originally the second oldest winner and fourth oldest nominee in the Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress category. Nearly four decades later, she ranks as the 10th oldest contender,...
- 8/25/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
L.Q. Jones, the colorful character actor who worked on dozens of Westerns, including the Sam Peckinpah classics The Wild Bunch and Ride the High Country as a member of the famed filmmaker’s regular posse, has died. He was 94.
Jones died Saturday of natural causes at his home in the Hollywood Hills, his grandson Erté deGarces told The Hollywood Reporter.
Jones portrayed ranch hand Andy Belden on 25 episodes of NBC’s The Virginian over an eight-year span, was one of the bad guys who slipped a noose over Clint Eastwood’s neck in Hang ‘Em High (1968) and played a sheriff on the 1983-84 NBC primetime soap The Yellow Rose, starring Sam Elliott, Cybill Shepherd and Chuck Connors.
The Texas native also portrayed Clark County Commissioner Pat Webb, Robert De Niro’s nemesis, in Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995) and country singer Chuck Akers in...
Jones died Saturday of natural causes at his home in the Hollywood Hills, his grandson Erté deGarces told The Hollywood Reporter.
Jones portrayed ranch hand Andy Belden on 25 episodes of NBC’s The Virginian over an eight-year span, was one of the bad guys who slipped a noose over Clint Eastwood’s neck in Hang ‘Em High (1968) and played a sheriff on the 1983-84 NBC primetime soap The Yellow Rose, starring Sam Elliott, Cybill Shepherd and Chuck Connors.
The Texas native also portrayed Clark County Commissioner Pat Webb, Robert De Niro’s nemesis, in Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995) and country singer Chuck Akers in...
- 7/9/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With nominations for “Mad Men” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” under her belt, Elisabeth Moss is already one of only 10 people to have earned Best Drama Actress Emmy bids for two different shows. Should she now rack up a nom for her newest series, “Shining Girls” from Apple TV+, she will become the first to have done so for three.
Here are the other nine actors who’ve so far been cited for two different titles in drama actress:
1. Connie Britton: “Friday Night Lights” (2010-11) and “Nashville” (2013)
2. Glenn Close: “The Shield” (2005) and “Damages” (won in 2008 and ’09; nominated in 2010 and ’12)
3. Claire Danes: “My So-Called Life” (1995) and “Homeland” (won in 2012 and ’13; nominated from 2014 to ’16)
4. Sharon Gless: “Cagney and Lacey” (nominated from 1983 to ’85 and in ’88; won in 1986 and ’87) and “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill” (1991-92)
5. Susan Hampshire: “The Forsyte Saga” (won in 1970) and “The First Churchills” (won in 1971)
6. Michael...
Here are the other nine actors who’ve so far been cited for two different titles in drama actress:
1. Connie Britton: “Friday Night Lights” (2010-11) and “Nashville” (2013)
2. Glenn Close: “The Shield” (2005) and “Damages” (won in 2008 and ’09; nominated in 2010 and ’12)
3. Claire Danes: “My So-Called Life” (1995) and “Homeland” (won in 2012 and ’13; nominated from 2014 to ’16)
4. Sharon Gless: “Cagney and Lacey” (nominated from 1983 to ’85 and in ’88; won in 1986 and ’87) and “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill” (1991-92)
5. Susan Hampshire: “The Forsyte Saga” (won in 1970) and “The First Churchills” (won in 1971)
6. Michael...
- 5/3/2022
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
Nehemiah Persoff, an actor who went from the uncredited role of a cab driver in On The Waterfront‘s iconic “coulda been a contender” scene to become one of the busiest character actors in television and film for five decades, died Tuesday at a rehabilitation facility in San Luis Obispo, California. He was 102.
Persoff had retired from acting in recent decades after suffering a stroke and other health issues. His death was reported to Deadline by a family friend.
Born in Jerusalem, Palestine, Persoff and his family moved to the United States in 1929, and after serving in the U.S. Army in World War II he relocated to New York to pursue a career in theater. He became a member of the famed Actors Studio in the late 1940s, studying with Elia Kazan, who would pay him a reported 75 to play the silent cab driver in Waterfront.
Persoff was also performing...
Persoff had retired from acting in recent decades after suffering a stroke and other health issues. His death was reported to Deadline by a family friend.
Born in Jerusalem, Palestine, Persoff and his family moved to the United States in 1929, and after serving in the U.S. Army in World War II he relocated to New York to pursue a career in theater. He became a member of the famed Actors Studio in the late 1940s, studying with Elia Kazan, who would pay him a reported 75 to play the silent cab driver in Waterfront.
