By the time the curtain rang down on CBS’ “The Judy Garland Show” on March 29, 1964, the musical variety show had, in just one season, three producers and three different formats. Despite good reviews from critics and Judy Garland’s devoted fan base, the series wasn’t felled by the mercurial Garland being difficult but by the Cartwrights — Ben, Little Joe, Adam, and Hoss — of NBC’s ratings powerhouse “Bonanza.”
Though “The Judy Garland Show” was cancelled after one season, it certainly has lived on over the past six decades. The show was included in TV Guide’s 2013 list of 60 series that were “Cancelled Too Soon.” It certainly was the series that got away. Not only was the mercurial Garland in top (and emotional) voice, but the show also featured a powerhouse of guest stars from her frequent leading man Mickey Rooney, Ray Bolger from “The Wizard of Oz” and newcomers such as Barbra Streisand.
Though “The Judy Garland Show” was cancelled after one season, it certainly has lived on over the past six decades. The show was included in TV Guide’s 2013 list of 60 series that were “Cancelled Too Soon.” It certainly was the series that got away. Not only was the mercurial Garland in top (and emotional) voice, but the show also featured a powerhouse of guest stars from her frequent leading man Mickey Rooney, Ray Bolger from “The Wizard of Oz” and newcomers such as Barbra Streisand.
- 3/26/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Since the beginning of the Academy Awards in the late 1920s, Hollywood filmmakers have been making socially conscious films. Many of the best of those have scored the film town’s top honor — Oscar best picture.
This year, that winner could be “Oppenheimer,” a film that boldly and starkly dramatizes the creation of man’s most dangerous invention: atomic weapons.
It could be “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a film that brought a lost and dreadful piece of American history into the sunlight of the Cannes Film Festival and ultimately the spotlights of awards season.
It could be either “Barbie” or “Poor Things,” two of the wildest, most colorful and inventive investigations of feminist and/or post-feminist womanhood to ever hit the big screen.
It could be “American Fiction,” a wry and witty look at Black American middle-class identity and family relations under preposterous, dispiriting cultural pressures.
But will the...
This year, that winner could be “Oppenheimer,” a film that boldly and starkly dramatizes the creation of man’s most dangerous invention: atomic weapons.
It could be “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a film that brought a lost and dreadful piece of American history into the sunlight of the Cannes Film Festival and ultimately the spotlights of awards season.
It could be either “Barbie” or “Poor Things,” two of the wildest, most colorful and inventive investigations of feminist and/or post-feminist womanhood to ever hit the big screen.
It could be “American Fiction,” a wry and witty look at Black American middle-class identity and family relations under preposterous, dispiriting cultural pressures.
But will the...
- 2/16/2024
- by Steven Gaydos
- Variety Film + TV
Carl Weathers, the actor who starred as boxer Apollo Creed in the Rocky series in addition to memorable roles in Predator, Happy Gilmore, and The Mandalorian, died at the age of 76.
Weathers’ family confirmed the actor’s death in a statement to Deadline, noting he died “peacefully in his sleep” Thursday.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement. “Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he...
Weathers’ family confirmed the actor’s death in a statement to Deadline, noting he died “peacefully in his sleep” Thursday.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement. “Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he...
- 2/2/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Carl Weathers, the former NFL player who made his mark in Hollywood as the boxer Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films and with appearances in such other projects as Predator, Happy Gilmore and The Mandalorian, has died. He was 76.
Weathers died Thursday in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles, his manager, Matt Luber, announced in a statement.
“Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life,” he said. “Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.”
The charismatic Weathers portrayed Detective Beaudreaux on the 1991-93 syndicated cop show Street Justice; the chief of police Hampton Forbes on the final two seasons of CBS’ In the Heat of the Night in 1992-94; a caricature of himself on episodes of Fox...
Weathers died Thursday in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles, his manager, Matt Luber, announced in a statement.
“Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life,” he said. “Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.”
The charismatic Weathers portrayed Detective Beaudreaux on the 1991-93 syndicated cop show Street Justice; the chief of police Hampton Forbes on the final two seasons of CBS’ In the Heat of the Night in 1992-94; a caricature of himself on episodes of Fox...
- 2/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes and Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Carl Weathers, best known for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky films, among countless other projects, died Thursday, according to a statement from his family. He was 76 years old.
The statement, obtained by our sister site Deadline, reads: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather,...
The statement, obtained by our sister site Deadline, reads: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Get ready to watch more Freevee this February! Most of the free streamer's new additions will come all at once on the first of the month, including the three-time Oscar nominee "A Soldier’s Story" directed by the recently departed Norman Jewison, the franchise-launching "How to Train Your Dragon," and more classics of the past four decades.
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for Freevee’s February additions, and continue below to see the full list!
Watch Now Free amazonfreevee.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Freevee in February 2024? “A Soldier’s Story” | Thursday, Feb. 1
Early-career Denzel Washington appears in a supporting role in this Oscar-nominated adaptation of Charles Fuller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “A Soldier’s Play.” But it’s Howard E. Rollings Jr. who leads the cast here as Captain Richard Davenport, a Black Army investigator who travels to a remote military base to look into...
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for Freevee’s February additions, and continue below to see the full list!
Watch Now Free amazonfreevee.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Freevee in February 2024? “A Soldier’s Story” | Thursday, Feb. 1
Early-career Denzel Washington appears in a supporting role in this Oscar-nominated adaptation of Charles Fuller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “A Soldier’s Play.” But it’s Howard E. Rollings Jr. who leads the cast here as Captain Richard Davenport, a Black Army investigator who travels to a remote military base to look into...
- 1/31/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Recently, I wrote an article about movies that were surprisingly hard to find on streaming or Blu-ray, and one of the movies I mentioned was a little-remembered 1988 thriller called Shoot to Kill (aka Deadly Pursuit in the UK). The film was a decent box office hit in its day, but outside of a DVD release many years ago, it has sunk into obscurity.
This is a shame, as Shoot to Kill is a nifty little movie. After a few comments praised the film, I decided to revisit it for myself, as I honestly hadn’t seen it since the nineties and had no idea if it would hold up. To my surprise, not only did it hold up, but Shoot to Kill is a bit of a lost 80s action classic.
The film stars Sidney Poitier as a veteran FBI agent investigating a strange robbery where the owner of a...
This is a shame, as Shoot to Kill is a nifty little movie. After a few comments praised the film, I decided to revisit it for myself, as I honestly hadn’t seen it since the nineties and had no idea if it would hold up. To my surprise, not only did it hold up, but Shoot to Kill is a bit of a lost 80s action classic.
The film stars Sidney Poitier as a veteran FBI agent investigating a strange robbery where the owner of a...
- 1/28/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Norman Jewison made movies that mattered.
“Timing is everything,” the director told me the one time we met. I’d been enlisted to host a long Q&a with Jewison at the American Cinematheque — and I was more than a little intimidated.
From “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” in 1966 to “Other People’s Money” in 1991, Jewison had an astonishing quarter-century run behind the camera, directing movies that impacted the culture when they came out (none more than “In the Heat of the Night”), a great many of which are still watched today. Turns out, this legendary talent couldn’t have been sweeter.
Jewison liked to tell the story of how he met Bobby Kennedy before making the landmark Sidney Poitier picture. He and Kennedy crossed paths while on vacation skiing, where both of their kids wound up in the hospital.
Still developing “In the Heat of the Night” at the time,...
“Timing is everything,” the director told me the one time we met. I’d been enlisted to host a long Q&a with Jewison at the American Cinematheque — and I was more than a little intimidated.
From “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” in 1966 to “Other People’s Money” in 1991, Jewison had an astonishing quarter-century run behind the camera, directing movies that impacted the culture when they came out (none more than “In the Heat of the Night”), a great many of which are still watched today. Turns out, this legendary talent couldn’t have been sweeter.
