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John Lithgow has revealed the story that changed his mind about one of his teen movies. Lithgow is a versatile actor who has held many roles in iconic film and television projects since he began his onscreen career in the 1970s. In addition to his Oscar-nominated performances in The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment, this includes roles such as the Trinity Killer in the Showtime drama Dexter and Winston Churchill in Netflix's The Crown, both of which won him Primetime Emmy awards. He also recently played a supporting role in the Oscar-winning 2024 movie Conclave.

While Lithgow is a performer with a number of serious dramatic performances under his belt, he has also held roles in quite a few movies and television shows designed for families, children, and teenagers. This includes his run as alien patriarch Dick Solomon in the six-season sci-fi sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun,...

Kevin Bacon had an eclectic list of movies on his resume early on, from Animal House to Friday the 13th to Diner, but there was nothing like Footloose. But as it turns out, he would rather not cut loose or kick off his Sunday shoes. So please, Louise, don’t play that damn song near him!

Kevin Bacon recently revealed that the title song from Footloose haunts him at weddings, and while DJs often get requests for certain songs, the actor has made it a habit to ask them not to play “Footloose.” “My worst nightmare is to be at a wedding and the DJ puts on the music. They always start out being about the bride, and then there’s alcohol involved. And by about 10:30, the song comes on, and suddenly the wedding becomes about me getting out and dancing. People will literally form a circle around me...

Horror author Stephen King somehow managed to tap into the feeling of being a teenage girl in his sensational book, Carrie. Released in 1974, the coming-of-age novel follows a 16-year-old girl named Carietta "Carrie" White who is bullied by her classmates for her unsightly appearance, overly religious views, awkward social graces, and her insufferably zealous mother.

The worst of it occurs when she experiences her first menstrual cycle in the gym showers. Carrie eventually manages to get revenge on her peers for their relentless bullying with her newfound telekinetic abilities, but only after getting doused in pig's blood at the prom due to a prank gone wrong.

Many versions of Carrie have been released since the 1970s, and each is part of the pop culture zeitgeist in its own special way. This includes two theatrical films, a TV movie, a musical, and of course, Stephen King's novel, which started it all.

Eminem, N.W.A, Janet Jackson, and Alanis Morissette are among the finalists for the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s class of 2025.

Other nominees include Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Sheryl Crow, George Clinton, Boy George, The Doobie Brothers, Steve Winwood, Bryan Adams, Tommy James, and Walter Afanasieff. The full list of nominees can be found below.

A total of six inductees will be chosen: three from the songwriters category, and three from the performing songwriters category. They’ll be honored during a ceremony held in New York City in June 2025.

Artists become eligible for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame 20 years after their first significant commercial release of a song.

Last year’s Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees included R.E.M., Steely Dan, Timbaland, and Dean Pitchford. During the induction ceremony, R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck, and Bill Berry reunited for their first performance together in 15 years.

Slim Shady could be headed to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Eminem is one of several performing songwriters nominated for the prestigious honor, along with Janet Jackson, Alanis Morissette, N.W.A., Sheryl Crow, George Clinton, Bryan Adams, Mike Love, Boy George, Steve Winwood, Doobie Brothers, David Gates and Tommy James.

Non-performing songwriters who earned nominations include Walter Afanasieff, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Narada Michael Walden, Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan, Mike Chapman, Tony Macaulay, Sonny Curtis, Tom Douglas, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Roger Nichols, Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, Franne Golde and Ashley Gorley, who earned two nominations for best country song at the Grammys last week.

Eligible voting members will select their choices of up to three nominees in each of the songwriter and performing songwriter categories. The winners will be honored next year at the organization’s Induction & Awards Gala in New York City. A songwriter with a catalog...

Prince has been posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The induction took place on Saturday, July 27th at a 40th anniversary screening of Prince’s Purple Rain at the Target Center in his native Minneapolis. His induction marks the second time the Songwriters Hall of Fame has awarded an artist posthumously after inducting the late Cindy Walker in April.

Prince was inducted by Gilbert Davidson, a longtime colleague of the musician, who then bestowed the award to Prince’s sister, Sharon Nelson. “You will always remember his songs,” Nelson told the crowd. “This is the award he wanted more than any other in life — to be known as a great songwriter.”

