News

10:10 Am Pt  Farina's cardiologist confirms the actor "had a small cancer 13 years ago that was treated and cured with surgery." He adds Dennis recently had a recurrence of the cancer and was getting treatment.However, the doc is clear that the death was caused by the blood clot in Farina's lung ... not the cancer."Law & Order" star Dennis Farina was suffering from cancer when he died ... this according to the 911 call placed just days before his death.

Reno, Nev. -- Jack Hanlon, who had roles in the 1926 silent classic "The General" and in two 1927 "Our Gang" comedies, died Thursday in Las Vegas, family members said Sunday. He was 96.

The precocious, freckle-faced Hanlon was a natural as a child actor from 1926 to 1933, said his niece, Wendy Putnam Park of Las Vegas.

"He was absolutely the sweetest, most charming man," Park told The Associated Press. "He loved talking about being in the movies if you brought the subject up. He loved sharing stories about being in them."

After a small role with Buster Keaton in "The General," he played mischievous kids in two of Hal Roach's "Our Gang/Little Rascals" films: "The Glorious Fourth" and "Olympic Games."

Hanlon also played an orphan in the 1929 drama "The Shakedown," and got an on-screen kiss from Greta Garbo in the 1930 film "Romance."

He appeared in eight more "talkies," including "Big Money" with Clark Gable,...

Reel Important People is a monthly column that highlights those individuals in or related to the movies who have left us in recent weeks. It is unfortunate that we lose so many great film contributors, on-screen and off, that it's impossible to pay extensive tribute to every one. But I think it's important to recognize them at least in this monthly digest, not to mourn but to remember their work. Below you'll find names big and small and from all areas of the industry, though each was significant to the movies in their own way.   Peggy Ahern (1917-2012) - Child actress who was a regular in Our Gang/"Little Rascals" comedies during the 1920s. These include The Sun Down Limited Olympic Games and Official Officers. She died on October 24...

Read More...

Most audiences might know Jackie Cooper as Perry White in four Superman movies. Or for his role in 1931′s The Champ. Or for his appearance in Skippy, which made him the first child actor to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. But, to me, the actor — who passed away Tuesday at the age of 88 after a brief illness — will always be known as Our Gang’s Jackie.

Perhaps it was because I was an old soul, or both my parents enjoyed catching re-runs of the series when they were youths, but I grew up on Our Gang,...

Howdy fellow movie geeks. With all the interest in bringing classic heroes to the big screen, I thought I’d begin this column dedicated to discussing classic movie serials available on DVD. And since this masked crime buster is the focus of a brand new feature film this weekend, I thought I’d start with a look at the 1940 Universal thirteen chapter movie serial The Green Hornet.

First a little history of movie serials. You younger film fans may wonder what I’m talking about. First it’s serials with an “s”, not a “c”, so I’m not talking about something you pour out of a box into a bowl and douse with milk in the mornings. Film serials started appearing in 1913. Theatre owners and studios thought this new story telling format would be a great way to get patrons returning week after week. Serials were big, thrilling, adventure...