Jack Lemmon was the two-time Oscar-winner who starred in dozens of films, working until his death in 2001 at the age of 76. But how many of those titles are classics? Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest movies, ranked worst to best.
Lemmon won his first Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for “Mister Roberts” (1955). A second Oscar for Best Actor followed for “Save the Tiger” (1973), making him the first person to pull off victories in both categories. He competed six more times for Best Actor throughout his career.
He is perhaps best known for his long collaboration with Walter Matthau, with whom he made 11 films. In films such as “The Fortune Cookie” (1966), “The Odd Couple” (1968), and “Grumpy Old Men” (1993), Lemmon’s fastidiousness played beautifully off of Matthau’s scruffiness.
On the small screen, Lemmon earned Emmys for “‘S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous, ‘S Gershwin” (Best Variety Performer in 1972) and...
Lemmon won his first Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for “Mister Roberts” (1955). A second Oscar for Best Actor followed for “Save the Tiger” (1973), making him the first person to pull off victories in both categories. He competed six more times for Best Actor throughout his career.
He is perhaps best known for his long collaboration with Walter Matthau, with whom he made 11 films. In films such as “The Fortune Cookie” (1966), “The Odd Couple” (1968), and “Grumpy Old Men” (1993), Lemmon’s fastidiousness played beautifully off of Matthau’s scruffiness.
On the small screen, Lemmon earned Emmys for “‘S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous, ‘S Gershwin” (Best Variety Performer in 1972) and...
- 2/4/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
There are films you watched every time they pop up on TCM or streaming services. It’s like visiting an old friend. These movies put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. And one such film is “Charade,” which celebrates its 60th anniversary on Dec. 5. Deftly directed by Stanley Donen from a fun and thrilling Peter Stone screenplay, “Charade” stars Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn who exude a William Powell/Myrna Loy style chemistry that leaps off the screen. And let’s not forget that gorgeous Henry Mancini score, the romantic Oscar-nominated title tune “Charade,” with lyrics by Johnny Mercer and the pulsating Saul Bass title sequence.
I saw “Charade” when it was released, and I’ve probably seen it at least 15 more times. And each time seems like the first. Not many films have that kind of power. A 2010 Criterion Collection article by film historian...
I saw “Charade” when it was released, and I’ve probably seen it at least 15 more times. And each time seems like the first. Not many films have that kind of power. A 2010 Criterion Collection article by film historian...
- 12/6/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Born in 1920, Walter Matthau was a celebrated performer on both the stage and screen, known for his gruff, rumpled persona. Let’s take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Matthau turned to acting after serving in the United States Army Air Force during WWII. He became a frequent presence on the small screen with appearances in “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Goodyear Playhouse,” and “The Du Pont Show of the Week” (which brought him an Emmy bid in 1963), to name a few. During this period he also appeared in several films, few of them comedies, including “A Face in the Crowd” (1957) and “Fail Safe” (1964).
At the same time, he gained increasing respect as a stage actor with Tony Award-winning performances in “A Shot in the Dark” (Featured Actor in a Play in 1962) and “The Odd Couple” (Actor in a Play in 1965). It was in the latter role of Oscar Madison,...
Matthau turned to acting after serving in the United States Army Air Force during WWII. He became a frequent presence on the small screen with appearances in “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Goodyear Playhouse,” and “The Du Pont Show of the Week” (which brought him an Emmy bid in 1963), to name a few. During this period he also appeared in several films, few of them comedies, including “A Face in the Crowd” (1957) and “Fail Safe” (1964).
At the same time, he gained increasing respect as a stage actor with Tony Award-winning performances in “A Shot in the Dark” (Featured Actor in a Play in 1962) and “The Odd Couple” (Actor in a Play in 1965). It was in the latter role of Oscar Madison,...
- 9/22/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Billy Wilder was the six-time Oscar winner who left behind a series of classically quotable features from Hollywood’s Golden Age, crafting sharp witted and darkly cynical stories that blended comedy and pathos in equal measure. Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Wilder was born to a family of Austrian Jews in 1906. After working as a journalist, he developed an interest in filmmaking and collaborated on the silent feature “People on Sunday” (1929) with fellow rookies Fred Zinnemann, Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer. With the rise of Adolph Hitler, Wilder fled to Paris, where he co-directed the feature “Mauvaise Graine” (1934). Tragically, his mother, stepfather and grandmother all died in the Holocaust.
After moving to Hollywood, Wilder enjoyed a successful career as a screenwriter, earning Oscar nominations for penning 1939’s “Ninotchka” and 1941’s “Hold Back the Dawn” and “Ball of Fire.” He...
Wilder was born to a family of Austrian Jews in 1906. After working as a journalist, he developed an interest in filmmaking and collaborated on the silent feature “People on Sunday” (1929) with fellow rookies Fred Zinnemann, Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer. With the rise of Adolph Hitler, Wilder fled to Paris, where he co-directed the feature “Mauvaise Graine” (1934). Tragically, his mother, stepfather and grandmother all died in the Holocaust.
After moving to Hollywood, Wilder enjoyed a successful career as a screenwriter, earning Oscar nominations for penning 1939’s “Ninotchka” and 1941’s “Hold Back the Dawn” and “Ball of Fire.” He...
- 6/17/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The folly of youth!
When Goldie Hawn won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1970, for the 1969 comedy “Cactus Flower,” the 24-year-old was so sure she wouldn’t win she didn’t even go to the ceremony. What’s more, she didn’t even bother watching it on television. She had no idea she won until she got a phone call in the middle of the night.
At the time, she was filming “There’s A Girl In My Soup,” opposite Peter Sellers in London, but to fly back for the big night would not have been unheard of, even at a time when “Awards Season” was not yet quite the thing it is today.
But here’s where it gets weirder. According to a recent interview with Variety, Hawn had never even seen the moment from the telecast where her name was called. She didn’t even know it...
When Goldie Hawn won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1970, for the 1969 comedy “Cactus Flower,” the 24-year-old was so sure she wouldn’t win she didn’t even go to the ceremony. What’s more, she didn’t even bother watching it on television. She had no idea she won until she got a phone call in the middle of the night.
At the time, she was filming “There’s A Girl In My Soup,” opposite Peter Sellers in London, but to fly back for the big night would not have been unheard of, even at a time when “Awards Season” was not yet quite the thing it is today.
But here’s where it gets weirder. According to a recent interview with Variety, Hawn had never even seen the moment from the telecast where her name was called. She didn’t even know it...
- 3/9/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Having already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in “Elvis,” Austin Butler is on a solid path to triumphing on his first Oscar nomination. His film, which covers the entirety of the titular rock star’s two-decade career, boasts a talented cast that includes past Oscar winner Tom Hanks, who collected back-to-back Best Actor trophies for “Philadelphia” (1994) and “Forrest Gump” (1995). He missed out on a supporting bid for “Elvis,” but if Butler clinches the lead award, Hanks will become the 15th man to have acted in a film that won the same Oscar he previously received.
Hanks has a total of five Best Actor nominations to his name, with the three unsuccessful ones having come for his work in “Big” (1989), “Saving Private Ryan” (1999), and “Cast Away” (2001). Until Butler was recognized for “Elvis,” Hanks had never appeared in a film for which someone...
Hanks has a total of five Best Actor nominations to his name, with the three unsuccessful ones having come for his work in “Big” (1989), “Saving Private Ryan” (1999), and “Cast Away” (2001). Until Butler was recognized for “Elvis,” Hanks had never appeared in a film for which someone...
- 3/7/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Donald Petrie's "Grumpy Old Men" was released in theaters on Christmas Day in 1993, serving as that year's "take your parents to see it" film. Prior to "Grumpy Old Men," the film's two stars, Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, had appeared in five films together, including "The Fortune Cookie," Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple," "Kotch," "The Front Page," and "Buddy Buddy." The two were so well known for their chemistry, they were often considered one of comedy's great, prevailing duos. To this day, they are often mentioned together, and the two are buried not too far apart in the same cemetery in Westwood, CA.
