According to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users as of this writing, two closed shows are expected to receive nominations for Best Musical at this year’s Tony Awards. They are “Days of Wine and Roses,” which is in fifth place with 19/2 odds, and “Here Lies Love,” which is in second with 5/1 odds. Traditionally, however, closed shows tend to struggle getting Best Musical noms.
“Here Lies Love” opened way back in the summer of last year and was well received by critics. Yet it sadly never caught on commercially and ended up closing last November. Meanwhile, “Days of Wine and Roses” had already intended to be a limited run with its final performance planned for April 28 after opening in January to its own critical acclaim. Yet due to lackluster grosses, the run became even more limited, ending early on March 31.
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Throughout history,...
“Here Lies Love” opened way back in the summer of last year and was well received by critics. Yet it sadly never caught on commercially and ended up closing last November. Meanwhile, “Days of Wine and Roses” had already intended to be a limited run with its final performance planned for April 28 after opening in January to its own critical acclaim. Yet due to lackluster grosses, the run became even more limited, ending early on March 31.
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Throughout history,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Veteran actor William O’Connell, who played memorable villain Thelev on the original series of Star Trek and was a frequent foil in Clint Eastwood movies, has died. He was 94. According to Deadline, O’Connell passed away on Monday, January 15, at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, as confirmed by a family friend. A cause of death was not given. Born on May 12, 1929, in Los Angeles, O’Connell was a prolific actor throughout the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in bit parts in several popular television series of the time. One of his first on-screen roles came in 1959 in the crime drama Highway Patrol. His other television credits include Peter Gunn, The Twilight Zone, Going My Way, My Three Sons, The Lieutenant, The Outer Limits, Valentine’s Day, Rawhide, Bonanza, The Munsters, Batman, The Lucy Show, and many more. #RIPWilliamOConnell William O’Connell was an American film and television actor. pic.twitter.com...
- 2/2/2024
- TV Insider
Robert Butler, the Emmy-winning, go-to pilot director who helmed the first episodes of such acclaimed shows as Batman, Star Trek, Hill Street Blues and Moonlighting, died Nov. 3 in Los Angeles, his family announced. He was 95.
Butler also co-created the Pierce Brosnan-starring Remington Steele (and helmed its pilot, of course), directed the first episode of Hogan’s Heroes in 1965, and called the first shots and set the tone for, Glenn Gordon Caron’s Moonlighting, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Sisters and The Division.
In 1973, he directed the William Holden-starring The Blue Knight — the first four-hour television miniseries — at NBC and then got the CBS series adaptation of the Joseph Wambaugh novel that starred George Kennedy off on the right foot.
Butler also helmed two episodes of The Twilight Zone (the fifth-season installments “Caesar and Me,” starring his old friend, Jackie Cooper, and “The Encounter”) and worked on The Dick Van Dyke Show,...
Butler also co-created the Pierce Brosnan-starring Remington Steele (and helmed its pilot, of course), directed the first episode of Hogan’s Heroes in 1965, and called the first shots and set the tone for, Glenn Gordon Caron’s Moonlighting, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Sisters and The Division.
In 1973, he directed the William Holden-starring The Blue Knight — the first four-hour television miniseries — at NBC and then got the CBS series adaptation of the Joseph Wambaugh novel that starred George Kennedy off on the right foot.
Butler also helmed two episodes of The Twilight Zone (the fifth-season installments “Caesar and Me,” starring his old friend, Jackie Cooper, and “The Encounter”) and worked on The Dick Van Dyke Show,...
- 11/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Prime Video has a fair amount in store for subscribers in November, as the uber-violent hit animated show Invincible returns for its highly anticipated second season. Based on the iconic comic book by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, season two will find super-powered protagonist Mark attempting to rebuild his life after finding out the truth about his father Nolan.
Elsewhere on the streamer, the producing team behind the James Bond movies are out to spin the franchise in a completely different direction by debuting their curious new globe-trotting adventure series, pitched somewhere between a quiz show and a treasure hunt. 007: Road To A Million features Brian Cox as the game’s “mastermind”, watching over the contestants as they try to win a million quid.
Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month. Amazon Originals are accompanied by an asterisk!
New on Amazon Prime...
Elsewhere on the streamer, the producing team behind the James Bond movies are out to spin the franchise in a completely different direction by debuting their curious new globe-trotting adventure series, pitched somewhere between a quiz show and a treasure hunt. 007: Road To A Million features Brian Cox as the game’s “mastermind”, watching over the contestants as they try to win a million quid.
Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month. Amazon Originals are accompanied by an asterisk!
New on Amazon Prime...
- 11/1/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
On this day in 1966, Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek: The Original Series launched on NBC.
Some 57 years later, the stars and crew of the latest iterations of Roddenberry’s universe came out to remind the studios and fans why they’re striking.
There were pickets in both LA and New York. On the west coast, stars including Michelle Hurd,
LeVar Burton and George Takei turned up outside Paramount, which controls the franchise, while in New York the likes of Melissa Navia, who stars in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, was one of many in Manhattan.
The writers and actors said that they were to pay homage to Roddenberry’s vision of a future, a future where everyone is treated with respect and corporate greed is a thing of the past. “Sadly, though, the studios and the AMPTP are failing to live up to Gene’s vision,” the WGA said.
Navia,...
Some 57 years later, the stars and crew of the latest iterations of Roddenberry’s universe came out to remind the studios and fans why they’re striking.
There were pickets in both LA and New York. On the west coast, stars including Michelle Hurd,
LeVar Burton and George Takei turned up outside Paramount, which controls the franchise, while in New York the likes of Melissa Navia, who stars in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, was one of many in Manhattan.