Prince was originally supposed to be inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame a few different times — the organization’s policy requires that the songwriter must attend both the annual induction and the awards gala to be officially inducted,...

Two simple yet iconic words from the film Footloose would seal Kevin Bacon and the theme song in 80s culture nostalgia for the rest of time — “Let’s dance!” This year would mark the 40th anniversary of the dance-themed high school movie. Dean Pitchford, who wrote the script and the songs for Footloose, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in New York City on June 13. Bacon would perform with his brother, Michael, in tribute to Pitchford, as well as “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” singer, Deniece Williams.

People got to speak with Bacon at the event, where he shared more insight into the role that changed his life.

“[Pitchford] was part of a group of people including the director and the producer who really wanted me to be in the movie — and the studio did not. I’ll never forget how...

Foil gowns appear hot right now, but I’m not exactly sure how to feel about that. Carrie Underwood is the latest celeb to jump on the trend, giving Michelle Yeoh a run for her money with her Rafik Zaki dress after the latter made waves at the Met Gala with her crumpled foil gown.

Carrie Underwood attends the 2024 Songwriter Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala to pay tribute to songwriter Hillary Lindsey (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)

On Thursday, the American Idol Season 4 winner made an eye-catching entrance at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel for the 2024 Songwriter Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala. She honored songwriter Hillary Lindsey, one of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees.

Lindsey helped write some of Carrie’s greatest hits, including Jesus Take the Wheel, Just A Dream, Last Name, Wasted, and Ghost Story.

Honoring the Songwriters Behind the Greatest Hits...

You remember 2007. We were at war in Iraq. Britney Spears shaved her head. The Sopranos ended. Mad Men premiered.

And R.E.M. gave its last public performance at its Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

That last item changed on Thursday night in New York, as R.E.M. was inducted into the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame and marked the occasion by performing for the first time together in years.

The band — lead vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry — reunited for the 53rd annual Induction and Awards Dinner, which took place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. They playd

The band — lead vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry — reunited for the 53rd annual Induction and Awards Dinner, which took place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. They played an acoustic version of their Top 5 hit,...

Kevin Bacon reprised his role in Footloose to honor the title track’s songwriter, R.E.M. reunited after calling it quits 13 years ago and Sza said winning an honor for her songwriting “validates my entire career.” All this and more occurred at a jam-packed and starry Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards gala Tuesday night, as R.E.M., Timbaland, Steely Dan, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford officially became members of the prestigious organization’s 2024 class.

Jason Isbell honored R.E.M. — who split in 2011 after three decades of success — with a performance of “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine).”

“I don’t know if humanity will make it another thousand years, but if we do, a weird kid in a tiny town will hear “Nightswimming” and feel [something],” Isbell said to cheers from the crowd.

Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Bill Berry...

The four founding members of R.E.M. reunited (for an interview only) to reflect on their history with CBS Mornings ahead of their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Thursday night. The quartet confirmed they would not play together again (it would take “a comet,” according to bassist Mike Mills, and guitarist Peter Buck opined, “It would never be as good,”) but they said they were proud of their accomplishments and ended the band in 2011 at the right time for them.

“At that point, there wasn’t anything we could agree on really,...

Later this evening, R.E.M. is set to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In anticipation, all four members of the legendary rock band — Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry — sat down together for their first television interview in 30 years with Anthony Mason of CBS This Morning.

The foursome discussed their approach to songwriting, inner-band dynamics, and their decision to disband in 2011.

Looking back, Buck said, the band has no regrets about walking away when they did. “We could barely agree on where to go to dinner. And now, we can just agree on where to go to dinner,” Buck said. “I think we quit at the right time. This is a really good place to finish, you know – great tour, great album, go home.”

Mills also reiterated that a reunion is not in the cards, joking that it would take a “comet” to get the band back together.

