Gunsmoke set a record as the longest-running scripted television show on primetime with 20 seasons under its belt between 1955 and 1975. It went down in history as one of the greatest Western dramas ever to hit the screen, but some fans would argue that the awards season didn’t give it the attention that it deserved. Gunsmoke won five Emmy Awards over its 20 seasons, although none of them went to lead actor James Arness.
‘Gunsmoke’ had a terrific ensemble cast L-R: Amanda Blake as Kitty Russell, James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, and Milburn Stone as Dr. Galen ‘Doc’ Adams | CBS via Getty Images
Gunsmoke initially started as a radio show in 1952 before it made its way to television. Diehard fans of the radio show were upset to hear that the voice cast wouldn’t return to play the iconic characters on television. Nevertheless, Gunsmoke...
‘Gunsmoke’ had a terrific ensemble cast L-R: Amanda Blake as Kitty Russell, James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode, and Milburn Stone as Dr. Galen ‘Doc’ Adams | CBS via Getty Images
Gunsmoke initially started as a radio show in 1952 before it made its way to television. Diehard fans of the radio show were upset to hear that the voice cast wouldn’t return to play the iconic characters on television. Nevertheless, Gunsmoke...
- 4/2/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Actor Ken Kercheval, best known as Texas businessman Cliff Barnes on the CBS series Dallas, has died. A cause of death is not known, but a spokesperson at the Frist Funeral Home in the actor’s hometown of Clinton, Indiana, told Deadline that Kercheval died Sunday. He was 83.
Kercheval’s character was a signature presence on Dallas — along with his bitter rival J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), Barnes was the only character to appear in all 14 seasons (1978-1991) of the soapy saga about Texas crude and crude Texans. The character was originally modeled on Robert F. Kennedy but that template didn’t hold for long. Instead Barnes was defined by his family’s rivalry with the Ewings and his character was spun in varied directions as needed — his job title, for instance, changed a dozen times over the course of the series.
Kercheval was also in the 1986 prequel Dallas: The Early Years, a TV movie that fleshed out the franchise’s central conflict, the rivalry between the two oil industry families. Kercheval also returned to the character for the 1996 television movie Dallas: J.R. Returns and then again for three seasons (2012-2014) of a Dallas revival, which presented the career-bouncing Barnes as a casino industry player.
Dallas also gave Kercheval a chance to experiment with job directions himself: He went behind the camera to direct an episode of the series in each of its final two seasons.
Kercheval was born July 15, 1935, in Wolcottville, Ind., and raised in nearby Clinton. A music and drama major at Indiana University he later studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Kercheval began his professional acting career on the stage, making his Broadway debut in the 1962 play Something About A Soldier. He went on to appear Off-Broadway in 1972’s Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill revue. His other theatre credits include The Apple Tree, Cabaret (replacing Bert Convy as Cliff), and Here’s Where I Belong. He also appeared as the title character in the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof, co-starring with Herschel Bernardi, Maria Karnilova, Julia Migenes, Leonard Frey, and Pia Zadora.
It was television, however, where Kercheval became a face familiar to millions. His credits included appearances on E.R., L.A. Law,, Murder She Wrote, CHiPs, Highway to Heaven, Kojak, The Love Boat, Matlock, and Starsky & Hutch. His film credits include Network, The Seven-Ups and F.I.S.T. in the 1970s.
Kercheval’s character was a signature presence on Dallas — along with his bitter rival J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), Barnes was the only character to appear in all 14 seasons (1978-1991) of the soapy saga about Texas crude and crude Texans. The character was originally modeled on Robert F. Kennedy but that template didn’t hold for long. Instead Barnes was defined by his family’s rivalry with the Ewings and his character was spun in varied directions as needed — his job title, for instance, changed a dozen times over the course of the series.
Kercheval was also in the 1986 prequel Dallas: The Early Years, a TV movie that fleshed out the franchise’s central conflict, the rivalry between the two oil industry families. Kercheval also returned to the character for the 1996 television movie Dallas: J.R. Returns and then again for three seasons (2012-2014) of a Dallas revival, which presented the career-bouncing Barnes as a casino industry player.