The writers and actors said that they were to pay homage to Roddenberry’s vision of a future, a future where everyone is treated with respect and corporate greed is a thing of the past. “Sadly, though, the studios and the AMPTP are failing to live up to Gene’s vision,” the WGA said.
Navia,...
- 9/8/2023
- by Peter White, Rosy Cordero and Sean Piccoli
- Deadline Film + TV
Silver City, N.M.– No more can Uhura communicate. The ground breaking actor who originated the role of Nyota Uhura, the Communications Officer on The Original Series (Tos) “Star Trek,” passed away on July 30th at her home in New Mexico. Nichelle Nichols was 89. Photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com took this Exclusive Portrait in Chicago in 2018.
Nichelle Nichols was born Grace Dell Nichols in Robbins, Illinois. Her family was living in Chicago when she began her career, where she appeared in “Kicks and Co.,” a musical that never got out of the Windy City … but it did get the attention of Hugh Hefner, who booked Nichols in his Chicago Playboy Club. She also appeared on TV in Gene Roddenberry’s “The Lieutenant” (1964), and the eventual producer of “Star Trek” remembered the actress when he cast her as Nyota Uhura (the first name came later in the canon) in 1966. She...
Nichelle Nichols was born Grace Dell Nichols in Robbins, Illinois. Her family was living in Chicago when she began her career, where she appeared in “Kicks and Co.,” a musical that never got out of the Windy City … but it did get the attention of Hugh Hefner, who booked Nichols in his Chicago Playboy Club. She also appeared on TV in Gene Roddenberry’s “The Lieutenant” (1964), and the eventual producer of “Star Trek” remembered the actress when he cast her as Nyota Uhura (the first name came later in the canon) in 1966. She...
- 8/2/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Nichelle Nichols, the actress who played the groundbreaking role of Nyota Uhura on the original Star Trek series, has died at the age of 89.
Nichols’ son Kyle Johnson announced his mother’s death Sunday on her official website, writing that she died Saturday night from natural causes.
“I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years,” Johnson wrote. “The light, however, like the ancient galaxies being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy,...
Nichols’ son Kyle Johnson announced his mother’s death Sunday on her official website, writing that she died Saturday night from natural causes.
“I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years,” Johnson wrote. “The light, however, like the ancient galaxies being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy,...
- 7/31/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Click here to read the full article.
Nichelle Nichols, who made history and earned the admiration of Martin Luther King Jr. for her portrayal of communications officer Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek, has died. She was 89.
Nichols, who earlier sang and danced as a performer with Duke Ellington’s orchestra, died Saturday night of natural causes, her son, Kyle Johnson, posted on her official Facebook page.
“Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration,” he wrote Sunday. “Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all.” (Read tribute to the late actress here.)
A family spokesman told The Hollywood Reporter that she died in Silver City, New Mexico. She had been living with her son and was recently hospitalized.
Nichols played a person of authority...
Nichelle Nichols, who made history and earned the admiration of Martin Luther King Jr. for her portrayal of communications officer Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek, has died. She was 89.
Nichols, who earlier sang and danced as a performer with Duke Ellington’s orchestra, died Saturday night of natural causes, her son, Kyle Johnson, posted on her official Facebook page.
“Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration,” he wrote Sunday. “Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all.” (Read tribute to the late actress here.)
A family spokesman told The Hollywood Reporter that she died in Silver City, New Mexico. She had been living with her son and was recently hospitalized.
Nichols played a person of authority...
- 7/31/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Eddie Mekka, an actor on “Laverne & Shirley” who played Carmine “The Big Ragoo” Ragusa, died on Saturday, Nov. 27, at his home in Newhall, Calif. He was 69.
An official Facebook account for Mekka announced the news on Thursday morning. No cause of death was given, except that he “passed away peacefully.”
Ragusa was the on-again, off-again boyfriend of star Cindy Williams’ character Shirley Feeney on “Laverne & Shirley.” Nicknamed “The Big Ragoo” on the show, he was a part-time boxer who owned a dance studio and dreamed of becoming a dancer and singer. In the finale, he auditions for “Hair” on Broadway, fulfilling his lifelong goal.
Mekka appeared in 150 episodes of the beloved sitcom that ran on ABC from 1976 to 1983. During its run, “Laverne & Shirley” was the most-watched show on TV from 1977-1979, reaching a high of 23 million households in the U.S.
Born in Worcester, Mass., on June...
An official Facebook account for Mekka announced the news on Thursday morning. No cause of death was given, except that he “passed away peacefully.”
Ragusa was the on-again, off-again boyfriend of star Cindy Williams’ character Shirley Feeney on “Laverne & Shirley.” Nicknamed “The Big Ragoo” on the show, he was a part-time boxer who owned a dance studio and dreamed of becoming a dancer and singer. In the finale, he auditions for “Hair” on Broadway, fulfilling his lifelong goal.
Mekka appeared in 150 episodes of the beloved sitcom that ran on ABC from 1976 to 1983. During its run, “Laverne & Shirley” was the most-watched show on TV from 1977-1979, reaching a high of 23 million households in the U.S.
Born in Worcester, Mass., on June...
- 12/2/2021
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Actor Eddie Mekka, a regular on the 1970s-80s sitcom Laverne & Shirley and a Tony Award nominee, has died.
Mekka died Saturday at his home in Newhall, California, according to the actor’s official Facebook page. He was 69 years old; a cause of death wasn’t given.
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Mekka headed the Worcester County Light Opera in his hometown in the early 1970s and made his Broadway debut in the 1975 rock opera The Lieutenant. Though the show closed after only nine performances, it earned four Tony nominations, including one for Mekka as best actor in a musical. He also ...