Persoff was also performing...
- 4/6/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Westerns are populated with cowboys, gunslingers, bandits, Native American, horses, cows and buffalos. But the genre is much more complex than shoot-‘em-ups. In fact, the best Westerns are Shakespearean in nature exploring such universal subjects as love, hate, revenge, greed, power and good versus evil. One of the most popular sub-genres is the “ranch” Western where the patriarch or matriarch — remember Barbara Stanwyck in “The Big Valley”– governs with a strict and often violent hand. They act like they are above the law and often take legal matters into their own hand. They are often widowers or widows and have sons who run the spectrum from hero to villain.
Jane Campion’s highly acclaimed Netflix Oscar-contender “The Power of the Dog” falls into this sub-genre. Set in Montana in 1925, the story revolves around the charismatic but sadistic Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) who relishes being the master of a cattle rancher.
Jane Campion’s highly acclaimed Netflix Oscar-contender “The Power of the Dog” falls into this sub-genre. Set in Montana in 1925, the story revolves around the charismatic but sadistic Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) who relishes being the master of a cattle rancher.
- 1/7/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Juli Reding, an actress known for turns in films including Tormented and Mission in Morocco, along with numerous guest-starring TV appearances, has died. She was 85.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
She died September 16 in Springfield, Mo, according to the Springfield News-Leader.
Reding made more than 20 film and TV appearances between the 1950s and ’80s and was perhaps best known for Tormented, a horror pic from filmmaker and VFX artist Bert I. Gordon. It was featured in the fourth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
In the feature, she portrayed Vi Mason, the former flame of jazz musician Tom Stewart’s (Richard Carlson), who comes back to haunt him after he lets her fall to her death.
Reding signed a contract with Warner Bros. in the 1950s and would appear over the years in motion pictures including The Helen Morgan Story, Cowboy, Darby’s Rangers, Vice Raid,...
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
She died September 16 in Springfield, Mo, according to the Springfield News-Leader.
Reding made more than 20 film and TV appearances between the 1950s and ’80s and was perhaps best known for Tormented, a horror pic from filmmaker and VFX artist Bert I. Gordon. It was featured in the fourth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
In the feature, she portrayed Vi Mason, the former flame of jazz musician Tom Stewart’s (Richard Carlson), who comes back to haunt him after he lets her fall to her death.
Reding signed a contract with Warner Bros. in the 1950s and would appear over the years in motion pictures including The Helen Morgan Story, Cowboy, Darby’s Rangers, Vice Raid,...
- 10/7/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“Ted Lasso,” “The Mandalorian,” “Hacks,” “The Flight Attendant,” “The Crown” and “The Queen’s Gambit” are among the top nominees for the 73rd annual Primetime Awards, which are set for Sept.19 on CBS with Cedric the Entertainer, who stars on the network’s sitcom “The Neighborhood,” set to host. But this is now, but what about the Emmys 60 years ago.
Dick Powell hosted the 13th Emmy Awards which took place at the famed Moulin Rouge Nightclub in Los Angeles on May 16, 1961. There were just three broadcast networks as well as local channels and National Education Television, now known as PBS.
History was made when The Flintstones” became the first animated series to be nominated in a main category: program achievement in the field of humor. It would be nearly 50 years before another animated series, “The Family Guy,” contended for a top award.
Veterans such as Jack Benny and Red Skelton were among the winners,...
Dick Powell hosted the 13th Emmy Awards which took place at the famed Moulin Rouge Nightclub in Los Angeles on May 16, 1961. There were just three broadcast networks as well as local channels and National Education Television, now known as PBS.
History was made when The Flintstones” became the first animated series to be nominated in a main category: program achievement in the field of humor. It would be nearly 50 years before another animated series, “The Family Guy,” contended for a top award.
Veterans such as Jack Benny and Red Skelton were among the winners,...
- 7/15/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
“The Crown” is on track to become the first show since “Cagney & Lacey” in 1985 to win its first Best Drama Series Emmy for its fourth season, but that is not the only Emmy history it could share with the procedural. If Emma Corrin takes Best Drama Actress as widely expected, “The Crown” will join “Cagney & Lacey” as the only shows to win the category for multiple actresses.