Dallas also gave Kercheval a chance to experiment with job directions himself: He went behind the camera to direct an episode of the series in each of its final two seasons.
Kercheval was born July 15, 1935, in Wolcottville, Ind., and raised in nearby Clinton. A music and drama major at Indiana University he later studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Kercheval began his professional acting career on the stage, making his Broadway debut in the 1962 play Something About A Soldier. He went on to appear Off-Broadway in 1972’s Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill revue. His other theatre credits include The Apple Tree, Cabaret (replacing Bert Convy as Cliff), and Here’s Where I Belong. He also appeared as the title character in the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof, co-starring with Herschel Bernardi, Maria Karnilova, Julia Migenes, Leonard Frey, and Pia Zadora.
It was television, however, where Kercheval became a face familiar to millions. His credits included appearances on E.R., L.A. Law,, Murder She Wrote, CHiPs, Highway to Heaven, Kojak, The Love Boat, Matlock, and Starsky & Hutch. His film credits include Network, The Seven-Ups and F.I.S.T. in the 1970s.
- 4/24/2019
- by Geoff Boucher
- Deadline Film + TV
Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond’s lavish movie boils down to a dirty party joke, but they struck gold just the same. Audiences flocked to see Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine reunited in a fantasy Parisian red light district, in a show that looks like Disneyland for fans of Playboy cartoons.
Irma La Douce
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date July 17, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Lou Jacobi, Herschel Bernardi, Hope Holiday, Bruce Yarnell, Joan Shawlee, Grace Lee Whitney, Paul Dubov, Howard McNear, Cliff Osmond, Diki Lerner, Ruth & Jane Earl, Tura Satana.
Cinematography: Joseph La Shelle
Art Director: Alexander Trauner
Film Editor: Daniel Mandell
Original Music: Marguerite Monnot, André Previn
Written by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond from a play by Alexandre Breffort
Produced by Edward L. Alperson, I.A.L. Diamond, Billy Wilder
Directed by Billy Wilder
Although there’s...
Irma La Douce
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 143 min. / Street Date July 17, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Lou Jacobi, Herschel Bernardi, Hope Holiday, Bruce Yarnell, Joan Shawlee, Grace Lee Whitney, Paul Dubov, Howard McNear, Cliff Osmond, Diki Lerner, Ruth & Jane Earl, Tura Satana.
Cinematography: Joseph La Shelle
Art Director: Alexander Trauner
Film Editor: Daniel Mandell
Original Music: Marguerite Monnot, André Previn
Written by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond from a play by Alexandre Breffort
Produced by Edward L. Alperson, I.A.L. Diamond, Billy Wilder
Directed by Billy Wilder
Although there’s...
- 7/14/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The 19th Annual Animation Show of Shows January 9, 2018 NYC
The history of my personal love for animation (and the history of the Annual Animation Show of Shows) is laid out in my review for the 18th Annual Animation Show of Shows.
The newest collection of animated shorts had its initial premiere screening in Fall 2017. It was then shown at the Quad Cinema in January 2018. Unlike last year -- when there was only a single showing of the collection, at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia on the Upper West Side -- this year the show ran for two weeks, with two to four screenings per day.
As noted in my earlier review, in watching these series' one is immediately struck by just how wide a variety of animation types and styles there are: from "traditional" to watercolor, from stop-motion to claymation, from collage to puppetry, and beyond. Also interesting is the sheer...
The history of my personal love for animation (and the history of the Annual Animation Show of Shows) is laid out in my review for the 18th Annual Animation Show of Shows.
The newest collection of animated shorts had its initial premiere screening in Fall 2017. It was then shown at the Quad Cinema in January 2018. Unlike last year -- when there was only a single showing of the collection, at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia on the Upper West Side -- this year the show ran for two weeks, with two to four screenings per day.