Mekka died Saturday at his home in Newhall, California, according to the actor’s official Facebook page. He was 69 years old; a cause of death wasn’t given.
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Mekka headed the Worcester County Light Opera in his hometown in the early 1970s and made his Broadway debut in the 1975 rock opera The Lieutenant. Though the show closed after only nine performances, it earned four Tony nominations, including one for Mekka as best actor in a musical. He also ...
- 12/2/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Actor Eddie Mekka, a regular on the 1970s-80s sitcom Laverne & Shirley and a Tony Award nominee, has died.
Mekka died Saturday at his home in Newhall, California, according to the actor’s official Facebook page. He was 69 years old; a cause of death wasn’t given.
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Mekka headed the Worcester County Light Opera in his hometown in the early 1970s and made his Broadway debut in the 1975 rock opera The Lieutenant. Though the show closed after only nine performances, it earned four Tony nominations, including one for Mekka as best actor in a musical. He also ...
Mekka died Saturday at his home in Newhall, California, according to the actor’s official Facebook page. He was 69 years old; a cause of death wasn’t given.
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Mekka headed the Worcester County Light Opera in his hometown in the early 1970s and made his Broadway debut in the 1975 rock opera The Lieutenant. Though the show closed after only nine performances, it earned four Tony nominations, including one for Mekka as best actor in a musical. He also ...
- 12/2/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Here’s some news that’s fitting for a day that would be Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s 100th birthday.
Roddenberry Entertainment has been working quietly on a feature biopic of the sci-fi TV icon, and there is a script by Adam Mazer, whose credits include the Emmy-winning script for the 2010 HBO movie You Don’t Know Jack which starred Al Pacino as Dr. Jack Kevorkian.
Producers include Star Trek caretakers Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, who executive produce all current franchise series including Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard. Next up the development will be finding a director and actors.
There’s no shortage of subject matter surrounding Roddenberry, the fighter pilot-turned-LAPD cop-turned-tv writer who survived two plane crashes and the rough waters of Hollywood to create Star Trek, one of the world’s most enduring sci-fi franchises, with the original 1966-69 TV series eventually spawning spinoffs,...
Roddenberry Entertainment has been working quietly on a feature biopic of the sci-fi TV icon, and there is a script by Adam Mazer, whose credits include the Emmy-winning script for the 2010 HBO movie You Don’t Know Jack which starred Al Pacino as Dr. Jack Kevorkian.
Producers include Star Trek caretakers Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, who executive produce all current franchise series including Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard. Next up the development will be finding a director and actors.
There’s no shortage of subject matter surrounding Roddenberry, the fighter pilot-turned-LAPD cop-turned-tv writer who survived two plane crashes and the rough waters of Hollywood to create Star Trek, one of the world’s most enduring sci-fi franchises, with the original 1966-69 TV series eventually spawning spinoffs,...
- 8/19/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Editors note: Hanelle Culpepper received an NAACP Image Award nomination earlier this month for her work directing the pilot for CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Picard, which made her the first Black director and first female director to launch a movie or series in the Star Trek universe. The veteran TV helmer, who directed three episodes of Picard‘s Season 1, has penned a guest column for Deadline about her personal and professional perspective on the industry and the challenges achieving equality.
Two years ago, right about this time, pre-pandemic and pre-blm summer, I got the call. Alex Kurtzman loved my vision and was entrusting me to guide the return of a beloved hero – Captain Picard. Today, I’m honored to be nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for the Star Trek: Picard pilot. When I got the job, I didn’t realize that...
Two years ago, right about this time, pre-pandemic and pre-blm summer, I got the call. Alex Kurtzman loved my vision and was entrusting me to guide the return of a beloved hero – Captain Picard. Today, I’m honored to be nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for the Star Trek: Picard pilot. When I got the job, I didn’t realize that...
- 2/17/2021
- by Hanelle Culpepper
- Deadline Film + TV
Joseph Baxter Dec 3, 2019
Star Trek writer D.C. Fontana has passed away, leaving behind a trailblazing legacy that opened doors for female writers.
Dorothy Catherine Fontana, the legendary television writer better known by her gender-hiding nom de plume, D.C. Fontana, has passed away on December 2 at the age of 80, following a short illness, announces the official Star Trek site.
Even to casual fans of 1966-1969’s original Star Trek series who might be oblivious to the show’s behind-the-scenes stories, the name D.C. Fontana should ring a bell, since it was prominently and frequently affixed in the credits. While the story of her emergence in the monolithically male-dominated television industry of the 1960s is one that – especially now – seems destined for dramatization, Fontana’s contributions to the canon of the still-thriving bellwether sci-fi franchise also happened to be crucial.
Further Reading: Star Trek's D.C. Fontana Talks the Origin of Spock's Family
Fontana,...
Star Trek writer D.C. Fontana has passed away, leaving behind a trailblazing legacy that opened doors for female writers.
Dorothy Catherine Fontana, the legendary television writer better known by her gender-hiding nom de plume, D.C. Fontana, has passed away on December 2 at the age of 80, following a short illness, announces the official Star Trek site.
Even to casual fans of 1966-1969’s original Star Trek series who might be oblivious to the show’s behind-the-scenes stories, the name D.C. Fontana should ring a bell, since it was prominently and frequently affixed in the credits. While the story of her emergence in the monolithically male-dominated television industry of the 1960s is one that – especially now – seems destined for dramatization, Fontana’s contributions to the canon of the still-thriving bellwether sci-fi franchise also happened to be crucial.
Further Reading: Star Trek's D.C. Fontana Talks the Origin of Spock's Family
Fontana,...