“Cagney & Lacey” dominated drama actress in the ’80s and holds the category record with six wins. Tyne Daly won four of them from 1983-85 and in 1988, while her screen partner Sharon Gless bested her in 1986 and ’87. “The Crown” notched its first victory here in 2018 when Claire Foy won for her second and final season on “The Crown” as Queen Elizabeth II.
The Best Drama Actress category as we know it was standardized in 1966, but prior to that, the Emmys awarded lead performances regardless of genre,...
“Cagney & Lacey” dominated drama actress in the ’80s and holds the category record with six wins. Tyne Daly won four of them from 1983-85 and in 1988, while her screen partner Sharon Gless bested her in 1986 and ’87. “The Crown” notched its first victory here in 2018 when Claire Foy won for her second and final season on “The Crown” as Queen Elizabeth II.
The Best Drama Actress category as we know it was standardized in 1966, but prior to that, the Emmys awarded lead performances regardless of genre,...
- 7/7/2021
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Norman S. Powell, the veteran Hollywood producer, director and network executive known for his award-winning documentary “Brothers at War,” has died. He was 86.
Powell’s career in television and film spanned six decades and included work on “24,” “The Big Valley,” “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” and “The Bob Crane Show.” He was the son of Hollywood Golden Age stars Joan Blondell and Dick Powell.
At the time of his death, Powell was writing a memoir and working on a sequel to his Iraq War-set documentary “Brothers at War” with partner Jake Rademacher and executive producers Gary Sinise and Phil Gurin.
After graduating from the Lawrenceville School and Cornell University, Powell started his career working on Westerns like “Wanted Dead or Alive” with Steve McQueen, “Gunsmoke” with James Arness and “The Rifleman” with Chuck Connors.
Powell earned Emmy nominations for producing Season 2 of “24” and “Washington: Behind Closed Doors,...
Powell’s career in television and film spanned six decades and included work on “24,” “The Big Valley,” “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” and “The Bob Crane Show.” He was the son of Hollywood Golden Age stars Joan Blondell and Dick Powell.
At the time of his death, Powell was writing a memoir and working on a sequel to his Iraq War-set documentary “Brothers at War” with partner Jake Rademacher and executive producers Gary Sinise and Phil Gurin.
After graduating from the Lawrenceville School and Cornell University, Powell started his career working on Westerns like “Wanted Dead or Alive” with Steve McQueen, “Gunsmoke” with James Arness and “The Rifleman” with Chuck Connors.
Powell earned Emmy nominations for producing Season 2 of “24” and “Washington: Behind Closed Doors,...
- 6/22/2021
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Daytime-tv vet John Gabriel, who is perhaps best known to soap opera fans from his role as Ryan’s Hope‘s Dr. Seneca Beaulac, has died at age 90.
Gabriel’s daughter, actress Andrea Gabriel (Lost), shared the sad news via Instagram on Sunday. “It is with an unspeakably heavy heart that I share the news of my father’s passing. John Gabriel was my hero, my role model, and my champion, but above all, my daddy…. I will love you forever.”
More from TVLineTVLine Items: Ryan Murphy's Watcher Sets Cast, Atypical Trailer and MoreTVLine Items: General Hospital Exit, Billions...
Gabriel’s daughter, actress Andrea Gabriel (Lost), shared the sad news via Instagram on Sunday. “It is with an unspeakably heavy heart that I share the news of my father’s passing. John Gabriel was my hero, my role model, and my champion, but above all, my daddy…. I will love you forever.”
More from TVLineTVLine Items: Ryan Murphy's Watcher Sets Cast, Atypical Trailer and MoreTVLine Items: General Hospital Exit, Billions...
- 6/14/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Arlene Golonka, best known for her portrayal of waitress Millie on the classic CBS sitcom The Andy Griffith Show and its spinoff Mayberry R.F.D., died Monday at a West Hollywood memory care facility following a battle with Alzheimer’s. She was 85.
Her death was announced by her friend, the literary agent Cary Kozlov.
Golonka, who made her Broadway debut in 1958’s short-lived The Night Circus before landing stage roles in 1962’s Come Blow Your Horn and 1963’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, already had made numerous appearances on television prior to her breakthrough role on The Andy Griffith Show in 1967, among them Car 54, Where Are You?, The Doctors, The Flying Nun and The Big Valley.
She made her first Griffith appearance on Oct. 16, 1967, in an episode that introduced her as Millie Hutchins, initially intended as a love interest for bookish bachelor Howard Sprague (played by Jack Dodson...
Her death was announced by her friend, the literary agent Cary Kozlov.
