Over the years, there have been a lot of filmmakers who have been game-changers when it comes to filmmaking. Michael Bay has been receiving audiences by presenting them with movies such as ‘Transformers’ and the ‘Bad Boys' series. Denis Villeneuve has been recently wowing his audiences with Sci-fi epics like ‘Blade Runner 2049’ and the 2021 adaptation of ‘Dune,". Steven Spielberg is well-known for being a movie maker who influenced filmmakers who rose to fame after him. Just like the director Ridley Scott, Spielberg is an adaptable screenwriter by experiments in almost any genre, and he continues to successfully do so. Things to do: Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here. Limited Time Offer – Free Subscription to The Hollywood Insider Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission statement here – Media has the responsibility to better our world – The Hollywood Insider...
- 5/18/2024
- by Marco Castaneda
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
One of the most iconic movie scenes of all time is the terrifying opening of Steven Spielberg’s horror classic Jaws, wherein a young female swimmer is ruthlessly devoured by the film’s killer shark during a solo night swim. That swimmer was Susan Backlinie, forever immortalized on the silver screen as the ill-fated Chrissie Watkins in one of the greatest movies ever made.
We are saddened to learn that Susan Backlinie has passed away at the age of 77.
An actress and stuntwoman, Susan Backlinie appeared in a handful of movies in the wake of her unforgettable big screen debut in Jaws, including The Grizzly & the Treasure (1975), Two-Minute Warning (1976), A Stranger in My Forest (1976), Day of the Animals (1977), 1941 (1979), The Great Muppet Caper (1981), and Catalina C-Club (1982). She also appeared in episodes of “The Quest,” “Quark” and “The Fall Guy,” in addition to working as a stunt performer for the 1979 movie...
We are saddened to learn that Susan Backlinie has passed away at the age of 77.
An actress and stuntwoman, Susan Backlinie appeared in a handful of movies in the wake of her unforgettable big screen debut in Jaws, including The Grizzly & the Treasure (1975), Two-Minute Warning (1976), A Stranger in My Forest (1976), Day of the Animals (1977), 1941 (1979), The Great Muppet Caper (1981), and Catalina C-Club (1982). She also appeared in episodes of “The Quest,” “Quark” and “The Fall Guy,” in addition to working as a stunt performer for the 1979 movie...
- 5/13/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Susan Backlinie, who played the first shark attack victim in Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” has died. She was 77.
Backlinie died Saturday morning at her California home due to a heart attack, Convention All Stars owner Sean Clark confirmed to Variety. The former actor and stuntwoman was one of the company’s clients.
Backlinie was best known for her role as Chrissie Watkins in “Jaws,” who is dragged to her death by a killer shark in the 1975 film’s iconic opening scene. Backlinie specialized in swimming work as a stunt performer.
Contrary to widespread belief, Backlinie’s screams of anguish in the “Jaws” opening scene were not due to her being injured by the harness that jerked her back and forth. However, no one warned Backlinie when she would be pulled underwater in order to get a genuine reaction from her.
Variety‘s “Jaws” review said of the shark attack sequences:...
Backlinie died Saturday morning at her California home due to a heart attack, Convention All Stars owner Sean Clark confirmed to Variety. The former actor and stuntwoman was one of the company’s clients.
Backlinie was best known for her role as Chrissie Watkins in “Jaws,” who is dragged to her death by a killer shark in the 1975 film’s iconic opening scene. Backlinie specialized in swimming work as a stunt performer.
Contrary to widespread belief, Backlinie’s screams of anguish in the “Jaws” opening scene were not due to her being injured by the harness that jerked her back and forth. However, no one warned Backlinie when she would be pulled underwater in order to get a genuine reaction from her.
Variety‘s “Jaws” review said of the shark attack sequences:...
- 5/12/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov and Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
When Steven Spielberg set out to helm "1941" (a film John Wayne tried to stop him from making), he was seemingly unbeatable. Here was the man who invented the summer blockbuster with "Jaws," then followed it up with the big hit "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." He was on top of the world, and it felt like anything he put his name on was going to be a success. Then "1941" crashed and burned.
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
- 5/5/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
The year was 1985 when Super Mario Bros. took the Nintendo Entertainment System by storm; Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes debuted in newspapers, and two unlikely friends named Marty McFly and Emmett Lathrop Brown piloted cinema’s most iconic time machine to a year when Panama hats and kitten heels were all the rage, 1955.
Fiercely protected at a level akin to Ghostbusters and Star Wars by millennials worldwide, Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future sits enthroned at Nostalgia Mountain’s top. The original film has spawned two sequels, a cartoon series, video game adaptations, a Broadway musical, and more. But how does it hold up by today’s standards? Strap on your seatbelt, and prepare yourselves to see some serious shit because this is Back to the Future Revisited.
In 1977, Robert Zemeckis did the unthinkable. He bulldozed into Amblin Entertainment without an appointment, heading straight for Steven Spielberg’s office.
Fiercely protected at a level akin to Ghostbusters and Star Wars by millennials worldwide, Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future sits enthroned at Nostalgia Mountain’s top. The original film has spawned two sequels, a cartoon series, video game adaptations, a Broadway musical, and more. But how does it hold up by today’s standards? Strap on your seatbelt, and prepare yourselves to see some serious shit because this is Back to the Future Revisited.
In 1977, Robert Zemeckis did the unthinkable. He bulldozed into Amblin Entertainment without an appointment, heading straight for Steven Spielberg’s office.
- 4/15/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Joe Flaherty, founding member of “Sctv” and ubiquitous comic actor for decades including a stint as the Dad on “Freaks and Geeks,” has died at the age of 82, according to multiple reports.
The Pittsburgh-born performer (a rare American in the Canadian comedy sphere) got his start with the Chicago-based Second City Theater, first appearing on the “National Lampoon Radio Hour” before resettling in Toronto to become part of Second City’s core in the Great White North. He was one of the initial writer/performers on “Sctv,” a vanguard sketch comedy series co-starring John Candy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O’Hara, Harold Ramis (for a little while), Dave Thomas, and, later, Martin Short, that mixed parody programming with behind-the-scenes shenanigans at a low rent television station in “Mellonville.” Indeed, if “Sctv” could be said to have a main character, it would be Flaherty’s Guy Caballero, the corrupt,...
The Pittsburgh-born performer (a rare American in the Canadian comedy sphere) got his start with the Chicago-based Second City Theater, first appearing on the “National Lampoon Radio Hour” before resettling in Toronto to become part of Second City’s core in the Great White North. He was one of the initial writer/performers on “Sctv,” a vanguard sketch comedy series co-starring John Candy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O’Hara, Harold Ramis (for a little while), Dave Thomas, and, later, Martin Short, that mixed parody programming with behind-the-scenes shenanigans at a low rent television station in “Mellonville.” Indeed, if “Sctv” could be said to have a main character, it would be Flaherty’s Guy Caballero, the corrupt,...
- 4/2/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
When Gene Roddenberry began developing the screenplay for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" in 1975, expectations for how a science fiction film could look and feel were rapidly shifting. "2001: A Space Odyssey" offered moviegoers a 70mm trip to outer space, while "The Omega Man," "Soylent Green," and the "Planet of the Apes" series fed off the sociopolitical tumult of the times to thrust audiences into dystopian futures of our own foolish making.
Where did a show that was, at its core, a dream of racially and ethnically inclusive space exploration fit in an era of consciousness-raising spectacle and pessimistic earthbound forecasting? Though the series had failed to enthrall a sizable enough viewership to survive more than three seasons during its initial run on NBC in the late 1960s, "Star Trek" had become popular in syndication with 1970s couch potatoes. There was clearly a hunger for more, and there weren't any...