- 12/3/2019
- Den of Geek
George M. Lehr, associate producer on such classic TV series as “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and “Police Woman,” and later a professor at USC’s School of Cinema & Television, died March 14, in Erie, Pa., after a short illness. He was 87.
Lehr worked on television shows at MGM, 20th Century-Fox and Columbia for more than 30 years. He started in 1962 as assistant to producer Sam Rolfe on “The Eleventh Hour,” then assisted Gene Roddenberry on “The Lieutenant,” both at MGM. He spent 1964 through 1968 working as associate producer on MGM’s hit spy series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and its spinoff series “The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.”
He later worked on the movie-studio series “Bracken’s World” at Fox, the adventure series “Assignment: Vienna” at MGM, and the Angie Dickinson cop show “Police Woman” at Columbia in the mid-1970s.
Lehr graduated to producer on “Police Woman” and also produced the short-lived “American Girls...
Lehr worked on television shows at MGM, 20th Century-Fox and Columbia for more than 30 years. He started in 1962 as assistant to producer Sam Rolfe on “The Eleventh Hour,” then assisted Gene Roddenberry on “The Lieutenant,” both at MGM. He spent 1964 through 1968 working as associate producer on MGM’s hit spy series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and its spinoff series “The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.”
He later worked on the movie-studio series “Bracken’s World” at Fox, the adventure series “Assignment: Vienna” at MGM, and the Angie Dickinson cop show “Police Woman” at Columbia in the mid-1970s.
Lehr graduated to producer on “Police Woman” and also produced the short-lived “American Girls...
- 3/17/2019
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Chicago – There is nothing like the original, and Nichelle Nichols is certainly in that category. Nichols portrayed Uhura in the original 1960s “Star Trek” series, and broke barriers for African American performers by being an equal member of the ground-breaking Starship Enterprise crew during the civil rights era.
Live Long and Prosper: Nichelle Nichols on August 23rd, 2018
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Nichelle Nichols was born Grace Dell Nichols in Robbins, Illinois. Her family was living in Chicago when she began her career, where she appeared in “Kicks and Co.,” a musical that never got out of the Windy City… but it did get the attention of Hugh Hefner, who booked Nichols in his Chicago Playboy Club. She also appeared on TV in Gene Roddenberry’s “The Lieutenant” (1964), and the eventual producer of “Star Trek” was in a relationship with the actress when he cast...
Live Long and Prosper: Nichelle Nichols on August 23rd, 2018
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Nichelle Nichols was born Grace Dell Nichols in Robbins, Illinois. Her family was living in Chicago when she began her career, where she appeared in “Kicks and Co.,” a musical that never got out of the Windy City… but it did get the attention of Hugh Hefner, who booked Nichols in his Chicago Playboy Club. She also appeared on TV in Gene Roddenberry’s “The Lieutenant” (1964), and the eventual producer of “Star Trek” was in a relationship with the actress when he cast...
- 9/27/2018
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Portraits of boundless humanity are increasingly rare these days, both in the real world and the fictional ones creatives form. As the world becomes more and more polarized, borders get tighter and tighter and people in positions of power fight tooth and nail to keep that for fear of “the other” getting an inch more respect than they previously had, it’s hard to think that one should turn to a pair of films nearly a century old for inspiration. However, that’s exactly the case with regards to a pair of new DVDs and Blu-rays released by The Criterion Collection.
Not often talked about in the conversation of great humanist (or maybe more so moralist) filmmakers, German auteur G. W. Pabst made a name for himself with films like Pandora’s Box and Three Penny Opera, but a pair of lesser known masterworks are the subject of Criterion’s admiration,...
Not often talked about in the conversation of great humanist (or maybe more so moralist) filmmakers, German auteur G. W. Pabst made a name for himself with films like Pandora’s Box and Three Penny Opera, but a pair of lesser known masterworks are the subject of Criterion’s admiration,...
- 2/5/2018
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
Robert Vaughn, the star of ’60s spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and an actor who appeared in more than 200 TV shows and films across a 60-year career, has died. Vaughn was 83.
Vaughn’s early resume reads like an encyclopedia of influential ’50s TV shows, with single-episode appearances on everything from Dragnet to Gunsmoke to Playhouse 90. In 1960, he landed his first major film role, playing fearful veteran Lee in John Sturges’ The Magnificent Seven. (He played more-or-less the same role 20 years later, for Roger Corman’s Battle Beyond The Stars, and appeared in several episodes of the Magnificent Seven TV show from the late 1990s as well.)
In 1964, Vaughn leveraged his dissatisfaction with the size of his role on NBC’s The Lieutenant into a starring series of his very own. Initially titled Solo—after Vaughn’s character, international enforcer ...
Vaughn’s early resume reads like an encyclopedia of influential ’50s TV shows, with single-episode appearances on everything from Dragnet to Gunsmoke to Playhouse 90. In 1960, he landed his first major film role, playing fearful veteran Lee in John Sturges’ The Magnificent Seven. (He played more-or-less the same role 20 years later, for Roger Corman’s Battle Beyond The Stars, and appeared in several episodes of the Magnificent Seven TV show from the late 1990s as well.)
In 1964, Vaughn leveraged his dissatisfaction with the size of his role on NBC’s The Lieutenant into a starring series of his very own. Initially titled Solo—after Vaughn’s character, international enforcer ...