Golonka, who made her Broadway debut in 1958’s short-lived The Night Circus before landing stage roles in 1962’s Come Blow Your Horn and 1963’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, already had made numerous appearances on television prior to her breakthrough role on The Andy Griffith Show in 1967, among them Car 54, Where Are You?, The Doctors, The Flying Nun and The Big Valley.
She made her first Griffith appearance on Oct. 16, 1967, in an episode that introduced her as Millie Hutchins, initially intended as a love interest for bookish bachelor Howard Sprague (played by Jack Dodson...
- 6/1/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Gavin MacLeod, who was the Love Boat captain and played Murray on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, two of the top television shows of the 1970s and 1980s, died today at his home in Palm Desert, Calif. MacLeod was 90 and his death was confirmed by his nephew, Mark See.
No cause of death was revealed, but MacLeod had been in ill health over the last few months.
The affable actor played head writer Murray Slaughter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and appeared in all 168 episodes over seven years, ending in 1977. He then pulled off a rarity, moving from one long-running hit show to another.
As Captain Stubing on The Love Boat, he appeared in 249 episodes, and later returned in the role for the TV movie The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage in 1990 and for the “Reunion” episode of the rebooted series Love Boat: The Next Wave in 1998.
MacLeod was...
No cause of death was revealed, but MacLeod had been in ill health over the last few months.
The affable actor played head writer Murray Slaughter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and appeared in all 168 episodes over seven years, ending in 1977. He then pulled off a rarity, moving from one long-running hit show to another.
As Captain Stubing on The Love Boat, he appeared in 249 episodes, and later returned in the role for the TV movie The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage in 1990 and for the “Reunion” episode of the rebooted series Love Boat: The Next Wave in 1998.
MacLeod was...
- 5/29/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Above: Bone (1972) / The Furies (1950)In 1967, Barbara Stanwyck was looking back on a five-decade career, a feat few of her early Hollywood peers could match. Having spent much of the past decade working exclusively in television—she was an actress, she reasoned, so if movie scripts weren’t coming in, she would act on TV—she had found more failures than success. But by the late 60s, Stanwyck was finally where she wanted to be: the star of The Big Valley, an ABC Western that ran four seasons from 1965 - 1969. Stanwyck played matriarch Victoria Barkley on the series, which focused on the lives and loves of the millionaire Barkley ranching family.Like many series of the time, The Big Valley had a constant stream of guest stars, but one young actor stood out to Stanwyck when he guested on the show as an ex-slave serving as convict labor on the Barkley ranch.
- 5/12/2021
- MUBI
Johnny Crawford, who found early fame in the 1950s as an original Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club and even more success as the son of Chuck Connors’ title character in the 1959-63 Western series The Rifleman, died Thursday two years after an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and a recent battle with Covid-19 . He was 75.
Crawford’s death was announced on his website.
According to the Johnny Crawford Legacy website maintained by his family and friends, the “passed away peacefully” last night with wife Charlotte by his side. “Sadly, Johnny was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and he was living in a memory care residence before contracting Covid-19, then pneumonia,” the site states. “After a temporary placement at a skilled nursing facility, he was recently moved to an excellent smaller care home close to his wife.”
Born John Ernest Crawford in Los Angeles into a theatrical and musical family – his...
Crawford’s death was announced on his website.
According to the Johnny Crawford Legacy website maintained by his family and friends, the “passed away peacefully” last night with wife Charlotte by his side. “Sadly, Johnny was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and he was living in a memory care residence before contracting Covid-19, then pneumonia,” the site states. “After a temporary placement at a skilled nursing facility, he was recently moved to an excellent smaller care home close to his wife.”
Born John Ernest Crawford in Los Angeles into a theatrical and musical family – his...
- 4/30/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Actor Johnny Crawford, known for playing Chuck Connors’ son in ABC series “The Rifleman” from 1958-63, has died. He was 75.
“It is with great sadness and heaviness of heart that the Johnny Crawford Legacy team announce the passing of Johnny Crawford,” it was posted on the Johnny Crawford Legacy website. “He passed away peacefully this evening, April 29, 2021 with Charlotte, his wife, by his side.”
In “The Rifleman,” Crawford played Mark McCain, son of Civil War veteran Lucas McCain, played by Connors. He was nominated in the best supporting actor (continuing character) in a dramatic series category at the Primetime Emmys in 1959. He was 13 at the time.
In 2019, Crawford was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease before he contracted Covid-19 and then pneumonia.