Where did a show that was, at its core, a dream of racially and ethnically inclusive space exploration fit in an era of consciousness-raising spectacle and pessimistic earthbound forecasting? Though the series had failed to enthrall a sizable enough viewership to survive more than three seasons during its initial run on NBC in the late 1960s, "Star Trek" had become popular in syndication with 1970s couch potatoes. There was clearly a hunger for more, and there weren't any...
- 3/3/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Matt Sweeney, the inventor and special effects artist who received an Oscar nomination for his work on Apollo 13 and three Technical Achievement Awards during his long career, has died. He was 75.
Sweeney died Monday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank after a long battle with lung cancer, Dave Burle, who worked alongside Sweeney at his company for many years, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Sweeney also handled effects for films in the Lethal Weapon and Fast & Furious franchise and for 1941 (1979), 9 to 5 (1980), On Golden Pond (1981), Goonies (1985), The Color Purple (1985), The Lost Boys (1987), Big Top Pee-wee (1988), Arachnophobia (1990), Natural Born Killers (1994) and Galaxy Quest (1999), among many other movies.
Sweeney won his Technical Achievement Awards in 1987 for an Automatic Capsule Gun, which simulates bullet hits and is known as the “Sweeney Gun”; in 1998 for a Liquid Synthetic Air system, which mixes liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen to produce safe,...
Sweeney died Monday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank after a long battle with lung cancer, Dave Burle, who worked alongside Sweeney at his company for many years, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Sweeney also handled effects for films in the Lethal Weapon and Fast & Furious franchise and for 1941 (1979), 9 to 5 (1980), On Golden Pond (1981), Goonies (1985), The Color Purple (1985), The Lost Boys (1987), Big Top Pee-wee (1988), Arachnophobia (1990), Natural Born Killers (1994) and Galaxy Quest (1999), among many other movies.
Sweeney won his Technical Achievement Awards in 1987 for an Automatic Capsule Gun, which simulates bullet hits and is known as the “Sweeney Gun”; in 1998 for a Liquid Synthetic Air system, which mixes liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen to produce safe,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After John Carpenter made "Halloween" in 1978, the director wasn't terribly interested in making a sequel. When it came time to write the screenplay for "Halloween II," however, a reluctant Carpenter sat in front of his typewriter, hammered on beers, kind of at a loss as to where this story was going to go. It was only by mere creative desperation that Carpenter conceived of the notion that Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) was secretly Michael Myers' sister.
In the first "Halloween," Michael Myers was played by various actors, although mostly by Nick Castle, an old friend of Carpenter's and a film director in his own right. In "Halloween II," Michael was played by a stuntman named Dick Warlock, an experienced performer who appeared in films like "The Love Bug" (he drove Herbie), "Blazing Saddles," and Carpenter's "Escape from New York."
For Warlock, it seems, playing Michael Myers was far more...
In the first "Halloween," Michael Myers was played by various actors, although mostly by Nick Castle, an old friend of Carpenter's and a film director in his own right. In "Halloween II," Michael was played by a stuntman named Dick Warlock, an experienced performer who appeared in films like "The Love Bug" (he drove Herbie), "Blazing Saddles," and Carpenter's "Escape from New York."
For Warlock, it seems, playing Michael Myers was far more...
- 10/17/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
He's one of the greatest, most successful filmmakers in the history of the moving image, but there were times throughout his career when even Steven Spielberg needed a hit. Badly.
One such crucial juncture arrived in 1980. After the unprecedented blockbuster combo of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Spielberg face-planted with the critically reviled World War II comedy "1941." Turns out a lot of folks thought making hay out of the Pacific Coast's gun-toting freakout in the immediate wake of Pearl Harbor was in poor taste. In any event, though the film was a moderate box office hit, it was perceived as a full-scale fiasco for the Hollywood wunderkind. Had success spoiled Steven Spielberg?
Spielberg not only felt the heat, he thought he'd barely escaped disaster with his two smashes. He'd come close to getting fired when "Jaws" went way over schedule (as he scrambled to shoot around a...
One such crucial juncture arrived in 1980. After the unprecedented blockbuster combo of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Spielberg face-planted with the critically reviled World War II comedy "1941." Turns out a lot of folks thought making hay out of the Pacific Coast's gun-toting freakout in the immediate wake of Pearl Harbor was in poor taste. In any event, though the film was a moderate box office hit, it was perceived as a full-scale fiasco for the Hollywood wunderkind. Had success spoiled Steven Spielberg?
Spielberg not only felt the heat, he thought he'd barely escaped disaster with his two smashes. He'd come close to getting fired when "Jaws" went way over schedule (as he scrambled to shoot around a...
- 9/11/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When George Lucas and his special effects house Industrial Light and Magic finished shooting "Star Wars" back in the late 1970s, they boxed up all of their props and widgets -- then stored in the San Fernando Valley -- and moved their operation north, just north of the San Francisco Bay. While most of the "Star Wars" props made the trek undamaged, at least one of the X-wings models remained behind by accident. "Star Wars" fans will instantly note X-wings as the single-occupancy, biplane-like spacecraft that the film's heroes used to attack the Death Star in the film's climax.
One of the more forwardly visible models used to shoot the Death Star sequence -- the Red Leader X-wing -- was 20 inches long and was equipped with lights and servos to control the "expanding" of the ship's four wings. It was massively detailed and was painted to look like it had seen some action,...
One of the more forwardly visible models used to shoot the Death Star sequence -- the Red Leader X-wing -- was 20 inches long and was equipped with lights and servos to control the "expanding" of the ship's four wings. It was massively detailed and was painted to look like it had seen some action,...
- 9/9/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Arthur “Buddy” Botham, who served as a cinematographer on The Dukes of Hazzard and handled second-unit shooting on films including Blake Edwards’ Skin Deep and John Carpenter’s Village of the Damned (1995), has died. He was 88.
Botham died June 26 at his home in Woodland Hills, his daughter Julia Bergeron announced.
Botham also worked on several Stephen J. Cannell-produced series, from The A-Team, Hardcastle and McCormick and Hunter to Riptide, Stingray, Sonny Spoon and Stone, and he was a generator operator on James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) and Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs.
Born in Chicago on March 19, 1935, Arthur Ronald Botham joined the Chicago Stage Guild at age 21 and starred in Uncle Vanya and other productions. After a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps as a helicopter repairman, he returned to Chicago, resumed acting and became a cinematographer.
As the in-house director of photography for Encyclopedia Britannica, he shot dozens of educational...
Botham died June 26 at his home in Woodland Hills, his daughter Julia Bergeron announced.
Botham also worked on several Stephen J. Cannell-produced series, from The A-Team, Hardcastle and McCormick and Hunter to Riptide, Stingray, Sonny Spoon and Stone, and he was a generator operator on James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) and Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs.
Born in Chicago on March 19, 1935, Arthur Ronald Botham joined the Chicago Stage Guild at age 21 and starred in Uncle Vanya and other productions. After a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps as a helicopter repairman, he returned to Chicago, resumed acting and became a cinematographer.
As the in-house director of photography for Encyclopedia Britannica, he shot dozens of educational...
- 7/24/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actor and comedian Dan Aykroyd has had a long and steady career ever since he first began doing improvisational comedy with the famed Second City troupe in both their Chicago and Toronto theaters.