The film Footloose was inspired by a dance ban which was imposed in Elmore City. Footloose creator Dean Pitchford actually went to Elmore City, and created some characters based on residents there. Elmores dancing ban was eventually lifted, and the city now hosts an annual Footloose Festival

Kevin Bacon may have felt conflicted about the success of 1984 film Footloose but it launched his film career. The X-Men: First Class actor is known for his iconic dancing numbers in the movie directed by the legendary director and choreographer Herbert Ross. Footloose follows Chicago teenager Ren McCormack and the culture shock he receives after moving to the small yet fictional town of Bomont with his mother. After moving, Ren quickly discovers the town council's staunch opinion on the ban on dancing and rock music.

Bomont's outlawing of dancing is fueled by Reverend Shaw Moore and his wife, Vi. Ren befriends their daughter,...

Starting his acting career in the late 70s, Kevin Bacon had his big break in the 1984 musical drama Footloose. The film follows a teenager Ren McCormack, who relocates from Chicago to a small town grappling with a ban on rock music and dancing and attempts to overturn the prohibition.

Footloose | Image via IMDb

Despite the film’s immense success and recognition as one of Bacon’s finest performances, the actor disclosed that he nearly missed out on the role due to concerns about his appearance not meeting the standards.

Kevin Bacon Revealed Why He Almost Lost Footloose

In an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Hollywood star Kevin Bacon revealed that he almost lost his role in the musical drama Footloose. The actor shared that although he was not sure if it would make he big in the industry, he was determined to pursue an acting career.

Kevin Bacon as...

It’s been 40 years since Footloose was released, and Kevin Bacon returned to the high school where the musical drama was filmed.

“Go Lions! Here we are on this beautiful, beautiful spot on this beautiful, beautiful day,” Bacon said, according to ABC4. “It’s been a long time – 40 years – that just blows my mind, you know. Things look a little different around here. I’d say the thing that looks the most different is me.”

Payson High School in Utah was one of the film locations of Footloose, and Bacon made an appearance on Saturday after the students campaigned for the actor to attend their prom.

“You were all just tireless. Unrelenting … You talked me into it,” Bacon said. “I think it’s great to see that kind of commitment to anything. I also think that it’s amazing the power that this movie has had to just kind of bring people together,...

Kevin Bacon, dancing away, in 4K? Footloose is coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in the UK, it’s been confirmed.

Paramount Pictures is wasting little time sorting new catalogue releases for the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format in 2024, with the news that the 1980s hit Footloose is heading to the format.

Already confirmed in America, a UK release has now been earmarked for February 12th 2024, and the film has gone up for order now. You can find it here.

Initially, it’s only available as a Steelbook release, although it’s expected that a regular 4K disc package isn’t far away. It’s the original film, incidentally, that’s getting the release, and not the remake.

Update: The regular, cheaper release is now confirmed for 13th May 2024. You can find it here.

Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest and John Lithgow thus take the lead roles here, with Herbert Ross behind the camera.

Opening night of the TCM Classic Film Festival next week will also serve as a Pulp Fiction reunion.

Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Rosanna Arquette and Harvey Keitel are among those joining John Travolta on April 18 for the 30th anniversary, 35mm screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994) at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Fellow actors Eric Stoltz, Julia Sweeney, Frank Whaley, Phil Lamarr and Burr Steers, producer Lawrence Bender and executive producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher are expected to be there as well.

As previously announced, actor Billy Dee Williams and makeup artist Lois Burwell will be honored at the 15th annual festival; author Jeanine Basinger will receive the Robert Osborne Award; and Jodie Foster will partake in a hand- and footprint ceremony.

The festival, with the theme “Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film,” runs through April 21 at venues including the rejuvenated Egyptian Theatre.

Among those...

Kevin Bacon will be visiting the students of Payson High School this year, which will be for a good cause in addition to the celebration of Footloose's 40th anniversary.

Originally released in 1984, Footloose was filmed in 1983 at the school in Payson, Utah. The school has been in operation for the past four decades, but the students will be relocating to a new building at the end of the current academic year. Students have spent months campaigning for Footloose star Kevin Bacon to return to the school on Prom Day in 2024, as this will be the last chance to make it happen. Per Today, Bacon has announced that he will be heading back to the school, impressed with the efforts put in by the students.

