If you're a 90s kid like me, you probably know Bob Hoskins from playing Smee in "Hook" and private eye Eddie Valiant in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." I even remember him showing up in a standout "Frasier" episode where he played Dr. Crane's abrasive, cigar-addicted gym teacher, Coach Fuller. But if you look beyond his best-known roles, the man was one of the most versatile actors to ever do it. In fact, he started his film career not in charming, family-friendly projects, but by playing a ruthless London gangster.
"The Long Good Friday" is a 1980 crime thriller starring Hoskins as Harold Shand — a crime boss looking to go legit. Over the course of the film, Shand becomes increasingly violent and Hoskins portrays the gangster's struggles with his aggressive impulses with unsettling ease. But as we all now know, the actor was more than capable of playing much more diverse roles,...
"The Long Good Friday" is a 1980 crime thriller starring Hoskins as Harold Shand — a crime boss looking to go legit. Over the course of the film, Shand becomes increasingly violent and Hoskins portrays the gangster's struggles with his aggressive impulses with unsettling ease. But as we all now know, the actor was more than capable of playing much more diverse roles,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
TV’s Norman Lear produced William Friedkin’s good-natured farce about early American burlesque houses and the inadvertent invention of the striptease. Jason Robards plays a fast talking vaudevillian and Britt Ekland is Rachel Schpitendavel, a showbiz hopeful who hits the big time by losing her clothes. The supporting cast is a who’s who of comedians including Elliott Gould, Norman Wisdom, and the great Bert Lahr.
The post The Night They Raided Minsky’s appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post The Night They Raided Minsky’s appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 8/29/2022
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Oscar-winning production designer, art director and set decorator Peter Lamont has died. Lamont, along with longtime collaborator Peter Ford, was responsible for the aesthetic of nearly every James Bond film from Goldfinger through 2006’s Casino Royale. That’s no small feat, given the series’ high standards for style.
Lamont was a four-time Oscar nominee, taking home the trophy for art decoration on Titanic, while Ford was recognized for set decoration on the film. Lamont was also nominated for Fiddler on the Roof, The Spy Who Loved Me and Aliens.
News of his passing was confirmed by Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who had this to say on the official 007 Twitter account: “Peter Lamont was a much beloved member of the Bond family and a giant in the industry. Inextricably linked with the design and aesthetic of James Bond since Goldfinger (1964).”
Peter Lamont has died at the age of 91. Michael G.
Lamont was a four-time Oscar nominee, taking home the trophy for art decoration on Titanic, while Ford was recognized for set decoration on the film. Lamont was also nominated for Fiddler on the Roof, The Spy Who Loved Me and Aliens.
News of his passing was confirmed by Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who had this to say on the official 007 Twitter account: “Peter Lamont was a much beloved member of the Bond family and a giant in the industry. Inextricably linked with the design and aesthetic of James Bond since Goldfinger (1964).”
Peter Lamont has died at the age of 91. Michael G.
- 12/18/2020
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Tony Hancock’s two leading film roles are a reminder of the extremes of his comic genius. Paul Merton talks about the legacy of his hero – and how comedy is too coarse today
Seven years before his suicide, Tony Hancock tried to become a movie star. The Rebel (1961) is a comedy about a clerk who quits his job and moves to Paris to become an artist, despite his total lack of talent. Scripted by Half Hour creators Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, it was a deluxe bespoke vehicle, designed to take Hancock across the Atlantic and turn him into the new Peter Sellers.
Brits flocked. Homegrown critics raved. And Hollywood absolutely hated it.
Seven years before his suicide, Tony Hancock tried to become a movie star. The Rebel (1961) is a comedy about a clerk who quits his job and moves to Paris to become an artist, despite his total lack of talent. Scripted by Half Hour creators Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, it was a deluxe bespoke vehicle, designed to take Hancock across the Atlantic and turn him into the new Peter Sellers.
Brits flocked. Homegrown critics raved. And Hollywood absolutely hated it.
- 9/20/2019
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
A tank flattened a camera, M called him a sexist dinosaur and his fights with Onatopp were so rough they needed a padded cell … the Irish actor recalls his 007 debut
The first film I saw when I came to London as a boy was Goldfinger, which starred Sean Connery as 007. In Ireland, I had been brought up on a diet of Old Mother Riley and Norman Wisdom, so it was a bedazzling moment, seeing this lady covered in gold paint. I ended up getting a toy car with an ejector seat, but I didn’t have any aspirations to be James Bond. The character who really captured my imagination was Oddjob, Goldfinger’s bowler-hatted henchman.
The first film I saw when I came to London as a boy was Goldfinger, which starred Sean Connery as 007. In Ireland, I had been brought up on a diet of Old Mother Riley and Norman Wisdom, so it was a bedazzling moment, seeing this lady covered in gold paint. I ended up getting a toy car with an ejector seat, but I didn’t have any aspirations to be James Bond. The character who really captured my imagination was Oddjob, Goldfinger’s bowler-hatted henchman.
- 2/4/2019
- by Interviews by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
It's safe to say that The Ugly Duckling (1959), a decidedly weak Hammer films comedy, would have been utterly forgotten, except that it was rumored to be lost for decades. This always seemed both weird and unlikely for a film from the latter half of the twentieth century, and one that had been released by Columbia in the U.K. and U.S., but the film was a flop and was certainly unavailable after its initial release, which granted it a certain mystique.Though a Hammer film, directed by Lance Comfort (who would also make the more earnest horror flick Devils of Darkness), and though based on "ideas stolen from Robert Louis Stevenson"—specifically The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—this is a broad, childish comedy, without many actual laughs, but it does have historical interest, and illuminates certain tendencies of Hammer and British films and society.Hulking...
- 10/24/2018
- MUBI
Andrew Heard 21st August 1958 - 9th January 1993
The artist Andrew Heard was a combination of contrasts, contradictions and charm. Although his large immensely detailed canvases referenced quintessentially English topics, it is a testament to their brilliance of construction that the viewer didn't need to know who his subjects were in order to be engaged by them. Usually British actors, comedians and neglected television personalities held centre stage. It helped, enhanced and enriched the viewing experience if you knew them, but as he was more successful in Europe, the references were secondary to the visual impact of the work. Heard had more recognition in Germany where his paintings sold well via the Friedman-Guinness Gallery in Frankfurt, he also exhibited at Turske & Turske in Zurich, where the essentially English comic Arthur Askey held little in the way of a visual translation abroad. His work was initially monochromatic and stark but developed into a cavalcade of color.
The artist Andrew Heard was a combination of contrasts, contradictions and charm. Although his large immensely detailed canvases referenced quintessentially English topics, it is a testament to their brilliance of construction that the viewer didn't need to know who his subjects were in order to be engaged by them. Usually British actors, comedians and neglected television personalities held centre stage. It helped, enhanced and enriched the viewing experience if you knew them, but as he was more successful in Europe, the references were secondary to the visual impact of the work. Heard had more recognition in Germany where his paintings sold well via the Friedman-Guinness Gallery in Frankfurt, he also exhibited at Turske & Turske in Zurich, where the essentially English comic Arthur Askey held little in the way of a visual translation abroad. His work was initially monochromatic and stark but developed into a cavalcade of color.
- 1/7/2018
- by robert cochrane
- www.culturecatch.com
Louisa Mellor May 5, 2017
The Last Kingdom's blistering second series concludes with rousing action and tragic loss. Destiny is all!
This review contains spoilers.
See related Comparing the PC and console versions of Dead Island
As the rock music video genre teaches, fire makes everything twice as exciting. At least twice as exciting. That meant The Last Kingdom’s blazing denouement, in which the East Anglian fortress of Bumfluff burnt to the ground alongside Aethelflaed and Erik’s hope of a happy ending, was almost too thrilling. I had to defrost the freezer afterwards just to calm down.
The finale was bookended by a monologue on love. It gives a man strength, preached Father Pyrlig, often at the cost of his mind.
Hard cut to Alfred, a man freighted with the painful choice between the safety of his country and that of his daughter. He chose to pay the ransom,...
The Last Kingdom's blistering second series concludes with rousing action and tragic loss. Destiny is all!
This review contains spoilers.
See related Comparing the PC and console versions of Dead Island
As the rock music video genre teaches, fire makes everything twice as exciting. At least twice as exciting. That meant The Last Kingdom’s blazing denouement, in which the East Anglian fortress of Bumfluff burnt to the ground alongside Aethelflaed and Erik’s hope of a happy ending, was almost too thrilling. I had to defrost the freezer afterwards just to calm down.
The finale was bookended by a monologue on love. It gives a man strength, preached Father Pyrlig, often at the cost of his mind.
Hard cut to Alfred, a man freighted with the painful choice between the safety of his country and that of his daughter. He chose to pay the ransom,...
- 5/5/2017
- Den of Geek
Following his directorial debut, the 1967 Sonny and Cher vignette flick Good Times, director William Friedkin struggled through a couple of projects before landing his first really provocative title with 1970’s The Boys in the Band. Of course, following that would be The French Connection and so on and so forth. But prior to that, Friedkin helmed a period piece penned and produced by Norman Lear, The Night They Raided Minsky’s, which more or less depicts the accidental invention of stripping during the golden period of burlesque. Plagued by various production issues, including the death of Bert Lahr (you know him as the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz) during filming, the initial cut of the film was famously termed ‘disastrous,’ and the title would be retooled for nine months by editor Ralph Rosenblum and finally see release a year after production ended. While not quite charming or as...
- 2/24/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
It may be the Day of the Doctor, but over on Channel 5, at 10.05am on Saturday, they are giving Peter Cushing's 1965 film an airing. Was it as bad as we remember?
'I don't know where we are' – Dr Who
Today, as you might have noticed, is the Day of the Doctor. Doctor Who's 50th anniversary is here, and it's an event on an unprecedented scale. A special episode – an extended, all-star, 3D special episode – is being shown around the world tonight, on TV and in cinemas, as the cherry on top of an almighty celebration. The Doctor, in all his incarnations, has become a true treasure.
Well, almost all his incarnations. While we're all gasping and cheering and hiding behind our sofas at whatever Steven Moffat has planned for us tonight, Dr Who and the Daleks – the non-canon Peter Cushing feature film from 1965 – is kicking its heels over...
'I don't know where we are' – Dr Who
Today, as you might have noticed, is the Day of the Doctor. Doctor Who's 50th anniversary is here, and it's an event on an unprecedented scale. A special episode – an extended, all-star, 3D special episode – is being shown around the world tonight, on TV and in cinemas, as the cherry on top of an almighty celebration. The Doctor, in all his incarnations, has become a true treasure.
Well, almost all his incarnations. While we're all gasping and cheering and hiding behind our sofas at whatever Steven Moffat has planned for us tonight, Dr Who and the Daleks – the non-canon Peter Cushing feature film from 1965 – is kicking its heels over...
- 11/23/2013
- by Stuart Heritage
- The Guardian - Film News
Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey. The rest might as well have not turned up so far. Series 13 of I'm a Celebrity has been completely dominated by the Only Way Is Essex star and his Essex-isms.
Taking part in a Bushtucker Trial with Matthew Wright on last night's show, Joey was joined in a giant tube by mealworms, millipedes, crabs and cockroaches. For the first time in the show's history, the most intelligent creatures involved in the task were the insects.
"What do millipedes do?" said Joey, the great philosopher. The poor creatures are probably asking the same question about 'a Joey Essex'.
After revealing earlier in the week that he had never mastered the concept of telling the time, today's shocking revelation from Jungle Joey was that he'd never learnt how to blow his nose.
"It's like living with Norman Wisdom," commented Steve Davis. That's a bit of an insult to the late comedian,...
Taking part in a Bushtucker Trial with Matthew Wright on last night's show, Joey was joined in a giant tube by mealworms, millipedes, crabs and cockroaches. For the first time in the show's history, the most intelligent creatures involved in the task were the insects.