While Lemmon and Matthau worked together regularly throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, there was a notable gap in their shared résumé. From 1981 until 1993, the pair did not work in tandem — even though they both appeared in Oliver Stone's 1991 film, "JFK," they had no scenes together.
While Lemmon and Matthau worked together regularly throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, there was a notable gap in their shared résumé. From 1981 until 1993, the pair did not work in tandem — even though they both appeared in Oliver Stone's 1991 film, "JFK," they had no scenes together.
- 3/3/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Walter Mirisch, former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Oscar-winning producer for In the Heat of the Night, died Friday in Los Angeles of natural causes. was 101. He had been the longest-living Oscar winner.
Mirisch — whose producing credits stretch to the 1940s and also include West Side Story, The Apartment and the 1960 and 2016 versions of The Magnificent Seven — also won a pair of Honorary Oscars: Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1978 and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1983. He also received the Producer Guild of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Motion Pictures in 1996.
Related Story Happy Birthday, Walter Mirisch: Oldest Living Oscar Winner Turns 100; His Films Include ‘West Side Story’, ‘The Apartment’ & ‘In The Heat Of The Night’ Related Story Oscars: Sofia Carson & Diane Warren To Perform 'Applause' During Ceremony Related Story Tom Whitlock Dies: Oscar-Winning Co-Writer Of 'Top Gun' Hits 'Take...
Mirisch — whose producing credits stretch to the 1940s and also include West Side Story, The Apartment and the 1960 and 2016 versions of The Magnificent Seven — also won a pair of Honorary Oscars: Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1978 and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1983. He also received the Producer Guild of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Motion Pictures in 1996.
Related Story Happy Birthday, Walter Mirisch: Oldest Living Oscar Winner Turns 100; His Films Include ‘West Side Story’, ‘The Apartment’ & ‘In The Heat Of The Night’ Related Story Oscars: Sofia Carson & Diane Warren To Perform 'Applause' During Ceremony Related Story Tom Whitlock Dies: Oscar-Winning Co-Writer Of 'Top Gun' Hits 'Take...
- 2/26/2023
- by Armando Tinoco and Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Walter Mirisch, the legendary independent-minded producer who is the only person to receive the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, the Irving G. Thalberg Award and an Oscar for best picture, has died. He was 101.
The affable Mirisch, who served four terms as president of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences from 1973-77, died Friday in Los Angeles of natural causes, AMPAS announced.
“Walter was a true visionary, both as a producer and as an industry leader,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “He had a powerful impact on the film community and the Academy, serving as our president and as an Academy governor for many years. His passion for filmmaking and the Academy never wavered, and he remained a dear friend and adviser.”
Survivors include his son Larry Mirisch, the owner of The Mirisch Agency,...
The affable Mirisch, who served four terms as president of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences from 1973-77, died Friday in Los Angeles of natural causes, AMPAS announced.
“Walter was a true visionary, both as a producer and as an industry leader,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “He had a powerful impact on the film community and the Academy, serving as our president and as an Academy governor for many years. His passion for filmmaking and the Academy never wavered, and he remained a dear friend and adviser.”
Survivors include his son Larry Mirisch, the owner of The Mirisch Agency,...
- 2/25/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Growing up in Philadelphia, I've experienced my fair share of harsh winters. The blizzard of 1996 stands out, but there were a number of other rough years for a while too. Although, when I moved to Chicago a few years ago, I experienced a whole new level of frigid chills. It got even worse when a polar vortex delivered such sub-zero temperatures and precipitation that people were advised not to leave their houses since even the slightest bit of exposed skin could get frostbite within minutes. Seriously, despite this year being relatively tame in comparison, midwestern winters are no joke. And someone else who knew this was Walter Matthau.
By the mid-1990s, the award-winning star of the stage and screen had quite an illustrious career. He had become known for his roles in "Bad News Bears," "King Creole," and "Hello, Dolly!," but fans probably remembered him best from his many...
By the mid-1990s, the award-winning star of the stage and screen had quite an illustrious career. He had become known for his roles in "Bad News Bears," "King Creole," and "Hello, Dolly!," but fans probably remembered him best from his many...
- 1/25/2023
- by Ben F. Silverio
- Slash Film
After the 2020 death of Olivia DeHavilland at age 104, Walter Mirisch became the oldest living winner of an Academy Award. Today this legendary producer turns 100 years old and is still going strong.
If for some crazy reason you don’t know the name, let me tell you the Mirisch Corporation, which he founded with brothers Harold and Marvin, was sort of the Marvel of its time except it was about much more than comic book superheroes, a true independent in the studio system, that turned out hit after hit, many winning Oscars, that provided a safe haven for some of the great filmmakers of the time including Billy Wilder, John Sturges, Robert Wise, Norman Jewison, Blake Edwards, Hal Ashby, George Roy Hill, not to mention films directed by greats of Hollywood’s golden era including John Ford, William Wyler, Michael Curtiz and on and on.
So again, if you don’t know the name Walter Mirisch,...
If for some crazy reason you don’t know the name, let me tell you the Mirisch Corporation, which he founded with brothers Harold and Marvin, was sort of the Marvel of its time except it was about much more than comic book superheroes, a true independent in the studio system, that turned out hit after hit, many winning Oscars, that provided a safe haven for some of the great filmmakers of the time including Billy Wilder, John Sturges, Robert Wise, Norman Jewison, Blake Edwards, Hal Ashby, George Roy Hill, not to mention films directed by greats of Hollywood’s golden era including John Ford, William Wyler, Michael Curtiz and on and on.
So again, if you don’t know the name Walter Mirisch,...
- 11/8/2021
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond’s comeback comedy performed decently enough at the box office, but its real accomplishment is vaulting Walter Matthau into mainline stardom. Matthau embodies the most venal ambulance chaser alive: Whiplash Willie Gingrich. His sad insurance scam scramble for unearned, undeserved loot is more of an exposé of sagging American values than anything particularly satirical. Jack Lemmon is the straight man this time around. He spends much of the movie in a medical collar, being victimized to make a fast buck. But Matthau hits the laughs out of the park — it’s an inspired performance that won him a Best Supporting Oscar. “You know Willie. He could find a loophole in the Ten Commandments.”
The Fortune Cookie
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1966 / B&w / 2:35 widescreen / 125 min. / Meet Whiplash Willie / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ron Rich, Judi West, Cliff Osmond, Lurene Tuttle.
Cinematography:...
The Fortune Cookie
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1966 / B&w / 2:35 widescreen / 125 min. / Meet Whiplash Willie / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ron Rich, Judi West, Cliff Osmond, Lurene Tuttle.
Cinematography:...
- 10/9/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“You Cannot Fool Everyone All The Time”
By Raymond Benson
Abraham Lincoln once famously said, “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” That utterance is evoked in the course of Billy Wilder’s 1966 acerbic comedy, The Fortune Cookie and it certainly applies to the legal goings-on as instigated by “Whiplash Willie” Gingrich (Walter Matthau), an unscrupulous lawyer who sets out to commit fraud against an insurance company for big bucks.
While it’s arguable that the great Billy Wilder continued to make good films into the 1970s, The Fortune Cookie might be his last superb one. It’s no Some Like it Hot or The Apartment, but the picture manages to evoke many laughs and also exhibits what is perhaps the quintessential performance by Matthau.
Jack Lemmon is sports news cameraman Harry Hinkle.
By Raymond Benson
Abraham Lincoln once famously said, “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” That utterance is evoked in the course of Billy Wilder’s 1966 acerbic comedy, The Fortune Cookie and it certainly applies to the legal goings-on as instigated by “Whiplash Willie” Gingrich (Walter Matthau), an unscrupulous lawyer who sets out to commit fraud against an insurance company for big bucks.
While it’s arguable that the great Billy Wilder continued to make good films into the 1970s, The Fortune Cookie might be his last superb one. It’s no Some Like it Hot or The Apartment, but the picture manages to evoke many laughs and also exhibits what is perhaps the quintessential performance by Matthau.
