Hal Kanter
Hal Kanter, the Emmy-winning comedy writer behind the groundbreaking series Julia, has died. He was 92.
Kanter died Sunday of complications from pneumonia at California's Encino Hospital, his daughter, Donna Kanter, told the Los Angeles Times.
See the celebs we lost this year
"What a dear man," friend Carl Reiner said. "He was considered one of the wits of the industry; there's no question about it. Any time he ...
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Eddie Murphy
Brett Ratner got his wish: Eddie Murphy will host the 84th Academy Awards, the academy announced Tuesday.
"Eddie is a comedic genius, one of the greatest and most influential live performers ever," Ratner, who's producing the Oscars, said. "With his love of movies, history of crafting unforgettable characters and his iconic performances — especially on stage — I know he will bring excitement, spontaneity and ...
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Jane Russell
Jane Russell, one of Hollywood's biggest sex symbols in the 1940s and '50s, died Monday, The Los Angeles Times reports. She was 89.
Her son, Buck Waterfield, said she died at her home in Santa Maria, Calif., but did not specify a cause...
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Billy Crystal
So how did everyone like 127 Hours: The Oscar Show?
Past experience has lowered our Oscar night expectations, but the enormity of this year's train wreck was hammered home when the starry audience stood and cheered as Billy Crystal took the stage midway through — as if to say: "Come back, Billy! Do something! Please save this show!"
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The 8-time former host teased, "We're running a little long, so here are the nominees for best picture." Bad boy. Funny boy. Boy oh boy, could the show have used a little more of Crystal's comic polish...
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The Tonight Show: Johnny Carson Celebrates Christmas courtesy Respond2 Entertainment
New releases announced today, July 25:Donny & Marie, Sonny & Cher and Bob Hope - A Classic TV Christmas 3-Pack will be coming out November 11 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson - Johnny Carson Celebrates Christmas will be coming out November 11 Visit TVShowsOnDVD.com for the complete stories on these and other news items.
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Question: Although I really can't stand Jay Leno and much prefer Conan O'Brien, I was very surprised when NBC announced Conan would be replacing Leno in the near future. I assumed eventually it would be revealed why this happened, but I haven't read anything about that. I can't see Leno wanting to step down, and his ratings have been stellar for NBC. I could see NBC worrying about losing Conan, but Leno is young and hungry enough to captain The Tonight Show for many more years of big ratings. So do you have any insights about why this is happening?
Answer: NBC made the announcement three years ago that Jay would step down from the Tonight throne in 2009 and Conan would succeed him, the idea being to keep Conan at the network and lay the groundwork for a more orderly passing of the torch than what happened when Johnny Carson retired (a bruising and messy tug-of-war involving Leno and Letterman). The reason it's making headlines again is because there's new management at NBC Entertainment
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Consider this an unqualified rave. NBC is offering a deluxe sweeps and holiday treat in Tuesday’s prime-time special Tony Bennett: An American Classic (8/7c), which is as lustrously filmed as it is impeccably sung. For those of us who’ve been waiting for Oscar-nominated director Rob Marshall (Chicago) to tackle a new musical project, here it is. Marshall has lovingly conceived and masterfully executed a shimmering, swinging hour of razzle-dazzle showmanship that redefines what a variety special can be.I’m tempted to say they don’t make ’em like this anymore, but the truth is, even back when they did, they didn’t make ’em this good very often. (What this special reminded me of most, especially in the elaborate and evocative production numbers, was Bob Fosse’s landmark Liza With a Z special that Showtime so magnificently resurrected and restored earlier this year.)This is the rare music special that looks as good as it sounds. And it sounds spec...
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Fred Goss and Jerry Lambert sing for their supper on Sons & Daughters.
We had our big red-carpet premiere last week at Universal Studios in Hollywood. The producers invited the entire cast and crew, and we ate popcorn and watched the first two episodes in a movie theater. It was so great to be together once again with everyone involved in this show. Several cast members of The Office showed up to support us. After the screening we moved to a nearby restaurant for food, drinks and sparkling conversation.
Let me fill you in on what's fappenin' on Sons and Daughters this week. ABC is broadcasting two episodes back-to-back again on Tuesday at 9 pm/ET. The first episode is called "Film Festival." Cameron tries to connect with his son Henry by getting the whole family to attend the screening of one of Henry's short films. Henry is extreme
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It's only one day into the summer Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills, and already we've seen one of the best shows (albeit not on TV) that we're likely to get in the next three weeks of hype and schmooze.
The occasion: a panel late Tuesday afternoon promoting Pioneers of Primetime, a PBS special (airing Nov. 9) about the legendary vaudevillian clowns who first made TV popular. Several gave their final TV interviews for this documentary, including the late Milton Berle, Steve Allen and Red Skelton — who turned down producer Steve Boettcher's interview requests at least half a dozen times before relenting and rewarding him with three and a half hours shortly before he died.
At TCA, this all-star panel of 80-something golden-age talent, which at first glance promised to be an exercise in fawning nostalgia, quickly turned into a rollicking display of classic shtick, as Red Buttons and Carl Reiner me
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