News

Philip J. Smith, who as the longtime chairman of Broadway’s Shubert Organization was one of the most influential and powerful forces in American theater, died today in New York City of complications of Covid-19. He was 89.

Smith’s death was confirmed by daughters Linda Phillips and Jennifer Stein. Smith retired from his position as chairman and co-ceo in June and had most recently held the title of Chairman Emeritus.

“We have lost a giant of the American Theatre and a most beloved member of our Shubert Organization family,” said Robert E. Wankel, who succeeded Smith as the chairman and CEO. “Over his 63-year career, Phil Smith influenced every aspect of the professional theatre and earned the respect and admiration of everyone from the stage doormen to the greatest performers and creative talents of our time. He was devoted to his work, his friends, his colleagues and above all, his family.

Happy (almost) May Day, readers! A new month brings us new home media releases, and we have another great batch of titles to look forward to this week. For all you movie monster fans out there, Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell hits both Blu-ray and DVD, and Universal has assembled Tremors: The Complete Collection on DVD as well. Cult film fans are going to want to pick up the new HD releases of Blood Hook and Terror, and for those of you who missed it in theaters earlier this year, Winchester comes home to haunt your shelves this Tuesday.

Other releases for May 1st include Desolation, Stephanie, Caught, Followers, The Ballerina, Trailer Park Shark, The Unwilling, and Kaleidoscope.

Blood Hook

7 years ago, Peter's grandfather went missing under mysterious circumstances. Now, Peter and his friends have returned to the placid Wisconsin town to check out his inherited lake house and...

Pineapple Dance Studios was last year’s smash hit. Lifting the lid on life at the iconic London location, the fly-on-the-wall series racked up the column inches and became the talk of telly land. No one was immune to its charms, including the critics – The Guardian said: “It’s the cleverest thing on TV by a front pike somersault and forward jazz-roll.” Plus, a star was born in the form of Louie Spence, a pint-sized diva with a wicked wit and a penchant for flashing the flesh.

This year Sky 1 has set its sights higher for this eagerly anticipated follow-up which will feature stunning Busby Berkeley style dance break-outs. Showbusiness will see Louie undertake a mission to put together a revue show in the West End. Having hired a production office and theatre space, the prima donna must now cast his entertainment extravaganza with performers who have the ability to make jaws hit the floor.

Details of Pineapple Dance Studios Christmas specials on Sky1 have been confirmed The hit fly-on-the-wall series, which features Louie Spence and Andrew Stone, will return for three specials over the festival period. In the first show, viewers will see Spence preparing for his upcoming role in panto, Stone writing a festive single for charity and Tricia Walsh-Smith's divorcees' guide to Christmas. The second special, titled The Meaning of Christmas, will be a 30-minute "personal voyage" as Stone attempts to discover the true meaning behind the festive celebrations. The dancer (more)...

Louie Spence has admitted that he is nervous about filming the Pineapple Dance Studios finale. The artistic director is hosting a concert at the O2 this Friday, which will feature in the last episode of the Sky1 reality show. Featuring fellow stars from the fly-on-the-wall series Andrew Stone, his band Starman and Tricia Walsh-Smith, it has been billed as the "campest show on Earth". Speaking about the event, Spence wrote on his official blog: "So here I am, Wednesday morning. I'm off to go and do (more)...

A Hissy socialite catfight has broken out between infamous "Wife from Hell" Tricia Walsh-Smith and designer Zibby Tozer, wife of venture capitalist Jim Tozer, over an insulting, backbiting e-mail.

It all started when Walsh-Smith, 52 who last year blasted her Broadway-producer husband, Philip Smith, 77, in a series of humiliating YouTube ramblings about their sexless marriage and his collection of porn videos alerted Tozer to check out her new YouTube music video in which she sings, "I was just a trophy wife, nothing but arm candy!"

"Very interesting. You have done a lot of work," Tozer complimented Walsh-Smith in an e-mail.

Heather Mills, move over. An actress in the middle of a nasty breakup with her Broadway mogul husband is not only taking her case to court but to the entire audience of YouTube in what is considered a first. In her six-minute video (which as of Wednesday morning had received more than 287,000 hits), British actress and playwright Tricia Walsh-Smith lashes out at husband Phil Smith, president of the Shubert Organization, the largest theater owner on Broadway – and the man who now wants her out of his life.On camera in the Park Avenue apartment from which she says she is being forcibly evicted by him,...