Fame came to Aykoyd when he was hired for what seemed like a low expectations comedy/variety show NBC was beginning for late Saturday evenings. “Saturday Night Live” became a bit of a phenomenon launching all the original “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” (as the cast was called) into stardom. Aykroyd along with Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris suddenly found themselves among the most talked about television stars working in the business.
Aykroyd and Belushi became especially close friends during the series run and began working in films together such as “Neighbors,” “The Blues Brothers” and potentially “Ghostbusters,” but Belushi’s overdose at the age of 33 caused Bill Murray...
Fame came to Aykoyd when he was hired for what seemed like a low expectations comedy/variety show NBC was beginning for late Saturday evenings. “Saturday Night Live” became a bit of a phenomenon launching all the original “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” (as the cast was called) into stardom. Aykroyd along with Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris suddenly found themselves among the most talked about television stars working in the business.
Aykroyd and Belushi became especially close friends during the series run and began working in films together such as “Neighbors,” “The Blues Brothers” and potentially “Ghostbusters,” but Belushi’s overdose at the age of 33 caused Bill Murray...
- 6/24/2023
- by Robert Pius, Misty Holland and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
As the world mourns the sudden death of “Hair” and “Everwood” actor Treat Williams, new details of his fatal motorcycle accident are surfacing.
Williams, 71, died Monday at Albany Medical Center in New York after being airlifted away in a helicopter from the collision in Vermont, according to Vermont State Police Department Pio Adam Silverman and Lt. Steve Coote, who held a virtual press conference covering the incident.
The crash happened around 5 p.m. Monday on Route 30 by Long Trail Auto near the southwestern Vermont town of Dorset. The accident involved Williams’ motorcycle and a 2008 Honda SUV. Investigators believe the driver of the car was turning left into a parking lot and didn’t see the motorcycle. The driver had his turn signal on, according to police.
“Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany,...
Williams, 71, died Monday at Albany Medical Center in New York after being airlifted away in a helicopter from the collision in Vermont, according to Vermont State Police Department Pio Adam Silverman and Lt. Steve Coote, who held a virtual press conference covering the incident.
The crash happened around 5 p.m. Monday on Route 30 by Long Trail Auto near the southwestern Vermont town of Dorset. The accident involved Williams’ motorcycle and a 2008 Honda SUV. Investigators believe the driver of the car was turning left into a parking lot and didn’t see the motorcycle. The driver had his turn signal on, according to police.
“Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Colleagues, friends and fans are remembering Treat Williams, the versatile and prolific actor who died in a motorcycle crash today at 71. Have a look at a sampling of reaction posted on social media below.
The actor from Rowayton, Ct, amassed more than 125 film and TV credits during a career that spanned nearly half a century. He was the widowed brain surgeon who moves his kids from Manhattan to small-town Colorado on the WB’s 2002-06 drama Everwood. He recurred as the ex-firefighter dad of Kelly and Katie Severeid on Chicago Fire, starred opposite Shelley Long in the 1993-94 CBS sitcom Good Advice and guested or did arcs on dozens of series including Law & Order: Svu, White Collar, Hawaii Five-o, Leverage and The Simpsons.
Related: Emily VanCamp Pays Tribute To ‘Everwood’ Co-Star Treat Williams
More recently he was a series regular for the full six-season run of Hallmark Channel’s Chesapeake Shores.
The actor from Rowayton, Ct, amassed more than 125 film and TV credits during a career that spanned nearly half a century. He was the widowed brain surgeon who moves his kids from Manhattan to small-town Colorado on the WB’s 2002-06 drama Everwood. He recurred as the ex-firefighter dad of Kelly and Katie Severeid on Chicago Fire, starred opposite Shelley Long in the 1993-94 CBS sitcom Good Advice and guested or did arcs on dozens of series including Law & Order: Svu, White Collar, Hawaii Five-o, Leverage and The Simpsons.
Related: Emily VanCamp Pays Tribute To ‘Everwood’ Co-Star Treat Williams
More recently he was a series regular for the full six-season run of Hallmark Channel’s Chesapeake Shores.
- 6/13/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Actor Treat Williams died in a motorcycle accident near his southern Vermont home on Monday. As per The New York Times, Williams – who was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident – suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead at a medical center in Albany, New York, after being airlifted there. The driver of the other vehicle was not hospitalized, and a police investigation is underway. Williams was 71 years old.
The film, television, and theater performer first came to prominence in the original production of “Grease” in the role of Danny Zuko. In 1979, he starred in Milos Forman’s film version of the musical “Hair” and, in 1981, he played the lead role in Sidney Lumet’s epic NYPD film “Prince of the City,” based on an actual investigation into police corruption. (Both roles landed him Golden Globe nominations.) In 1996, he was nominated for an Emmy for the HBO film “The Late Shift,...
The film, television, and theater performer first came to prominence in the original production of “Grease” in the role of Danny Zuko. In 1979, he starred in Milos Forman’s film version of the musical “Hair” and, in 1981, he played the lead role in Sidney Lumet’s epic NYPD film “Prince of the City,” based on an actual investigation into police corruption. (Both roles landed him Golden Globe nominations.) In 1996, he was nominated for an Emmy for the HBO film “The Late Shift,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Treat Williams, star of “Hair” and “Everwood”, has died after being involved in a motorcycle accident, Et confirmed. He was 71.
Williams’ agent of 15 years, Barry McPherson, released the news in a statement to People, telling the outlet that the actor died Monday following the fatal crash.
“He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off,” McPherson told People. “I’m just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented.”
The statement continued, “He was an actor’s actor. Filmmakers loved him. He’s been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s. He was really proud of his performance this year. He’s been so happy with the work that I got him. He’s had a balanced career.”
Though local authorities have not yet confirmed his identity, Jacob Gribble, the fire chief for Dorset, Vermont, told People that...
Williams’ agent of 15 years, Barry McPherson, released the news in a statement to People, telling the outlet that the actor died Monday following the fatal crash.
“He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off,” McPherson told People. “I’m just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented.”
The statement continued, “He was an actor’s actor. Filmmakers loved him. He’s been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s. He was really proud of his performance this year. He’s been so happy with the work that I got him. He’s had a balanced career.”
Though local authorities have not yet confirmed his identity, Jacob Gribble, the fire chief for Dorset, Vermont, told People that...
- 6/13/2023
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
Treat Williams, the actor who starred in the 1979 musical film Hair and on the WB series Everwood, died Monday from a motorcycle accident at age 71.
His death was confirmed by his family in a statement to Rolling Stone.
“It is with great sadness that we report that our beloved Treat Williams has passed away tonight in Dorset, Vermont, after a fatal motorcycle accident. As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time,” read the statement. “Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft,...
His death was confirmed by his family in a statement to Rolling Stone.
“It is with great sadness that we report that our beloved Treat Williams has passed away tonight in Dorset, Vermont, after a fatal motorcycle accident. As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time,” read the statement. “Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Treat Williams, the actor best known for playing Dr. Andy Brown on the Greg Berlanti-produced Everwood, has died, Deadline has confirmed. He was 71.
Williams played the kindhearted lead on Everwood for four years, a role that seemed to fit the actor perfectly. The show was never a ratings blockbuster, but it helped launch the careers of Chris Pratt, Emily VanCamp and Gregory Smith. Williams’ was well-seasoned by the time the show came around.
More recently, the actor was seen on the Hallmark Channel’s called Chesapeake Shores.
Williams made his film debut in the 1975 thriller film Deadly Hero. The following year he played a supporting role in The Ritz. His breakthrough came in 1979, when he starred as George Berger in the Miloš Forman’s Hair, which was based on the 1967 Broadway musical. Williams was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in the film. Other films include...
