News

Jim Abrahams, part of the writing-directing-producing team behind such comedy touchstones as Airplane!, the Naked Gun films, and Police Squad!, died Tuesday at his Santa Monica home. He was 80.

His son, Joseph Abrahams, confirmed the news to our sister site The Hollywood Reporter.

Along with brothers David and Jerry Zucker, Abrahams also was behind laugh-inducing — and often intentionally groan-inducing — comedy films including Top Secret! and the Top Gun spoofs Hot Shots! and Hot Shots! Part Deux. Students of the Mel Brooks School of Anything for a Laugh, the trio paired absurd situations with deadpan lines and fueled Leslie Nielsen’s unlikely rise to leading man after 30 years in the business.

The trio got their big-screen start writing The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977), a series of decidedly un-pc vignettes directed by John Landis that ranged from silly to uproarious to “what the hell?!” and back. Sample: A TV news anchor deadpans from...

This August, Paramount+ is bringing you a lot of entertainment with the highly anticipated streaming release of the biographical film Bob Marley: One Love and a very weird but humorous and heartfelt film Sasquatch Sunset, which follows the daily lives of a Sasquatch family. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Paramount+ this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 10 best films that are coming to Paramount+ in August 2024 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Airplane! (August 1)

Airplane! is a disaster absurdist comedy film written and directed by Jim Abrahams, David, and Jerry Zucker. Based on the 1957 drama film Zero Hour! by Arthur Hailey, Hall Bartlett, and John Champion, the 1980 film follows Ted Striker, a former pilot with a fear of flying as he finds himself in the impossible situation of landing a...

Elderly television viewers in the 1980s and '90s had an amazing Hollywood ally in Dean Hargrove.

The small-screen veteran got his start in the 1960s as a writer for "My Three Sons" and "The Bob Newhart Show" (the unsuccessful precursor to the wildly successful 1970s sitcom of the same name), and received credit for some of the best episodes of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." He wrote on arguably the greatest mystery series to ever air on network TV (we're not arguing if you read that passage and immediately thought "Columbo"), and kept Dennis Weaver employed as a producer on "McCloud."

But his most lasting impact on the medium was his 1985 - 2002 run as the producer of such old-people-go-a-sleuthin' shows as the "Perry Mason" television movies, "Jake and the Fatman," "The Father Dowling Mysteries," "Diagnosis: Murder" and the grandpappy of them all, "Matlock."

Hargrove's genius was turning America's favorite TV...

Few TV shows define the early days of the medium like "Leave it to Beaver." Over six decades after it began airing, the idyllic family sitcom isn't just synonymous with 1950s television, but 1950s America as a whole. While its white picket fence dreams have never been reflective of the real world, the show still functions as a gentle comedic escape from reality for many a classic TV fan.

As one of the oldest culturally significant TV shows still in syndication, it's impossible to watch "Leave It To Beaver" without wondering what became of the cheerful bunch of actors populating its sunny suburban world. Unfortunately, the considerable passage of time means that most of the actors involved in the series have died, but there are still three main actors — all of them former child stars — who are carving out paths for themselves in a post-"Leave it to Beaver" world.

Muppet Babies is one of the rare 1980s animated shows that are not available to stream, and Jim Henson cartoonist Guy Gilchrist is revealing why.

During a recent appearance at L.A. Comic Con, Gilchrist gave some answers as to why the Muppet Babies was not available to stream on any of the digital platforms.

Gilchrist said it comes down to “copyrights and trademarks” as the reason why the show has not been able to get into a streaming service. The cartoonist said in an interview with Dennis Does LA that back in the 80s, there was “camaraderie” between the studios, something that doesn’t exist today amid the big corporate takeovers.

“Besides using the stuff that was in the public domain, like the silent stuff that we used in the dream sequences… Remember, the editing on that was incredibly wonderful. We used a lot of film clips from a lot of different things,...

No matter how good a father is, they’re always going to have faults, quirks, and personality traits that get on our nerves as their children. A dad might be an incredible provider, but that could leave him emotionally unavailable when he gets home from a long day at work. Another dad might be nurturing and tender, but that leaves him bare when it’s time to lay down the hammer and bring some tough love to the family table.

There are no perfect dads, except if you combine all of the best traits of our favorite TV dads into one unrivaled super-dad! Examining fatherhood has always been an iconic part of watching television, with great dads setting the standard for their real-life counterparts all of the time. We’re going to compile all of the most vital parts of being a good dad, and manifest them through a combination...