Jewison liked to tell the story of how he met Bobby Kennedy before making the landmark Sidney Poitier picture. He and Kennedy crossed paths while on vacation skiing, where both of their kids wound up in the hospital.
Still developing “In the Heat of the Night” at the time,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Norman Jewison, the Canadian multiple Oscar nominee and director of such classics as In The Heat Of The Night and Moonstruck, has died. He was 97.
Jewison’s publicist confirmed the filmmaker died at his home on Saturday (January 20).
Toronto International Film Festival, which staged a retrospective for Jewison in 2011, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the filmmaker’s impact “on the broader film landscape will endure, inspiring future generations of filmmakers and captivating audiences for years to come”.
Jewison was born in Toronto on July 21 1926 and served in the Canadian Navy. Post-war he attended Toronto’s Victoria College where he...
Jewison’s publicist confirmed the filmmaker died at his home on Saturday (January 20).
Toronto International Film Festival, which staged a retrospective for Jewison in 2011, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the filmmaker’s impact “on the broader film landscape will endure, inspiring future generations of filmmakers and captivating audiences for years to come”.
Jewison was born in Toronto on July 21 1926 and served in the Canadian Navy. Post-war he attended Toronto’s Victoria College where he...
- 1/23/2024
- ScreenDaily
Norman Jewison, the prolific, award-winning movie director of “Rollerball” and “In The Heat of the Night” has died:
Jewison directed numerous feature films and was Oscar-nominated 3 times as ‘Best Director’, for “In the Heat of the Night” (1967), “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971) and “Moonstruck” (1987).
Other films include “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965), “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” (1966), “The Thomas Crown Affair” (1968), “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1973), “Rollerball” (1975)…
… “F.I.S.T.” (1978), “...And Justice for All” (1979), “Best Friends” (1982), “A Soldier's Story” (1984), “Agnes of God” (1985), “Other People's Money” (1991), “Only You” (1994), “The Hurricane” (1999), and “The Statement” (2003.
Click the images to enlarge…...
Jewison directed numerous feature films and was Oscar-nominated 3 times as ‘Best Director’, for “In the Heat of the Night” (1967), “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971) and “Moonstruck” (1987).
Other films include “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965), “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” (1966), “The Thomas Crown Affair” (1968), “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1973), “Rollerball” (1975)…
… “F.I.S.T.” (1978), “...And Justice for All” (1979), “Best Friends” (1982), “A Soldier's Story” (1984), “Agnes of God” (1985), “Other People's Money” (1991), “Only You” (1994), “The Hurricane” (1999), and “The Statement” (2003.
Click the images to enlarge…...
- 1/23/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Norman Jewison, a seven-time Academy Award nominee who directed the 1968 Best Picture Oscar winner “In the Heat of the Night” as well as Oscar winners “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Moonstruck” and numerous other iconic films, is dead. He died peacefully on Saturday at his home.
A filmmaking giant in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, Jewison was undeniably one of the most prominent producer-directors never to have won an Oscar – though he was honored with the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Award at the Academy Awards in 1999. He was nominated three times for his directing: “In the Heat of the Night” in ’68 (losing to Mike Nichols for “The Graduate”), “Fiddler on the Roof” in 1972 (William Friedkin won for “The French Connection”) and “Moonstruck” in 1988 (won by Bernardo Bertolucci for “The Last Emperor”). He was also nominated for producing a quartet of Best Picture contenders: “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming...
A filmmaking giant in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, Jewison was undeniably one of the most prominent producer-directors never to have won an Oscar – though he was honored with the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Award at the Academy Awards in 1999. He was nominated three times for his directing: “In the Heat of the Night” in ’68 (losing to Mike Nichols for “The Graduate”), “Fiddler on the Roof” in 1972 (William Friedkin won for “The French Connection”) and “Moonstruck” in 1988 (won by Bernardo Bertolucci for “The Last Emperor”). He was also nominated for producing a quartet of Best Picture contenders: “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming...
- 1/23/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Norman Jewison, the celebrated film director, has died. He was 97. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the filmmaker passed away at his home on Saturday, January 20, 2024.
Jewison had a long and varied directing and producing career that was peppered with accolades. His films "Moonstruck," "A Soldier's Story," "Fiddler on the Roof," "In the Heat of the Night," and "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1987, 1984, 1971, 1967, and 1966 respectively, with "Heat of the Night" winning. Jewison also helmed dozens of other notable dramas and musicals besides, including "The Thomas Crown Affair", "Gaily, Gaily" (nominated for three Oscars), "Jesus Christ Superstar" (nominated for one Oscar), "...And Justice for All" (two), "Agnes of God" (three), and "The Hurricane" (one).
All told, Jewison's films were nominated for 41 Oscars, winning 12. He also directed the sci-fi thriller "Rollerball," the comedy "Bogus," the romance "Only You," the Stallone drama "F.I.S.T.,...
Jewison had a long and varied directing and producing career that was peppered with accolades. His films "Moonstruck," "A Soldier's Story," "Fiddler on the Roof," "In the Heat of the Night," and "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1987, 1984, 1971, 1967, and 1966 respectively, with "Heat of the Night" winning. Jewison also helmed dozens of other notable dramas and musicals besides, including "The Thomas Crown Affair", "Gaily, Gaily" (nominated for three Oscars), "Jesus Christ Superstar" (nominated for one Oscar), "...And Justice for All" (two), "Agnes of God" (three), and "The Hurricane" (one).
All told, Jewison's films were nominated for 41 Oscars, winning 12. He also directed the sci-fi thriller "Rollerball," the comedy "Bogus," the romance "Only You," the Stallone drama "F.I.S.T.,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Norman Jewison, the versatile, acclaimed filmmaker behind movies like Fiddler on the Roof and In the Heat of the Night, died Saturday at home, his publicist announced Monday. He was 97.
Jewison was a seven-time Oscar nominee and earned the Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in 1999. He earned both Best Director and Best Picture nods for the 1971 musical Fiddler on the Roof and the 1987 rom-com Moonstruck, starring Cher.
He also was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for 1976’s In the Heat of the Night.
Jewison was a seven-time Oscar nominee and earned the Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in 1999. He earned both Best Director and Best Picture nods for the 1971 musical Fiddler on the Roof and the 1987 rom-com Moonstruck, starring Cher.
He also was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for 1976’s In the Heat of the Night.
- 1/22/2024
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
Norman Jewison, one of Canada’s most acclaimed filmmakers, has died at the age of 97. Throughout his long career, Jewison really did it all, ranging from musicals to dramas to romantic comedies. He’s best known for In the Heat of the Night, Moonstruck, Fiddler on the Roof, and more.
Born in Toronto, Canada, Norman Jewison was an assistant director when CBC Television debuted. He went on to write, direct, and produce a variety of programming for the young network over the next seven years before making the move to the U.S. His breakthrough movie was The Cincinnati Kid starring Steve McQueen. He went on to direct The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Thomas Crown Affair, Fiddler on the Roof, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rollerball, F.I.S.T., …And Justice for All, Moonstruck, In Country, Other People’s Money, Only You, and The Hurricane.
Related Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Jaws,...
Born in Toronto, Canada, Norman Jewison was an assistant director when CBC Television debuted. He went on to write, direct, and produce a variety of programming for the young network over the next seven years before making the move to the U.S. His breakthrough movie was The Cincinnati Kid starring Steve McQueen. He went on to direct The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Thomas Crown Affair, Fiddler on the Roof, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rollerball, F.I.S.T., …And Justice for All, Moonstruck, In Country, Other People’s Money, Only You, and The Hurricane.
Related Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Jaws,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
The virtuoso Canadian helped craft much of postwar Hollywood cinema, directing Sidney Poitier in In the Heat of the Night, Topol in Fiddler on the Roof and Cher in Moonstruck
For five extraordinary decades, Norman Jewison’s film-making was the beating heart of Hollywood drama: he could do anything and supercharged it with idealism, confidence and style. Jewison has been behind an extraordinary array of classics and hits: for half the time the cinema has been in existence, Norman Jewison was the gold standard of a night at the movies.