Crawford was one of 24 Mouseketeers in the first season of ABC’s “The Mickey Mouse Club.” His early TV roles included “The Lone Ranger,” “Cavalcade of America” and “The Count of Monte Cristo.
“It is with great sadness and heaviness of heart that the Johnny Crawford Legacy team announce the passing of Johnny Crawford,” it was posted on the Johnny Crawford Legacy website. “He passed away peacefully this evening, April 29, 2021 with Charlotte, his wife, by his side.”
In “The Rifleman,” Crawford played Mark McCain, son of Civil War veteran Lucas McCain, played by Connors. He was nominated in the best supporting actor (continuing character) in a dramatic series category at the Primetime Emmys in 1959. He was 13 at the time.
In 2019, Crawford was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease before he contracted Covid-19 and then pneumonia.
Crawford was one of 24 Mouseketeers in the first season of ABC’s “The Mickey Mouse Club.” His early TV roles included “The Lone Ranger,” “Cavalcade of America” and “The Count of Monte Cristo.
- 4/30/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
By Lee Pfeiffer
Yaphet Kotto, the distinctive and distinguished actor, has passed away at age 81. Kotto was born in Harlem and began to study acting at age 16. He made his big screen debut in 1964 in the acclaimed race-themed drama "Nothing But a Man" opposite Ivan Dixon, a fellow African-American whose star would rise on the basis of the film. Kotto also appeared in "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968) and was a regular presence in guest star roles on top TV series such as "Gunsmoke", "Daniel Boone", "Night Gallery", "The Big Valley", "Hawaii Five-0", "Mannix" and "The High Chapparal". He was nominated for an Emmy award for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 1976 TV production of "Raid on Entebbe". Kotto simultaneously kept landing good parts in major movies such as "5 Card Stud", "The Liberation of L.B. Jones" and "Across 110th Street". In 1973, he appeared in what is perhaps his most memorable role,...
Yaphet Kotto, the distinctive and distinguished actor, has passed away at age 81. Kotto was born in Harlem and began to study acting at age 16. He made his big screen debut in 1964 in the acclaimed race-themed drama "Nothing But a Man" opposite Ivan Dixon, a fellow African-American whose star would rise on the basis of the film. Kotto also appeared in "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968) and was a regular presence in guest star roles on top TV series such as "Gunsmoke", "Daniel Boone", "Night Gallery", "The Big Valley", "Hawaii Five-0", "Mannix" and "The High Chapparal". He was nominated for an Emmy award for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 1976 TV production of "Raid on Entebbe". Kotto simultaneously kept landing good parts in major movies such as "5 Card Stud", "The Liberation of L.B. Jones" and "Across 110th Street". In 1973, he appeared in what is perhaps his most memorable role,...
- 3/16/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Yaphet Kotto, the American actor known for being the first major Black James Bond villain, has died at the age of 81.
Kotto’s wife, Tessie Sinahon, first revealed the news on Facebook, while Kotto’s agent confirmed his death to Variety. “You played a villain on some of your movies but for me you’re a real hero and to a lot of people also. A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being,” Sinahon said.
Born in New York in 1939, Kotto played villain Kananga and alter ego Mr Big in Roger Moore’s first Bond movie, Live and Let Die, in 1973. It followed appearances in TV shows including Hawaii Five-o and The Big Valley. Kotto went on to play technician Dennis Parker in Alien in 1979.
Later in his career, Kotto notched up credits on Law & Order and The Wire, while his wife said that...
Kotto’s wife, Tessie Sinahon, first revealed the news on Facebook, while Kotto’s agent confirmed his death to Variety. “You played a villain on some of your movies but for me you’re a real hero and to a lot of people also. A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being,” Sinahon said.
Born in New York in 1939, Kotto played villain Kananga and alter ego Mr Big in Roger Moore’s first Bond movie, Live and Let Die, in 1973. It followed appearances in TV shows including Hawaii Five-o and The Big Valley. Kotto went on to play technician Dennis Parker in Alien in 1979.
Later in his career, Kotto notched up credits on Law & Order and The Wire, while his wife said that...
- 3/16/2021
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Chuck Bail, the Hollywood man of action who portrayed the stunt coordinator in the Peter O’Toole-starring The Stunt Man and directed frenetic films including The Gumball Rally and Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, has died. He was 85.
Bail died Wednesday in a hospital in Tyler, Texas, his friend and fellow former stuntman Gary Kent told The Hollywood Reporter. Bail had heart and gall bladder issues and then contracted Covid-19, he said.