The disc of the year has finally arrived and it’s 1000 worth the wait. William Cameron Menzies’ flight into schoolboy paranoia now really looks like it ought to hang in the Louvre; the entire show is inspired Modern Art. When Martians conduct a brain-snatching takeover of Middle America little David MacLean must save the day, with an assist from an astronomer buddy and a sexy city nurse. The review is mostly concerned with how the new Ignite release looks and sounds. The rejuvenation of this fantasy masterpiece will turn fans of the 1950s sci-fi boom back into delighted ‘Gee Whiz’ kids.

Invaders from Mars

Blu-ray

Ignite Films

1953 / Color / 1:37 Academy / 81 min. / Street Date September 27, 2022 that was the plan … delivery expected . . . ? / Available from Ignite Films / 55.00

Starring: Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, Jimmy Hunt, Leif Erickson, Hillary Brooke, Morris Ankrum, Max Wagner, William Phipps, Milburn Stone, Janine Perreau, Barbara Billingsley, Peter Brocco, Richard Deacon,...

Editor’s note: Deadline originally posted this tribute on July 26 after Tony Dow’s family erroneously announced his death. The actor died Wednesday in hospice care.

Jerry Mathers is paying tribute to his Leave It to Beaver co-star, remembering Tony Dow as “not only my brother on tv, but in many ways in life as well.”

Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery

“It is with the utmost sadness I learned this morning of my co-star and lifelong friend Tony Dow’s passing,” Mathers wrote on Facebook. “He was not only my brother on tv, but in many ways in life as well. Tony leaves an empty place in my heart that won’t be filled. He was always the kindest, most generous, gentle, loving, sincere, and humble man, that it was my honor and privilege to be able to share memories together with for 65 years.

“Tony was so grateful...

Click here to read the full article.

Tony Dow, the wholesome actor who portrayed “the perfect big brother” Wally Cleaver on the everlasting TV comedy Leave It to Beaver and its 1980s sequel, has died, his reps announced after a tumultuous day for his family. He was 77.

Dow died Wednesday morning with his family at his side at his home in Topanga. A post on his official Facebook page read: “We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey.”

The post continued: “We know that the world is collectively saddened by the loss of this incredible man. He gave so much to us all and was loved by so many. One fan said it best—’It is rare when there is a person who is so universally loved like Tony.

Tony Dow, the actor who personified the role of America’s big brother as the elder sibling Wally Cleaver on the TV classic sitcom Leave It to Beaver, died today. He was 77, and had been battling cancer.

His death comes a day after his passing was mistakenly reported by his management team and his wife.

A statement on his Facebook page now reads:

We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey. We know that the world is collectively saddened by the loss of this incredible man. He gave so much to us all and was loved by so many. One fan said it best—”It is rare when there is a person who is so universally loved like Tony.”

Our heart goes out to Tony’s wife, Lauren, who...

Tony Dow, the actor and director best known for playing the stalwart older brother Wally Cleaver to Jerry Mathers’ Beaver in the iconic series “Leave It to Beaver,” died Wednesday after it was incorrectly announced Tuesday that he had died. He was 77.

“We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey. We know that the world is collectively saddened by the loss of this incredible man,” read the statement on his official Facebook page.

His son Christopher said in the Facebook statement, “Although this is a very sad day, I have comfort and peace that he is in a better place. He was the best Dad anyone could ask for. He was my coach, my mentor, my voice of reason, my best friend, my best man in my wedding, and my hero.

Among TV dads, one name held up as a paragon of parenthood is Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont), who dispensed love and wisdom to Wally (Tony Dow) and Theodore, aka the Beaver, from 1957 to 1963 on the classic sitcom Leave It to Beaver. Here are some of his best qualities from three of tonight’s six gems on Fetv. He’s Teachable In “The Perfect Father” (7/6c), Ward wants the boys and their pals to play at the house. But when he inserts himself into their basketball fun, the kids clear out — and Ward learns that keeping some distance can be a good way to stay close. He Puts the Boys First Ward cancels movie night with wife June (Barbara Billingsley) to help with homework. Somehow he ends up penning “Beaver’s Poem” (7:30/6:30c), which wins a school prize — whoops — but it’s the thought that counts! He’s Consistent...