As noted in my earlier review, in watching these series' one is immediately struck by just how wide a variety of animation types and styles there are: from "traditional" to watercolor, from stop-motion to claymation, from collage to puppetry, and beyond. Also interesting is the sheer...
- 1/20/2018
- by Ian Alterman
- www.culturecatch.com
What are two individualistic, highly motivated movie stars supposed to do when faced with an unimaginative studio system eager to misuse their talents? Natalie Wood and Steve McQueen collaborate with a great writer, director and producer for an urban romance with an eye on the sexual double standard. It’s a hybrid production: a gritty drama that’s also a calculated career move.
Love with the Proper Stranger
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1963 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 100 min. / Street Date September 19, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Natalie Wood, Steve McQueen, Edie Adams, Tom Bosley, Herschel Bernardi, Harvey Lembeck, Agusta Ciolli, Nina Varela, Marilyn Chris, Richard Dysart, Arlene Golonka, Tony Mordente, Nobu McCarthy, Richard Mulligan, Vic Tayback, Dyanne Thorne, Val Avery.
Cinematography: Milton Krasner
Film Editor: Aaron Stell
Original Music: Elmer Bernstein
Written by Arnold Schulman
Produced by Alan J. Pakula
Directed by Robert Mulligan
1963’s Love with the Proper Stranger is...
Love with the Proper Stranger
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1963 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 100 min. / Street Date September 19, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Natalie Wood, Steve McQueen, Edie Adams, Tom Bosley, Herschel Bernardi, Harvey Lembeck, Agusta Ciolli, Nina Varela, Marilyn Chris, Richard Dysart, Arlene Golonka, Tony Mordente, Nobu McCarthy, Richard Mulligan, Vic Tayback, Dyanne Thorne, Val Avery.
Cinematography: Milton Krasner
Film Editor: Aaron Stell
Original Music: Elmer Bernstein
Written by Arnold Schulman
Produced by Alan J. Pakula
Directed by Robert Mulligan
1963’s Love with the Proper Stranger is...
- 9/9/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“Don’T Mess With Huac”
By Raymond Benson
Perhaps the first film we saw that convinced us that Woody Allen could actually act—i.e., not be his nebbish, nervous comic persona from his early directorial efforts—was Martin Ritt’s 1976 comedy/drama, The Front, which appeared a year before Allen’s Annie Hall.
The Front was perhaps the first Hollywood film to tackle the subject of “the blacklist” that occurred in the movie industry in the late 1940s and throughout most of the 50s. This abominable practice was due to the investigation of “Communist infiltration” in Tinsel Town by Huac—the House Un-American Activities Committee. It was truly a dark time in U.S. history, one in which friends were pressured to “name names” or face the prospect of unemployment or worse, such as jail time. Note that the Hollywood studio heads were responsible for the actual blacklisting. The...
By Raymond Benson
Perhaps the first film we saw that convinced us that Woody Allen could actually act—i.e., not be his nebbish, nervous comic persona from his early directorial efforts—was Martin Ritt’s 1976 comedy/drama, The Front, which appeared a year before Allen’s Annie Hall.
The Front was perhaps the first Hollywood film to tackle the subject of “the blacklist” that occurred in the movie industry in the late 1940s and throughout most of the 50s. This abominable practice was due to the investigation of “Communist infiltration” in Tinsel Town by Huac—the House Un-American Activities Committee. It was truly a dark time in U.S. history, one in which friends were pressured to “name names” or face the prospect of unemployment or worse, such as jail time. Note that the Hollywood studio heads were responsible for the actual blacklisting. The...