Williams played the kindhearted lead on Everwood for four years, a role that seemed to fit the actor perfectly. The show was never a ratings blockbuster, but it helped launch the careers of Chris Pratt, Emily VanCamp and Gregory Smith. Williams’ was well-seasoned by the time the show came around.
More recently, the actor was seen on the Hallmark Channel’s called Chesapeake Shores.
Williams made his film debut in the 1975 thriller film Deadly Hero. The following year he played a supporting role in The Ritz. His breakthrough came in 1979, when he starred as George Berger in the Miloš Forman’s Hair, which was based on the 1967 Broadway musical. Williams was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in the film. Other films include...
- 6/13/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Treat Williams, the versatile actor who starred as a New York City neurosurgeon who moves his family to Colorado on the WB series Everwood and in such films as Sidney Lumet’s Prince of the City and Milos Forman‘s Hair, died Monday in a motorcycle accident in Vermont. He was 71.
His agent, Barry McPherson of APA, confirmed Williams’ death in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Williams, of Manchester Center, Vermont, was aboard a motorcycle and wearing a helmet when he collided with a car on Route 30 near Dorset, the Vermont State Police said in a statement.
An initial investigation indicated that the driver of the car “stopped, signaled a left turn and then turned into the path of a northbound 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle operated by Williams. Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany,...
His agent, Barry McPherson of APA, confirmed Williams’ death in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Williams, of Manchester Center, Vermont, was aboard a motorcycle and wearing a helmet when he collided with a car on Route 30 near Dorset, the Vermont State Police said in a statement.
An initial investigation indicated that the driver of the car “stopped, signaled a left turn and then turned into the path of a northbound 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle operated by Williams. Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In movies, the word “bomb” has always meant two things, generally at the same time. The first and most important definition of bomb is that a movie has lost a disastrous amount of money. Movies, in general, can’t afford to do that — they’re too expensive to produce. Bombs happen, but as a business model they’re not sustainable. A movie that bombs commercially has never been something to write off as a trivial matter.
The second definition of bomb, which is linked to the first (though not automatically), is that a film is spectacularly bad. It is, of course, not axiomatic that a movie that bombs commercially has failed as a work of art. There are movies we think of as classics that crashed and burned at the box office — like “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Blade Runner” or “Intolerance” or “The Long Goodbye.” It’s become almost...
The second definition of bomb, which is linked to the first (though not automatically), is that a film is spectacularly bad. It is, of course, not axiomatic that a movie that bombs commercially has failed as a work of art. There are movies we think of as classics that crashed and burned at the box office — like “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Blade Runner” or “Intolerance” or “The Long Goodbye.” It’s become almost...
- 4/22/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
The Oscar-winning "Saving Private Ryan" and Emmy-winning "Band of Brothers" have more in common than just the involvement of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. "Band of Brothers" was based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Stephen E. Ambrose, who worked as a historical consultant on "Saving Private Ryan" and helped inspire its narrative. Ambrose's "D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II" informed the visceral D-Day sequence in "Saving Private Ryan," while his "Band of Brothers" book provided a loose sketch of the titular Private Ryan (Matt Damon), in the form of U.S. soldier Fritz Niland, the only one of four real-life brothers who was believed to be alive before he was recalled home during the war.
For its part, HBO's 10-hour "Band of Brothers" miniseries was told on a much larger scale than "Saving Private Ryan," which clocked in just shy of three hours.
For its part, HBO's 10-hour "Band of Brothers" miniseries was told on a much larger scale than "Saving Private Ryan," which clocked in just shy of three hours.
- 4/22/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
The Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, is back in full force in 2023, celebrating its 25th anniversary edition from April 21–29.
A key component of the celebrations will be a focus on the Asian films of the 1980s. “We have never programmed these films, nor put together this kind of program before,” says Thomas Bertacche, the Feff’s co-head. “But these were the films and directors that inspired us to shape Udine into the festival that it is today.”
Pitching the historical lineup as “hidden treasures,” the selection is expected to include early works by Japan’s Kurosawa Kiyoshi, Thailand’s Nonzee Nimibutr and South Korea’s Jan Sung-woo.
Roger Garcia, former executive director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, is set to curate a section on Leung Po-chi, the 83-year-old British-Hong Kong director who made the leap from commercials to TV and into film. Leung was at the...
A key component of the celebrations will be a focus on the Asian films of the 1980s. “We have never programmed these films, nor put together this kind of program before,” says Thomas Bertacche, the Feff’s co-head. “But these were the films and directors that inspired us to shape Udine into the festival that it is today.”
Pitching the historical lineup as “hidden treasures,” the selection is expected to include early works by Japan’s Kurosawa Kiyoshi, Thailand’s Nonzee Nimibutr and South Korea’s Jan Sung-woo.
Roger Garcia, former executive director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, is set to curate a section on Leung Po-chi, the 83-year-old British-Hong Kong director who made the leap from commercials to TV and into film. Leung was at the...
- 3/13/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Steven Spielberg is one of the fathers of the modern blockbuster. In an era where studios operate with the philosophy that producer Mike Medavoy coined as "you're only as good as your next one," it's no wonder that Spielberg continually tops himself. The director has been responsible for some of Hollywood's most memorable blockbusters for nearly five decades.
The director came from what is called the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, largely comprised of the first generation of filmmakers formally trained in college film programs. After the fall of the studio system, New Hollywood directors (also known as the Movie Brats) enjoyed unprecedented artistic freedom. Notable alumni from the New Hollywood group include John Landis, George Lucas, Brian De Palma, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and of course, Spielberg.
New Hollywood was built on the back of a film movement that occurred a decade prior across the Atlantic. Influential...
The director came from what is called the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, largely comprised of the first generation of filmmakers formally trained in college film programs. After the fall of the studio system, New Hollywood directors (also known as the Movie Brats) enjoyed unprecedented artistic freedom. Notable alumni from the New Hollywood group include John Landis, George Lucas, Brian De Palma, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and of course, Spielberg.
New Hollywood was built on the back of a film movement that occurred a decade prior across the Atlantic. Influential...
- 2/13/2023
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
Although Steven Spielberg was only 36 when "E.T." came out in theaters, he was already an established filmmaker. He'd directed "Jaws," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "1941," and "Raiders of the Lost Ark." At this point, even if "E.T." had been a total flop, it didn't seem like he'd have too hard a time bouncing back. As the man himself told Rolling Stone in a 1982 interview: "When I started 'E.T.,' I was fat and happy and satisfied with having the films I had on my list. And I just didn't feel I had anything to lose."
Spielberg, of course, didn't end up losing anything. "E.T." went on to beat "Star Wars" as the highest-grossing film of all time, only getting beaten at the box office a decade later by "Jurassic Park," which he also directed. The movie was so big that Neil Diamond made a whole hit song about it,...
Spielberg, of course, didn't end up losing anything. "E.T." went on to beat "Star Wars" as the highest-grossing film of all time, only getting beaten at the box office a decade later by "Jurassic Park," which he also directed. The movie was so big that Neil Diamond made a whole hit song about it,...
- 2/11/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Like many people passionate about movies, particularly those who grew up in the golden age of trash-talking critics like Pauline Kael, Judith Crist, Rex Reed, Gene Siskel, and Roger Ebert, Quentin Tarantino isn't shy about throwing an elbow or twelve when discussing cinema. He doesn't vacillate, nor does he spend much time discussing films that elicit a ho-hum response. You could say he likes to play contrarian, but that would suggest he's basically the Skip Bayless of film discourse. While you may vehemently disagree with Tarantino from time to time, he is anything but a full-of-it blowhard who spouts off inflammatory opinions to get a rise out of low-information fanatics. Tarantino knows his subject inside and out. If you want to enter his arena, you better come armed with ardor and a lifetime's worth of film knowledge.