Tony Dow, the actor who starred as Wally Cleaver on “Leave It to Beaver,” has once again been diagnosed with cancer. Dow’s wife, Lauren Shulkind, broke the news on the actor’s official Facebook page. The specifics of Dow’s cancer diagnoses were not disclosed.

“Dear friends and fans of Tony Dow, I have some very sad news to share with you,” Shulkind wrote on Facebook. “Unfortunately, Tony has once again been diagnosed with cancer. He is approaching this reality so bravely, but it is truly heartbreaking. We want to thank you in advance for your caring thoughts. Our Love, Lauren & Tony.”

Dow starred in the series regular role of Wally Cleaver on “Leave It to Beaver” for all six seasons of the show, which started its run on CBS before moving over to ABC. The show ran for 234 episodes between 1957 and 1963. Dow starred in the series opposite Jerry Mathers...

Most people smile just at the mention of this show … nothing is more healthy than an old fashioned laugh. Zucker, Zucker & Abrahams’ non-stop joke fest finds good fun in movie spoofery without malice, and is populated by a squadron of old pros that once made the originals fly right, no matter how clunky they were. All hail Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack and Peter Graves, the veterans of countless ‘keep a straight face and pretend it’s serious’ groaners. It’s a 40th Anniversary new restoration. Now, finally, do I park in the red zone or the white zone?

Airplane!

Blu-ray

Paramount Presents

1980 / Color / 1.78 widescreen / 87 min. / Street Date July 21, 2020 / 22.99

Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Peter Graves, Lorna Patterson, Stephen Stucker, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Barbara Billingsley, Ethel Merman, James Hong, Maureen McGovern, Kenneth Tobey, Jimmie Walker, Kitten Natividad.

Cinematography: Joseph F. Biroc

Film Editor: Patrick Kennedy

Visual Effects: Robert Blalack,...

Ken Osmond has died.

The beloved actor who was best known as Eddie Haskell on TV's Leave It to Beaver was 76.

Osmond's representative Bonnie Vent provided a statement to Variety from the actor's son Eric:

He was an incredibly kind and wonderful father.

He had his family gathered around him when he passed.

He was loved and will be very missed.

Osmond play the role of smart Eddie on the CBS sitcom Leave it to Beaver and played him for the show’s entire, six-season run.

He went on to reprise the role in a TV movie (Still the Beaver), a sequel series (The New Leave It to Beaver) and even a theatrical film (1997’s Leave It to Beaver), as well as on the TV shows Parker Lewis Can’t Lose and Hi Honey, I’m Home!.

Aside from that iconic role, Osmond had several other TV roles throughout his career.

Ken Osmond, who played obsequious troublemaker Eddie Haskell on TV’s Leave It to Beaver, has died, his manager confirms. Osmond was 76.

“He was an incredibly kind and wonderful father,” his son, Eric, said in a statement. “He had his family gathered around him when he passed. He was loved and will be very missed.”

The impact of his most famous performance can be measured by the fact that, for those of us of a certain age, if someone is described as an “Eddie Haskell”-type, we know exactly what is meant.

Appropriately, tributes poured in from across a broad spectrum. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Osmond “created a memorable character,” and Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach cited Eddie Haskell as one of his “all-time influences.”

The Haskell character was a troublemaking friend of Wally Cleaver (Tony Dow), the older brother of Theodore, aka the Beaver (Jerry Mathers). Hugh Beaumont...

The highway of Classic TV shows is littered with the bodies of young actors who were either discarded by the industry that represented the only life they knew, were taken advantage of by parents who exploited them and stole all their money, or simply couldn’t cope with an existence outside of the cameras. Somehow, though, Jerry Mathers, who on Leave It to Beaver was the one that everything was left to, came through it all completely unscathed. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Jerry, born Gerald Patrick Mathers on June 2, 1948 in Sioux City, Iowa, has actually been acting since the age of two when he was a child model for a department store ad. This was followed by a TV commercial for Pet Milk, and then roles in the feature films This is My Love (1954), Men of the Fighting Lady (1954), The Seven Little Foys...

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.

Actress Jenny Slate is about to step into a pair of iconic tights. The Zootopia actress is lending her voice to Disney Junior’s revival of Muppet Babies as Miss Nanny. Slate will be taking the Miss Nanny torch from iconic Leave it to Beaver matriarch Barbara Billingsley, who voiced the character in the original animated series from the ’80s. Like the original, Miss Nanny will only be seen from the torso down and will be wearing snazzy tights which will change in each…...

