Steve Allen was a comic genius. He also composed thousands of songs and wrote dozens of books. This following is a clip from his 75th birthday celebration. This clip is of a live performance (from one of Steve's many TV series) that he did with his mother, who was a well known Vaudeville actress.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Edie Adams Passes
Tony-winning actress, TV star Edie Adams dies
By BOB THOMAS, Associated Press Writer – Thu Oct 16, 1:53 pm ET
Consolidated and rewritten by William D. French, Jr.
LOS ANGELES – Actress and singer Edie Adams who played the television foil to her husband, comedian Ernie Kovacs, has died. She was 81.
A graduate of Juilliard School of Music, Adams went on to gain fame for her sketches with Kovacs and her pivotal roles in two top Broadway musicals.
She was born Elizabeth Edith Enke in 1927 in Kingston, Pa., and grew up in Tenafly, N.J. She first attracted notice on the TV show "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts." Kovacs was then performing his innovative comedy show on a Philadelphia TV station, and his director saw her and invited her to audition.
When she auditioned for the Kovacs show, she knew a lot about opera but only three pop songs, she recalled.
"I sang them all during the audition, and if they had asked to hear another, I never would have made it," she said.
They eloped to Mexico City in 1954.
After moving to New York both Kovacs and Adams garnered Emmy nominations in 1957 for best performances in a comedy series.
Adams also starred in live television productions, including the legendary 1957 production of Rogers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella", billed as Edith Adams.
Both Adams and Kovacs also appeared in the final episode of the hour long version of "I Love Lucy", originally titled "The Lucille Ball - Desi Arnaz Show".
In 1957, Adams won a Tony for best featured (supporting) actress in a musical for her role as Daisy Mae in "Li'l Abner," based on Al Capp's satirical comic strip.
She and Kovacs moved to Hollywood in the late 1950s, and both became active in films.
In Billy Wilder's classic "The Apartment," the 1960 Oscar winner for best picture.
Among her other movies were "Lover Come Back," "Call Me Bwana" (with Bob Hope), the all-star comedy "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (as Sid Caesar's wife), "Under the Yum Yum Tree," "The Best Man" and "The Honey Pot."
In early 1962, Kovacs left a star-filled baby shower for Mrs. Milton Berle and crashed his car into a light pole, dying instantly.
Over a career that spanned some six decades, Adams had a short-lived TV show in 1963 that earned her two Emmy nominations.
In the 1980s and 1990s, she made appearances on such TV shows as "Murder, She Wrote" and "Designing Women." She also played Tommy Chong's mother, Mrs. Tempest Stoner, in the first Cheech and Chong movie, "Up in Smoke," in 1978.
Over the years, she strove to keep Kovacs' comedic legacy alive by buying rights to his TV shows and repackaging them for television and videocassettes.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Charles Lane: A Television Legend
Charles Lane: A Television Legend
You Know His Face Just Not His Name
In the history of the four television series that Lucille Ball starred in, Charles Lane was the only regularly appearing actor to be fired. By this time in his career he had already appeared in over a hundred movies and dozens of television series, including numerous appearances on I Love Lucy. It was 1962 when he was let go from The Lucy Show. Lane was in his late ’50s and Lucille Ball could no longer deal with the delays caused by his problems memorizing lines. It was not easy for her. They had been working together since the movie You Can’t Fool Your Wife in 1940. Lane would hold Lucille in great esteem the rest of his life.
Born Charles Gerstle Levison in San Francisco, in January of 1905, Lane started his film and TV career with movie Smart Money in 1931. Starting in the 1950s he focused mainly on television but still appeared in the occasional film project.
Lane appeared in some of the most important films and television series of all time, including: 42nd Street, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Arsenic and Old Lace, It’s a Wonderful Life, Mighty Joe Young, I Can Get It For You Wholesale, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, The Music Man, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The Wild, Wild West, Green Acres, I Love Lucy, Perry Mason, The Real McCoys, The Twilight Zone, Mr. Ed, Dennis the Menace, The Lucy Show, Get Smart, Petticoat Junction, Mork & Mindy, Lou Grant, Soap, St. Elsewhere, and many more.
His career spanned more than 70 years and he was held with great regard. He even appeared in 10 films directed by the great Frank Capra. Sadly, he was one of the many actors who were typecast. He almost always appeared as a cranky son of a bitch whose only joy in life was to cause people pain. In an interview with the Associated Press he was quoted as saying “You did something that was pretty good, and the picture was pretty good. That pedigreed you in that type of part, which I thought was stupid, and unfair, too. It didn't give me a chance, but it made casting easier for the studio.”