"What do millipedes do?" said Joey, the great philosopher. The poor creatures are probably asking the same question about 'a Joey Essex'.
After revealing earlier in the week that he had never mastered the concept of telling the time, today's shocking revelation from Jungle Joey was that he'd never learnt how to blow his nose.
"It's like living with Norman Wisdom," commented Steve Davis. That's a bit of an insult to the late comedian,...
- 11/21/2013
- Digital Spy
The roar of a V8, 750 brake horsepower engine.
The high-risk, crowd-pleasing 90 mph overtake.
The rush of a 1.6 second 0-60.
All staples of the Formula One diet, and all things I could care little to even less about...
For many, the full-throttle exhilaration of Formula One is escapism at its finest. While another cold brewski slithers down our necks, accompanied closely by its cardiac-arrest-inducing brother the cheese nacho, 22 primed and super-human men do battle at speeds of upto 220 mph (miles per hour) for our enjoyment, with hundreds of cameras following their every move.
However, such is my depravity that, without a crash to witness or an airborne F1 monster to gawp at, I have no interest. The thought of watching a group of men racing around a track over...and over...and over...again, is just to bromidic to comprehend. Of course, that's not to say that I don't respect the...
The high-risk, crowd-pleasing 90 mph overtake.
The rush of a 1.6 second 0-60.
All staples of the Formula One diet, and all things I could care little to even less about...
For many, the full-throttle exhilaration of Formula One is escapism at its finest. While another cold brewski slithers down our necks, accompanied closely by its cardiac-arrest-inducing brother the cheese nacho, 22 primed and super-human men do battle at speeds of upto 220 mph (miles per hour) for our enjoyment, with hundreds of cameras following their every move.
However, such is my depravity that, without a crash to witness or an airborne F1 monster to gawp at, I have no interest. The thought of watching a group of men racing around a track over...and over...and over...again, is just to bromidic to comprehend. Of course, that's not to say that I don't respect the...
- 9/13/2013
- Shadowlocked
American stand-up Kevin Hart warms up for a gig at Madison Square Garden in this inane, foul-mouthed and desperately unfunny documentary
This dim documentary, co-produced by diminutive African-American standup comic Kevin Hart, starts off with a nightmare sequence in which he has understandable fears about his insignificance and lack of brand recognition. To correct this state of affairs, Hart decides to book himself into Madison Square Garden. But first he sets off to polish his act on a sell-out tour of Canada, Scandinavia, Holland and Britain, a jokeless journey featuring solicited eulogies from local fans. This leads up to Hart's appearance in a packed Garden, where the well-heeled middle-class audience, half of them women, roar with laughter and applaud whenever he uses the words "nigger", "bitch", "fuck" and "shit", which he does several times a minute.
He repeats virtually every sentence, makes strange shrieking noises and has developed a style...
This dim documentary, co-produced by diminutive African-American standup comic Kevin Hart, starts off with a nightmare sequence in which he has understandable fears about his insignificance and lack of brand recognition. To correct this state of affairs, Hart decides to book himself into Madison Square Garden. But first he sets off to polish his act on a sell-out tour of Canada, Scandinavia, Holland and Britain, a jokeless journey featuring solicited eulogies from local fans. This leads up to Hart's appearance in a packed Garden, where the well-heeled middle-class audience, half of them women, roar with laughter and applaud whenever he uses the words "nigger", "bitch", "fuck" and "shit", which he does several times a minute.
He repeats virtually every sentence, makes strange shrieking noises and has developed a style...
- 8/31/2013
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
National Film and Television School voted the best in the world as films by three of its students win clean sweep in international poll
A world away from Hollywood glitz and glamour, in dilapidated buildings occupying a sleepy corner of Buckinghamshire, some of Britain's most promising future film-makers build sets, bring puppets to life and create a world of make-believe as students of the National Film and Television School (Nfts). This week, in a remarkable testament to their talent and expertise, they will be saluted as the best young film-makers in the world.
The school has already produced Oscar-winning alumni such as animator Nick Park and director Michael Radford. Now the Beaconsfield-based institution has been voted the world's best film school in an international poll of the major film training institutions around the globe.
In an unprecedented clean sweep, three students have been singled out for the film-school equivalent of the Oscars,...
A world away from Hollywood glitz and glamour, in dilapidated buildings occupying a sleepy corner of Buckinghamshire, some of Britain's most promising future film-makers build sets, bring puppets to life and create a world of make-believe as students of the National Film and Television School (Nfts). This week, in a remarkable testament to their talent and expertise, they will be saluted as the best young film-makers in the world.
The school has already produced Oscar-winning alumni such as animator Nick Park and director Michael Radford. Now the Beaconsfield-based institution has been voted the world's best film school in an international poll of the major film training institutions around the globe.
In an unprecedented clean sweep, three students have been singled out for the film-school equivalent of the Oscars,...
- 8/24/2013
- by Dalya Alberge
- The Guardian - Film News
When glass-eyed Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan) tells Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) that all the excess and splendour he drowns in is “from your perfect, irresistible imagination”, it’s hard not to see this entire film in this same light. Director, producer Baz Luhrmann and his wife, costume designer, production designer and co-producer Catherine Martin have concocted a vision of the early 1920s that did not exist yet somehow feels entirely natural. Their Great Gatsby is a twenties parallel universe; the twenties reloaded if you will.
This is a flavour of the 1920s, those details that cinemagoers with just a passing knowledge of the era can recognise: cloche hats, bobbed hair, short fringed dresses and striped blazers. From our first proper look at Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), swooping down on his boater topped head from a skyscraper; we know roughly when and where we are. Specifically, this is 1922. It does not...
This is a flavour of the 1920s, those details that cinemagoers with just a passing knowledge of the era can recognise: cloche hats, bobbed hair, short fringed dresses and striped blazers. From our first proper look at Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), swooping down on his boater topped head from a skyscraper; we know roughly when and where we are. Specifically, this is 1922. It does not...
- 5/23/2013
- by Chris Laverty
- Clothes on Film
Award-winning film editor who had an instinctive feel for pace, rhythm and nuance
Gerry Hambling, who has died aged 86, was one of the finest editors that the British film industry has produced. He was widely admired, particularly by his peers, for films such as Midnight Express (1978), Mississippi Burning (1988), In the Name of the Father (1993) and Evita (1996). He won many awards from the editors' guilds in the Us and UK, which made up for the fact that, although he was nominated six times, an Oscar always eluded him. He did, however, win the Bafta three times for film editing. My own collaboration with Gerry went back 40 years, as he cut 14 feature films for me, as well as three short films and scores of commercials.
As with many film technicians of his generation, Gerry's choice of profession was serendipitous: born and raised in Croydon, Surrey, he left school at 16 and went to work at the local factory,...
Gerry Hambling, who has died aged 86, was one of the finest editors that the British film industry has produced. He was widely admired, particularly by his peers, for films such as Midnight Express (1978), Mississippi Burning (1988), In the Name of the Father (1993) and Evita (1996). He won many awards from the editors' guilds in the Us and UK, which made up for the fact that, although he was nominated six times, an Oscar always eluded him. He did, however, win the Bafta three times for film editing. My own collaboration with Gerry went back 40 years, as he cut 14 feature films for me, as well as three short films and scores of commercials.
As with many film technicians of his generation, Gerry's choice of profession was serendipitous: born and raised in Croydon, Surrey, he left school at 16 and went to work at the local factory,...
- 2/12/2013
- by Alan Parker
- The Guardian - Film News
The 66th annual British Academy Film Awards are here! And there was much rejoicing.
We’re here at the Royal Opera House in London to bring you all the up to the minute news on who won, who looked really annoyed when they lost, and who knows what else will be in store for us tonight?
Lord Stephen of Fry is leading proceedings once again and I’ll be updating you fine people with the winners as they are announced.
The full list of awards and nominees can be found here, and as the awards are announced I’ll update the liveblog below with the nominees and the winners.
The ceremony is due to start at around 7pm and if you’re hungry for all the red carpeting then head over here to see the arrivals from around 5pm.
Updates will be added at the top…But not anymore as we’ve finished.
We’re here at the Royal Opera House in London to bring you all the up to the minute news on who won, who looked really annoyed when they lost, and who knows what else will be in store for us tonight?
Lord Stephen of Fry is leading proceedings once again and I’ll be updating you fine people with the winners as they are announced.
The full list of awards and nominees can be found here, and as the awards are announced I’ll update the liveblog below with the nominees and the winners.
The ceremony is due to start at around 7pm and if you’re hungry for all the red carpeting then head over here to see the arrivals from around 5pm.
Updates will be added at the top…But not anymore as we’ve finished.
- 2/10/2013
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The good news is that Adam Sandler, executive producer of Here Comes the Boom, doesn't appear on screen. The bad news is that overweight, baby-faced Kevin James does. He plays Scott Voss, a lazy, unmotivated 42-year-old biology teacher at a failing Boston high school, who returns to his university sport of wrestling to save the school's music department from being disbanded and its dedicated elderly teacher (a prissy Henry Winkler) from being made redundant. He does this by becoming a human punchbag competing as a mixed martial arts cage fighter.
Even less prepossessing than George Formby or Norman Wisdom, who had similar romantic yearnings, James sets his heart on wooing the school's beautiful nurse (Salma Hayek). The film aims to be simultaneously a coarse sentimental little-guy comedy, a tale of embracing the American dream, and an increasingly serious underdog fight movie on the lines of Rocky. It fails on all three counts.
Even less prepossessing than George Formby or Norman Wisdom, who had similar romantic yearnings, James sets his heart on wooing the school's beautiful nurse (Salma Hayek). The film aims to be simultaneously a coarse sentimental little-guy comedy, a tale of embracing the American dream, and an increasingly serious underdog fight movie on the lines of Rocky. It fails on all three counts.
- 11/11/2012
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
An acerbic teddy bear comes to life in Seth MacFarlane's hilarious first film about our refusal to abandon adolescence
To some, comedy is a funny business; to others it's no laughing matter, and critics from Aristotle to Eric Bentley have attempted to explain and define it. Pauline Kael's review of The Sting set out to explain why it was neither funny nor entertaining; the leftwing theorist and cultural historian Raymond Williams once told the readers of the Listener that Rowan & Martin's TV show Laugh-In was unfunny. They were as unpersuasive as the British Council lecturer who tried to convince an audience in Tirana that Norman Wisdom isn't funny.
Woody Allen offers two definitions of comedy in Crimes and Misdemeanors, both ways of mocking the dislikable TV star played by Alan Alda and through him the celebrated writer Larry Gelbart, on whom the character is based. The fact is...
To some, comedy is a funny business; to others it's no laughing matter, and critics from Aristotle to Eric Bentley have attempted to explain and define it. Pauline Kael's review of The Sting set out to explain why it was neither funny nor entertaining; the leftwing theorist and cultural historian Raymond Williams once told the readers of the Listener that Rowan & Martin's TV show Laugh-In was unfunny. They were as unpersuasive as the British Council lecturer who tried to convince an audience in Tirana that Norman Wisdom isn't funny.
Woody Allen offers two definitions of comedy in Crimes and Misdemeanors, both ways of mocking the dislikable TV star played by Alan Alda and through him the celebrated writer Larry Gelbart, on whom the character is based. The fact is...
- 8/4/2012
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
There’s a moment in ‘Nob and Nobility’ from Blackadder the Third in which Blackadder walks into the pantry and angrily kicks the cat. When questioned why, Blackadder remarks that “It is the way of the world, Baldrick – the abused always kick downwards. I am annoyed and so I kick the cat, the cat pounces on the mouse, and finally the mouse bites you on the behind… you are last in God’s great chain, Baldrick, unless there’s an earwig around here you’d like to victimise.”