No one ever was going to mistake her for June Cleaver (or Barbara Billingsley, for that mater, um, matter). Sonia Manzano — aka Maria, friend, girlfriend, wife and unshakably empathic TV mom to the children of Baby Boomers everywhere, will receive the Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ 43rd annual Daytime Emmys on May 1 in Los Angeles. The award will have to shimmy onto a crowded shelf; Manzano, who retired last sum…...

Hollywood tackles the big issues! This adapted play about an unwanted teen pregnancy is actually quite good, thanks to fine performances by Carol Lynley and Brandon De Wilde, who convince as cherubic high schoolers 'too young to know the score.' And hey, the teen trauma is set to an intense music score by Bernard Herrmann. Blue Denim 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives 1959 / B&W / 2:35 widescreen / 89 min. / Street Date March 16, 2016 / available through Amazon / 19.98 Starring Carol Lynley, Brandon De Wilde, Macdonald Carey, Marsha Hunt, Warren Berlinger, Vaughn Taylor, Roberta Shore, Malcolm Atterbury, Anthony J. Corso, Gregg Martell, William Schallert. Cinematography Leo Tover Film Editor William Reynolds, George Leggewie Original Music Bernard Herrmann Written by Edith Sommer, Philip Dunne from the play by James Leo Herlihy and William Noble Produced by Charles Brackett Directed by Philip Dunne

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Sex education today is erratic, with no established standard, but...

Katharine Hepburn movies. Katharine Hepburn movies: Woman in drag, in love, in danger In case you're suffering from insomnia, you might want to spend your night and early morning watching Turner Classic Movies' "Summer Under the Stars" series. Four-time Best Actress Academy Award winner Katharine Hepburn is TCM's star today, Aug. 7, '15. (See TCM's Katharine Hepburn movie schedule further below.) Whether you find Hepburn's voice as melodious as a singing nightingale or as grating as nails on a chalkboard, you may want to check out the 1933 version of Little Women. Directed by George Cukor, this cozy – and more than a bit schmaltzy – version of Louisa May Alcott's novel was a major box office success, helping to solidify Hepburn's Hollywood stardom the year after her film debut opposite John Barrymore and David Manners in Cukor's A Bill of Divorcement. They don't make 'em like they used to Also, the 1933 Little Women...

Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit celebrating milestones.

Hard to believe it's been 35 years since "Airplane!" took flight (on July 2, 1980) and taught us all to speak jive, order the chicken instead of the fish, and avoid calling each other "Shirley." Three and a half decades later, the airline disaster parody remains one of the funniest films ever made, one that generations of viewers have watched over and over -- though probably never as an in-flight movie.

Still, as many times as you've seen it, there's much you may not know about how it was made. In honor of "Airplane!" turning 35, here are a few facts every fan must know about the comedy classic.

1. Strip away all the jokes, and "Airplane!" is essentially a remake of a little-known 1957 air disaster movie called "Zero Hour!" The writing/directing team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker lifted the plot,...

Did you grow up in the age of color TV but still learned to love Dick Van Dyke and I Love Lucy?

If so, there's a good chance you have Nick at Nite to thank. Classic television reruns were plentiful in the '80s and '90s, but Nick at Nite – which launched on July 1, 1985 – consolidated decades of American TV into one place.

Thirty years later, it's still going strong.

In honor of the programming block's anniversary this week, we're looking back at how the network came to be and how it's changed over the past three decades.

Hey, remember Arts TV?...

While romcoms and black comedies may have more sophisticated plots, satires are the films that guarantee us the most laughs. Sometimes you want permission to laugh at movies rather than with them, and satires remind you that familiar movie conventions are strange and sometimes hilarious.  We just noticed that one of our all-time favorite Mel Brooks movies has hit Netflix, so without further ado, let's celebrate this nutty genre. "Airplane!": Insanity at 20,000 Feet The bawdy sight gags and astounding one-liners of "Airplane!" run together in a nonstop medley, but I'd like to point out another highpoint of this disaster satire: You can't pick a single Mvp in the ensemble. Every actor is perfectly cast and perfectly effing weird. Robert Hays is stone-eyed and slyly ridiculous. Julie Hagerty is a wide-eyed cuckoo. Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Leslie Nielsen, Stephen Stucker, Barbara Billingsley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and even Maureen McGovern (as the singing nun,...