This doesn't mean Tarantino can't be infuriating on occasion. This is, after all,...
This doesn't mean Tarantino can't be infuriating on occasion. This is, after all,...
- 1/23/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Watching Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon,” in all its superficially titillating, occasionally exciting and mostly exhausting wretched excess, I thought to myself: We’ve been here before, so many times.
You sit down to watch a movie by a director whose work you love. He’s swinging for the fences. His ambition is on full display and so, in fits and spurts, is his talent. Yet something else is on display too: a lack of judgment that starts out like a worm, wriggling through the proceedings, before growing and metastasizing until it’s eating everything in its path.
I’ll leave the D-word out of this, since “Babylon,” a watchable if weirdly joyless movie, never turns into a disaster of incoherence like, say, “Amsterdam.” Yet the movie reminded me of how many great directors have had a compulsive epic misfire in them. Probably most of them; it may be inherent in the imagination of moviemaking.
You sit down to watch a movie by a director whose work you love. He’s swinging for the fences. His ambition is on full display and so, in fits and spurts, is his talent. Yet something else is on display too: a lack of judgment that starts out like a worm, wriggling through the proceedings, before growing and metastasizing until it’s eating everything in its path.
I’ll leave the D-word out of this, since “Babylon,” a watchable if weirdly joyless movie, never turns into a disaster of incoherence like, say, “Amsterdam.” Yet the movie reminded me of how many great directors have had a compulsive epic misfire in them. Probably most of them; it may be inherent in the imagination of moviemaking.
- 1/15/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Steven Spielberg's "1941" is one of the most blissfully chaotic movies ever made. It is obscenely expensive, narratively scatterbrained, and unabashedly irreverent about one of the most devastating acts of war ever carried out by a foreign nation on American soil. It's more of a model train set than a movie, one operated by a spoiled brat who'd rather send the cars soaring off the track into the basement wall than keep his meticulously constructed railroad running smoothly. Crammed somewhere in the movie is an unruly satire about self-destructive, run-amok jingoism, but it's also a live-action Looney Tunes cartoon where a runaway Army tank crashes through a paint factory and then a turpentine factory.
After the back-to-back blockbuster triumphs of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Spielberg could call his tune at Universal, and he threw his all into this nutty World War II flick scripted by...
After the back-to-back blockbuster triumphs of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Spielberg could call his tune at Universal, and he threw his all into this nutty World War II flick scripted by...
- 11/24/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
"Poltergeist" is a cinematic Rorschach test. Which scene was scarier, the maggoty meat or the evil clown doll? What does the film say about the values of 1980s American suburbia? Most importantly of all, did Tobe Hooper direct the film, or did producer Steven Spielberg do it on the sly? Director Mick Garris insists it was Hooper, but "Poltergeist" camera assistant John R. Leonetti says Spielberg. Film critic Scout Tafoya claims in "Cinemaphagy," his book covering Hooper's film career, that "Poltergeist" is Hooper's movie but has some distinctly Speilbergian touches.
There is another "Poltergeist" that never quite came into being. Early in the film's production, Spielberg decided that he needed help writing the script. In search of a horror expert, he turned to Stephen King, whose works at the time were tearing up the country's bestseller charts. King was away at the time, and by the time he returned, Spielberg had moved on.
There is another "Poltergeist" that never quite came into being. Early in the film's production, Spielberg decided that he needed help writing the script. In search of a horror expert, he turned to Stephen King, whose works at the time were tearing up the country's bestseller charts. King was away at the time, and by the time he returned, Spielberg had moved on.
- 9/28/2022
- by Adam Wescott
- Slash Film
Photo: ‘E.T.’ When ‘E.T. The Extra Terrestrial’ made its debut on the big screen in 1982, Steven Spielberg had still been figuring out his footing as a director and, more importantly, as a storyteller. ‘Jaws’ was the project that catapulted Spielberg into the spotlight as an up-and-coming filmmaker worth paying attention to. The only caveat was that ‘Jaws’ was a thriller. Can this young storyteller with a keen eye for the camera replicate such a level of success with other genres. The answer was ultimately a resounding “Yes”. Spielberg followed up ‘Jaws’ with ‘Close Encounters of The Third Kind’, a science fiction drama that also yielded critical praise for the young director. A Tribute to Steven Spielberg: The Father of the American Blockbuster Spielberg then went on to make the film ‘1941’, a less-than-beloved comedy that did not live up to the standards set by his previous films, however, no...
- 8/17/2022
- by Nader Chamas
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Steven Spielberg had already made at least two World War II classics in "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan" by the time he had made "War Horse" in 2011. Throughout those movies, Spielberg seems to have stated very clearly the horrors and the evil prevalent about that conflict. He looked at the plight of persecuted Jews and life inside concentration camps. He explored the horrors of combat. He looked into an internment camp. He used Nazis as villainous stooges destined to be obliterated by God's...
The post Steven Spielberg Had Some Convenient Help Casting The Titular Role For War Horse appeared first on /Film.
The post Steven Spielberg Had Some Convenient Help Casting The Titular Role For War Horse appeared first on /Film.
- 8/7/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
Jean-Marie Lavalou, the Frenchman who received two awards from the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences for co-creating the Louma Crane, the first remote-controlled camera system used in the motion picture industry, has died. He was 76.
Lavalou died July 15 in Paris, his company, Loumasystems, announced.
Born on March 9, 1946, in Bourg Saint Leonard, Normandie, France, Lavalou graduated in 1968 from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure Louis Lumière film school in Paris before entering national service.
He met Alain Masseron in the film department of the French Navy, and they created sweeping, never-before-seen shots while making a film inside a submarine by attaching a camera to the end of a wooden pole and moving through the narrow vessel.
The inventors brought their device to Paris camera rental house SamAlga Cinema, where chief engineer Albert Vigier introduced them to David Samuelson of Samuelson Film Service in London.
Jean-Marie Lavalou, the Frenchman who received two awards from the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences for co-creating the Louma Crane, the first remote-controlled camera system used in the motion picture industry, has died. He was 76.
Lavalou died July 15 in Paris, his company, Loumasystems, announced.
Born on March 9, 1946, in Bourg Saint Leonard, Normandie, France, Lavalou graduated in 1968 from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure Louis Lumière film school in Paris before entering national service.
He met Alain Masseron in the film department of the French Navy, and they created sweeping, never-before-seen shots while making a film inside a submarine by attaching a camera to the end of a wooden pole and moving through the narrow vessel.
The inventors brought their device to Paris camera rental house SamAlga Cinema, where chief engineer Albert Vigier introduced them to David Samuelson of Samuelson Film Service in London.
- 7/26/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Steven Spielberg spoke at length about the making of his 1983 masterpiece “E.T.” – including how it was inspired by his parents’ divorce – on Thursday night as part of the TCM Film Festival, as well as how “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” directly inspired the story for the emotional sci-fi drama.
Spielberg was in conversation with Ben Mankiewicz for nearly half an hour, kicking off the discussion with his experience of working with Joan Crawford on the TV series “Night Gallery.” Of working with Crawford, Spielberg said, “She was not Mommie Dearest.” The Oscar-winning filmmaker then discussed the making of his first big hit “Jaws” (the film went 100 days over schedule), before talking about how his 1977 film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” inspired the story for “E.T.”