It’s a good joke from a very good comedy series of which I am a big fan – what sensible person isn’t? But it also reflects a worrying trend which has been creeping slowly into comedy since the 1980s and is now a source of great annoyance and vexation. Put simply: why are so many modern comedies so mean-spirited? Why do...
It’s a good joke from a very good comedy series of which I am a big fan – what sensible person isn’t? But it also reflects a worrying trend which has been creeping slowly into comedy since the 1980s and is now a source of great annoyance and vexation. Put simply: why are so many modern comedies so mean-spirited? Why do...
- 7/24/2012
- by Daniel Mumby
- Obsessed with Film
There were some things about Derek - Ricky Gervais’s character piece set in an old people’s home - that were uncannily familiar to the comedic tricks he pulled off to stunning effect in The Office – the mockumentary form that he helped perfect, the undercutting punch lines seemingly off-mike, the cut away from the set piece to the more intimate chats direct to camera.
This worked in its usual fashion for Gervais’s effortless throwaways – “Ferne Britton before she had her stomach tied up or something”, but jarred, initially, when Derek was crying about the loss of his favourite resident Joan, who told him kindness was magic. I repeat, initially.
There was a lot of Norman Wisdom in Gervais’s take on Derek, with a big smidgeon of Mr Rigsby thrown in for good measure. But, if it showed his limitations as an actor, he was positively De Niro-esque in comparison with Karl Pilkington.
This worked in its usual fashion for Gervais’s effortless throwaways – “Ferne Britton before she had her stomach tied up or something”, but jarred, initially, when Derek was crying about the loss of his favourite resident Joan, who told him kindness was magic. I repeat, initially.
There was a lot of Norman Wisdom in Gervais’s take on Derek, with a big smidgeon of Mr Rigsby thrown in for good measure. But, if it showed his limitations as an actor, he was positively De Niro-esque in comparison with Karl Pilkington.
- 4/12/2012
- by Caroline Frost
- Huffington Post
I know by this point everyone expects any review of Jack and Jill to be a terribly scathing affair and there’s no doubt it deserves as much.
But there’s more to it than that. It’s not just a film about Adam Sandler in a woman suit and Al Pacino slumming it like successful career choices have gone out of fashion. No. It’s a film about missed opportunities, lost potential, no potential, past potential, wasted potential and of course poo jokes and fart jokes. And lots of pooing and farting. Sometimes together, sometimes not. It’s creative like that.
However whilst I would love to give the 97 minutes of wasted celluloid a good raking over with a few rounds from a shotgun, a can of petrol and some horribly puerile similes and metaphors (god there’s so much potential here for a good old rant) – which I...
But there’s more to it than that. It’s not just a film about Adam Sandler in a woman suit and Al Pacino slumming it like successful career choices have gone out of fashion. No. It’s a film about missed opportunities, lost potential, no potential, past potential, wasted potential and of course poo jokes and fart jokes. And lots of pooing and farting. Sometimes together, sometimes not. It’s creative like that.
However whilst I would love to give the 97 minutes of wasted celluloid a good raking over with a few rounds from a shotgun, a can of petrol and some horribly puerile similes and metaphors (god there’s so much potential here for a good old rant) – which I...
- 2/8/2012
- by Ross Jones-Morris
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
British film star known for her roles in A Town Like Alice and The Spanish Gardener
Never having had the chance to justify her initial build-up as "the next Vivien Leigh", the svelte brunette Maureen Swanson, who has died of cancer aged 78, deserved much better than she was given in the 1950s by the Rank Organisation, to whom she was under contract. Although Swanson was not a graduate of the much-maligned Rank Charm School, she was, to her chagrin, often referred to as a "Rank starlet", which implied that she was merely on screen in order to look glamorous. But unlike Rank charmers such as Diana Dors, Joan Collins and Belinda Lee, Swanson was not a "naughty" sex symbol, but more of a "good girl".
She might have gone on to better parts had not her marriage in 1961 to William Ward, Viscount Ednam (later the 4th Earl of Dudley) terminated her acting career for good.
Never having had the chance to justify her initial build-up as "the next Vivien Leigh", the svelte brunette Maureen Swanson, who has died of cancer aged 78, deserved much better than she was given in the 1950s by the Rank Organisation, to whom she was under contract. Although Swanson was not a graduate of the much-maligned Rank Charm School, she was, to her chagrin, often referred to as a "Rank starlet", which implied that she was merely on screen in order to look glamorous. But unlike Rank charmers such as Diana Dors, Joan Collins and Belinda Lee, Swanson was not a "naughty" sex symbol, but more of a "good girl".
She might have gone on to better parts had not her marriage in 1961 to William Ward, Viscount Ednam (later the 4th Earl of Dudley) terminated her acting career for good.
- 1/1/2012
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
My Week With Marilyn features a startling turn from Michelle Williams as screen icon Monroe, but does the film have much else to offer? Here’s Luke’s review…
Following on from the planet-conquering success of The King’s Speech, it was always a fairly safe bet that Hollywood uber-producers the Weinstein brothers would seek to replicate the enormous financial remuneration they'd achieved with similarly frugal fare. The result of their shrewd business sense is My Week With Marilyn, another low-budget Brit semi-biopic with eyes clearly fixed on awards season.
Esteemed television director Simon Curtis and Primeval and Survivor screenwriter Adrian Hodges have adapted Colin Clark’s book, which belatedly described the hitherto untold true story of his tumultuous nine days within the hectic social sphere of Marilyn Monroe – then, arguably, the most famous woman on the planet.
It’s 1956, and the 23-year-old Clark (Eddie Redmayne), eschewing his wealthy father’s wishes,...
Following on from the planet-conquering success of The King’s Speech, it was always a fairly safe bet that Hollywood uber-producers the Weinstein brothers would seek to replicate the enormous financial remuneration they'd achieved with similarly frugal fare. The result of their shrewd business sense is My Week With Marilyn, another low-budget Brit semi-biopic with eyes clearly fixed on awards season.
Esteemed television director Simon Curtis and Primeval and Survivor screenwriter Adrian Hodges have adapted Colin Clark’s book, which belatedly described the hitherto untold true story of his tumultuous nine days within the hectic social sphere of Marilyn Monroe – then, arguably, the most famous woman on the planet.
It’s 1956, and the 23-year-old Clark (Eddie Redmayne), eschewing his wealthy father’s wishes,...
- 11/21/2011
- Den of Geek
BBC Three's Don't Tell The Bride attracted more than 1.3m viewers on Tuesday evening, while ITV1's new drama The Jury shed 2m, overnight audience data has revealed. The new series of Don't Tell The Bride stayed hugely popular, tying the knot with 1.33m (5.5%) in the 9pm hour. Later on BBC Three, the Russell Tovey and Sarah Solemani comedy Him & Her picked up 604k (3.7%) from 10.30pm. On the terrestrials, the second part of ITV1's The Jury welcomed 4.2m (17.4%) in the 9pm hour, down by more than 2m on the previous night's premiere. A further 268k (1.5%) watched on +1. Also in the 9pm slot, new drama Death In Paradise was seen by 4.29m (17.8%) on BBC One. The Unforgettable Norman Wisdom fetched 3.13m (13.6%) on ITV1 from 7.30pm and 159k (0.7%) on +1. High Stakes had 2.32m (10.3%) (more)...
- 11/9/2011
- by By Andrew Laughlin
- Digital Spy
Flicking through my encyclopaedia-sized driving theory book, I'm forever cursing not having the opportunity to try for a driving licence earlier in my life. Put it down to lack of funds or too much work – the downsides of being an incompetent fool are all too obvious when it comes to getting around. Take public transport, in which hapless masses are forced to pay eye-watering amounts for services so shoddy, a horse and cart could get you from A to B in quicker time.
What's worse is that those who wield almighty power in the public transport domain seem possessed by the worst sort of misanthropic gloom, so much so, that it's easy to think that wholesale grumpiness is a vital prerequisite for the job. Take travelling by bus – a joyless experience at the best of times, but more often than not, the driver in charge will respond to your cheery...
What's worse is that those who wield almighty power in the public transport domain seem possessed by the worst sort of misanthropic gloom, so much so, that it's easy to think that wholesale grumpiness is a vital prerequisite for the job. Take travelling by bus – a joyless experience at the best of times, but more often than not, the driver in charge will respond to your cheery...
- 10/14/2011
- Shadowlocked
Founded by J Arthur Rank, the studios are home to 007, Harry Potter and American blockbusters – but still invest in UK talent
The horizon at Pinewood alters every month as sets and scaffold towers go up and down. This weekend a visitor told to present themselves at the "main gate" might face a moment's confusion. By far the biggest gate, dwarfing everything else at the entrance to the film studios in Buckinghamshire, is a huge wooden affair, reached by a drawbridge.
A portcullis is suspended above it and a pair of crenellated stone towers stand on either side. It is part of the set constructed for Snow White and The Huntsman, one of a succession of big budget films that have queued up to get inside a production centre that is unrivalled, not just in Britain, but across the world.
The film, directed by Rupert Sanders, will star Charlize Theron as The Evil Queen,...
The horizon at Pinewood alters every month as sets and scaffold towers go up and down. This weekend a visitor told to present themselves at the "main gate" might face a moment's confusion. By far the biggest gate, dwarfing everything else at the entrance to the film studios in Buckinghamshire, is a huge wooden affair, reached by a drawbridge.
A portcullis is suspended above it and a pair of crenellated stone towers stand on either side. It is part of the set constructed for Snow White and The Huntsman, one of a succession of big budget films that have queued up to get inside a production centre that is unrivalled, not just in Britain, but across the world.
The film, directed by Rupert Sanders, will star Charlize Theron as The Evil Queen,...
- 10/1/2011
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
Paddy Considine reveals Gary Oldman's influence on him, while tempers flare in Albania over its foreign-language Oscar submission
The Oldman and Paddy
Paddy Considine has confessed to the influence of Gary Oldman on his directing debut, Tyrannosaur. The new film, which stars Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan, is based on Paddy's award-winning short film Dog Altogether, and has a searing, visceral quality of Brit grit, the like of which I haven't seen since Nil by Mouth – still the only film Oldman has directed. Despite being best known for his work with director Shane Meadows, Considine revealed to me that Oldman was the key to Tyrannosaur. "I remember seeing Nil by Mouth as a student in Brighton and being in awe. I felt that at last here was a guy who spoke my language. It's strange how life works, because I happened to be working with Gary on...
The Oldman and Paddy
Paddy Considine has confessed to the influence of Gary Oldman on his directing debut, Tyrannosaur. The new film, which stars Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan, is based on Paddy's award-winning short film Dog Altogether, and has a searing, visceral quality of Brit grit, the like of which I haven't seen since Nil by Mouth – still the only film Oldman has directed. Despite being best known for his work with director Shane Meadows, Considine revealed to me that Oldman was the key to Tyrannosaur. "I remember seeing Nil by Mouth as a student in Brighton and being in awe. I felt that at last here was a guy who spoke my language. It's strange how life works, because I happened to be working with Gary on...
- 10/1/2011
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
It's set in a London of rusting Hillman Minxes and bare lightbulbs, but On the Buses was a huge hit in its time, and the fanclub is still going strong
A 1965 Routemaster bus pulls up somewhere in the London suburb of Borehamwood; the passengers pile out and cluster around a nearby manhole cover, and point their cameras at it – for this is no ordinary manhole cover. It has gone down in movie history as the actual drain cover in which On the Buses' Olive Rudge got her bottom stuck. And the amateur photographers are part of a group of 100 or so punters who had paid £35 a head to attend an event called On the Buses Rides Again: a fan-club weekend to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the appearance of the On the Buses spin-off film.
It may seem bizarre now, but On the Buses was the most successful British film of 1971, outgrossing allcomers,...
