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In 1989, Steven Spielberg was trying really hard to get into the animation game. He had served as executive producer on films like Don Bluth's "An American Tail" and Robert Zemeckis' "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," steering both of them to great success. He also founded his own animation studio, Amblimation, that year, hoping to continue his track record of making striking, original, and successful animated features. By 1989, though, Spielberg and Bluth had suffered a falling out, and new projects didn't come easily. As a result, Amblimation only ever made three features: "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West," "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story," and "Balto."

Spielberg has better success on television, overseeing a new wave of animated shows that ushered in a new generation of entertainment. 1990 saw the debut of "Tiny Toon Adventures," a fourth-wall-breaking comedy series featuring a new collection of "kid" counterparts to well-known Warner Bros. characters. That show...

We lost some entertainment giants in 2024.

Among the big-screen legends who died during the past 12 months were Donald Sutherland, James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, Carl Weathers, Shelley Duvall, Dabney Coleman, Teri Garr, Louis Gossett Jr., Anouk Aimée, Marisa Paredes and Gena Rowlands.

Related: Saying Goodbye: A Video Tribute To The Hollywood And Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2024

The TV world mourns the likes of Bob Newhart, John Amos, Phil Donahue, Linda Lavin, David Soul, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Martin Mull, Shannen Doherty, Michael Cole, Richard Lewis, Richard Simmons, James B. Sikking, Peter Marshall and Joe Flaherty.

Filmmakers and producers who left us include Norman Jewison, Roger Corman, Al Ruddy, Jon Landau, Lynda Obst, Jim Abrahams, Charles Shyer, Irv Wilson and Paolo Taviani.

The industry also paid tribute to such top executives as Charles Dolan, Paula Weinstein, Jamie Kellner, Richard Parsons, Gerald Levin and Paul Fox.

Broadway’s lights were a...

The Oscars will continue their long-running tradition of honoring celebrated filmmakers with their "In Memoriam" segment on Sunday. ABC will broadcast the event hosted by Conan O'Brien with Hulu streaming the ceremony live at 7 p.m. Et; 4 p.m. Pt.

Among the Oscar winners and nominees who will have their lives celebrated are Teri Garr, Louis Gossett Jr., James Earl Jones, Jon Landau, David Lynch, Joan Plowright, Gena Rowlands, Albert S. Ruddy, David Seidler, Richard M. Sherman, Maggie Smith, Robert Towne, and honorary recipients Roger Corman, Quincy Jones, and Donald Sutherland.

There are more than 100 movie professionals who died since the last Academy Awards ceremony. Each person who was an Academy member is designated below with **. Keep in mind that producers usually choose between 40 and 50 for the segment and that a performer has not yet been confirmed.

Edited to add two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman.

Jim Abrahams — Director/Writer

Anouk Aimée...

One of the most emotional segments of the annual SAG Awards ceremony is the “In Memoriam.” Netflix will live stream the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday with host Kristen Bell.

Among the Oscar winners and nominees who will have their lives celebrated are Teri Garr, Louis Gossett, Jr., James Earl Jones, David Lynch, Joan Plowright, Gena Rowlands, Maggie Smith, and honorary recipient Donald Sutherland. Some of the past Primetime Emmy winners and nominees include John Amos, Dabney Coleman, Shelley Duvall, Linda Lavin, Martin Mull, Bob Newhart, and Alan Rachins,

Seesag Life Achievement award: Full gallery of recipients since 1995

There are more than 100 actors and actresses who died since the last SAG Awards ceremony:

Marla Adams

Anouk Aimée

Jean Allison

John Amos

Erich Anderson

John Aprea

Niels Arestrup

Erica Ash

John Ashton

Susan Backlinie

Barbara Baldavin

Bobby Banas

Terrence Beasor

Joan Benedict

Meg Bennett

Robyn Bernard

Mark Blankfield

Tom Bower...