- 11/11/2016
- by William Hughes
- avclub.com
This Article Has Been Updated
By Lee Pfeiffer
The past year has been an especially harsh one for the entertainment industry in terms of well-known personalities who have passed away. Today's news that actor Robert Vaughn has died hits Cinema Retro especially hard and this writer in particular. He died from a battle with leukemia and was surrounded by his family in his final moments. I first met Robert in 1983 at a press conference in New York in which he and David McCallum promoted their forthcoming TV movie "Return of The Man From U.N.C.L.E." I've remained friends with them ever since and shared many an enjoyable conversation. Robert was an early supporter of Cinema Retro and contributed to numerous issues, most recently issues #33 and #34 in which he was interviewed by writer Steve Rubin about the dramatic occurrences in making the 1969 WWII film "The Bridge at Remagen...
By Lee Pfeiffer
The past year has been an especially harsh one for the entertainment industry in terms of well-known personalities who have passed away. Today's news that actor Robert Vaughn has died hits Cinema Retro especially hard and this writer in particular. He died from a battle with leukemia and was surrounded by his family in his final moments. I first met Robert in 1983 at a press conference in New York in which he and David McCallum promoted their forthcoming TV movie "Return of The Man From U.N.C.L.E." I've remained friends with them ever since and shared many an enjoyable conversation. Robert was an early supporter of Cinema Retro and contributed to numerous issues, most recently issues #33 and #34 in which he was interviewed by writer Steve Rubin about the dramatic occurrences in making the 1969 WWII film "The Bridge at Remagen...
- 11/11/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Don Kaye Sep 8, 2019
The Star Trek we first saw on September 8, 1966 was quite a different beast than the one first proposed by Gene Roddenberry.
When the first episode of a new series called Star Trek aired on NBC-tv on September 8, 1966, it changed the course of both television and sci-fi history forever.
But while the characters and settings of that show — Captain Kirk, First Officer Spock, the U.S.S. Enterprise, etc. — are as familiar to us now as any other pop culture icons, creator Gene Roddenberry's initial concept featured a different array of names, places and potential storylines — some of which did eventually make it into the final show in vastly altered shapes...
Roddenberry had been developing the basic idea for Star Trek as far back as 1960, but it wasn’t until 1963 that he began to put some of the concepts into concrete form. Roddenberry was producing his first series...
The Star Trek we first saw on September 8, 1966 was quite a different beast than the one first proposed by Gene Roddenberry.
When the first episode of a new series called Star Trek aired on NBC-tv on September 8, 1966, it changed the course of both television and sci-fi history forever.
But while the characters and settings of that show — Captain Kirk, First Officer Spock, the U.S.S. Enterprise, etc. — are as familiar to us now as any other pop culture icons, creator Gene Roddenberry's initial concept featured a different array of names, places and potential storylines — some of which did eventually make it into the final show in vastly altered shapes...
Roddenberry had been developing the basic idea for Star Trek as far back as 1960, but it wasn’t until 1963 that he began to put some of the concepts into concrete form. Roddenberry was producing his first series...
- 9/6/2016
- Den of Geek
The Star Trek franchise will be 50 years old this September. It’s one of the most popular and enduring of all TV and film franchises, still going strong nearly 50 years after its debut in 1966. A third film of the rebooted series is in the works. Cinelinx looks at the ever-popular sci-fi property as it warps into its 50th year.
Star Trek, a show that didn’t do very well in the ratings when it first debuted, has become a multi-media monster. It has gone from television to cartoons, novels, comic books, video games and films. Many of the character names have become an iconic part of pop-culture. The real-life space shuttle Enterprise was named in honor of the space vessel from Star Trek. The whole concept of the sci-fi convention was begun by the fan-created ‘Trek’ conventions of the early seventies. Few franchises can claim to have had the impact...
Star Trek, a show that didn’t do very well in the ratings when it first debuted, has become a multi-media monster. It has gone from television to cartoons, novels, comic books, video games and films. Many of the character names have become an iconic part of pop-culture. The real-life space shuttle Enterprise was named in honor of the space vessel from Star Trek. The whole concept of the sci-fi convention was begun by the fan-created ‘Trek’ conventions of the early seventies. Few franchises can claim to have had the impact...
- 1/10/2016
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
The Man from Uncle review: A fizzy antidote to 007
Suave spy caper The Man From Uncle opens this week, revamping the cult '60s TV series and bringing it to the big screen for the first time in nearly 50 years. If you've never seen the original show or its eight movie spin-offs, here's your handy guide to get you up to speed...
1. The Man From Uncle was created by James Bond's Ian Fleming... sort of
The original idea to make a television series about a suave, sophisticated spy who travelled the world fighting villainy came from producer Norman Felton. He was interested in presenting each episode from the point of view of an innocent person - say, a housewife or a farmer - who find themselves drawn into an adventure beyond their wildest dreams.
In 1962, Felton pitched the idea to none other than James Bond creator Ian Fleming; based not...
Suave spy caper The Man From Uncle opens this week, revamping the cult '60s TV series and bringing it to the big screen for the first time in nearly 50 years. If you've never seen the original show or its eight movie spin-offs, here's your handy guide to get you up to speed...
1. The Man From Uncle was created by James Bond's Ian Fleming... sort of
The original idea to make a television series about a suave, sophisticated spy who travelled the world fighting villainy came from producer Norman Felton. He was interested in presenting each episode from the point of view of an innocent person - say, a housewife or a farmer - who find themselves drawn into an adventure beyond their wildest dreams.
In 1962, Felton pitched the idea to none other than James Bond creator Ian Fleming; based not...
- 8/11/2015
- Digital Spy
Leonard Nimoy, the eloquent, baritone-voiced actor and director who will forever be remembered as the Starship Enterprise's supremely logical half-human, half-Vulcan science officer Spock, died on Friday in Los Angeles. He was 83 years old.