Related Kevin Bacon Celebrates SAG-AFTRA Strike Ending with Footloose Throwback Video Footloose star Kevin Bacon commemorated the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike with a dancing video...

Eric Carmen, the Eighties hitmaker behind the Dirty Dancing classic song “Hungry Eyes,” has died at the age of 74.

His wife, Amy Carmen, confirmed the news on his official website. “It is with tremendous sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Eric Carmen,” read the statement. “Our sweet, loving and talented Eric passed away in his sleep, over the weekend. It brought him great joy to know, that for decades, his music touched so many and will be his lasting legacy.”

In a reference to Carmen...

Eric Carmen, the frontman of pop rock band the Raspberries who would later go on to have a successful solo career with hits such as “All By Myself,” “Hungry Eyes” and “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” has died. He was 74.

Carmen’s wife Amy posted news of the singer’s death on his official website. “It is with tremendous sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Eric Carmen,” Amy Carmen wrote. “Our sweet, loving and talented Eric passed away in his sleep, over the weekend. It brought him great joy to know, that for decades, his music touched so many and will be his lasting legacy. Please respect the family’s privacy as we mourn our enormous loss.”

No cause of death was given.

In a music career that spanned four decades, Carmen won a following, and found chart success, for his rich, high tenor...

Eric Carmen, the Ohio-born soft rock singer-songwriter behind era-defining hits like “All by Myself” and “Hungry Eyes,” as well as “Almost Paradise” from the movie “Footloose,” died over the weekend of undisclosed causes, his wife, Amy announced Monday. He was 74.

Prior to his solo career, Carmen also had success as the lead singer of the early 70s power pop outfit The Raspberries.

“It is with tremendous sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Eric Carmen,” Amy Carmen wrote in a message posted to the singer’s official site and on Facebook. “Our sweet, loving and talented Eric passed away in his sleep, over the weekend. It brought him great joy to know, that for decades, his music touched so many and will be his lasting legacy. Please respect the family’s privacy as we mourn our enormous loss.”

The note ended with a quote from one...

The 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala will feature a special appearance from Diane Warren, who has been named this year’s recipient of the Johnny Mercer Award. The award, to be presented at the ceremony on June 13, is considered to be the institution’s highest honor. It is reserved for songwriters and songwriting teams that have already been inducted into the Hall of Fame and whose catalogue of work matches the quality and standards set by esteemed songwriter Johnny Mercer.

“I’m beyond honored to receive the Johnny Mercer Award,...

R.E.M., Steely Dan, Timbaland, and songwriters Dean Pitchford (“Footloose”) and Hillary Lindsey (“Jesus Take the Wheel”) are this year’s inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the organization announced today.

The 2024 induction ceremony and Awards Gala is set for Thursday, June 13, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.

“I’ve said it before, but the music industry does not exist without songwriters delivering great songs first,” Shof Chairman Nile Rodgers said in a statement that this year’s inductees represent “not just iconic songs but also diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender.” He added that this year’s songwriters “have enriched our lives and literally enriched music and the lives of billions of listeners all over the world.”

In today’s announcement, the Hall of Fame listed key songs in the inductees’ catalogs:

Hillary Lindsey:

Jesus Take...

The Songwriters Hall of Fame has a new class of inductees, including Timbaland, R.E.M., Steely Dan, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford.

The organization announced its 2024 class on Wednesday, and the famed songwriters will be officially inducted on June 13. The event will take place in New York City at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.

“I’ve said it before, but the music industry does not exist without songwriters delivering great songs first. Without them there is no recorded music, no concert business, no merch … nothing, it all starts with the song and the songwriter,” Nile Rodgers, chairman of the Songwriters Hall, says in a statement.

“We are therefore very proud that we are continually recognizing some of the culturally most important songwriters of all time and that the 2024 slate represents not just iconic songs but also diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender, songwriters who have enriched our lives and literally...

Members of R.E.M. and Steely Dan are among this year’s inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Other members of its 2024 class include Timbaland, Dean Pitchford, and Hillary Lindsey.

A ceremony honoring the 2024 class will be held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Thursday, June 13th. Artists become eligible for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of their music.

