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In one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's most infamous episodes, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) was romanced by a ghostly alien. Crusher served as Chief Medical Officer aboard the USS Enterprise-d, and her medical knowledge and profound sense of compassion made her an excellent doctor. She was close personal friends with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and, although the two colleagues had feelings for one another, they never allowed themselves to truly give into them. Other than Jean-Luc, Beverly only had a few romantic partners on Tng, including her ghostly lover.

Although Star Trek: The Next Generation was progressive in many ways, the show's female characters often had fewer and weaker storylines than their male counterparts. Many of the stories that featured Dr. Crusher or Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) also involved romance storylines. While some of these romantic partners were perfectly fine, others were revealed to be...

In the eyes of Trekkies, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" may be the greatest TV series of all time. No other show -- not "The Sopranos," not "M*A*S*H," not "Manimal" -- has come close to the high quality and rich premise of the adventures of the Enterprise-d in the 24th century. Famously, creator Gene Roddenberry took core concepts from his 1966 "Star Trek" series and enhanced them for "The Next Generation," creating an even more aggressively utopian world that was even more forthright about its anticapitalist, anticolonialist intentions. He even instigated a rule among the show's writers that no two characters were allowed to bicker, and no stories could stem from interpersonal conflicts. In Roddenberry's vision, everyone got along at all times.

Writers, naturally hated this idea, as they felt conflict is the best way to create drama. For the first two seasons, Roddenberry, writers, and lawyers all butted heads over the series.

Fans of thrash metal, folk rock, punk, and hill country blues will be able to find common ground this month in helping to fund support for people with cancer. The Ten Bands One Cause initiative, now in its 10th year, will release records by Anthrax, Lissie, R.L. Burnside, Face to Face, the Gaslight Anthem, and others, pressed on pink vinyl in October and November. One release, a reissue of the Wedding Singer soundtrack, features many more than 10 bands, including the Police, Billy Idol, New Order, and Ellen Dow (the...

Warning: Spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 4 - "No Win Scenario"Star Trek: Picard season 3 has put the spotlight back on the family of Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), a family that's been crucial to the franchise since the earliest days of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Beverly and her kin have been important players in the life of Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) for years before the events of Tng. Beverly and Jean-Luc would eventually form one of the strongest bonds over Tng's seven seasons and four feature films.

Conspicuously absent from the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard, Beverly Crusher made her long awaited return in the very first moments of season 3's debut episode "The Next Generation." In the same episode, it's revealed Beverly's former shipmates from the USS Enterprise-d have not had any contact with her for decades, a mystery that haunts them, especially Picard.

Ellen Albertini Dow, a lifetime theater actress with a number of memorable TV and film roles, died Monday. She was 101. Ellen Albertini Dow Dies Dow’s death was confirmed by her agent Michael Greene to Deadline. Dow is best known for playing Rosie in The Wedding Singer, Adam Sandler‘s piano teacher who feeds him meatballs and ends […]

The post Ellen Albertini Dow, ‘Wedding Singer’ & ‘Wedding Crashers’ Actress, Dies At 101 appeared first on uInterview.

Ellen Albertini Dow, best known for playing the rapping grandmother in Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore romantic comedy “The Wedding Singer,” has died at the age of 101, TheWrap has learned. Dow’s manager Juliet Green confirmed the news. Dow made her feature film debut in “American Drive-In” in 1985, when she was already 72 years old, and she’s remained a prolific actress since. Also Read: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2015 (Photos) Her memorable film roles include Disco Dottie in “54,” lewdly homophobic grandmother Mary Cleary in “Wedding Crashers” and of course Rosie, the rapping granny who stole “The Wedding Singer” with a rousing rendition of “Rapper’s.

Ellen Albertini Dow, a multi-faceted performer and acting coach perhaps best known for spitting a fire rendition of "Rapper's Delight" in Adam Sandler's The Wedding Singer, died Monday, May 4th, Deadline reports. She was 101.

Along with her scene-stealing turn as The Wedding Singer's rapping granny (not to be confused with the actual Rappin' Granny, Vivian Smallwood), Dow has appeared in countless films and TV shows, despite beginning her on-screen career as a septuagenarian.

Dow's film credits included parts in Sister Act, Patch Adams and 54, while her feisty demeanor...

Some sad news this morning, we have learned that Ellen Albertini Dow, who appeared in more than 100 shows and movies, died yesterday at 101 years old reports Deadline. She’s probably best known for her role as the rapping granny in Adam Sandler‘s The Wedding Singer.

Albertini Dow studied acting with Michael Shurtleff and Uta Hagen in NYC, worked with mimes Marcel Marceau and Jacques LeCog in Paris and played the Borscht Belt as part of a comedy act before moving west to teach in the drama department at Los Angeles City College. The Pennsylvania native later transferred to Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley, where her husband Eugene Dow launched the theater department where they both taught. Albertini Dow retired from teaching in 1985 and went on to study acting at the American Film Institute.

She will be missed. Drop a beat, Ellen:...