“I had been working on an actual literal script about my parents’ separation and divorce, and I had been working on ideas about...
Spielberg was in conversation with Ben Mankiewicz for nearly half an hour, kicking off the discussion with his experience of working with Joan Crawford on the TV series “Night Gallery.” Of working with Crawford, Spielberg said, “She was not Mommie Dearest.” The Oscar-winning filmmaker then discussed the making of his first big hit “Jaws” (the film went 100 days over schedule), before talking about how his 1977 film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” inspired the story for “E.T.”
“I had been working on an actual literal script about my parents’ separation and divorce, and I had been working on ideas about...
- 4/22/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Sunni Welles, an actress, singer and one of the woman who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault, has died. She was 72.
Welles’ passing was announced Tuesday by her son Shaun O’Banion, who referred to her as an “extraordinary woman.” She died Monday in a hospice care center in Downey, California.
Welles first got her start as a child actress, appearing on shows such as “Leave It to Beaver” and “My Three Sons,” taking her stage name from the word “Sunshine” and her surrogate father, screenwriter Halsted Welles.
Welles said in a statement through Gloria Allred in 2015 that she had met Cosby on set of “I Spy” when she was just 17 in the mid 1960s when her mother was working as a story editor at Paramount Studios. In meeting him she described her love of jazz and that she could do a good Nancy Wilson impression for him. She claimed she...
Welles’ passing was announced Tuesday by her son Shaun O’Banion, who referred to her as an “extraordinary woman.” She died Monday in a hospice care center in Downey, California.
Welles first got her start as a child actress, appearing on shows such as “Leave It to Beaver” and “My Three Sons,” taking her stage name from the word “Sunshine” and her surrogate father, screenwriter Halsted Welles.
Welles said in a statement through Gloria Allred in 2015 that she had met Cosby on set of “I Spy” when she was just 17 in the mid 1960s when her mother was working as a story editor at Paramount Studios. In meeting him she described her love of jazz and that she could do a good Nancy Wilson impression for him. She claimed she...
- 8/10/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
By Lee Pfeiffer
Ned Beatty, who aspired to be a musical theater star before an unlikely transition into the movie business, has died at age 83. Beatty made his big screen debut in director John Boorman's 1972 wilderness survival classic "Deliverance" with a daring portrayal of an innocent man subjected to a brutal rape. It was a bold decision to take the part but it launched Beatty's career to international acclaim. He rarely had a leading role but enhanced every film he appeared in. His diverse body of work includes such films as "All the President's Men", "Superman", "1941" and "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean". Although appearing in the 1976 classic "Network" for little more than five minutes, he delivered a performance so powerful that it earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Beatty formed a friendship with his "Deliverance" co-star Burt Reynolds and they made numerous films together...
Ned Beatty, who aspired to be a musical theater star before an unlikely transition into the movie business, has died at age 83. Beatty made his big screen debut in director John Boorman's 1972 wilderness survival classic "Deliverance" with a daring portrayal of an innocent man subjected to a brutal rape. It was a bold decision to take the part but it launched Beatty's career to international acclaim. He rarely had a leading role but enhanced every film he appeared in. His diverse body of work includes such films as "All the President's Men", "Superman", "1941" and "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean". Although appearing in the 1976 classic "Network" for little more than five minutes, he delivered a performance so powerful that it earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Beatty formed a friendship with his "Deliverance" co-star Burt Reynolds and they made numerous films together...
- 6/14/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
As the entertainment world mourns the passing of Oscar nominee Ned Beatty, many stars are recalling arguably his most famous and ominous performance as TV executive Arthur Jansen in the Paddy Chayefsky satire “Network.”
In his tweet commemorating Beatty, “Karate Kid” star Ralph Macchio called “Network” one of the “greatest screenplays and films of all time” and commended Beatty’s monologue towards the end of the film as “ahead of its time.” In it, Beatty as Jansen gives a booming sermon to news anchor turned raging talking head Howard Beale for using his TV show to get his viewers to shut down his network’s merger with a Saudi conglomerate, putting the network in danger. You can watch the speech in the clip below.
Ned Beatty. Superb character actor – my fave being his brilliantness in Network (one of the greatest screenplays and films of all time) So ahead of its time.
In his tweet commemorating Beatty, “Karate Kid” star Ralph Macchio called “Network” one of the “greatest screenplays and films of all time” and commended Beatty’s monologue towards the end of the film as “ahead of its time.” In it, Beatty as Jansen gives a booming sermon to news anchor turned raging talking head Howard Beale for using his TV show to get his viewers to shut down his network’s merger with a Saudi conglomerate, putting the network in danger. You can watch the speech in the clip below.
Ned Beatty. Superb character actor – my fave being his brilliantness in Network (one of the greatest screenplays and films of all time) So ahead of its time.
- 6/14/2021
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
The veteran character actor shared the screen with Timothy Dalton, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Frank McRae, a mainstay of action blockbusters including “License to Kill” and “Last Action Hero,” has died. He was 80.
McRae died of a heart attack on April 29 in Santa Monica, Calif., his daughter-in-law confirmed.
Born in Memphis, McRae excelled in high school sports before attending Tennessee State University, where he double-majored in history and drama. He played defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears’ 1967 season before deciding to transition into acting.
McRae’s work on the big screen would quickly overshadow his football accomplishments, with the actor going on to appear in over 40 films. His breakout role came in the 1973 gangster flick “Dillinger,” a part he got by standing in a studio exec’s parking space until he was granted a meeting, according to IMDb.
The actor shrewdly leveraged his 6-foot-5 frame into a run of...
Frank McRae, a mainstay of action blockbusters including “License to Kill” and “Last Action Hero,” has died. He was 80.
McRae died of a heart attack on April 29 in Santa Monica, Calif., his daughter-in-law confirmed.
Born in Memphis, McRae excelled in high school sports before attending Tennessee State University, where he double-majored in history and drama. He played defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears’ 1967 season before deciding to transition into acting.
McRae’s work on the big screen would quickly overshadow his football accomplishments, with the actor going on to appear in over 40 films. His breakout role came in the 1973 gangster flick “Dillinger,” a part he got by standing in a studio exec’s parking space until he was granted a meeting, according to IMDb.
The actor shrewdly leveraged his 6-foot-5 frame into a run of...
- 5/6/2021
- by Alex Noble
- The Wrap
Walter Olkewicz, who played the bartender Jacques Renault on “Twin Peaks,” died Tuesday in Reseda. He was 72.
His son, screenwriter Zak Olkewicz, confirmed his death. He had been struggling with health issues for the past 20 years.
The character actor also played oil refinery worker Dougie Boudreau on the first four seasons of “Grace Under Fire” and a mafia lawyer in Joel Schumacher’s “The Client.”
On David Lynch’s groundbreaking “Twin Peaks” series, he played Jacques the French-Canadian card dealer at One Eyed Jacks and bartender on the first season of the ABC series. A drug runner who is arrested for the murder of Laura Palmer, Jacques is suffocated in the hospital by Laura Palmer’s father after he is shot during the arrest.
He returned for “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me,” “Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces” and again for the Showtime reboot as Jean-Michel, although by then he...
His son, screenwriter Zak Olkewicz, confirmed his death. He had been struggling with health issues for the past 20 years.
The character actor also played oil refinery worker Dougie Boudreau on the first four seasons of “Grace Under Fire” and a mafia lawyer in Joel Schumacher’s “The Client.”