A 1965 Routemaster bus pulls up somewhere in the London suburb of Borehamwood; the passengers pile out and cluster around a nearby manhole cover, and point their cameras at it – for this is no ordinary manhole cover. It has gone down in movie history as the actual drain cover in which On the Buses' Olive Rudge got her bottom stuck. And the amateur photographers are part of a group of 100 or so punters who had paid £35 a head to attend an event called On the Buses Rides Again: a fan-club weekend to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the appearance of the On the Buses spin-off film.
It may seem bizarre now, but On the Buses was the most successful British film of 1971, outgrossing allcomers,...
- 6/23/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
A resurgence in the popularity of the ukulele could rekindle our bizarre affection for the oddball singer-comedian
Britain has apparently gone mad for ukuleles. An extraordinary resurgence in the popularity of the instrument must surely revive memories of that extraordinary figure in British pop history, George Formby. (To be exact, Formby played the banjo-ukulele.) It's easy to assume that Formby was a marginal comedy figure comparable to, say, Peter Glaze on the BBC children's TV show Crackerjack. Actually, Formby was massive, the highest-earning comedian in British cinema from the mid-30s to the mid-40s, and just before the war, the biggest British star in any genre. How did he do it?
He just looked so weird. Something in the posture required to play the ukulele – shoulders hunched, elbows akimbo – probably encouraged a perky grinning manner: it's probably impossible to play the ukukele in any other way. Maybe if Jimi Hendrix had played the ukulele,...
Britain has apparently gone mad for ukuleles. An extraordinary resurgence in the popularity of the instrument must surely revive memories of that extraordinary figure in British pop history, George Formby. (To be exact, Formby played the banjo-ukulele.) It's easy to assume that Formby was a marginal comedy figure comparable to, say, Peter Glaze on the BBC children's TV show Crackerjack. Actually, Formby was massive, the highest-earning comedian in British cinema from the mid-30s to the mid-40s, and just before the war, the biggest British star in any genre. How did he do it?
He just looked so weird. Something in the posture required to play the ukulele – shoulders hunched, elbows akimbo – probably encouraged a perky grinning manner: it's probably impossible to play the ukukele in any other way. Maybe if Jimi Hendrix had played the ukulele,...
- 6/2/2011
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The last of the sixteen films competing for this year’s Golden Bear is The Forgiveness of Blood directed and co-written by the American behind Maria Full of Grace, Joshua Marston. It may have been made by a predominantly American crew, and joint funded with help from Denmark and Italy, but this film is at its core Albanian. The cast is entirely Albanian, including many non-actors, and it was co-written by an Albanian filmmaker, Andamion Murataj. Furthermore, the story – which concerns the Northern Albanian practice of blood feuds – is about as culturally specific to Europe’s second poorest nation as you can get without including their strange obsession with Norman Wisdom (I’ve just used up all my Albania knowledge right there).
The Forgiveness of Blood is the story of two mutually antagonistic families who both live in a small village. Tensions are raised when one...
The last of the sixteen films competing for this year’s Golden Bear is The Forgiveness of Blood directed and co-written by the American behind Maria Full of Grace, Joshua Marston. It may have been made by a predominantly American crew, and joint funded with help from Denmark and Italy, but this film is at its core Albanian. The cast is entirely Albanian, including many non-actors, and it was co-written by an Albanian filmmaker, Andamion Murataj. Furthermore, the story – which concerns the Northern Albanian practice of blood feuds – is about as culturally specific to Europe’s second poorest nation as you can get without including their strange obsession with Norman Wisdom (I’ve just used up all my Albania knowledge right there).
The Forgiveness of Blood is the story of two mutually antagonistic families who both live in a small village. Tensions are raised when one...
- 2/19/2011
- by Robert Beames
- Obsessed with Film
Star of Tom Jones and They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, she defied typecasting
Susannah York, who has died aged 72, was a vibrant, energetic personality with a devouring passion for work, strong political opinions and great loyalty to old friends. Her international reputation as an actor depended heavily on the hit films she made in the 1960s, including Tom Jones (1963) and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969, for which she received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. But, even when her movie career waned, she worked ceaselessly in theatre, often appearing in pioneering fringe productions. It was typical of her that, although diagnosed with cancer late in 2010, she refused chemotherapy and fulfilled a contractual obligation to do a tour of Ronald Harwood's Quartet.
In her early years York was often cast as an archetypal English rose. But, although born in Chelsea, south-west London (as Susannah Yolande Fletcher), she was raised...
Susannah York, who has died aged 72, was a vibrant, energetic personality with a devouring passion for work, strong political opinions and great loyalty to old friends. Her international reputation as an actor depended heavily on the hit films she made in the 1960s, including Tom Jones (1963) and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969, for which she received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. But, even when her movie career waned, she worked ceaselessly in theatre, often appearing in pioneering fringe productions. It was typical of her that, although diagnosed with cancer late in 2010, she refused chemotherapy and fulfilled a contractual obligation to do a tour of Ronald Harwood's Quartet.
In her early years York was often cast as an archetypal English rose. But, although born in Chelsea, south-west London (as Susannah Yolande Fletcher), she was raised...
- 1/17/2011
- by Michael Billington
- The Guardian - Film News
It's been an incredible year in the world of showbiz, with the usual headline-grabbing antics, scandal, sleaze, celebrity births, star weddings, and bitter break-ups. Here, WENN takes a look back at the final six months of 2010...
July
Love was in the air in July as a host of celebrities walked down the aisle - Spanish stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem tied the knot in the Bahamas, while Emily Blunt became Mrs. John Krasinski after marrying The Office star in romantic Como, Italy.
A pregnant Alicia Keys said 'I do' to Swizz Beatz, while Orlando Bloom and Australian model Miranda Kerr became husband and wife in a secret ceremony. Wedding bells also rang in Georgia as country sweetheart Carrie Underwood married her hockey hunk, Mike Fisher.
But there was also plenty of heartache in Hollywood - Kelly Osbourne called off her engagement to model Luke Worrall over allegations he had cheated on her, and Frasier star Kelsey Grammer's wife filed for divorce after almost 13 years of marriage. R&B singer Christina Milian picked July to announce she was splitting from her producer husband The-Dream - less than a year after the couple wed in Las Vegas.
Celebrations were in order for Christina Applegate after she revealed she was pregnant with her first child, while Vince Vaughn, Zac Hanson, Ugly Betty star Becki Newton and Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor also announced they were expecting babies with their respective partners.
Director Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson became the proud parents of a baby girl - their first child together - while Australian pop star Dannii Minogue welcomed baby boy Ethan with her partner Kris Smith.
But July was not without scandal - Paris Hilton was questioned by authorities at the World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa over allegations she was smoking pot. Just two weeks later, she was held by police in France after she was allegedly caught carrying cannabis in her handbag.
The heiress' former pal Lindsay Lohan also hit headlines for all the wrong reasons - just days after turning 24, she was ordered to spend 90 days in jail for violating the terms of her probation stemming from a 2007 DUI arrest.
Former Wham! star George Michael also had a run-in with the law - he was arrested after driving his car into a shop in London, and Foxy Brown was also taken into custody after allegedly violating a protective order.
Meanwhile, Rosemary's Baby director Roman Polanski was freed from house arrest after officials in Switzerland threw out a request to extradite him to the U.S. for sentencing on a child-sex charge.
Mel Gibson's marital woes continued into July - Los Angeles police launched an official investigation amid claims the Braveheart star punched his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva during a heated altercation. It came after the leaking of a series of audio recordings in which a man said to be Gibson unleashes a series of foul-mouthed rants at his ex.
There was a health scare for British singer Cheryl Cole as she was diagnosed with malaria after collapsing at a photoshoot, while movie legends Tony Curtis and Zsa Zsa Gabor were also hospitalised. Pink was rushed to the emergency room after a stage stunt went wrong, sending the pop punk flying into a metal barrier during a concert in Germany.
Courtroom battles loomed for bad boy actor David Boreanaz, who was slapped with a sexual harassment lawsuit from a former extra on his hit TV show Bones, and Casey Affleck, who was sued by a producer of his movie I'm Still Here over sexual harassment allegations.
August
There were festival dramas aplenty in August, with The Libertines and Guns N' Roses dominating headlines at Britain's Reading and Leeds weekenders. Pete Doherty's group reunited earlier this year and played sets at the festivals - but their performances were blighted when overeager fans got crushed and trampled during the frenetic gigs, forcing the rockers off the stage to allow the revellers chance to recover. Axl Rose sparked an ongoing war-of-words with event boss Melvin Benn after he decided to shut the sound off when the band overran its curfew.
Further drama occurred in August when Naomi Campbell took to the stand in The Hague, Netherlands to testify at the war crimes trial of ex-Liberian President Charles Taylor, socialite Paris Hilton was arrested for cocaine possession in Las Vegas, and Charlie Sheen pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanour assault relating to a Christmas Day fight with now-estranged wife Brooke Mueller. The Two And A Half Men actor was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but served time in rehab instead.
Another star seeking help for her personal issues was Lindsay Lohan. The Mean Girls actress walked free from prison before the end of her sentence for violating her probation relating to a 2007 DUI arrest, and immediately entered rehab - only to leave the health centre early as well.
Lohan's woes weren't the only ones in Hollywood - Zsa Zsa Gabor was in and out of hospital due to complications stemming from her summer accident which resulted in several bone fractures, while Aretha Franklin broke her ribs in a freak fall, prompting her to cancel a string of shows.
However, the biggest health shock of the month was the revelation that Michael Douglas had been diagnosed with a throat tumour. The Wall Street legend began radiation and chemotherapy shortly before going public with his battle and helped raise awareness of the disease by appearing on America's Stand Up 2 Cancer TV special to urge fans to raise cash for research.
There was happier health news for many in the public eye in August - Miranda Kerr, Penny Lancaster and Alanis Morissette all announced their pregnancies, while British Prime Minister David Cameron became a father again when his wife Samantha gave birth to their fourth child, Florence, while they were holidaying in Cornwall, south-west England.
Wedding bells were also chiming, with Hilary Duff walking down the aisle to marry ice hockey star Mike Comrie, veteran singer Julio Iglesias exchanging vows with his longtime girlfriend, and James Van Der Beek cementing his union with his then-pregnant girlfriend Kimberly Brook - they've since welcomed baby Olivia.
September
Lady Gaga was the big winner and talking point at the MTV Video Music Awards this month - she picked up eight accolades and stunned everyone by taking to the stage in a meat dress. Meanwhile, Penelope Cruz confirmed the news she was pregnant with Javier Bardem's baby, and Angelina Jolie - who visited flood-ravaged Pakistan - was named Best Celebrity Role Model in an online poll.
George Michael began his eight-week prison sentence in London after being found guilty of cannabis possession and driving under the influence of drugs, and Guns N' Roses were booed and bottled offstage in Ireland after making fans wait for their performance.
Smashing Pumpkins star Billy Corgan confirmed reports he was dating Aussie pop star Jessica Origliasso, and the Charlatans axed U.S. shows after Jon Brookes collapsed onstage during a concert in Pennsylvania. He was later diagnosed with a brain tumour..
Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen welcomed their second child, John Lennon's killer Mark Chapman was denied parole for a sixth time, and Sofia Coppola picked up the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival amid a storm of controversy - her ex-boyfriend, Quentin Tarantino, led the jury!
Meanwhile, Take That bandmates Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow performed together for the first time in 15 years at a benefit for injured British soldiers, but Duff McKagan quit Jane's Addiction after five months and just three gigs.
The Troggs star Reg Presley suffered a stroke while holidaying in Spain and country music duo Brooks & Dunn split after an emotional night at a Nashville charity gig.
Elsewhere, T.I. and his wife were arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of drug possession, UB40 star Ali Campbell was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr Syndrome, and Leonardo DiCaprio won a three-year restraining order against a woman claiming to be his wife.