Jack Lemmon is sports news cameraman Harry Hinkle.
- 8/4/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Funded by Turismo de Portugal, the country’s shoot cash rebate aims to increase Portugal’s international visibility. Secretary of State for Tourism Rita Marques stresses that tourism is a key driver of sustainable growth, job creation and foreign investment, as well as promoting Portuguese and European cultural values: “That’s why we have created one of the most competitive film production incentive systems in Europe, especially oriented to those projects that can bring economic social, and environment value and positive impact to the world.”
Portugal boasts the highest number of sunny days in Europe and greener landscapes than much of Southern Europe. Crews are skilled, multi-lingual and offer highly competitive rates.
The major diversity of natural and cultural heritage within a relatively small country means that shoots can access a wide variety of locales within relatively short distances.
The Portugal Film Commission (Pfc) is complemented by 12 film commissions and offices,...
Portugal boasts the highest number of sunny days in Europe and greener landscapes than much of Southern Europe. Crews are skilled, multi-lingual and offer highly competitive rates.
The major diversity of natural and cultural heritage within a relatively small country means that shoots can access a wide variety of locales within relatively short distances.
The Portugal Film Commission (Pfc) is complemented by 12 film commissions and offices,...
- 3/3/2021
- by Martin Dale
- Variety Film + TV
Not even remotely interested in seeing Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes or The Weeknd do their thing at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium?
We’ve got you. Instead of watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs go helmet-to-helmet for a shiny Vince Lombardi, head to these platforms and channels to get your Sunday evening fix of series and flicks.
All showtimes listed below are in Eastern Standard Time.
Streaming Alternatives Netflix
Shows: “Kid Cosmic,” “Firefly Lane,” “Hache” (Season 2), “Invisible City,” “The Sinner” (Season 3)
Films: “The Bank Job,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Zathura: A Space Adventure,” “Shutter Island,” “The Patriot,” “Little Big Women,” “Space Sweepers,” “Strip Down, Rise Up,” “The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity”
Amazon Prime
Shows: “Little Coincidences,” “What’s New, Scooby-Doo?,” “Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men,” “The White Princess” (Season 1), “Billions” (Seasons 1-3), “Black in Latin America” (Season 1), “Finding Your Roots” (Season 1)
Films: “Kiki,” “Dazed and Confused,...
We’ve got you. Instead of watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs go helmet-to-helmet for a shiny Vince Lombardi, head to these platforms and channels to get your Sunday evening fix of series and flicks.
All showtimes listed below are in Eastern Standard Time.
Streaming Alternatives Netflix
Shows: “Kid Cosmic,” “Firefly Lane,” “Hache” (Season 2), “Invisible City,” “The Sinner” (Season 3)
Films: “The Bank Job,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Zathura: A Space Adventure,” “Shutter Island,” “The Patriot,” “Little Big Women,” “Space Sweepers,” “Strip Down, Rise Up,” “The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity”
Amazon Prime
Shows: “Little Coincidences,” “What’s New, Scooby-Doo?,” “Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men,” “The White Princess” (Season 1), “Billions” (Seasons 1-3), “Black in Latin America” (Season 1), “Finding Your Roots” (Season 1)
Films: “Kiki,” “Dazed and Confused,...
- 2/7/2021
- by Mónica Marie Zorrilla
- Variety Film + TV
It is certainly not unusual for a long performance to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. The average screen time among winners in the category is 33 minutes and 45 seconds, and several even longer ones have been victorious in the past decade. However, awarding longer supporting male performances is not a recent trend. Here is a look at the 10 longest winners of all time. (And here’s the list of the 10 shortest winning performances for Best Supporting Actor.)
10. Walter Huston (“The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”)
55 minutes, 3 seconds (43.68% of the film)
On his fourth and final nomination in 1949, Walter Huston won his only Oscar for playing a wise, old prospector simply known as Howard. He broke the record for longest Best Supporting Actor-winning performance and held it for 16 years. His other nominated supporting role in “Yankee Doodle Dandy” is notably shorter, as is his Best Actor-nominated performance in “The Devil and Daniel Webster...
10. Walter Huston (“The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”)
55 minutes, 3 seconds (43.68% of the film)
On his fourth and final nomination in 1949, Walter Huston won his only Oscar for playing a wise, old prospector simply known as Howard. He broke the record for longest Best Supporting Actor-winning performance and held it for 16 years. His other nominated supporting role in “Yankee Doodle Dandy” is notably shorter, as is his Best Actor-nominated performance in “The Devil and Daniel Webster...
- 12/23/2020
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Marge Redmond, who played Sister Jacqueline on TV’s The Flying Nun and later became known as the spokeswoman in Cool Whip commercials, has died. She was 95 and her death was announced by SAG-aftra in its magazine. No cause was given.
Redmond appeared in 80 episodes of The Flying Nun, which ran from 1967-1970 and starred Sally Field. She served as the show’s narrator in addition to her acting, and received an Emmy nomination after season two.
Her film resume includes another nun role as Sister Liguori, opposite Rosalind Russell in The Trouble With Angels (1966). She also had small roles in Billy Wilder’s The Fortune Cookie (1966); in Alfred Hitchcock’s final movie, Family Plot (1976); and was in Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993).
Redmond was married to the late actor Jack Weston from 1950 to the 1980s. No details on survivors were available.
Redmond appeared in 80 episodes of The Flying Nun, which ran from 1967-1970 and starred Sally Field. She served as the show’s narrator in addition to her acting, and received an Emmy nomination after season two.
Her film resume includes another nun role as Sister Liguori, opposite Rosalind Russell in The Trouble With Angels (1966). She also had small roles in Billy Wilder’s The Fortune Cookie (1966); in Alfred Hitchcock’s final movie, Family Plot (1976); and was in Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993).
Redmond was married to the late actor Jack Weston from 1950 to the 1980s. No details on survivors were available.
- 5/29/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Marge Redmond, who played the wry Sister Jacqueline on The Flying Nun and starred for a decade as a friendly country innkeeper in Cool Whip commercials, has died. She was 95.
Redmond's death on Feb. 10 was revealed in the latest quarterly SAG-AFTRA magazine. No other details of her passing were immediately available.
Redmond also had small roles in three notable films: She portrayed Walter Matthau's wife in Billy Wilder's The Fortune Cookie (1966); was interviewed by Bruce Dern about a missing jeweler in Alfred Hitchcock's final movie, Family Plot (1976); and played a jilted ...
Redmond's death on Feb. 10 was revealed in the latest quarterly SAG-AFTRA magazine. No other details of her passing were immediately available.
Redmond also had small roles in three notable films: She portrayed Walter Matthau's wife in Billy Wilder's The Fortune Cookie (1966); was interviewed by Bruce Dern about a missing jeweler in Alfred Hitchcock's final movie, Family Plot (1976); and played a jilted ...
- 5/29/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Marge Redmond, who played the wry Sister Jacqueline on The Flying Nun and starred for a decade as a friendly country innkeeper in Cool Whip commercials, has died. She was 95.
Redmond's death on Feb. 10 was revealed in the latest quarterly SAG-AFTRA magazine. No other details of her passing were immediately available.
Redmond also had small roles in three notable films: She portrayed Walter Matthau's wife in Billy Wilder's The Fortune Cookie (1966); was interviewed by Bruce Dern about a missing jeweler in Alfred Hitchcock's final movie, Family Plot (1976); and played a jilted ...
Redmond's death on Feb. 10 was revealed in the latest quarterly SAG-AFTRA magazine. No other details of her passing were immediately available.
Redmond also had small roles in three notable films: She portrayed Walter Matthau's wife in Billy Wilder's The Fortune Cookie (1966); was interviewed by Bruce Dern about a missing jeweler in Alfred Hitchcock's final movie, Family Plot (1976); and played a jilted ...