On January 15, 1981, NBC premiered the police drama Hill Street Blues, which went on to air for seven seasons and collect 26 Emmy Awards wins during its run. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review of the show’s early episodes is below:

Wouldn’t it be ironic if Hill Street Blues lost the cutting edge that prompted the critics to rave and the Emmys to flow — and the ratings picked up? Now ensconced in a Thursday night position opposite 20/20 on ABC and movies on CBS, the second season debut of Hill Street, directed by supervising producer Greg Hoblit, still has the qualities and quality that made critics wax effusive, and which apparently turned a lot of viewers off.

For first-time viewers, the carnival of characters which gives the series its richness for addicts such as this viewer, may seem initially confusing. The structure is still the bits-and-pieces-flow-of-events unfolding over the course...

The land of soaps continues to mourn many great daytime drama stars who passed away in 2024. As fans reflect on the past year, the highs and lows, we take this opportunity to pay tribute to some of the incredible actors and actresses we have lost this year.

In Memoriam – Soap Stars We Lost At The Beginning Of 2024

Bridget Dobson, the co-creator of Santa Barbara, and also once a head writer for General Hospital (Gh), As the World Turns (Atwt), and Guiding Light (Gl), passed away in January 2024 at the age of 85.

Meanwhile, Days of Our Lives (Dool) legend, Bill Hayes, who played Doug Williams on the show passed away on January 12. Alec Musser, who was on All My Children (AMC) playing Del Henry (as well as other movie roles) passed away on January 12 as well, when he took his life at the age of 50.

As January went on, David Gail,...

Lee Van Cleef was truly one of the greatest stars of his era, with a filmography that included some of the best Western movies of all time. With over 170 film and television roles, Van Cleef was particularly known for his leading and supporting roles in acclaimed spaghetti Westerns and his performances opposite stars like Gary Cooper, John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood. With a talent for playing no-nonsense tough guy bandits, Van Cleef had a sinister screen presence that made him a truly compelling villain.

From Western team-ups with iconic stars to truly spectacular Western sequels, Van Cleefs time in the cinematic Wild West was well spent. While some of Van Cleefs best Westerns featured him as the lead, he often also took a backseat to play highly memorable supporting characters who helped elevate these movies to now legendary status. A true icon of the Western genre, Van Cleef should be...

NBC’s newest sitcom, St. Denis Medical, is still about a week away from its two-episode premiere, but if you’ve been watching literally any programming on the network, you’ve already been barraged with commercials that may have put you in the mood for a comedy that revolves around sick people and the professionals who look after them. While you kill time in the waiting room, here’s a selection of the best medical sitcoms you can stream instead. Doing so in a paper gown is optional.

[subtitle]1Childrens Hospital and Medical Police (Tied) [/subtitle]

Grey’s Anatomy was one of TV’s buzziest dramas when ex-Daily Show correspondent Rob Corddry created Childrens Hospital, a broad spoof of shows in which sexy young doctors work out their interpersonal issues while barely paying attention to their patients. Corddry stars as Dr. Blake Downs, who is clearly aiming for a Patch Adams-esque...

Producers for the 76th annual Emmy Awards have been editing the special “In Memoriam” segment to be featured on Sunday’s ABC ceremony. Since the most recent ceremony was delayed until mid-January, there are only eight months of TV legends who have died instead of the typical 12 months.

We have assembled a list of people below who might be selected. Members of the academy’s TV Hall of Fame are host and producer Phil Donahue, anchor and journalist Robert MacNeil, lighting designer Bill Klages and actor and comedian Bob Newhart. Some of the previous Emmy winners and nominees include previous academy president Leo Chaloukian, actor Bill Cobbs, actor Dabney Coleman, actress Shelley Duvall, actor and writer Joe Flaherty, director Jerry Foley, actor Louis Gossett Jr., actor Bill Hayes, actor James Earl Jones, host Peter Marshall, actor and comedian Martin Mull, actress Gena Rowlands, actor James B. Sikking, actor Donald Sutherland and actor Carl Weathers.

Sci-fi Westerns can be a hit or miss, with Outland standing out despite plot holes and similarities to High Noon. Sean Connery shines in the role of Marshall O'Niel, embodying the lone hero archetype in a space setting. While Outland has gained a cult following, it faces criticism for plot holes and questionable science, challenging its appeal.