Johnny Depp was named the highest paid actor by Forbes magazine, Britney Spears' one-time minder, Fernando Flores, filed suit against the pop star, claiming she had sexually harassed him and exposed herself in front of him, and The xx picked up Britain's prestigious Mercury Music Prize.
Eddie Vedder, Johnny Knoxville and David Essex wed - not to each other - and R&B star Lyfe Jennings was jailed for three and a half years over a violent altercation with his former girlfriend.
Meanwhile, James Gandolfini was caught driving on a suspended licence, Paris Hilton was refused entry to Japan; Kings of Leon star Caleb Followill and hot model Lily Aldridge announced their engagement, and actor Randy Quaid and his wife were arrested and charged with burglary amid allegations they had been illegally squatting in the house they once called home.
Actor Shelley Malil was convicted of attempted murder, Wyclef Jean announced he'd be running for presidential office in Haiti again in 2015 after his 2010 bid was dismissed, and comedian Greg Giraldo died in hospital after suffering an accidental drug overdose. Lindsay Lohan returned to rehab, David Beckham's lawyers served a writ to a hooker who claimed she'd slept with the soccer stud, and Heart rocker Nancy Wilson filed for divorce from moviemaker Cameron Crowe.
There was baby news for Mario Lopez, actresses Jodie Sweetin and Danica McKellar, actor James Van Der Beek, Rascal Flatts star Joe Don Rooney and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
Elo star Mike Edwards was killed in a freak accident, while veteran actors Harold Gould, Gloria Stuart and Kevin McCarthy also passed away along with legendary French director Claude Chabrol and filmmakers Arthur Penn and Clive Donner.
Other deaths included that of former boy band star Rich Cronin, who passed away after a stroke, aged 35, and Hollywood lost true legends in Eddie Fisher and Tony Curtis.
October
Celebrity break-ups were big news in October with a number of high-profile couples calling time on their relationship. Courteney Cox and David Arquette stunned the world by announcing they were taking a break from their 11-year marriage, and just days later singer Christina Aguilera confirmed her split from husband Jordan Bratman. Ben Harper and Laura Dern also filed for divorce after 10 years together.
But October also saw an influx of celebrity weddings - Katy Perry and Russell Brand sealed their love in a lavish Indian ceremony, and both Paul Weller and David Schwimmer hit the news when it emerged they had married their girlfriends in secret earlier in the year.
There was also plenty of baby news - Mariah Carey confirmed she is expecting her first child with husband Nick Cannon after months of speculation, while Celine Dion put the heartache of fertility treatment behind her to become a mum to twin boys. Hip-hop supercouple Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz welcomed a baby boy named Egypt and Neil Patrick Harris became father to twins born via a surrogate.
Britain was in mourning following the loss of comedy legend Norman Wisdom, who passed away at the age of 95, while the world of music was rocked by the death of legendary soul singer Solomon Burke after he collapsed at an airport in Amsterdam, Holland. The death of soprano Joan Sutherland in Switzerland at the age of 83 prompted an outpouring of grief in her native Australia, and The Slits star Ari Up lost her battle with cancer at the age of 48.
The scandal of the month came courtesy of Charlie Sheen, who hit headlines when cops were called to his trashed suite at a New York City hotel during a night with a young model/actress. The star's reps blamed his meltdown on "an adverse reaction to medication". It was also a bad month for Mel Gibson - his personal problems with ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva cost him a role in The Hangover sequel, while Taylor Swift was hit with a multi-million dollar lawsuit from a former manager. But the country star made up for it by embarking on a new romance with Hollywood hunk Jake Gyllenhaal.
There were also plenty of stars keeping the prison service busy - rapper T.I. was sent back to jail for breaching his probation while Lindsay Lohan escaped her second potential prison sentence of 2010 when a judge ordered her to spend three months in rehab instead. Careless driver George Michael regained his freedom after completing 27 days of his eight-week jail sentence.
November
The royal news of the year was the talk of the month as Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement and plans to wed in 2011
Teen star Demi Lovato stunned young Hollywood when she quite the Jonas Brothers tour and checked into rehab to address personal and "emotional" issues, and Charlie Sheen and Lil Wayne officially became free men again - the actor's divorce from Brooke Mueller became official, while rapper Wayne was released from prison.
MGM, the studio behind the James Bond film franchise, filed for bankruptcy, actor Justin Long was injured in a car crash, and soul queen Aretha Franklin pulled out of a series of shows to undergo surgery.
Spice Girls star Emma Bunton and Pink announced they were pregnant, Lady Gaga was the big winner at the European Music Awards, and Rachel Weisz and moviemaker Darren Aronofsky split.
The Munsters child star Butch Patrick entered rehab to tackle substance abuse and alcohol issues, Wesley Snipes was ordered to jail after losing his bid for a retrial in his tax case, Audrina Patridge's stalker was jailed for two years when he failed to stay away from the star, and country singer Eddie Montgomery was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Meanwhile, Ryan Reynolds was named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine, Eva Longoria split from her husband Tony Parker amid reports he had been cheating on her, Kate Winslet split from boyfriend Louis Dowler, and Hollywood was stunned when top publicist Ronni Chasen was shot dead while driving through Beverly Hills .
In music news, Take That's Progress became Britain's fastest selling album of the century so far, Radiohead's Thom Yorke helped mastermind a piece of human art that could be seen from space, Miley Cyrus celebrated her 18th birthday party with pals Demi Moore and Rumer Willis, and Justin Bieber stole the show at the American Music Awards, taking home four prizes.
Malin Akerman replaced Lindsay Lohan as Linda Lovelace in the much-hyped Inferno, Leonardo DiCaprio was caught up in a mid-air drama when a plane he was flying to Russia in was forced to make an emergency landing after an engine stalled, and there was drama backstage at hit U.S. TV show Dancing With The Stars as studio staff came across an envelope containing a mysterious white powder intended for contestant Bristol Palin - it turned out to be talc!
Emmy Rossum and Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz split, Jennifer Jason Leigh filed for divorce from filmmaker husband Noah Baumbach, and Ugly Betty actor Michael L. Brea was charged with murder after stabbing his mother with a Samurai sword. Willie Nelson was arrested and charged with drug possession, indie movie Winter's Bone became a big Oscars contender after claiming top prizes at the Stockholm and Gotham Film Festivals, and the Spider-Man musical opened on Broadway after a series of delays - the critics largely hated it.
Meanwhile, David Cassidy pleaded not guilty to DUI charges following his arrest in Florida, Uma Thurman's stalker was arrested after violating a restraining order, and AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was convicted of cannabis possession in New Zealand.
The baby news of the month came from the Travoltas as movie star John and his wife Kelly Preston welcomed Benjamin into the world and the proud new parents list for November also featured Stella McCartney, Ne-Yo, Vera Farmiga, Green Day star Mike Dirnt and actress Emilia Fox, while rocker Chris Daughtry became a dad to twins.
The music world mourned the loss of Australian rocker James Freud who died just days after his band Models were inducted into the Aria Hall of Fame.
And it was a sad month for Hollywood as movie mogul Dino De Laurentiis passed away alongside actresses Ingrid Pitt and Jill Clayburgh and Naked Gun star Leslie Nielsen.
The film world also bid farewell to The Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner and revered Italian filmmaker Mario Monicelli.
December
December saw a series of scandals as the stars brought a touch of sex and drugs to the festive season - and wildchild Miley Cyrus led the way. The former Disney star ended 2010 by reminding us all she's a grown up now after she was caught on camera smoking legal hallucinogenic Salvia from a bong, and hit headlines again days later when she was pictured in a girl-on-girl clinch and exposing her bra while surrounded by hunky men.
Her pal Demi Lovato joined the Hannah Montana star in scandal when provocative photos which appeared to show her partly-exposing her breasts leaked on the internet, and Christina Aguilera's reps vowed to hunt down computer hackers who leaked nearly-nude photos of the Beautiful hitmaker.
Pink Floyd rocker David Gilmour told of his shame after his son was arrested for clambering over a war memorial during student riots in London, and Hulk Hogan's wedding to Jennifer McDaniel descended into chaos when cops were called to break up a clash between a bodyguard and a photographer.
Love was in the air for Reese Witherspoon, who got engaged to Hollywood agent Jim Toth, and also making wedding plans this month were Ginnifer Goodwin, Shania Twain, Kelsey Grammer, Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany, Poison rocker Bret Michaels, and Hugh Hefner. And it was double delight for Natalie Portman – the actress got engaged and announced she's pregnant by choreographer Benjamin Millepied. Meanwhile, Michael Sheen and Rachel McAdams became Hollywood's hottest new couple.
Actor Vince Vaughn became a father for the first time, and there were also new arrivals for Alanis Morissette, Ali Larter, and Elton John, who became a father at 63 after he and boyfriend David Furnish welcomed a son via a surrogate mother.
Nicole Richie had her father Lionel dancing on the ceiling when she wed Joel Madden, but other stars weren't so lucky in love - Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens ended their romance, Elizabeth Hurley confirmed her marriage split from Arun Nayar after she was linked to cricketer Shane Warne, rocker John Mellencamp split from his wife of 18 years, and Ryan Reynolds filed for divorce from Scarlett Johansson.
In the courts, Kc and The Sunshine Band co-founder Richard R. Finch was jailed for seven years for sexually abusing young boys, Rip Torn was given a suspended jail term for his drunken bank break-in, and rapper Dmx was sent to prison for a year for violating his probation by using drugs. In Florida, officials posthumously pardoned Jim Morrison over his infamous arrest for indecent exposure at a 1969 The Doors concert.
Meanwhile, Heather Locklear was hospitalised for a bacterial infection, Eminem was celebrating after landing 10 Grammy nominations, rap mogul Suge Knight was arrested after missing a court hearing, and exiled moviemaker Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer was the big winner at the European Film Awards.
Lady Gaga was named Artist of the Year by Billboard magazine editors, veteran entertainers Dame Julie Andrews and Dolly Parton were announced as recipients of lifetime achievement Grammy awards at a special upcoming ceremony in 2011, and Natalie Portman's hopes of Oscar glory for her movie Black Swan received a major boost by landing a record 12 nominations for the 2011 Critics' Choice Movie Awards.
The showbiz world mourned the loss of jazz musicians Billy Taylor and James Moody, Pink Panther creator Blake Edwards, rocker Captain Beefheart, singer/songwriter Teena Marie, and Boney M star Bobby Farrell.
And it was a miserable end to 2010 for Taylor Momsen - the Gossip Girl star spent Christmas in Amsterdam, Holland - away from her family and friends in the U.S. - after she became stranded in Europe due to flights chaos following snowstorms across the continent.
July
Love was in the air in July as a host of celebrities walked down the aisle - Spanish stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem tied the knot in the Bahamas, while Emily Blunt became Mrs. John Krasinski after marrying The Office star in romantic Como, Italy.
A pregnant Alicia Keys said 'I do' to Swizz Beatz, while Orlando Bloom and Australian model Miranda Kerr became husband and wife in a secret ceremony. Wedding bells also rang in Georgia as country sweetheart Carrie Underwood married her hockey hunk, Mike Fisher.
But there was also plenty of heartache in Hollywood - Kelly Osbourne called off her engagement to model Luke Worrall over allegations he had cheated on her, and Frasier star Kelsey Grammer's wife filed for divorce after almost 13 years of marriage. R&B singer Christina Milian picked July to announce she was splitting from her producer husband The-Dream - less than a year after the couple wed in Las Vegas.
Celebrations were in order for Christina Applegate after she revealed she was pregnant with her first child, while Vince Vaughn, Zac Hanson, Ugly Betty star Becki Newton and Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor also announced they were expecting babies with their respective partners.