The 60s saw his fizzy Doris Day comedies, the sexy Steve McQueen thriller-capers The Cincinnati Kid and The Thomas Crown Affair, the mould-breaking In the Heat of the Night, with Sidney Poitier as the black cop in the US south. Then in the 70s we had his epic Broadway adaptation Fiddler on the Roof with Topol’s iconic performance as...
For five extraordinary decades, Norman Jewison’s film-making was the beating heart of Hollywood drama: he could do anything and supercharged it with idealism, confidence and style. Jewison has been behind an extraordinary array of classics and hits: for half the time the cinema has been in existence, Norman Jewison was the gold standard of a night at the movies.
The 60s saw his fizzy Doris Day comedies, the sexy Steve McQueen thriller-capers The Cincinnati Kid and The Thomas Crown Affair, the mould-breaking In the Heat of the Night, with Sidney Poitier as the black cop in the US south. Then in the 70s we had his epic Broadway adaptation Fiddler on the Roof with Topol’s iconic performance as...
- 1/22/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Canadian-born director of Moonstruck and Fiddler on the Roof was a three-time Oscar nominee
A life in pictures‘A staggering array of work from Hollywood’s master craftsman’
Norman Jewison, the acclaimed and versatile Canadian-born director whose Hollywood films ranged from Doris Day comedies and Moonstruck to social dramas such as the Oscar-winning In the Heat of the Night, has died at the age of 97.
Jewison, a three-time Oscar nominee who in 1999 received an Academy Award for lifetime achievement, died “peacefully” on Saturday, according to his publicist Jeff Sanderson. Additional details were not immediately available.
A life in pictures‘A staggering array of work from Hollywood’s master craftsman’
Norman Jewison, the acclaimed and versatile Canadian-born director whose Hollywood films ranged from Doris Day comedies and Moonstruck to social dramas such as the Oscar-winning In the Heat of the Night, has died at the age of 97.
Jewison, a three-time Oscar nominee who in 1999 received an Academy Award for lifetime achievement, died “peacefully” on Saturday, according to his publicist Jeff Sanderson. Additional details were not immediately available.
- 1/22/2024
- by Associated Press
- The Guardian - Film News
Oscar-nominated film director and producer Norman Jewison, who steered the 1967 racial drama “In the Heat of the Night” to a best picture Oscar and also helmed such popular films as “Moonstruck,” “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” and “The Thomas Crown Affair,” as well as film musicals “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” died Saturday at his Los Angeles residence. He was 97.
His film career began with fluffy Doris Day comedies like “The Thrill of It All.” But Jewison’s social conscience began to surface with “In the Heat of the Night” and, later, the labor union drama “F.I.S.T.” and other films focusing on racial tensions such as “A Soldier’s Story” and “The Landlord” (the latter of which he only produced), though he never abandoned comedies and romances.
Jewison had his share of box office hits and was usually attuned to the audience pulse, but did...
His film career began with fluffy Doris Day comedies like “The Thrill of It All.” But Jewison’s social conscience began to surface with “In the Heat of the Night” and, later, the labor union drama “F.I.S.T.” and other films focusing on racial tensions such as “A Soldier’s Story” and “The Landlord” (the latter of which he only produced), though he never abandoned comedies and romances.
Jewison had his share of box office hits and was usually attuned to the audience pulse, but did...
- 1/22/2024
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Norman Jewison is dead at the age of 97. For over four decades he sustained a career of films that became major box office hits as well as others that presented current social issues in a Hollywood context (with some combining the two). He died peacefully at his home on Saturday January 20.
“In the Heat of the Night,” which beat “Bonnie and Clyde” and “The Graduate” for the Best Picture Oscar for 1967, is the most obvious example of Jewison’s talent for turning tough subjects into hit movies. It grossed (adjusted to current prices) over $200 million, with it already having become a major success before it won five Oscars. Ironically, the racially-charged story about a Northern Black detective (Sidney Poitier) investigating a murder and confronting a racist Southern police chief wons its Oscars in a ceremony delayed by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Norman Frederick Jewison was born on July 21, 1926 in Toronto,...
“In the Heat of the Night,” which beat “Bonnie and Clyde” and “The Graduate” for the Best Picture Oscar for 1967, is the most obvious example of Jewison’s talent for turning tough subjects into hit movies. It grossed (adjusted to current prices) over $200 million, with it already having become a major success before it won five Oscars. Ironically, the racially-charged story about a Northern Black detective (Sidney Poitier) investigating a murder and confronting a racist Southern police chief wons its Oscars in a ceremony delayed by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Norman Frederick Jewison was born on July 21, 1926 in Toronto,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Norman Jewison, who directed Best Picture Oscar winner In the Heat of the Night and nominees Fiddler on the Roof, A Soldier’s Story, Moonstruck and The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, also producing the latter four, died peacefully Saturday, January 20. He was 97.
Jewison’s film career spanned more than four decades and seven Oscar nominations — three for Best Director and the four for Best Picture. His films received a total of 46 nominations and 12 Academy Awards. In 1999, Jewison was honored with the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Award at the Academy Awards. He also collected three Emmy Awards for his work in television.
A smattering of his other wide-ranging work includes The Hurricane, Agnes of God, Rollerball (1975) and Jesus Christ Superstar, all of which he also produced. As a producer, Jewison had an eye for talent, as well.
Jewison’s film career spanned more than four decades and seven Oscar nominations — three for Best Director and the four for Best Picture. His films received a total of 46 nominations and 12 Academy Awards. In 1999, Jewison was honored with the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Award at the Academy Awards. He also collected three Emmy Awards for his work in television.
A smattering of his other wide-ranging work includes The Hurricane, Agnes of God, Rollerball (1975) and Jesus Christ Superstar, all of which he also produced. As a producer, Jewison had an eye for talent, as well.
- 1/22/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Norman Jewison, the multifaceted filmmaker who could direct a racial drama (In the Heat of the Night), stylish thriller (The Thomas Crown Affair), musical (Fiddler on the Roof) or romantic comedy (Moonstruck) with the best of them, has died. He was 97.
Jewison died Saturday at home — his family does not want to specify exactly where — publicist Jeff Sanderson announced.
A seven-time Oscar nominee, Jewison received the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences in 1999.
Known for his ability to coax great performances out of his actors — 12 of his players were nominated for Oscars, while five of his features made the cut for best picture — the most distinguished film director in Canadian history often used conventional genre plots to take on social injustice.
Improbably, he got his start directing musical specials on television.
Jewison earned best director and best picture nominations for Fiddler on the Roof...
Jewison died Saturday at home — his family does not want to specify exactly where — publicist Jeff Sanderson announced.
A seven-time Oscar nominee, Jewison received the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences in 1999.
Known for his ability to coax great performances out of his actors — 12 of his players were nominated for Oscars, while five of his features made the cut for best picture — the most distinguished film director in Canadian history often used conventional genre plots to take on social injustice.
Improbably, he got his start directing musical specials on television.
Jewison earned best director and best picture nominations for Fiddler on the Roof...
- 1/22/2024
- by Mike Barnes and Duane Byrge
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Cult Movie Museum is back with an overlooked science fiction gem: 1989’s Robot Jox. Robot Jox was produced decades before the Pacific Rim and Transformers franchises.
In a post nuclear holocaust world war is outlawed. Conflicts between governments are settled by giant fighting robots piloted by heroic Robot Jox.
Reanimator director Stuart Gordon and producer Charles Band create a fun, believable future society on a lean budget.
If you like pre-cgi practical effects you’re going to love this movie. It’s packed with stop motion, puppetry and large scale miniatures, all shot under the blazing hot desert sun.
Stars Gary Graham of Alien Nation and Anne-marie Johnson of In The Heat Of The Night are terrific, though it’s hard not to be upstaged by giant flame throwing robots!