A strapping 6-foot-4, Bail served as the stunt double for Max Baer Jr. on The Beverly Hillbillies and for Peter Breck on The Big Valley, and he threw punches as henchmen ...
Bail died Wednesday in a hospital in Tyler, Texas, his friend and fellow former stuntman Gary Kent told The Hollywood Reporter. Bail had heart and gall bladder issues and then contracted Covid-19, he said.
A strapping 6-foot-4, Bail served as the stunt double for Max Baer Jr. on The Beverly Hillbillies and for Peter Breck on The Big Valley, and he threw punches as henchmen ...
- 11/26/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Chuck Bail, the Hollywood man of action who portrayed the stunt coordinator in the Peter O’Toole-starring The Stunt Man and directed frenetic films including The Gumball Rally and Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, has died. He was 85.
Bail died Wednesday in a hospital in Tyler, Texas, his friend and fellow former stuntman Gary Kent told The Hollywood Reporter. Bail had heart and gall bladder issues and then contracted Covid-19, he said.
A strapping 6-foot-4, Bail served as the stunt double for Max Baer Jr. on The Beverly Hillbillies and for Peter Breck on The Big Valley, and he threw punches as henchmen ...
Bail died Wednesday in a hospital in Tyler, Texas, his friend and fellow former stuntman Gary Kent told The Hollywood Reporter. Bail had heart and gall bladder issues and then contracted Covid-19, he said.
A strapping 6-foot-4, Bail served as the stunt double for Max Baer Jr. on The Beverly Hillbillies and for Peter Breck on The Big Valley, and he threw punches as henchmen ...
- 11/26/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Faith-based sales agent announces raft of deals.
Pure Flix / Quality Flix sales head Ron Gell has started talks with AFM 2020 Online buyers this week on a slate of rom-coms staring Kristy Swanson, Lee Majors, and Scott Baio.
The sales agency known for working on faith-based titles has also announced a raft of sales on the new films and other titles.
Courting Mom & Dad features Swanson (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Baio, John Farley, Vanessa Angel, and Bailey Baio.
The story centres on three children who seek the help of an eccentric personal injury attorney to delay the divorce of their parents.
Pure Flix / Quality Flix sales head Ron Gell has started talks with AFM 2020 Online buyers this week on a slate of rom-coms staring Kristy Swanson, Lee Majors, and Scott Baio.
The sales agency known for working on faith-based titles has also announced a raft of sales on the new films and other titles.
Courting Mom & Dad features Swanson (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Baio, John Farley, Vanessa Angel, and Bailey Baio.
The story centres on three children who seek the help of an eccentric personal injury attorney to delay the divorce of their parents.
- 11/10/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Chicago – In 2011, a unique award was conferred upon Regis Philbin, the talk show/game show host and sometimes actor. The Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged that Philbin had appeared on the most hours on American television, with an astounding 16,746.5 in the final tally. Philbin passed away on July 24, 2020, at the age of 88, in his home in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Regis Frances Xavier Philbin was born in New York City, served in the U.S. Navy and graduated from the University of Notre Dame. He began his career in 1955 in the early days of television, as a page on “The Tonight Show” (then hosted by Steve Allen). He worked in TV and news in Los Angeles, before landing his first talk show, “The Regis Philbin Show” out of San Diego. After a syndication attempt fell through in the mid-1960s, he signed on at ABC-tv as sidekick for the “The Joey Bishop Show,...
Regis Frances Xavier Philbin was born in New York City, served in the U.S. Navy and graduated from the University of Notre Dame. He began his career in 1955 in the early days of television, as a page on “The Tonight Show” (then hosted by Steve Allen). He worked in TV and news in Los Angeles, before landing his first talk show, “The Regis Philbin Show” out of San Diego. After a syndication attempt fell through in the mid-1960s, he signed on at ABC-tv as sidekick for the “The Joey Bishop Show,...
- 8/2/2020
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Anthony James, an instantly recognizable character actor who often played the creepy guy including in Best Picture Oscar winners In the Heat of the Night and Unforgiven, died May 26 of cancer. He was 77.
James had made a single brief appearance on a TV series before Norman Jewison cast him as the killer Ralph in 1967’s In the Heat of the Night, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. The film went on to win five Oscars, including Best Picture.