Director Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson became the proud parents of a baby girl - their first child together - while Australian pop star Dannii Minogue welcomed baby boy Ethan with her partner Kris Smith.
But July was not without scandal - Paris Hilton was questioned by authorities at the World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa over allegations she was smoking pot. Just two weeks later, she was held by police in France after she was allegedly caught carrying cannabis in her handbag.
The heiress' former pal Lindsay Lohan also hit headlines for all the wrong reasons - just days after turning 24, she was ordered to spend 90 days in jail for violating the terms of her probation stemming from a 2007 DUI arrest.
Former Wham! star George Michael also had a run-in with the law - he was arrested after driving his car into a shop in London, and Foxy Brown was also taken into custody after allegedly violating a protective order.
Meanwhile, Rosemary's Baby director Roman Polanski was freed from house arrest after officials in Switzerland threw out a request to extradite him to the U.S. for sentencing on a child-sex charge.
Mel Gibson's marital woes continued into July - Los Angeles police launched an official investigation amid claims the Braveheart star punched his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva during a heated altercation. It came after the leaking of a series of audio recordings in which a man said to be Gibson unleashes a series of foul-mouthed rants at his ex.
There was a health scare for British singer Cheryl Cole as she was diagnosed with malaria after collapsing at a photoshoot, while movie legends Tony Curtis and Zsa Zsa Gabor were also hospitalised. Pink was rushed to the emergency room after a stage stunt went wrong, sending the pop punk flying into a metal barrier during a concert in Germany.
Courtroom battles loomed for bad boy actor David Boreanaz, who was slapped with a sexual harassment lawsuit from a former extra on his hit TV show Bones, and Casey Affleck, who was sued by a producer of his movie I'm Still Here over sexual harassment allegations.
August
There were festival dramas aplenty in August, with The Libertines and Guns N' Roses dominating headlines at Britain's Reading and Leeds weekenders. Pete Doherty's group reunited earlier this year and played sets at the festivals - but their performances were blighted when overeager fans got crushed and trampled during the frenetic gigs, forcing the rockers off the stage to allow the revellers chance to recover. Axl Rose sparked an ongoing war-of-words with event boss Melvin Benn after he decided to shut the sound off when the band overran its curfew.
Further drama occurred in August when Naomi Campbell took to the stand in The Hague, Netherlands to testify at the war crimes trial of ex-Liberian President Charles Taylor, socialite Paris Hilton was arrested for cocaine possession in Las Vegas, and Charlie Sheen pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanour assault relating to a Christmas Day fight with now-estranged wife Brooke Mueller. The Two And A Half Men actor was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but served time in rehab instead.
Another star seeking help for her personal issues was Lindsay Lohan. The Mean Girls actress walked free from prison before the end of her sentence for violating her probation relating to a 2007 DUI arrest, and immediately entered rehab - only to leave the health centre early as well.
Lohan's woes weren't the only ones in Hollywood - Zsa Zsa Gabor was in and out of hospital due to complications stemming from her summer accident which resulted in several bone fractures, while Aretha Franklin broke her ribs in a freak fall, prompting her to cancel a string of shows.
However, the biggest health shock of the month was the revelation that Michael Douglas had been diagnosed with a throat tumour. The Wall Street legend began radiation and chemotherapy shortly before going public with his battle and helped raise awareness of the disease by appearing on America's Stand Up 2 Cancer TV special to urge fans to raise cash for research.
There was happier health news for many in the public eye in August - Miranda Kerr, Penny Lancaster and Alanis Morissette all announced their pregnancies, while British Prime Minister David Cameron became a father again when his wife Samantha gave birth to their fourth child, Florence, while they were holidaying in Cornwall, south-west England.
Wedding bells were also chiming, with Hilary Duff walking down the aisle to marry ice hockey star Mike Comrie, veteran singer Julio Iglesias exchanging vows with his longtime girlfriend, and James Van Der Beek cementing his union with his then-pregnant girlfriend Kimberly Brook - they've since welcomed baby Olivia.
September
Lady Gaga was the big winner and talking point at the MTV Video Music Awards this month - she picked up eight accolades and stunned everyone by taking to the stage in a meat dress. Meanwhile, Penelope Cruz confirmed the news she was pregnant with Javier Bardem's baby, and Angelina Jolie - who visited flood-ravaged Pakistan - was named Best Celebrity Role Model in an online poll.
George Michael began his eight-week prison sentence in London after being found guilty of cannabis possession and driving under the influence of drugs, and Guns N' Roses were booed and bottled offstage in Ireland after making fans wait for their performance.
Smashing Pumpkins star Billy Corgan confirmed reports he was dating Aussie pop star Jessica Origliasso, and the Charlatans axed U.S. shows after Jon Brookes collapsed onstage during a concert in Pennsylvania. He was later diagnosed with a brain tumour..
Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen welcomed their second child, John Lennon's killer Mark Chapman was denied parole for a sixth time, and Sofia Coppola picked up the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival amid a storm of controversy - her ex-boyfriend, Quentin Tarantino, led the jury!
Meanwhile, Take That bandmates Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow performed together for the first time in 15 years at a benefit for injured British soldiers, but Duff McKagan quit Jane's Addiction after five months and just three gigs.
The Troggs star Reg Presley suffered a stroke while holidaying in Spain and country music duo Brooks & Dunn split after an emotional night at a Nashville charity gig.
Elsewhere, T.I. and his wife were arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of drug possession, UB40 star Ali Campbell was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr Syndrome, and Leonardo DiCaprio won a three-year restraining order against a woman claiming to be his wife.
Johnny Depp was named the highest paid actor by Forbes magazine, Britney Spears' one-time minder, Fernando Flores, filed suit against the pop star, claiming she had sexually harassed him and exposed herself in front of him, and The xx picked up Britain's prestigious Mercury Music Prize.
Eddie Vedder, Johnny Knoxville and David Essex wed - not to each other - and R&B star Lyfe Jennings was jailed for three and a half years over a violent altercation with his former girlfriend.
Meanwhile, James Gandolfini was caught driving on a suspended licence, Paris Hilton was refused entry to Japan; Kings of Leon star Caleb Followill and hot model Lily Aldridge announced their engagement, and actor Randy Quaid and his wife were arrested and charged with burglary amid allegations they had been illegally squatting in the house they once called home.
Actor Shelley Malil was convicted of attempted murder, Wyclef Jean announced he'd be running for presidential office in Haiti again in 2015 after his 2010 bid was dismissed, and comedian Greg Giraldo died in hospital after suffering an accidental drug overdose. Lindsay Lohan returned to rehab, David Beckham's lawyers served a writ to a hooker who claimed she'd slept with the soccer stud, and Heart rocker Nancy Wilson filed for divorce from moviemaker Cameron Crowe.
There was baby news for Mario Lopez, actresses Jodie Sweetin and Danica McKellar, actor James Van Der Beek, Rascal Flatts star Joe Don Rooney and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
Elo star Mike Edwards was killed in a freak accident, while veteran actors Harold Gould, Gloria Stuart and Kevin McCarthy also passed away along with legendary French director Claude Chabrol and filmmakers Arthur Penn and Clive Donner.
Other deaths included that of former boy band star Rich Cronin, who passed away after a stroke, aged 35, and Hollywood lost true legends in Eddie Fisher and Tony Curtis.
October
Celebrity break-ups were big news in October with a number of high-profile couples calling time on their relationship. Courteney Cox and David Arquette stunned the world by announcing they were taking a break from their 11-year marriage, and just days later singer Christina Aguilera confirmed her split from husband Jordan Bratman. Ben Harper and Laura Dern also filed for divorce after 10 years together.
But October also saw an influx of celebrity weddings - Katy Perry and Russell Brand sealed their love in a lavish Indian ceremony, and both Paul Weller and David Schwimmer hit the news when it emerged they had married their girlfriends in secret earlier in the year.
There was also plenty of baby news - Mariah Carey confirmed she is expecting her first child with husband Nick Cannon after months of speculation, while Celine Dion put the heartache of fertility treatment behind her to become a mum to twin boys. Hip-hop supercouple Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz welcomed a baby boy named Egypt and Neil Patrick Harris became father to twins born via a surrogate.
Britain was in mourning following the loss of comedy legend Norman Wisdom, who passed away at the age of 95, while the world of music was rocked by the death of legendary soul singer Solomon Burke after he collapsed at an airport in Amsterdam, Holland. The death of soprano Joan Sutherland in Switzerland at the age of 83 prompted an outpouring of grief in her native Australia, and The Slits star Ari Up lost her battle with cancer at the age of 48.
The scandal of the month came courtesy of Charlie Sheen, who hit headlines when cops were called to his trashed suite at a New York City hotel during a night with a young model/actress. The star's reps blamed his meltdown on "an adverse reaction to medication". It was also a bad month for Mel Gibson - his personal problems with ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva cost him a role in The Hangover sequel, while Taylor Swift was hit with a multi-million dollar lawsuit from a former manager. But the country star made up for it by embarking on a new romance with Hollywood hunk Jake Gyllenhaal.
There were also plenty of stars keeping the prison service busy - rapper T.I. was sent back to jail for breaching his probation while Lindsay Lohan escaped her second potential prison sentence of 2010 when a judge ordered her to spend three months in rehab instead. Careless driver George Michael regained his freedom after completing 27 days of his eight-week jail sentence.
November
The royal news of the year was the talk of the month as Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement and plans to wed in 2011
Teen star Demi Lovato stunned young Hollywood when she quite the Jonas Brothers tour and checked into rehab to address personal and "emotional" issues, and Charlie Sheen and Lil Wayne officially became free men again - the actor's divorce from Brooke Mueller became official, while rapper Wayne was released from prison.
MGM, the studio behind the James Bond film franchise, filed for bankruptcy, actor Justin Long was injured in a car crash, and soul queen Aretha Franklin pulled out of a series of shows to undergo surgery.
Spice Girls star Emma Bunton and Pink announced they were pregnant, Lady Gaga was the big winner at the European Music Awards, and Rachel Weisz and moviemaker Darren Aronofsky split.
The Munsters child star Butch Patrick entered rehab to tackle substance abuse and alcohol issues, Wesley Snipes was ordered to jail after losing his bid for a retrial in his tax case, Audrina Patridge's stalker was jailed for two years when he failed to stay away from the star, and country singer Eddie Montgomery was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Meanwhile, Ryan Reynolds was named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine, Eva Longoria split from her husband Tony Parker amid reports he had been cheating on her, Kate Winslet split from boyfriend Louis Dowler, and Hollywood was stunned when top publicist Ronni Chasen was shot dead while driving through Beverly Hills .
In music news, Take That's Progress became Britain's fastest selling album of the century so far, Radiohead's Thom Yorke helped mastermind a piece of human art that could be seen from space, Miley Cyrus celebrated her 18th birthday party with pals Demi Moore and Rumer Willis, and Justin Bieber stole the show at the American Music Awards, taking home four prizes.
Malin Akerman replaced Lindsay Lohan as Linda Lovelace in the much-hyped Inferno, Leonardo DiCaprio was caught up in a mid-air drama when a plane he was flying to Russia in was forced to make an emergency landing after an engine stalled, and there was drama backstage at hit U.S. TV show Dancing With The Stars as studio staff came across an envelope containing a mysterious white powder intended for contestant Bristol Palin - it turned out to be talc!
Emmy Rossum and Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz split, Jennifer Jason Leigh filed for divorce from filmmaker husband Noah Baumbach, and Ugly Betty actor Michael L. Brea was charged with murder after stabbing his mother with a Samurai sword. Willie Nelson was arrested and charged with drug possession, indie movie Winter's Bone became a big Oscars contender after claiming top prizes at the Stockholm and Gotham Film Festivals, and the Spider-Man musical opened on Broadway after a series of delays - the critics largely hated it.