Although his most recent major television role was on Fox's "Fringe," Nimoy's work on the television series "Star Trek" led to Spock becoming one of the most beloved sci-fi characters in the history of the genre. It also earned him three Emmy nominations for the role. Today Spock's V-shaped Vulcan hand salute, accompanied by the gentle benediction, "Live long and prosper," is recognized around the world. The "Star Trek" franchise may have defined the better part of Nimoy's career and made him a pop culture icon, but the man was as versatile as he was famous. He authored a number of books, recorded several albums, directed television episodes and theatrical releases (including the 1987 comedy blockbuster 3 Men and a Baby) and won critical notice as a respected photographer over the course of his lifetime.
Born in Boston on March 26, 1931, to Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Ukraine, Nimoy began acting in community theater at the age of eight. His first major role came at age 17, when he played Ralphie in an amateur production of Clifford Odets's "Awake and Sing." After receiving career advice from an actor in another Odets play making its pre-Broadway debut in Boston, he submitted an application to California's Pasadena Playhouse. Nimoy would then relocate to the West Coast using his earnings from selling vacuum cleaners.
Nimoy made his film debut at age 20 in the 1951 film Queen for a Day, and won a small role as a ballplayer in the film Rhubarb, which was released in the same year. His first movie lead was the title role in the 1952 film Kid Monk Baroni. Nimoy then took drama classes at Boston College in 1953.
Following a stint in the Army between 1953 and 1955, Nimoy had guest starring roles in a number of television series. Starting in 1958, he appeared in "Sea Hunt," "Highway Patrol," "Bonanza," "The Untouchables," "Get Smart" and "The Virginian." He also guest starred in an episode of "The Twilight Zone" titled "A Quality of Mercy," and would work with his future co-star and friend William Shatner in the "The Project Strigas Affair" episode of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."
But it was Nimoy's role in a 1964 episode of "The Lieutenant" that caught the eye of a producer and writer named Gene Roddenberry, who cast Nimoy in his new series "Star Trek." Nimoy is the only member of "Star Trek's" main cast to appear in every episode of the series, including the original unaired pilot. Of the famous Vulcan salute, Nimoy once explained that he based it on the way the rabbis in his childhood held their hands while giving blessings. (He also invented the Vulcan nerve pinch when he and the "Trek" writers needed a non-violent means for Spock to overpower an enemy.) The series only ran until 1969, but went on to inspire a movie franchise and four spinoffs. Nimoy co-starred with the rest of the original cast in the first six installments of the theatrical series, starting with "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" in 1979. He also directed the third and fourth "Trek" films, 1984's Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Nimoy returned to play Spock Prime for J.J. Abrams' 2009 resurrection of the theatrical franchise and its sequel, Star Trek: Into Darkness.
After the original "Star Trek's" cancellation, Nimoy joined the cast of "Mission: Impossible" playing The Great Paris, a master of impersonation. The actor stayed with that series until 1971. He enjoyed roles in a number of television movies, eventually earning a best supporting actor Emmy nomination for "A Woman Called Golda" in 1982.
Nimoy did not limit his artistic exploration to stage and screen, however. He authored several books of poetry and two autobiographies, the first being the somewhat-controversial 1977 tome "I Am Not Spock," which examined his self-declared identity crisis brought on by being associated with the character. His second, 1995's "I Am Spock," revealed that he had reached a certain peace with the influence the role had on his life. He also recorded several albums, most of which are considered to be masterpieces of unintentional camp.
Nimoy was an avid photographer, having studied photography at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the 1970s. In 2002 he released a provocative collection of photographs titled "The Shekhina Project," which drew controversy for its depiction of Jewish female nudes. Five years after its publication, Nimoy examined the beauty in plus-sized women for 2007's "The Full Body Project."
Nimoy's final TV role was in "Fringe," in which he played genius scientist and Massive Dynamic CEO William Bell, and his final voice-acting role was for the animated film Zambezia.
The actor also was very active on social media, sharing affirmations and words of wisdom on Twitter accompanied by his sign-off, "LLAP," or "Live Long and Prosper." His final tweet, dated February 22, told his 1.13 million followers, "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. "
Nimoy is survived by his wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, his two children, director Adam Nimoy and Julie Nimoy, from his previous marriage to Sandra Zober, as well as a stepson and several grandchildren.
Although his most recent major television role was on Fox's "Fringe," Nimoy's work on the television series "Star Trek" led to Spock becoming one of the most beloved sci-fi characters in the history of the genre. It also earned him three Emmy nominations for the role. Today Spock's V-shaped Vulcan hand salute, accompanied by the gentle benediction, "Live long and prosper," is recognized around the world. The "Star Trek" franchise may have defined the better part of Nimoy's career and made him a pop culture icon, but the man was as versatile as he was famous. He authored a number of books, recorded several albums, directed television episodes and theatrical releases (including the 1987 comedy blockbuster 3 Men and a Baby) and won critical notice as a respected photographer over the course of his lifetime.
Born in Boston on March 26, 1931, to Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Ukraine, Nimoy began acting in community theater at the age of eight. His first major role came at age 17, when he played Ralphie in an amateur production of Clifford Odets's "Awake and Sing." After receiving career advice from an actor in another Odets play making its pre-Broadway debut in Boston, he submitted an application to California's Pasadena Playhouse. Nimoy would then relocate to the West Coast using his earnings from selling vacuum cleaners.
Nimoy made his film debut at age 20 in the 1951 film Queen for a Day, and won a small role as a ballplayer in the film Rhubarb, which was released in the same year. His first movie lead was the title role in the 1952 film Kid Monk Baroni. Nimoy then took drama classes at Boston College in 1953.