Claudette Colbert movies on Turner Classic Movies: From ‘The Smiling Lieutenant’ to TCM premiere ‘Skylark’ (photo: Claudette Colbert and Maurice Chevalier in ‘The Smiling Lieutenant’) Claudette Colbert, the studio era’s perky, independent-minded — and French-born — "all-American" girlfriend (and later all-American wife and mother), is Turner Classic Movies’ star of the day today, August 18, 2014, as TCM continues with its "Summer Under the Stars" film series. Colbert, a surprise Best Actress Academy Award winner for Frank Capra’s 1934 comedy It Happened One Night, was one Paramount’s biggest box office draws for more than decade and Hollywood’s top-paid female star of 1938, with reported earnings of $426,944 — or about $7.21 million in 2014 dollars. (See also: TCM’s Claudette Colbert day in 2011.) Right now, TCM is showing Ernst Lubitsch’s light (but ultimately bittersweet) romantic comedy-musical The Smiling Lieutenant (1931), a Best Picture Academy Award nominee starring Maurice Chevalier as a French-accented Central European lieutenant in...

Lana Turner movies: Scandal and more scandal Lana Turner is Turner Classic Movies’ "Summer Under the Stars" star today, Saturday, August 10, 2013. I’m a little — or rather, a lot — late in the game posting this article, but there are still three Lana Turner movies left. You can see Turner get herself embroiled in scandal right now, in Douglas Sirk’s Imitation of Life (1959), both the director and the star’s biggest box-office hit. More scandal follows in Mark Robson’s Peyton Place (1957), the movie that earned Lana Turner her one and only Academy Award nomination. And wrapping things up is George Sidney’s lively The Three Musketeers (1948), with Turner as the ruthless, heartless, remorseless — but quite elegant — Lady de Winter. Based on Fannie Hurst’s novel and a remake of John M. Stahl’s 1934 melodrama about mother love, class disparities, racism, and good cooking, Imitation of Life was shown on...

Sad news for "Leave It To Beaver Fans" as Frank Bank, who played "Lumpy," the neighbor and often times tormenting friend of young Theodore Cleaver, died. He was 71. Often accompanying the smarmy Eddie Haskell in scene, Lumpy Rutherford was one of this classic American TV sitcom's memorable characters. CNN reported that Frank Bank, who played Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford on "Leave It to Beaver" died Saturday, a day after he turned 71. No cause of death was given. The series - which aired from 1957 to 1963 - starred Jerry Mathers as Beaver Cleaver, Barbara Billingsley as mum June, and Hugh Beaumont as dad Ward, always being warned about some sort of trouble with the "Beaver." Ken Osmond starred...

Frank Bank, who played the clumsy bully Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford on the popular 1957-1963 series Leave It to Beaver, died Saturday, one day after his 71st birthday, say published reports. No cause of death was reported. Beaver star Jerry Mathers, now 64, posted to his Facebook page Saturday: "I was so sad to hear today of the passing of my dear friend and business associate Frank Bank, who played Lumpy on Leave it to Beaver. He was a character and always kept us laughing. My deepest condolences to Frank's family." Born in Los Angeles, Bank first appeared on screen as the...

June Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley, "Leave It to Beaver," CBS and ABC, 1957-63): Series television had many wife-and-mother archetypes in the 1950s, and a prime one was the endlessly patient, supportive spouse of Ward and mother to Wally and Theodore (a.k.a. "Beaver").

Victoria Barkley (Barbara Stanwyck, "The Big Valley," ABC, 1965-69): It could be argued that the widowed Victoria played both mother and father to her grown offspring, and her grit made her the equal of any man in the frontier.

Olivia Walton (Michael Learned, "The Waltons," CBS, 1972-79): Full of compassion, the mother of the large Walton brood also had the backbone to bring her family through the Depression.

Marion Cunningham (Marion Ross, "Happy Days," ABC, 1974-84): "Mrs. C." was a throwback to the idealized television wives/moms of the 1950s -- and why not? That's the era in which the long-running sitcom was set.