He would bookend his career with a key role in Unforgiven as the slimy brothel owner Skinny Dubois, who ends up on the losing end of Bill Munny’s gun. That 1992 pic starring and helmed by Eastwood won four Academy Awards, including the marquee prize, and would be James’ final screen credit.
It was the second time an Eastwood character would dispatch James in a revenge Western. Two decades earlier, his Cole...
James had made a single brief appearance on a TV series before Norman Jewison cast him as the killer Ralph in 1967’s In the Heat of the Night, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. The film went on to win five Oscars, including Best Picture.
He would bookend his career with a key role in Unforgiven as the slimy brothel owner Skinny Dubois, who ends up on the losing end of Bill Munny’s gun. That 1992 pic starring and helmed by Eastwood won four Academy Awards, including the marquee prize, and would be James’ final screen credit.
It was the second time an Eastwood character would dispatch James in a revenge Western. Two decades earlier, his Cole...
- 5/29/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
While long-running TV favorites have dominated the Emmys, series that ran for one season or less have also won over the academy. They often faced strong competition in their time slots or were ahead of their time. These shows are generally just faded memories but many are available on YouTube. Do you remember any of these Emmy winners?
“The Barbara Stanwyck Show”
Barbara Stanwyck, who was nicknamed Missy by her friends and co-workers, was a formidable presence during the Golden Age of Hollywood earning four Oscar nominations for 1937’s “Stella Dallas,” 1941’s “Ball of Fire,” 1944’s “Double Indemnity” and 1948’s “Sorry, Wrong Number.” In 1960, she starred in her first TV series: an anthology show for NBC. Directors included Arthur Hiller, Richard Whorf and Stuart Rosenberg. And guest stars ran the gamut from Anna May Wong to Lee Marvin.
Though the anthology series format worked like gangbusters for another classic Hollywood legend,...
“The Barbara Stanwyck Show”
Barbara Stanwyck, who was nicknamed Missy by her friends and co-workers, was a formidable presence during the Golden Age of Hollywood earning four Oscar nominations for 1937’s “Stella Dallas,” 1941’s “Ball of Fire,” 1944’s “Double Indemnity” and 1948’s “Sorry, Wrong Number.” In 1960, she starred in her first TV series: an anthology show for NBC. Directors included Arthur Hiller, Richard Whorf and Stuart Rosenberg. And guest stars ran the gamut from Anna May Wong to Lee Marvin.
Though the anthology series format worked like gangbusters for another classic Hollywood legend,...
- 5/26/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Gene Dynarski, an actor whose roles on episodic TV included the irascible Izzy Mandelbaum Jr. on Seinfeld and the victim of a human bat in a memorable 2000 episode of The X-Files, died Feb. 27 in a Studio City rehabilitation center. He was 86.
Dynarski’s death was announced by friend and playwright Ernest Kearney, who writes on his website that Dynarski had been recuperating from a “mild heart episode” for the last month.
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“I had visited Gene only a few days prior,” Kearney writes. “He seemed his old self, ranting on about me finding him a lawyer to sue the rehab-center…I could tell by the glances of the staff passing by his room that Gene had managed to piss them off. Dynarski...
Dynarski’s death was announced by friend and playwright Ernest Kearney, who writes on his website that Dynarski had been recuperating from a “mild heart episode” for the last month.
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“I had visited Gene only a few days prior,” Kearney writes. “He seemed his old self, ranting on about me finding him a lawyer to sue the rehab-center…I could tell by the glances of the staff passing by his room that Gene had managed to piss them off. Dynarski...
- 4/27/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
There are a lot of torches still being carried for all kinds of dearly departed TV series, TVLine readers made clear through a tsunami of poll responses this week. But what show was cited most often? The answer may surprise you.
In the spirit of cancellation season drawing nigh, we asked you to do that dreaded thing and choose a favorite child — the one (1) and only one (1) cancelled or ended TV series that you would bring back if you could, for one closure-filled final season and with the cast at the same age as when the show faded to black.
In the spirit of cancellation season drawing nigh, we asked you to do that dreaded thing and choose a favorite child — the one (1) and only one (1) cancelled or ended TV series that you would bring back if you could, for one closure-filled final season and with the cast at the same age as when the show faded to black.
- 2/29/2020
- TVLine.com
Updating
Dorothy Fontana, the first female Star Trek writer and a stalwart presence in television science fiction for four decades, died on Monday. She was 80.
The screen credit “D.C. Fontana” became a familiar one to several generations of sci-fi television viewers — and Star Trek fans in particular — but most didn’t know the pen name belonged to a trailblazing woman hoping to carve out a career in an arena long dominated by male writers, executives, and fans.