R.E.M. members Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck, and Bill Berry will all be recognized by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, while Steely Dan’s Walter Becker will be inducted posthumously alongside surviving bandmate Donald Fagen.

Timbaland represents this year’s only inductee of color. The hip-hop producer is of course known for his work alongside Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake, and Jay-Z.

Lindsey, this year’s only female inductee, has won three Grammy Awards for penning songs including Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take...

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024, the beloved classic Footloose arrives for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD™ February 13, 2024 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Originally released on February 17, 1984, Footloose thrilled audiences with its spirited dancing, electrifying soundtrack, and inspiring story. Kevin Bacon gives a star-making performance as a city boy whose rebellious love for music and dancing shakes up a small town. Directed by Herbert Ross and written by composer and writer Dean Pitchford, Footloose was a massive success, earning $80 million at the domestic box office. The film features an exceptional supporting cast, including Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow, Sarah Jessica ... Read more...

Steely Dan, Blondie, Public Enemy, R.E.M, Timbaland and the man who wrote bubblegum classics “Build Me Up Buttercup” and “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” are among the nominees for the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Also included on the roster of nominees are, among others, Bread frontman David Gates, Tracy Chapman, the Guess Who’s Randy Bachman & Burton Cummings, Kenny Loggins, Heart and Roger Nichols, who composed the music for such Carpenters hits as “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.”

See the complete list of nominees below.

According to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first significant commercial release of a song. Eligible voting members will have until midnight Et on December 27, 2023 to turn in ballots, with their choices of three nominees from a songwriter and three from performing songwriter categories.

The Trolls are back! Long-lost siblings reunite and troll magic faces a new obstacle in “Trolls Band Together.” Dynamic duo Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) embark on a new adventure to get Branch’s brothers’ boy band — Brozone — back together to save Floyd (Troye Sivan) from two wannabe superstar singers who secretly leech off of Floyd’s talent.

John Dory (Eric André) catalyzes the reunion of Brozone, who broke up over creative differences when Branch was a baby. The other two brothers — Clay and Spruce — must be tracked down to save Floyd from losing all of his talent to Velvet (Amy Schumer) and Veneer (Andrew Rannells).

An epic soundtrack, complete with a new *Nsync song as well as renditions of old classics and the addition of Camilla Cabello’s voice awaits adventurers ready for “Trolls 3.”

Here are all the songs in “Trolls Band Together”:

*Nsync Trolls-style...

And here’s one for the theater nerds.

In 1988, blood pumped hot on Broadway when a musical adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie splashed across the stage. Created and composed by Dean Pitchford, Michael Gore, and Og Carrie screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen, the musical was big on ideas but low on white-glove appeal — after a brief run in the U.K., it closed on Broadway after just 16 previews and five regular performances. Critics had a field day ripping the show to shreds and in 1991 it found itself the centerpiece of a book about Broadway flops. Poor Carrie, a laughingstock all over again.

Over the next several decades, however, bootleg recordings of the musical made the rounds and a passionate cult sprung to life. All that persevering interest culminated in 2012 when an Off-Broadway theater brought together the original creators to rework the show. Since that production, the odd project’s found...

Irene Cara, the Oscar-winning singer and actor who rocketed to pop stardom singing the title tracks to “Fame” and “Flashdance,” had died at age 63. Her publicist, Judith A. Moose, announced the news on social media, writing that a cause of death is “currently unknown.”

“Irene’s family has requested privacy as they process their grief,” Moose wrote. “She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.”

Cara first came to prominence playing Coco Hernandez, a student at the High School of Performing Arts, which is now known as Fiorello H. Laguardia High School, with ambitions of becoming a star. Not only did Cara act in the film, she also recorded the film’s title song “Fame.” That track would go on to be nominated for an Academy Award for best original song, as would “Out Here on My Own,” another number from “Fame” that was sung by Cara.

Click here to read the full article.

Bryan Adams, R.E.M., Blondie, Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Heart and The Doobie Brothers are among the nominees for the 2023 Songwriters Hall of Fame, part of a dazzling list of talented acts who left their mark on country, pop, rap, Broadway, post-punk, Latin and New Jack Swing.