- 5/29/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Thomas L. Miller, one of the co-founders of Miller-Boyett Productions who produced some of of the most influential sitcoms in television history such as “Family Matters” and “Full House,” has died of complications related to heart disease. He was 79.
Miller died on April 5 in Salisbury, Conn., according to his family and longtime partner Robert L. Boyett.
The extensive list of TV credits he accrued over his seven-decade career also includes other “Tgif” hits like “Perfect Strangers” and “Step by Step.” Via Miller-Boyet productions (which began as Miller-Milkis in 1969), he also had a hand in family-oriented hits such as “Bosom Buddies,” “Happy Days,” “Mork and Mindy” and “Laverne and Shirley.”
Miller moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment in 1962, scoring his break as a dialogue coach for legendary film director Billy Wilder. During his time with Wilder, Miller worked on such classic films as “Irma la Douce” and “The Fortune Cookie.
Miller died on April 5 in Salisbury, Conn., according to his family and longtime partner Robert L. Boyett.
The extensive list of TV credits he accrued over his seven-decade career also includes other “Tgif” hits like “Perfect Strangers” and “Step by Step.” Via Miller-Boyet productions (which began as Miller-Milkis in 1969), he also had a hand in family-oriented hits such as “Bosom Buddies,” “Happy Days,” “Mork and Mindy” and “Laverne and Shirley.”
Miller moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment in 1962, scoring his break as a dialogue coach for legendary film director Billy Wilder. During his time with Wilder, Miller worked on such classic films as “Irma la Douce” and “The Fortune Cookie.
- 4/8/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Thomas L. Miller, who produced several hit TV comedies over seven decades in the business, died April 5 of complications from heart disease in Salisbury, Ct. He was 79.
Through the years, Miller produced Full House, Bosom Buddies, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers and Step by Step as co-founder of Miller/Boyett Productions, Miller/Boyett/Warren Productions and Miller-Milkis Productions.
More from DeadlineJames Drury Dies: Star Of Long-Running Western 'The Virginian' Was 85Issa Rae To Write, Produce, Star In 'Perfect Strangers' Comedy For Spyglass Media Group & Eagle PicturesWarnerMedia Streamer Eyes Reboots Of Warner Bros TV Tgif Comedies Like 'Step by Step', 'Perfect Strangers' & 'Family Matters'
“Thomas Miller was born to entertain, infused with irrepressible passion and love for bringing joy to others through his life’s work,” Warner Bros Television Group said in a statement. “And what a skill set he possessed. He was at once a thoughtful and tasteful executive,...
Through the years, Miller produced Full House, Bosom Buddies, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers and Step by Step as co-founder of Miller/Boyett Productions, Miller/Boyett/Warren Productions and Miller-Milkis Productions.
More from DeadlineJames Drury Dies: Star Of Long-Running Western 'The Virginian' Was 85Issa Rae To Write, Produce, Star In 'Perfect Strangers' Comedy For Spyglass Media Group & Eagle PicturesWarnerMedia Streamer Eyes Reboots Of Warner Bros TV Tgif Comedies Like 'Step by Step', 'Perfect Strangers' & 'Family Matters'
“Thomas Miller was born to entertain, infused with irrepressible passion and love for bringing joy to others through his life’s work,” Warner Bros Television Group said in a statement. “And what a skill set he possessed. He was at once a thoughtful and tasteful executive,...
- 4/8/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Thomas L. Miller, a longtime TV producer known for hits including “Family Matters,” “Full House,” “Perfect Strangers” and “Step by Step,” died on Sunday from complications due to heart disease. He was 79.
Miller, who co-founded Miller/Boyett Productions, Miller/Boyett/Warren Productions and Miller-Milkis Productions, is one of the most successful TV producers. Along with the shows mentioned above, he produced other classics like “Bosom Buddies” (which he also co-created), “Happy Days,” “Mork & Mindy,” and “Laverne & Shirley.”
“Thomas Miller was born to entertain, infused with irrepressible passion and love for bringing joy to others through his life’s work. And what a skill set he possessed. He was at once a thoughtful and tasteful executive, an extremely talented writer, and a highly successful producer whose many hit series will live long in the collective memory of fans around the world. Everyone at Warner Bros. Television Group and the ‘Fuller...
Miller, who co-founded Miller/Boyett Productions, Miller/Boyett/Warren Productions and Miller-Milkis Productions, is one of the most successful TV producers. Along with the shows mentioned above, he produced other classics like “Bosom Buddies” (which he also co-created), “Happy Days,” “Mork & Mindy,” and “Laverne & Shirley.”
“Thomas Miller was born to entertain, infused with irrepressible passion and love for bringing joy to others through his life’s work. And what a skill set he possessed. He was at once a thoughtful and tasteful executive, an extremely talented writer, and a highly successful producer whose many hit series will live long in the collective memory of fans around the world. Everyone at Warner Bros. Television Group and the ‘Fuller...
- 4/8/2020
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Billy Wilder would’ve celebrated his 113th birthday on June 22, 2019. The six-time Oscar winner left behind a series of classically quotable features from Hollywood’s Golden Age, crafting sharp witted and darkly cynical stories that blended comedy and pathos in equal measure. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Wilder was born to a family of Austrian Jews in 1906. After working as a journalist, he developed an interest in filmmaking and collaborated on the silent feature “People on Sunday” (1929) with fellow rookies Fred Zinnemann, Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer. With the rise of Adolph Hitler, Wilder fled to Paris, where he co-directed the feature “Mauvaise Graine” (1934). Tragically, his mother, stepfather and grandmother all died in the Holocaust.
SEEOscar Best Director Gallery: Every Winner In Academy Award History
After moving to Hollywood, Wilder enjoyed a successful career as a screenwriter,...
Wilder was born to a family of Austrian Jews in 1906. After working as a journalist, he developed an interest in filmmaking and collaborated on the silent feature “People on Sunday” (1929) with fellow rookies Fred Zinnemann, Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer. With the rise of Adolph Hitler, Wilder fled to Paris, where he co-directed the feature “Mauvaise Graine” (1934). Tragically, his mother, stepfather and grandmother all died in the Holocaust.
SEEOscar Best Director Gallery: Every Winner In Academy Award History
After moving to Hollywood, Wilder enjoyed a successful career as a screenwriter,...
- 6/22/2019
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Oscar-winning film composer and symphony orchestra conductor Andre Previn died Thursday at his home in Manhattan, his manager confirmed to the New York Times. He was 89.
The former enfant terrible of motion picture scoring and accomplished jazz pianist was honored with four Academy Awards. He won the first two, for best scoring of a musical picture (a category that has since been retired), for “Gigi” and “Porgy & Bess” in 1958 and 1959, respectively, while still in his 20s. He then won two for best adaptation or treatment (another retired sub-category) in 1963 and 1964 for “Irma la Douce” and “My Fair Lady,” respectively.
He later abandoned films to conduct such esteemed orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Previn’s jazz influence was pianist Art Tatum and, from the age of 12, he developed a proficiency in jazz piano, which led to his first film assignment at age 16, while still a...
The former enfant terrible of motion picture scoring and accomplished jazz pianist was honored with four Academy Awards. He won the first two, for best scoring of a musical picture (a category that has since been retired), for “Gigi” and “Porgy & Bess” in 1958 and 1959, respectively, while still in his 20s. He then won two for best adaptation or treatment (another retired sub-category) in 1963 and 1964 for “Irma la Douce” and “My Fair Lady,” respectively.
He later abandoned films to conduct such esteemed orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Previn’s jazz influence was pianist Art Tatum and, from the age of 12, he developed a proficiency in jazz piano, which led to his first film assignment at age 16, while still a...
- 2/28/2019
- by Richard Natale
- Variety Film + TV
Jack Lemmon would’ve celebrated his 94th birthday on February 8, 2019. The two-time Oscar-winner starred in dozens of films, working until his death in 2001 at the age of 76. But how many of those titles are classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest movies, ranked worst to best.