It's rare that a comedy is so funny that describing why it's successful feels daunting, but that's exactly the case with Airplane!, this week's candidate for Best Movie Ever. I'm already panting. You've seen this damn thing, right? It's the sprawling Seurat mural of American spoof comedies: Every viewing reveals different, heretofore unseen nuances -- namely, hilarious jokes -- and you marvel at the amount of attention given to the simplest of flourishes. Plus, the gags about abortion, gayness, oral sex, and glue addiction are killer. The movie is so intractably deadpan that you almost feel as if the actors don't quite realize they're in the nuttiest spoof film of the last century. It's a near-unfathomable weirdness, this flick, and because it's 1) so rewatchable, 2) so full of funny people, and 3) so inimitable, it's a no-brainer addition to our "Best Movie Ever" Hall of Fame. Name the last time you saw...

“I have a zero tolerance for sanctimonious morons who try to scare people.”

— Pat Robertson

You can probably imagine my absolute shock when a movie about life on the "Down-low" finally broke through all the noise the subject usually brings. Perhaps shock is too small a word. I sat in a packed auditorium, obliterated, as an honest depiction of two married men on the D.L., falling in love with each other while navigating a violently homophobic culture, unspooled before me.

Yes, the movie showed these men cheating on their wives, causing them a great deal of pain, but it clearly detailed that the reason they risked their families, their standing in the community, and even their very lives was because, despite the intolerance of their world, what they felt for each other was too strong and too deep for them to shrug off.

And the audience actually empathized with...

In honor of Mother's Day, we've compiled a list of our top 10 favorite fictional TV moms. When we watched them, we knew they were fictional ... yet that didn't stop us from wishing they were our own moms -- or vowing to follow in their mom-footsteps someday.

Did your favorite TV mom make the list?

Most Memorable TV MomsJune Cleaver in "Leave It to Beaver" (1957 - 1963)

Barbara Billingsley's role as a loving wife and mother in the feel-good sitcom wasn't full of risk or realism. June Cleaver, however, always looked polished and amazing, and certainly loved her husband and children. You may be surprised to learn that ...

Barbara Billingsley

... June's trademark strand of pearls was Billingsley's idea (they covered a scar on her neck).

Carol Brady in "The Brady Bunch" (1969 - 1974)

Florence Henderson was America's first (rarely mentioned) stepmom! We watched her hip hairstyles and hemlines change with the times,...

It may sound a touch morbid, but one of the segments that I look forward to the most during every Oscar broadcast is the Academy's 'In Memoriam' spot. It is an important and necessary moment for cinema fans to remember and reflect upon those great movie-makers that have passed away over the previous year, whether in front of the camera or behind it. For every new Ellen Page or Hailee Steinfeld that begins a promising young career, there is a Leslie Nielsen or Dennis Hopper that sadly shuffles off their mortal coil forever, leaving wistful memories and brilliant catalogs of their wonderful work in film.

It is for that reason - memory - that the 'In Memoriam' portion of the show is crucial to the celebration as a whole. While the film-loving community congratulates those that represent the best that film-making has to offer, another group - the men and...

'The King's Speech,' "Modern Family," "Boardwalk Empire," Colin Firth and Natalie Portman were among the big winners at the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles Sunday night, and we have the show highlights! Get the complete list of winners Here! The Movie Accolades 'The King's Speech' players were named Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture over such competition as the thespians of 'Black Swan,' 'The Fighter,' 'The Kids Are All Right' and 'The Social Network.' Taking the stage alongside stars Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter, a jubilant Geoffrey Rush told the audience, "It shouldn't be called the SAG award, it should be called the uplifting award." Moments earlier, the king's wealth was shared with Firth, who was named Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of King George VI, besting Jeff Bridges, Robert Duvall,...

Photo by A.M. Kuchling

Happy New Year, everybody!

We hope you all enjoyed a nice week and are ready to start 2011. We made our requisite resolutions. We really are going to go to the gym more often. We're definitely cutting down on snacks. And we decided to learn a new language.

We've tried French, Italian and Spanish in the past and none of them seem to stick. And despite the fact that we've been told that Chinese and Japanese aren't as difficult as they seem, we don't think we're ready to try to tackle those challenges yet.

Besides we'd like to learn a new tongue that has a pop culture twist. Luckily we found this awesome new webpage that translates common every day English into four of the most important languages in entertainment history.

Some of you might want to give Swedish Chef a try. Yearning for your youth?...

Barbara Billingsley has kept it close in death, leaving much of her estate to her two kids. Barbara -- who played June Cleaver on "Leave It to Beaver" and the woman who spoke jive in "Airplane!"-- left her two sons, both in their 60s, her household furnishings, books, musical instruments, watches, jewelry, clothing, cars and other stuff. As for the rest of her property, Barbara -- who went by Mortensen when she signed the...