The mashing up of movie genres can be a viewer's delight or an awful concoction, like oil and water. Both the sci-fi and Western genres have a dedicated fanbase that usually is pretty protective and quick to point out faults that go against the grain in a way that takes away from the genre. This is the reason why sci-fi Westerns have always been tricky to nail; for every Mad Max: Fury Road, a Wild Wild West is waiting to offset fans' opinions of this particular mash-up.

Released in 1981, Outland, starring Sean Connery,...

Neil Patrick Harris is on a family vacation!

The 51-year-old How I Met Your Father actor and husband David Burtka made their way down to the beach with their 13-year-old twins Harper and Gideon (not pictured) on Wednesday (August 14) in Mykonos, Greece.

Neil showed of his magic-themed rabbit in a top hat tattoo he has on his arm as he went shirtless while he and David, 49, went for a swim in the sea.

Earlier this summer, Neil and David joined tons of other stars at the Nemacolin’s Summer Solstice Celebration in Pennsylvania.

Last month, Neil penned a touching tribute to James B. Sikking, who played his dad on Doogie Howswer, M.D., after his death.

Click through the gallery inside for more photos of Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka in Mykonos…...

Outland's stunning special effects pushed boundaries and were way ahead of their time in 1981. The production relied heavily on physical constructs, precise lighting, and camera work to create immersive environments on screen. Outland utilized optical compositing techniques to layer elements seamlessly, integrating live-action footage with background plates.

A cult classic sci-fi film from 1981, Outland, leaves VFX artists stunned, with one of them saying "Im trying to comprehend what I just watched." Written and directed by Peter Hyams, the sci-fi thriller follows a federal marshal stationed at a mining colony on Jupiter's moon Io, where he uncovers evidence of corruption and as he attempts to expose those involved, he faces threats on his life from those determined to silence him. Sean Connery leads the cast alongside Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen, James B. Sikking, and Kika Markham.

During the latest episode of Corridor Crew's "VFX Artists React" series, host Wren Weichman...

Neil Patrick Harris is paying tribute to Emmy-nominated actor James B. Sikking, his former Doogie Howser, MD co-star, who died July 13 of complications of dementia at the age of 90.

Sikking played Dr. David Howser, the dad of Harris’ Doogie Howser on the ABC sitcom from 1989 to 1993.

“Jim Sikking played my dad in Doogie Howser, MD, and was one of the kindest, wisest, funniest, and most generous people I’ve ever known,” Harris wrote in a post on Instagram. :A true professional. He treated everyone with respect, taught me countless lessons, yet always had a spark of mischief in his eyes. It was an absolute honor to be his son. My condolences to his actual family for their loss. #Rip“

Sikking earned an Emmy nom in 1984 for playing S.W.A.T. leader Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues during the show’s 1981-1987 run. He also was a regular on Brooklyn South...

James B. Sikking, known for his notable leading roles on Hill Street Blues and Doogie Howser, M.D., has died at the age of 90. The actor’s death was caused by complications related to dementia, according to his publicist Cynthia Snyder (via Variety). He died at home in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 13.

Sikking’s career began in the mid-1950s, when he made his acting debut as an uncredited union sergeant in the film Five Guns West. Over the next three decades, the actor would take on roles on...

According to The Hollywood Reporter, television vet and character actor James B. Sikking was announced by his publicist, Cynthia Snyder, to have passed away this Saturday at his Los Angeles home due to complications with dementia. Sikking was a regular and a frequent collaborator of Steven Bochco shows. The actor is known for portraying the stern Lt. Howard Hunter on the cop series, Hill Street Blues, as well as playing the dad to the titular teenage doctor character played by Neil Patrick Harris on the drama Doogie Howser M.D. Sikking was 90 at the time of his passing.

In addition to being known for television, Sikking can also be seen in a bevy of notable film roles. He played a mocking hitman in the John Boorman film Point Blank (1967). He was also the stuffy Captain Styles who James T. Kirk would defy in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), directed by Leonard Nimoy.