On David Lynch’s groundbreaking “Twin Peaks” series, he played Jacques the French-Canadian card dealer at One Eyed Jacks and bartender on the first season of the ABC series. A drug runner who is arrested for the murder of Laura Palmer, Jacques is suffocated in the hospital by Laura Palmer’s father after he is shot during the arrest.
He returned for “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me,” “Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces” and again for the Showtime reboot as Jean-Michel, although by then he...
- 4/8/2021
- by Haley Bosselman
- Variety Film + TV
David Lander, the comic actor best known for playing “Squiggy” on Laverne & Shirley, has died at the age of 73 following a decades-long battle with multiple sclerosis.
The actor’s family confirmed to Variety that Lander died Friday evening at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with his wife Kathy by his side.
From 1976 to 1983, over the stretch of over 150 episodes, Lander played the role of Andrew “Squiggy” Squiggman on Laverne & Shirley, opposite actor Michael McKean’s Lenny; the two actors began collaborating together when they were both students at Carnegie Mellon University,...
The actor’s family confirmed to Variety that Lander died Friday evening at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with his wife Kathy by his side.
From 1976 to 1983, over the stretch of over 150 episodes, Lander played the role of Andrew “Squiggy” Squiggman on Laverne & Shirley, opposite actor Michael McKean’s Lenny; the two actors began collaborating together when they were both students at Carnegie Mellon University,...
- 12/5/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
David Lander, the actor best known as “Squiggy” on the long-running Laverne & Shirley television show, has died. He was 73 and passed Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from complications related to multiple sclerosis, which he battled for 37 years.
Lander studied acting at the High School for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Tech and New York University.
Teamed with Michael McKean, aka “Lenny” on Laverne & Shirley, Lander created a memorable comic turn on the eight-year run of the series, which ended in 1983. The two had met at Carnegie in Pittsburgh and created the characters there.
The two also appeared in Steven Spielberg’s film 1941 and Kurt Russell’s Used Cars.
They also voiced an animated TV series, Oswald, which ran for two years, playing penguin cousins Henry and Louie.Lander’s survivors in include his wife, Kathy, their daughter, Natalie and her husband.
pic.twitter.com/G...
Lander studied acting at the High School for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Tech and New York University.
Teamed with Michael McKean, aka “Lenny” on Laverne & Shirley, Lander created a memorable comic turn on the eight-year run of the series, which ended in 1983. The two had met at Carnegie in Pittsburgh and created the characters there.
The two also appeared in Steven Spielberg’s film 1941 and Kurt Russell’s Used Cars.
They also voiced an animated TV series, Oswald, which ran for two years, playing penguin cousins Henry and Louie.Lander’s survivors in include his wife, Kathy, their daughter, Natalie and her husband.
pic.twitter.com/G...
- 12/5/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Actor David Lander, best known as Squiggy in “Laverne & Shirley,” died Friday evening at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Variety has confirmed. He was 73.
Lander died of multiple sclerosis, which he battled for 37 years. Since he went public with his diagnosis in 1999, Lander spoke to his experience at related conventions.
The actor was best known for portraying the titular role in “Squiggy” from 1976 to 1983, which he starred with opposite Michael McKean who starred as Lenny. The characters were developed by the longtime friends and collaborators while they were students at Carnegie Mellon University. In 2002, Lander reprised his iconic role as Squiggy in an episode of “The Simpsons.”
Lander had his eyes on acting at a young age and progressed to an arts high school. After teaming up with McKean in college, the duo moved to Los Angeles, where they joined the comedy ensemble, The Credibility Gap.
Lander and...
Lander died of multiple sclerosis, which he battled for 37 years. Since he went public with his diagnosis in 1999, Lander spoke to his experience at related conventions.
The actor was best known for portraying the titular role in “Squiggy” from 1976 to 1983, which he starred with opposite Michael McKean who starred as Lenny. The characters were developed by the longtime friends and collaborators while they were students at Carnegie Mellon University. In 2002, Lander reprised his iconic role as Squiggy in an episode of “The Simpsons.”
Lander had his eyes on acting at a young age and progressed to an arts high school. After teaming up with McKean in college, the duo moved to Los Angeles, where they joined the comedy ensemble, The Credibility Gap.
Lander and...
- 12/5/2020
- by Janet W. Lee
- Variety Film + TV
David Lander, the actor who played Squiggy on the “Happy Days” spin-off “Laverne & Shirley,” died on Friday due to complications from multiple sclerosis, his wife Kathy told TMZ. He was 73.
Lander was diagnosed with Ms in 1984 shortly after he wrapped filming for “Laverne & Shirley,” but he didn’t reveal his diagnosis until 1999. A year later, he published his memoir, “Fall Down, Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn’t Tell Nobody,” and detailed his journey with the illness.
He went on to be an Ms activist and was named an ambassador for the National Ms Society in 2000.
Aside from “Laverne & Shirley,” Lander also appeared in films like Steven Spielberg’s “1941” and Robert Zemeckis’ “Used Cars” with Kurt Russell. A talented voice actor, Lander also lent his voice to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Tom and Jerry: The Movie” and “The Iron Giant.”
Shortly after news of Lander’s death,...
Lander was diagnosed with Ms in 1984 shortly after he wrapped filming for “Laverne & Shirley,” but he didn’t reveal his diagnosis until 1999. A year later, he published his memoir, “Fall Down, Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn’t Tell Nobody,” and detailed his journey with the illness.
He went on to be an Ms activist and was named an ambassador for the National Ms Society in 2000.
Aside from “Laverne & Shirley,” Lander also appeared in films like Steven Spielberg’s “1941” and Robert Zemeckis’ “Used Cars” with Kurt Russell. A talented voice actor, Lander also lent his voice to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Tom and Jerry: The Movie” and “The Iron Giant.”
Shortly after news of Lander’s death,...
- 12/5/2020
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Wrap
Before the Bee Gees spread disco fever across radio waves, dance floors and movie screens, they were somewhat less known for their exquisite pop ballads. And they had a different lead singer: Robin Gibb, who died at the age of 62 on May 20, 2012. Unlike big brother Barry Gibb’s smooth, seductive falsetto – which propelled Seventies strobe-light classics like “Stayin’ Alive,” “Jive Talkin’,” and “Night Fever” — Robin’s lead vocals were warbly, yet soulful, elevating woeful anthems of sinking ships, collapsing caves and lovers strolling to the electric chair. Morrissey fans, recognize!
- 11/25/2020
- by Bill Crandall
- Rollingstone.com
Alamo Drafthouse will open its doors in two of its locations and offer private screening room rentals to parties that still want a private, big-screen viewing experience, even amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Over the weekend, Alamo Drafthouse launched “Your Own Private Alamo,” which allows you to invite up to 30 guests starting at just $150 to reserve a theater and showtime and watch one of 40 movies in what they say is a safe, sanitized environment. Check out the details on how to reserve your spot here.
Currently, the private option is only available in two locations, one in Austin, Texas and the other in Denver, Colorado. The $150 gets you the private theater rental and an online portal in which you can invite your friends to each purchase their own ticket and select their own seats. There’s also a minimum of $150 of food and drink purchases, which you order online in advance...
Over the weekend, Alamo Drafthouse launched “Your Own Private Alamo,” which allows you to invite up to 30 guests starting at just $150 to reserve a theater and showtime and watch one of 40 movies in what they say is a safe, sanitized environment. Check out the details on how to reserve your spot here.