Following a stint in the Army between 1953 and 1955, Nimoy had guest starring roles in a number of television series. Starting in 1958, he appeared in "Sea Hunt," "Highway Patrol," "Bonanza," "The Untouchables," "Get Smart" and "The Virginian." He also guest starred in an episode of "The Twilight Zone" titled "A Quality of Mercy," and would work with his future co-star and friend William Shatner in the "The Project Strigas Affair" episode of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."
But it was Nimoy's role in a 1964 episode of "The Lieutenant" that caught the eye of a producer and writer named Gene Roddenberry, who cast Nimoy in his new series "Star Trek." Nimoy is the only member of "Star Trek's" main cast to appear in every episode of the series, including the original unaired pilot. Of the famous Vulcan salute, Nimoy once explained that he based it on the way the rabbis in his childhood held their hands while giving blessings. (He also invented the Vulcan nerve pinch when he and the "Trek" writers needed a non-violent means for Spock to overpower an enemy.) The series only ran until 1969, but went on to inspire a movie franchise and four spinoffs. Nimoy co-starred with the rest of the original cast in the first six installments of the theatrical series, starting with "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" in 1979. He also directed the third and fourth "Trek" films, 1984's Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Nimoy returned to play Spock Prime for J.J. Abrams' 2009 resurrection of the theatrical franchise and its sequel, Star Trek: Into Darkness.
After the original "Star Trek's" cancellation, Nimoy joined the cast of "Mission: Impossible" playing The Great Paris, a master of impersonation. The actor stayed with that series until 1971. He enjoyed roles in a number of television movies, eventually earning a best supporting actor Emmy nomination for "A Woman Called Golda" in 1982.
Nimoy did not limit his artistic exploration to stage and screen, however. He authored several books of poetry and two autobiographies, the first being the somewhat-controversial 1977 tome "I Am Not Spock," which examined his self-declared identity crisis brought on by being associated with the character. His second, 1995's "I Am Spock," revealed that he had reached a certain peace with the influence the role had on his life. He also recorded several albums, most of which are considered to be masterpieces of unintentional camp.
Nimoy was an avid photographer, having studied photography at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the 1970s. In 2002 he released a provocative collection of photographs titled "The Shekhina Project," which drew controversy for its depiction of Jewish female nudes. Five years after its publication, Nimoy examined the beauty in plus-sized women for 2007's "The Full Body Project."
Nimoy's final TV role was in "Fringe," in which he played genius scientist and Massive Dynamic CEO William Bell, and his final voice-acting role was for the animated film Zambezia.
The actor also was very active on social media, sharing affirmations and words of wisdom on Twitter accompanied by his sign-off, "LLAP," or "Live Long and Prosper." His final tweet, dated February 22, told his 1.13 million followers, "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. "
Nimoy is survived by his wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, his two children, director Adam Nimoy and Julie Nimoy, from his previous marriage to Sandra Zober, as well as a stepson and several grandchildren.
- 2/27/2015
- by Melanie McFarland
- IMDb News
Star Trek – and we’re talking the original 1966-69 series here – was a lousy TV show. I was 11 years old when the series debuted on NBC and I thought it was a lousy show then.
That’s why I couldn’t stand the Trekkies even back before there was a name for them. My first run-in with a pre-Trekkie Trekkie was Vincent DePalma. In seventh grade, Vincent had his mother make a sparkly Star Fleet emblem for a corduroy pullover to make it look like the uniform blouses on the show. He wore it to school which I thought was him begging to get his ass beat. He’d built a full-sized replica of the helm/navigation console from the Enterprise bridge in his basement. His father worked for Bell Telephone and had gotten him banks of light-up buttons that really worked. His dream was to eventually recreate the entire bridge in his basement.
That’s why I couldn’t stand the Trekkies even back before there was a name for them. My first run-in with a pre-Trekkie Trekkie was Vincent DePalma. In seventh grade, Vincent had his mother make a sparkly Star Fleet emblem for a corduroy pullover to make it look like the uniform blouses on the show. He wore it to school which I thought was him begging to get his ass beat. He’d built a full-sized replica of the helm/navigation console from the Enterprise bridge in his basement. His father worked for Bell Telephone and had gotten him banks of light-up buttons that really worked. His dream was to eventually recreate the entire bridge in his basement.
- 3/20/2013
- by Bill Mesce
- SoundOnSight
Created by Gene Roddenberry, The Lieutenant is an early prototype for the brave, yet human hero William Shatner would later play on Star Trek. Gary Lockwood and Robert Vaughn are the anchors for the show, which is about a Marine platoon during peacetime at Camp Pendleton. Featuring some surprisingly strong writing (given the era the show was produced), The Lieutenant is the epitome of great military storytelling.
The platoon of hard-nosed soldiers, jokers and big talkers is surprisingly realistic, with all of them realized well over the course of the series. While some get the spotlight more than others, the platoon ends up becoming an extension of Lt. Rice (Lockwood) in the sense that he’s defined by their actions. Some of the characters in the platoon also seem like early prototypes for future Starfleet officers, including Vaughn’s character, Captain Rambridge, who feels most like a hybrid of Spock and McCoy.
The platoon of hard-nosed soldiers, jokers and big talkers is surprisingly realistic, with all of them realized well over the course of the series. While some get the spotlight more than others, the platoon ends up becoming an extension of Lt. Rice (Lockwood) in the sense that he’s defined by their actions. Some of the characters in the platoon also seem like early prototypes for future Starfleet officers, including Vaughn’s character, Captain Rambridge, who feels most like a hybrid of Spock and McCoy.