—
The Cult Movie Museum brings you a double feature critique of 1975’s Rollerball and Death Race 2000. Both of...
In a post nuclear holocaust world war is outlawed. Conflicts between governments are settled by giant fighting robots piloted by heroic Robot Jox.
Reanimator director Stuart Gordon and producer Charles Band create a fun, believable future society on a lean budget.
If you like pre-cgi practical effects you’re going to love this movie. It’s packed with stop motion, puppetry and large scale miniatures, all shot under the blazing hot desert sun.
Stars Gary Graham of Alien Nation and Anne-marie Johnson of In The Heat Of The Night are terrific, though it’s hard not to be upstaged by giant flame throwing robots!
—
The Cult Movie Museum brings you a double feature critique of 1975’s Rollerball and Death Race 2000. Both of...
- 9/24/2023
- by Michael Joy
- Horror Asylum
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
With its list of new releases for August 2023, Prime Video is relying on a heaping dose of fun library movies.
The first of the month brings a big influx of worthwhile flicks, including Galaxy Quest, Saw, F9: The Fast Saga, and Jurassic Park (the last two via Amazon’s Freevee free streaming option). Then some other recents hits arrive later on like the appropriately titled Cocaine Bear on Aug. 15 and the Chris Pine-starring Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves on Aug. 25.
August also sees the arrival of a major Amazon Original movie in the form of Red, White & Royal Blue. Based on a New York Times bestselling book, this LGBTQ romance follows a U.S. president’s son and a British prince. Over on the TV side of things, Prime Video subscribers can check out the Sigourney Weaver project The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart on Aug. 4 and Harlan Coben’s Shelter on Aug.
The first of the month brings a big influx of worthwhile flicks, including Galaxy Quest, Saw, F9: The Fast Saga, and Jurassic Park (the last two via Amazon’s Freevee free streaming option). Then some other recents hits arrive later on like the appropriately titled Cocaine Bear on Aug. 15 and the Chris Pine-starring Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves on Aug. 25.
August also sees the arrival of a major Amazon Original movie in the form of Red, White & Royal Blue. Based on a New York Times bestselling book, this LGBTQ romance follows a U.S. president’s son and a British prince. Over on the TV side of things, Prime Video subscribers can check out the Sigourney Weaver project The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart on Aug. 4 and Harlan Coben’s Shelter on Aug.
- 8/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The TV series Hill Street Blues aired on NBC from 1981 to 1987. Here’s a look at which cast member has the highest net worth today.
Charles Haid Cast of Hill Street Blues | Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Net worth: $2 million
Charles Haid played Andrew Renko. As of this writing, Haid has an estimated net worth of $2 million. One of his early acting roles was in a 1974 episode of Gunsmoke titled “Like Old Times.” After Hill Street Blues, Haid appeared in The Twilight Zone (1989), Murder, She Wrote (1989–1990), and NYPD Blue (1994).
Ed Marinaro Ed Marinaro | Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Net worth: $3 million
Ed Marinaro played Joe Coffey. As of this writing, Marinaro has an estimated net worth of $3 million. One of Marinaro’s early roles was in the TV series The Edge of Night. After Hill Street Blues, Marinaro appeared in Falcon Crest...
Charles Haid Cast of Hill Street Blues | Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Net worth: $2 million
Charles Haid played Andrew Renko. As of this writing, Haid has an estimated net worth of $2 million. One of his early acting roles was in a 1974 episode of Gunsmoke titled “Like Old Times.” After Hill Street Blues, Haid appeared in The Twilight Zone (1989), Murder, She Wrote (1989–1990), and NYPD Blue (1994).
Ed Marinaro Ed Marinaro | Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Net worth: $3 million
Ed Marinaro played Joe Coffey. As of this writing, Marinaro has an estimated net worth of $3 million. One of Marinaro’s early roles was in the TV series The Edge of Night. After Hill Street Blues, Marinaro appeared in Falcon Crest...
- 3/20/2023
- by Sheiresa Ngo
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
One of the most iconic shows of the late-’70s and ’80s, Dallas was Friday night’s must-see TV. The CBS series told the saga of two oil families, the wealthy Ewing family and the struggling Barnes family. The March 1980 cliffhanger episode, “Who Shot J.R.?,” took the U.S. by storm, with buzz building about the mystery throughout the summer and fall. When Dallas returned on November 21, 1980, 350 million people tuned in to find out who had shot J.R.
Since the 14-season drama ended, Dallas fans have fondly recalled the cast members. So, which ones are still alive?
Who were the main cast members of ‘Dallas’?
Prominent Dallas characters include Ellie and Jock, the matriarch and patriarch of the Ewing family. Scheming J.R. Ewing is their eldest son, and hard-drinking, long-suffering Sue Ellen is his wife.
Moral, handsome Bobby is J.R.’s younger brother and is married to the beautiful Pamela Barnes.
Since the 14-season drama ended, Dallas fans have fondly recalled the cast members. So, which ones are still alive?
Who were the main cast members of ‘Dallas’?
Prominent Dallas characters include Ellie and Jock, the matriarch and patriarch of the Ewing family. Scheming J.R. Ewing is their eldest son, and hard-drinking, long-suffering Sue Ellen is his wife.
Moral, handsome Bobby is J.R.’s younger brother and is married to the beautiful Pamela Barnes.
- 3/8/2023
- by Produced by Digital Editors
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Having already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in “Elvis,” Austin Butler is on a solid path to triumphing on his first Oscar nomination. His film, which covers the entirety of the titular rock star’s two-decade career, boasts a talented cast that includes past Oscar winner Tom Hanks, who collected back-to-back Best Actor trophies for “Philadelphia” (1994) and “Forrest Gump” (1995). He missed out on a supporting bid for “Elvis,” but if Butler clinches the lead award, Hanks will become the 15th man to have acted in a film that won the same Oscar he previously received.
Hanks has a total of five Best Actor nominations to his name, with the three unsuccessful ones having come for his work in “Big” (1989), “Saving Private Ryan” (1999), and “Cast Away” (2001). Until Butler was recognized for “Elvis,” Hanks had never appeared in a film for which someone...
Hanks has a total of five Best Actor nominations to his name, with the three unsuccessful ones having come for his work in “Big” (1989), “Saving Private Ryan” (1999), and “Cast Away” (2001). Until Butler was recognized for “Elvis,” Hanks had never appeared in a film for which someone...
- 3/7/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
There's a bitter irony in Carl Weathers' storied acting career. Despite starring in several "Rocky" movies and some memorable 1980s action movies, it was a silly Adam Sandler comedy that did irreparable damage to the actor's body.
For most of his career, Carl Weathers looked like he was cut from stone. He survived two seasons of NCAA football at San Diego State University and had a brief stint with the Oakland Raiders. After his professional football career ended, he took advantage of his degree in theater arts and made the switch to acting.
After a few years of small TV and film roles, the actor landed the role of a lifetime as boxer Apollo Creed opposite Sylvester Stallone in the 1976 film "Rocky." After four "Rocky" films, Weathers would star in some high-profile 1980s action films such as "Predator" and "Action Jackson." He would also star as a police detective in...
For most of his career, Carl Weathers looked like he was cut from stone. He survived two seasons of NCAA football at San Diego State University and had a brief stint with the Oakland Raiders. After his professional football career ended, he took advantage of his degree in theater arts and made the switch to acting.
After a few years of small TV and film roles, the actor landed the role of a lifetime as boxer Apollo Creed opposite Sylvester Stallone in the 1976 film "Rocky." After four "Rocky" films, Weathers would star in some high-profile 1980s action films such as "Predator" and "Action Jackson." He would also star as a police detective in...
- 3/5/2023
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
Tom Sizemore, the veteran character actor known for nervy and visceral tough-guy roles in films like “Heat” and Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan,” died Friday, his manager confirmed. He was 61.
Sizemore’s family was advised this week to make a decision regarding “end of life matters” after he suffered a brain aneurysm on Feb. 18.