The actress who provided one of the most memorable scenes from one of Adam Sandler.s best films has sadly passed away. Ellen Albertini Dow, perhaps best known as The Rapping Granny in The Wedding Singer, died on Monday at the amazing age of 101, capping off one of the most unique careers in the biz. Most fans simply knew Ellen Albertini Dow for that memorable role as the jovial geriatric, Rosie who, in 1998.s The Wedding Singer took the stage and rolled through rhymes with her rendition of The Sugarhill Gang.s seminal hit, "Rapper.s Delight." However, reported details of her career truly showed one of the most unique paths to Hollywood, possibly ever. Hailing from Pennsylvania, Albertini Dow, born November 16, 1913, began her career studying acting in New York and Paris before moving to Los Angeles to teach drama. She would eventually end up at Pierce College teaching drama,...

Veteran actress Ellen Albertini Dow has died at the age of 101.

Dow was perhaps best known for her scene-stealing moment in Adam Sandler's The Wedding Singer, in which she performed The Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight'.

Her longtime agent Juliet Green confirmed Dow's passing on Monday (May 4) to Deadline.

Dow did not begin her movie career until she was in her 70s, having previously studied acting in New York and working with mimes Marcel Marceau and Jacques LeCog in Paris.

She later went on to teach drama at Los Angeles City College, before moving to Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley and teaching theatre with her husband Eugene.

Her first role was in the 1986 version of The Twilight Zone, and soon landed parts in various films and TV shows, including My Blue Heaven, Sister Act, Moonlighting, The Golden Girls, The Wonder Years and Seinfeld.

Her most memorable role...

Ellen Albertini Dow, the scene-stealing actress who blossomed on both the big and small screens late in life and gave a memorable rapping performance in "The Wedding Singer," has died. She was 101.

Albertini Dow's incredible life began in Pennsylvania in 1913, and she studied acting and mime alongside industry legends including Martha Graham and Marcel Marceau. She and her husband, Eugene Dow, started the theater program at Pierce College in California, where she taught until she retired in 1985.

But Albertini Dow didn't stop there. She started taking acting classes at the American Film Institute and began a career in her 70s, scoring roles in television series including the 1980s reboot of "The Twilight Zone." She went on to appear on television numerous times throughout the next few decades of her life, including guest spots on series such as "Moonlighting," "Murphy Brown," "The Golden Girls," "The Wonder Years," "Star Trek: The Next Generation,...

Ellen Albertini Dow, the actress best known for her role as the rapping granny in 1998's The Wedding Singer, passed away on Monday at the age of 101, her agent confirmed to Deadline. Ellen's hilarious rendition of "Rapper's Delight" was featured on the movie's soundtrack, made the Billboard Top 5, and went double platinum. But while she seemed like a seasoned pro, Ellen actually didn't start acting until the 1980s, when she was in her 70s. Despite her late start, she experienced an expansive career that included roles in The Twilight Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Wonder Girls, The Golden Girls, Wedding Crashers, and Sister Act. Ellen most recently voiced a character on Family Guy and was last seen on screen in 2013 in New Girl. Watch a clip from her memorable performance of the Sugarhill Gang song below.

Ellen Albertini Dow passed away on Monday at age 101, Deadline reports. The actress, who appeared in everything from Sister Act to Family Guy, will likely be best remembered as the "rapping granny" from The Wedding Singer, famous for a scene in which she raps the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight." She also appeared in Wedding Crashers as the foulmouthed homophobic grandma who made everyone extremely uncomfortable at dinner. Dow most recently guest-starred on New Girl in 2013. Here she is, in all her Og glory, getting down to "Rapper's Delight":...

Ellen Albertini Dow, whose take on "Rapper's Delight" made The Wedding Singer an instant classic, died Monday per Deadline. She was 101. Prior to making it big in Hollywood, Dow studied acting in New York City, worked with mimes and even had a role in a comedy act before moving to the West Coast to teach in the drama department at Los Angeles City College. The Pennsylvania native later transferred to Pierce College where she would go on to meet her husband Eugene Dow. She landed a role in The Twilight Zone during the 1980s and her acting career launched from there. She also appeared in big screen films such as Sister Act and My Blue Heaven and also worked on the small screen. Her TV credits include The...

Ellen Albertini Dow -- who famously performed "Rapper's Delight" in the Adam Sandler movie "The Wedding Singer" passed away Monday. She was 101.  Dow's longtime agent confirmed her passing to Deadline. She most recently appeared on "Family Guy" ... and "New Girl" in 2013 -- when she was 99! Ellen's other famous TV roles were on "Seinfeld," "My Name Is Earl," "Scrubs," "Six Feet Under" and "The Golden Girls." She also played Grandma Cleary in "Wedding Crashers" and was...

Rest in peace, rapping granny! Fans of 1998's Adam Sandler classic The Wedding Singer may not recognize the name Ellen Albertini Dow, but they'll surely smile when seeing her face. After all, the actress played the hilarious granny who delivered a spot-on rap to The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper’s Delight" in the film with Sandler and Drew Barrymore. She was 101 years old. Dow, whose acting career didn’t begin until she was in her 70s, died Monday, May 4, her agent confirmed to Deadline. Honing her acting [...]...