- 9/25/2012
- by Robert Ottone
- JustPressPlay.net
By Lee Pfeiffer
Producer Norman Felton has passed away at age 99. Born in London, Felton emigrated to America as a teenager and became a successful TV producer. By the mid-1950s, he was directing episodes of such high profile series as Robert Montgomery Presents and The Alocoa Hour. In the early 1960s, he produced the smash hit Dr. Kildare TV series, a spin-off of a successful 1940s film franchise. The show made Richard Chamberlain a star. Another series, The Lieutenant, was not successful but one of the stars, Robert Vaughn, impressed Felton. In 1964, Vaughn co-starred with David McCallum in the Bond-inspired TV series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The show ran until 1968 and became an international phenomenon, spawning 8 feature films derived from two-part episodes. Felton also produced the less successful Girl From U.N.C.L.E. spin-off starring Stefanie Powers and Noel Harrison. Felton remained active in the TV industry through the 1970s before retiring.
Producer Norman Felton has passed away at age 99. Born in London, Felton emigrated to America as a teenager and became a successful TV producer. By the mid-1950s, he was directing episodes of such high profile series as Robert Montgomery Presents and The Alocoa Hour. In the early 1960s, he produced the smash hit Dr. Kildare TV series, a spin-off of a successful 1940s film franchise. The show made Richard Chamberlain a star. Another series, The Lieutenant, was not successful but one of the stars, Robert Vaughn, impressed Felton. In 1964, Vaughn co-starred with David McCallum in the Bond-inspired TV series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The show ran until 1968 and became an international phenomenon, spawning 8 feature films derived from two-part episodes. Felton also produced the less successful Girl From U.N.C.L.E. spin-off starring Stefanie Powers and Noel Harrison. Felton remained active in the TV industry through the 1970s before retiring.
- 7/5/2012
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
By Eddy Friedfeld
New York's 92nd Street Y hosted the launch of the four part PBS documentary “Pioneers of Television,” and featured Hollywood icons Angie Dickinson, Linda Evans, Nichelle Nichols and Stephanie Powers. Moderated by Alison Stewart, the event saluted “smart, strong women on television, who helped reimagine the roles of women in society and helped break down seemingly permanent barriers.”
“I did an episode of “Police Story” that was turned into the Police Woman series,” Dickinson recalled. “The character’s original name was Lisa, which I changed to Pepper. We came out at the beginning of the Women’s Movement in America. We fed the movement and the movement fed us.”
“I was scared to death to work with Barbara Stanwyck,” Evans recalled of her days on “The Big Valley.” “She was larger than life. She took me under her wing. She said: ‘Show up on time, Audra and know your lines.
New York's 92nd Street Y hosted the launch of the four part PBS documentary “Pioneers of Television,” and featured Hollywood icons Angie Dickinson, Linda Evans, Nichelle Nichols and Stephanie Powers. Moderated by Alison Stewart, the event saluted “smart, strong women on television, who helped reimagine the roles of women in society and helped break down seemingly permanent barriers.”
“I did an episode of “Police Story” that was turned into the Police Woman series,” Dickinson recalled. “The character’s original name was Lisa, which I changed to Pepper. We came out at the beginning of the Women’s Movement in America. We fed the movement and the movement fed us.”
“I was scared to death to work with Barbara Stanwyck,” Evans recalled of her days on “The Big Valley.” “She was larger than life. She took me under her wing. She said: ‘Show up on time, Audra and know your lines.
- 2/9/2011
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
If you’re a Star Trek fan (or even if you’re not), you’ve likely heard the story of how Martin Luther King Jr. persuaded Nichelle Nichols to remain on the original series as Lt. Uhura when she almost left the show after its first season, to pursue her Broadway dreams.
In a recent interview with Planet Waves, Nichelle felt the need to set the record straight, or at least properly detail the story of how she landed the role, with the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, on her heels, plus her meeting with Mlk, and his words of wisdom that resonated with, and influenced her.
The true story goes… halfway through the second year of the series, Nichols was offered her own Broadway show, something she always dreamed of. On a Friday in the fall of 1967, Nichols went to Roddenberry, and submitted her resignation. The following day she...
In a recent interview with Planet Waves, Nichelle felt the need to set the record straight, or at least properly detail the story of how she landed the role, with the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, on her heels, plus her meeting with Mlk, and his words of wisdom that resonated with, and influenced her.
The true story goes… halfway through the second year of the series, Nichols was offered her own Broadway show, something she always dreamed of. On a Friday in the fall of 1967, Nichols went to Roddenberry, and submitted her resignation. The following day she...
- 1/20/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
On this day in 1921 the Great Bird Of The Galaxy, Eugene Wesley Roddenberry, was born in El Paso, Texas. Gene was known as a writer for Dragnet, Naked City, Have Gun, Will Travel, The Lieutenant, The Questor Tapes, Genesis II, Planet Earth, and Strange New World.
Oh, all right, Star Trek, Earth: Final Conflict, and Andromeda. And even a few comics series-- don't tell me you don't remember Gene Roddenberry's Lost Universe from Tekno Comics?
He died in 1991 and his ashes are in orbit now, so when we say the Great Bird Of The Galaxy watches over us, we aren't kidding. Thanks again for letting us all play in your world.
Oh, all right, Star Trek, Earth: Final Conflict, and Andromeda. And even a few comics series-- don't tell me you don't remember Gene Roddenberry's Lost Universe from Tekno Comics?
He died in 1991 and his ashes are in orbit now, so when we say the Great Bird Of The Galaxy watches over us, we aren't kidding. Thanks again for letting us all play in your world.
- 8/19/2009
- by Glenn Hauman
- Comicmix.com
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