- 1/25/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
With a title like this you know it has to be good. Irvin Kershner got his start directing on this small-scale tale of kids and crime. Jonathan Haze and Abby Dalton are standouts in the cast, while the uncredited executive producer who put up the cash is said to have been Roger Corman. It's a beautiful widescreen transfer -- the film was one of the first features shot by Haskell Wexler, who is also uncredited. Stakeout on Dope Street DVD-r The Warner Archive Collection 1958 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 83 min. / Street Date June 22, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Starring Yale Wexler, Jonathon Haze, Morris Miller (Stever Marlo), Abby Dalton, Allen Kramer, Herman Rudin, Philip Mansour, Andrew J. Fenady, Herschel Bernardi, Coleman Francis. Cinematography Mark Jeffrey (Haskell Wexler) Film Editor Melvin Sloan Original Music Richard Markowitz Story and Screenplay by Andrew J. Fenady, Irvin Kershner, Irvin Schwartz Produced by Andrew J. Fenady Directed...
- 9/25/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
My guest for this month is West Anthony, and he’s joined me to discuss the film he chose for me, the 1976 comedy-drama film The Front. You can follow the show on Twitter @cinemagadfly.
Show notes:
Not sure what happened to the audio in the introduction, apologies! The Hollywood blacklist is a term for the treatment of people in the entertainment industry who refused to name names to the House Un-American Activities Committee from 1947 to 1960 For a more in depth take on the blacklist, check out the latest season of the phenomenal You Must Remember This podcast WonderCon is a comic book convention that was held annually in Sf until it was cruelly moved to the La area in 2012. Yes I’m still bitter about it. West also recommends the Gabrielle de Cuir directed Thirty Years of Treason by Eric Bentley Among the people famously blacklisted were Lillian Hellman, Lionel Stander,...
Show notes:
Not sure what happened to the audio in the introduction, apologies! The Hollywood blacklist is a term for the treatment of people in the entertainment industry who refused to name names to the House Un-American Activities Committee from 1947 to 1960 For a more in depth take on the blacklist, check out the latest season of the phenomenal You Must Remember This podcast WonderCon is a comic book convention that was held annually in Sf until it was cruelly moved to the La area in 2012. Yes I’m still bitter about it. West also recommends the Gabrielle de Cuir directed Thirty Years of Treason by Eric Bentley Among the people famously blacklisted were Lillian Hellman, Lionel Stander,...
- 6/2/2016
- by Arik Devens
- CriterionCast
Al Pacino stars as aging 1970s rocker Danny Collins, who can’t give up his hard-living ways.But when his manager (Christopher Plummer) uncovers a 40-year-old undelivered letter written to him by John Lennon, he decides to change course and embarks on a heartfelt journey to rediscover his family, find true love and begin a second act.
Recently, Al Pacino sat down with a small group of press to talk about taking on the role of Danny Collins, his relationship with Bobby Cannavale, and passing John Lennon in Central Park. Check it out below.
Inspired by a true story, Danny Collins co-stars Annette Bening and Jennifer Garner. Written and directed by Dan Fogelman (writer of Last Vegas and Crazy, Stupid, Love).
(Al Pacino starts out…)
Al Pacino: Dan wanted me to be in the picture. He saw me in the part, and that’s always kind of, to me, it’s always surprising.
Recently, Al Pacino sat down with a small group of press to talk about taking on the role of Danny Collins, his relationship with Bobby Cannavale, and passing John Lennon in Central Park. Check it out below.
Inspired by a true story, Danny Collins co-stars Annette Bening and Jennifer Garner. Written and directed by Dan Fogelman (writer of Last Vegas and Crazy, Stupid, Love).
(Al Pacino starts out…)
Al Pacino: Dan wanted me to be in the picture. He saw me in the part, and that’s always kind of, to me, it’s always surprising.
- 4/1/2015
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
We here at ComicMix celebrate all manner of pop culture from today’s obvious hits to the arcane wonders of yesteryear. every now and then we get a notice about something that seems just outside our realm of interest but there’s a thing or two that grabs us. Something like an unaired pilot to the legendary Dr. Kildare series is one of those things. Not only that, but the series gave us Richard Chamberlain as a star (long before he was resurrected for Leverage). The show not only boasted an impressive guest cast, as noted below but it featured some of the best writers working in television including a pre-Star Trek Gene Roddenberry. So, here’s the press release for those who remember and remain interested:
Warner Archive Collection continues to unveil some of the finest series in television history with its release this week of Dr. Kildare: The First Complete Season.