When it comes to the entertainment industry, Charles Lane was an important figure in the history of the business. He was not only a founding member of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, he was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. Even with all his history he was not recognized for his contributions until shortly before his death.
Most people did not even know he was still alive when the cable network TVLand honored him on his 100th birthday on March 25, 2005. He rightfully received a standing ovation. That same year the Academy presented him with an honorary Emmy for being the oldest surviving founding member and oldest member in the Academy’s history. The Screen Actors Guild even named January 30, 2005 Charles Lane Day.
When he was honored by TVLand Lane said in as loud of a voice as his fail body could muster “I’m still available!” And he was. In 2006 he did narration for a short film, The Night Before Christmas, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. His last project was a documentary on his life, You Know The Face, which is currently in post-production and will be released in 2008.
Charles Lane had one of the longest careers in the history of the entertainment industry. He passed away silently in his sleep on July 9, 2007, at the ripe age of 102. He will always be remembered as one of the most prodigious character actors in film and television history.
2005 TVLand Awards:
You Know His Face Just Not His Name
In the history of the four television series that Lucille Ball starred in, Charles Lane was the only regularly appearing actor to be fired. By this time in his career he had already appeared in over a hundred movies and dozens of television series, including numerous appearances on I Love Lucy. It was 1962 when he was let go from The Lucy Show. Lane was in his late ’50s and Lucille Ball could no longer deal with the delays caused by his problems memorizing lines. It was not easy for her. They had been working together since the movie You Can’t Fool Your Wife in 1940. Lane would hold Lucille in great esteem the rest of his life.
Born Charles Gerstle Levison in San Francisco, in January of 1905, Lane started his film and TV career with movie Smart Money in 1931. Starting in the 1950s he focused mainly on television but still appeared in the occasional film project.
Lane appeared in some of the most important films and television series of all time, including: 42nd Street, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Arsenic and Old Lace, It’s a Wonderful Life, Mighty Joe Young, I Can Get It For You Wholesale, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, The Music Man, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The Wild, Wild West, Green Acres, I Love Lucy, Perry Mason, The Real McCoys, The Twilight Zone, Mr. Ed, Dennis the Menace, The Lucy Show, Get Smart, Petticoat Junction, Mork & Mindy, Lou Grant, Soap, St. Elsewhere, and many more.
His career spanned more than 70 years and he was held with great regard. He even appeared in 10 films directed by the great Frank Capra. Sadly, he was one of the many actors who were typecast. He almost always appeared as a cranky son of a bitch whose only joy in life was to cause people pain. In an interview with the Associated Press he was quoted as saying “You did something that was pretty good, and the picture was pretty good. That pedigreed you in that type of part, which I thought was stupid, and unfair, too. It didn't give me a chance, but it made casting easier for the studio.”
When it comes to the entertainment industry, Charles Lane was an important figure in the history of the business. He was not only a founding member of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, he was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. Even with all his history he was not recognized for his contributions until shortly before his death.
Most people did not even know he was still alive when the cable network TVLand honored him on his 100th birthday on March 25, 2005. He rightfully received a standing ovation. That same year the Academy presented him with an honorary Emmy for being the oldest surviving founding member and oldest member in the Academy’s history. The Screen Actors Guild even named January 30, 2005 Charles Lane Day.
When he was honored by TVLand Lane said in as loud of a voice as his fail body could muster “I’m still available!” And he was. In 2006 he did narration for a short film, The Night Before Christmas, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. His last project was a documentary on his life, You Know The Face, which is currently in post-production and will be released in 2008.
Charles Lane had one of the longest careers in the history of the entertainment industry. He passed away silently in his sleep on July 9, 2007, at the ripe age of 102. He will always be remembered as one of the most prodigious character actors in film and television history.
2005 TVLand Awards:
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The Brady Bunch Variety Hour
Considered one of the worst shows in TV history, "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour" started it's short life January 23, 1977. All but one of the original cast members joined the fun. Eve Plumb (who played Jan) did not want to commit to the 13 episodes and 5 year agreement Paramount was requiring of the cast. She was replaced with Geri Reischl.
The funny part of this series is that Robert Reed (Mike Brady) loved it. He hated the original series. He was a well trained actor and felt the scripts were of poor quality. But here he is doing something completely for laughs.
This video is a tribute put together by none other than Cindy Brady herself, Susan Olsen.
Welcome!
Hey there,
I'm William and this is my space to share my love of the history of television with you. I will be posting stories and videos of some of my favorite series. I will also be sharing my thoughts on TV and where it has been and where it is going.
I will also be introducing you to my friends and mentors that have worked in the TV field.
Thanx for reading and I hope you keep coming back.
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