The ballot includes the musical theater duo of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, who wrote Ragtime and Anastasia, as well as soul-jazz vocalist Sade, whose 1980s soft rock hits include “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo.”

Two veteran rock stars are also nominees: Patti Smith — whose songs include “Because the Night” and “Dancing Barefoot” — and Steve Winwood, whose hits include “Higher Love” and “Roll With It.” Vince Gill is once again a nominee, having first made the ballot in 2018.

Eligible voting members have until Dec. 28 to turn in ballots with their choices of three nominees...

Jim Steinman is best known, with good reason, for the songs he wrote for Meat Loaf’s epic Bat Out of Hell. But his aural footprint on pop wasn’t limited to that singer and that 1977 album. As it turned out, Steinman’s songs were equally at home in the two decades that followed, when an astounding array of pop acts — from Air Supply to the Sisters of Mercy — performed his songs. The resulting discography amounts to an alternate-universe Wall of Sound, with Steinman as the Phil Spector of the Eighties and Nineties.

Music legend Quincy Jones received the Icon Award, while veteran music supervisor Maureen Crowe received the Legacy Award, at Sunday night’s 11th annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards.

The Gms awards were held virtually and it was the most all-star event the group had yet assembled. Presenters included John Legend, Regina King and Billie Eilish.

Stevie Wonder recalled meeting Quincy Jones at New York’s legendary Apollo Theater when he was just 14 years old. “I cherish your commitment to doing great music, not just producing it but writing it,” he said, citing Jones’ role in creating “We Are The World” in 1985. He signed off by playing “I love you Quincy” at the piano.

“Across multiple forms of media, very few people have had an impact on the world like Quincy Jones,” noted John Legend. “When people ask who my role models are, you’re at the top of my list.

The pandemic has had a huge impact on the entertainment industry, including the rescheduling of the 2021 Academy Awards ceremony from February 28 to April 25 — but this isn’t the first time an historic event has caused a change of date for the annual event. On the afternoon of March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot and seriously injured, prompting the Academy to delay the ceremony. Fortunately, by the next day, the president was on his way to recovery, and the show was able to proceed.

Johnny Carson, hosting for the third year in a row, referred to the delay and near tragedy in his opening remarks: “That old adage ‘the show must go on’ seemed relatively unimportant.” Reagan not only offered his blessing for the event to go on, but had weeks before pre-taped a monologue to kickstart the ceremony. It was a solemn opening, leading into one of Oscar’s more lackluster events,...

Friday’s episode of “Jeopardy!” concluded with a touching tribute to Alex Trebek, the late host of the long-running television game show.

The roughly 90-second tribute shows Trebek, who died from pancreatic cancer in November 2020, warmly joking and interacting with “Jeopardy!” guests throughout his 37-season tenure as host of the show. The tribute was set to Peter Allen and Dean Pitchford’s “Once Before I Go,” and you can watch it below.

The January 8 episode of “Jeopardy!,” which was the last episode hosted by Trebek, was a normal taping and wrapped with Trebek saying “See you next time” before credits rolled. Trebek and producers did not know the episode would be his final show, according to Deadline.

The segment concluded with a message that read: “Dedicated to Alex Trebek: Forever in our hearts / Always our inspiration.” Trebek hosted over 8,200 episodes of “Jeopardy!” throughout his career. The television host won a...

The final show featuring longtime Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek airs Friday, and a special tribute at the end of it captures everything that audiences loved about the man.

In a video montage, Trebek jokes, banters with contestants, and generally delivers the same warm, naturally smooth, humble and reassuring presence that guided his performances through 36 years. Trebek died November 8, 2020 after a very public battle with pancreatic cancer, and the syndicated show has been running the pre-taped segments.

The January 8 show was a normal taping, according to show producers, with Trebek saying, “See you next time” and credits rolling. Trebek and producers did not know that would be his final show.

The memorial segment following tonight’s game was set to the Peter Allen/Dean Pitchford song “Once Before I Go”:

Once before I go I want you to know That I would do it all again I’m sure I...