“It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph’s Hospital Burbank,” his manager, Charles Lago, said in a statement. “His Brother Paul and twin boys Jayden and Jagger (17) were at his side.”
Sizemore was found unconscious in his home around 2 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, Lago told TheWrap earlier this week. He was hospitalized and immediately admitted into the intensive care unit.
Also Read:
Walter Mirisch, ‘In the Heat of the Night’ Producer and Former Academy President,...
Sizemore’s family was advised this week to make a decision regarding “end of life matters” after he suffered a brain aneurysm on Feb. 18.
“It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph’s Hospital Burbank,” his manager, Charles Lago, said in a statement. “His Brother Paul and twin boys Jayden and Jagger (17) were at his side.”
Sizemore was found unconscious in his home around 2 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, Lago told TheWrap earlier this week. He was hospitalized and immediately admitted into the intensive care unit.
Also Read:
Walter Mirisch, ‘In the Heat of the Night’ Producer and Former Academy President,...
- 3/4/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
The Young and the Restless has featured many popular characters since it began in 1973. But easily one of the most iconic is Victor Newman, played for more than 40 years by the legendary Eric Braeden. Victor’s impact on the show and the other characters is immeasurable. And even co-star Christian LeBlanc says his character, attorney Michael Baldwin, looks up to Victor as a “seminal father figure.”
Christian LeBlanc joined ‘The Young and the Restless’ in the 1990s ‘The Young and the Restless’ actor Christian LeBlanc on May 2, 2019, in Los Angeles | Greg Doherty/Getty Images
LeBlanc debuted on The Young and the Restless in November 1991, playing Michael Baldwin until 1993. But after a few years, the actor returned in 1997 and has remained in the role ever since. In April 2005, LeBlanc also briefly took his character to As the World Turns, another CBS daytime soap. That series concluded in 2010.
However, LeBlanc started his...
Christian LeBlanc joined ‘The Young and the Restless’ in the 1990s ‘The Young and the Restless’ actor Christian LeBlanc on May 2, 2019, in Los Angeles | Greg Doherty/Getty Images
LeBlanc debuted on The Young and the Restless in November 1991, playing Michael Baldwin until 1993. But after a few years, the actor returned in 1997 and has remained in the role ever since. In April 2005, LeBlanc also briefly took his character to As the World Turns, another CBS daytime soap. That series concluded in 2010.
However, LeBlanc started his...
- 3/3/2023
- by Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ricou Browning, the actor, stuntman and diver whose work in the 1954 sci-fi classic “Creature From the Black Lagoon” launched his career as an expert water-based filmmaker, died less than two weeks after his 93rd birthday, his son Ricou Browning Jr. confirmed to TheWrap on Tuesday.
The diver, who legend has it could hold his breath for up to four minutes at a time, landed the iconic role in 1953 after being asked by a film crew to help scout locations at Wakulla Springs Florida for the Universal monster film. He was already performing underwater newsreels shot at the tourist spot.
“Their cameraman asked if I could swim in front of the cameras so they could get the perspective of the size of a human being against the fish and the grass. So I did,” he told the Hartford Courant in 2016. Ben Chapman portrayed the Creature – also known as Gill Man – on land,...
The diver, who legend has it could hold his breath for up to four minutes at a time, landed the iconic role in 1953 after being asked by a film crew to help scout locations at Wakulla Springs Florida for the Universal monster film. He was already performing underwater newsreels shot at the tourist spot.
“Their cameraman asked if I could swim in front of the cameras so they could get the perspective of the size of a human being against the fish and the grass. So I did,” he told the Hartford Courant in 2016. Ben Chapman portrayed the Creature – also known as Gill Man – on land,...
- 2/28/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
On the JoBlo Movies YouTube channel, we will be posting one full movie every other day throughout the week, giving viewers the chance to watch them entirely free of charge. The Free Movie of the Day we have for you today is the 2004 thriller The Keeper, starring Dennis Hopper and Asia Argento. You can watch it over on the YouTube channel linked above, or you can just watch it in the embed at the top of this article.
Directed by Paul Lynch from a screenplay by Gerald Sanford, The Keeper has the following synopsis: When an apparently exemplary cop abducts and secretly imprisons a beautiful dancer, a deadly battle of wills between captor and captive ensues.
Hopper and Argento are joined in the cast by Helen Shaver, Lochlyn Munro, Charles Frederick, Alex Zahara, Alejandro Abellan, Fred Keating, Philip Granger, Joe McCoy, Angela Uyeda, Brad Loree, Robert Saunders, Charlie Gudgeon, Garfield Wilson,...
Directed by Paul Lynch from a screenplay by Gerald Sanford, The Keeper has the following synopsis: When an apparently exemplary cop abducts and secretly imprisons a beautiful dancer, a deadly battle of wills between captor and captive ensues.
Hopper and Argento are joined in the cast by Helen Shaver, Lochlyn Munro, Charles Frederick, Alex Zahara, Alejandro Abellan, Fred Keating, Philip Granger, Joe McCoy, Angela Uyeda, Brad Loree, Robert Saunders, Charlie Gudgeon, Garfield Wilson,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Sidney Poitier walked among kings and earned Hollywood’s highest honors, but that didn’t stop the Federal Bureau of Investigation from keeping tabs on the actor and philanthropist via informants and surveillance tactics during the civil rights era, according to documents newly obtained by Rolling Stone. Poitier, who passed away at age 94 on January 6, 2022, had a career that lasted 75 years and was surveilled by the agency at the height of his fame.
Poitier’s FBI file – requested via the Freedom of Information Act – is 13 pages long, covering 1959 to 1963, with...
Poitier’s FBI file – requested via the Freedom of Information Act – is 13 pages long, covering 1959 to 1963, with...
- 2/26/2023
- by Jenn Dize
- Rollingstone.com
Movie star John Wayne brought a signature acting style that drew his longtime fans to theater seats. They knew exactly what they were paying for each time they went to see one of his films. Wayne was aware of this, constantly doing quality control on every project that came across his desk. He once turned down the leading role in an Oscar-winning movie because he didn’t like how it portrayed the military.
John Wayne took messages behind movie roles very seriously John Wayne | Getty Images
Wayne’s breakthrough movie role came about with 1939’s Stagecoach alongside frequent collaborator John Ford. He continued to gain fame over the years through his Western and war roles. However, Wayne never wanted to abandon his own morals for the sake of a role, even if it would go on to be a big success.
There were other Oscar films that Wayne turned down,...
John Wayne took messages behind movie roles very seriously John Wayne | Getty Images
Wayne’s breakthrough movie role came about with 1939’s Stagecoach alongside frequent collaborator John Ford. He continued to gain fame over the years through his Western and war roles. However, Wayne never wanted to abandon his own morals for the sake of a role, even if it would go on to be a big success.
There were other Oscar films that Wayne turned down,...
- 2/7/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Long-running television shows frequently have to roll with the punches and figure out ways to keep audiences wanting to tune in. Gunsmoke made Ken Curtis’ Festus Haggen a series regular to replace Dennis Weaver’s beloved Chester Goode after he left to pursue other acting opportunities. However, Curtis refused to return for the first made-for-tv Gunsmoke movie after its 20-season run because of a couple of serious disagreements with a producer.
‘Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge’ reintroduced audiences to Dodge City Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen | CBS via Getty Images
Gunsmoke met its end on CBS in 1975 after a surprise cancelation that the cast and crew didn’t see coming. The network returned the world back to Dodge City in 1987 with the first made-for-tv movie for the series subtitled Return to Dodge. U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon actor James Arness and Miss Kitty Russell star Amanda Blake both came back.
The...
‘Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge’ reintroduced audiences to Dodge City Ken Curtis as Festus Haggen | CBS via Getty Images
Gunsmoke met its end on CBS in 1975 after a surprise cancelation that the cast and crew didn’t see coming. The network returned the world back to Dodge City in 1987 with the first made-for-tv movie for the series subtitled Return to Dodge. U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon actor James Arness and Miss Kitty Russell star Amanda Blake both came back.