Meanwhile, David Cassidy pleaded not guilty to DUI charges following his arrest in Florida, Uma Thurman's stalker was arrested after violating a restraining order, and AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was convicted of cannabis possession in New Zealand.
The baby news of the month came from the Travoltas as movie star John and his wife Kelly Preston welcomed Benjamin into the world and the proud new parents list for November also featured Stella McCartney, Ne-Yo, Vera Farmiga, Green Day star Mike Dirnt and actress Emilia Fox, while rocker Chris Daughtry became a dad to twins.
The music world mourned the loss of Australian rocker James Freud who died just days after his band Models were inducted into the Aria Hall of Fame.
And it was a sad month for Hollywood as movie mogul Dino De Laurentiis passed away alongside actresses Ingrid Pitt and Jill Clayburgh and Naked Gun star Leslie Nielsen.
The film world also bid farewell to The Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner and revered Italian filmmaker Mario Monicelli.
December
December saw a series of scandals as the stars brought a touch of sex and drugs to the festive season - and wildchild Miley Cyrus led the way. The former Disney star ended 2010 by reminding us all she's a grown up now after she was caught on camera smoking legal hallucinogenic Salvia from a bong, and hit headlines again days later when she was pictured in a girl-on-girl clinch and exposing her bra while surrounded by hunky men.
Her pal Demi Lovato joined the Hannah Montana star in scandal when provocative photos which appeared to show her partly-exposing her breasts leaked on the internet, and Christina Aguilera's reps vowed to hunt down computer hackers who leaked nearly-nude photos of the Beautiful hitmaker.
Pink Floyd rocker David Gilmour told of his shame after his son was arrested for clambering over a war memorial during student riots in London, and Hulk Hogan's wedding to Jennifer McDaniel descended into chaos when cops were called to break up a clash between a bodyguard and a photographer.
Love was in the air for Reese Witherspoon, who got engaged to Hollywood agent Jim Toth, and also making wedding plans this month were Ginnifer Goodwin, Shania Twain, Kelsey Grammer, Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany, Poison rocker Bret Michaels, and Hugh Hefner. And it was double delight for Natalie Portman – the actress got engaged and announced she's pregnant by choreographer Benjamin Millepied. Meanwhile, Michael Sheen and Rachel McAdams became Hollywood's hottest new couple.
Actor Vince Vaughn became a father for the first time, and there were also new arrivals for Alanis Morissette, Ali Larter, and Elton John, who became a father at 63 after he and boyfriend David Furnish welcomed a son via a surrogate mother.
Nicole Richie had her father Lionel dancing on the ceiling when she wed Joel Madden, but other stars weren't so lucky in love - Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens ended their romance, Elizabeth Hurley confirmed her marriage split from Arun Nayar after she was linked to cricketer Shane Warne, rocker John Mellencamp split from his wife of 18 years, and Ryan Reynolds filed for divorce from Scarlett Johansson.
In the courts, Kc and The Sunshine Band co-founder Richard R. Finch was jailed for seven years for sexually abusing young boys, Rip Torn was given a suspended jail term for his drunken bank break-in, and rapper Dmx was sent to prison for a year for violating his probation by using drugs. In Florida, officials posthumously pardoned Jim Morrison over his infamous arrest for indecent exposure at a 1969 The Doors concert.
Meanwhile, Heather Locklear was hospitalised for a bacterial infection, Eminem was celebrating after landing 10 Grammy nominations, rap mogul Suge Knight was arrested after missing a court hearing, and exiled moviemaker Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer was the big winner at the European Film Awards.
Lady Gaga was named Artist of the Year by Billboard magazine editors, veteran entertainers Dame Julie Andrews and Dolly Parton were announced as recipients of lifetime achievement Grammy awards at a special upcoming ceremony in 2011, and Natalie Portman's hopes of Oscar glory for her movie Black Swan received a major boost by landing a record 12 nominations for the 2011 Critics' Choice Movie Awards.
The showbiz world mourned the loss of jazz musicians Billy Taylor and James Moody, Pink Panther creator Blake Edwards, rocker Captain Beefheart, singer/songwriter Teena Marie, and Boney M star Bobby Farrell.
And it was a miserable end to 2010 for Taylor Momsen - the Gossip Girl star spent Christmas in Amsterdam, Holland - away from her family and friends in the U.S. - after she became stranded in Europe due to flights chaos following snowstorms across the continent.
- 1/1/2011
- WENN
You don't often see movie dentists who are regular guys. When they're not psychos, they're played for laughs
There's a gag in Jackass 3D called "Lamborghini tooth pull" and I think we all know what that means. For all the scatological tomfoolery and "Ow, my balls!" genital mistreatment on view, I bet this is the stunt that will make us wince the most, particularly as the film opens the same week the Daily Mail has reported that increasing numbers of people are trying to avoid exorbitant dental fees by pulling their own teeth out.
If you don't have a Lamborghini, you could always try the ice-skate option, like Tom Hanks in Cast Away. Or you could splice your genes with those of a housefly, like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, who subsequently finds it easy to extract a tooth using just his fingers. Or, if you were really desperate, you...
There's a gag in Jackass 3D called "Lamborghini tooth pull" and I think we all know what that means. For all the scatological tomfoolery and "Ow, my balls!" genital mistreatment on view, I bet this is the stunt that will make us wince the most, particularly as the film opens the same week the Daily Mail has reported that increasing numbers of people are trying to avoid exorbitant dental fees by pulling their own teeth out.
If you don't have a Lamborghini, you could always try the ice-skate option, like Tom Hanks in Cast Away. Or you could splice your genes with those of a housefly, like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, who subsequently finds it easy to extract a tooth using just his fingers. Or, if you were really desperate, you...
- 11/4/2010
- by Anne Billson
- The Guardian - Film News
Hundreds of fans lined the streets of Britain's Isle of Man on Friday to pay their last respects to comic legend Sir Norman Wisdom, who died earlier this month.
The veteran funnyman passed away on 4 October at the age of 95 following a battle with ill health.
He was remembered at a public memorial service in Douglas, Isle of Man which saw fans travel from all over the world to watch his funeral cortege pass through the town.
More than 600 people squeezed into the St George's Church to attend the funnyman's tribute, which was open to all residents of Wisdom's beloved island community. The star's trademark flat cap and a bouquet of flowers were placed on top of the coffin as pall-bearers carried it into the venue.
Wisdom's son Nicholas said, "Today is definitely a celebration. I met somebody at the bar last night who came all the way from Albuquerque. I think (my father would) be extremely pleased (by the turn out), but he wouldn't admit it. He'd be delighted."
The public memorial was followed by a private funeral service for Wisdom's family and close friends.
Another tribute will be held in London on 4 February on what would have been Wisdom's 96th birthday.
The veteran funnyman passed away on 4 October at the age of 95 following a battle with ill health.
He was remembered at a public memorial service in Douglas, Isle of Man which saw fans travel from all over the world to watch his funeral cortege pass through the town.
More than 600 people squeezed into the St George's Church to attend the funnyman's tribute, which was open to all residents of Wisdom's beloved island community. The star's trademark flat cap and a bouquet of flowers were placed on top of the coffin as pall-bearers carried it into the venue.
Wisdom's son Nicholas said, "Today is definitely a celebration. I met somebody at the bar last night who came all the way from Albuquerque. I think (my father would) be extremely pleased (by the turn out), but he wouldn't admit it. He'd be delighted."
The public memorial was followed by a private funeral service for Wisdom's family and close friends.
Another tribute will be held in London on 4 February on what would have been Wisdom's 96th birthday.
- 10/22/2010
- WENN
Sir Norman Wisdom’s funeral will be held today on the Isle on Man. The cortege will pass along the promenade in the town of Douglas, where hundreds of people are expected to gather. The general public, friends and family will pay their respects to Sir Norman at St. George’s Church in the town, but the burial will be closed to the public (more)...
- 10/22/2010
- by By Tom Eames
- Digital Spy
Davina McCall proved an unpopular choice for A Comedy Roast on Friday night, according to overnight data. Channel 4's stand-up show, centred around the former Big Brother host, picked up 1.07m (4.6%) at 9pm, finishing last in its timeslot. However, the programme did fetch an extra 268k on timeshift. Winning the hour, New Tricks appealed to 6.81m (29.2%) for BBC One, while Paul O'Grady Live pulled in 3.51m (15%) for ITV1 and ITV1 HD, and BBC Two's tribute documentary to Norman Wisdom, His Story, interested 2.37m (10.2%). Over on Five, The Mentalist logged a decent 1.71m (7.3%), and prior to that, the fourth episode of hit documentary Eddie Stobart: Trucks And Trailers put in 1.63m (6.9%). Law & Order: Svu managed 1.15m (6.2%) at 10pm. Mastermind (more)...
- 10/17/2010
- by By Paul Millar
- Digital Spy
The residents of the Isle of Man have been given an open invitation to the funeral of Sir Norman Wisdom. Wisdom, who had moved to the island for his retirement, passed away at Abbotswood Nursing Home on Monday evening aged 95. His funeral service is due to be held at St George's Church, Douglas on Friday, October 22. Prior to the service, a horse-drawn carriage will carry his coffin (more)...
- 10/7/2010
- by By Naomi Rainey
- Digital Spy
Lily Allen, Jay Sean and Sting all received songwriting awards Tuesday night, October 5. The pop stars were all given awards for the amount of radio and TV play they have had in the U.S. at the Broadcast Music International (Bmi) awards, which honors songwriters.
Record company executives collected the trophies on behalf of most artists, although legendary music industry figures including The Beatles producer George Martin and lyricist Don Black were in attendance, and Don was named Bmi Icon at the ceremony, for his services to songwriting.
After a film montage of his career, Don, most famous for writing the words to five James Bond themes and winning an Oscar for the theme to "Born Free", as well as the lyrics to a number of musicals, collected the engraved cup-shaped award and gave an acceptance speech. He quipped, "After Del's introduction I don't think anyone will have to Google me.
Record company executives collected the trophies on behalf of most artists, although legendary music industry figures including The Beatles producer George Martin and lyricist Don Black were in attendance, and Don was named Bmi Icon at the ceremony, for his services to songwriting.
After a film montage of his career, Don, most famous for writing the words to five James Bond themes and winning an Oscar for the theme to "Born Free", as well as the lyrics to a number of musicals, collected the engraved cup-shaped award and gave an acceptance speech. He quipped, "After Del's introduction I don't think anyone will have to Google me.
- 10/6/2010
- by celebrity-mania.com
- Celebrity Mania
Albania's Prime Minister Sali Berisha has paid tribute to the country's comedy hero Norman Wisdom, who died on Monday.
The slapstick star, who was a national treasure in his native Britain, was an unlikely beloved figure in the former Communist country - and his films were the only Western ones shown on Albanian television during dictator Enver Hoxha 40-year rule, which ended in the mid-1980s.
Prime Minister Berisha was a big fan and, in a statement on Tuesday, he revealed he was "deeply saddened" by the death of the nation's "most beloved entertainer".
Wisdom's agent Johnny Mans tells the Associated Press the comic was always fond of Albania - a nation he visited twice following the fall of Communism.
Mans says, "We didn't realise the type of reaction he would get when he got out there. It was just like the Beatlemania of the 60s. They just wanted to kiss him and touch him. Even people up in the mountains, shepherds and such, knew who he was. It was an amazing experience to visit Albania with Norman and I will never forget it."...
The slapstick star, who was a national treasure in his native Britain, was an unlikely beloved figure in the former Communist country - and his films were the only Western ones shown on Albanian television during dictator Enver Hoxha 40-year rule, which ended in the mid-1980s.
Prime Minister Berisha was a big fan and, in a statement on Tuesday, he revealed he was "deeply saddened" by the death of the nation's "most beloved entertainer".