Currently, the private option is only available in two locations, one in Austin, Texas and the other in Denver, Colorado. The $150 gets you the private theater rental and an online portal in which you can invite your friends to each purchase their own ticket and select their own seats. There’s also a minimum of $150 of food and drink purchases, which you order online in advance...
- 8/10/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
by Nathaniel R
We hope you loved listening to the Smackdown Podcast and discussing various 1947 movies this month. It means a lot when you watch, vote, listen, and share these events. Another round of applause to our returning guests Dana Delany (she previously guest-starred on "1973"), Angelica Jade Bastién (she previously guest-starred on "1941"), and the newbies, actor Patrick Vaill (Netflix's upcoming Dash & Lily) and lyricist Tom Mizer (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel S3). Dana wanted to send a note to listeners that she was sorry for accrediting the direction of To Kill a Mockingbird to Richard Brooks rather than Robert Mulligan... the names just got jumbled because it was Richard Brooks who wrote "The Brick Foxhole" which she was also discussing.
I was so into this conversation that now I have ordered a copy of "The Brick Foxhole" to understand Crossfire in a fully homosexual way. I didn't know...
We hope you loved listening to the Smackdown Podcast and discussing various 1947 movies this month. It means a lot when you watch, vote, listen, and share these events. Another round of applause to our returning guests Dana Delany (she previously guest-starred on "1973"), Angelica Jade Bastién (she previously guest-starred on "1941"), and the newbies, actor Patrick Vaill (Netflix's upcoming Dash & Lily) and lyricist Tom Mizer (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel S3). Dana wanted to send a note to listeners that she was sorry for accrediting the direction of To Kill a Mockingbird to Richard Brooks rather than Robert Mulligan... the names just got jumbled because it was Richard Brooks who wrote "The Brick Foxhole" which she was also discussing.
I was so into this conversation that now I have ordered a copy of "The Brick Foxhole" to understand Crossfire in a fully homosexual way. I didn't know...
- 5/30/2020
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
From the people that brought you Pandemic Parade chapters 1-8, comes yet another thrilling episode featuring Jesse V. Johnson, Casper Kelly, Fred Dekker, Don Coscarelli, Daniel Noah, Elijah Wood and Blaire Bercy.
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wondrous Story of Birth a.k.a. The Birth of Triplets (1950)
Contagion (2011)
The Omega Man (1971)
Panic In The Streets (1950)
The Last Man On Earth (1964)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Innerspace (1987)
The Howling (1981)
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Sand Pebbles (1966)
Where Eagles Dare (1969)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Goldfinger (1964)
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)
Murder On The Orient Express (1974)
Dr. No (1962)
From Russia With Love (1963)
Bellman and True (1987)
Brimstone and Treacle (1982)
Richard III (1995)
Titanic (1997)
Catch 22 (1970)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966)
The Graduate (1967)
1941 (1979)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Jaws (1975)
The Fortune (1975)
Carnal Knowledge (1970)
Manhattan...
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wondrous Story of Birth a.k.a. The Birth of Triplets (1950)
Contagion (2011)
The Omega Man (1971)
Panic In The Streets (1950)
The Last Man On Earth (1964)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Innerspace (1987)
The Howling (1981)
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Sand Pebbles (1966)
Where Eagles Dare (1969)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Goldfinger (1964)
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)
Murder On The Orient Express (1974)
Dr. No (1962)
From Russia With Love (1963)
Bellman and True (1987)
Brimstone and Treacle (1982)
Richard III (1995)
Titanic (1997)
Catch 22 (1970)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966)
The Graduate (1967)
1941 (1979)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Jaws (1975)
The Fortune (1975)
Carnal Knowledge (1970)
Manhattan...
- 5/29/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Geno Silva, an actor best known for playing the silent assassin that took down Tony Montana in 1983’s “Scarface,” has died. He was 72.
The actor died in his home in Los Angeles on May 9 of complications from a form of dementia known as frontotemporal degeneration, something he had suffered with for the last 15 years, his family told The Hollywood Reporter).
In “Scarface,” Silva played The Skull, the man who finally brings down Al Pacino’s character in the bloody climax to Brian De Palma’s 1983 film, all without uttering a word.
The actor died in his home in Los Angeles on May 9 of complications from a form of dementia known as frontotemporal degeneration, something he had suffered with for the last 15 years, his family told The Hollywood Reporter).
In “Scarface,” Silva played The Skull, the man who finally brings down Al Pacino’s character in the bloody climax to Brian De Palma’s 1983 film, all without uttering a word.
- 5/18/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Geno Silva, who is best known for his role as The Skull in Brian De Palma’s Scarface died on May 9 in Los Angeles of complications from frontotemporal degeneration. He was 72.
Silva was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 20, 1948. He went on to have a career on stage and screen. In Scarface (1983), his character is one of the most memorable characters as he is the one who kills Al Pacino’s Tony Montana during the movie’s climax.
He also appeared in David Lynch’s critically acclaimed neo-noir Mulholland Drive (2001) starring Naomi Watts. His credits also include many big-banner movies such as Steven Spielberg’s Amistad (1997) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) as well as A Man Apart (2003) from F. Gary Gray, 1941 (1979) and Tequila Sunrise (1988).
His television credits include Hill Street Blues, Days of Our Lives, Key West, Walker Texas Rangers, Star Trek: Enterprise and Alias. In 1994, he...
Silva was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 20, 1948. He went on to have a career on stage and screen. In Scarface (1983), his character is one of the most memorable characters as he is the one who kills Al Pacino’s Tony Montana during the movie’s climax.
He also appeared in David Lynch’s critically acclaimed neo-noir Mulholland Drive (2001) starring Naomi Watts. His credits also include many big-banner movies such as Steven Spielberg’s Amistad (1997) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) as well as A Man Apart (2003) from F. Gary Gray, 1941 (1979) and Tequila Sunrise (1988).
His television credits include Hill Street Blues, Days of Our Lives, Key West, Walker Texas Rangers, Star Trek: Enterprise and Alias. In 1994, he...
- 5/18/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Lilly Singh took on Disney+'s "outdated cultural depictions" disclaimers during Thursday's episode of A Little Late.
The disclaimer, which reads "This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions," is included in the streaming platform's synopsis section of many of Disney's classic animated titles. Some of the films that feature the warning are 1941's Dumbo, 1967's The Jungle Book, 1953's Peter Pan and 1955's Lady and the Tramp.
The streaming service's library dates back over eight decades and features older stories with some racist and culturally ...
The disclaimer, which reads "This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions," is included in the streaming platform's synopsis section of many of Disney's classic animated titles. Some of the films that feature the warning are 1941's Dumbo, 1967's The Jungle Book, 1953's Peter Pan and 1955's Lady and the Tramp.
The streaming service's library dates back over eight decades and features older stories with some racist and culturally ...
- 11/22/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lilly Singh took on Disney+'s "outdated cultural depictions" disclaimers during Thursday's episode of A Little Late.
The disclaimer, which reads "This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions," is included in the streaming platform's synopsis section of many of Disney's classic animated titles. Some of the films that feature the warning are 1941's Dumbo, 1967's The Jungle Book, 1953's Peter Pan and 1955's Lady and the Tramp.
The streaming service's library dates back over eight decades and features older stories with some racist and culturally ...
The disclaimer, which reads "This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions," is included in the streaming platform's synopsis section of many of Disney's classic animated titles. Some of the films that feature the warning are 1941's Dumbo, 1967's The Jungle Book, 1953's Peter Pan and 1955's Lady and the Tramp.
The streaming service's library dates back over eight decades and features older stories with some racist and culturally ...
- 11/22/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
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