James B. Sikking, the veteran actor best known for playing Lt. Howard Hunter on the hit 1980s television series Hill Street Blues, has died. He was 90. Sikking passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles, California, home due to complications from Dementia on Saturday, July 13, according to his publicist, Cynthia Snyder. “In a remarkable career, Sikking’s wonderfully exciting face gave us drama, comedy, tragedy and hilarious farse. His career spanned over six decades in television, film and on stage,” Snyder said in a statement (per Deadline). “His talent, integrity and imagination intrigued and delighted audiences.” Born on March 5, 1934, in Los Angeles, California, Sikking graduated from UCLA in 1959 and began his on-screen acting career in the 1960s, appearing in episodes of Perry Mason, Combat!, The Outer Limits, The Fugitive, Bonanza, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Hogan’s Heroes, and more. ABC/courtesy Everett Collection He would continue to be a regular on television throughout the 1970s,...

James B. Sikking, the Steven Bochco favorite who portrayed the no-nonsense Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues and the good-hearted doctor dad on Doogie Howser, M.D., has died. He was 90.

Sikking died Saturday at his Los Angeles home of complications from dementia, publicist Cynthia Snyder announced.

Although best known for his TV work, Sikking did have notable turns on the big screen as a mocking hitman in John Boorman’s Point Blank (1967), as the stuffy Captain Styles in Leonard Nimoy‘s Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and as the director of the FBI in Alan J. Pakula’s The Pelican Brief (1993).

After spending the better part of two decades showing up on such shows as The Outer Limits, Honey West, The Fugitive, Hogan’s Heroes and Mannix, Sikking was cast as the pipe-smoking Hunter, leader of the Swat-like Emergency Action Team, on NBC’s Hill Street Blues.

James B. Sikking, known for his roles as Lt. Howard Hunter on “Hill Street Blues” and the titular character’s father on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” has died. He was 90.

Sikking died Saturday of complications from dementia, his publicist Cynthia Synder said in a statement Sunday evening.

“In a remarkable career, Sikking’s wonderfully exciting face gave us drama, comedy, tragedy and hilarious farse,” Snyder shared with Variety. “His career spanned over six decades in television, film and on stage.”

Sikking was widely recognized for his portrayal of Howard Hunter on the police procedural series “Hill Street Blues,” which aired from 1981 to 1987 on NBC. He received an Emmy nomination in 1984 for his performance as the clean-cut, pipe-smoking lieutenant.

After “Hill Street Blues,” Sikking played Dr. David Howser, father of Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris), for all four seasons of the ABC medical sitcom from 1989 to 1993.

He portrayed a police officer again for Steven Bochco,...

Veteran actor James B. Sikking, known for Hill Street Blues and several other roles, has passed away. He was 90 years old.

Per Deadline, Sikking died on Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, California. His passing was attributed to dementia. According to his publicist, Cynthia Snyder, the actor was surrounded by loving family members when he passed.

A statement shared by Snyder reads, In a remarkable career, Sikkings wonderfully exciting face gave us drama, comedy, tragedy and hilarious farse. His career spanned over six decades in television, film and on stage. His talent, integrity and imagination intrigued and delighted audiences.

An L.A. native, Sikking was born on March 5, 1934. He was named after author James Barrie, which Snyder said, "It seemed a perfect choice. There is a bit of Peter Pan in James his sense of imagination appeared whether playing roles on stage or screen. After studying theater at UCLA and serving in the military,...

James B. Sikking, an actor best known for playing Hill Street Blues‘ Swat leader Lt. Howard Hunter and the father of Doogie Howser M.D., died peacefully at his Los Angeles home, of complications from Dementia, on July 13. He was 90.

“In a remarkable career, Sikking’s wonderfully exciting face gave us drama, comedy, tragedy and hilarious farce. His career spanned over six decades in television, film and on stage,” the late actor’s publicist, Cynthia Snyder, said in a statement. “His talent, integrity and imagination intrigued and delighted audiences.”

More from TVLineJacoby Jones, NFL Great and Dancing With the Stars Finalist,...

James B. Sikking, the prolific, Emmy-nominated actor known for his roles on Hill Street Blues and Doogie Howser, M.D., died July 13 of dementia. He was 90.

Sikking died at his Los Angeles home, where his publicist Cynthia Snyder tells Deadline that the actor was surrounded by family in his final moments.