The...
- 2/6/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Walter Mirisch is best remembered today as the producer of studio prestige releases like In the Heat of the Night, The Apartment, and the original West Side Story, but before he became one of Hollywood’s most reliable sources of “A” pictures he toiled away in the “B” trenches of Poverty Row company Monogram. He kept the studio in the black with his Bomba the Jungle Boy series, but before establishing that franchise he produced a pair of noir movies based on material by Cornell Woolrich, the suspense writer who would hit paydirt with Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Mirisch’s first solo Monogram […]
The post I Wouldn’t Be In Your Shoes!, The Gift and 1408: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post I Wouldn’t Be In Your Shoes!, The Gift and 1408: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/4/2022
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Walter Mirisch is best remembered today as the producer of studio prestige releases like In the Heat of the Night, The Apartment, and the original West Side Story, but before he became one of Hollywood’s most reliable sources of “A” pictures he toiled away in the “B” trenches of Poverty Row company Monogram. He kept the studio in the black with his Bomba the Jungle Boy series, but before establishing that franchise he produced a pair of noir movies based on material by Cornell Woolrich, the suspense writer who would hit paydirt with Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Mirisch’s first solo Monogram […]
The post I Wouldn’t Be In Your Shoes!, The Gift and 1408: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post I Wouldn’t Be In Your Shoes!, The Gift and 1408: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/4/2022
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger star in this incendiary drama about a black detective tasked with solving a murder in the still-segregated Mississippi of 1967 – times being what they are, Norman Jewison’s film continues to pack a punch. And speaking of punches, Poitier’s then-shocking retaliation against a supercilious old bigot upended movie theaters both north and south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
The post In the Heat of the Night appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post In the Heat of the Night appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 1/21/2022
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
A pained observation: The only intriguing stories on Hollywood this week consisted of obits – all kinds of obits. There were obits reminding us of the remarkable lives of Sidney Poitier, Peter Bogdanovich and Betty White. Also speculative obits about the Golden Globes, sentimental obits about the extinct 20th Century Fox and even speculative obits about MGM and ICM.
The obit frame of mind even extended to ticket buyers as a whole. Having anointed such films as West Side Story and The Power of the Dog as automatic award winners, critics wondered why ticket buyers seemed to be boycotting them. Had the movie audience disappeared into streamer heaven?
If the “business” obits were lugubrious, the personal ones often were inspirational. Obits for Poitier, who passed at age 94, documented a rich and fulfilling life – an appropriate reward for risks well taken. He also had strong personal ties with other strong-willed risk-takers, like Harry Belafonte.
The obit frame of mind even extended to ticket buyers as a whole. Having anointed such films as West Side Story and The Power of the Dog as automatic award winners, critics wondered why ticket buyers seemed to be boycotting them. Had the movie audience disappeared into streamer heaven?
If the “business” obits were lugubrious, the personal ones often were inspirational. Obits for Poitier, who passed at age 94, documented a rich and fulfilling life – an appropriate reward for risks well taken. He also had strong personal ties with other strong-willed risk-takers, like Harry Belafonte.
- 1/13/2022
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated with latest: Networks are marshaling to set programming this month in tribute of Sidney Poitier, the groundbreaking and Oscar-winning actor and civil rights activist who died last week at age 94.
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network will feature special programming this Sunday that includes the iconic actor’s 2000 and 2007 appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and an airing of his 1967 film To Sir, With Love. The network also said that it will air the 2015 special Oprah Winfrey Presents: Legends Who Paved the Way featuring Poitier at a gala honoring “some of the legendary men and extraordinary women of the civil rights movement who made history.”
To Sir, With Love and the Oprah Winfrey Show episodes will be available beginning Sunday on the WatchOWN app, the network said.
TCM said today that it will roll out 12 Poitier movies in a marathon programming block Saturday and Sunday, February 19-20. February 20 will mark what...
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network will feature special programming this Sunday that includes the iconic actor’s 2000 and 2007 appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and an airing of his 1967 film To Sir, With Love. The network also said that it will air the 2015 special Oprah Winfrey Presents: Legends Who Paved the Way featuring Poitier at a gala honoring “some of the legendary men and extraordinary women of the civil rights movement who made history.”
To Sir, With Love and the Oprah Winfrey Show episodes will be available beginning Sunday on the WatchOWN app, the network said.
TCM said today that it will roll out 12 Poitier movies in a marathon programming block Saturday and Sunday, February 19-20. February 20 will mark what...
- 1/13/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Sidney Poitier was an electrifying presence on-screen. In life, he used his charisma and his renown as forces for change.
The actor best known for history-making roles in such films as “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “In the Heat of the Night” and “Lilies of the Field” made immense contributions to the civil rights movement. Dr. Russell Wigginton, president of the Memphis-based National Civil Rights Museum, points to Poitier’s staunch support of Martin Luther King Jr. and the actor’s participation in the 1966 March Against Fear through one of Mississippi’s most deeply segregated regions.
Poitier, who died Jan. 6 at the age of 94, worked his way up an overwhelmingly white industry by playing against type. He famously refused to take on stereotypical roles for a Black male actor. With his talent and his tenacity, Poitier built bridges and opened doors for so many. At the same time, he was dedicated to civil rights.
The actor best known for history-making roles in such films as “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “In the Heat of the Night” and “Lilies of the Field” made immense contributions to the civil rights movement. Dr. Russell Wigginton, president of the Memphis-based National Civil Rights Museum, points to Poitier’s staunch support of Martin Luther King Jr. and the actor’s participation in the 1966 March Against Fear through one of Mississippi’s most deeply segregated regions.
Poitier, who died Jan. 6 at the age of 94, worked his way up an overwhelmingly white industry by playing against type. He famously refused to take on stereotypical roles for a Black male actor. With his talent and his tenacity, Poitier built bridges and opened doors for so many. At the same time, he was dedicated to civil rights.
- 1/12/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
I grew up idolizing Sidney Poitier.
I was around 9 when he flickered into my world on a television replay of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” I was a latchkey kid in Cleveland, daughter of a white, single mother and a Black father — whose union their parents had frowned upon. In the film, Sidney and his co-star, Katharine Houghton, play an interracial couple whose parents also struggle with their children’s relationship. There I sat in front of my mom’s old console, mesmerized, as I watched my family’s dynamic play out. For the first time in my childhood, I felt seen. Understood. Validated. The world already knew Sidney, who died last week at 94, as a formidable performer. But I first experienced him as a mirror.
I watched that film over and over again, through my middle-school years and beyond. By then, my mother had moved our family from a...
I was around 9 when he flickered into my world on a television replay of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” I was a latchkey kid in Cleveland, daughter of a white, single mother and a Black father — whose union their parents had frowned upon. In the film, Sidney and his co-star, Katharine Houghton, play an interracial couple whose parents also struggle with their children’s relationship. There I sat in front of my mom’s old console, mesmerized, as I watched my family’s dynamic play out. For the first time in my childhood, I felt seen. Understood. Validated. The world already knew Sidney, who died last week at 94, as a formidable performer. But I first experienced him as a mirror.
I watched that film over and over again, through my middle-school years and beyond. By then, my mother had moved our family from a...
- 1/12/2022
- by Halle Berry
- Variety Film + TV
Sidney Poitier’s two most iconic moments as an actor both occur in the 1967 Oscar-winning drama “In the Heat of the Night.” The first is his famous declaration “They call me Mister Tibbs!” The second arrives when his big-city detective is questioning a Mississippi cotton tycoon, who slaps Tibbs for implying that he’s a criminal. Tibbs slaps him back — an act of shocking-at-the-time defiance that Poitier improvised, and one that gave a jolt to film history. It connected, electrifyingly, with the militancy of the late ’60s, and left no doubt that Poitier was a figure of mythological magnitude.