Longtime Grammy telecast producer Ken Ehrlich has delivered his Grammy swan song (figuratively and literally), and it couldn’t have happened without … Walt Whitman. To usher out his 40-year era as the guiding light behind some of TV’s greatest musical moments, Ehrlich chose the song “I Sing the Body Electric” from the 1980 movie musical “Fame” and assembled quite the formidable choir to perform it at the January 26 ceremony: Camila Cabello, Cyndi Lauper, Ben Platt, Common and War and Treaty’s Michael and Tanya Trotter will tackle vocals, with musical accompaniment provided by Jack Antonoff (guitar), Gary Clark Jr. (electric guitar), Lang Lang (piano) and The Ricky Minor Band. Reimagining the choreography was a “Fame” original: Debbie Allen.

So where exactly did Whitman, one of America’s first superstar poets, a Bob Dylan of his day, fit in? The song, written for the beloved movie musical by Michael Gore (younger...

Chris Cummins Nov 4, 2019

We take a look back at the history of Stephen King's first bestseller, Carrie, after Riverdale turned it into a musical.

Last year, Riverdale staged Carrie: The Musical in a very special episode that was part Glee and part horror hellstorm. It is the latest example of how Stephen King's first novel continues to resonate throughout the pop culture landscape. The reasoning for this is simple: Carrie is a universally relatable story about outsiders that has much to say about topics like bullying, revenge, teen angst, religion, and telekinetic ass-kicking..

To examine just how much of a juggernaut Carrie is, we've put together this timeline dating from the book's genesis to today to provide some context into why the tale has endured for so long.

1973: Legend has it that Stephen King was unhappy with his early work on Carrie, which was originally intended as a magazine story,...

Trust “Riverdale” to go Stephen King on the high school musical trope. As previously announced, in April The CW series will put on the Broadway flop “Carrie: The Musical” as Riverdale High’s big theater blowout. But it almost didn’t happen.

At a screening for this week’s episode of the series, creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa revealed that the show first considered doing “Little Shop of Horrors,” which has horror and comedy elements that would fit the show.

“On some level ‘Riverdale’ is a crime and mystery and a pulp show,” said Aguirre-Sacasa. “There is still an element of coming-of-age and high school obviously. Doing the school musical is such a rite of passage that we wanted to do that. The question that the studio network had was, ‘Okay, but if you’re going to do that, it’s gotta still be a very “Riverdale” take on the musical.’”

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Today in 1988, Carrie opened at the Virginia Theatre now the August Wilson Theatre, where it ran for 5 performances. Carrie The Musical is a musical with a book by Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and music by Michael Gore. Adapted from Stephen King's novel Carrie, it focuses on an awkward teenage girl with telekinetic powers whose lonely life is dominated by an oppressive religious fanatic mother. When she is humiliated by her classmates at the high school prom, she wreaks havoc on everyone and everything in her path.

Feinstein's54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, will present Footloose-In Concert on Tuesday, January 12, 2016. Kick off your Sunday shoes for this one night only event Based on the 1984 film, Footloose received four Tony Award nominations during its almost two year run in Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre. The score, featuring songs written by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford, are sure to remind you that there Is a time to dance. Enjoy an evening of hits that include Holding Our For A Hero, Mama Says and Let's Hear It For The Boy.

Today in 1998, Footloose opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where it ran for 709 performances. Footloose is a 1998 musical based on the 1984 film of the same name. The music is by Tom Snow among others, the lyrics by Dean Pitchford with additional lyrics by Kenny Loggins, and the book by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. It starred Jeremy Kushnier as Ren McCormack, Stephen Lee Anderson as Reverend Shaw Moore, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Ariel Moore, Tom Plotkin as Willard Hewitt, and Dee Hoty as Vi Moore.

Put down your buckets of pig's blood kids, it will not end well for you. In this round-up, we have a Q&A with Emily Lopez from Carrie the Musical which opens on October 8th. Also: more details from Screamfest 2015, From Dusk Till Dawn season 2, and Shawn Scott's novel Apocalypse Swordsman.

Carrie the Musical Q&A: Press Release: "(Los Angeles, CA – August 19, 2015) Producers Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman and The Transfer Group have announced that Carrie The Musical will return to Los Angeles at the historic Los Angeles Theater, the first theatrical musical at that venue.