Ellen Albertini Dow, whose memorable take on “Rapper’s Delight” stole the show in the 1998 Adam Sandler movie The Wedding Singer — and whose screen career started in her 70s — died today. She was 101. Her longtime manager Juliet Green confirmed the actress’ death to Deadline but offered no details. Albertini Dow studied acting with Michael Shurtleff and Uta Hagen in NYC, worked with mimes Marcel Marceau and Jacques LeCog in Paris and played the Borscht Belt as part of a…...

Ellen Albertini Dow, whose memorable take on “Rapper’s Delight” stole the show in the 1998 Adam Sandler movie The Wedding Singer — and whose screen career started in her 70s — died today. She was 101. Her longtime manager Juliet Green confirmed the actress’ death to Deadline but offered no details. Albertini Dow studied acting with Michael Shurtleff and Uta Hagen in NYC, worked with mimes Marcel Marceau and Jacques LeCog in Paris and played the Borscht Belt as part of a…...

As I compiled this list of musical scenes written or improvised by the actors who performed them, I quickly realized that I could never cover everything. The amount of music written by the actors in Christopher Guest films alone would more than double the size of this article. So I tried to limit myself to scenes and movies that I'd be able to give some fun insight on.

I literally got goosebumps rewatching some of these musical scenes. I hope you're inspired to give some of these movies a whirl in the DVD/Blu-ray player afterwards with a new sense of appreciation for the work that went into these musical moments.

Written By:

The Return of The King (2003) - "The Edge of Night"

Though the lyrics are straight out of the J.R.R Tolkien novel, the tune for "The Edge of Night" was written by actor Billy Boyd. After...

We start the Top 7. You finish the Top 10.

Beginning with this trailer back in February, I’ve hated the marketing for The Internship. It looks like an unfunny Google ad that hopes everybody still really likes the Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson pairing. To be fair, this film does have an appealing cast on paper. I like Vaughn and Wilson, and there’s a funny film to be made with them, John Goodman, Rose Byrne, Josh Gad, Aasif Mandvi, and the rest. I’m just not feeling good about this being it.

Still, maybe The Internship will be much better than the trailers and TV spots have made it seem. That’s something we can find out this weekend. Right now I want to stop with the speculation and instead look back on some of my favorite recent comedies and their awesome casts. I stuck to films whose main goal is...

It’s official: Jess is a goner. Last week, Nick’s sudden embrace of responsibility led to a sudden embrace between Jess and him. This week, the unexpected death of Nick’s father Walt proved Nick is not only responsible but endearingly vulnerable and emotionally deep in way we’ve thus far only suspected. There’s no way Jess will not find him irresistible. I fear this story between the roomfriends can only end in heartbreak, despite the fact their friendship finally overcame the awkward, post-kiss phase and grew in strength. Where and when things will go pear-shaped… the jury’s still out on that,...

NBC's "Dracula" has found its Van Helsing in Thomas Kretschmann, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The "Wanted" alum will play opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers' titular character. THR reports that in NBC's take on the Dracula legend, Kretschmann's Abraham Van Helsing is a professor whose secret obsession with power could pose a danger not only to Dracula, but to Londoners at large.

The 10-episode drama series has also added Oliver Jackson-Cohen to its cast as Jonathan Harker, "a tenacious and slightly gauche journalist desperate to climb the ranks of aristocracy."

NBC's upcoming series is set in London, where Dracula is pretending to be American entrepreneur Alan Grayson and secretly hopes to get revenge on those who ruined his life centuries earlier. When he sees Mina Murray (Jessica De Gouw), who appears to be the reincarnation of his dead wife, he falls for her and things could change.

In more casting...

By now you've probably heard -- Maude-Golden Girl Bea Arthur passed away over the weekend at the age of 86. In honor of the great actress and comedian, EW called up old co-star Rue McClanahan for her thoughts. During the discussion, she said: "And she [Arthur] told some pretty raunchy jokes, live on stage. In fact, a couple that were just a bit too much for me! [Laughs.] But boy she could tell a dirty joke. Oh my God, she was funny!"

This is what makes her passing right now all the more unfortunate -- one of the greats has left us just as the dirtiness of the silver set, particularly the Golden Girls themselves, dips into a Renaissance already mourning the loss of Estelle Getty. Lenora Claire recently brought us the wonder of Golden Gals Gone Wild. Meanwhile, Betty White jumped from her woman-without-morals role on Boston Legal to the dirty...

By now you've probably heard -- Maude-Golden Girl Bea Arthur passed away over the weekend at the age of 86. In honor of the great actress and comedian, EW called up old co-star Rue McClanahan for her thoughts. During the discussion, she said: "And she [Arthur] told some pretty raunchy jokes, live on stage. In fact, a couple that were just a bit too much for me! [Laughs.] But boy she could tell a dirty joke. Oh my God, she was funny!"

This is what makes her passing right now all the more unfortunate -- one of the greats has left us just as the dirtiness of the silver set, particularly the Golden Girls themselves, dips into a Renaissance already mourning the loss of Estelle Getty. Lenora Claire recently brought us the wonder of Golden Gals Gone Wild. Meanwhile, Betty White jumped from her woman-without-morals role on Boston Legal to the dirty...