As the first Black movie star, the Jackie Robinson of cinema, the trailblazer who always felt (by his own admission) that it was his obligation to represent, Poitier changed the movies with the very fact of presence. Yet it was the meaning of his presence, the ferocity and containment of it,...
As the first Black movie star, the Jackie Robinson of cinema, the trailblazer who always felt (by his own admission) that it was his obligation to represent, Poitier changed the movies with the very fact of presence. Yet it was the meaning of his presence, the ferocity and containment of it,...
- 1/11/2022
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
At a time when Black actors were forced into submissive or inarticulate roles, the actor showed strength moving through hostile white spaces with dignity
Upon the announcement of Hollywood legend Sidney Poitier’s death, I sent out a tweet that featured my favorite photo of him. The photo in question shows a shirtless Poitier, wearing dark sunglasses like Miles Davis on the cover of ’Round About Midnight, playing the saxophone alongside jazz man Sonny Stitt, while standing in the street, surrounded by a community of appreciative onlookers, otherwise known as “the people”. The reason I dig this photo so much is because it offers a more complex image of Poitier than the one that had come to define him at the height of his fame in Hollywood. I have never been able to confirm the context of this photo, but I have always assumed that it was taken while he...
Upon the announcement of Hollywood legend Sidney Poitier’s death, I sent out a tweet that featured my favorite photo of him. The photo in question shows a shirtless Poitier, wearing dark sunglasses like Miles Davis on the cover of ’Round About Midnight, playing the saxophone alongside jazz man Sonny Stitt, while standing in the street, surrounded by a community of appreciative onlookers, otherwise known as “the people”. The reason I dig this photo so much is because it offers a more complex image of Poitier than the one that had come to define him at the height of his fame in Hollywood. I have never been able to confirm the context of this photo, but I have always assumed that it was taken while he...
- 1/11/2022
- by Todd Boyd
- The Guardian - Film News
SAG-AFTRA mourns the loss of SAG Life Achievement Award recipient Sidney Poitier, who died last week at the age of 94.
Poitier was a trailblazing performer whose most recognizable roles included Virgil Tibbs in In the Heat of the Night and John Prentice in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. In 1963 he became the first African American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for Lilies of the Field.
“Sidney Poitier was a brilliant and dignified actor who broke the ceiling for many actors of color that followed in his footsteps,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “Blessed by a long life, he remains a most respected, admired, accomplished actor by his industry peers.”
“My parents met him at an event I took them to where Sidney was being honored,” Drescher continued. “My mom grabbed him, hugged him and told him what a big fan she was, how much she loved him...
Poitier was a trailblazing performer whose most recognizable roles included Virgil Tibbs in In the Heat of the Night and John Prentice in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. In 1963 he became the first African American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for Lilies of the Field.
“Sidney Poitier was a brilliant and dignified actor who broke the ceiling for many actors of color that followed in his footsteps,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “Blessed by a long life, he remains a most respected, admired, accomplished actor by his industry peers.”
“My parents met him at an event I took them to where Sidney was being honored,” Drescher continued. “My mom grabbed him, hugged him and told him what a big fan she was, how much she loved him...
- 1/11/2022
- Look to the Stars
Chicago – With the passing of actor Sidney Poitier at the age of 94 on January 6th, 2022, another lion of the cinema – who represented succinctly an era of the movies – has left the mortal coil. HollywoodChicago.com presents the following appreciation through three film essays in retrospect by Patrick McDonald, Spike Walters and Jon Lennon Espino.
Although Poitier represented American blacks in his early career, often cast as the dignified presence among the bigotry floating around him, his early life was in the Bahamas. He moved to Miami at age 15 (he was born in Miami while his Bahamian parents sold produce there) and after serving in the Army during World War II, he joined the American Negro Theater in New York City.
Poster Art: ‘Lilies of the Field’ (1963), Featuring Oscar Best Actor Sidney Poitier
Photo credit: HBO Max (VOD)
After working in theater, he made his major film debut in 1950 with the incendiary “No Way Out.
Although Poitier represented American blacks in his early career, often cast as the dignified presence among the bigotry floating around him, his early life was in the Bahamas. He moved to Miami at age 15 (he was born in Miami while his Bahamian parents sold produce there) and after serving in the Army during World War II, he joined the American Negro Theater in New York City.
Poster Art: ‘Lilies of the Field’ (1963), Featuring Oscar Best Actor Sidney Poitier
Photo credit: HBO Max (VOD)
After working in theater, he made his major film debut in 1950 with the incendiary “No Way Out.
- 1/10/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
This commentary on the life and legacy of Sidney Poitier was first published in the 2006 BAFTA/LA Cunard Britannia Awards, as part of the organization’s lifetime achievement award tribute to the trailblazing star, who died Jan. 6 at the age of 94.
Is Sidney Poitier the most important actor in American history?
One could quickly defend that question affirmatively simply with a newsreel of clips showing heroes like Martin Luther King Jr., from Birmingham to the March on Washington, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks; Olympians Tommy Smith and John Carlos with their fists in the 1968 Mexico City air; rabid segregationists Bull Connor, Lester Maddox and George Wallace; the sit-ins and the accompanying firehoses and attacking police dogs; the segregated public spaces, the high-profile Ku Klux Klan marches and their low-profile lynchings.
To any American film fan who lived through the Civil Rights revolution of the 1950s and ’60s,...
Is Sidney Poitier the most important actor in American history?
One could quickly defend that question affirmatively simply with a newsreel of clips showing heroes like Martin Luther King Jr., from Birmingham to the March on Washington, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks; Olympians Tommy Smith and John Carlos with their fists in the 1968 Mexico City air; rabid segregationists Bull Connor, Lester Maddox and George Wallace; the sit-ins and the accompanying firehoses and attacking police dogs; the segregated public spaces, the high-profile Ku Klux Klan marches and their low-profile lynchings.
To any American film fan who lived through the Civil Rights revolution of the 1950s and ’60s,...
- 1/9/2022
- by Steven Gaydos
- Variety Film + TV
Officially a production of the Covid era—the end credits include such novel crew positions as “Covid compliance officer” and “Covid p.a.”—On the Count of Three plays like a despairing, vaguely comedic twist on more than half-century-old race relations films such as The Defiant Ones and In the Heat of the Night, in which circumstances forced white and black characters to collaborate against their wills. In the directorial debut of Jerrod Carmichael, whose stand-up work and TV specials have reliably provided blunt and comic diagnoses of race and class issues, there is a sense of the more things change, the more things remain the same, as this scrappy, hectic, unfunny farce provides the backdrop for a quick, down-and-dirty look at desperation in the under-class.
The opening scene grabs you by the lapels. Black Val (Carmichael) and white Kevin (Christopher Abbott) point guns at each other, profess their mutual love,...
The opening scene grabs you by the lapels. Black Val (Carmichael) and white Kevin (Christopher Abbott) point guns at each other, profess their mutual love,...
- 1/30/2021
- by Todd McCarthy
- Deadline Film + TV
Bruce Kirby, the longtime character actor whose many TV roles included regular turns on Columbo and L.A. Law, died Sunday in Los Angeles. Kirby, the father of late actor Bruno Kirby, was 95.
His son, acting coach John Kirby, announced the death in a Facebook post. A cause of death was not specified, but John Kirby noted that his father “passed away peacefully” at Cedars in Los Angeles.
Beginning his acting career in the 1950s with appearances in Golden Age anthology programs such as Omnibus and Goodyear Playhouse, Kirby became a familiar presence on episodic TV in the 1960s, with roles on Car 54, Where Are You?, The Patty Duke Show, I Dream of Jeannie and The Defenders.
His TV career continued through the 1970s and ’80s with roles on sitcoms and dramas, specializing in playing cops and detectives on such series as Medical Center, Toma, Kojak, Shannon, Lou Grant, Hunter and In The Heat Of The Night.