“In a remarkable career, Sikking’s wonderfully exciting face gave us drama, comedy, tragedy and hilarious farse. His career spanned over six decades in television, film and on stage,” said Snyder in a statement, adding: “His talent, integrity and imagination intrigued and delighted audiences.”

Sikking earned an Emmy nom in 1984 for playing the gung-ho S.W.A.T. leader Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues during the show’s full 1981-87 run and co-starred as the title character’s father Dr. David Howser on Doogie Howser, M.D. from 1989-93. He also was a regular on Brooklyn South in 1997-98 appeared on such shows as Rawhide,...

This article contains mentions of suicide.

The Hulu documentary Brats explores the Brat Pack era and its influence on Hollywood. Timothy Hutton, though not a core member, is considered an honorary part of the Brat Pack. The 1980 film Ordinary People, directed by Robert Redford and starring Timothy Hutton, remains critically acclaimed and accessible on streaming platforms.

The 2024 Hulu documentary Brats reminds people of the glory days when the Brat Pack dominated Hollywood, including Timothy Hutton's movie Ordinary People. Some might not consider Hutton a member of the Brat Pack, but a few lists include more people than the group's eight core stars, and Hutton is linked to that bigger ensemble. Plus, Brats features interviews with Hutton and discusses his 1980 drama film Ordinary People, so, it is safe to say that Hutton is at least an honorary Brat.

The main members of the Brat Pack are Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall,...

The irony of Bob Clark's 1983 film "A Christmas Story" was that it was initially intended to be a satire, a wicked deconstruction of the placid, false, Normal Rockwell-ian idyll of 1950s Americana. Christmastime was not a time of peace and ease in "A Christmas Story," but a bitter world of selfishness, childhood greed, bullying, and disappointment. Over the years, "A Christmas Story" grew in estimation to such a degree that it now is run in Holiday-season 24-hour marathons on certain cable TV stations. What was once meant to dismantle nostalgia is now just a new generation's nostalgia.

The film was adapted to a stage musical in 2009, which was, in turn, broadcast on live TV in 2017. Some who pay close attention will also have noted that 2012 saw the release of the straight-to-video "A Christmas Story 2," with actor Braeden Lemasters playing a teenage version of Ralphie, the star of the first film,...

In today’s television landscape, Hill Street Blues would have been lucky to last four episodes. But, on a struggling NBC network in 1981, the show was given time to find its audience. It didn’t — at least, not in its first year. As the show accumulated more and more critical acclaim, though, more viewers found it. Following its first season, Hill Street Blues racked up an astounding 21 Emmy Award nominations, including eight wins. In its second season, it jumped into TV’s Top 30 and lasted another six seasons. James B. Sikking, who played Sgt. Howard Hunter on the show, a few years back spoke to us about the show’s early struggles and how it managed to survive. (Click on the media bar to hear James B. Sikking) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/James_B_Sikking_Hill_street_Blies_.mp3

Hill Street Blues is currently streaming on Hulu.

The...

Michael Callan, the versatile actor who appeared in everything from broad comedies such as Cat Ballou to the original Broadway production of West Side Story to frothy romances like Gidget Goes Hawaiian and virtually every hit TV show of the ’70s and ’80s has died, according to a Deadline source. He was 86.

Callan may be most recognizable for his work as Clay Boone in Cat Ballou opposite Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin, who won an Oscar for his work in the film. In it, Callan plays and accused cattle rustler and the romantic lead opposite Fonda.

Michael Callan and Jane Fonda in ‘Cat Ballou’

On Broadway, Callan played Riff in the original production of West Side Story from 1957-1959. Just 21, the actor auditioned multiple times before landing the role that would put him on Hollywood’s radar.

Michael Callan as Riff in ‘West Side Story’ in 1959

As a result, he...

Hello, everyone! August 23rd is a quiet day for horror and sci-fi home media releases, but that doesn’t mean that this week’s offerings aren’t pretty darn great all the same. Scream Factory has put together a killer Collector’s Edition 4K release for Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers and Kino Lorber has put together reissues of their Blu-ray box sets for seasons one and two of The Outer Limits, which genre fans will definitely want to pick up.