SEEOscar Best Supporting Actor Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History
Lemmon won his first Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for “Mister Roberts” (1955). A second Oscar for Best Actor followed for “Save the Tiger” (1973), making him the first person to pull off victories in both categories. He competed six more times for Best Actor throughout his career.
He is perhaps best known for his long collaboration with Walter Matthau, with whom he made 11 films. In films such as “The Fortune Cookie” (1966), “The Odd Couple” (1968), and “Grumpy Old Men” (1993), Lemmon’s fastidiousness played beautifully off of Matthau’s scruffiness.
SEEOscar Best Supporting Actor Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History
Lemmon won his first Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for “Mister Roberts” (1955). A second Oscar for Best Actor followed for “Save the Tiger” (1973), making him the first person to pull off victories in both categories. He competed six more times for Best Actor throughout his career.
He is perhaps best known for his long collaboration with Walter Matthau, with whom he made 11 films. In films such as “The Fortune Cookie” (1966), “The Odd Couple” (1968), and “Grumpy Old Men” (1993), Lemmon’s fastidiousness played beautifully off of Matthau’s scruffiness.
- 2/8/2019
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Herb Ellis, an actor and director known for helping Jack Webb create the iconic TV series Dragnet, died Dec. 26 in San Gabriel, Calif. He was 97.
Born Herbert Siegel in Cleveland, Ohio on Jan. 7, 1921, Ellis was a radio actor and director. His frequent collaborations with Webb included a pilot they wrote titled Joe Friday, Room Five which later served as the foundation for the iconic TV procedural Dragnet.
For the first eight episodes of the series, which debuted in 1952, Ellis played Officer Frank Smith opposite Webb before Ben Alexander took over the role until the series ended in 1959.
In addition to Dragnet, Ellis appeared in various other radio series including Dangerous Assignment, Escape, Tales of the Texas Rangers, and The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe.
On the movie side, Ellis appeared in notable films such as Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing and Billy Wilder’s The Fortune Cookie.
In 1967, he returned...
Born Herbert Siegel in Cleveland, Ohio on Jan. 7, 1921, Ellis was a radio actor and director. His frequent collaborations with Webb included a pilot they wrote titled Joe Friday, Room Five which later served as the foundation for the iconic TV procedural Dragnet.
For the first eight episodes of the series, which debuted in 1952, Ellis played Officer Frank Smith opposite Webb before Ben Alexander took over the role until the series ended in 1959.
In addition to Dragnet, Ellis appeared in various other radio series including Dangerous Assignment, Escape, Tales of the Texas Rangers, and The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe.
On the movie side, Ellis appeared in notable films such as Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing and Billy Wilder’s The Fortune Cookie.
In 1967, he returned...
- 1/3/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Walter Matthau would’ve celebrated his 98th birthday on October 1, 2018. Born in 1920, the actor was a celebrated performer on both the stage and screen, known for his gruff, rumpled persona. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Matthau turned to acting after serving in the United States Army Air Force during WWII. He became a frequent presence on the small screen with appearances in “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Goodyear Playhouse,” and “The Du Pont Show of the Week” (which brought him an Emmy bid in 1963), to name a few. During this period he also appeared in several films, few of them comedies, including “A Face in the Crowd” (1957) and “Fail Safe” (1964).
At the same time, he gained increasing respect as a stage actor with Tony Award-winning performances in “A Shot in the Dark” (Featured Actor in a Play...
Matthau turned to acting after serving in the United States Army Air Force during WWII. He became a frequent presence on the small screen with appearances in “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Goodyear Playhouse,” and “The Du Pont Show of the Week” (which brought him an Emmy bid in 1963), to name a few. During this period he also appeared in several films, few of them comedies, including “A Face in the Crowd” (1957) and “Fail Safe” (1964).
At the same time, he gained increasing respect as a stage actor with Tony Award-winning performances in “A Shot in the Dark” (Featured Actor in a Play...
- 10/1/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Filtered through her experience as an unequalled comic performer, writer-director Elaine May scores a bulls-eye with this grossly underappreciated gem, fashioned in a style that could be called ‘black comedy lite.’ And that’s the release version mangled by the producer. What might it have been if May had been allowed to finish her director’s cut?
A New Leaf Olive Signature
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date December 5, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.99
Starring: Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Jack Weston, George Rose, James Coco, Doris Roberts, Renée Taylor, William Redfield, David Doyle.
Cinematography: Gayne Rescher
Original Music: Neal Hefti
Written by Elaine May from a story by Jack Ritchie
Produced by Hilliard Elkins, Howard W. Koch, Joseph Manduke
Directed by Elaine May
Olive’s next title up for Signature Collection status is A New Leaf, the directing debut of comedienne-writer Elaine May. It’s certainly a worthy title.
A New Leaf Olive Signature
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date December 5, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.99
Starring: Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Jack Weston, George Rose, James Coco, Doris Roberts, Renée Taylor, William Redfield, David Doyle.
Cinematography: Gayne Rescher
Original Music: Neal Hefti
Written by Elaine May from a story by Jack Ritchie
Produced by Hilliard Elkins, Howard W. Koch, Joseph Manduke
Directed by Elaine May
Olive’s next title up for Signature Collection status is A New Leaf, the directing debut of comedienne-writer Elaine May. It’s certainly a worthy title.
- 12/9/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Kirk Douglas grits his teeth and goes full macho, wrasslin’ with that beautiful Sioux up in the high country — the Sioux miss in question being the Italian model Elsa Martinelli in her screen debut. Kirk can’t decide if he wants to stay with Elsa, or lead what must be the most shameful bunch of pioneer bigots ever to cross the plains. Walter Matthau and Diana Douglas are standouts in this vigorous action western directed by André de Toth.
The Indian Fighter
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1955 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 88 min. / Street Date May 9, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Elsa Martinelli, Walter Matthau, Diana Douglas, Walter Abel, Lon Chaney Jr., Eduard Franz, Alan Hale Jr., Elisha Cook Jr., Ray Teal, Frank Cady, Michael Winkelman, William Phipps.
Cinematography: Wilfrid M. Cline
Art Direction: Wiard Ihnen
Film Editor: Richard Cahoon
Original Music: Irving Gordon, Franz Waxman
Written by Robert L. Richards,...
The Indian Fighter
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1955 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 88 min. / Street Date May 9, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Elsa Martinelli, Walter Matthau, Diana Douglas, Walter Abel, Lon Chaney Jr., Eduard Franz, Alan Hale Jr., Elisha Cook Jr., Ray Teal, Frank Cady, Michael Winkelman, William Phipps.
Cinematography: Wilfrid M. Cline
Art Direction: Wiard Ihnen
Film Editor: Richard Cahoon
Original Music: Irving Gordon, Franz Waxman
Written by Robert L. Richards,...
- 5/5/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Love in the Afternoon
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1957 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 130 min. / Street Date February 7, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Maurice Chevalier, John McGiver, Van Doude, Lise Bourdin, Louis Jourdan, Betty Schneider.
Cinematography: William C. Mellor
Film Editor: Leonid Azar
Art Direction: Alexandre Trauner
Adapted Music: Franz Waxman
Written by: Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond from a novel by Claude Anet
Produced and Directed by Billy Wilder
A favorite of Billy Wilder-philes, Love in the Afternoon is a strong expression of the ‘romantic-Lubitsch’ vein in Wilder’s work. It’s essentially a return to the early ’30s Lubitsch comedies with Maurice Chevalier, but played in a more bittersweet Viennese register. It’s also Wilder’s first collaboration with the comedy screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond. Together they fashion the predominantly verbal comedy machine that will carry them through three or four big hits, and a few losers that have become classics anyway.
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1957 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 130 min. / Street Date February 7, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Maurice Chevalier, John McGiver, Van Doude, Lise Bourdin, Louis Jourdan, Betty Schneider.