Of the 25 titles that the National Film Registry has added to its archives of culturally important films, one features a little girl possessed by the Devil; another stars a young John Travolta as a New York City disco dancer; and a third features Barbara Billingsley (the mom from Leave it to Beaver) speaking jive.

The three movies mentioned are William Friedkin's The Exorcist, John Badham's Saturday Night Fever and the Zucker brothers' comedy Airplane!. They're among the 2010 movies that the Nfr is adding to the United States Library of Congress because they meet the criteria of being culturally, historically or aesthetically significant by its members.

The oldest film included in the 2010 list is Newark Athlete, a 1893 short that runs 30 seconds and features a young man throwing clubs into the air. The most recent addition is 1996 documentary short Study of a River, while the most recent longform movie is...

Filed under: Documentaries, Movie News, Cinematical

Another 25 films have been deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. Among them are 1970s classics 'Saturday Night Fever,' 'All the President's Men,' 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller,' 'The Exorcist' and the documentary 'Grey Gardens,' all of which have been named to the National Film Registry.

Surely they found a place for 'Airplane!' right? They sure did, and don't call me Shirley. The 1980 comedy, which lost three of its stars (Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves and Barbara Billingsley) this past year, is now considered to be one of the 550 most important films ever made. Also representing 2010's fallen are Blake Edwards' 'The Pink Panther' and the Irvin Kershner-helmed 'The Empire Strikes Back.'

Continue Reading...

Filed under: Documentaries, Movie News, Cinematical

Another 25 films have been deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. Among them are 1970s classics 'Saturday Night Fever,' 'All the President's Men,' 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller,' 'The Exorcist' and the documentary 'Grey Gardens,' all of which have been named to the National Film Registry.

Surely they found a place for 'Airplane!' right? They sure did, and don't call me Shirley. The 1980 comedy, which lost three of its stars (Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves and Barbara Billingsley) this past year, is now considered to be one of the 550 most important films ever made. Also representing 2010's fallen are Blake Edwards' 'The Pink Panther' and the Irvin Kershner-helmed 'The Empire Strikes Back.'

Continue Reading...

Legendary funny man Leslie Nielsen died today of complications of pneumonia in a hospital near his home in Fort Lauderdale, this according to his agent. He was 84. His agent tells TMZ Nielsen passed surrounded by his wife and friends at about 5:34 Pm Et. Nielsen was best known for his roles in " Airplane " and the " Naked Gun " series. His "Airplane" co-star, Barbara Billingsley, passed away last month. Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious. Rumack: I am serious.

In a move long expected by television and necromancy insiders, the Prince of Darkness concluded his stygian bargain with former NBC head Jeff Zucker, taking full and formal control of his immortal soul. The two power players first met at NBC executives' retreat in the Maldives and struck up an immediate friendship, based on their mutual interests of corrosive lies, untempered maleficence, and Ben Silverman. Thanks to Satan's infernal intercession, Zucker was able to drag NBC from its lofty, long-held number one position to the fourth-rated network with nary a consequence or demotion. However, once Lucifer's diabolic protection was removed, Zucker was immediately terminated and Beezlebub's moved to claim Zucker's soul as his just bounty. Satan will add Zucker's soul to his demonic River of Perpetual Weeping, where it joins the souls of Josef Stalin, Pol Pot, and television's Barbara Billingsley.

Welcome back to our weekly look at the new podcasts available at our new “partners in podcast crime” the GeekCast Radio Network. Each week we bring you the highlights from Gcrn, with descriptions and links to each and every episode.

The Beast Unleashed Podcast Episode 25:

In the 25th episode of Tbu we start Season 2 of Beast Machines. TFG1Mike, Steve/Megatron, and PecanCtMichael celebrate the 25th episode with reviews of The Fallout, Savage/Noble, and Prometheus Unbound. With only 5 episodes left of The Beast Unleashed Podcast who knows what will happen after this….maybe we’ll Tap something! Listen Now.

All Things Transformers Episode 52:

Steve, Mike and Paul join up once more to talk Tf United, TF3 and more tangents! Listen Now.

Mwire Episode 63: The Wedding Singer:

The guys go back to the 80?s with this 90?s classic film, The Wedding Singer. This 3rd film in...