Cheers!

Dog Soldiers: 4K Collector’s Edition

A group of soldiers dispatched to the Scottish Highlands on special training maneuvers face their biggest fears after they run into Captain Ryan – the only survivor of a Special Ops team that was literally torn to pieces. Ryan refuses to disclose his mission even though whoever attacked his men might be hungry for seconds. Help arrives in the form of a...

Throughout Emmy season, IndieWire will be evaluating the top contenders for TV’s most prestigious prize, and it all starts here. At the bottom of this page are IndieWire TV Critic Ben Travers’ predictions for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. This article will be updated throughout the coming months, along with all our predictions, to reflect an up-to-the-minute state of the race. Make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest coverage on the 2020 Emmys, including breaking news, analysis, interviews, podcasts, FYC event coverage, reviews of all the awards contenders, and more. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be given out Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13. The 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will take place at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, September 20. (See our awards calendar for a more detailed breakdown of important dates.) ABC is broadcasting the ceremony.

Last Year’s Winner: Peter Dinklage,...

The Fox building where the late producer Steven Bocho made television magic with such hit shows as Doogie Howser, M.D. and NYPD Blue has been dedicated to his name. It will henceforth be known as the Steven Bochco Building, with a plaque bearing his trademark signature greeting visitors at its entrance.

On hand to celebrate the dedication were a collection of stars that made those shows sizzle, including Dennis Franz and Kim Delaney of NYPD Blue; Jimmy Smits, Corbin Bernsen, Michael Tucker, Jill Eikenberry and Susan Ruttan of L.A. Law; and James Sikking and Belinda Montgomery of Doogie Howser, M.D.

The ceremony was led by Fox Television Group chairman and CEO Gary Newman, who was joined by Bochco’s wife, Dayna. Bochco died last month at age 74 after a struggle with cancer.

In addition to the above shows, 20th Century Fox helped Bochco produce Hill Street Blues,...

On a beautiful sunny Southern California spring day, the Steven Bochco players gathered to see the TV legend, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-bochco-dead-hill-street-blues-la-law-nypd-blue-creator-741199" target="_blank">who died April 1</a>, honored on the 21st Century Fox studio lot. And oh, what a reunion it was: In one corner,<em> NYPD Blue</em> alumni Jimmy Smits, Dennis Franz and Mark-Paul Gosselaar huddled together; in another stood an<em> L.A. Law</em> foursome of Corbin Bernsen, Susan Ruttan, Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry; and across the room was Doogie Howser’s parents (James Sikking and Belinda Montgomery) and his boss Dr. Canfield (Lawrence Pressman).

Sprinkled in the crowd were Kim Delaney, Gordon Clapp, James McDaniel and other ...

Joseph Wambaugh’s breakthrough novel went through a blender to fit George C. Scott into the narrative, but it’s still a great cop show with terrific work from Stacy Keach and Scott Wilson, not to mention Jane Alexander and Rosalind Cash. The pro-cop agenda has a definite tone of personal experience, and the grim finish is anything but feel-good puffery.

The New Centurions

Blu-ray

Twilight Time

1972 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date March 20, 2018 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95

Starring: George C. Scott, Stacy Keach, Jane Alexander, Scott Wilson, Rosalind Cash, Erik Estrada, Clifton James, James Sikking, Isabel Sanford, Carol Speed, William Atherton, Ed Lauter, Dolph Sweet, Stefan Gierasch, Roger E. Mosley, Pepe Serna, Kitten Natividad.

Cinematography: Ralph Woolsey

Film Editor: Robert C. Jones

Production Design: Boris Leven

Original Music: Quincy Jones

Written by Stirling Silliphant, Robert Towne (uncredited) from the book by Joseph Wambaugh

Produced by Robert Chartoff,...

I sure love me some witches. I especially adore the satanic kind, pentagrams, candles, and the whole shmear. Welcome to Bay Coven (1987), where the tropes are oh so familiar yet warm and snuggly like a quilted comforter.