Cinematography: William C. Mellor
Film Editor: Leonid Azar
Art Direction: Alexandre Trauner
Adapted Music: Franz Waxman
Written by: Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond from a novel by Claude Anet
Produced and Directed by Billy Wilder
A favorite of Billy Wilder-philes, Love in the Afternoon is a strong expression of the ‘romantic-Lubitsch’ vein in Wilder’s work. It’s essentially a return to the early ’30s Lubitsch comedies with Maurice Chevalier, but played in a more bittersweet Viennese register. It’s also Wilder’s first collaboration with the comedy screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond. Together they fashion the predominantly verbal comedy machine that will carry them through three or four big hits, and a few losers that have become classics anyway.
- 1/31/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
William Christopher, best known for his role as Father John Mulcahy on the military sitcom “M*A*S*H,” died Saturday at his home in Pasadena, his son John Christopher told ABC 7 Eyewitness News. He was 84. Christopher died from non-lung small cell carcinoma. Christopher played Mulcahy on the sitcom from 1972 to 1983, reprising the role on the sequel series “After Mash” from 1983 to 1985. Also Read: Wayne Rogers, Trapper John of 'M.A.S.H,' Dies at 82 Christopher’s other roles included parts in the films “The Fortune Cookie” and “With Six You Get Eggrolll,” as well as the series “Gomer Pyle U.
- 1/1/2017
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
On Oct. 19, 1966, Billy Wilder returned to the big screen with The Fortune Cookie, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. The film was nominated for four Oscars at the 39th Academy Awards, winning one for Matthau. The Hollywood Reporter's original review is below.
The Fortune Cookie is Billy Wilder's best picture since The Apartment, his funniest since Some Like It Hot. Wilder has mixed such unlikely elements as Waiting for Godot and Dr. Kronkite, or their spiritual essences, and given them the verve of his own style with a subject that is a natural for his special brand of mordant humor....
The Fortune Cookie is Billy Wilder's best picture since The Apartment, his funniest since Some Like It Hot. Wilder has mixed such unlikely elements as Waiting for Godot and Dr. Kronkite, or their spiritual essences, and given them the verve of his own style with a subject that is a natural for his special brand of mordant humor....
- 10/19/2016
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On Oct. 19, 1966, Billy Wilder returned to the big screen with The Fortune Cookie, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. The film was nominated for four Oscars at the 39th Academy Awards, winning one for Matthau. The Hollywood Reporter's original review is below.
The Fortune Cookie is Billy Wilder's best picture since The Apartment, his funniest since Some Like It Hot. Wilder has mixed such unlikely elements as Waiting for Godot and Dr. Kronkite, or their spiritual essences, and given them the verve of his own style with a subject that is a natural for his special brand of mordant humor....
The Fortune Cookie is Billy Wilder's best picture since The Apartment, his funniest since Some Like It Hot. Wilder has mixed such unlikely elements as Waiting for Godot and Dr. Kronkite, or their spiritual essences, and given them the verve of his own style with a subject that is a natural for his special brand of mordant humor....
- 10/19/2016
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Some actors and directors go together like spaghetti and meatballs. They just gel together in a rare way that makes their collaborations special. Here is a list of the seven best parings of director and actor in film history.
7: Tim Burton & Johnny Depp:
Edward Scissorhands; Ed Wood; Sleepy Hollow; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Corpse Bride; Sweeney Todd; Alice in Wonderland; Dark Shadows
Of all the parings on this list, these two make the oddest films. (In a good way.) Tim Burton is one of the most visually imaginative filmmakers of his generation and Johnny Depp was once the polymorphous master of playing a wide variety of eccentric characters. They were a natural combo. Depp made most of his best films with Burton, before his current ‘Jack Sparrow’ period began. The duo had the knack for telling stories about misfits and freaks, yet making them seem sympathetic and likable.
7: Tim Burton & Johnny Depp:
Edward Scissorhands; Ed Wood; Sleepy Hollow; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Corpse Bride; Sweeney Todd; Alice in Wonderland; Dark Shadows
Of all the parings on this list, these two make the oddest films. (In a good way.) Tim Burton is one of the most visually imaginative filmmakers of his generation and Johnny Depp was once the polymorphous master of playing a wide variety of eccentric characters. They were a natural combo. Depp made most of his best films with Burton, before his current ‘Jack Sparrow’ period began. The duo had the knack for telling stories about misfits and freaks, yet making them seem sympathetic and likable.
- 9/5/2016
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
Our perception of the Forest City having only seen it on screen.
All this week, Cleveland, Ohio, is being overrun with politicians, their supporters, and protestors of their platforms as the Republican National Convention is being held at the Quicken Loans Arena through Thursday. To help get a better sense of this “Cleve-Land,” as Howard the Duck calls it, we’re looking to entertainment, specifically movies and television, for what it can tell us about this city. If there’s anything we miss or misunderstand, blame Hollywood.
Cleveland Rocks
It’s the Rock and Roll Capital of the World, home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so it’s not surprising that, to an outsider, Cleveland primarily looks like a city where music reigns. You could make a nice concert with all the fictional bands based there, including Cherry Bomb from Howard the Duck, The Barbusters from Light of Day, the...
All this week, Cleveland, Ohio, is being overrun with politicians, their supporters, and protestors of their platforms as the Republican National Convention is being held at the Quicken Loans Arena through Thursday. To help get a better sense of this “Cleve-Land,” as Howard the Duck calls it, we’re looking to entertainment, specifically movies and television, for what it can tell us about this city. If there’s anything we miss or misunderstand, blame Hollywood.
Cleveland Rocks
It’s the Rock and Roll Capital of the World, home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so it’s not surprising that, to an outsider, Cleveland primarily looks like a city where music reigns. You could make a nice concert with all the fictional bands based there, including Cherry Bomb from Howard the Duck, The Barbusters from Light of Day, the...
- 7/19/2016
- by Christopher Campbell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The publicist who worked with Barbra Streisand, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and advised Bill Clinton and Israeli premier Yitzhak Rabin has died at his Los Angeles home. He was 86.
David Horowitz’s wife Lynn confirmed on Monday that the longtime publicist, awards campaign specialist and Civil Rights activist died on July 17.
Horowitz was born on July 21, 1929, in New York City. The family relocated to Miami and then Los Angeles, where he attended UCLA as a pre-med student before finding his way into advertising.
He served as an account executive at The Goodman Organization, handling Warner Bros, United Artists, and American International Pictures. As a unit publicist he worked on Billy Wilder’s Irma La Douce and The Fortune Cookie.
Horowitz’ in-house roles of note included president of corporate entertainment, president of the film division and president of the TV division at Rogers & Cowan. He went to Warner Bros in the 1970s, first as the...
David Horowitz’s wife Lynn confirmed on Monday that the longtime publicist, awards campaign specialist and Civil Rights activist died on July 17.
Horowitz was born on July 21, 1929, in New York City. The family relocated to Miami and then Los Angeles, where he attended UCLA as a pre-med student before finding his way into advertising.
He served as an account executive at The Goodman Organization, handling Warner Bros, United Artists, and American International Pictures. As a unit publicist he worked on Billy Wilder’s Irma La Douce and The Fortune Cookie.
Horowitz’ in-house roles of note included president of corporate entertainment, president of the film division and president of the TV division at Rogers & Cowan. He went to Warner Bros in the 1970s, first as the...
- 7/18/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The icon-establishing performances Marilyn Monroe gave in Howard Hawks’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and in Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot (1959) are ones for the ages, touchstone works that endure because of the undeniable comic energy and desperation that sparked them from within even as the ravenous public became ever more enraptured by the surface of Monroe’s seductive image of beauty and glamour. Several generations now probably know her only from these films, or perhaps 1955’s The Seven-Year Itch, a more famous probably for the skirt-swirling pose it generated than anything in the movie itself, one of director Wilder’s sourest pictures, or her final completed film, The Misfits (1961), directed by John Huston, written by Arthur Miller and costarring Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift.
But in Don’t Bother to Knock (1952) she delivers a powerful dramatic performance as Nell, a psychologically devastated, delusional, perhaps psychotic young woman apparently on...