Fontana’s considerable contributions to the Starfleet universe include the classic episode “Journey to Babel” from the original Star Trek series (1966-1969), Yesteryear from the well-regarded Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973), and “Encounter at Farpoint,” the pilot for Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994), which she co-wrote with the brand’s creator, Gene Roddenberry.
The New Jersey native’s television writing career began in 1960 with The Tall Man and her eclectic credits included...
Dorothy Fontana, the first female Star Trek writer and a stalwart presence in television science fiction for four decades, died on Monday. She was 80.
The screen credit “D.C. Fontana” became a familiar one to several generations of sci-fi television viewers — and Star Trek fans in particular — but most didn’t know the pen name belonged to a trailblazing woman hoping to carve out a career in an arena long dominated by male writers, executives, and fans.
Fontana’s considerable contributions to the Starfleet universe include the classic episode “Journey to Babel” from the original Star Trek series (1966-1969), Yesteryear from the well-regarded Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973), and “Encounter at Farpoint,” the pilot for Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994), which she co-wrote with the brand’s creator, Gene Roddenberry.
The New Jersey native’s television writing career began in 1960 with The Tall Man and her eclectic credits included...
- 12/3/2019
- by Geoff Boucher
- Deadline Film + TV
Dorothy Catherine (D.C.) Fontana passed away peacefully last evening at the age of 80 after a brief illness.
Ms. Fontana gained global notoriety for her writing and story editing on the 1960’s television series Star Trek, as well as the 1970’s animated series, which she also associate produced. Her myth-building work on classic Trek blazed a trail for women, not only in television, but also in science fiction. Her well-known screen credit kept the fact of her gender a secret from most fans until they saw her picture in Stephen Whitfield’s The Making of Star Trek, one of the “bibles” of classic Trekker fandom.
Dorothy Fontana was responsible for creating Spock’s childhood history, including the essential story “Yesteryear,” which though produced for Star Trek: The Animated Series, is as powerful as the best episodes of the classic series. She established the characters of, and relationship between, Spock...
Ms. Fontana gained global notoriety for her writing and story editing on the 1960’s television series Star Trek, as well as the 1970’s animated series, which she also associate produced. Her myth-building work on classic Trek blazed a trail for women, not only in television, but also in science fiction. Her well-known screen credit kept the fact of her gender a secret from most fans until they saw her picture in Stephen Whitfield’s The Making of Star Trek, one of the “bibles” of classic Trekker fandom.
Dorothy Fontana was responsible for creating Spock’s childhood history, including the essential story “Yesteryear,” which though produced for Star Trek: The Animated Series, is as powerful as the best episodes of the classic series. She established the characters of, and relationship between, Spock...
- 12/3/2019
- by Glenn Hauman
- Comicmix.com
Jerry Fogel, a longtime screen actor best remembered as the beleaguered bridegroom Jerry Buell on NBC’s 1960s sitcom The Mothers-in-Law, has died, He was 83.
Fogel, who diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008, died Monday at the Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, Mo, his family announced.
The son of a Rochester, NY, movie theater owner, Fogel found his first showbiz audience in his hometown as a highly rated disc jockey for Wbbf-am, a local rock ‘n’ roll radio station. Fogel signed off in Rochester, however, when he signed up with the William Morris Agency and headed west to seek his fortune in Hollywood. His big break arrived in the form of The Mothers-in-Law, a Desi Arnaz production created by I Love Lucy writing tandem Bob Carroll and Madelyn Pugh Davis.
The show, aired from 1967-68, was about the “relative” insanity that a just-eloped couple, Jerry (Fogel) and Susie...
Fogel, who diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008, died Monday at the Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, Mo, his family announced.
The son of a Rochester, NY, movie theater owner, Fogel found his first showbiz audience in his hometown as a highly rated disc jockey for Wbbf-am, a local rock ‘n’ roll radio station. Fogel signed off in Rochester, however, when he signed up with the William Morris Agency and headed west to seek his fortune in Hollywood. His big break arrived in the form of The Mothers-in-Law, a Desi Arnaz production created by I Love Lucy writing tandem Bob Carroll and Madelyn Pugh Davis.
The show, aired from 1967-68, was about the “relative” insanity that a just-eloped couple, Jerry (Fogel) and Susie...
- 10/23/2019
- by Geoff Boucher
- Deadline Film + TV
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