Originally broadcast on Sunday, October 25th, Bay Coven was part of the NBC Sunday Night at the Movies, and was summarily trounced by Game 7 of the World Series as the *checks notes* Minnesotans beat the other ones to win the cup. Or something. Anyhoo, for those who were into horror, especially so close to Halloween, Bay Coven (Aka Bay Cove) was a fun treat; nothing original at all, but merely the next in the hallowed tradition of what I like to call (as of right now) the Killer Hospitality sub-genre: Rosemary’s Baby, Crowhaven Farm, and The Dark Secret of Harvest Home all setting out the chips and dip for what Bay Coven has in store.

James Sikking is best known for playing the pipe-smoking funny man Lieutenant Howard Hunter -- along side Daniel Travanti and Michael Warren -- in the long running '80s drama 'Hill Street Blues.' Guess what he looks like now! Read more...

Welcome to your weekend flashback! In case you blocked it out, The Cop Rock TV show premiered on ABC on Wednesday, September 26, 1990. A police procedural TV series musical drama created by Steven Bochco and William M. Finkelstein, Cop Rock was cancelled by ABC after 11 episodes -- of the 13 ordered -- had been produced. ABC famously gave sponsors free ad time on the experimental hybrid project. The Cop Rock TV series finale, "Bang the Potts Slowly," aired Wednesday, December 26, 1990.The Cop Rock TV series cast includes: Anne Bobby, Barbara Bosson, Ronny Cox, Vondie Curtis-Hall, David Gianopoulos, Larry Joshua, Paul McCrane, James McDaniel, Ron McLarty, Mick Murray, and Peter Onorati. Terri Austin, Dennis Lipscomb, William Thomas, Jr., and Kathleen Wilhoite recurred.Actors from Bochco's other series were featured in crossovers: James B. Sikking from Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law's Jimmy...

Lock your doors! Hulking menace Victor Buono gets the full-on psycho treatment, based (very) roughly on early reports of The Boston Strangler. The 'baby doll' killer also prefigures the fiendish Richard Speck. Burt Topper's film is routine but ex- Baby Jane star Victor Buono's performance is decidedly not. The Strangler DVD-r The Warner Archive Collection 1964 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 89 min. / Street Date November 10, 2015 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Starring Victor Buono, Diane Sayer, Davey Davison, Jeanne Bates, Ellen Corby, Mimi Dillard, Selette Cole, David McLean, Baynes Barron, Michael Ryan, Russ Bender, Wally Campo, Byron Morrow, John Yates, James Sikking, Robert Cranford. Cinematography Jacques R. Marquette Film Editor Robert S. Eisen Original Music Martin Skiles Written by Bill S. Ballinger Produced by Samuel Bischoff, David Diamond Directed by Burt Topper

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

The old-time independent producer Edward Small gravitated to United Artists in the 1950s, while his counterpart...

Late in the DVD commentary for the pilot episode of "Hill Street Blues," actor Joe Spano marvels at the show's impact on the medium. "It's extraordinary," he says, "the repercussions of this 48 minutes of television." The cop drama's co-creator Steven Bochco follows by suggesting, "It's sort of a family tree, and if you look at the branches of the tree, you'll see 25 years of television." Bochco is, if anything, underselling the importance of "Hill Street," which is on the short list of the most influential TV shows ever made. Whether through shared actors, writers, directors or through stylistic and thematic complexity, its DNA can be found in nearly every great drama produced in the 30-plus years since it debuted. The show was only occasionally interested in the legal trials of the criminals in its unnamed fictional city, but the complete series DVD set (it arrives in stores on Tuesday, for...

Brace yourselves. This list of the Top 100 Greatest Gay Movies is probably going to generate some howls of protest thanks to a rather major upset in the rankings. Frankly, one that surprised the hell out of us here at AfterElton.

But before we get to that, an introduction. A few weeks ago we asked AfterElton readers to submit up to ten of their favorite films by write-in vote. We conducted a similar poll several years ago, but a lot has happened culturally since then, and a number of worthy movies of gay interest have been released. We wanted to see how your list of favorites had changed.