But in Don’t Bother to Knock (1952) she delivers a powerful dramatic performance as Nell, a psychologically devastated, delusional, perhaps psychotic young woman apparently on...
- 4/11/2016
- by Dennis Cozzalio
- Trailers from Hell
Billy Wilder’s Buddy Buddy (1981) might be one of the most obvious go-to examples in the annals of conventional wisdom when it comes to the cinephile’s parlor game of pointing out a great director’s greatest foible. Upon release the movie was summarily dismissed by critics and ignored by audiences—it managed a paltry $7 million domestically, three million less than its production budget.
Roger Ebert, in his review, called Buddy Buddy “a comedy without laughs,” one apparently so vile that it could inspire not only audience indifference but also one of the revered reviewer’s laziest pieces of criticism. Ebert’s short piece quickly degenerates into name-calling-- “This movie is appalling” is the first sentence of the review, and the movie’s name goes unmentioned until the second paragraph—sans much in the way of actual insight. And unfortunately the critic’s disdain ends up functioning as a substitute...
Roger Ebert, in his review, called Buddy Buddy “a comedy without laughs,” one apparently so vile that it could inspire not only audience indifference but also one of the revered reviewer’s laziest pieces of criticism. Ebert’s short piece quickly degenerates into name-calling-- “This movie is appalling” is the first sentence of the review, and the movie’s name goes unmentioned until the second paragraph—sans much in the way of actual insight. And unfortunately the critic’s disdain ends up functioning as a substitute...
- 2/20/2016
- by Dennis Cozzalio
- Trailers from Hell
Billy Wilder directed Sunset Blvd. with Gloria Swanson and William Holden. Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett movies Below is a list of movies on which Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder worked together as screenwriters, including efforts for which they did not receive screen credit. The Wilder-Brackett screenwriting partnership lasted from 1938 to 1949. During that time, they shared two Academy Awards for their work on The Lost Weekend (1945) and, with D.M. Marshman Jr., Sunset Blvd. (1950). More detailed information further below. Post-split years Billy Wilder would later join forces with screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond in movies such as the classic comedy Some Like It Hot (1959), the Best Picture Oscar winner The Apartment (1960), and One Two Three (1961), notable as James Cagney's last film (until a brief comeback in Milos Forman's Ragtime two decades later). Although some of these movies were quite well received, Wilder's later efforts – which also included The Seven Year Itch...
- 9/16/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Luis Buñuel movies on TCM tonight (photo: Catherine Deneuve in 'Belle de Jour') The city of Paris and iconoclastic writer-director Luis Buñuel are Turner Classic Movies' themes today and later this evening. TCM's focus on Luis Buñuel is particularly welcome, as he remains one of the most daring and most challenging filmmakers since the invention of film. Luis Buñuel is so remarkable, in fact, that you won't find any Hollywood hipster paying homage to him in his/her movies. Nor will you hear his name mentioned at the Academy Awards – no matter the Academy in question. And rest assured that most film critics working today have never even heard of him, let alone seen any of his movies. So, nowadays Luis Buñuel is un-hip, un-cool, and unfashionable. He's also unquestionably brilliant. These days everyone is worried about freedom of expression. The clash of civilizations. The West vs. The Other.
- 1/27/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Retro-active: The Best From Cinema Retro's Archives
By Lee Pfeiffer
Paramount has released a 2 disc special edition of the 1968 comedy classic The Odd Couple as part of the studio's Centennial Collection. The film retains all of its initial appeal, despite the fact that virtually every baby boomer has committed the scenes and dialogue to memory. Although most people regard this as the first historic pairing of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, in fact, that occurred with Billy Wilder's 1965 gem The Fortune Cookie which saw Matthau winning the Oscar for supporting actor. The genius behind the story, of course, is Neil Simon, who adapted his smash hit Broadway play for the film. The part of Felix Unger was originally played on Broadway by the great Art Carney, but Lemmon was a much hotter box-office property and got the role in the feature film. The film is creative in the ways...
By Lee Pfeiffer
Paramount has released a 2 disc special edition of the 1968 comedy classic The Odd Couple as part of the studio's Centennial Collection. The film retains all of its initial appeal, despite the fact that virtually every baby boomer has committed the scenes and dialogue to memory. Although most people regard this as the first historic pairing of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, in fact, that occurred with Billy Wilder's 1965 gem The Fortune Cookie which saw Matthau winning the Oscar for supporting actor. The genius behind the story, of course, is Neil Simon, who adapted his smash hit Broadway play for the film. The part of Felix Unger was originally played on Broadway by the great Art Carney, but Lemmon was a much hotter box-office property and got the role in the feature film. The film is creative in the ways...
- 1/2/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
A24’s A Most Violent Year will dominate the Specialty Box Office New Year’s weekend. The feature began as director J.C. Chandor was releasing his previous feature, All Is Lost. A Most Violent Year will begin its limited run in the New Year, but the title will have a wide release by the end of the month. Also opening this weekend is IFC Films’ doc The Search For General Tso, which has its roots from a New York Times Best Seller. Well Go USA will bow China’s The Taking Of Tiger Mountain in exclusive engagements. The title opened number one at home when it rolled out ahead of Christmas. And Magnolia’s genre label, Magnet, will open Spanish thriller [Rec] 4: Apocalypse in five locations January 2. the title is already available via ultra-vod.
A Most Violent Year
Director-writer: J.C. Chandor
Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola,...
A Most Violent Year
Director-writer: J.C. Chandor
Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola,...
- 1/1/2015
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline
Billy Wilder movies, Johnny Carson interviews tonight on TCM Billy Wilder is Turner Classic Movies’ Director of the Evening tonight, July 8, 2013. But before Wilder Evening begins, TCM will be presenting a series of brief interviews from The Tonight Show, back in the old Johnny Carson days — or rather, nights. The Carson interviewees this evening are Doris Day, Charlton Heston, Tony Curtis, Chevy Chase, and Steve Martin. (See also: Doris Day today.) (Photo: Billy Wilder.) As for Billy Wilder, TCM will be showing the following: Some Like It Hot (1959), The Fortune Cookie (1966), The Spirit of St. Louis (1958), and The Seven Year Itch (1955). Of course, all of those have been shown before and are widely available. Some Like It Hot vs. The Major and the Minor: Subversive and subversiver Some Like It Hot is perhaps Billy Wilder’s best-known film. This broad comedy featuring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis...
- 7/8/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Longtime Hollywood publicist Dale Olson, who represented stars including Rock Hudson, Dyan Cannon and Shirley MacLaine and spearheaded the publicity campaigns for more than 150 films, died today at a Burbank hospital after a long battle with cancer. He was 78.
Olson handled the delicate issues of Hudson’s death from AIDS in 1985, and went on to work on fund-raising and awareness for the disease.
His other clients over the years included Steve McQueen, Gene Kelly, Doris Roberts, Marion Ross, Clint Eastwood, Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, Robert Blake, Tony Curtis, Cleo Laine, Diane Ladd, Sally Kirkland, Jean Stapleton and Marilyn Monroe.
Known for his large thick-rimmed glasses and jovial demeanor, he was at Rogers & Cowan for nearly 20 years, where he was senior VP and president of the motion picture division until leaving in 1985 to found his own firm.
Among his publicity efforts for films, he launched the “Rocky,” “Superman,” “Rambo” and “Halloween...
Olson handled the delicate issues of Hudson’s death from AIDS in 1985, and went on to work on fund-raising and awareness for the disease.
His other clients over the years included Steve McQueen, Gene Kelly, Doris Roberts, Marion Ross, Clint Eastwood, Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, Robert Blake, Tony Curtis, Cleo Laine, Diane Ladd, Sally Kirkland, Jean Stapleton and Marilyn Monroe.
Known for his large thick-rimmed glasses and jovial demeanor, he was at Rogers & Cowan for nearly 20 years, where he was senior VP and president of the motion picture division until leaving in 1985 to found his own firm.
Among his publicity efforts for films, he launched the “Rocky,” “Superman,” “Rambo” and “Halloween...