Wisdom's agent Johnny Mans tells the Associated Press the comic was always fond of Albania - a nation he visited twice following the fall of Communism.
Mans says, "We didn't realise the type of reaction he would get when he got out there. It was just like the Beatlemania of the 60s. They just wanted to kiss him and touch him. Even people up in the mountains, shepherds and such, knew who he was. It was an amazing experience to visit Albania with Norman and I will never forget it."...
- 10/6/2010
- WENN
Sir Norman Wisdom has been labelled as a "comic genius" by friends and colleagues, who paid tribute to him following his death yesterday. The actor, who started his film career in 1948 and became famous for a string of slapstick characters in the 1950s, passed away at Abbotswood Nursing Home on the Isle of Man. A number of collaborators publicly praised Wisdom today, as Sir Tim Rice called him "a brilliant slapstick performer in the Charlie Chaplin mould". The lyricist, who worked with Wisdom on a song called 'Big in Albania', said of the collaboration: "He was well into his 80s and he was playing the clown and a very funny clown almost all the time. "He would run up escalators the wrong way, he would fall down stairs, crack jokes and at almost every meal burst into 'Don't Laugh At Me 'Cos I'm A Fool', his big hit (more)...
- 10/5/2010
- by By Naomi Rainey
- Digital Spy
Knockabout clown in the music hall tradition who found enormous success in the cinema
Engulfed by helpless, gurgling mirth, Norman Wisdom would subside to the ground as if suddenly rendered boneless: it needed someone only to look at him to make him fall down. Often, the person looking at him – and sternly, at that – was Jerry Desmonde, doyen of variety straight men, who represented the figure of authority in many of Wisdom's hugely successful film farces of the 1950s and 1960s.
Wisdom, who has died aged 95, was almost the last in a great tradition of knockabout, slapstick clowns, a performer who relied less on words than on an acrobatic physical dexterity to gain his laughs. He was usually derided or ignored by the serious critics, but in his day he was adored by the public, and because of its nature his craft travelled well – he was immensely popular in many other countries,...
Engulfed by helpless, gurgling mirth, Norman Wisdom would subside to the ground as if suddenly rendered boneless: it needed someone only to look at him to make him fall down. Often, the person looking at him – and sternly, at that – was Jerry Desmonde, doyen of variety straight men, who represented the figure of authority in many of Wisdom's hugely successful film farces of the 1950s and 1960s.
Wisdom, who has died aged 95, was almost the last in a great tradition of knockabout, slapstick clowns, a performer who relied less on words than on an acrobatic physical dexterity to gain his laughs. He was usually derided or ignored by the serious critics, but in his day he was adored by the public, and because of its nature his craft travelled well – he was immensely popular in many other countries,...
- 10/5/2010
- The Guardian - Film News
A truly iconic British comedy figure heads into the wings, already missed...
Some say comedy is a gift; others say it’s just a means of getting through, seeing it as merely a pay check. However, from time to time we are lucky enough to meet, or even experience, individuals who are an exception to the rule- Sir Norman Wisdom was one of these people.
I myself had a good upbringing. Raised in a middle class lifestyle, my mother and father did everything I could have asked. They raised me properly; made sure I was correctly educated and encouraged me throughout.
Regrettably, I never really repaid the support they gave me; regularly in trouble as a kid, I grew up and adopted the role of the class jester. Unfortunately, schools tend to see this sort of behaviour as disruptive, as opposed to the humorous angle that my fellow class mates saw.
Some say comedy is a gift; others say it’s just a means of getting through, seeing it as merely a pay check. However, from time to time we are lucky enough to meet, or even experience, individuals who are an exception to the rule- Sir Norman Wisdom was one of these people.
I myself had a good upbringing. Raised in a middle class lifestyle, my mother and father did everything I could have asked. They raised me properly; made sure I was correctly educated and encouraged me throughout.
Regrettably, I never really repaid the support they gave me; regularly in trouble as a kid, I grew up and adopted the role of the class jester. Unfortunately, schools tend to see this sort of behaviour as disruptive, as opposed to the humorous angle that my fellow class mates saw.
- 10/5/2010
- by admin@shadowlocked.com (Luke Connolly)
- Shadowlocked
By Lee Pfeiffer
Norman Wisdom, a giant in the field of British comedy, is dead at age 95. The iconic actor and comedian was one of the few remaining celebrities who made their names in the fabled British music halls of many years ago. His gentle brand of comedy generally found him playing a down-on-his-luck loser, similar to Chaplin's Little Tramp. So great was Wisdom's impact that Chaplin himself proclaimed him one of his favorite comedians, and his fans included Prince Charles, who grew up on his films. Wisdom had been living alone and independently until recently, when a series of strokes convinced him to move to a nursing home. Curiously, he was largely unknown in America, where his films were generally relegated to bottom-of-the-bill double features, if they were released there at all. However, in England, his popularity so transcended age brackets that his web site crashed when news of his death was announced.
- 10/5/2010
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
In today's comedy scene, Norman Wisdom's influence is felt most keenly in the performances of Lee Evans
Wisdom's longevity was incredible. He was past his peak when the Carry On films were fresh. He was Charlie Chaplin's favourite clown, for goodness' sake. He even made Barry Cryer seem young.
And now he's gone. The absence won't be immediately noticeable, at least not to the younger generation, who are less familiar with his successes in films such as Trouble in Store in 1953, or A Stitch in Time in 1963, than they are tickled by his apparent godlike status in Albania, of all places.
In today's comedy scene, Norman Wisdom's influence is felt most keenly in the performances of Lee Evans, who disclaims any resemblance, but whose hapless dork persona and goofy physicality strongly recall Wisdom's signature style. "People will always find the sight of someone falling or someone spilling something funny,...
Wisdom's longevity was incredible. He was past his peak when the Carry On films were fresh. He was Charlie Chaplin's favourite clown, for goodness' sake. He even made Barry Cryer seem young.
And now he's gone. The absence won't be immediately noticeable, at least not to the younger generation, who are less familiar with his successes in films such as Trouble in Store in 1953, or A Stitch in Time in 1963, than they are tickled by his apparent godlike status in Albania, of all places.
In today's comedy scene, Norman Wisdom's influence is felt most keenly in the performances of Lee Evans, who disclaims any resemblance, but whose hapless dork persona and goofy physicality strongly recall Wisdom's signature style. "People will always find the sight of someone falling or someone spilling something funny,...
- 10/5/2010
- by Brian Logan
- The Guardian - Film News
Sir Norman Wisdom has died aged 95. The screen and comedy legend - who starred in a string of TV shows including ITV1 soap 'Coronation Street' and hospital drama 'Casualty' in his later years - passed away from a stroke yesterday (04.10.10), following an ongoing battle with his health. His family said in a statement: ''Over the last six months Norman has sustained a series of strokes causing a general decline in both his physical and mental health. ''He had maintained a degree of independence until a few days ago. However, over the last few days his condition rapidly declined.'' The star was best known ..
- 10/5/2010
- Virgin Media - TV
Norman Wisdom, one of the Britain's best-loved comedy stars, has died aged 95. We look back over his career in clips
Rex Harrison urged him to take up a career in showbiz; Charlie Chaplin named him his favourite clown. Yet Norman Wisdom remained that most modest of British superstars, unpretentious, full of humility, despite a dizzying rise to international fame. Or, rather, extreme popularity in the UK, and extraordinary adulation in other slightly unlikely other countries, most notably Albania, where he was, notoriously, the only Western actor whose films were allowed in the country during the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha.
Wisdom had a tough upbringing - sleeping in the same room as his whole family; a spell in a children's home, then employment by the Merchant Navy at a young age - which left little time for him to be a child. It seems striking then that his stage and screen...
Rex Harrison urged him to take up a career in showbiz; Charlie Chaplin named him his favourite clown. Yet Norman Wisdom remained that most modest of British superstars, unpretentious, full of humility, despite a dizzying rise to international fame. Or, rather, extreme popularity in the UK, and extraordinary adulation in other slightly unlikely other countries, most notably Albania, where he was, notoriously, the only Western actor whose films were allowed in the country during the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha.
Wisdom had a tough upbringing - sleeping in the same room as his whole family; a spell in a children's home, then employment by the Merchant Navy at a young age - which left little time for him to be a child. It seems striking then that his stage and screen...
- 10/5/2010
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
Comedian Norman Wisdom, a rival to Charlie Chaplin, dies peacefully in an Isle of Man nursing home
Norman Wisdom: A life in clips
Big in Albania, and huge in the affection of generations of his fans, comedian Sir Norman Wisdom, one of the last great survivors of the music halls, has died aged 95.
His official website crashed last night under the volume of traffic, as word spread of his death.
His deceptively artless comedy, usually based on his role as "The Gump", a downtrodden, sad faced little man in a battered cap and a deplorably ill-fitting suit, concealed immense technical skill, superb comic timing, and a sharp business mind. Although best known as a performer, he was also a talented song writer
His family announced that he died peacefully in a nursing home on the Isle of Man, where he had lived for the last 30 years in an antiques filled house he designed himself.
Norman Wisdom: A life in clips
Big in Albania, and huge in the affection of generations of his fans, comedian Sir Norman Wisdom, one of the last great survivors of the music halls, has died aged 95.
His official website crashed last night under the volume of traffic, as word spread of his death.
His deceptively artless comedy, usually based on his role as "The Gump", a downtrodden, sad faced little man in a battered cap and a deplorably ill-fitting suit, concealed immense technical skill, superb comic timing, and a sharp business mind. Although best known as a performer, he was also a talented song writer
His family announced that he died peacefully in a nursing home on the Isle of Man, where he had lived for the last 30 years in an antiques filled house he designed himself.
- 10/5/2010
- by Maev Kennedy
- The Guardian - Film News
British stage and screen legend Norman Wisdom has sadly passed away, aged 95.
We’re sad to announce the passing of one of the UK’s comedy greats – Norman Wisdom, the star of slapstick comedies such as Trouble In Store and The Night They Raided Minsky’s, died yesterday at the age of 95.
Reaching the peak of his career in the 50s and 60s, Charlie Chaplin once dubbed Wisdom his “favourite clown” and the comedy actor enjoyed continued television and stage success until well into the new millennium, before announcing his retirement in 2007.
Leaving the armed forces after WWII ended, Wisdom quickly rose to stardom as a West End entertainer, forming a stage persona – tweed cap, ill-fitting suit, and a wide-eyed, childlike demeanor – that would remain popular for decades after.
Tributes have flooded in for Wisdom, one of the country’s hardest working and best-loved comedians of his era.
We’re sad to announce the passing of one of the UK’s comedy greats – Norman Wisdom, the star of slapstick comedies such as Trouble In Store and The Night They Raided Minsky’s, died yesterday at the age of 95.
Reaching the peak of his career in the 50s and 60s, Charlie Chaplin once dubbed Wisdom his “favourite clown” and the comedy actor enjoyed continued television and stage success until well into the new millennium, before announcing his retirement in 2007.
Leaving the armed forces after WWII ended, Wisdom quickly rose to stardom as a West End entertainer, forming a stage persona – tweed cap, ill-fitting suit, and a wide-eyed, childlike demeanor – that would remain popular for decades after.
Tributes have flooded in for Wisdom, one of the country’s hardest working and best-loved comedians of his era.
- 10/5/2010
- Den of Geek
Norman Wisdom, the prolific British actor who many compared to Charlie Chaplin, died Monday in a nursing home on the Isle of Man at 95. Wisdom was most well known for his child-like character Norman Pitkin in movies like On the Beat and The Square Peg (which are both great to watch if you've had a long day). He received knighthood in 2000 and interestingly was extremely popular in Albania, where he received the honor of "Official National Comedy Hero." He died peacefully of natural causes. [The Guardian]...
- 10/5/2010
- Movieline
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