We also wanted to expand our list to 100 from the top 50 we had done previously. We figured there were finally enough quality gay films to justify the expansion. And we wanted to break out gay documentaries onto their own list (You'll find the...

Whisper Of The Heart

Stars: Ashley Tisdale, David Gallagher, James Sikking, Youko Honna, Kazuo Takahashi, Takashi Tachibana | Written by Hayao Miyazaki | Directed by Yoshifumi Kondô

Yet another release from the prolific and highly-regarded Studio Ghibli, Whisper of the Heart, originally released in 1995, is written by animation master Hayao Miyazaki and directed by his protégé Yoshifumi Kondo. It tells the tale of a young girl named Suzuku who finds that all the books she chooses in the library have been previously checked out by the same boy. She later meets Seji, an infuriating, yet disarmingly charming, young boy who may or may not be her “friend” from the library, and whose grandfather owns an antique shop. When Seji gets the chance to build violins in Italy it inspires Suzuku to follow her dreams of becoming a writer, and she pens a story about the “Baron”, the cat statue in Seji’s grandfathers shop,...

Outland (Original Release Date: 22 May 1981)

I'm going to do something I haven't done yet and recommend that you not watch Outland at its original speed. Sometimes life gets in the way of these Retro Reviews and I end up having to make compromises. I was dealing with a time crunch this week. I've seen Outland before, so I decided to watch it at 1.5 times its original speed using the Vlc media player. (It's free, it's open source, and it can be yours by clicking here.) It turned a 104 minute movie into a seventy-minute movie. What follows is a review of the seventy minute version.

 

If you look at a plot description on-line, you will probably think to yourself, That sounds like High Noon in space. To quote a western standard often sung by Tex Ritter (Tex recorded the version of the title track you hear in the opening moments of...

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In 1981, Britney Spears and Natalie Portman were born, and NBC, a network known for popularity if not quality ('Diff'rent Strokes', 'CHiPs'), was about to become an awards juggernaut.

NBC's cop drama 'Hill Street Blues' debuted on Jan. 15, 1981. With a huge cast of character actors darting about Capt. Francis Xavier Furillo's Hill Street station, the hour-long drama with a documentary look was an evolutionary leap in broadcast television.

The show might've been a one-season wonder if not for a boatload of Emmy nominations and wins, right from the start (including one for the late, great actor Michael Conrad, whose "Let's be careful out there" became an 80's catchphrase). Cancellation staved off, NBC's Thursday night anchor went on to collect nearly 100 Emmy nods before it ended after 146 episodes on May 12, 1987

"Hill Street' gave perennial police procedural guest stars like Daniel J. Travanti (as Furillo) and...

Michael Davis, writer and director of the Clive Owen action flick Shoot ‘Em Up, has signed on to helm a remake of the 1981 Sean Connery space western Outland. Chad St. John, who scripted the WB drama The Days Before, is on board to write the screenplay. The original, which drew comparisons to High Noon, starred Connery as a marshal on one of Jupiter's moons who is investigating mysterious deaths. He's forced to take on the colony's corporate administrators alone when the rest of the colonists refuse to help. The new take expands the concept, while keeping the original's theme. The story takes place in an orbiting city around the moon, where a cop uncovers a murderous conspiracy endangering the entire city. With a week before his retirement back to Earth, our hero has to choose between walking away with his wife, or taking on a private army with his overachieving ex-partner and wife's former boyfriend.

While many child stars have had serious problems later in life, Neil Patrick Harris has proven to be one of the exceptions. He was thrust into the spotlight at age 16 as the star of his own hit ABC show, Doogie Howser MD. He's received a lot of kidding about his alter-ego but he's always been happy to joke about it himself.

Doogie Howser, MD centers around Douglas "Doogie" Howser, a protege who becomes a doctor at 14 and works as a resident surgeon in Los Angeles. The series stars Harris, Max Casella, Lawrence Pressman, James Sikking, Kathryn Layng, Belinda Montgomery, Lucy Boryer, Markus Redmond, Mitchell Anderson, Lisa Dean Ryan, and Rif Hutton.

Following the end of the series, Harris continued to act on television and also worked in movies and musicals. His second breakout role came in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle . That role led him to being cast in...