- 8/9/2012
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
John Patterson: He's made some classics and is seen as the godfather of modern Hollywood but the world is still not wild about Billy Wilder
I've never quite forgiven the critic Andrew Sarris for backing down on his famously negative assessment of Billy Wilder's movies in his 1968 auteur-based survey The American Cinema. Far from placing Wilder in his pantheon of the greatest directors, Sarris quarantined him within his starkly named Less Than Meets The Eye section, alongside other figures of contestable quality such as John Huston, Lewis Milestone and Fred Zinnemann. The book contains dozens of imperishable phrases and judgments, but few stick in the mind like the opening of his Wilder demolition: "Billy Wilder is too cynical to believe even his own cynicism." Oof. And still true.
Sarris later conceded most of his ground, possibly because even bad 60s Wilder (the shriller stuff that was in the...
I've never quite forgiven the critic Andrew Sarris for backing down on his famously negative assessment of Billy Wilder's movies in his 1968 auteur-based survey The American Cinema. Far from placing Wilder in his pantheon of the greatest directors, Sarris quarantined him within his starkly named Less Than Meets The Eye section, alongside other figures of contestable quality such as John Huston, Lewis Milestone and Fred Zinnemann. The book contains dozens of imperishable phrases and judgments, but few stick in the mind like the opening of his Wilder demolition: "Billy Wilder is too cynical to believe even his own cynicism." Oof. And still true.
Sarris later conceded most of his ground, possibly because even bad 60s Wilder (the shriller stuff that was in the...
- 6/8/2012
- by John Patterson
- The Guardian - Film News
"I want to thank three persons,” said Michel Hazanavicius, accepting the 2012 Best Picture Oscar for “The Artist.” “I want to thank Billy Wilder, I want to thank Billy Wilder and I want to thank Billy Wilder.” He wasn’t the first director to namecheck Wilder in an acceptance speech. In 1994, Fernando Trueba, accepting the Foreign Language Film Oscar for "Belle Epoque" quipped, "I would like to believe in God in order to thank him. But I just believe in Billy Wilder... so, thank you Mr. Wilder." Wilder reportedly called the next day "Fernando? It's God."
So just what exactly was it that inspired these men to expend some of the most valuable seconds of speechifying airtime they'll ever know, to tip their hats to Wilder? And can we bottle it?
Born in a region of Austria/Hungary that is now part of Poland, Wilder's story feels like an archetype of...
So just what exactly was it that inspired these men to expend some of the most valuable seconds of speechifying airtime they'll ever know, to tip their hats to Wilder? And can we bottle it?
Born in a region of Austria/Hungary that is now part of Poland, Wilder's story feels like an archetype of...
- 3/27/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
Cashing in on the overnight sensation that is New York Knicks rising star Jeremy Lin, Ben & Jerry's unveiled it's new limited edition "Taste the Lin-Sanity" ice cream.
But, oops, the brand had to quickly pull a batch being sold at the ice cream purveyor's Harvard Square location in Cambridge, Mass., because of complaints about the pieces of fortune cookie included in the recipe.
"Is there a compelling reason to draw a connection between Lin and fortune cookies, takeout boxes or similar imagery?" asks the Asian American Journalists Association in a new advisory. "In the majority of news coverage, the answer will be no."
The fortune cookie has since been replaced with waffle cookies, according to Gothamist.
Vanilla frozen yogurt, lychee honey swirls and waffle cookies? Sounds like a winner. Unfortunately, Lin-sanity (the ice cream) is only available at the Harvard Square location.
But, oops, the brand had to quickly pull a batch being sold at the ice cream purveyor's Harvard Square location in Cambridge, Mass., because of complaints about the pieces of fortune cookie included in the recipe.
"Is there a compelling reason to draw a connection between Lin and fortune cookies, takeout boxes or similar imagery?" asks the Asian American Journalists Association in a new advisory. "In the majority of news coverage, the answer will be no."
The fortune cookie has since been replaced with waffle cookies, according to Gothamist.
Vanilla frozen yogurt, lychee honey swirls and waffle cookies? Sounds like a winner. Unfortunately, Lin-sanity (the ice cream) is only available at the Harvard Square location.
- 2/25/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
In a discussion about the allegedly racially insensitive media incidents involving Jeremy Lin on CNN's Reliable Sources, Jeremy Lin on CNN's Reliable Sources, Vanity Fair/Daily Beast columnist Buzz Bissinger said he wasn't offended by much of it. "'Chink in the armor' is definitely offensive," Bissinger observed. "I will not say what the penalty should or should not be. It's hard to believe it got in but Espn does this all the time. They do offensive things and then try to backtrack. I think some of the other stuff, frankly, is not that big a deal. The fortune cookie thing didn't bother me...I don't think -- I don't think it rises to the level of calling him a gook or a kike. People are having fun with it."...
- 2/19/2012
- by James Crugnale
- Mediaite - TV
To prove that lightning seldom strikes in the same place twice, we take a look at ten romantic and bromantic movie pairings that failed to work a second time...
We all know and recognise the thought process behind many studios’ decisions to re-cast actors opposite one another after a successful first film together. Whenever a lot is made of two actors’ supposed chemistry alongside one another, the standards are set unusually high for a repeat performance.
One of things that makes that elusive on-screen chemistry so hard to define is that it has often proven so difficult to replicate. Here are ten pairings that have fallen into the ever-expanding trap of diminishing returns. Oh, and if you care to celebrate it with much gusto, happy Valentine’s Day to you all. I shall be celebrating it with a bucket of KFC – not that I’m bitter or anything...
Tom Hanks...
We all know and recognise the thought process behind many studios’ decisions to re-cast actors opposite one another after a successful first film together. Whenever a lot is made of two actors’ supposed chemistry alongside one another, the standards are set unusually high for a repeat performance.
One of things that makes that elusive on-screen chemistry so hard to define is that it has often proven so difficult to replicate. Here are ten pairings that have fallen into the ever-expanding trap of diminishing returns. Oh, and if you care to celebrate it with much gusto, happy Valentine’s Day to you all. I shall be celebrating it with a bucket of KFC – not that I’m bitter or anything...
Tom Hanks...
- 2/13/2012
- Den of Geek
Let’s get funny.
On Monday, August 22, join John Landis for the trailer to Lord Love a Duck.
George Axelrod’s unclassifiable satire is one of the oddest Hollywood movies, which over the years has engendered passionate support and derision. For some it’s an incisively bizarre portrait of sixties America, for others it’s a sloppily made, undisciplined mess (with more boom mikes visible in full frame than even Play It Again Sam). However, nothing can dim the luster of the incredibly perverse scene where Tuesday Weld’s horny dad (Max Showalter) practically ejaculates while watching his sexy daughter try on sweaters.
On Wednesday, August 24, join Josh Olson for the trailer to Bedazzled.
The New Yorker called Stanley Donen’s Python-esque take on the Faust story “the intellectual’s Hellzapoppin’”. Of course that was back when people were actually familiar with Olson & Johnson’s brilliantly Brechtian, now sadly obscure comedy.
On Monday, August 22, join John Landis for the trailer to Lord Love a Duck.
George Axelrod’s unclassifiable satire is one of the oddest Hollywood movies, which over the years has engendered passionate support and derision. For some it’s an incisively bizarre portrait of sixties America, for others it’s a sloppily made, undisciplined mess (with more boom mikes visible in full frame than even Play It Again Sam). However, nothing can dim the luster of the incredibly perverse scene where Tuesday Weld’s horny dad (Max Showalter) practically ejaculates while watching his sexy daughter try on sweaters.
On Wednesday, August 24, join Josh Olson for the trailer to Bedazzled.
The New Yorker called Stanley Donen’s Python-esque take on the Faust story “the intellectual’s Hellzapoppin’”. Of course that was back when people were actually familiar with Olson & Johnson’s brilliantly Brechtian, now sadly obscure comedy.
- 8/22/2011
- by Danny
- Trailers from Hell
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