Kirby played several roles in the long-running Peter Falk series Columbo, most notably his run as the show’s Sgt. Kramer. From 1986 to 1991, Kirby recurred on L.A. Law as D.A. Bruce Rogoff, and in the early 1980s he was cast as Officer Schmidt in the San Francisco-based crime drama Shannon.
Other TV credits include The Rockford Files, Matlock, Hill Street Blues, The Golden Girls, Chicago Hope and, in the 2000s, The Sopranos, The West Wing and, in two of his final appearances, Numb3rs and Scrubs.
Though TV roles dominated his career, Kirby also made appearances in such feature films as the 1971 Don Knotts vehicle How To Frame A Figg, the 1985 Patsy Cline biopic Sweet Dreams (in which he played TV personality Arthur Godfrey), 1986’s Stand By Me and, in 1993, the Matt Dillon comedy Mr. Wonderful.
In 2004, Kirby reteamed with Dillon for one of his most memorable big-screen roles, playing the father of Dillon’s shady cop in the Oscar-winning Crash.
On Broadway, Kirby was featured in the replacement cast of 1984’s Death of a Salesman starring Dustin Hoffman. Kirby played the role of Uncle Ben.
Bruno Kirby, who died of leukemia in 2006 at age 57, followed his father into acting, with roles in The Godfather: Part II, When Harry Me Sally…, City Slickers, The Larry Sanders Show, This Is Spinal Tap, Good Morning Vietnam and many others. Like his father, he made appearances on Mash, Columbo, Kojak, Room 222 and Hill St. Blues.
On his Facebook tribute, John Kirby wrote, “My father loved acting and aside from his extraordinary professional career in television, film & theater, he never stopped working on it from his early years in New York on scholarship with Lee Strasberg for 9 years, LA’s Theatre East & The Actors Studio. It was very painful for him when he no longer could perform. I am so glad his wonderful work will live on…
“He was a great father who loved Bruno and me and as a family he made it his business for us to tour in these professional Summer Stock packages, something we would all look forward to every summer…I’m glad you’re up there with Bruno and so many of our loved ones.”
In addition to son John, Kirby is survived by wife Rosalyn.
His son, acting coach John Kirby, announced the death in a Facebook post. A cause of death was not specified, but John Kirby noted that his father “passed away peacefully” at Cedars in Los Angeles.
Beginning his acting career in the 1950s with appearances in Golden Age anthology programs such as Omnibus and Goodyear Playhouse, Kirby became a familiar presence on episodic TV in the 1960s, with roles on Car 54, Where Are You?, The Patty Duke Show, I Dream of Jeannie and The Defenders.
His TV career continued through the 1970s and ’80s with roles on sitcoms and dramas, specializing in playing cops and detectives on such series as Medical Center, Toma, Kojak, Shannon, Lou Grant, Hunter and In The Heat Of The Night.
Kirby played several roles in the long-running Peter Falk series Columbo, most notably his run as the show’s Sgt. Kramer. From 1986 to 1991, Kirby recurred on L.A. Law as D.A. Bruce Rogoff, and in the early 1980s he was cast as Officer Schmidt in the San Francisco-based crime drama Shannon.
Other TV credits include The Rockford Files, Matlock, Hill Street Blues, The Golden Girls, Chicago Hope and, in the 2000s, The Sopranos, The West Wing and, in two of his final appearances, Numb3rs and Scrubs.
Though TV roles dominated his career, Kirby also made appearances in such feature films as the 1971 Don Knotts vehicle How To Frame A Figg, the 1985 Patsy Cline biopic Sweet Dreams (in which he played TV personality Arthur Godfrey), 1986’s Stand By Me and, in 1993, the Matt Dillon comedy Mr. Wonderful.
In 2004, Kirby reteamed with Dillon for one of his most memorable big-screen roles, playing the father of Dillon’s shady cop in the Oscar-winning Crash.
On Broadway, Kirby was featured in the replacement cast of 1984’s Death of a Salesman starring Dustin Hoffman. Kirby played the role of Uncle Ben.
Bruno Kirby, who died of leukemia in 2006 at age 57, followed his father into acting, with roles in The Godfather: Part II, When Harry Me Sally…, City Slickers, The Larry Sanders Show, This Is Spinal Tap, Good Morning Vietnam and many others. Like his father, he made appearances on Mash, Columbo, Kojak, Room 222 and Hill St. Blues.
On his Facebook tribute, John Kirby wrote, “My father loved acting and aside from his extraordinary professional career in television, film & theater, he never stopped working on it from his early years in New York on scholarship with Lee Strasberg for 9 years, LA’s Theatre East & The Actors Studio. It was very painful for him when he no longer could perform. I am so glad his wonderful work will live on…
“He was a great father who loved Bruno and me and as a family he made it his business for us to tour in these professional Summer Stock packages, something we would all look forward to every summer…I’m glad you’re up there with Bruno and so many of our loved ones.”
In addition to son John, Kirby is survived by wife Rosalyn.
- 1/26/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
I’ve been a professional awards journalist for more than 30 years and I often keep falling for an old, sentimental assumption. When scanning a list of nominees to make predictions and a dead body suddenly pops up – especially the ghost of someone who was beloved and respected across Hollywood – I’m tempted to pick that contender, thinking: Oh, come on! How can voters fail to give their old pal one last hug?
But beware: that kind of thinking often comes back to haunt you later. At recent Emmys, you would’ve lost your shekels if you’d bet them on two tempting posthumous nominees: Fred Willard or Carrie Fisher. The Emmy is an industry peer-group award just like the Oscar and so it sometimes holds a lesson for film-award fans.
SEELatest Oscar Best Actor predictions by 30 Experts
Now we Oscar pundits must brutally ask ourselves a tough question: Is Chadwick Boseman...
But beware: that kind of thinking often comes back to haunt you later. At recent Emmys, you would’ve lost your shekels if you’d bet them on two tempting posthumous nominees: Fred Willard or Carrie Fisher. The Emmy is an industry peer-group award just like the Oscar and so it sometimes holds a lesson for film-award fans.
SEELatest Oscar Best Actor predictions by 30 Experts
Now we Oscar pundits must brutally ask ourselves a tough question: Is Chadwick Boseman...
- 1/26/2021
- by Tom O'Neil
- Gold Derby
Kevin Conway, a veteran actor known for his work in Gettysburg, Thirteen Days and Invincible, among others, died Wednesday of a heart attack, his publicist told Deadline. He was 77.
New York City-born Conway worked as an Ibm sales analyst before becoming an actor at age 24. He went on to a decades-long career with dozens of credits in film, television and on the stage. His first major screen role was playing Roland Weary in the 1972 film Slaughterhouse Five, based on the Kurt Vonnegut novel. He went on to play Crum Petree, the insane mailman in the 1988 film Funny Farm; Frank Papale in the 2006 Disney football drama Invincible; and General Curtis LeMay in the 2000 historical drama Thirteen Days. He also played the fictional Sgt. Buster Kilrain in Ron Maxwell’s 1993 epic Gettysburg (see photo above) and its 2003 follow-up Gods and Generals.
His television work included playing Roger Chillingworth in a 1979 TV production of The Scarlet Letter,...
New York City-born Conway worked as an Ibm sales analyst before becoming an actor at age 24. He went on to a decades-long career with dozens of credits in film, television and on the stage. His first major screen role was playing Roland Weary in the 1972 film Slaughterhouse Five, based on the Kurt Vonnegut novel. He went on to play Crum Petree, the insane mailman in the 1988 film Funny Farm; Frank Papale in the 2006 Disney football drama Invincible; and General Curtis LeMay in the 2000 historical drama Thirteen Days. He also played the fictional Sgt. Buster Kilrain in Ron Maxwell’s 1993 epic Gettysburg (see photo above) and its 2003 follow-up Gods and Generals.
His television work included playing Roger Chillingworth in a 1979 TV production of The Scarlet Letter,...
- 2/7/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.