With the recent passings of iconic TV parents Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver) and Tom Bosley (Howard Cunningham on Happy Days), it feels like a good time to let our television elders know that we care. Rather than list all the great moms and dads on screen, we decided to pick the parents who would be best for us. Here are the TV parents we wish would adopt us.

Mom: Roseanne Conner, (Roseanne Barr) from...  More >>...

Florence Henderson being eliminated from "Dancing With the Stars" last night was not happy news for me. Florence did a great job at any age, but for someone 76 years-old, a superb effort, and I could have watched her and Corky for at least another week, and frankly said goodbye to stiff dancer Bristol Palin last night, who dances with Corky's son Mark. But the votes were tallied, and America decided Mrs. Brady was done. Add this to the news that Mr. C, the affable and kindly Tom Bosley of "Happy Days" died days after "Leave it to Beaver's" June Cleaver, the lovely Barbara Billingsley, it has been a hard week for the parental TV icons of my...

It should come as no surprise that comic book creators are adept at coming up with disturbing children's book titles. Neil Gaiman, Cullen Bunn and Matt Fraction all participated in the #sadchildrensbook hashtag that's been showing up all of the Twitter Report feed recently, and you'll appreciate what they contributed.

In timely topic discussions, actor Tom Bosley's death prompted a few laments, while Apple's press event today had many a tweeter guessing about what they plan on announcing. R. Stevens even included a photo with his prediction. You can view that after the jump along with a Scott Pilgrim pumpkin and some sound industry advice.

I'm @brianwarmoth, and this is the Twitter Report for October 20, 2010.

@edgarwright My name is Edgar Wright and I approve this pumpkin. http://yfrog.com/1gu5rwj

-Edgar Wright, Director ("Scott Pilgrim vs. The World," "Shaun of the Dead')

@ErikJLarsen First Barbara Billingsley and then Tom Bosley?...

Barbara Billingsley, who turned the character of sitcom mom June Cleaver in the long-running show Leave It To Beaver into a beloved pop culture icon, died earlier this week at age 94. Billingsley's warm and comforting touch epitomized a fantasy view of suburban life that never really existed: the neighborhoods were perfect, violence was non-existence, politics was never discussed and the greatest crisis might be Beaver's attempt to cover up a bad report card. Billingsley co-starred for six years with actor Hugh Beaumont as June's husband Ward. Tony Dow played older son Wally and Jerry Mathers played The Beaver. The show was so popular that it was revived in the 1980s with both actors playing characters who were now coping with the problems of approaching middle age. Billingsley also revived her role as June, but Beaumont had passed away before the new series went into production. Billingsley had initially been under...

It’s been a sad week for beloved sitcom parents. Tom Bosley of Happy Days -- Howard Cunningham, Mr. C -- died yesterday. Barbara Billingsley of Leave It to Beaver -- aka June Cleaver -- died on Saturday. Jeff Kane at RobotCeleb.com sums up the appeal of the iconic characters Bosley and Billingsley portrayed, and why they linger with us:...

Barbara Billingsley, the actress who played "Leave It to Beaver" mother June Cleaver, died on Saturday at the age of 94. And now comes word that Tom Bosley, who played "Happy Days" father Howard Cunningham, has passed away today (Tuesday) at a hospital near his Palm Springs home. He fought a brief battle with lung cancer and was 83-years-old. "My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he always maintained throughout his full and rewarding life," said Ron Howard, who played son Richie. "I miss him already." Henry Winkler, who played Arthur Fonzarelli, said: "We were a make-believe family for 10 years, and like a real family for over 30." Scott Baio called Bosley "a professional and funny guy." TV wife Marion Ross added: "We made a perfect couple. I played piccolo to his tuba." Bosley, whose film and TV career ran from 1959 through his appearance in the 2010 Jennifer Lopez movie,...

First we loss the quintessential TV mom, Barbara Billingsley, and now we have lost one of the best fathers on TV. Tom Bosley who played Howard Cunningham on 'Happy Days' from 1974 to 1984 is dead at 83. Bosley was Richie Cummingham's father. Cunningham always had the answers to the hard teenage questions. Handing out morals and being frustrated was Howard's stock in trade. The actor also was a semi-regular on 'Murder She Wrote'. Bosley died in Palm Springs.. The cause of dead was a staph infection. Rip Tom, thanks for all the laughs.My columns on Examiner.comGolden...