Tickets are available beginning Monday, August 24th at www.ExperienceCarrie.com. Carrie The Musical begins previews on October 1, 2015, and officially opens on October 8, 2015. Performances are on sale through November 22.

Directed by Brady Schwind and choreographed by Lee Martino, this immersive staging of Carrie takes the legendary musical off the stage and...

Today in 1988, Carrie opened at the Virginia Theatre now the August Wilson Theatre, where it ran for 5 performances. Carrie The Musical is a musical with a book by Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and music by Michael Gore. Adapted from Stephen King's novel Carrie, it focuses on an awkward teenage girl with telekinetic powers whose lonely life is dominated by an oppressive religious fanatic mother. When she is humiliated by her classmates at the high school prom, she wreaks havoc on everyone and everything in her path.

Today in 1998, Footloose opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where it ran for 709 performances. Footloose is a 1998 musical based on the 1984 film of the same name. The music is by Tom Snow among others, the lyrics by Dean Pitchford with additional lyrics by Kenny Loggins, and the book by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. It starred Jeremy Kushnier as Ren McCormack, Stephen Lee Anderson as Reverend Shaw Moore, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Ariel Moore, Tom Plotkin as Willard Hewitt, and Dee Hoty as Vi Moore.

Got blood? For its upcoming production of Carrie: The Musical, Southeast L.A.’s La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts plans to convert its space on La Mirada Boulevard into Ewan High School. The “immersive theater” event will put audience members at the center of the action. Producers Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, and The Transfer Group are mounting the environmental staging, beginning March 12, 2015, with an official opening night set for March 18, 2015.

Based on the Stephen King novel, the musical is by the 1976 film’s original screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen, with music by Academy Award winner Michael Gore (Fame, Terms Of Endearment), and lyrics by Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford (Fame, Footloose). Brady Schwind will stage the show, with choreography by Imara Quinonez.

“The story of Carrie has endured in the popular consciousness for decades, but no one has ever experienced it from this point of view,...

Studio 2ndStage's final production of the 2013-2014 season is the edgy and strangely charming Carrie The Musical, co-directed by Studio 2ndStage Artistic Director Keith Alan Baker and Jacob Janssen. From Lawrence D. Cohen,Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford, 2ndStage's Carrie stars Tony Award nominee Barbara Walsh as Carrie's mother, Margaret White, with Emily Zickler making her Studio Theatre debut playing the titular role. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action...

Studio 2ndStage's final production of the 2013-2014 season is the edgy and strangely charming Carrie The Musical, co-directed by Studio 2ndStage Artistic Director Keith Alan Baker and Jacob Janssen. From Lawrence D. Cohen, Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford, 2ndStage's Carrie stars Tony Award nominee Barbara Walsh as Carrie's mother, Margaret White, with Emily Zickler making her Studio Theatre debut playing the titular role. Scroll down for a look at the mother-daughter duo...

Studio 2ndStage's final production of the 2013-2014 season is the edgy and strangely charming Carrie The Musical, co-directed by Studio 2ndStage Artistic Director Keith Alan Baker and Jacob Janssen. From Lawrence D. Cohen, Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford, 2ndStage's Carrie stars Tony Award nominee Barbara Walsh as Carrie's mother, Margaret White, with Emily Zickler making her Studio Theatre debut playing the titular role. Scroll down for a first look at the mother-daughter duo...

Chicago – Some people spend the rest of their lives trying to compensate for slights felt in high school – that social jungle is staged in “Carrie: The Musical.” Based on Stephen King’s novel, the story of Carrie White is presented as an adversarial tale by Bailiwick Chicago at Victory Gardens Theater.

Play Rating: 4.0/5.0

Say the words “Carrie: The Musical” and the first reaction might be a preparation for a campy romp. The Stephen King story is best remembered in the Brian De Palma film of 1976, starring Sissy Spacek. Although the film is serious, the disco-era styles and graphic ending of that version could easily be sent up. But this stage adaptation – in what began as a 1988 straightforward Broadway musical – is more interested in exploring the bullying torture of the main character, and the consequences for her persecutors. This Carrie is serious business about high school rejection, and is brought together...