Warner Archive Collection continues to unveil some of the finest series in television history with its release this week of Dr. Kildare: The First Complete Season.
- 4/18/2013
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
By Harvey F. Chartrand
Peter Gunn: The Complete Series is now available for the first time ever as a 12-dvd box set from Timeless Media Group… all 114 episodes, with a running time of over 58 hours.
Peter Gunn – created and produced by Blake Edwards – ran for three seasons – from 1958 to 1961. This classic detective show was a delightful blend of film noir and fifties cool, featuring a modern jazz score by Henry Mancini (a bonus CD of the soundtrack is included in the set), outbreaks of the old ultra-violence, a gallery of eccentric and sleazy characters (usually informants, gangsters and Beat Generation bohemians), and great acting by series leads Craig Stevens (as Gunn), Lola Albright (as his squeeze, sultry nightclub singer Edie Hart) and Herschel Bernardi (as Gunn’s friend and competitor Lieutenant Jacoby, who seems to work all by himself 24 hours a day...
By Harvey F. Chartrand
Peter Gunn: The Complete Series is now available for the first time ever as a 12-dvd box set from Timeless Media Group… all 114 episodes, with a running time of over 58 hours.
Peter Gunn – created and produced by Blake Edwards – ran for three seasons – from 1958 to 1961. This classic detective show was a delightful blend of film noir and fifties cool, featuring a modern jazz score by Henry Mancini (a bonus CD of the soundtrack is included in the set), outbreaks of the old ultra-violence, a gallery of eccentric and sleazy characters (usually informants, gangsters and Beat Generation bohemians), and great acting by series leads Craig Stevens (as Gunn), Lola Albright (as his squeeze, sultry nightclub singer Edie Hart) and Herschel Bernardi (as Gunn’s friend and competitor Lieutenant Jacoby, who seems to work all by himself 24 hours a day...
- 1/7/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
One of my most indelible memories of my dear friend Annette Cardona, who passed away last Wednesday at age 63 after a swift and unexpected battle with cancer, is sitting with her at the opening night of the revival of "A Chorus Line" a few years ago. Tears streamed down her face through most of the performance, partially because her mentor and pal Michael Bennett had asked her to play one of the major roles in the original New York production, but after a long and arduous decision process, Annette had chosen instead to take another juicy offer—to play Aldonza/Dulcinea in "The Man of La Mancha" on Broadway opposite Herschel Bernardi.But neither the memory of her fast friendship with the late great Bennett nor the loss of a plum role in a historic production was the main reason "A Chorus Line" brought tears to Annette's eyes. Granted, as she was.
- 8/10/2011
- by help@backstage.com (Travis Michael Holder)
- backstage.com
'The Hangman' is a poem by Maurice Ogden, animated into a 12-minute film made by Les Goldman and Paul Julian. The people of a town are condemned to die one by one by a mysterious stranger who erects a gallows in the town square.
The film takes a cynical look at how humankind loves to feed others into the death machine, its narrated by Herschel Bernardi. Shadows and shifting geometric planes lend a Chirico-like quality to Julian's animation, music was composed and conducted by Serge Hovey.
The film was a co-winner of the Silver Sail award at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1964.
Check This... is a feature showcasing what we at Flicks News consider essential short films to watch!
To view past shorts we showcased click here.
The film takes a cynical look at how humankind loves to feed others into the death machine, its narrated by Herschel Bernardi. Shadows and shifting geometric planes lend a Chirico-like quality to Julian's animation, music was composed and conducted by Serge Hovey.
The film was a co-winner of the Silver Sail award at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1964.
Check This... is a feature showcasing what we at Flicks News consider essential short films to watch!
To view past shorts we showcased click here.
- 11/24/2010
- by noreply@blogger.com (Flicks News)
- FlicksNews.net
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